Lokal
1904 W North Ave, btw Wolcott and Winchester; Bucktown
Pulling off contemporary-meets-comfort is a risky venture, mostly because so many people you know also own the camo Snuggie. Go an alternate modern-yet-cozy route, Lokal.
From a quartet of Polish expats, Lokal's a clean, minimalist, 75-seat resto-lounge whose Euro-influenced contemporary comfort food menu is offset by the starkly modern yet welcoming decor, with spherical, web like Moooi fixture'd Edison bulbs illuminating a sleek, largely white space intermixed with red, charcoal, and wood accents to warm it up, even though Kris was about to. The menu's going to be divided into a steady, seasonal "Pantry" with a smaller "Market" section that will change every few days, starting off with "small bites" like cabbage cakes with spicy chili dip, mushroom artichoke croquettes with Parmesan flaxseed breading, and a roasted cashew truffle oiled pea creme soup, a delicious snack/activity following a delicious snack. Bigger bites come in the form of seared scallops with wide egg noodles and crispy chard, whole wheat pierogies with tequila date sauce, and Polish sausage served with crimini mushrooms plus a buckwheat medley that could use some Alfalfa.
Look for an also evolving European wine list (seven whites, seven reds) that highlights the go-to's (France, Italy) along with less heralded regions (Hungary, Georgia), and stay tuned for music nights featuring house, live jazz, and funk -- something you'll be no stranger to, until you add that second Snuggie.
