Fulin's Asian Cuisine

OK, you are in Murfreesboro, TN. You want some sushi, good Asian cuisine all while sitting in a place with great ambiance. So, where do you go? Fulin's Asian that is where you go. This little gem is nestled in a brand new outdoor shopping area known as The Avenue. The restaurant is decorated tastefully with dark wood tables and chairs and red fabrics. The tables are well spaced and the dining area is not overly noisy. Service was good and so was the food. We started with some Edamame, it was just right. There is a great lunch special menu that offers tasty food for reasonable prices. You get an egg roll or spring roll and a choice of brown or white rice included.
We ordered some mu shu pork, kung pao chicken and of course sushi. The food was fresh and delicious. No MSG!! There is absolutely no reason for any food any where any time to have msg.
The wine list is creative and there are many good choices by the glass. The prices are reasonable too. So next time you are in Murfreesboro,TN and want a good place for sushi/Chinese/Japanese food..head to Fulin's. Diner23 gives Fulin's 3 triangles for food/ambiance and service.
There are a few of these restaurants throughout TN and coming soon in Decateur, Alabama.

Fulin's Asian Cuisine
2615 Medical Center PKWY, Suite 2300 Murfreesboro, TN

Marty's Place North, Minocqua WI.

This place is one of the coolest in the north woods. It is the Supper Club of all Supper Clubs. Here is the thing, this place is everything you would want in a northern Wisconsin supper club. First there is the bar, ok you see a thread here, I do like a nice bar ambiance, it is very inviting and comfortable. The place is decored in dark wood with leather cushioned chairs. The bartenders are talented and efficient. Call ahead because this place gets busy, a reservation would not be a bad idea. The dining room is stocked with tables, yet it is not over crowded. The servers are competent and know the restaurant's menu very well. I love the little appetizer bar. It has crock cheese spreads, crackers and bread sticks, cherry peppers, carrots, celery, tuna salad (with peas) ham salad spread and more. It is the best!! Don't load up though, the steaks are juicy and well prepared, the fish options are good too. It is our opinion that the steak and fish choices are the best options. Now, here is the little secret that is the best of all..They have a man who performs in the bar after about 6pm or so. He plays a Hammond organ. This guy can cut up the Hammond like no other. Snaps to Pete Peterson! The ambiance is perfect. I think the owners know it really is a gem.

Honestly, Diner23 gives Marty's Place North 4 Triangles for food and 3 for service. Oh and 4 Triangles for ambiance.

Natalino's 1523 Chicago Ave. Chicago,IL

This place is very nice. The staff is accommodating and informative, the service is pretty good. I really liked the vibe at the bar, bartenders are cool but not aloof, talkative but not annoying.
You walk in the place and it is warm with dark wood walls and bar. Fun bar stools around an inviting bar. The dining room has warm lighting and dark wood tables that make you feel comfortable as soon as you sit down.
So..We ate dinner in the dining room, that was a good experience from an ambiance point of view. Our server was great, he took very good care of us. The server made great suggestions and even steered us away from what was possibly a BAD choice. The food was good! I would suggest these things as a starting point:
For an App: Rolled Eggplant, it is thinly slice eggplant rolled and stuffed with ricotta and Parmesan cheese baked with an imported provolone cheese and a tomato ragu.
Salad? Ok, here is a good one: Martini Salad, it has beets, apples, mixed lettuce, mangos, bleu cheese in a light raspberry vinaigrette.
Entrees: Well, Mine was good except the rapini was so bitter I could not get past it. I know, I know what the flavor is but..could they have done better? I had the Chicken Joey. Overall it was wonderful. Again the Rapini was too bitter. White Beans, tomatoes good..So what was the problem? I don't know. The food was good overall. One of our friends mentioned that the meatballs were a bit dry. Hmmm, well we liked this place and we will be back. You know, the cocktails were good and the service was good. The food was pretty good too. Over all was it a choice, or was it the food? I just know that this place has so much potential and I will be back.
Diner23 gives Natalino's 4 triangles for ambiance and 2 1/2 triangles for food. They are a great go to spot and deserve another try!

