Indulge

Serene Haven

Are you longing to escape from a fast-paced world? To find a slice of paradise and relax? Caerula Mar Club is the luxury boutique resort for you. Located on South Andros Island in the Bahamas, it is an easy trip from Chicago. We boarded a flight to Fort Lauderdale and a few hours later we popped over to Makers Air, a private charter airline company with the tagline— “connecting passengers to paradise.” The scenic flight to South Andros was just over an hour and proved the perfect vantage point to view many of the famous Bahamian “blue holes” —underwater cave systems famed for their azure centers and turquoise rims. After arriving at the quaint Congo Town-Queen international airport, it was a four-minute drive to the resort. Once past the Club’s gate, we meandered down a curving white gravel drive hugged on either side by dense, glossy hedges. Around a final curve, Caerula Mar emerged like a mirage. General managers and hospitality industry veterans, Ron and Margaret Gratzinger, greeted us like old friends. The resort’s emphasis on sustainable and natural materials evokes a “barefoot breezy” feel with a luxurious vibe—we couldn’t wait to kick off our shoes.

Our refreshing welcome mocktails—bearing hints of grapefruit and pear—in hand, we headed to our beachfront villa. Soaring ceilings, pristine contemporary décor, soft white oak floors, and sumptuous linens welcomed us into the open-plan living area. Beyond the main bedroom was an immense marble bathroom with a shower sporting three showerheads and a bench—an indulgent way to wash away the sea’s salt and sand. The expansive villa featured two bedrooms, a sitting area, and a large veranda. In the evenings, we often spent time on the latter listening to the ocean’s orchestra while engaged in games of Rummikub borrowed from the resort’s game room.

Caerula Mar Club features three dining concepts. Switcha, the whimsical café and smoothie bar located just off the lobby, became our go-to for coffee and breakfast (the Acai bowls are a must). We selected poolside/oceanfront open-air Driffs as our daily lunch spot. Here we savored delicious salads topped with fresh catches of the day cooked Bahamian-style or, my husband’s favorite, a spicy fried chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. According to both my husband and daughter, the fries are reason enough to return to this idyllic setting. Evenings were spent savoring Lusca’s curated daily menu featuring a fish, meat, and vegetarian entrée option. A favorite dish was the ginger and citrus-marinated ahi tuna, crusted with sesame seeds, served over rice noodles, with carrots, zucchini, onions, garlic, green onions, and a hoisin sauce-sesame ponzu dressing—absolutely divine. Luckily, the dessert menu remained constant as we would have sorely missed our nightly selection of the chocolate pecan tart served with caramel, Chantilly cream, raspberry puree, and fresh berries. We did mix it up a bit one evening and ordered the peanut butter mousse served with grilled pineapple salsa and goat cheese with lavender ice cream; a dish that gave us a true appreciation for the chef ’s gift for perfectly pairing ingredients.

Each day began on the beautiful Bahamian white sand beach. The long stretch of sand suited my husband’s extended runs and my daughter and my morning walks. The shade of the towering palms encouraged me to finish several books that had occupied my nightstand for weeks. The poolside hammocks offered a breezy alternate location for reading or just daydreaming. I spent hours in my suspended paradise swayed by the ocean breeze.

On days we felt adventurous, we used the complimentary water sports equipment to test our balance on the stand-up paddleboards or take a spin in the kayaks. One afternoon, the three of us set off to explore the island on the resort bicycles and hiked four of the island’s blue holes. It was a lovely way to explore the island’s rocky terrain and become acquainted with the island’s friendly residents. When we passed a bus full of school children wearing bright blue uniforms and waving enthusiastically, it seemed they couldn’t have been happier to see us.

