Butterscotch bread pudding with housemade marshmallow
Best Bite: This was my first time back at ZED451 since Restaurant Week 2014. The all-you-can-eat strategy for salads and meats still made it Restaurant Week’s best value, but interestingly, dessert is what stole the show for me on this latest visit. A housemade marshmallow disc was bruléed on top of the butterscotch bread pudding in the most exceptional way, fully melted inside but still holding its crisp exterior.
Salads, cheeses, charcuterie, and more from the harvest table
Other notes: Just as before, the harvest table was overwhelming. I especially enjoyed the veggie salads, from beets to carrots to brussels sprouts, and also the array of cheeses with fig and apricot accompaniments. All three meats served tableside – sirloin steak, glazed salmon, and Moroccan-spiced chicken – were even better than I remembered. My next visit may have to be during brunch, which is also unlimited and around the same Restaurant Week price point.
Char-grilled sirloin, served tableside with Moroccan chicken and Szechuan-glazed salmon
Best Bite: Gene & Georgetti proudly boasts the title of Chicago’s oldest steakhouse. It’s the kind of place that doesn’t seem to have changed very much from when it opened in 1941. Not surprisingly, the steak was the star of the meal. The filet had the right amount of well-seasoned crust, and the garlicky spinach on the side kept with the no-frills theme.
Housemade crab cake with remoulade
Other notes: The crab cake was classically prepared, with zesty remoulade and old-school garnishes. And as our group wrapped up the meal with tiramisu and coffee, you could almost hear the decades of Chicago business conversations echoing off the dark wood paneling.
Duck confit and vegetable hash with cheddar grits and poached egg
Best Bite: Appellation is the full-service restaurant attached to Pastoral’s relatively new Andersonville location, and was among those offering brunch this year. I’m usually more of a savory brunch person, so the duck confit hash with delicata squash, carrots, and poached eggs was just what I wanted. The cheesy grits at the bottom of the bowl were also a welcome switch from the typical potato base. However, the dish that left the very best impression on me was actually the pancakes. I’m not sure whether it was the dense texture of the cakes or the orange butter on top, but they were excellent.
Buttermilk pancakes with orange butter and warm maple syrup
Other notes: The baked eggs in squash cream were another creative take on a classic savory dish, especially because you could load up each slice of baguette with a pile of prosciutto, arugula, and the creamy eggs. I was so full at the end of the meal that I didn’t even browse the cheese and artisanal food selection for which Pastoral is most known – that will have to merit its own separate visit.
Baked eggs in squash cream with proscuitto San Daniele, agro dolce onions, arugula, and baguette
The details:Appellation, 5212 N. Clark St., Chicago.
Chicken sate skewer with beef and vegetable nasi goreng, peanut sauce, and traditional condimentsSautéed shrimp with shittake mushroom-fennel-roasted garlic dumplings, babi pangang beurre blanc, green beans, and pickled hot peppers
Best Bite: De Quay’s combination of Dutch and Indonesian cuisines has intrigued me ever since they opened, so Restaurant Week felt like the right time to try it out. Both entrée options had a lot going on – the marinated, lightly charred chicken skewers came with spicy rice, mild pickles, and two sauces; the pan-seared shrimp were joined by mushroom dumplings, green bean-pickled pepper salad, and a rich panang beurre blanc. They both showcased a broad range of influences, but still came together well.
Brabant roll with pork farce and smoked rookworst with pistachios rolled in puff pastry, with groningen mustard veloute and dried fruit compote
Other notes: The brabant roll was the first-course winner, a decadent appetizer that brought together flaky pastry, smoky pork, dried fruit, and mustard sauce. And while I was jolted at first by the neon green buttercream atop the cocoa cake, it worked nicely with the curried pineapple. We also had the warm housemade stroopwafel with a generous helping of vanilla ice cream on the side, and while humble in appearance, we agreed it was far superior to any stroopwafel we’d ever had.
Nederlands cocoa cake with pandan buttercream and curried pineapple compote
The details:de Quay, 2470 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.
