Parm #2 sandwich with breaded chicken cutlet, basil tomato sauce, fried sage, and mozzarella on a Franks n’ Dawgs roll
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Whenever I’m at a Randolph Street restaurant and have extra time, especially if I’m with someone who’s new to the area, I’ll wander into nearby Publican Quality Meats, the café and butcher-shop sibling of The Publican across the street. I love browsing all the artisanal pantry items that line the shelves and gazing longingly at the deli case (I have to remind myself every single time that no, I still don’t need to buy four of the ready-to-bake stuffed dates from Avec to eat at home). PQM also makes outstanding sandwiches, and a friend and I decided to finally dine in and savor the last bit of patio weather. The clear favorite was this take on a chicken parmesan sandwich, with richly flavored marinara, melty mozzarella, and crispy sage surrounding the chicken cutlet. And it was a genius move to put it all on the same spongy split-top roll that’s used at gourmet hot dog joint Franks ‘N’ Dawgs – a toasted repackaging of an Italian classic.
11 City French Toast, with challah, strawberries, bananas, and toasted coconut
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: South Loop brunch favorite Eleven City Diner recently opened a second location in Lincoln Park, complete with an old-fashioned soda fountain and other charming touches. With so many promising savory options (bagels and lox! Latkes! Egg dishes galore!), I even surprised myself when I went with the signature french toast instead. But now it’s hard for me imagine ordering anything else because it was just. That. Good. The fresh-baked challah is the star, striking that elusive french-toast balance of a crispy, golden crust outside and a super-soft inside without being the least bit soggy or overly eggy. Fresh strawberries and bananas with a dusting of powdered sugar always make an excellent topping, but it was the extra crunch of the toasted coconut that brought the dish to another magical level. It was too much toast to finish on the spot, but the challah held up well as leftovers.
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: For my birthday this year, I chose a 20-course tasting at Elizabeth Restaurant as my celebratory meal of choice. Elizabeth uses the same booking system as Next and Alinea, so instead of just making a reservation, I bought tickets that covered food, tax, and gratuity for a specific date and time – and thankfully, three of my closest friends were willing to chip in and come along for the tasting menu experience. The inconspicuous storefront was tucked away next to a tire shop in Lincoln Square, but inside was a white-hued haven with rustic wooden tables, cozy antique chairs, and woodland knick-knacks. It was just the right setting for what Chef Iliana Regan calls “New Gatherer cuisine.”
The interior décor at ElizabethCenterpiece with edible “twigs” that we ate as breadsticks during a truffled potato and quail egg course
In each course, the simplicity of seasonal ingredients was elevated by exquisite, imaginative presentation. Many courses brought bits of adventure, from sipping a palate cleanser out of a test tube and sampling soil from a terrarium to licking bear meat and its accompaniments off of a rock. Here, I’ve narrowed it down to the dishes that were most memorable for both flavor and creativity. Early on, I was intrigued by several different preparations of zucchini and beans alongside a wonderfully simple beef tartare, bringing the meat and vegetables together seamlessly. Another unanimous favorite was the creamy corn soup, served with a sturdy wheat biscuit and three spreads: thick honey, sweet tomato jam, and smoky pancetta butter. As I rotated between spreads and bites of soup, the flavors at once recalled my Central Illinois roots and transported the corn to a more elegant place. Later, smoked salmon and cucumber were matched with yogurt and dill to create a sort of deconstructed tzatziki, which was again familiar but also sophisticated. I also adored all the textures and richness in the “stew” with venison three ways – loin, sausage, and tiny cubes of heart – and a mushroom sauce underneath.
Zucchini: Tartare and Sea BeansCorn: With BiscuitsSmoked Fish and CucumberHunter and Gatherer Stew
On the sweeter side, the “cheese” course composed primarily of mascarpone, cantaloupe, and Queen Anne’s Lace was possibly the most revelatory. The delicate, harmonious flavors came in solid, sorbet, and gelée forms, with little dots of dill pickle sauce that added a surprising sour note. I also loved the dessert that followed (shown in the top photo), its petite meringue mushrooms a nod to the actual mushrooms used in the earthy brownies, which were then balanced in flavor and color by a few forms of raspberry. The whole meal was a fantastic way to say farewell to summer.
Mascarpone and Queen Anne’s LaceMenu presented at the end with a cookie to take home
Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.
Sweeping vineyard views in Sonoma wine country
I originally planned this trip around Saturday’s football game – my alma mater Northwestern was playing Cal in Berkeley, and two of my friends from college live there, so it was the perfect excuse for a whole group of us to reunite over the long holiday weekend. The trip also happened to correspond with my birthday on Sunday, so I knew there would need to be some especially good eating and drinking involved. After recovering from an exciting NU victory on Saturday, we spent a gorgeous Sunday afternoon in the Sonoma Valley, with tastings at three different wineries (I couldn’t resist bringing home a bottle from each). For my birthday dinner, I feasted on an incredible whole spit-roasted chicken, which I split with another just-as-excited-and-hungry friend, and later lounged with house-brewed beer on an idyllic patio at Jupiter, the Berkeley equivalent of Chicago’s Piece. The next day, in San Francisco, we ate mostly in the Mission, from a killer brunch platter featuring a green onion biscuit and veggie gravy packed with sage, to legendary Bi-Rite ice cream (roasted banana and cinnamon-snickerdoodle flavors, anyone?) for dessert. And I had to cap off the trip with a mint mojito iced coffee from Philz, which I’d been dreaming about ever since trying it two years ago. The barista turns virtually an entire mint plant into creamy, frothy goodness that you just can’t leave the Bay Area without tasting.
Loved the tasting notes at Ravenswood Winery, our first stopGrapes on the vine at Arrowood WineryArrowood Winery tasting, complete with a little leftover Northwestern spiritMore wine tasting at Imagery Estate WineryImagery Estate Winery’s backyard, with space for bocce ball and other gamesWhole spit-roasted Fulton Valley chicken, served with fire-roasted fingerling potatoes, black beans, achiote rice, and tortillas at ComalBougainvillea cocktail at Boogaloos, with champagne, orange juice, and cranberry juiceThe Boogaloo Classic, with home fries, eggs over easy, and a biscuit with veggie herb-cream gravy and green onionBeer flight at 21st Amendment Brewery, including the well-garnished Hell or High WatermelonThe Ricachu sundae special at Bi-Rite Creamery, with scoops of roasted banana and ricanelas (snickerdoodle), plus brownie bits, caramel sauce, and toasted coconut flakesMint mojito iced coffee from Philz CoffeeExterior of Philz Coffee in Berkeley
