Foodie Fridays: Spice Up Your Brunch Experience At Carnivale Chicago!

There are lots of places around Chicago to have brunch. So, when it comes to weighing your options, you want to find a place where you can have a total experience.  If you're looking for multiple cocktail options, filling portions, dessert selections, and live entertainment - then you will want to make your way over to Carnivale Chicago!

Located in Chicago's River West area (right above the expressway to be exact), Carnivale offers a delectable menu of Latin Fusion with global flavor.

I and a guest recently visited the restaurant and was impressed not only with the service and the food, but the ambiance of the place as well.

Pisco Punch

Mimosa

For starters, I decided to try the Pisco Punch and my guest (Michele) opted for her favorite, a mimosa. The Pisco Punch is made with Pisco (the national drink of Peru), pomegranate, pineapple and lime juice.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche

Next, we sampled the appetizers.  Michele had the bacon wrapped dates (Marcona almond stuffed dates, red endive, Fuji apple, romaine lettuce, lavender honey vinagrette, blue cheese sauce) which had the most awesome bacon ever! Regretfully, I forgot to ask what brand it was

I decided to try the Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche made with poached shrimp, chilies (from the restaurant's rooftop garden), tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and avocado.   Flavorful and filling, between these two dishes, we could have stopped right here.

We were off to a great start!

Spain's Benedict

We both decided to try Spain's Benedict for the main dish.  We were a little disappointed with the dish (expecting the poached eggs to be prepared differently) and the hollandaise sauce seemed to be void of the pimento that was supposed to be in it.  The dish also included Serrano ham and papas bravas, all on an English muffin and served with very tasty potato bites.

While eating, we also enjoyed the live Latin music that was playing from the balcony above, as well as viewing the incredible artwork and murals all around the dining room.

We finished off the meal with a large cup of delicious coffee, bypassing the dessert menu which offered such items as Banana Creme Pie and Key Lime (Key Lime ice cream, burnt meringue, and baklava brittle), to name a few.

All-in-all Carnivale offers up a lively, enjoyable, and delicious dining experience that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Carnivale's brunch is available each Sunday from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.  Carnivale also boasts a great bar (open every day), and offers lunch and dinner daily.

For reservations contact at 312-850-5005 or go online to www.carnivalechicago.com.