Jeff

I'd like to meet:

I will write more about myself soon. I am busy getting ready for Oktoberfest!It is important to me that someone gets along with their family. I love my family and they mean the world to me. I like to meet a woman who is outgoing and not shy. A woman who likes to look her best and takes pride in her appearance.

Music:

Ace Blackjack

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.. Copied from MySpace.com -- Find me on MySpace and be my friend!

Books:

I been reading Dr Wayne Dyer’s "10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace" and I am reading Matthew Kelly "Rediscovering Catholicism". Next I am going to read Napoleon Hill’s “Keys to Success”. Dr Wayne Dryer “The Power of Intention

Heroes:

DINING: REVIEW Mirabell's a miracle For 28 years, eatery showcasing German classics has enduredBy Phil Vettel Tribune restaurant critic Published October 6, 2005Chicago takes a back seat to no one when it comes to its supply of ethnic eateries, thanks in large part to a dining public eager to try anything new, bold and exotic.But this parade has passed by German cuisine, or possibly trampled it on its way to yet another sushi bar. It would take a month to list all the Thai options in the city and suburbs; you can count the German restaurants on the fingers of one hand.And yet Mirabell has been around for 28 years, despite its traditional German menu and its unglamorous Northwest Side location. Impressive? Try miraculous.This month, when Oktoberfest celebrations bring German food and drink to the height of their popularity (never mind that Munich celebrates Oktoberfest in September), is the ideal time to give the cuisine in general, and Mirabell in particular, a look.The restaurant, which seats about 100, is full of European charm. The wood-paneled back room is fairly nondescript, but the front room is airy and cheerful, thanks to a couple of skylights and shelves crammed with beer steins and Hummel figurines. Sadly, the prettier room allows smoking (it's smaller) while the back room is smoke-free. Much as I dislike cigarettes, I took a table in the front room and hoped that no one near me would exercise his/her smoking option. The strategy worked, but I wouldn't try it on a weekend.The restaurant is run by the Heil family, which includes husband and wife Werner and Anita and son Jeffrey. Werner Heil is also the chef, overseeing a menu that consists mostly of German and West European dishes.This is particularly true among the entrees, where you'll find hearty dishes such as braised oxtails in a rich, beefy gravy, and veal wiener schnitzel, pounded to paper thinness and encased in a light, crunchy breading. Chef Heil makes a mean steak au poivre, crusting a thick 16-ounce sirloin with black peppercorns and coddling it with a sweet cognac cream sauce. And pork tenderloin Mirabell is a keeper, the pork topped with ham and Swiss cheese with mushroom cream sauce and homemade spaetzel. I can't say much about the accompanying vegetables, each one of them overcooked.Appetizer offerings include some German traditions (herring, sausages), some nods to the rest of Europe (escargots bourgignonne, capably handled and tucked into sauteed mushroom caps) and more than a few "staying alive" items, American concessions that keep the locals stopping by. Cringe if you must at the presence of fried mozzarella sticks, chicken wings and jalapeno poppers--Lord knows I did--but understand that this helps keep Mirabell afloat.Which is why I can still enjoy today Heil's hackepeter, also known as steak tartare. Mirabell's version is excellent, an aggressively seasoned pile of raw sirloin served with rounds of rye bread and, improbably, potato chips. A generous dose of fiery Hungarian paprika turns the meat red and supplies it with a spicy jolt.At the other end of the spectrum is sulze, which is uncommonly mild. The meat (actually a melded collection of cuts, much like headcheese) is offered in very thin slices, its delicate flavor enhanced with sweet chopped onions and a light, creamy vinaigrette that also doubles as the restaurant's house salad dressing.But as soup or salad are included in the entree price, an extensive appetizer list isn't terribly important. The salad is presentable enough, though nothing remarkable, but I'd make room for Heil's spicy beef goulash, which is loaded with meat and, thanks to that hot paprika, mouth-filling heat.Desserts come from one of several local bakeries, and are easily skipped if you're counting calories (of course, if you're really counting calories, you're probably not here). If you're splurging, the strudels, loaded with filling (apple, cherry, cheese) and surrounded by flaky pastry, are decent enough.The beverage program includes a tidy European wine list with a good number of German and Austrian bottles. I wish the list included more detailed descriptions; very sweet wines are listed right next to very dry ones, with few clues as to which might be which. There are just over three dozen beers available, eight of them on tap, and excepting two American brews they're all from Germany or Austria.The best time to visit Mirabell would be during its annual Oktoberfest festivities, which this year take place Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 21-22. During those Friday-Saturday revels, the banquet room is used for extra dining space, the Phenix band performs and the menu is expanded to include hasenpfeffer (rabbit stew), roast duck and more. If you're going to try a little German, you might as well make a party of it.Mirabell(star)(star)3454 W. Addison St. 773-463-1962Open: Dinner and lunch Mon.-Sat.Entree prices: $12.95-$24.95Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, VReservations: Recommended weekendsNoise: Conversation-friendlyOther: Parking permitted in shopping center across the streetRatings key:OUTSTANDING (star)(star)(star)(star)EXCELLENT (star)(star)(star)VERY GOOD (star)(star)GOOD (star)Reviews are based on no fewer than two visits. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the [email protected] © 2005, Chicago Tribune