Ada's is a familiar lunch spot for many East Loop cube-dwellers, who stop in for decidedly straightforward and affordable takes on diner classics, such as matzo ball soup and the turkey club. Worker bees in the know hit up the joint's 14 Karat Lounge (14 S. Wabash) after hours, to get all that Ada's menu has to offer, plus some of that sweet, sweet nectar.
On a recent visit, I wanted my nectar extra sweet, so I ordered a mai tai. Paired with my usual veggie omelette from Ada's menu, it made for a grown-up twist on a.m. OJ and eggs. The ability to order breakfast for dinner with a tropical drink cocktail isn't all the 14 Karat Lounge has going for it. An unpretentious crowd, baskets of buttery popcorn on every table, and perhaps the most enthusiastic, hardest-working bartender in the Loop give the place a special lustre. My only suggestion is that they turn down the music a couple of notches to make the lounge a less deafening option for friends who want to catch up after work over a drink.
- Mandy Burrell |
We dashed for ice cream: espresso Oreo, strawberry and vanilla chocolate chip - all vegan. Two friends and I had just finished dinner using veggies from Green City, when we realized we needed a treat. One of them called. How late are you open, he asked? 9 p.m. We were soon walking down North Avenue, wandering if fast enough. A few traffic lights slowed us down. Some 21 minutes remaining ticked down to ten. We were those last minute customers, but the staff gladly obliged. The cones were vegan. I took the sugar cone - the one I remember loving from childhood indulgences two and three scoops deep. He momentarily left for the cone, and then returned telling me that he'd double-checked to make sure it was vegan - so nice. Each of us took a different flavor. I sampled all three before deciding. The vanilla chocolate chip tasted the fullest to me, with a nice round flavor. All were smooth, and the espresso had a nice coffee flavor. The strawberry was the scooper-man's fav, he enthusiastically told us. Most importantly, each of us liked our flavor the best. My two pals had planned to work out, and they did. I walked with them to their gym. Cardio was next up after dinner and vegan ice cream. Just Indulge, 1755 W. North Ave., (773) 486-6680.
- Chris Brunn |
Review Wed May 14 2008
Thus far Top Chef has served Bears fans, Lincoln Square block partiers, and Second City players. Could the CPD really be that far behind? (Upcoming episode suggestions, before we run out of time and end up in the islands: snacks on the CTA, actually gourmet Garrett's, and some foie-gras carryout delivered to Alderman Joe Moore. Zing!) My personal programming aside, the majority of Chicago's policemen and women probably do deserve a good meal and a PR pat on the collective back in a year where less than their finest have hogged the spotlight. And nothing says "appreciation" like a microwavable meal. Mmm mmm good.
Alert: I got your spoilers right here!
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- Andie Thomalla |
Review Wed May 14 2008
Today marked the re-opening of the Green City Market in Lincoln Park. Scores of Chicagoans braved the threat of morning rain to check out this season's early bounty.
Fave farms such as Kinnickinick, Nichols and Green Acres were heavy on greens, including fresh watercress, beet greens and lettuce mixes, as well as herbs from garlic chives to spearmint. Some fun finds included breakfast radishes, garlic greens and rapini.
In addition to fresh veg and potager plants, hungry shoppers grazed on freshly made crepes, Bleeding Heart Bakery goods and Capriole cheese.
It's still a little early in the season and at least one producer remarked that the past few extra-cold months meant crops were a bit behind, but there's a fine and tasty season is ahead!
The Green City Market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 am to 1:30 pm.
- Shylo Bisnett |
Review Wed May 07 2008
There are eight chefs left in the running for big money from the makers of Glad products, a spread in Food & Wine magazine and other name-brand prizes (including the name Top Chef). Antonia notes that this is the first time since the series started that there are the same number of women and men this far along in the competition. All the chefs are getting tenser, but they’re also getting closer. In the opening moments of the show, Spike and Andrew share a hug of sadness over Mark’s departure, until the mood shifts suddenly to joy, because Andrew gets to take over Mark’s spot next to Spike’s hat-festooned bed.
Then it’s on to the reality element of this fantasy show, starting with the Quickfire challenge. This time, Padma says, the chefs will have to tackle a challenge from last season: the relay race. And the judges are going to up the ante. The winner of the Quickfire challenge will no longer get immunity.
Editor's Note: Spoilers here, spoilers everywhere...you've been warned.
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- Lori Barrett |
Review Wed Apr 30 2008
Thus far on Top Chef, we've seen tempers aplenty, back stories galore, and ever-inflating food budgets. Not to mention some really hateful hats, touching and just plain weird moments of homoeroticism, and that awesome pocket smoker contraption. So it's been a pretty well-rounded season. But this evening's episode achieved a new richness by adding some unexpected components. Namely, children (and the ticking of some surprising biological clocks), tears, and a ten dollar bill. Not to mention Art Smith, and Uncle Ben. Like you'd expect that combination. Leave it to Padma to befuddle you with product placement and yank on the ol' heartstrings at the same time. Saucy.
Editor's/Pirate's Note: Our Top Chef recaps are candid. Here be spoilers, arrgh!
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- Andie Thomalla |
Review Mon Apr 28 2008
Let us be very clear: I am not a vegetarian. I am a bacon-loving, steak-charring, carnivorous foie gras advocate if ever there was one. I'm hard pressed to cook anything that doesn't get an extra protein kick from an animal. And it should go without saying I'm about as far from a vegan as a puma. But I've been eating at the new Veggie Bite location on Milwaukee kind of a lot lately. And I'm kind of into it.
I'd like to think I came into Veggie Bite biased, but evenly on both the pros and cons. I'd read some seriously mixed reviews, but also heard some excited interest from among my vegetarian friends. Yes, it's a fully vegan restaurant bringing some pretty restricted dining options down to the average hungry hoi polloi, but at the end of the day, it's just fast food, so how good can it really be? With these qualifiers in the back of my mind, I've now tried Veggie Bite's cheeseburger, cheese fries, nachos, and chicken nuggets, and had tastes of their wrap and milkshakes. (Of course, "cheese," "burger," "chicken," and "milk" are all theoretical terms in this context). For fast food, it's not bad in the slightest. The nachos and cheese fries come slathered in something called Golden Sauce, which does a fair job resembling the barely-dairy cheese sauce at a regular fast food stop. The fake chicken in the nuggets was just as good, if not better, than what I've been avoiding eating at McDonald's for years -- and no troubling, unexpected shards of rock-hard unidentified chicken substance (which are why I'd stopped eating regular nuggets in the first place). I was really impressed with the burger as well, which had the flavor and texture of a single patty nailed -- Golden Sauce replaced the requisite slice of melted American, but it worked. The shakes may be on the sweet side, but they avoid that melted ice cream taste that I always associate with Tofutti.
Granted, there are problems with the service (it's slooooowwwww, my goodness, and on my second visit, my chix-free nuggets seemed to break the deep-fryer and force the folks in line behind me to rethink their dinner options), and the Milwaukee outpost looks like it could be a kindergarten classroom in its free time. But for a fairly cheap snack or dinner on the fly, I'll certainly consider Veggie Bite among my options from now on. Way to go, vegetarians -- you may be onto something.