We also ventured off the resort grounds for a day of snorkeling. Our guides picked us up for a quick ride in an open-air Jeep to the dock where we made a stop at a local conch establishment to meet our restaurant proprietor/captain. Once on the water, we headed to a lagoon. Hopping into the pristine waters, we swam through a sea of tiny jellyfish – lucky for us, not of the stinging variety. We encountered an assortment of conch, lobster, and fish – favorites were the Queen Triggerfish and the Lionfish – both appearing as if dressed for some type of aquatic ball. The Queen looked as if she had spent hours perfecting her elaborately patterned eye makeup, and the Lionfish’s frilly fins resembled a glamorous “gown.” We also met up with turtles, and I was surprised to learn that the Bahamian turtles are quite speedy – very different from their leisurely brethren familiar to us from other locales. Several rays and starfish made an appearance in the shallower waters. In deeper areas, we visited the blue holes – these water-filled cave systems attract divers from all over the world. We did not get a chance to scuba dive, but diving is quite popular as the Andros Reef is one of the largest in the world and offers the purest Bahamian diving experience. According to island lore, these holes are home to the mythical sea monster known as Lusca. We were unable to test the veracity of this tale as Lusca chose not to greet us.

Returning to the resort via boat, we had the privilege to be the very first guests to step onto the resort’s newly renovated dock. The dock is just one of many projects highlighted in HGTV’s Island Renovation. This hit show documents the owners of Caerula Mar and renovation professionals Bryan and Sarah Baeumler’s purchase and restoration of this once-abandoned property. Spoiler alert … the end result is pretty extraordinary, and you might even catch a glimpse of our family as the show was filming during our visit. So, put down the remote control and seize an opportunity to relax, refresh, and renew on one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful, untouched, and bio-diverse destinations.

For more information, visit makersair.com and caerulamar.com.

Sky High

Flat Iron Steak with fingerling potatoes, salsa verde, caramelized shallots, Calabrian chile, and pumpkin seeds PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR

The Bien Trucha Group has a way with names. Very cheeky stuff, especially if you’re versed in family-friendly Spanish slang. Virtually all of their Latininspired concepts boast clever names with dual meanings. For example, there’s A Toda Madre (“Totally Awesome”) in Glen Ellyn. Bien Trucha (“On Top of Your Game”) in Geneva. And Quiubo (What’s ’sup) in Naperville. That’s a fun list.

There’s a strong argument to be made that no one will ever match, pun for glorious pun, the early monikers Lettuce Entertain You dreamt up in 1970s. The Great Gritsbe’s Flying Food Show? Lawrence of Oregano? They’re the stuff great press releases are made of, but I think Bien Trucha may be nipping at their heels. Especially now that I’ve experienced the lyrically named Santa Cielo, a chic small-plate restaurant on the 5th floor of the Hotel Indigo in downtown Naperville.

Roasted Rainbow Carrots with dill tahini sauce, garlic Greek yogurt, and housemade dukkah

Say it with me: Santo Cielo. Sounds like something borrowed from a Gabriel García Márquez anthology, doesn’t it? Those twin soft “c’s”—my Spanglish patois simply doesn’t do them justice—are so richly evocative. Makes one think of all sorts of celestial glories. Cornflower blue skies. An endless horizon. Stars sprinkled across a dark sky.

Properly translated, says general manager Tim Sandow, the phrase means “Good Heavens.” Which is about as pitch perfect of a name, on so many levels, as you could possibly pick for this drop-dead gorgeous dining room in the sky.

Come to think of it, there is an air of magical realism to the space. Booths are separated by ladders Cocktails of rope—dangling from the ceiling like rigging from a Spanish galleon. Lots of cool gray earth tones. Big bulbous light fixtures. And more houseplants than the set of a 1970s sit-com.

Yes, the views are spectacular. Forget about trying to secure the normally coveted 7 p.m. reservation come wintertime. You want to be in your seats for the sunsets. Totally stunning. Not a bad seat in the house, either. Grab a corner table and the recessed lighting over the bar will absorb the dusky nectarine light and refract it—almost like neon arrows—back out into the horizon.

Fortunately, Culinary Director Abel Cortes’ dapper platings are sharp enough to compete with the views. Most of Bien Trucha’s concepts are rooted in traditional Mexican flavors. Not so much here. If anything, Santo Cielo seems inspired by every country under the sun. If there’s a through-line, it’s that Cortes has a soft spot for sneaking in spicy condiments and sauces as replacements for his usual Mexican peppers.

Fries arrive with harissa ketchup. The bao buns with kimchi aioli. And there’s an avocado pizzetta dotted with Fresno chiles, red onion, cilantro, and picked fennel.

