There’s a lot going on—from tacos to pierogi, poutine to fried alligator—on Central Standard’s sprawling menu. But I guess that’s the point, because there’s also a lot going on foodwise in the entire central standard time zone, the disparate geographic swath from which this River North enterprise takes its inspiration. On its website, Central Standard is described as “a journey across an entire time zone” to “destinations from the North Woods to the Deep South.” Still, no amount of recycled barn wood and honeyed lighting can overcome the restaurant’s clubby decor and the glow of its flat-screen TVs, which is to say that you won’t particularly feel like you’ve journeyed anywhere. Well, maybe Dallas.
Close your eyes and you just might be in New Orleans. Or at least Birmingham.
169 W. Kinzie 312-527-9409 centralstandardchicago.com
