This list summarizes recent restaurant reviews. To recommend a restaurant to be reviewed, email food@ dailyherald.com.

American

Babcock’s Grove House,101 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard, (630) 613-8920, babcocksgrove.com/. The casual eatery, run by local residents Steve and Dana Moreau, features an upscale salad, burger and sandwich menu packed with tasty, reasonably priced fare. Organic greens, antibiotic-free chicken, sustainably raised pork and more can be found at lunch and dinner. Dishes to try: Bab’s Blue Cheese Burger, trio of pulled pork sliders with stout-chipotle beer cheddar sauce and hand-cut Belgian fries. Entrees: $7.50 to $12. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 8-12-16) — Thomas Witom

The Burger Local,577 Third St., Suite 102, Geneva, (630) 232-2806, theburgerlocal.com/. Don’t expect to find your father’s burger joint here. This vintage-inspired eatery belongs to this millennium with a hip vibe and a menu arrayed with creative burgers, surprising starters (deviled eggs topped with lump lobster, bacon and cilantro) and unique cocktails. The short rib burger was full of flavor. End a meal with the tasty bourbon pecan pie. Entrees: $11.50-$15. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. (Reviewed 4-29-16) — Katherine Rodeghier

Farmhouse on North,117 North Ave., Barrington, (847) 387-3408, farmhouseonnorth.com/. Though this cheery,

eclectic farm-to-table restaurant opened just a few months ago in Barrington, its creative, fresh dishes are already leaving a lasting impression on diners. If the dining room is full, head upstairs to The Hayloft for a drink, or for dinner. Dishes to try: smoked lollipop lamb chop appetizer (a must), roasted beet salad, chicken noodle soup, free-range chicken breast served with champagne pan sauce and the vegetable risotto, with its cheesy, toothy bite and ample chunks of zucchini and patty pan squash. End with the sweet yet satisfying apple cider doughnuts. Entrees: $12-$25. Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; bar open until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (Reviewed 11-18-16) — Deborah Pankey

Hardware,2000 W. Orchard Road, North Aurora, (630) 299-3977, eathardware.com/. Sustainability is the name of the game at this imaginative North Aurora gastropub that opened recently in a purpose-built structure furnished with repurposed salvage. It grows its own produce in the greenhouse, makes its own sausage, operates a hop farm, brews its own beer and offers an eclectic, imaginative menu. Dishes to try: Spanish sausage salad, shrimp Caesar salad, Korean pork (pan-seared pork belly with charred broccolini and pickled watermelon rind topped with a fried duck egg), Wagyu steak with crispy smashed Yukon potatoes and for dessert, the ho ho’s. And don’t forget the whiskey, with nearly 400 varieties. Entrees: $9-$27, salads and apps $9-$17. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 to midnight Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 11-11-16) — K.R.

Strawberry Field Pancakes & Cafe,410 N. Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, (847) 383-6328, strawberryfieldcafe.com. The menu has the best of an all-American breakfast plus a hefty selection of lunch options — salads, sandwiches, wraps, paninis and burgers, all in a bright and sunny upscale diner. Dishes to try: mini waffle flight, a group of four small Belgian waffles each piled with blackberries, blueberries, bananas, strawberries and cinnamon apples; Miami Beach, half a pineapple filled with Greek yogurt, strawberries, pineapple chunks and granola; a custom-built omelet; and corned beef hash. Entrees: $6-$17. Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. (Reviewed 9-9-16) — Jennifer Billock

Asian

Choun’s,226 W. Front St., Wheaton, (630) 868-3303, chouns.com/index.html. Seriously fresh yet reasonably priced authentic Thai fare abounds at this nicely refurbished space. Dishes to try: fresh spring rolls; spicy green curry; drunken noodles, flat rice noodles in a savory sauce with beef, sprouts, chilies and fresh basil; and pumpkin custard, served in a tiny, hollowed-out pumpkin. Entrees: $13-$15. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (Reviewed 10-28-16) — T.W.

Pho 95,2770 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 945-3870. High quality, reasonable prices, impeccable service. Plus, the Vietnamese restaurant’s sweeping menu offers 25 variations of pho, made-in-house appetizers, steamed rice dishes and filling Vietnamese sandwiches. Dishes to try: Châ Giò: three shareable deep-fried cigar-shaped Vietnamese egg rolls, signature pho, fried rice with pork, Banh Mi Dac Biet and Banh Mi Thit Heo Nuong sandwiches. Pho: $8.50-$9.50; steamed rice/rice noodle soup: $8.50-$13.50. Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; closed Tuesday. (Reviewed 11-25-16) — T.W.

Ta Wan Thai,1644 S. Randall Road, Algonquin, (224) 241-6010, tawanthaialgonquin.com/31986. The 75 dishes on the traditional Thai menu cover a lot of ground, including popular standards like chicken satay with peanut sauce; papaya salad; spicy tom yum soup; and pad thai. Dishes to try: shrimp and vegetable spring rolls, duck red curry, pad woon sen and sticky black rice cooked with coconut milk and paired with a warm Thai custard. Entrees: Noodle/stir fry: $9.95-$14.95; special entrees: $13.95-$24.95. Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 7-29-16) — T.W.