- Andie Thomalla |
Review Thu Apr 24 2008
Week seven on Top Chef: There are ten chefs remaining, and as Andrew points out, it’s a bit uglier in the house, at least in the boys’ part of the house, now that Ryan has been sent home. And, as Antonia notes, there’s no more room for error. Not that there ever was. But mostly what week seven means is that Spike dons a seventh hat.
The opening moments, normally spent with the cheftestants as they relax at home, are very brief. The chefs climb out from under their brightly colored Ikea duvets on their Ikea bunkbeds, somberly button their Top Chef coats and head to the kitchen for the Quickfire Challenge.
Editor's Note: FYI, this recap is as open and honest as your current relationship. Here be spoilers!
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- Lori Barrett |
Soy Organic market in Pilsen and the fast food spot called Feed in Humboldt Park were both fun stops on last night's scouting for this year's Veggie Bike and Dine, an event I co-organize – as a disclosure. One can get non-veg items at both places, but they're also quite vegan friendly. Soy Organic, a small, friendly grocery on the corner of 19th Street and Paulina in Pilsen, has tubs full of bulk grains, nuts and dried beans, small bags of dried fruit, Swad brand of Indian products, and, my favorite among a couple grocery aisles, meatless soy chorizo in the refrigerated section – a vegan version of that spicy pork sausage. It should fry up brilliantly on a hot pan in it's own oil. Throw some tortilla pieces or corn chips in the pan, maybe some crumbled tofu, and you could be reflecting visions of chilaquiles. Oh, and Soy Organic is starting up their smoothie machine quite soon, using real fruit.
Hours later, Feed, on Chicago at California, took care of us with good counter service. Our two orders of our fried okra were vegan – they made a special effort to check – batter-coated in small, round nuggets. Ditto for the hand cut sweet potato and regular fries, tender spinach, succotash, coleslaw, beet salad, and juicy fried green tomatoes with a super light batter. Yes, they're all side orders, but combined, they're a meal for four people who just pedaled many miles. Sure, we did have some snacks from Soy Organic earlier. Call them tapas if you need convincing that you can make a meal out of such pieces. Two of my companions put tunes on the old chrome jukebox playing vinyl. We had decided to go in after one of us, a scout if you will, went inside to check on its vegan options. This person emerged with a plate of a few sweet potato fries, as a sample. I was hooked.
- Chris Brunn |
Review Wed Apr 16 2008
Bravo studiously started this week's Top Chef with a reminder of last week's Springer-esque tensions in the Stew Room, complete with bleeps and chair-tossing. Lest we forget amidst the fancy food vocabulary and Padma's reluctance to just down that last glass of wine and get indecent with Tom (it takes so little to achieve class these days), this is reality TV. A lesson seemingly beyond the grasp of some cheftestants who seemed to be vying for their own celebrity afternoon gab show this week, and embraced all too completely by Mark, Spike, and a bottle of Mr. Bubble. Hold onto your hats and helmets, as Top Chef storms Soldier Field and puts legions of flatbed-truck foodies and grill masters to shame.
Editor's Note: Our recaps are as honest as FactCheck.org. Here be spoilers!
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- Andie Thomalla |
Life Vegan is the North Side's echo of the famed Soul Veg, the masters of vegan soul food in Chicago, and a South Side beacon for many vegans. Tucked into a storefront on a quiet street in Evanston, it's a short walk from the Purple Line, and a refreshing journey for me onto unfamiliar streets. Life, as they seem to call themselves, stood out with sincerely gracious service and a smiling sous chef. My gyros spread out on a pita that took most of the plate. I poured all of the accompanying sauce over the crispy slices of the fake meat. My dining companion's jerk wrap held plain tofu cubes slathered with intensely savory spices. My salad came with a garlic and nutritional yeast dressing that I couldn't get enough of, my potato wedges with a thick BBQ sauce. You can get the sandwich without these extras for a few dollars less. 1601 Simpson St., Evanston. (847) 869-6379. El: Purple to Foster (in Evanston), and then walk about 12 minutes one block north, and then west on Simpson to 1601.
- Chris Brunn |
Starfruit opened in Wicker Park today and offered free samples of their new products. Starfruit is owned by Lifeway Foods, which is based in Morton Grove, IL. They offer frozen kefir in plain and pomegranate ($3 -$5), parfaits ($4 - $7) and smoothies ($4 - $7). The 24 topping options ($1 for the first and 50 cents for any additional) range from simple fruits to Vosges chocloate bacon bar bits and Milk & Honey granola. (The small frozen pomegranate with kiwi pictured above would cost you $4).
The shop is bright and colorful and they will offer both front and back outdoor seating in the coming weeks. I'm a fan of Lifeway's kefirs and the frozen pomegranate did not disappoint. It was subtly sweet with a nice texture that could almost make you believe you were eating a creamier dairy. The staff members were not particularly helpful, most notably when a confused middle-aged man inquired about the Brazilian gogi berry topping, but all in all this seems like a great establishment for the summer Wicker Park crowd.
Starfruit Cafe
1745 W. Division
- Gemma Petrie |
Review Mon Apr 14 2008
Juicy Wine Company, the wine bar/retail store that brought Chicago the butter and salt flight (Tournevent goat-milk butter topped with red Hawaiian sea salt, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company's cultured butter with Black Cyprus sea salt and a Parmagiano-Reggiano butter from Emilia-Romagna topped with truffle salt), now offers Saturday and Sunday brunch.
During the work week, Juicy carries an appealing assortment of cheese, cured meats, and other delights served in tasting portions. The wine list suits wine geeks and novices alike; $15 is added to the price of any bottle in order to experience your purchase on-premise.
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- Abbey Gillespie |
In my mind, Spacca Napoli could have made up tonight for one bad review. But what do I know; this was my first visit. Our server graciously stepped us through some of the antipasti, listing ingredient after ingredient when we dropped the vegan word. They cook the eggplant in oil, no butter – and top it with good, fresh basil. She told us how the truffle focaccia, which turned out to be a complete treat, and not on the menu, came without any cheese. I wanted to eat those slices continuously, like a child binge eating after sneaking into a closed chocolate store. Instead, my rational side surfaced, and it told me that I could wait, until my pizza came, to overeat just a bit. A sauce of San Marzano tomatoes, blended with salt, made the marinara pizza brilliantly savory, so much that it felt a touch silky. I think I sensed a crispy bit of rich garlic, definitely basil leaves, and with no cheese by default. It's this vegan's dream for a pizza shop to decide for itself to leave off the cheese on a few selections that hold their own without it.
To anyone who has had a bad time here (and all those who love the place), I'll tell you that service was so tops tonight that one of my dining partners strongly argued that it would be unfair not to give props to our server by name. Maybe you will find that Spacca Napoli has completely turned around and improved. Or perhaps you should just ask for Meredith. 1769 W. Sunnyside. (773) 878-2420. El: Brown Line to Montrose. Bus: 50 Damen, 78 Montrose.
- Chris Brunn |
Review Wed Apr 09 2008
This week’s episode of Top Chef was one of the tensest ones yet. The chefs were visited by Ming Tsai, from the restaurant Blue Ginger in Boston. As soon as Padma introduced him, the cameras zoomed in on Lisa, whose background is in Asian food. “I’m all grins,” she said. Moments later, the chefs are blindfolded and asked to identify the higher-quality chocolate, caviar, maple syrup and saki.
