Miscellaneous Tips, Chicago

Carnivale is not normally a place I would suggest going for dinner, hip, trendy and a little on the pricey side. But I kept seeing the brilliant bold colors of the restaurant beckoning me from the Dan Ryan expressway and then was hit with two positive reviews from both Chicago Magazine and the Chicago Tribune food critic. What's a girl who likes to eat supposed to do?

A friend and I went on a Thursday night when I thought it would be a little less busy, there were a few open tables but it was pretty crowded, full of beautiful people, the after work crowd in their suits, women in tight clothing with their cleavage overflowing. Oh and me who doesn't fall into any of those categories and a celebrity, Tommy Lee of Motley Crue.

This is not a place to go if you want to have a quiet conversation, the noise level is pretty high between the other diners and the loud Latin music blaring away. I was actually hoarse when we left 2 1/2 hours later. There's a small section upstairs that overlooks the restaurant, I'm thinking since they seated Tommy Lee up there that these are the coveted seats and you may want to request them when you make a reservation. Reservations are essential on the weekend.

I could have kicked myself for not remembering my camera, the interior of the restaurant is a feast for the eyes, brilliant and bold colors here too. You can see some photos on the attached website.

Service was very friendly and prompt, dining options were fully explained. The hostesses were a little too beautiful for me LOL

We started off with a couple of appetizers, tacos de pescados (fish tacos) and an assortment of 3 ceviches. The fish tacos ($8) were very good, the ceviches were also good but I was surprised at the small portion size for the $15 price tag.

For our entrees we ordered Pernil, a rum glazed pork shoulder with Puerto Rican rice and beans, and fried plantain and Borrego, a lamb t-bone with roasted potato, chorizo, peas, and mojo de ajo. Both were very good and the portion size was large, although not "Chicago large" (enough for leftovers for 2 nights). Most entrees are over $20.

Nothing on the dessert menu grabbed either of us so we passed on dessert.

Some of the reviews on Metromix suggested that you could get more authentic and cheaper food if you head to one of the neighborhoods. I'm sure this is true but Carnivale is not just about the food, it's the atmosphere and the trendy folks are flocking here currently.

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