Blu Coral
6320 S. Route 53, Suite 100,Woodridge. (630) 719-8808. www.blucoralsushi.com .Seats: 180.Cuisine: sushi and Japanese.Specialties: sunomono—choice of octopus, shrimp, fin fish, or king crab wrapped with cucumber sheet; dragon fire—soft-shell crab, asparagus and eel wrapped with thinly sliced tuna, topped with black tobiko, splashed with chile sauce; ovenbaked roulade of chicken, red onion, mushroom, mozzarella and shiso leaf with wasabi cream sauce.Main courses: $7-$39.Chefs: Son Park and Al Tastellano.Owner: David Yi.
Niche
14 S. 3rd St., Geneva, (630) 262-1000. www.nichegeneva.com .Seats: 70.Cuisine: contemporary American.Specialties: Alaskan halibut fillet on herbed bean risotto in moat of Manchego cheese-laced shellfish broth; grilled South Texas antelope chop rubbed with cinnamon-cocoa salt on roasted sweet potatoes with carrot-chipotle slaw, ancho and mulatto chile-infused veal glace.Main courses: $29-$38.50. Chef:Jeremy Lycan.Owners:Jeremy Lycan,Jody Richardson.
Osteria di Tramonto
Westin Chicago North Shore, 601 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling. (847) 777-6570. www.cenitare.com .Seats: 197.Cuisine: Italian.Specialties: Tramonto’s Pizza with mozzarella, tomato, arugula, olives and truffle oil; braised monkfish osso buco with pancetta and gremolata; double-cut free-range lamb chops with cannellini beans, sofrito and salsa verde.Main courses: $19-$35. Chef: Rick Tramonto.Pastry chef: Gale Gand.Owner: Cenitare Restaurants.
Sage Grille
260 Green Bay Rd., Highwood. (847) 433-7005. www.sagegrille.com .Seats: 120.Cuisine: American-European bistro.Specialties: Amish chicken with grilled leeks, goat cheese ravioli and rosemary-lemon jus; pan-roasted escolar with candied fennel, grilled asparagus and caviar crème fraîche; beef Wellington with forest mushrooms and black truffle Bordelaise sauce.Main courses: $17-$32. Chef: Greg Darrah. Owners: Paul Preston and Charles Rhea.
Sequel
44 Yorktown Convenience Center, Lombard. (630) 629-6560. www.sequelrestaurant.com .Seats: 140.Cuisine: American.Specialties: smoked duck breast, plum and Rainier cherrystuffed crêpe with balsamic-huckleberry coulis; filet and scallops with wild mushrooms and Burgundy reduction.Main courses: $19-$34. Chef: Mark Downing.Owner: Steve Byrne.
