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Jennifer Olvera

Joined 10 years ago

Cafeteria-style Zoom Kitchen morphs into this sit-down spot serving sophisticated American comfort food in Bucktown.. The Scene
A slatted wood ceiling and exposed brick and celadon green walls topped with flat-screen TVs give way to curvy green and purple banquettes. Warm wood and steel tables scattered throughout the space exude a sleek vibe. A counter in front caters to grab-and-go diners, while the intimate, candlelit dining room in back fills with families and hipsters in search of cost-effective fare. Service is friendly enough but inconsistent.

The Food
Familiar and homey, the short-but-sweet menu is filled with classics as well as just-upscale-enough eats like pan-seared, bacon-wrapped asparagus topped with juicy, paper-thin honeydew melon. Design-your-own salads are more than a meal with toppings like pumpkin seeds, tortilla strips and sweet beets dressed in punchy balsamic vinaigrette. Among sandwiches, the meat loaf on a soft country roll shines thanks to tangy-sweet tomato chutney. Tender, sliced flank steak marries with chunky, skin-on mashed potatoes with a dollop of gravy.