Expect the unexpected from the moment you enter Cafe Absinthe's back alley entrance (no pedestrian front door here). As soon as you make it in, you'll think you're in typical-trendy-eatery hands: the exposed brick walls, dim lighting, closely spaced candlelit tables and billowing curtains dress Absinthe for Wicker Park success. The menu's new American cuisine, however, is like nothing you've seen before and may require the aid of a gourmet dictionary.

Dishes change daily, but typical night sees dishes like shredded turkey confit on jalapeno corn bread with blue cheese remoulade. Things only get more exotic from there. Entree options (most at $17-$27) flirt with the unusual: venison with cherries and butternut puree, ostrich carpaccio with a black-eyed pea salad or grilled ostrich with avocado chimichurri. A comprehensive wine list accompanies the menu, as do dessert selections like ginger saffron gelato, dark chocolate pate or chocolate hazelnut mousse served in a martini glass.

Although Absinthe is often touted as a romantic destination (the name does sound French, after all), some diners disagree. The closely spaced tables do allow for intimacy, but that means bonding with your neighbors as well as with your date.

Average cost: $21-$30

Centerstage Reviewer: Jennifer Berg