Boss Hog sandwich with ham, red cabbage, spicy giardiniera, and BBQ chips on an onion roll
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I’ve sipped coffee and espresso many times at this neighborhood fave, but this was my first time ordering from the food menu. And while putting potato chips on a sandwich is a custom I fully support, it’s rare to see one served that way straight from the kitchen. Gaslight is definitely onto something with the towering Boss Hog, a squishy, sweet onion roll piled with ham, some seriously spicy pickle-jalapeño giardiniera, and plenty of barbecue chips. It was the ideal crunchy lunch to go with my iced Americano as I powered through some work.
Dulce de leche licuado and taco al pastor, with marinated, spit-roasted pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, grilled onion, and cilantro
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: On this stiflingly hot July week, it seemed fitting to write about somewhere that’s become a Chicago summer staple: Big Star. More specifically, its patio, with now-famous yellow chairs that people are willing to wait hours to sit in. I went on a weekday evening for the first time in a while, and thankfully was early enough to avoid waiting. I knew I’d get a taco al pastor, my favorite in the city, with caramelized pineapple, juicy pork, and tons of cilantro. But I also thought I’d try something new to quench my thirst on such a hot day, and went for the dulce de leche licuado. It’s listed on the menu as a “milkshake”; it’s really more of a Mexican smoothie, with little pieces of ice rather than the smooth texture of ice cream. But for those of us who crave the sweet-and-salty combination, this drink really hits the spot. There’s lots of salt to balance out the caramel, and it actually worked well with the taco’s pineapple too. Yes, you can also beat the heat with their excellent margaritas (now available in draft pitchers) and micheladas, but it was fun to mix it up with something sweeter.
Lobster club, with citrus-poached lobster, frisee, pancetta-cured bacon, tomato, herb aioli, toasted brioche, and parmesan-sage fries
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Siena Tavern has been on my radar primarily because of executive chef Fabio Viviani, best known for appearing on Top Chef and whom I got to meet at Chicago Gourmet a few years ago. I went for the first time for brunch over the weekend, eventually choosing from the lunch side of the menu. The lobster club sandwich had a lot going on, in a good way, while still letting the citrus-poached lobster be the star of the show, enhanced by smoky bacon. The juicy tomato and frisee made it a little messy, but the bright herb aioli soaking into the brioche held everything together. And I’m a fan of crispy sage on pretty much anything, but it worked especially well on the fries, also tossed with salty parmesan and garlic. Aioli and ketchup were both served in metal measuring cups, which added a nice rustic touch to the plate. My leather barrel chair also happened to be outlandishly comfortable, which made the experience extra luxurious.
The details:Siena Tavern, 51 W Kinzie St., Chicago.
Mexican Firing Squad, with tequila blanco, grenadine, lime, bitters, and soda; and churros with dark chocolate sauce and orange zest
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I ventured over to Masa Azul while on a post-thunderstorm walk one evening, in the mood for a refreshing drink and something sweet to go with it. This was my second visit to Masa Azul, although my very first experience with head bartender Jenny Kessler’s cocktails was at Lula Cafe’s “Violent Hour” Halloween transformation last year. The delicious drink involved mezcal, apple cider, malbec, and serrano pepper, and I’ve jumped at the chance to try more of her imaginative combinations ever since. The Mexican Firing Squad was a nice balance of fruit, fizz, and smooth tequila flavor, and was ideal for sipping out on the sidewalk patio. The miniature round churros, the restaurant’s sole dessert offering, were pleasantly unique, with a soft center and plenty of citrus from the orange zest. I also liked how well the bittersweet chocolate sauce evened out the sugary fried dough. Together, they made a summery drink-dessert pairing that I’d go for again – although with so many interesting options, I doubt I could commit to the same cocktail twice.
The details:Masa Azul, 2901 W Diversey Ave., Chicago.
Negroni slushy with letherbee gin, luxardo bitter, sweet vermouth, and citron
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: This novel Negroni slushy has appeared in basically every Chicago summer/cocktail/patio/drinking article since Parson’s Chicken and Fish opened in mid-May, even called “the coolest Negroni in the world.” The fanfare is justified, though: it’s an excellent Negroni in a fun format, avoiding the watery or overly sweet fate that befalls most frozen beverages. With locally made Letherbee gin and citrusy Luxardo bitter, it’s mellow, refreshing, and just bitter enough.
Toast with pimento cheese, charred radishes, and pea shoots
Snack-wise, I was torn between the shrimp and pimento toast, and though I still plan to try the seafood variety next time, I was more than satisfied with pimento. My Midwestern upbringing didn’t involve a lot of pimento cheese, but especially as Southern-influenced cuisine becomes more popular in Chicago, I’ve now tasted several knock-out versions (including Zingerman’s, my favorite to have at home) and am starting to understand its following. At Parson’s, the pimento spread is smooth (no coarse shreds) and ultra-cheesy atop buttery toast. The sourness and acidity from pickle relish and charred radishes beautifully round out each bite, punctuated by the pea shoots. I also appreciated the portion of three moderate slices, enough to share easily.
Of course, I liked the fried chicken, too – though I found it to be best on its own, without any of the housemade sauces – and the mezcal margarita gave the slushy a serious run for its money. Check out more photos below of the food and atmosphere.
