Chicago (Wine Bar and Cafe) - Rootstock

Rootstock
954 North California Avenue, Chicago, Illinois; Phone 773-292-1616
Date of Review: March, 2010
http://rootstockbar.com/

Rootstock is a wine bar and restaurant that opened in Humboldt Park a little over a year ago. It was opened by some friends who used to work together at Webster’s Wine Bar and a chef that used to work at Cafe Spiaggia. They wanted to create an environment that was casual, relaxing and focused on small producers of wine and beer and a food menu that puts emphasis on sustainable farming. The owners have succeeded in fulfilling their objectives and more importantly have created a relaxing environment that entices one to stick around for a bit while enjoying another drink or bite to eat.

Rootstock is located on a quiet stretch of California Avenue near the intersection of Augusta by the California Clipper. Street parking is easy to find in this area which has a mix of restaurants and shops and residential condo buildings. If you look for a door in the front like I did, look again. The restaurant/bar is accessed via an alley that leads into the restaurant through a side door. The interior has dim lighting and a mix and match of plates, chairs and tables that add to the aura, charm and laid back atmosphere of the place. There is seating for 50 or so at tables, the bar and a counter. They play jazz at just the perfect decibel level that allows you to appreciate the music while still allowing you to chat with your guests.

As for the wine and beer menu, they have an impressive selection of bottled beers with detailed descriptions, including the alcohol content. They focus on small producers so don’t expect much to look familiar although you should be impressed with whatever you choose. The wine menu is expansive and equally impressive. The food menu is a small, diverse offering of reasonably priced bar plates, salads, flatbreads (or crusts), larger plates and meat and cheese platters. To begin, the charcuterie and cheese board (3 meats and 3 cheeses) is the most impressive selection of this type I’ve had in Chicago. It is pricy at $21 but well worth it as the portions and quality of the meats, cheeses and condiments are all top notch. We also ordered the “crust” topped with bourbon glazed mushrooms, vivace cheese and herb salad. It was crispy and equally good as you can’t beat a flatbread that is finished with fresh herbs. We finished our meal with the burger and frites with house made ketchup. My only complaint about the solid (but not quite stellar) burger is the bacon-scallion aioli layered on the bun. While tasty, it was a bit too rich for my tastes and I think another flavor selection would go better with the high quality meat. The frites were very good.

My wife and I walked out of Rootstock with a hefty bill of $135 (that includes tax and tip). We each had 4 drinks and shared 4 separate dishes so our large bill was related to our consumption rather than the costs of our selections. We also walked out knowing we had discovered a new gem a mile from our house that we will visit often. Lastly, we left genuinely feeling like the owners we talked too cared about our experience at Rootstock and appreciated the time we spent at their establishment. Here’s a toast to them.