Editor's Note: Our recaps are as thorough as your high school transcript. Here be spoilers!
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- Lori Barrett |
Review Mon Apr 07 2008
I stopped into Dinkel's (3329 North Lincoln) his morning while waiting for my brunch dates. I used to spend a lot of time on this block a few years ago, and nothing has really changed, especially at Dinkel's. The interior is old school and the selection has not changed in years, notably because with its popularity, Dinkel's doesn't have to innovate.
I think of Dinkel's as the Toyota Corolla of baked goods: dependable and affordable. Not sexy but attractive. Today was no different. I walked in, and after my number was called (because it's just that good) I got a donut and coffee. Looking around, I saw that chocolate-glazed were nowhere to be found; the counter clerk took a plain donut in the back and fully dunked it into a vat of excellent warm chocolate frosting. I'm also fond of their decorated cookies, and loved the elephant that I also took home. Yummy.
- Robyn Nisi |
Review Thu Apr 03 2008
Recap by Andie Thomalla.
Top Chef! Chiffonade technique! Movies! Drama! Lights, camera and action descended upon the cheftestants this week in more than the usual literal fashion when Richard Roeper (who I once body-checked on my way into Movies in the Park – sorry dude), Aisha Tyler, and a full table of other unknown judge-guests descended upon the Gallery 37 kitchen for a film-inspired feast this week. And unlike the other chef-centric reality show premiering this week, the Top Cookies managed to make a white chocolate inflected wasabi garnish not only appealing, but downright Oscar-worthy. Gordon Ramsay, eat your heart out.
Editor's Note: No stone is unturned in our recaps. Here be spoilers!
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- Robyn Nisi |
Review Wed Apr 02 2008
The term “gastropub” refers to a pub that offers high quality food, which aims to go a step above traditional “pub grub.” Gastropubs tend to be genuine old pubs that have been overhauled, yet retain the character of a traditional English pub. The furnishings are simple, and the food is usually Modern European. The prices, though moderate for the type of dishes being served, are higher than what you might expect for a typical pub.
The current gastropub trend started in England in 1991 and came stateside in 2004 via The Spotted Pig, located in New York City’s West Village. Although I’ve never been to TSP, I’ve read nothing but positive reviews; a meal at TSP is on the itinerary of my next trip to NYC. The gastropub formula has apparently been a huge success for Chef April Bloomfield, bringing acclaim from national critics, two Michelin stars, and a string of imitators.
One such imitator hoping to jump on the gastropub bandwagon is The Bluebird, located in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. A friend and I ventured out last weekend to enjoy each other’s company, some wine, and hopefully unique yet relatively inexpensive pub food. Bluebird is long and narrow with a front room dominated by the bar and a back room solely for dining. Tables are lined neatly along a banquette that runs most of the length of the building. Lighting is low, brick is exposed, the waiters were rocking hip frames and weird haircuts, blah blah blah. I’m sure you can imagine the rest.
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- Abbey Gillespie |
Review Mon Mar 31 2008
I made the trip over to Milk and Honey (1920 West Division) this past Saturday for brunch, and am still scratching my head over the experience. In a normal restaurant, I can handle putting my name on a list and waiting until my table is ready. But Milk and Honey is a place whose popularity really can't handle its precious seating concept, at least on the weekends; I waited over twenty minutes in the line to order, which curled around the restaurant, then at least another twenty minutes standing like a schmuck cooped up in the corner, watching the lucky ones who ordered before me eat their food and hoping my silent "Finish your panini and split, Andy and Laura" ESP-ish beams would clear up some of the issues. It didn't.
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- Robyn Nisi |
Review Thu Mar 27 2008
Recap by Andie Thomalla.
In the first moments of this week’s Top Chef, Jennifer and Zoi (obligatory shot of lesbian bunk bed cuddling) give a shout out to all the ladies in professional kitchens and express the hope for some serious double X chromosome representation in the finals. This refreshingly realistic girl power moment is immediately followed by a shot of Andrew and Spike, the man-child Dopplegangers, chest wrestling and towel-snapping like two pre-teens at summer camp. The dichotomy sets something of a tone for a week where teamwork and confidence, while laudable, are nothing when your food just doesn’t taste good. Best watch your backs, boys.
Editor's Note: No stone is unturned in our recaps. Here be spoilers!
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- Robyn Nisi |
Review Mon Mar 24 2008
When asked by Food & Wine Magazine about his most memorable meal, Paul Virant, Executive Chef of Vie in Western Springs, answered, “Recently, my wife and I ate at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. I have to rank it at the top. Everything was so simple, it was all about the ingredients and the technique. It was kind of a dream.” It makes sense that Chicago’s latest golden boy, who has been touted for his seasonal cuisine, admires Alice Waters, the original pioneer of sustainable agriculture and rustic, no-frills food.
Virant has an impressive resume to say the least; highlights include stints at Charlie Trotter’s, Ambria, Everest, and Blackbird. Last year, Virant was named one of the Best New Chefs by Food & Wine. He was Chicago Magazine’s Best New Chef of 2005 and has received three stars from Chicago’s culinary Grand Poobah, Phil Vettel. So naturally, if everyone else in the freaking country loves Virant and Vie so much, I should too. Right? Well, I didn’t. There. I said it!
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- Abbey Gillespie |
Review Thu Mar 20 2008
Transmission Editor Anne Holub submitted this review of Andersonville's new Great Lake Pizzeria.
Last night, I had the good fortune of enjoying an amazing meal at one of the newest pizza joints to open up in Andersonville, called Great Lake. The little storefront shop, which offers carry-out or dine-in at their single eight-person table, is just off Clark on Balmoral, and is in real danger of being my new favorite neighborhood haunt. It's a simple restaurant, making a thin crusted, quality ingredient driven, lovingly baked pizza that's a wonderful addition to Chicago's growing roster of pizza masters.
The shop, which sells a few dozen gourmet dry goods, teas, coffees (along with a few locally made screen-printed cards), features just four pizzas on its menu — but oh, you hardly need more than that. Last night, I opted to sit at their extremely welcoming table with a couple of friends while we BYOB-ed a bottle of wine and made acquaintances with my new favorite Italian meat, sopressata. This pizza (#2 on their menu) included the delightfully complex sopressata, fresh mozzarella, olive oil and imported sea salt, along with a fresh tomato puree from a farm in Wisconsin. Our second selection, pizza #4 on the menu, included smoked bacon from Kentucky (infused with a rich smokey flavor that I could feel across my whole mouth with every bite) crème fraiche, onion and fresh sage, along with a generous grind of tellicherry black pepper.
The pizzas we opted to wait to try (not for lack of salivating, but merely for lack of room in our stomachs) include a tantalizingly simple combination of tomato puree, fresh mozzarella and marjoram (pizza #1) and pizza #3, which features cremini mushrooms and wine-cured goat cheese. Believe you me, I will eat these pizzas someday soon, and they will be delicious.
Great Lake pizza is open from 3pm to 9pm Wed-Fri, 1pm to 9pm Sat, and 1pm to 7pm Sun. You can call in your order to 773-334-9270 or stop in at 1477 W. Balmoral Ave.
- Andrew Huff |
Review Wed Mar 19 2008
Recap by Lori Barrett.