Glazed duck breast with butternut squash, buttered cabbage, Louisiana popcorn rice, and maple & fenugreek glaze
Best Bite: Table, Donkey & Stick specializes in alpine cuisine, which seems especially appropriate for winter. The main course was a beautifully cooked duck breast in a bowl full of comforting accompaniments: buttered cabbage, squash, and nutty rice. And how pretty is that ring of sticky-sweet glaze?
French green lentils with smoked mushroom and roasted kale; Yukon Gold potato latkes with roasted garlic aioli
Other notes: The green lentils were on point in both seasoning and texture, with major umami from the smoked mushrooms, and the decision to present the latkes as wedges to be dunked in aioli was a seriously genius one. I also swooned over the silky duck liver mousse with chili powder and sweet preserves, spread onto piping-hot baguette for the ultimate appetizer bite. I was very impressed by the whole experience, including attentive service throughout the meal. I’m a little ashamed that it took me so long to visit a restaurant of this caliber in my own neighborhood, but I’ll just chalk it up as another Restaurant Week success story.
Duck liver mousse with preserves, chili powder, and oregano; Boerenkaas gouda with honey, walnuts, and sourdough rye baguette
Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce
Best Bite: It’s hard to outdo the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates: they’re not only Avec’s most popular menu item, but are also among the most iconic dishes in all of Chicago. The sweet-spicy-smoky combination of dates, bacon, chorizo, and tomato sauce is just as unstoppable now as when I wrote about it in this blog’s very first week.
Brussels sprout panzanella with pickled raisins, calabrian chiles, and aged sheep’s milk cheese
Other notes: The Restaurant Week menu only had one option per course, but because it was a “greatest hits” approach, we weren’t complaining. The second course was an outstandingly balanced salad of shredded brussels sprouts, chiles, salty cheese, and raisins; the third a full pan of paella with head-on shrimp, chicken thigh, and tangerine aioli. Avec’s desserts tend to harness simplicity for maximum impact – these nutter butter squares, for example – and this evening’s creamy chocolate mousse with espresso crumble was no exception.
Chocolate cremeaux with espresso cookie crumble and chicory creme fraiche
Cherry almond granola with Greek yogurt, chia seed, cherry swirl gelato, and mint
Best Bite: Bar Siena is the sister restaurant to Siena Tavern, one of my go-to recommendations, so booking their Restaurant Week brunch was a no-brainer. We were originally disappointed that the caramelized waffle was no longer available as a first course, but the remaining option turned out to be the greatest revelation of the day. Cherry almond granola suddenly became much more exciting when layered with chia seed-flecked yogurt and topped with a scoop of cherry gelato. The parfait was a bright and creative start to the meal.
Bombo breakfast sandwich with pancetta cured bacon, pork sausage, scrambled eggs, and American cheese
Other notes: The main course had everything you need in a classic breakfast sandwich: fluffy eggs, smoky bacon, spicy sausage, and a melted slice of American cheese, all on a soft bun. And I loved looking up at the tangle of white-lit branches that stretched across the ceiling from the living tree in the middle of the restaurant.
Cocktail No. 5, with Botanist gin, lavender honey, aperol, Lillet rose, lemon, thyme, and tonic, in front of the dining room’s two-story tree
The details:Bar Siena, 832 W. Randolph St., Chicago.
Best Bite: This was my first time dining at Ema, featuring Top Chef alum CJ Jacobson’s Californian take on Mediterranean cuisine. I enjoyed every course, but the standout bite came at dessert. A humble slice of not-too-sweet honey pie came alive with blistered grilled grapes, sesame seeds, and thick whipped cream. I’ll definitely be saving room for a full slice on my next visit.
Local basmati & lentil salad with mizithra, rosemary, and scallion crema
Other notes: My second-course grain salad won the prize for texture, with crunchy pistachios, cucumbers, and fried shallots swirled into lentils and rice. The menu itself was an excellent value: two generous mezzes (the garlicky spread studded with green olives and toasted almonds was my favorite) plus three smaller course was well worth the four-course price.
