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

American

The Craftsman by Two Brothers,16 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, (630) 615-7100, twobrothersbrewing.com/restaurants/thecraftsman/. With three levels of dining, it’s the second-floor farm-to-table Modern Tavern that’s drawing the attention of serious diners. Dishes to try: the sweet/savory kale and beet salad, the meat and cheese board, the al dente beer-braised oxtail ravioli, the dry-aged rib-eye, the simple yet satisfying bolognese, and the cinnamon-heavy apple fig tart. Entrees: $17-$43. Hours: Second-floor Modern Tavern: 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 12-23-16) — 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. 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 gastropub. 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 filled with Maker’s Mark whiskey cream. And don’t forget the whiskey, with nearly 400 varieties. Entrees: $9-$27. 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.

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

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.

Italian

129 Center Cut,129 Center St., Grayslake, (847) 986-6872, facebook.com/129CenterCut/. With its open-concept modern farmhouse-inspired menu, this new Italian steakhouse is poised to become a dining institution in Grayslake. Dishes to try: yellowfin tuna tartare, oysters on the half shell, warmed goat cheese, rack of lamb, pork chop, chicken piccata and the standout penne arrabiata with bacon and pancetta. And don’t forget the thick and perfectly caramelized creme brulee. Entrees: $13-$59. Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday; closed Monday. (Reviewed 12-16-16) — Jennifer Billock

Basta Pasta,1919 S. Meyers Road, Oakbrook Terrace, (630) 495-0200, bastapastaobt.com. The recent opening of this 250-seat clubby Italian-American restaurant comes as a welcome addition to the West suburban dining scene. Dishes to try: sushi-grade sesame-crusted ahi tuna, fettuccine in an oil-and-garlic sauce with sea scallops, the perfectly cooked halibut fillet and the dense ricotta cheesecake. Entrees: $8-$17. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday; 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday; Happy Hour from 3 to 6 p.m. (Reviewed 12-9-16) — T.W.

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. 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 atmosphere and solid Italian-American menu of 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.

Mexican

Jalisco,4949 Grand Ave., Gurnee, (224) 637-8616, eatjalisco.com/. Walking into this restaurant is like stepping into the Mexican state of the same name — lively music, lots of colors and a distinct western theme. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menu is massive, and drinks are oversized. Dishes to consider: queso fundido with chorizo, the pozole soup, the enchilada dinner with mole sauce, the taco al pastor, the nopales guisados taco (a spicy mixture of smoky cactus, hot peppers, onions and cilantro), and the crispy flauta. You can’t go wrong with the flan. Entrees: $7-$29. Hours: 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. (Reviewed 12-2-16) — J.B.

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) — C.L.

Seafood

Crazy Crab,279 N. Barrington Road, Streamwood, (847) 252-9555, crazycrabseafood.com. The independent self-styled Cajun fusion seafood emporium has struck a chord with local diners willing to dig in with both hands to get at their food. Choose from 11 seafood options, pick a sauce and level of spiciness and then your order will be boiled and brought to the table. Entrees: Crawfish to crab legs to whole lobster at market price varying from $8 to $29 a pound. Hours: 3 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (Reviewed 6-10-16) — T.W.

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 burned 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

Vegan

Purple Sprout,341 E. Dundee Road, Wheeling, (224) 223-7133, purplesprout.com. Husband-and-wife team Karim Raimbekov and Irina Kuznetsova opened this casual 18-seat vegan cafe and juice bar in late November. It provides a welcoming experience for all comers, from committed vegans to newbies. Yuca served balled up with carrot and seitan (wheat gluten) was memorable as was the black bean and hempseed burger, chocolate hemp ice cream and sugar-free marble cheesecake. Prices: Main course: $7 to $12; juice bar: $3 to $8; desserts: average $7. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. (Reviewed 3-25-16) — T.W.