Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
Vegetarian Options Rating: ★★★
Pescatarian Options Rating: ★★★★★
Affordability: ★★★ 1/2
Ambience: ★★★★
Service: ★★★★★
Food Quality: ★★★★
Overall Rating: ★★★★
I am very happy that there is a restaurant/cafe that appreciates educators since they are under-appreciated in our society. Chicago Teacher’s Lounge and Eatery has a very relaxed, unpretentious vibe making it feel like a neighborhood hang-out. Our server was very kind, genuine, and helpful. I would say the cuisine was “New-American” style and quite tasty.
They had a decent cocktail and wine list but it was a school night so I wasn’t drinking. Their water has a refreshing lemon flavor to it making me like this place even more! Little details like these definitely elevate the dining experience. They also had cheaper sandwich options (around $13) if you aren’t looking to splurge but also more expensive entrees if you are looking to splurge (around $20).
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They had a fair amount of vegetarian and pescatarian options. My friend (who is also an educator) and I started out with an order of the truffle parmesan fries. They were drizzled with a garlic aioli and the truffle flavor was delicious. I would have liked if there was freshly grated parmesan rather than the parmesan powder on there, but it was still wonderful and I couldn’t stop eating it.
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For our entrees we ordered the roasted salmon and the cheese ravioli. The roasted salmon was out of this world! The salmon was made to perfection and served with a delicate balsamic reduction over decadent truffle mashed potatoes.
The truffle mashed potatoes were heavenly and I still didn’t have enough truffle that night. The roasted vegetables were crispy and went very well with the balsamic reduction. I loved the crunchy texture of the broccoli and cauliflower.
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The cheese ravioli was also great in the basil broth. I think this dish could have have been more flavorful though. It had a delicate, light flavor and the basil was not very strong or potent. It had more of a buttery sauce.
The ravioli had a wonderful texture and was stuffed with ricotta. It was served with sweet tomatoes, asparagus, and shaved parmesan making it feel like a balanced dish. I wanted to try dessert because they had some excellent choices but alas it was a school night so wasn’t feeling super indulgent.
Overall, this was a wonderful experience and I plan on coming here for their Taco Tuesday! For a place that has only been open for a couple of months, I was impressed with how they had everything under control.
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