This week on Top Chef, the chefs spent some time in Lincoln Park. For the Quickfire Challenge, they were taken to the Green City Market and left with instructions that each could use only five ingredients to make a dish. All of them seemed into shopping at the market except Dale, a chef from Chicago who works at Buddakan in New York City. He turned his nose up because he wasn’t sure if the meat there was truly the freshest meat available. Mark, the chef from New Zealand, left his bag of lettuce at the table where he bought it, and realized it after the chefs were told their shopping time was up. But he just smiled and said, “That’s a bummer.”
Editor's Note: We leave nothing out in our recaps. Here be spoilers!
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- Robyn Nisi |
Review Thu Mar 13 2008
Recap by Andie Thomalla.
If you caught Wednesday night’s earlier reality offerings, the ousting of Amis (rhymes with “anus”) from America’s Next Top Model and Syesha’s dangerously close call with the displeasure of the cell-voting populace on American Idol would have been a strong portend of thing yet to come to the headband-clad in TV land. If only the fates had been more kind to poor Nimma and her 21st century take on shrimp scampi – but alas, the curse of the fugtastic headband held sway over all channels, and the sweet and slightly antisocial Southerner was the first contestant lopped off on the Top Chef chopping block this season. Her cauliflower flan-turned-puree did indeed look like baby food, though, and proved apparently even more unappetizing than carnival-barker-turned-gourmand Erik’s vomitous Mexi-Souflee. Maybe the headband wasn’t entirely to blame.
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- Robyn Nisi |
Review Tue Mar 11 2008
I joined two friends for dinner at Ravenswood's Caro Mio (1827 W. Wilson) this past weekend, which was my first visit. Will I go back? The reasons why: the food is excellent, authentic Italian. I had a very delicious tortelloni di pollo ($15) that was a nice blend of pasta, chicken, parmesan, eggplant and white wine. The portion was pretty generous (enough for a side dish-sized leftover the next day), and the presentation was nice. One friend had the tri-colored rotolo ($16) a ricotta and pasta concoction that wasn't the most challenging dish on the menu but suited a vegetarian diner well, and another ordered the agnelotti rossini ($17), half-moon pastas stuffed with ricotta and topped with a creamy tomato sauce with prosciutto and peas which he fawned over until the plate was practically licked clean. The menu doesn't take any big risks in ingredients or preparation, but you will definitely like what you order. Caro Mio has a pretty low-key atmosphere and decor and is also BYOB, which easily makes it a solid go-to neighborhood restaurant.
It's evident that the food is good. Very good. But the reasons why not to go back loom a bit larger for me: the entree prices are expensive, starting at $14; for a cheapskate like me (and an Italian cheapskate at that), I don't think I would easily return unless I was celebrating some significant event. I also had major beef with the service, which was inexplicably and frustratingly slow, given that the restaurant was less than half-full of diners. My friends and I were hungry coming in the door, and it took almost twenty minutes to get a few glasses of water and a basket of bread, which we ate like we had just landed on Ellis Island after being stuck in a boat for five weeks. So, this place has my recommendation for serving delicious food, but be prepared for some bumps in service along the way.
- Robyn Nisi |
Since Masouleh opened its door in early February, the tiny Persian restaurant has seen a steady stream of customers--and that's not a surprise.
Masouleh's opening was a welcome surprise in a mostly Mexican stretch of Clark street in Rogers Park. Since its burgundy-colored awning had appeared, we'd waited for its opening with anticipation. Having a place of "fine Persian cuisine with a northern twist," as the sign said, within a walking distance from home seemed fantastic. So, when it opened, we virtually rushed in.
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- Yu Kizawa |
Review Mon Feb 25 2008
best breakfasts in America," and Chicago is represented by the original Lou Mitchell's on West Jackson.
It’s not because the hostesses ply those waiting for a booth with warm homemade doughnut holes. And it’s definitely not the gratis stewed prunes that appear on the table just after you sit down. No, what elevates this Greek-run West Loop diner above the rest is its authenticity, evident in the faithful execution of founder Uncle Lou’s simple cooking. Long before culinary integrity became a restaurant-industry branding tool, Lou Mitchell’s was baking its own bread and using only double-yolk eggs for its masterfully prepared omelets—which are served right in the skillets in which they were cooked.
I gotta admit, Lou Mitchell's is very good. But the best in Chicago? I suppose that depends on what you're after for breakfast (note that it's not the best brunch in America). Someone really into pancakes might go for Original Pancake House first; others might favor the cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather or the gritty atmosphere of the White Palace Grill. I personally am a big fan of Wishbone's biscuits and gravy (though for my waistline, maybe I shouldn't be.)
So, what's your vote for the best breakfast in Chicago?
- Andrew Huff |
Review Sun Feb 17 2008
Saturday evening, on their way home from their weekly Thai grocery shopping excursion to Lawrence and Broadway, our married friends Steve and Pat popped by for a visit. It didn't take long before our conversation turned to food, and before we knew it - despite that Pat was still finishing her bubble tea - we were all piling into their car for an impromptu excursion to Super H Mart in Naperville.
Super H Mart was a blast - a kimchi bar! pea shoots! mangosteen! five-dollar-per-pound beef tenderloin! However, the authentic Chinese dinner we ate at Tong's Village (1239 E. Ogden Ave., in Naperville, in the very same strip mall as Super H Mart), made battling the traffic on I-290 well worth it.
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- Mandy Burrell |
Review by GB contributor Marla Seidell
A serene and mellow atmosphere, the humming murmur of conversation intermingled with soothing indie folk rock playing in the background, this could only be one place — the new Uncommon Ground in Edgewater.
Located at the corner of Devon and Glenwood, the new Uncommon Ground finds itself in the same corner as an ominously blinking police light. Apparently, owners Michael and Helen Cameron aren't deterred by the reputation of crime in the area. Although it was a Monday evening, the place was far from empty; by 8pm it was buzzing with patrons. Hip but casual, this is not a place to see and be seen, as the décor and design — mostly squares and rectangles, exposed brick, luxuriously long leather booths, and earth artwork (nature scenes in wooden frames) is far more interesting to look at than what people are wearing or doing.
The key at Uncommon Ground is cozy. My boyfriend and I were seated right next to a blazing fire; on an evening of blistering winds and rain this was startlingly appropriate. Candles burned brightly on the wooden tabletops all around us. Uncommon Ground is a good place for a conversation with an old friend, or a gathering of pals. I wouldn't say it's necessarily romantic, but socially inviting, yes. The demographic was varied, reflecting the diversity of the neighborhood: a few students, thirtysomethings, gay couples, even two cops on a break were enjoying the laid-back atmosphere.
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- Andrew Huff |
Review Sun Jan 27 2008
I fried up oat and nut burger patties with friends tonight. I bought the Tuscan Burger Mix after chewing through the sample-filled aisles at Green Grocer Chicago (whose store opening Drive-Thru mentioned this week) with Sara. An owner, Cassie Green, whose business card gives her the humbling title of "Owner/Head Stockgirl," excitedly showed me their "vegan shelf." The key to these patties - at least for us - was a hot cast iron pan filled with a thin layer of peanut oil. It sealed the soft, tender oatmeal inside with a crispy, hard outside that went brilliantly with the side of kale my roommate tossed around with lemon juice and garlic gomasio, and a side of polenta. After preparing the burger mix on the stovetop, we thought it was too wet to roll into a log and cut, as the instructions suggested. Instead, we hand-formed patties and dropped them into our pan of hot oil. I might try a bit less water next time, but they turned out quite tasty.