Toasted almond & garlic spread with house pita bread
I wasn’t able to participate in Chicago Restaurant Week last year (I was still living in Dublin), so I wasn’t sure how involved I’d be in 2017 after a year off. But I looked through the menus, started to plan a few meals – using my trusted spreadsheet, as always – and before I knew it, I was up to nine reservations. Oops. So much for taking it easy!
But, as I’ve mentioned in the past, it’s really about the people. Sharing food with the people I love is one of the greatest joys of my life, so I’m grateful for an annual excuse to do a lot of that in a short amount of time.
Looking forward to sharing highlights from this year’s meals!
To wrap up the year, I’ve chosen 20 more Chicago dishes and drinks – some old favorites, some new discoveries – that I didn’t have the chance to blog about in 2016. View year-end recaps from 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
BRUNCH:
Best overall brunch dish
Black pepper spaetzle with winter squash, maitake mushroom, creme fraiche, gruyere, black walnut pesto, and fried egg, Lula Café
Unsurprisingly, Lula Café is showing up on my year-end list for the fourth year in a row. Of all the brunch specials that I’ve sampled there, this was one of the best, and certainly the heartiest. Earthy mushroom, sweet delicata squash, cheesy noodles, and a lacy-edged fried egg – I could have stayed tucked into that bowl all morning.
Best use of avocado
Avocado toast with heirloom tomato, crispy prosciutto, watermelon radish, smoked paprika, and poached eggs, Siena Tavern
I’m always looking for great renditions of avocado toast, so I had to try Siena Tavern’s version during a late-summer patio brunch. Shards of prosciutto and thin fans of watermelon radish made it both tasty and beautiful.
Best innovation at a second location
Fancy grits with cheddar grits, smoked collard greens, poached egg, and hot sauce, plus biscuit with butter and jam, Bang Bang Pie
I’d been to the original Bang Bang Pie in Logan Square multiple times, but hadn’t yet tried the slightly different menu in the newer Ravenswood location. The flaky biscuit with butter and jam was just as excellent, and the grits with smoky greens were a nice surprise.
MAINS:
Most surprising favorite at a much-anticipated restaurant
Pecan-smoked baby back ribs with bbq and baked beans, Giant
Giant is Jason Vincent’s first project since closing his beloved Nightwood restaurant, so it was met with great anticipation from the Chicago food community. I knew I’d be wowed by some innovative smaller plates, which I was, but didn’t expect my favorite dish to be enormous, gleefully sticky barbecue ribs.
Best (and richest) noodles
Slap noodles with shrimp, goat sausage, eggplant, and mushroom, Duck Duck Goat
Another one of the biggest openings this year was Stephanie Izard’s take on Chinese food, the third in her goat restaurant trilogy (after Girl & the Goat and Little Goat). We tried a lot of things during our (very late) dinner there, but these noodles stood out for their texture and the explosion of flavors that went along with them.
Most autumnal
Caramelized pork shark with cider reduction, whipped Yukon Gold potatoes, Braeburn apples, and roasted sweet potatoes, Beatrix
The hulking size of this pork shank at Beatrix in River North belied its gentle fall flavors, with cider glaze, tender apples, and two kinds of potatoes.
Comfort food with the best view
Mary P’s meatballs with baguette, whipped ricotta, and Sunday sauce, Cindy’s
Cindy’s has my favorite view in the city, so it’s an easy pick for friends visiting from out of town (Dublin, in the case of this particular evening). Before heading outside to enjoy the skyline, we shared these satisfying meatballs, served in a rich sauce with generous dollops of ricotta.
Best miniature meal
Ahi poké tuna rice bowl, Furious Spoon
On my first visit to the new Logan Square location of Furious Spoon, I wasn’t quite hungry enough to commit to a full bowl of their signature ramen (plus, it was pretty warm outside). This poké bowl was just right, in both size and ratio of fish to rice to scallions to sauce.
SIDES:
Purest expression of a single vegetable
Roasted broccoli with yuzu kosho and nori, Parachute
My dining companion and I agreed that this roasted, seaweed-dusted pseudo-steak was the broccoliest broccoli we’ve ever eaten. Parachute won me over long ago with its bing bread, so I wasn’t surprised to see such a unique take on an usually humble vegtable.
