If sincerity was the measure of excellence, People Lounge would earn five stars. The service is always prompt and reliable, the re-creation of a true Spanish tapas bar is scrupulous, and the dedication to quality small plates is unflagging. And when People hits it just right, the food is out of the park. Yet People doesn't always smack a home run.
For something that'll make you cheer, try the skirt steak, a delicious, savory melt-in-your-mouth treat enhanced with tomatoes, cornichons and aged manchego cheese. Or sample the scallops, pan-seared to perfection and arranged in a creamy and flavorful vegetable ragout. Both dishes demand attention not only for their exquisite preparation but also for their eye-catching presentation. The scallops, for example, are surrounded by a stripe of neon green and topped with a jaunty plumage of garnish. This artful combination of gloss and substance is the kind of thing you’d expect from a restaurant costing twice as much.
Other dishes, while still visually appealing, fail to wow. The piquillo white wine sauce that promises to uplift the traditional Serrano croquettas is too subdued to stand out and the fried tube of creamy cheese that results is merely an upgrade to a standard jalapeno popper. The patatas bravas benefit from the delicious roasted red pepper aioli but the potatoes are too thick to allow the sauce and spices to balance the starch of the spud. The gambas (pan seared shrimp) make full use of a delicious lobster chipotle bisque but are accompanied by fritters that are a bit dry.
None of this actually disappoints. Everything is summarily gobbled up. It’s just that some of the dishes ascend to another level, like the other-worldly empanada de cerdo, a wonderfully juicy flavor burst of sweet chili pork underscored with brandy fig sauce and garnished with fruit salsa. This is one not to be missed, a true five star dish in any restaurant.
And People never stops trying. A new spring seasonal menu was presented to us as we tucked in for dinner and while I wish I could say they had one-upped their winter offerings the new roster was not as consistently extraordinary. Still, you can’t fault a restaurant for being merely very, very good. People is.
The room at People is narrow and deep with ochre walls and dark, rustic wood tables meant to emulate a Spanish bodega. The large projection TV behind the bar is out of place among the heavily-framed mirrors and wrought iron chandeliers. Don Quixote would be disconcerted. And the room is noisy. You will have to lean into the waiter to communicate. But these small shortcomings are more than offset by the quality of the food and the overall convivial atmosphere.
We arrived on Thursday night in time for the $3 tapas specials, served until 7pm. This is an extraordinary bargain considering that many of these dishes are worth more than they’re asking for them. To get them at a discount is well-nigh a steal.
People has a full bar with a decent selection of wine and beer, and of course sangria. In summer there is a sidewalk cafe. At night People morphs into a lounge featuring world music and entertainment.
Overall, People is not what you would call hit or miss. There are no misses here. Instead, what you get are some solid home runs and good solid triples to drive in a few runs. When they change the menu again, they could easily string together a bunch of long balls. And that would put them at the top of the league.
People Lounge
1560 N. Milwaukee Ave.
773-227-9339 / Reservations Accepted
Hours: Su-F 5pm-2am; Sa 5pm-3am; Su Brunch 10:30am-2pm; Food served to 1am
Features: Outdoor Dining, Lounge Scene, Brunch, Late Night Dining, Live Music, Carryout
Avg Price for Two Including Drinks $60
Website: www.peoplechicago.com
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