- Chris Brunn |
Review Mon Jan 07 2008
On Friday night, I made a long overdue pilgrimage to one of Chicago's most well-known blues clubs, Kingston Mines. It's been years since my last visit, but I still find myself rhapsodizing to friends about their chicken wings -- and I don't even like wings. In fact, these are the only wings I've ever tried that I actually enjoy eating.
Where food and music were concerned, on Friday, this class Chicago joint didn't disappoint. I'll get to that in a moment. But first, dear reader, I hope you'll indulge me in a short rant about the disrespect with which I was treated by the club's resident curmudgeon.
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- Mandy Burrell |
Event Mon Jan 07 2008
I was reading the San Francisco Chronicle a few weeks ago and came across a neat story about a Northwestern University art professor who held a seminar to talk about his Iraqi-Jewish heritage and make the foods of his childhood. The seminar, called Enemy Kitchen, was also an opportunity for the audience to talk about their perspectives on the war and the impact it has had on culture. The professor, Michael Rakowitz, will be bringing Enemy Kitchen to the Hyde Park Art Center this Sunday from 5-7pm, as part of the companion exhibit Consuming War which ends January 20 at the Center. Reservations are required. Click here to register.
- Robyn Nisi |
My hubby and I did some holiday returns this weekend, and all of those overheated stores and long lines made us hungry. I had dinner plans with a friend, so I just wanted a snack. He hadn't eaten all day, so he wanted something more substantial. To further complicate matters, we were in Old Town, where few options exist besides overpriced bar food and really overpriced fine dining. That's why we were pleasantly surprised when we stumbled upon Old Jerusalem.
I don't know why I've never noticed the place before; it's been a fixture since '76. No matter. I'm glad we found it this weekend. I ordered the combination vegetarian entree, knowing Brian would power down my leftovers. The platter had generous helpings of hummus, tebouleh, and Jerusalem salad; the most delicious and exquisitely smoky baba ganouj I've ever tasted; and three perfectly crispy, piping hot falafil. Brian ordered the shawirma sandwich. The beef and lamb shawirma was tender and, notably, not over seasoned. Plus, the pita was so stuffed with meat and the works that we marveled at how it maintained its structural integrity.
Service was polite and prompt. Despite my dinner plans, I decided it would be worth it to sample Old Jerusalem's sweets. The harisa, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made mainly of semolina, burst with flavor. Interestingly, the cake was soaked in a milk and honey syrup, as opposed to the more traditional citrus-spiked simple syrup. I like it Old Jerusalem-style, and I'll definitely make a return visit to try the kinafa, which features ricotta cheese, and the baklawa.
- Mandy Burrell |
Zagat Survey has chosen the top 11 restaurants of the year based on cost, service and decor. It is an interesting mix with only two establishments hitting close to home. All of the restaurants scored a 29 out of a possible 30 points. Has anyone dined at these restaurants?
Bacchanalia - Atlanta, GA
Barrington's - Charlotte, NC
Carlos' - Highland Park, IL
Jean-Robert at Pigall's - Cincinnati, OH
Thomas Henkelmann's Homestead Inn - Greenwich, CT
French Room - Dallas, TX
Sanford - Milwaukee, WI
Restaurant Nicholas - Red Bank, NJ
Gary Danko - San Francisco, CA
The Inn at Little Washington - Washington, VA
Xavier's at Piermont - Piermont, NY
Image: The Creme Brulee at Carlos'
- Gemma Petrie |
I attended the opening of Connoisseur Wine Co. last week. Gerald Lott and Frankie Versean Cox have created an intimate space (seats only 50) for patrons to enjoy wine, champagne and a small plate menu designed by Chef Philipp Vitti, formerly of TRU
Those interested in getting a first-hand look at this new establishment should check out the offer posted on Chicagoist for this weekend.
Connoisseur is located at 1041 W. Grand, a wise choice just off the blue line. The unassuming building was flanked by a doorman who welcomed me out of the cold into their cozy space where I met several courteous individuals involved in the project. Juliana Angel, the Wine Program Director, brought me the Alfredo Roca Pinot Noir, Medoza 2005 ($10/35), the Morgadio Rias Baixas, Albariono 2006 ($12/40) and the Bollinger Special Cuvee ($120).
Samples of their menu offerings were also available. Of note were the Crawfish Rolls: Spicy sushi rolls with ginger and plum sauce ($12), Lobster and Chile Ceviche: Lobster ceviche with grapefruit, hearts of palm, cilantro and key lime ($16), Grilled Asparagus: Marinated, grilled asparagus with toasted walnut and gorgonzola ($11) and truly luscious Sweet Potato Soup ($8). Dan Deaton, the Executive Chef, would like the menu to push his guests to try something new, while still making them feel comfortable.
Connoisseur is a nice addition to the higher end market, providing a refined environment for conversation, a small meal and a glass of wine from their thoughtful selection. Connoisseur felt refreshingly unpretentious to me, but I do wonder if the type of patron who frequents such an establishment might desire more glitz from their surroundings. A few small changes could give the space a more upscale feeling and I believe that Connoisseur will have to make them in order to compete in the luxury market.
Connoisseur
1041 W. Grand Ave.
312-738-3055
Hours: Tues.-Fri. 5pm-2am, Sat. 2pm-3am and Sun. 2pm-2am
- Gemma Petrie |
When I began working in West Town a few months ago, I quickly fell in love with Fiore's Deli. Access to a corner store where I can buy ripe avocados, Vitamin Water, high-quality Italian pantry items and homemade tiramisu has certainly improved my life. Their deli counter always has a surprisingly steady stream of customers given their residential location, but until recently I had not tasted any of their offerings.
The first snow this week was by all accounts a fairly gentle introduction to winter, however I still felt unreasonably interested in moving slowly and staying warm. The two-block walk to Fiore's for a hot sandwich proved to be the perfect quick lunch. The scrambled eggs were rich and creamy, dotted with hearty slices of cooked green and red bell peppers. The sandwich is served on Italian bread and comes in three different sizes. I ordered the 7-inch for $4.50. Not a bad deal for a truly comforting meal.
Fiore's Domestic Import Deli
2258 W. Erie
312/942-9419
- Gemma Petrie |
Chances are, you've tasted Metropolis coffee. It's now served at many Chicago restaurants and coffee shops. But maybe you haven't made the trek up to Granville to the Metropolis Cafe. Yes, it gets crowded with Loyola students and local residents, but there's a reason for that. The coffee is always hot and fresh, and the food is pretty good as well.
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- Dana Currier |
Review Sun Dec 02 2007
This guest review comes from reader Rosamund Miller. If you'd like to submit a review of your own, please email it to drivethru@gapersblock.com.