French

Retro Bistro,83 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake (815) 893-4465, retrobistro.com. Features the same classic and contemporary French dishes as its flagship restaurant in Mount Prospect. The newest location offers quiet elegance but not

a hint of stuffiness. Dishes to try: the prix fixe three-course dinner, a bargain at $35 a person, chilled gazpacho, potato pancake topped with delicious smoked salmon, salad of duck confit and six skewered shrimp intermingled with zucchini, red onions and mixed greens, rainbow trout with pineapple relish, and for dessert, the warm cherry clafouti with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or the limoncello cake. Entrees: $17.50 to $23.50. Hours: Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; dinner: 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 4:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 9-2-16) — T.W.

Italian

Tina G’s Cafe,10 Park St., Mundelein, (847) 566-TINA (8462), tinags.com/. Anybody visiting downtown Mundelein should consider a stop at Tina G’s Cafe, an upscale diner serving up American food with an Italian flair. Plus, our waiter was friendly and encouraged us to stay as long as we wanted. Dishes to try: pasta spruzza (smoked salmon sautéed in a goat cheese cream sauce with basil and scallions, served over bow tie pasta) and the chicken and asparagus panini (a standout) and the peanut butter mousse pie. Entrees: $10-$28. Hours: Breakfast: 7 to 11 a.m., lunch: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; Breakfast: 7 to 11 a.m., lunch: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Bar hours: Until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; until midnight Friday and Saturday. (Reviewed 10-21-16) — J.B.

Trezeros Kitchen + Tap,302 W. Northwest Hwy., Mount Prospect, (847) 749-4020, trezeros.com/. A newcomer to Mount Prospect’s downtown dining scene, it fits right in with its stellar service, casual yet comfortable atmosphere and solid Italian-American menu, one that’s larded with homemade pastas, artisan pizzas, steaks and seafood. Dishes to try: Sausage E Pepe, a thin-crust Neopolitan-style pizza topped with mozzarella, Italian sausage, onion and bell pepper; the shrimp scampi and the salted caramel apple crisp topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Entrees: $10-$28. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 11-4-16) — T.W.

Greek

Kouzina,795 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg, (847) 490-9424, kouzina.org/. Diners will be happy to find a familiar menu of classic Greek and Greek-American dishes in this eatery resembling a village courtyard. Dishes to try: taramosalata, red-sauce braised lamb shank, baked salmon topped with spinach, feta and onion and wrapped in phyllo and finish with galaktoboureko. Entrees: $18.75-$39. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 9-30-16) — T.W.

Mexican

Uncle Julio’s,1831 Abriter Court, Naperville, (331) 444-1300 or unclejulios.com/locations/naperville/. It’s a Mexican fiesta every day at this bustling upscale Tex-Mex eatery in north Naperville. During warmer months, the pleasant outdoor patio with a water view is the place to be. Inside, the convivial atmosphere will lift your spirits. Dishes to try: customizable guacamole made tableside, grilled fish tacos, juicy chicken and steak fajitas (fajitas are a specialty) and the signature chocolate piñata. Entrees: $10.99 to $25.99. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. (Reviewed 6-17-16) — Caroline Linden

Spanish

El Tapeo,2100 Spring Road, Le Meridien Chicago-Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 828-2044, eltapeorestaurant.com. Diners have been heading to the ninth floor of the Le Meridien Hotel in Oak Brook for two years to sample Spanish cuisine and share plates of tapas, but a new spin put on the menu by executive chef Matthew Cappellini makes a reason to return. Dishes to try: datiles (fried dates stuffed with marcona almonds and wrapped in cherry wood bacon), albondigas (lamb and bacon meatballs), calcot (green onion, red and yellow pepper), coles de Bruselas (Brussels sprouts, Iberico bacon and sherry gastrique), pulpo (charred octopus, harissa, fingerling potatoes, tarragon and black pepper sauce), seafood paella and leche frita (fried milk, apple compote and caramel ice cream). Entrees: $25-$44, tapas $6-$18. Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday. (Reviewed 10-14-16) — K.R.

Vegetarian

Cinnamon Bistro,751 W. Route 22, Lake Zurich, (224) 662-4138, cinnamonbistro.com. Tucked into a hidden nook of the Village Square Shopping Center, this cozy spot with its inventive vegetarian cuisine, exquisite presentation and leisurely paced service will make you feel like you’re miles away from home. Dishes to try: the chef’s variety appetizer, the portobello mushroom cap stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs and paired with two potato cutlets, polenta and mushrooms and mango mousse. Entrees: $18-$19. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday. (Reviewed 6-24-16) — Lisa Miner