Most indulgent workplace snack
Spicy sesame fries with spicy sesame aioli and black sesame seeds, The Fat Shallot
Whenever The Fat Shallot food truck happens to be outside my workplace (which isn’t often these days), I often can’t resist running outside just for these piping hot fries drenched in creamy, spicy sauce.
DRINKS:
Prettiest garnish
Panhandle Hook cocktail with rye whiskey, amaro, cinnamon, honey, and lemon, Presidio
I’d been meaning to check out this California-inspired spot in Bucktown since it opened, especially for the drinks. I already loved that it combined three of my favorite cocktail ingredients – amaro, cinnamon, and whiskey – but the wheel of blood orange put it into picturesque territory.
Menu special I most wish was permanent
Dark & Stormy slushy, Parson’s Chicken & Fish
Parson’s Chicken & Fish is most known for its negroni slushy, but a Dark & Stormy version is offered occasionally, among other rotating specials throughout the summer. The dark rum-ginger-lime concoction is so good that I really wish they’d consider serving it all year long.
Neighborhood classic
Tamarindo margarita, El Cid II
As more and more dining destinations open in Logan Square, the hidden back garden patio at El Cid II is still a go-to for a no-frills meal. A friend first recommended this tangy tamarind margarita years ago, and I’ve never strayed since.
Best birthday beverage
Concord grape julep with Ancient Age bourbon, Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, concord grape juice, and fresh mint, Spilt Milk Tavern
Spilt Milk opened on my actual birthday, so it seemed like a sign to check it out for a celebratory cocktail. I was already a julep fan, and the concord grape juice made for a lovely spin on a classic.
Most refreshing summer cocktail
Sbagliato negroni with cappelletti, cocchi vermouth di Torino, and sparkling wine, Osteria Langhe
After a long walk on the 606 trail with my friend on a warm evening, we landed on the Osteria Langhe patio, ready for something fizzy and Italian. We got both in this ombré beverage that had the right balance of citrus and bitterness.
Best warm-up on a snowy evening
Glyph with dark rum, maple cider, and cajun spices (served warm), Ampersand Wine Bar
I ordered this while catching up with a friend during one of this winter’s snowfalls, and it couldn’t have been a better choice. The deep spiced aroma alone was enough to warm me up.
SWEETS:
Most beautiful (and tastiest) cake
Red velvet birthday cake with cookie butter buttercream, Bon Vivant Cakes
Anyone who follows Bon Vivant Cakes on Instagram knows how jaw-droppingly gorgeous these cakes are, and I was fortunate enough to see one that a friend ordered for her birthday. It tasted as good as it looked, down to the dripped chocolate ganache and buttercream frosting made from an adored indulgence: cookie butter.
Most memorable frozen treat
Millennium Perk concrete with vanilla custard, Intelligentsia coffee beans, marshmallow sauce, and Glazed & Infused old-fashioned donut, Shake Shack
Shake Shack is old news for my East Coast friends, but it’s still relatively new for Chicago. Whenever I take visitors to see the many of attractions of the Chicago Athletic Association hotel (see Cindy’s above), Shake Shack is usually the final stop. One of their Chicago-specific concretes has donut and coffee beans whirled into vanilla custard with marshmallow sauce to really tie together the decadence.
Best use of summer fruit
Blueberry pie, Spinning J
The pies at modern soda fountain Spinning J have been on my list for a while. After much deliberation, I went with a slice of the blueberry, which kept things simple enough to let the fruit really shine.
Most symbolic bite
Cubs cake pop (with bright Cubbie blue cake inside), The Goddess & Grocer
I bought this cake pop during my lunch break the day of Game 6 of the World Series. I told myself I’d wait to eat it until the Cubs won that night. They won both that night and the next, earning their first championship in 108 years. I’d like to think my cake pop promise gave Chicago a little extra luck.
Thanks for reading in 2016, and looking forward to another delicious year!