I love Chinese food. Growing up in San Francisco, I ate a lot of it. Much to my mother's surprise and delight, my generally picky 6-year-old self had no trouble putting away a carton of ma pao tofu, mu shu pork or even scaly, mysteriously delicious chicken feet at dim sum. After a number of years in the culturally and culinary different Midwest, I've come to the conclusion there are four kinds of Chinese restaurants: really bad dives, really good dives, high-end places with average food, and the excellent but at times elusive middle. The middle has great food and surroundings to match. You can go for a nice dinner with visiting relatives or collapse into fried noodles at the end of a long night. Prices are reasonable. The food is the main priority, but atmosphere isn't too far behind.
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- Andrew Huff |
Review Tue Nov 20 2007
My fiancée and I took the South Shore train home to visit our parents in the ‘burbs this weekend, and we got lucky: my Mom and Dad are Food Network junkies, and they decided to drive our car-free butts back to the city so they could get a taste of Smoque, recently featured on TV’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
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- Mandy Burrell |
Review Mon Nov 12 2007
I'd love a kitchen like the one on the set of The Cook at Goodman Theatre. It's large enough for a truckload of friends to gather. A long counter top table has room enough to lay out ingredients for a feast, and a pot rack above holds enough pots to cook one with. A retro oven and refrigerator tuck into a long square tiled counter in the background. A vastly over-sized fume hood completes the room's greatness. The performance is quite touching. It explores the personal joys and sacrifices of a wealthy family's cook as she struggles to maintain the house after the Cuban revolution. You get a recipe, too. The playwright, Eduardo Mechado, co-authors a book on exile and identity that seems to compliment the play in Tastes Like Cuba. Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight discussed the play which runs through Nov. 18.
- Chris Brunn |
Review Fri Nov 09 2007
Not too long ago, I scored a copy of Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food to add to my small collection of cookbooks. The pages are understated, adorned with sketches of vegetables, herbs and meat. The recipes seem basic at first glance; Waters gives instructions on grilling vegetables and preparing a chicken broth. But with recipes such as Pork Shoulder Braised with Dried Chiles and Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad, Waters asserts that simple food does not mean bland food.
The recipe for Tortilla Soup is after the jump.
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- Meghan Murphy Gill |
Review Tue Oct 30 2007
It's that time of year again. The time where everything pumpkin-related seems to come out of the woodwork just in time for the cold weather. From the old classics (muffins, pies, cookies, coffee drinks) to the new ones (ravioli, bisques, risottos, beers, pizza)...I love them all. There's something about the sweet pumpkin spice that makes the impending winter weather seem a bit more tolerable.
I recently had the pleasure of discovering a new pumpkin delicacy--the Pumpkin Spice Cake doughnut from Krispy Kreme. Perfectly spiced with just the right amount of glaze, it's a melt-in-your-mouth treat that's bound to become a new fall classic. Yum.
- Bobbi Bowers |
Blog Mon Oct 15 2007
When I'm trying to see if a restaurant is worth the travel and expense, I head to LTH Forum to see if any of their dedicated posters has written about the place in question. If you aren't familiar, this website forum is a great resource for finding (and posting) restaurant reviews in and outside of the city, as well as a place to talk about recipes and, well, food. Their annual "Great Neighborhood Restaurants" award recipient list was released today, with over 20 new additions to the elite group, (predictably) among them Smoque and Kuma's Corner, as well as some little-known places that are sure to become highly sought after as a result of LTH Forum's recommendation (similar to the "Check Please! Effect").
- Robyn Nisi |
In my never-ending quest to find new coffee shops, I tend to rely on many different sources, word of mouth, the Internet and sometimes dumb luck, as was the case with Sweet Bean and More.
I first noticed a sign in a window almost six months ago about this new addition to the Lakeview neighborhood and made note of it in one of many notebooks since lost. Recently, I drove by on a whim, and, lo and behold, people milling about and patio furniture outside signaled that they were open. Lucky for me it was their first day open and worth the wait. Situated below the newly-constructed Diversey Station condo complex at 1855 W. Diversey Pkwy, Sweet Bean is one of the most elegant shops I’ve seen of late, very comfortable and inviting with rust and gold wall treatments, hand-laid tile accents and a gorgeous wood and marble bar. This new offering just begs for people to sit and enjoy the day, and with plenty of outdoor seating for the warm months and free wi-fi, who could blame you? Sweet Bean serves Chicago’s own Metropolis coffee and espresso as well as a nice variety of baked goods both savory and sweet.
Sweet Bean offers a breakfast daily until 10:30am, the open-face sandwich on French bread with mushroom, red onion, feta and scrambled egg, as well as a variety of salads and sandwiches all decently priced around $8. All of the sandwiches and salads are prepared in-house to order. Sweet Bean is also offering a weekend brunch from 8am to 2pm with a special, elegant menu.
Sweet Bean and More is open daily 6am to 8pm Monday through Friday and 7am to 8pm Saturday and Sunday. It is located at 1855 W. Diversey Pkwy. (773) 857-3100
- Christian Scheuer |
I have never eaten a pannekoeken, but I'm familiar with the Dutch dish, which is a thin, large hybrid of a crepe and pancake that can be topped with savory or sweet items. I realized that very few restaurants in the city actually sell pannekoeken, so when Pannekoeken Cafe opened in Lincoln Square (4757 N. Western) I was all over it.
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- Robyn Nisi |
Review Fri Aug 31 2007
Julius Meinl has been one of my favorite bakery/coffee shop in Chicago. Their European-style cakes are always fantastic (excellent on the palate, beautiful on the eyes), and the airy interior always makes me feel as if I were on a trip in Europe. Only nice bike ride away in Lakeview, but everything about the coffee shop puts me in the splendor of faraway continent. Furthermore, Meinl is a special place for me--it was where I met my partner for the first time.
So it pains me to say that I've been a little worried about the operation there. It's not the food quality that I'm concerned about; it's the service that seems to get especially iffy at weekend peek hours.
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- Yu Kizawa |
Review Wed Aug 29 2007
I would almost rather say Shikago was a mere blip on the Chicago dining radar, nothing worth checking out, nothing to see here, move along. If for no other reason than a mediocre review would keep it as airily open and quiet as it was today. It just wouldn't be true, though.
Located at 190 South LaSalle in a building that would be worth visiting even if there wasn't a great new Loop lunch spot on the first floor (gold-leaf vaulted ceilings! beautifully patterned marble floor! air conditioning!) Shikago might have a silly name, but the food is seriously prepared, and seriously worth it. Once you get past the confusion of telling someone you're going to eat there ("I'm going to Shikago." "Dude, you're in Chicago."), bring them along -- it's well worth the trip. Juicy details below the fold.
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- Andie Thomalla |
Drink Wed Aug 22 2007
After spotting my post about Half Acre Beer Company in Merge, the fledgling brewery contacted me to offer a taste so I could judge for myself how well they make their product. I accepted, and a few days later their point man, Gabriel Magliaro, stopped in the office with six-pack in hand and ready to chat.
Half Acre has been under development for about a year and a half, Magliaro said, and just started selling last week. The company is based on the West Side, but the beer itself is brewed by a contract brewer in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, a common strategy for small, start-up beer brands. Half Acre hopes to one day brew beer themselves here in the city.
Their first beer, a lager, is available primarily in Wicker Park and Bucktown; you can find it at the Charlston, Pint, Jerry's 2 and Bacino's, and in six-packs at the 7-11 on Damen and the Always Open on Milwaukee. They hope to expand to the rest of the city and beyond very soon (it's in the hands of their distributors).