Fire Roasted Oysters with herbed compound butter and panko

The best appetizers tend to be fired in the kitchen’s gas-fired Woodstone ovens. We enjoyed the house carrots, sprinkled with dukkah—a nutty Egypt dry rub—then set ablaze until they’re crusted over with a granola-like second skin. The accompanying garlic-laced Greek yogurt mixed with tahini acts as a worthy dip. If you’re willing to spring for a slightly pricier starter, try the fire-roasted oysters, which are given a modern Rockefeller treatment. Panko meets a roasted tomato broth, which tastes a lot like a tiny sips of a classy bouillabaisse served in scalloped shells.

Although the flat-iron steak won’t disappoint. Note the ring of crimson Calabrian chile: a romesco with an extra kick. But going seafood up and down the menu may be the way to go. There’s nothing authentically Hawaiian about its poke tostada, but a touch of spice on the back end keeps things interesting. Follow it up with the best-looking and best-tasting dish of our evening: a crunchy sliver of sea bass, slippery and sweet, set against a classic Mornay sauce. It’ll remind you why a chef who still knows his sauces will always have a job.

Seabass with Mornay sauce, roasted cauliflower florets, shaved fennel, and Fresno chili

By the time you’ve polished off dinner and are ready for cheesecake, the stars will likely be out in force, giving you the opportunity to thank the heavens that this striking little gem is still shining so bright in downtown Naperville.

Santo Cielo is located at 123 Water Street, Suite 509, in Naperville. Visit stcielo.com or call 630-323-0700.

Cocktails

Sun & Strength: A dynamite pisco sour, frothy as a cappuccino, that’s brightened with semi-sweet shot of pomegranate and spritz of chartreuse.

La Chancla: I haven’t ordered an applejack cocktail since my junior year of college, but this fall-worthy blend rum, citrus, angostura and falernum—a Tiki cocktail staple—is pure Caribbean-inspired class.

An Oasis Awaits You

Disembarking from a direct flight—newly offered— from O’Hare to Santa Barbara’s airport, my husband and I took a quick drive six miles up the coast to enter a luxurious oasis. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean on California’s Gaviota coast lies the lush resort of The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara.

Stepping into the impressive open-air lobby, we immediately felt like we were a world away. The gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows outlined by abundant local flora lent to the atmosphere of a private enclave on the California coast. Each window and open-air archway frames an astonishing view that simultaneously delights and relaxes. Palm trees blow in the wind, the salty ocean air lingers in the corners, and the brilliant sun shines down on the property.

Spanning two miles of coastline, the resort presides over the coastal cliffs with unmatched ocean views. Designed in the traditional Spanish architecture style that abounds throughout California, the resort boasts white stucco villas, red terracotta roofs, and gardens of fragrant herbs and wildflowers. During our stay the resort was at full capacity, yet the property is so expansive that we felt like we were two of a handful of guests—with the resort maintaining its boutique feel throughout our entire visit. Our hacienda-inspired suite’s private patios are the perfect spot to enjoy morning coffee with an ocean view. The suite’s Frette linens, marble bathroom, and stylish, yet rustic living space are a complement to California’s relaxed vibe.

On property there is an array of activities to choose from, including guided eco-hikes, tennis, and the fitness center’s myriad of exercise classes. We opted to start our morning by joining an outdoor yoga class on the bluff—an expanse of verdant lawn overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Our instructor told us to keep an eye out for whales as the marine mammals were migrating through the Santa Barbara Channel and could be seen from our vantage point. We didn’t spot a whale during yoga, but as the morning fog burned off, we were left with a beautiful blue sky day that never disappoints on the California coast. The miles of beach coastline beckoned to us after yoga, and we spent the better part of the late morning strolling the beach with sand between our toes.

After our morning excursions, we made our way to the adult pool — one of three zero-edged saline pools. Two of which, toward the lower level of the property, overlook the ocean and are lined by reservable private cabanas. Conveniently located across from the adult pool and spa is The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge. Designed with a modern, sleek, and welcoming feel, Club Lounge access allows guests to experience complimentary concierge and continuous food and beverage service throughout the day. After a few hours of lounging by the pool, including partaking in the poolside chairs where our feet dangled in the water as we read, I made my way over to the spa.

