On a gorgeous summer eve after a fun day downtown, Jill and I wandered over to Jane’s Restaurant (1653 W
Cortland St.) near where my sister used to live to check out what they have to offer.
We preferred outdoor seating and were more than happy to wait for a table on their patio – something I’d recommend. Situated in a nice residential area near a number of other food establishments, Jane’s sets itself apart from the rest of the pack through its use of fresh ingredients and their personal takes on classic comfort cuisine.
While Jane’s is primarily known for their Brunch menu, we rarely have time for this meal as we both work during the weekends, plus it’s even more rare that we BOTH have a weekend day off together.
We weren’t super hungry so we skipped an appetizer and went straight to entrees. Jill ordered the seared Sea scallops served over quinoa linguine with a unique roasted tomato and sweet carrot sauce. The dish was savory yet slightly sweet. The scallops came perfectly seared and were plump and absolutely fresh. The sauce, though, was what set the dish apart. It was truely unlike any other preparation of scallops either of us have seen. The sauce was delicious. I would never have imagined something that rustic and harvest oriented would work over scallops.
I went with their burger as they claimed it was Chicago’s Best Burger. I know many claim this, but I often give em a shot when they make such a statement. It was a damn good burger – surprisingly good for a place not known for burger stardom. Well seasoned and cooked a solid medium rare plus, the burger was served on a warm toasted bun with flavorful yet not overly smokey bacon, grilled (not caramelized) onions and really nice sharp cheddar cheese.
A straight forward burger, yet quality ingredients shone through. The onions were merely grilled until the pungence was no longer, yet they still had some bite to them so they weren’t completely obliterated into a dark brown mush. I finished the burger with ease.
Though a quick and simple dinner for us, we were pleased with the experience and would return. If other meals prove to be as tasty as their dinner, Jane’s will be one of our brunch destinations in the near future.
Hungry Hungry Hinden 