So, what does it taste like? For a lager, it's surprisingly complex, far from the flimsy, watery Budweiser, the number-one selling lager in America. The beer has a dark amber color with a little cloudiness, and a somewhat bitter-tart aroma. I tasted a big orange-blossom note floating on top of a rich caramel flavor that provided depth to stand up to food, but not so much that it can't be drunk on its own. Very effervescent, with a nice balance of yeasty tartness and hoppy bitterness. This is definitely a beer worth seeking out.
- Andrew Huff |
Review Mon Aug 13 2007
Let me preface this by saying, I'm not a club person. I'm a bar person. A cheese fries and PBR on tap person. A low-enough volume to hear my friends talking person. So it was probably inevitable that I would not be swept off my feet by Plan B, a new snack-drink-and-shake-it shack just north of the Milwaukee six points. But let me just say for the record: swept, I was not.
Plan B Kitchen and Bar puns on being your second-choice destination if the other Wicker Park clubs are too packed, though the name also has a sort of icky morning-after birth control resonance to it. The place's promises fancy drinks (alcoholic snow cones? shut up!) and an interesting but accessible menu ("lollipop" chicken wings, chocolate fondue), but the website, with its pumping club soundtrack and shimmying Flash-based bartendress, is kind of indicative of the entire experience of the place: clever and attractive enough on the surface, but disappointingly shallow and just a touch sad when you dig a little deeper. More thoughts below the fold.
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- Andie Thomalla |
The only way to start a birthday is with a special meal, which is why I hauled my cookies this morning up north to Andersonville to ring in a new year with friends at M. Henry. As usual, this place did not disappoint.
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- Robyn Nisi |
I took two buses and a train this past Saturday morning to get down to Sweet Maple Cafe (located at 1339 W. Taylor), and the travel was well worth the meal.
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- Robyn Nisi |
Over the weekend, Centerstage's Misty Tosh raved about Mazza Barbeque, a new spot along Devon Avenue. Her review confirmed my opinion of the restaurant and the food: it's a worthy second choice for diners not able to get into Bhabi's or Hema's, and has the potential to become a destination itself.
I stopped in by myself a few weeks ago (it's not far from my home, and I was bacheloring it for the night), shortly after Mazza opened in a space formerly occupied by a sketchy looking cafe. I was the first customer of the night, as far as I could tell; the waiter seemed almost surprised to see me. He handed me a menu, which promised Indian, Pakistani and Uzbek cuisine. Like Tosh, I'd be hard-pressed to identify the specific Uzbek dishes, but no matter.
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- Andrew Huff |
Review Thu May 03 2007
If cheese was a hip commodity of the youth culture, like, say, rock and roll, Northern California’s Cypress Grove Chevre would be the Sub Pop Records of the genre. (Just follow me here.)
Adapting and growing since its conception in 1983, the secluded dairy farm first caught on with aficionados and industry types who were taken with the quality and flavors of their offerings in, what was at the time, a sparsely populated goat cheese market. As America’s taste for goat cheese exploded through the 1990’s, Cypress Grove’s reputation for providing fresh, innovative and downright tasty goat cheeses grew. These days, as goat cheese has become less of a novelty and more a regular item on our shopping lists, the dairy has become legendary for maintaining the high quality of their signature cheeses and for the constant innovation and experimentation with new creations. (See a dim parallel with the Seattle record label there?)
(Continued below the flip.)
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- Bryan Delano III |
Review Wed Apr 25 2007
While enjoying excellent seats at Wrigley Field on Monday, I was obligated to indulge in some gameday grub. I gleefully put back a few vapid Bud Lites and stuffed my face with a couple of brats that looked and tasted like they arrived to the ballpark in someone’s back pocket. But it’s all about tradition at ball games and if I hadn’t gone for the Bud Lite and hot dogs, it woulda been Old Style and peanuts. So, price aside, I had no complaints… especially since we split well before the Cubs’ inevitable collapse.
It wasn’t until later, at the Hopleaf Bar in Andersonville, that I had the opportunity to right the evening’s previous culinary wrongs. Still being a bit full from the doggies, I kept it light by ordering the famed muscles mussels appetizer and a pint of De Koninck Bolleke ale. The slightly fruity, slightly malty, crisp brew was an excellent foil for the succulent, nautical sweetness of the Hopleaf’s mussels.
(Continued below the flip.)
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- Bryan Delano III |
Review Mon Apr 09 2007
Recently, I spotted a post on LTHForum about a relatively unknown Filipino place in Niles: Cid’s Ma Mon Luk. According to the post, there used to be about five places called Ma Mon Luk in Manila, all named after a legendary Chinese school teacher who started selling soup on the street to win the hand of a pretty girl. His soup was so good, he eventually opened a restaurant, gained great wealth... and an enduring legend. Yeah, he got the girl, too.
Knowing almost nothing about food of the Philippines, I hastened over to an unprepossessing shopping mall and found Cid’s almost empty on a Saturday night. Apparently, Filipino chow has yet to catch on.
This is somewhat challenging food, and we did have one dish — binagoongang barboy — which we found too unpleasant to eat (it was pretty much chunks of pig fat in what seemed a blood-based broth). That dish, however, was the exception.
My far and away favorite dish was the lechon kawali, a type of roasted pork that’s probably 50/50 meat and fat (i.e., really tasty). “Lechon” is the porcine equivalent of veal, and this delicious young meat hardly requires any help to enjoy, but just in case, Cid’s serves it with traditional liver-based dipping sauce. I had to stop myself from eating my recommended caloric intake for two days in one sitting.
We sucked down a number of unknown sea creatures in a coconut broth as well as in a fajitas-type sizzling platter (shown). There was stuff in there I’d never seen before: parts of blackish squid, what seemed to be octo-parts, and chunks of aquatic beings that I just could not identify. Like I said, this can be challenging chow, but we liked this and just about every other dish we had.
Cid’s seems an excellent place to introduce yourself to food of the Philippines, which is not commonly found in Chicago — just watch out for the binagoongang barboy.
Cid’s Ma Mon Luk
9182 Golf Rd., Niles
847.803.3652
- David Hammond |
Cold spicy tofu with peanuts at Lao Sze Chaun
Sure, there are lots of Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, but it turns out that almost all of them of them (like the vast majority of Chinese restaurants in the US) serve Cantonese food. Now I'd never disparage Cantonese cuisine, which can serve up some real delights, but its the spicy Sichuan dishes that really capture my heart, so I've always been a little disappointed with Chinatown here in Chicago... that is, until a friend told me about Lao Sze Chaun.
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- Paul Goyette |
Review Mon Mar 26 2007
So Addicted, a coffee shop that I pass by on a regular basis, had never enticed me enough to pop in. There are a number of great neighborhood cafés in Lincoln Square, and I wasn't looking to add to my coffee repetoire. Then, I read this review a few weeks ago and decided to stop by. I went in on a Sunday morning, with the New York Times and a taste for a savory breakfast. I was initially disappointed by how cold it was inside (both literally and figuratively—the décor could use some work), but then the owner's contagious smile and exceptional friendliness gave me the proverbial warm fuzzy feeling inside. She also had on a mix of French hip hop and Yves Montand, which made me nostalgic for the country I've never visited.