Spa Pool PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY THE RITZ-CARLTON BACARA, SANTA BARBARA

The Ritz-Carlton Spa Bacara, Santa Barbara is 42,000 square feet of indulgence. Stepping into the sanctuary of the spa one is immediately entranced by the sky-high heights of the entryway and soothed by the Zen atmosphere. Guests can treat themselves to acupuncture, massages, or do as I did and try the Oxygen Facial. The Oxygen Facial’s innovative breakthrough beauty treatment combats signs of aging using hyperbaric oxygen to infuse a combination of antioxidants and hyaluronic acids into the skin. The facial, performed with Natura Bissé products includes an extensive face massage and is pure relaxation resulting in glowing skin for days.

For those seeking more active adventure, the resort partners with a local company, Cal Coast Adventures, that offers an array of activities including stand-up paddleboarding, ocean kayaking, surf lessons, and mountain biking.

Guests can also head to the nearby towns of Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valley where vineyards produce highly regarded chardonnay, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, and Rhone blends. Spend the day exploring the area with a variety of hikes, stopping to take in the scenery and taste local wines at one of the many wineries.

Whether choosing a day of local activities or relaxation on-site at the spa and pools, unwind in the evening with a craft cocktail from San Setto, a contemporary Japanese restaurant featuring sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and other shareables. Situated atop a cliffside bluff, sip your cocktail while overlooking the changing colors of the sky as the sun dips behind the horizon. Continue your evening dining at San Setto, or, do as we did and dine at Angel Oak. As the sun continued its languid trajectory and dipped lower in the sky, we watched the sun set over the Pacific Ocean and the stars emerge in the sky.

Angel Oak is a modern take on the traditional steakhouse serving an assortment of aged and prime cuts paired with the deepest wine cellar in the region and panoramic ocean views. Gorgeous sightings of the Channel Islands off the coast combined wonderfully with our entire dining experience. We enjoyed oysters, which in lieu of a traditional red wine mignonette, Chef Efe Onoglu pairs the delicacy with an apple and jalapeno mignonette which brings out the flavors of the sea. Next up was the crispy buttermilk quail which may be one of our favorite dishes of all time. Covered in burnt sumac, celery shavings and a hint of lime sauce, the quail was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The dish’s pixie tangerines and pickled mushrooms combined together in an explosive flavor combination. The salmon was served on a bed of saffron risotto beside stuffed zucchini blossoms and confit vine tomatoes. The salmon, along with the halibut drizzled in a yuzu beurre blanc sauce, were cooked to perfection and a highlight of our time at the resort.

Each of the resort’s six restaurants offers its own twist on a successful pairing of ocean views and local flavors. From A5 Japanese Wagyu and local abalone paired with vintage wines by the glass at Angel Oak, to Latin fare at ‘O’ Bar + Kitchen, to wine flights at the Wine Tasting Room, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara’s dining showcases the best of the area.

A breathtaking entrance to the spa reception

The resort’s Ambassadors of the Environment (AOTE) program is ideal for family’s traveling with young children. While parents explore the wonders of the property and nearby offerings, the AOTE provides a fantastic opportunity for children to discover the Gaviota Coast’s natural wonders both on land and sea, including a kelp forest, a diversity of birds, the intertidal zone, and traditional Chumash culture through exciting and memorable adventures and activities.

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara is an escape that can be enjoyed any time of year thanks to California’s year-round temperate climate. Book your direct flight now for your winter, spring, summer, or fall vacation.

For more information and to book your stay, visit ritzcarlton.com/santabarbara.

Pause. Play. Perfect.

As soon as you step off the plane, you know you’re on vacation. The salty air and sunshine are a giveaway. You’ve landed in Palm Beach, Florida.

I traveled there recently with my family and every detail was as delightful as you can imagine. Upon arriving, we headed to the luxe Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan. The Forbes Five-Star rating is no exageration at this resort. After checking in, we made our way to our room where we were delightfully greeted with a charcuterie board and a bottle of wine to kick off the stay. After flying from Chicago with a toddler, my husband and I were more than pleased to indulge.

If you’ve ever traveled with your entire family then you know that the pool cannot wait for a 3-year-old, so of course we made our way to the resort pool to splash around and take in the Atlantic breezes—eventually heading to the private beachfront.

