As winter approaches in Chicago, the newly opened restaurant, Summer House will make you feel like you are in the midst of your favorite season all year round. I was born and raised in Lincoln Park and when something new is coming to that area, I get really excited. Sometimes that excitement ends in disappointment but not last night.

At 30 degrees and depressingly dark at 4pm, I was debating whether or not to order in last night or venture out to make the most of a Friday night in Chicago. I chose the latter and was absolutely delighted by my decision. The minute I stepped in to Summer House, I felt like I was in Santa Monica, CA or the Hamptons.

The upscale beachy decor helped me to forget about the temperature outside. The vibe was exactly what I needed, upbeat, hip and chic. Throughout the restaurant there are “YES” signs because the restaurant aims to please. Our waiter said his intention is to be able to say “YES” to all of our requests and that he did! The service was impeccable and our waiter had a great sense of humor. Head Chef and partner, Jeff Mahin, came to our table several times to offer suggestions and check on us. The most important part, the food, was some of the best I have had in Chicago. That says a lot coming from me because anyone that knows me, knows I am super picky.

Let’s talk dishes. Our party of four split everything which meant we all got to taste a little of everything.

First out: Hamachi Tartare &  Green Apple – This pairing was unexpectedly delicious and the hamachi was super fresh.

Super Green Salad – I am a fan of anything with Kale and this salad is sure to become my go-to pickup for a late afternoon snack during the week.

Sweet & Spicy Eggplant – Just the right amount of sweet versus spice to make the whole table yearn for seconds. I love seeing an eggplant appetizer on a menu, it’s such an underrated vegetable.

Spicy Calamari -I will never eat regular old fried calamari again because this tempura coated treat was the best calamari I have ever had. We were too busy chowing down that I forgot to take a picture right when this dish came out, this is 3/4ths eaten.

Yuzo Bay Scallops – Out of everything I ate, this was my least favorite but I am not a big fan of scallops. My table mates loved this dish and don’t get me wrong, these were tasty but I definitely enjoyed the other dishes quite a bit more.

Roasted Cauliflower – I have to admit, if Chef Jeff didn’t suggest this dish, I would never have tried it but I am so glad he did. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t choose a cauliflower dish but I couldn’t get enough of this. It had a great kick to it because of the jalapeno pesto and I would urge everyone that goes to Summer House to try this dish.

Long and slow Short ribs – The meat was incredibly tender and if it was socially acceptable, I would have licked the plate to ensure none of the aligot mashed potatoes went uneaten.

Dessert – I know my desserts and I am critical of sweets because those are my specialty. If there is one place you don’t want to skip dessert, it’s Summer House. I will be dreaming of the delicious warm chocolate chip Rice Krispie treat cooking with pumpkin spice ice cream on top, for years to come. To the right of the world’s best cookie, is the decadent chocolate cake with peanut butter and chocolate drizzle, it was extremely rich but incredibly scrumptious.

As we all know, I strongly believe in the power of social media to make or break brands. Therefore, I am using my network to spread a great word in an effort to help make this brand. I never endorse something I am not a strong supporter of and it’s no different with Summer House. Spread the word about this place because summer in Chicago is here to stay. Check out the rest of Summer House’s menu, make a reservation and follow them on Twitter for a mouthwatering newsfeed.