Although a flavor shot comes for free with any coffee order (score!), I passed on it and ordered a plain single latté. The latté was smooth and milky and served in a dainty coffee cup. So Addicted serves Illy coffee (delicious Italian espresso) and the owner is French, which means you can be assured a consistently good cup.
When our croissants came out, warm and flaky, I got a little misty eyed. This is what happens when I'm overwhelmed by the goodness of what I'm about to eat. The croissants are about the size of my foot (a women's seven). They are perfect little golden pillows that make you wonder how the French got to be such food geniuses. What the filling lacks (they could use a little more cheese and slightly less ham), the croissant makes up for in savory, buttery bites of pure bliss.
The biggest downside of this place is its location. It's located just north of Lawrence Ave, on the east side of Damen (facing west), and the CVS and condo building across the street blocks the store front from getting any sunshine. When the weather is as beautiful as it has been, it can be a major deterrent to wanting to hang out there. However, when it's rainy and dreary anyway, some caffeine, free wireless and the large rack of guilty pleasure magazines (People, Us Weekly, etc.) could be the perfect way to spend the afternoon.
So Addicted is located at 4805 N. Damen Ave. (just north of Lawrence).
- Meghan Murphy Gill |
Review Mon Mar 26 2007
Well, so much for a Saturday review; sorry about that. Here are some thoughts regarding the Ghetto Gourmet's current stint in Chicago. The short answer: Go, go, go!
These "underground dining experiences" are being held this time around in a stylish loft space near Archer and Ashland. We got there a little early on Friday, so we got to watch the last bits of set-up as 48 place settings were laid out and ingredients for the appetizer and entrée were broken down. As guests filtered in, the room became much noisier, and it was clear that several large groups had made this their Friday night plan. We brought just one bottle of wine, but some brought one for each course, making us wonder if we should run to a liquor store (the one bottle turned out to be just fine, especially since we'd be driving home).
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- Andrew Huff |
Review Thu Mar 15 2007
I'm pretty certain that what I'm about to say will make some people mad.
So, after having lived across the street from Pizza D.O.C. for the past year (and within a few blocks for the past four), I finally made the trek across Lawrence Avenue to dine there for the first time. And you know what? Spacca Napoli has nothing on this place! I know that Spacca Napoli is the darling of the Chicago food world and all, but my experience there was so disappointing I can't imagine ever returning. I was rather excited when I first learned about it and invited two friends to dinner within weeks of its opening. However, all three of us were sorely disappointed. Sure, our food tasted fine. But that's all. Just fine. And we all commented on the blah-ness of the décor. We felt like we were eating some generic Italian chain. The nail in the coffin was our server. What a jerk! My friend asked for a pizza cutter to cut his pizza. Although I didn't think a pizza cutter was necessary, his request wasn't completely unreasonable. Our waiter scoffed, looked down his nose at him, and replied with a tone that intended to shame my friend. "These knives are special pizza-cutting knives flown in from Italy." I nearly stood up and said, "Oh yeah? Well these fists are special jerk-punching fists flown in from Yousuckistan." Instead, I looked down at my meal as if we had all been scolded.
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- Meghan Murphy Gill |
"Good-humored, easy, and careless, he presided over his whaleboat as if the most deadly encounter were but a dinner, and his crew all invited guests." (Moby-Dick, Ch. 27) In reference to Stubb the second mate of the Pequod, and for whom Stubbs Coffee is apparently named after, Starbuck was the first mate, I love a bit of literary reference in the shops I visit, not to mention the subtle jab.
Stubbs is a nice quiet shop that’s a refreshing change to the other reference from the same book. Decently priced drinks, beans supplied by local roasters Fratelli Coffee, the coffee was quite smooth and flavorful for the medium roast I had. They feature a line of sodas from Filberts Flavors, also a Chicago brand, as well as some of the other sodas you may have seen at other independent coffee shops. Stubbs offers fresh made sandwiches, the Texas toast grilled cheese with cheddar & pepper jack is a good bet, as well as other light fare including pastries from Bennison's Bakery in Evanston. Stubbs also offers free Wi Fi, so it’s a nice place to chill and get some work done.
Stubbs Coffee is a welcome addition to the Chicago coffee shop landscape and will put a smile on your face, even if you don’t smoke a pipe like second mate Stubb.
Stubbs Coffee is located at 3827 N. Lincoln Ave.; Phone (773) 477-9840; Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Christian Scheuer |
Review Mon Mar 12 2007
Save for a very few places, I have a general distaste for restaurants that serve explicitly vegetarian and/or vegan foods. It's not that I dislike this kind of food; it's quite the opposite. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've bought meat in the past year. What I don't like about these establishments is how oxymoronic the food they tend to serve is. Vegan ribs and vegetarian "meat" loaf send me running in the opposite direction.
When my husband suggested we go to a Korean vegan restaurant last week, I was hesitant, but I was hungry and indecisive, so I agreed. The way Amitubul could put the vegetables in back in vegetarian with dishes such as the Tibetan High Noon (a vegetable medley "steam stir-fried" with noodles and an interesting curry sauce) and Chop Chae Bop (sweet potato noodles with assorted mushrooms and mixed veggies), and a cup of ginger tea with a kick that nearly knocked me out of my diner-style booth, I soon forgot the odd décor and thanked Buddha for the omition on the menu of any kind of vegetable protein smothered in barbecue sauce.
Despite claims that no oil is used in the preparation of their food (the steam stir-fry), the amount of sodium in Amitubul's "all-organic homemade sauces" is questionable (there has got to be a catch with vegetables so extraordinarily fulfilling), the food is so fresh and vibrant and colorful that I'm convinced it cancels out any adverse effects. Seriously, my food was so delicious that I began to crave my leftovers no more than 15 minutes after we left the restaurant, leaving me to wonder what kind of addictive substances are used in "Zen meditation cooking energy." No matter. As long as Amitubul keeps serving food this tasty, I'll ignore my skepticism and use my normal old mental energy to plan my next visit.
- Meghan Murphy Gill |
Review Tue Mar 06 2007
Tucked into the back of a small parking lot on the south side of Lawrence, near California, is the Korean restaurant Han Bat. Its austerity makes it easy to miss, and even if you happen to stop and peek in, you might be put off by the coldness of the decor and the almost nonexistence of a menu. You'd be remiss to leave, though, and miss Han Bat's specialty -- and, in fact, the only dish on their menu -- the Korean soup seolleongtang.
We visited Han Bat Saturday night. When we sat down, we looked at the options available to us. Seolleongtang is a very basic soup at its root: a milky broth containing glassy noodles and some kind of beef. Every bowl starts with this blueprint. But you are given one option: which type of beef you want in it. Pretty much the whole cow is available: tongue, spleen, tendon, tripe, intestine or plain old brisket. This was our first time, so we stuck with the brisket.
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- Sandy Weisz |
I've had to run to catch up with it, but I'm jumping on the "People Who Write About Food Who Are Excited About Smoque BBQ" Bandwagon. Having spent many years in San Antonio and Austin, Texas and many more near the Virginia-North Carolina border, I feel as if I have a thing or two to say about barbecue, and what I want to say right now is that a barbecue joint with a manifesto ain't jokin' around.
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- Meghan Murphy Gill |
