Twist
3412 N. Sheffield

The Basics
Where you’ll find it: 3412 N. Sheffield, a few blocks south of Wrigley on Sheffield. (773) 388-2727.

When it’s open: 5-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5-9 p.m. Sunday (Brunch is served 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sundays).

Reservations: Not accepted.

What you’ve heard: We hadn’t heard much. After spending the summer on Sheffield, we wondered about the shaky-fonted red awning down the block. So we wandered in… a few months later.

Visual Aids
First impressions: It’s small. Really small. We walked in and were greeted by the entire restaurant (you can’t help but notice when someone new walks in), which was full of couples. Looked like a great date spot, though none of us would really know what that is like. ... The host greeted us, and after an awkward moment, led us to a table for four, which was conveniently waiting for us amongst the mini-Monday crowd. It was the only table left, and this was 7:30 p.m. on a Monday, so it was a good little crowd for a nothing dinner day.

The atmosphere: Twist consists of one long row of tables, lined on one side by booth seating and the other by wooden chairs. Across from the tables sits the combination bar/kitchen where some people sat for drinks and to watch “the action” (not sure how much action is involved in cooking mac & cheese or chopping ahi tuna, but we digress). ... The walls are covered with brightly colored tiles arranged in a cool, colorful mosaic. The opposite wall is decked with mini tribal masks, and the bar is lined with artists’ wooden figurines. The combination was bizarre, but the decor worked. ... After a speechless few minutes to take it all in, the group determined our adjectives, including vibrant, intimate, relaxed, cozy, colorful, random and eclectic.

The Experience
At your service: Our server was good, and very attentive. All we had to do was think about our wants and needs and they came true, as evidenced by the thought that entered our heads to ask for more plates, just as our servers hand hit the table, full of mini tapas dishes. We then wished we had a million dollars, unfortunately to no avail. ... Our server recommended the popular dishes, which ended up being most of the menu (and very little of what we had previously decided upon), and we took her up on several of her recommendations. At least a few ended up being crowd favorites, but more to come on that.

Get your drink on: The white wine enthusiasts in the bunch favored the mango sangria (on special on Monday nights). The house sangria (a red combo) was also a fan favorite, and even our resident “old man” chose the cab over his usual scotch (they have a full bar).

Menu variety and prices: As a tapas place, the variety of menu items was intense. As was the list of specials, which we highly recommend. Luckily, the two tapas experts among us led the way… the way to mass consumption of millions of tiny dishes. Our choices ranged from $5-10 (slightly more for the paella or full entrees), and our resident legume-phobe was pleased to find out that nothing on the menu contains peanuts. Legume-lovers rejoice, there is plenty to choose from, just not in the peanut category.

Description of what you did decide on: A better question might be, what didn’t we decide on? The four of us were apparently famished, so we ordered eight tapas, each choosing two that caught our eye (though Steve edited the girls’ choices based on our server’s recommendations, conveniently sparing his choice entrees). ... We went with — take a deep breath — lobster ravioli, patatas bravas, mac & cheese a la turrst (dubbed “crack and cheese” in a not-quite-facetious way), seared ahi tuna, baked tilapia, seared spicy shrimp (a must), scallops and saffron butter (holy amazing) and finally, the grilled beef tenderloin. ... We each had our favorites, and as a foursome of stubborn individuals, refused to agree on the “best” thing we ordered (it was all really good). Our server had recommended the mac & cheese, spicy shrimp and beef tenderloin, which were great, but seriously, the scallops!

Something that caught your eye: The sky box. There is a raised platform when you walk in that looks like it could hold about 10 people. We’re not sure what the plan for that space is, but it looks kind of cool and looks out onto Sheffield. ... Another thing that caught our eyes? Well, we were forced to catch each other’s eye, hence the “intimate setting” and date references, unless you are looking to move in on another party’s turf, since the place is so compact. Two of us had to ask our booth mates to kindly slide their “seats” (move their butts) to recon our coats at the end of the meal. ... Loved the wall mosaics, very interesting. And the food is great, so you won’t really have to look around all that much — unless you are gazing into the eyes of your dinner mates.

What you’ll tell your friends: If you can get one, take a date here. It’s cute, intimate and a conversation piece, if nothing else. ... Definitely hit it up on a weekday, as waiting for a table in this spot would be relatively impossible, and they don’t take reservations. ... Oh, and stop by Redmonds for a post-Twist drink. Now that’s a sweet spot!

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