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Misty shares her favorite spots for indulging in the season's drinks and eats.

Tuesday Aug 07, 2007.     By Misty Tosh

Food Feed

Summer is in full effect, and I've barely cooked a lick of food at home. I blame all the pretty outdoor patios, the cool, air-conditioned restaurants and the refreshing, icy cold drinks that seem to be every which way I turn. I've been finding and rediscovering deliciousness across the board; bites and sips of food that literally make my face melt with pleasure the second they hit my lips. That level of satisfaction is pretty tough to come by, so get out there while the weather still smiles upon us and enjoy.

Uber Burger
This tiny hamburger haven has every element down exactly the way it should be: char-grilled burgers with just-right, half soft, half crispy bacon and oozing cheese; hand-cut fries with a side of creamy ranch and ketchup; crispy onion rings; thick, crazy-sweet milkshakes; and a side of reggae music pounding out of the sound system. Everything on the menu comes cheap, the waitstaff is incredibly helpful and courteous, and, as my pal Brad yelped after his first bite of burger on a recent visit, "This place blows Hamburger Mary's away!" Sad but true, Mary.

Katerina's
I've probably spent thousands of dollars over the course of a few years at this achingly sexy supper club. After a long spell of not dropping in, I decided to see if all my old stand-bys were still up to snuff. I was not disappointed. The sticky sweet amaretto-doused tiropitakia (three cheeses stuffed in baked phyllo) had the entire table moaning, and the curls of fresh grilled calamari tasted as if they'd just rolled in from the deep blue sea. If my pocketbook were as big as my belly, I'd be chilling at this old-time favorite close to every night of the week.

Century 12 & CineArts 6
There is no better thrill than perching on a high-back chair at Century Theatre's bar, sipping a glass of vino while you count down the minutes till The Bourne Ultimatum begins. Not many folks seem to take advantage of this lounge directly across from the entrance, and that's a shame. The clever little spot heralds a full drink menu, as well as tidy food offerings like panini and shrimp cocktail. And, let me tell ya, after a nice glass of pinot or two, those movie theatre hotdogs in a super-soft bun go down mighty easy.

Boocoo Cultural Center and Cafe
I'd been reading about this new cafe's capoeira classes, so as soon as I got a spare minute, I shot up north to check it out. I found a delightful coffee bar serving up their own brand of coffee (a fair-trade Brazilian blend created by Stone Creek Coffee in Milwaukee), as well as heart-healthy options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I ordered a soy latte and scoped out the place while my tattooed barista whipped it up. They've got a computer room, an affordable recording studio, a huge dance studio for all sorts of funky classes and loads of spacious tables. It's the perfect place to wile away a day, and that sassy little latte had me gabbing until the cows came home—to no one. Kinda scary! What the heck is in that coffee?

La Cucina di Donatella
Though tasty, nothing much stands out about this charming BYOB's salads, bruschetta or desserts. You can just skip everything else and hop straight to that soft-as-baby-pillows, unbelievably light pesto gnocchi. Though I know it's a bold statement, I'm prepared to say that this tiny taste of Italy doles out the best gnocchi in town. And, that's a dish that ain't so easy to make. If you can brave the tables full of oldies (I think this place serves as a retreat for hard-core book clubbers), grab a bottle of your favorite wine and dig into a dish that is pure potato heaven.

Ole Ole
I should have known something was up when the bartender looked at me like I was crazy when I inquired if he crushed the ice in the mojitos. He’d actually never heard of that method. Hello! It's what really makes a mojito a mojito. But, no worries, he brewed up a stiff-as-a-board concoction full of muddled mint. The entire west wall of the bar opens behind you, reminiscent of being smack in the middle of the super-cool restaurants lining the hidden avenues of Buenos Aires—a place where you down a couple drinks and then head to another joint for "just one more." Chicagoans should really adopt this attitude; those god-forsaken pub crawls don't count!

Fatcake Misty Tosh explores back-alley eateries, holes-in-the-wall and seedy ethnic joints as she treks the city in search of the next raving dish. Join her in the quest.