What the critics are saying . . .

. . . about:

Jerry's (1938 W. Division St., 773-235-1006). "Jerry's desserts were the high point. The carrot cake was excellent -- moist, rich and flavorful. The chocolate/banana bread pudding was quite good, too: big portion, lush and flavorful, with some terrific ice cream crowning the top of the slab."—Pat Bruno (Chicago Sun-Times) Read it all here.

Masouleh (6653 N. Clark St., 773-262-2227). "The juicy Masouleh kebab (ground beef, much like a kefta kebab) was impeccably seasoned, with discernible notes of onion, cilantro and a little bit of sumac to add a bright, fruity note to the meat. And the khoureshte gheimeh bademjan, a succulent stew of soft eggplant, tender bites of steak and toothsome yellow peas, was absolutely addictive."—David Tamarkin (Time Out Chicago) Read it all here.

ristorante we (172 W. Adams St., 312-917-5608). "All the W Hotel eateries I've visited remind me of nightclubs, and ristorante we fits it just right. Even in the morning, lounge/rock beats played in the dining room and there was barely a speck of natural light. But that apparently doesn't matter much to the crowd that files in for a quick, stylish business breakfast in the middle of the Loop. This menu adds a couple of Italian touches in keeping with the restaurant's overall approach: tasty and light scrambled egg whites with pesto, pancetta and mozzarella ($13) and eggs Benedict with roasted tomato over black olive toast ($13). Illy espresso drinks are tops and served with mini amaretti cookies. Service is smooth and prompt."—Alison Neumer (Crain's Chicago Business) Read it all here.

Scarlet (3320 N. Halsted St., 773-348-1053). "On a recent Saturday night, the main room was difficult to navigate as guys jockeyed for position at the small bar, groups swayed to music around high-top tables, and big-boned drag queens lumbered around the room. Scarlet draws a motley crew, and not the S&M (stand and model) crowd you might find at other stops along the Halsted Street strip. It felt more like a house party—at your auntie’s loft. Scarlet didn’t just take the piano out of Gentry—it changed its tune entirely."—Karen Budell (Metromix) Read it all here.