White Chocolate Grill Naperville,IL

Yes, it is a part of a chain. Now we will all get over that and look into some details. It is located in a strip mall area ok,that could be a minus. You walk inside and now it becomes a plus. Dark cool wood decor with cozy lighting. The smell of the wood fire oven is not overpowering. I recommend eating in the bar area. The mirrored wall behind the bar has liquor bottles arranged by color on the tiered shelves. It really gives a stained glass effect to the room. The chairs and booth benches are soft leather and most tables give you enough quiet privacy so you can actually hear your conversation. Service is pretty good. Actually, the best service we've had was in the bar area from the bartender. Now about some of the food.
Salads are good and portions are plentiful. My favorite salad here is the:
WCG Bacon Blue Cheese Salad
Mixed greens, Maytag blue cheese, Smoked Bacon, candied nuts and red onion.
Entree fave is:
Perfectly Grilled Atlantic Salmon *
It really is good, perfect seasoning and done just right!
Their burgers are good. I did not care for the Maytag Blue Cheese Burger. There was too much cheese and for me it was overpowering.
WCG has a great wine list. Having written that, there is a phenomenon out in the 'burbs where more and more restaurants are charging way too much for a glass of wine and the pour is not even where it should be. Now WCG is guilty of this and I say to all the restaurants that do this;
SHAME ON YOU, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Come on folks even Houlihans gets it! Houli's has a great wine list, good pour and the prices are acceptable.
White Chocolate Grill gets 2 1/2 Triangles for food and 3 for ambiance.

Mexique 1529 W.Chicago Ave. Chicago

Well, This place has very good food. Chef Carlos Gaytan has created a fun, interesting menu that will surely please most palettes. The ASADA Grilled Flank Steak, Spinach, Asparagus, Roasted Red Peppers, Fingerling Potatoes and Spicy Goat Cheese Fondue is very good. The PUERCO ALCAPARRADO Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Potato & Poblano Pepper Galette, Ratatouille,
Alcaparrado Sauce (Tomatillo, Caper, Rosemary, Chile Guero ) is also tasty and fulfilling. The service was very good, maybe a little over the top but not obnoxious. The only complaint or point of correction I would give them is this: You really need to have a full bar and a bartender. The place really was too still and cold. I like minimalness and I like simplicity, but..the place was too much this way. You have a fine wine list..but it would warm things up if you could offer Margaritas or Tequila flights..you get what I am saying. A little wait time at the bar for a table is fun and frankly we went to another local spot for drinks while we waited for our rezzy time.
Diner23 gives Mexique 3 Triangles for food 2 Triangles for atmosphere. It is worth a Diner23 second vist...

Carnivale 702 W. Fulton Market Chicago

OK, this place rocks!! The atmosphere is bright, creative and festive. The bar is fun, noisy but a great place to enjoy the creative, delicious drinks. Go ahead- go into the dining room, be greeted with an explosion of color and ambiance. The large high ceiling room has lights, mirrors and creative use of color to make you feel you have arrived at a fun filled destination.
The service is good. Sometimes you might feel a little under attended but..not so bad. The food is very good and I love the fact they are totally into local growers and sustainable products.
Favorite app? Oh that is easy:
Ropa Vieja
Sweet plantains, braised beef,
spicy mayo, queso fresco
Favorite salad? Easy again!
Remolachas
Beet salad, manchego cheese, spiced walnuts, arugula,
sherry vinaigrette
Entree? Here you go!
Pollo
Guatemalan-style chicken, jalapeno-parsley mojo, potatoes,
olives, green beans
Now, don't get me started on the specialty drinks, you really need a few days to try all the wonderful concoctions of deliciousness you can experience in their cocktail choices! The
wine list has many offerings and the prices are not too extreme. Oh, and did I mention the terrace overlooking the Kennedy is really the coolest? I know, there is an L track but..it is the city!!
Go now.. run, do not walk to Carnivale.
Diner23 gives Carnivale 3 out of 5 Triangles.