From The Cellar to The Stained Glass

Romance is in the air right now with Valentine's Day and all the lovers dining out. Start out at The Cellar for casual affairs. Located at 820 Clark Street in Evanston this establishment is known for tasty small plates.

A smooth cocktail to try is the Manhattan Sun "Ryes" with Journeyman Ravenswood Rye combined with Koval Rose Hip Liquor and blood orange bitters.

The tuna poke was delicious as was the fried chicken.

Before we could get too comfortable it was time to move on and move into the restaurant attached to The Cellar called The Stained Glass.

This is a wine bistro that is combined with fine dining. For Valentine's there is a set menu of $48 with three courses.

When ordering off the regular menu run with the Nunn to have the deviled eggs. I was in heaven with the smoked salmon caviar that was part of this dish. The crab cake was yummy as well.

For entrees you can't miss the duo of Amish chicken with stone ground white grits. The Moroccan vegetable tangine is offered for vegans and the Australian rack of lamb for meat eaters.

The wine director was very helpfull in choosing what to try and extremely knowledgeable thanks to a long background in the restaurant biz.

Just valet your car here in front. Parking is very difficult in this busy neighborhood.

These two restaurants are a bit hidden in this neck of the woods but totally worth the effort. Make a reservation on Opentable at either website (thecellarevanston.com or thestainedglass.com) today.