Iggy's3 closed its doors in August, but this new spot was up and running just a week later. A quick update of the decor (no more monkey pics) will give the place a fresher feel, but most everything else is pretty much intact. A bar painted in red, stylish mirrors with gold-colored frames, and low-hanging lights beneath tiny blue lampshades add to the casual charm of the place. Meanwhile rock and dance music punctuate the air. And tasty burgers, sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads give you reason to stay.

Menu items include a half-pound burger ($10), rigatoni with vodka sauce ($13), pesto pasta ($12), and linguine with shrimp, scallops and calamari ($18) and a tender grilled chicken sandwich ($8). In addition, the restaurant offers bruschetta, buffalo wings, mashed potatoes, beef and chicken burritos, and salmon with a mango cream sauce. The place, which served a stiff rum and coke, also has drink specials on many days.

With the restaurant's facing Chicago Avenue traffic, the always-buzzing outside foot traffic and car congestion offer distractions until dinner or drinks arrive. So, if you want to grab a bite to eat when you're in the neighborhood but don't want to eat another slice of fast pizza or dine at somewhere overly swanky, Redline Café is a nice compromise and a welcome retreat away from the hectic shopping madness that is nearby.

Centerstage Reviewer: Mary Susan Littlepage