I am at the Mana Food Bar, a Lilliputian-size eating place on West Division Street in trendy Wicker Park. Mana Food Bar is a vegetarian restaurant, but it's not in-your-face vegetarian (a tag at the bottom of the menu reads "add tofu to any small dish for $1 and large dish for $2.").

If a restaurant comes off as being too elitist, will it drive customers away? Is there such a thing as a jinxed restaurant location? Jacky Pluton, the owner of Haussmann Brasserie in Northfield, might be working on those two strikes.

Bank Lane Bistro is only 10 years old, but it's steeped in history. Housed in a turn-of-the-century structure in downtown Lake Forest overlooking Market Square, this small, contemporary American bistro was added, along with Bank Lane Bakery, to the east side of the landmark building in 1998.

Families looking for a unique dining experience might want to check out the cuisine at a special family dinner Sunday at Webster's Wine Bar on the North Side.

Morton's the Steakhouse, 1751 Freedom Drive, Naperville; (630) 577-1372. A steakhouse that was born in Chicago and has spread worldwide. Airy, open dining rooms with tables nicely spaced. A fine place for a celebration (birthday, anniversary) if your budget allows. Try the colossal shrimp Alexander, prime rib, surf and turf, Alaskan king crab legs, carrot cake and upside-down apple pie. (Reviewed Aug. 15)

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. R.J. and Jerrod Melman, sons of head Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises guy Richard Melman, are doing their own thing at a smart new restaurant called Hub 51.

It all began some 30 years ago in what was unused below-street-level space on North State Street. I have often wondered if the entrepreneurs -- Arnie Morton and Klaus Fritsch, who started this whole deal -- could have imagined that one day their basement steakhouse would evolve into a major chain with some 80 locations worldwide.

Hodgkins, a tiny Cook County village west of Chicago, isn't widely known as a restaurant town. But the opening last December of Salerno-Pincente Ristorante has given the area a new drawing card -- two, in fact, when you count the Trackside, a sports bar under the same roof and Illinois' newest off-track betting (OTB) operation.

Got tickets to a Bears game? Then let Finley Mahony's, 3701 N. Broadway, take you to and from Soldier Field. The cost is $50 per person and includes drinks and buffet before the game, and, for that long shuttle to the lakefront, beer on the bus. You'll also get transportation back to Finley Mahony's after the game. Seats on the "Bears Bus" must be reserved two days in advance by calling (773) 549-0226.

Trattoria 225, 225 Harrison, Oak Park; (708) 358-8555. Owners Craig and Liz Charlton have fashioned an interesting menu that has everything from Mediterranean olives to a Kobe beef burger. In between, you will find grilled octopus, salads, some pasta dishes and several "main course" choices (one each fish, steak, lamb, chicken), plus daily specials. But what this restaurant is mostly about is its wood-fired pizzas and a casual good time in a roomy warehouse/loft atmosphere. Try the grilled Caesar, sausage pizza, white clam pizza, orecchiette with sausage and apple crostada. (Reviewed Aug. 8)

At Carlucci in Downers Grove, it's "Fun Friday" every Friday from 6-10:30 p.m. On the patio, the restaurant is featuring live entertainment by Julia Huff and $5 "pink" martinis, some of which include the Cherry Cosmo-tini, raspberry-tini and a pink-pina-tini. In addition, there is a selection of $5 appetizers ranging from baked eggplant rolls and fried artichokes to shrimp cocktail, and a prosciutto and cantaloupe dish. Carlucci is at 1801 Butterfield. Call (630) 512-0990.

Trattoria 225, located in the Oak Park Arts District, is one ambitious restaurant.

Hodgkins, a tiny Cook County village west of Chicago, isn't widely known as a restaurant town. But the opening last December of Salerno-Pincente Ristorante has given the area a new drawing card -- two, in fact, when you count the Trackside, a sports bar under the same roof and Illinois' newest off-track betting (OTB) operation.

Perennial, 1800 N. Lincoln; (312) 981-7070. There is a lot of talent behind the scenes at Perennial, but I fear the menu was created by committee, which often leads to complexity and banality. There was plenty of enjoyment to be had, but not enough to make me want to run back and sample more dishes. Try the "Wings & Beer," roasted half chicken, New York strip, sea scallops, mac and cheese, and cheesecake. (Reviewed Aug. 1)

It's time once again for Ballo's annual meatball contest. The idea is to see how your meatballs stack up (or roll) against a host of others.

After several weeks of checking out a stew of new restaurants -- some good, some not so, one a bit wacky, one a bit wondrous -- I needed a palate cleanser in the form of comfort food. French bistro came to mind, and with that came my plan to revisit Bistrot Zinc on North State Street. Bistrot Zinc is classic bistro in just about every sense of the word: menu, atmosphere, consistently good food, comfort, very French wine list. The only thing missing are old cranky French waiters that might sniff at a stupid question or two.

We are at Perennial, a new restaurant in Lincoln Park. Perennial comes to us from Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm (Boka and Landmark). The executive chef is Giuseppe Tentori (he floats back and forth between this restaurant and Boka). The chef de cuisine is Ryan Poli (formerly of Butter restaurant).

Translating the language of Bistrot Zinc: • • Zinc bar. At Bistrot Zinc the zinc bar makes a statement that is pure French. In France, "zinc bars" (even though they might be made of wood or another metal) are as common as a crispy baguette.