This oceanfront resort prides itself on being a family-friendly location with all the luxury adults crave on vacation. Situated on a private beach, the breathtaking views always evoke a sense of relaxed luxury. Guest rooms and suites are designed in beachy ocean blues and yellow by famed interior designer Jonathan Adler. Be sure to book an Eau Lanai Terrace Suite—a ground-level enclave with a private patio overlooking the ocean perfect for a sunrise breakfast, and easy access to both pools on the property.

Private patio of Eau Lanai Terrace Suite

If relaxation is on your agenda (isn’t this what a vacation is about?), let your children explore in the resort’s AquaNuts program, and head to the award-winning Eau Spa. With 42,000 square feet of treatment rooms, spas, and lounging areas, it’s sure to delight. The spa, which is billed as a grown-up playground includes the Self-Centered Garden with dipping pools, hanging chairs, cabanas, and more. I indulged in a custom massage and was not disappointed. The specially curated scent created by my massage therapist was divine. Afterward, I sipped champagne from one of the hanging chairs next to the therapeutic water fountain in the Self-Centered Garden. It was the perfect wind-down after spending the day at the Palm Beach Zoo.

While the spa was enchanting, I can’t help but rave over the Palm Beach Zoo, which was only a few miles away. The wildlife included many of the usual suspects, but also some species unique to the area, and was a magical experience with my little one. Iguanas roamed the park while we took in more than 190 species and ended the trip with a run around the splashpad. We covered the entire park and made it back in time for naptime.

Palm Beach was quite the animal-filled adventure for our family. The next day we headed to Loggerhead Marinelife Center to see the sea turtles. As the only sea turtle between hospital Orlando and the Florida Keys, this center rehabilitates nearly 100 sea turtles and cares for thousands of hatchlings each year. Visiting the Loggerhead Marinelife Center is a favorite among travelers to the Palm Beach area, and it certainly placed high on our list.

Watching the adorable turtle recover in their viewing tanks while chatting with the volunteers was a unique experience our family won’t forget. Loggerhead Marinelife Center also happens to be the official charity partner of Eau Palm Beach, so the concierge at the hotel was happy to help us set up a visit.

Sea turtle Photography by Christian Del Rosario

You may be wondering, what did they eat? Well, Palm Beach has no shortage of amazing dining experiences. One of our favorites was Angle, an elegant on-resort restaurant. It featured locally and regionally sourced ingredients and an award-winning wine selection. The culinary team serving us guided our choices for the evening and even customized my daughter’s gourmet macaroni and cheese. I opted for the most tender short rib I have ever had.

Creekstone Farm prime rib filet mignon dinner at Angle

It was absolutely divine paired with our bottle of pinot noir. My husband chose the filet mignon and was delighted. We added foraged mushrooms and whipped potatoes to our meal which were full of flavor. After dinner I couldn’t help but try the Key Lime served in a unique seaside display.

What would a trip to Palm Beach be without a visit to Worth Avenue? Just steps from the ocean, the shopping and dining district is a must. Luxury retailers line the streets, including Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Peter Millar, and Vilebrequin. If the bright, beach designs of Lilly Pulitzer (who started her juice stand and store in Palm Beach) is your taste, the store on Worth Avenue carries custom designs and can create your choice of print. And while there are plenty of dining choices on Worth Avenue, we opted for Pizza Al Fresco and were thrilled.

Outdoor lounge area at Stir Bar & Terrace

After the long year that was 2020 (and early 2021), this beach escape was exactly what our family needed. Between the delicious dining, unique wildlife and private beach experiences, and sumptuous Eau Palm Beach accommodations, it was the ultimate place to bond and refresh before returning to Chicago. Afterall, Eau Palm Beach’s signature phrase—Pause. Play. Perfect.—perfectly embodies every aspect of our trip.

The Bold And The Beautiful

Chef Fabio Viviani brings a Vegas-worthy dining experience to Downers Grove. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR

Say what you will about Fabio Viviani—celebrity chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and pin-up dreamboat for an incredible number of middle-aged amateur cooks—the man has no interest in being “dull.” Ever since he chopped his way onto season five of Bravo’s Top Chef in 2008—rockin’ that rakish grin, his accent as potent as a bottle of Barolo—he’s refused to be boring.

