The Gage Review - Two Stars

Recently I checked out a new, downtown "gastropub" one night after work this week. While the term gastropub has become as overused as small-plates and ceviches I do like the concept. A place
that is still essentially a bar but with a bit more upscale food, drink and decor. Why they went with the term gastropub when it could have been "fanci-bar" I don't know - maybe I'll start my own fanci-bar chain someday, but I digress....
The Gage is in a great location, directly across from Millennium Park on south Michigan Ave. and in what is primarily a tourist or non-descript office building strip this is a more appealing option for people looking for a decent but not over the top spot to head to after work prior to another evening event. The look is what you'd expect, dark wood, shiny fixtures, tiled floor - but all nicely done and a roomy bar area that is definitely a welcomed downtown addition. Having a drink at the bar prior to dinner, I enjoy the generous pour I received from the bartender (but that could just be because I'm cute!). We were in a bit of a time crunch so I didn't order any of the appetizers but they looked tasty and I would go back for those fondues, chips and curry gravy (fries for you non-Anglophiles) and one that I was interested in, an olive and pickle selection. The menu divided up into firsts/second/mains was all very tempting looking and I actually ordered a first and second and was plenty full with my selections. A cold cucumber soup, while only average was a find I wouldn't expect in a pub, albeit, a gastropub, so I felt compelled to try it. My entree was the caramelized lobster on a bed of lemony quinoa, the seasoning of the quinoa was great but I couldn't find proof that the lobster had seen anything close to carmelization but I managed to chock it down - hey, it's lobster!
Other's at the table had an aged Manhattan strip, duck confit and your standard burger spruced up with some fancy cheese and onions. The verdict: strip was good, duck was undercooked and the burger was also undercooked. While not a catastrophe and certainly easily remedied by the kitchen, it did end up putting a damper on the meal, we were on a time crunch to catch a show (which we had explained to the server earlier) so the fact that we waited quite awhile for our food which then came out undercooked really was an amateur's mistake made by the kitchen. I must say the staff was very courteous and apologetic when they realized what happened and took at least one of the items off the bill but their apologies actually became a bit irritating and overdone. So I am equating The Gage to that nerdy boy who likes you in high school, he's very nice and well meaning, your mom thinks you should like him but you just can't, at least not yet - give it some time, maybe till your class reunion or in the case of The Gage maybe another month or two.

So the majority of my sunny, 80 degree weekend was spend firmly engrossed in the last Harry Potter book. Do I feel slightly guilty for missing a great summer weekend, slightly, but
the enjoyment of reading the last book was well worth it. These things are like crack! I am thankful that I didn't start reading them until 2005 otherwise I would have had serious issues waiting for
so long between each book. I won't spoil the end for anyone since I am an abnormally fast reader - even my speed-reading boyfriend was impressed (or was that pissed?) with my skills - but to sum it
up, it was great, ended just as it should, although I am now fully depressed that there will be no more to come and wondering if I should start re-reading them again?
Since the news media has totally overdone everything Harry Potter these past few weeks I won't wax poetic about it too much here but I do need to say that I never expected to like
a "fantasy" type book but they have been wonderful, so entertaining, great charcters, a wonderful imaginary world that you can envision and simple but good messages that
we all need to be reminded of - so while there might not be another Harry any time soon (or ever for that matter) we should all make a point of trying to find those things that
make us feel like we did when we were reading about Hogwarts, mandrakes and muggles.