Erwin's is the perfect protective womb from the razor chafe of Chicago's blustery winters. The dark mahogany stained wood-backed chairs, the central dark wood bar, and the forest green walls feel like a cozy, upscale living room. Chef Erwin Drechsler, in crisp chef whites with his salt and pepper beard, often mans the maitre d' station, peering out over his reading glasses to scan for your reservation or bid you a hearty adieu after a filling meal.

When it opened in the mid-'90s, Bon Appetit lauded erwin as one of the top 10 restaurants in the country. While time has passed, and the critics have moved their gaze to hip restaurants of the moment, the restaurant's survival is a testament that the opening year quality is still on display. In addition, Drechsler is the man who taught lauded Blackbird chef, Paul Kahan, how to cook in the kitchen of Metropolis, Drechsler's earlier venture.

So it should be no surprise that the seasonally-focused, market-based cuisine on display at Blackbird is also the same rubric from which Drechsler works. Heirloom tomatoes, fiddlehead ferns and a rotating fresh menu are the cuisine du jour. In the winter, Drechsler has a way with earthy mushroom soups, and he's a master of offal, serving up the richest calf or chicken liver with heartwarming red wine sauces and smoked applewood bacon. Recent additions to the menu include signature sandwiches (like pork loin with cheddar and mustard apple sauce) and pasta dishes like a short rib ravioli. Entrees range from $13-$27.

Centerstage Reviewer: Michael Nagrant