He still rhapsodizes about food—it’s almost like listening to an aria—as if he’s holding out hope for a second career at the Lyric. He continues to fly around the country, making pit stops at his various restaurants, to show adoring fans how to properly fold gnocchi and make meatballs the Viviani way. And then there’s his unorthodox business strategy, which has established restaurants in places—Nichols City, Oklahoma; Auburn Hills, Michigan—that other chefs would have trouble finding on a map.

So it should come as no surprise that his newest local venture, Osteria by Fabio Viviani, looks like no other hotel dining room in the area.

If I didn’t know better I’d say it was designed for the Bellagio in Las Vegas rather than a Doubletree Suites in Downers Grove. Inside, frilly green hedgerows direct guests through giant sliding doors into a dimly lit dining room illuminated by flickering lanterns and shadow-casting pendant lights. There are giant mirrors. Touches of aqua on the walls. And more diagonally cut wood than you’ll see in an hour’s worth of HGTV. Let’s call it contemporary rococo, thanks to a sharp accent wall covered with a floral wallpaper last seen in the days of Fragonard and Boucher.

Like Vegas itself, there’s nothing subliminal about it. If Viviani would’ve added a neon light, it would blink one word and one word only: Indulge.

Look no further than his bread bowl, which is served with a warmed, slightly liquefied garlic cloves steeped in a rosemary olive oil flecked with grana padana. It’s a nightmare for Keto advocates but a blessing for the rest of us.

There are certainly less robust options, including chopped salads, a plate of Mediterranean field greens, and burrata. But I think Fabio does his best work on the bold stuff. His octopus app, which is braised for 90 minutes until it’s as soft a mound of al dente fettuccine, is moated by a briny-spicy celery salad made with cerignola olives and peppers. In other restaurants that would be enough, but here a second level of brine and heat is applied via a two-fisted drizzling of romesco and an extra lemony beurre blanc sauce.

Is it French? Is it Italian? Is it Spanish? Who’s to say other than it’s way too rich to ever slip onto a tiny crostini. As far as Fabio and his skilled (and equally personable) executive chef, Daniel Molina, are concerned, Midwestern appetites demand Wisconsin-sized portions.

I’ve been to enough red sauce Italian-American restaurants to put Tommy Lasorda to shame, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single flattened piece of pork that’s as large as Osteria’s panko-crusted Milanese. The breaded cutlet is larger than the giant salad bowl we use at home, which may explain why the pork is topped by a huge acidic and spicy arugula salad made with pickled onions and pepperoncini. It can easily be split three ways, making it an absolute steal at 24 bucks.

Yes, Fabio’s famous meatballs are also gargantuan. Think minor league Rawlings baseballs. They’re kept moist with Wagyu beef, ricotta cheese, and soaked breadcrumbs, then formed via a secret process I’m not at liberty to disclose. I can only say it involves throwing said meatballs into your hands a certain number of times, like a baseball player warming up with a ball and a glove. And yes, they’re a must-order.

Osteria’s handmade pastas are equally large—try the short rib sugo fettuccine while the temperatures are still crisp. Also consider chef Molina’s fork-tender short ribs, which are lacquered in a full-bodied red wine braise and topped with a green Mohawk of gremolata, whose acidity slices through the richness with unusual grace. Top it off with a slice of limencello cake—an Italian twist on a Southern lemon ice box cake—and you’ll feel like you hit a different but altogether delicious jackpot, that just happened to be much closer to home.

Osteria by Fabio Viviani is located at the DoubleTree Suites at 2111 Butterfield Road in Downers Grove, 630-434-3896, osteriadownersgrove.com.

Gateway To Another World

7 Gates in Countryside provides a rare glimpse into wonders of the Syrian table. Mashawi, a grilled meat platter. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR

I have become what some might refer to as an “inquisitive diner,” which is a polite way of saying I often fire questions at poor unsuspecting servers with an intensity usually reserved for police interrogation rooms and presidential news conferences.

Fortunately, seasoned severs know that food-prep questions are generally coded compliments—an interested diner’s way of saying that the food they’re enjoying is so unique that they hunger to know more about its origins.

