Several North Side Anecdotes

Toro (2546 N Clark)
Toro is great first and foremost because of awesome sushi. It tastes extremely fresh and the chef has numerous creative arrangements and compositions. This is the baseline for the restaurant's appeal. Without excellent food, nothing else would really matter. That said, Toro is not only great but awesome because of its location and casual atmosphere. Too many other superb sushi places in the city are utterly pretentious and void of heart. Toro has heart. I feel comfortable being there. It is BYOB. Five stars.

Kiki's (900 N Franklin)
This French bistro is another place that I really like because I feel comfortable when I'm eating there. I like feeling laid back and content in a restaurant, not judged. In addition to this, Kiki's has great cuisine. If you're sick of French bistro style, you probably won't like it, though. There's nothing here that hasn't been done before, it is just done very well and with the utmost care. Bonus points for having a custom painted Citroën out front.

Angels & Kings (710 N Clark)
Yes, it's owned by Pete Wentz, but honestly that's a net positive for me. I like the interior. It has a stylish feel without being stupid pretentious. The waitresses are really cute in a very emo way. Just like Pete would have it. The music is also excellent relative to any other bar nearby, which is huge. If I had enough money, I'd probably be up there on the stage sitting on one of the two old-school leather recliners enjoying bottle service. So I'm not going to throw a fit by the fact that it exists. I will throw a fit when confronted by $5 Bud Lights and a clientele that would please me by remaining in the Viagra Triangle. I might go back at some point, but not for a few weeks at least.

Celtic Crossings (751 N Clark)
It feels very much like an actual Irish pub if it weren't for the fact that no Irish pub would be as spacious as this place is. Completely down to earth, nearly to a fault. A humble jukebox and a variety of tables consist the entirety of the bells and whistles for this place. But it does one thing, and does it well. A welcome reprieve from the many obnoxious bars in the area.

Simply It (2269 N Lincoln)
So I got to Simply It and was nearly handed my order by the lady who was operating the cash register when a man who appeared to be maybe in his 40's suddenly barged out of the dining room and yelled very assertively in what I presume to be Vietnamese. I didn't have my contacts in at this point, and so was quite blind, but heard somehow that the Chicken Noodle Soup was in my bag. I decidedly did not order Chicken Noodle Soup. Briefly, another guy who ordered take out walked in. His order was also under the name 'Jason.' A small debacle ensued between the lady and the man. We two Jasons stood by, bemused. In the end, I got my basil beef along with a spring roll, watermelon, and lemonade. It was good. I will return to Simply It.