Who would be compelled, after all, to ask questions about yet another wedge salad or ramekin of crème brûlée? The opposite can be said for the dishes from 7 Gates, an impressive new restaurant in Countryside, which presents a tantalizing taste of Syria. The menu includes items you’re unlikely to find anywhere else this side of Damascus: razor-thin flatbreads smeared with a minced-meat spread called sfeehah bil laban; star-shaped savory pastries called manakeesh, which look and taste like mini Syrian pizzas; and one-of-a-kind Syrian ice cream that seems almost incapable of melting.

Owner Joe Salhani has done an admirable job of dressing up the space with a dazzling array of priceless family heirlooms, which would make any Middle Eastern antique dealer faint with envy. Three hundred-year-old copper trays hang on the walls. An ancient hand-carved mother-of-pearl furniture chest doubles as a hostess stand. Plus, hand-pounded copper pieces glimmer at every turn.

Chicken shawerma wrapped in saj with garlic sauce and pickles

Fortunately, the quality food is just as transformative, which is why I kept peppering our dutiful server with questions after every forkful. The aforementioned sfeehah bi laban, for example, is set on an ultra-thin flatbread, which crunches like the exterior of a breadstick sans its airy center. It’s topped with yogurt-based paste of minced beef or lamb sprinkled with seven secret Syrian spices. The result is like a Middle Eastern take on bone marrow and toast, with an added kick of vinegar and sweet bits of pomegranate seeds.

The star-shaped manakeesh pastries are topped with a crimson dip called muhamarrah, made with red pepper, walnuts, cumin, and black nigella seeds. It’s as fun as dipping soft bread sticks into marinara, only this version has the sharp bite of Aleppo peppers and an almost za’atar-like complexity.

Those same warm flavors are evident in the kitchen’s fantastic lentil soup. Made with nothing but olive oil, expertly ground lentils, cumin, and lots of onions, it’s texture is more like cream of wheat, but it’s incredibly fragrant—expect fresh allium on the nose—and fitting medicine for any cold Chicago winter evening.

One taste and you’re likely to ask the same question I did: Syria, where have you been all my life? Salhani, who’s been in the United States for 30 years, says Syrian migrations away from home were rare in decades past. As a result, Syrian food is a little like the Switzerland of the Middle East, a dynamic food culture that seals its secrets inside its borders.

Fattoush salad with pomegranate seeds, crispy pita croutons, and tangy sumac

Much credit goes to Salhani’s choice of brick ovens, which create heat through dual burners, unlike Italian versions which tend to use only one heat source. This fierce heat lifts temperatures so high and so fast that the house pita and crisps up in mere seconds, creating a wonderful crunchy shell and pillowy interior.

It also explains the why the house’s mashawi, or delicious grilled meats, are so juicy. The kitchen’s mixed grill is the dish to order: a four-meat combo of chicken and lamb—served in cubed form, as well as ground and shaped into patties (known as kufta)—accompanied by fire-roasted vegetables and your choice of rice, bulgur, or French fries. The only thing more surprising was the quality of 7 Gates’ saj wraps—a Middle Eastern tortilla-like wrap that we had stuffed with shawarma, pickles, and a yogurt-based garlic sauce.

If there’s a flaw to be found at 7 Gates, it’s how unassuming they are about their fantastic ice cream. Had I not bombarded my server and Joe with enough questions to write a cookbook, I would have assumed it was just Americanized ice cream.

Fortunately, they convinced us to try it, and I will never look at a pint of Häagan Dazs with the same lust again. It’s made with milk, mastic, and salep—a flour made from dried orchid roots that acts as a natural stabilizer—and cooled into giant oval shaped blocks, sort of like what a slab of fudge looks like at Mackinac Island. Warm roasted nuts (in my case, pistachios) are folded into the ice cream. The results are beyond compare, like eating a pistachio drenched ice cream bar without the chocolate, not overtly sweet but festooned with bits of salt and earthy notes.

The dining room is decorated with family heirlooms and exotic imports.

Needless to say, it’s a meal that conjures up hundreds of more questions. Luckily, I know exactly who to turn to for the answers.

7 Gates Restaurant is located at 10050 55th Street in Countryside, 708-582-6800, 7gatesrestaurant.com.