Menu and a margarita, another standout cocktail with el buho mescal, torres orange brandy, orange & lime juice, maguey sweet sap, and a sour patch rimThe interior bar at Parson’s, with the negroni slushy machine in the centerThe namesake fried chickenFunnel cake with honey, brown butter, and green peppercorn brittleStriped umbrellas & picnic tables on the spacious patio (prepare to wait on weekends)
Roasted beet salad with strawberries, grilled onions, ricotta, black walnut butter, and black garlic
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: This was technically my second visit to Perennial Virant – the first was on opening night a couple years ago, but I’d been looking for an opportunity to go back ever since. It’s on the first floor of Hotel Lincoln, right across the street from where the Green City Market is held every Wednesday and Saturday in Lincoln Park, and so it’s easy to understand the inspiration for the heavily seasonal menu. Of all the dishes we tasted, I was most blown away by the roasted beet salad. I’m not a huge beet person, but I was practically obsessed with the combination of beets and strawberries. Joined by the creamy ricotta, mellow garlic, and balsamic, it hit every note and felt exceedingly fresh. I also loved the crispy rice cake, nicely contrasted by the smoky vinaigrette.
To make the evening extra-special, our meal concluded with a tour of the kitchen (let’s just say it helps to know people!), which was a surprise to my three girlfriends and me. Once we weaved downstairs, through cooking and dishwashing areas, we reached the real highlight of the tour: the wall-to-wall shelves of the pickles and preserves for which Chef Paul Virant is best known. Every kind of produce you could imagine was meticulously jarred and labeled, ready to be judiciously incorporated into dishes in the weeks and months to come.
All kinds of pickles in the pantry
And in the summer, it’s almost impossible to leave the building without hopping an elevator to the roof and emerging in what is probably my favorite rooftop bar in the city, the J. Parker. Between the meal itself and the incredible post-meal view, it was hard to stop oohing and aahing.
Crispy carnaroli rice cake with brunkow cheese curds, pea shoots, smoked spring onion vinaigrette, and pickled summer beansSundae with Hazzard Free Farm oatmeal cookie, rum ice cream, and rum raisin caramelThe Lay Up, with Russian Standard, rhubarb, yellow chartreuse, maraschino, and lemon
Skuna Bay salmon with braised peanut, strawberry, chimichurri, spiced beef, and shallot yogurt
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Just under three years ago, you would have found me constantly refreshing OpenTable.com, waiting for the restaurant page to first become available so that I could make a reservation for the night of my birthday at Girl & the Goat, the much-anticipated restaurant by Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard (in case she isn’t a household name for you already) that was finally going to open. That dinner remains one of my all-time favorites in Chicago: experiencing all her outlandishly flavorful food for the first time, sipping surprise birthday champagne, and getting to chat with Chef Steph herself at the end of the meal. So could future visits live up to that first one? My answer this weekend was a resounding yes.
You know your meal is off to a great start when you’re spreading coffee butter onto warm bread and drizzling blueberry vinaigrette on top. And then you bite into a squash blossom rangoon, a fleeting seasonal jewel that’s stuffed with creamy crab and fried in airy tempura batter. And then you’re chowing down on what you immediately know are among the best green bean and cauliflower dishes in existence, each with layers of salty and spicy and sweet, and then savory empanadas filled with the tender goat meat that’s incorporated into enough dishes to merit its own menu section. And then the salmon, which you ordered partially because the server told you the fish was flown in from New Zealand and partially because you can’t believe that salmon could really work with strawberry and beef and peanut and yogurt, could it? But of course it does, all of the distinct components tangled together in the best way. And then there’s the chicken. You’ve come to expect at this point that it will be unlike any chicken dish you’ve had before, especially since the server explained it would be brined to order, glazed with maple-y goodness, and baked in the wood-fire oven. And indeed, you can’t stop talking about how good this chicken is, not to mention the soft, buttery naan and remarkable ramp goddess dressing that come with it. You’ll order dessert without question.
I think you get the point here. The service is outstanding, the atmosphere feels special yet free from pretension, and all the little details come together for ultimate consistency. So set a date 6–8 weeks in advance, make a reservation, and get ready for a meal to remember.
Squash blossom rangoon with crab, chive yogurt, and toasted almondsSauteed green beans with fish sauce vinaigrette and cashewsGoat empanadas with romesco and radish-endive slawWood-fired Walter’s chicken with asparagus, rhubarb, and “ramp goddess” dressingThe Lake Effect cocktail with Journeyman rye, F.E.W. gin, Koval chrysanthemum honey liqueur, and lemon
Southern pizza with Edward’s ham, kimchi, spinach, mozzarella, and fried garlic
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: It’s high time I blogged about Reno, where I’ve been a frequent customer since they opened in the neighborhood last November. I could wax poetic about the glory (and daily temptation) of grabbing a wood-fired bagel and a large cup of Stumptown coffee on my way to the train in the morning, but this week marked my first time dining in for dinner. My friend opted for pasta, but I had to skip over that section because there were just too many appealing pizzas. I had to go with the Southern, a Korean-Italian collision with southern ham thrown in. The sour kimchi, salty ham, gooey mozzarella, crispy spinach, and some serious garlic: it all worked, but still didn’t weigh down the blistered thin crust.
Admittedly, I don’t have a lot of experience with rosé, but since it’s ubiquitous in articles about springtime beverages, I’d been on the lookout for an opportunity to try a glass. This particular wine was ultra-refreshing, a blend of merlot and cabernets sauvignon and franc with juicy berry flavors. Rosé is also typically known as a food-friendly wine, and it proved to pair well with the punchy pizza toppings.
Pork belly tacos with sesame tortilla, morita salsa, fresh mozzarella, pickled onions, and arugula
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: With its prime people-watching location, irresistibly snackable menu, and creative seasonal drinks, this new high-end taqueria in Wicker Park practically screams Chicago summer. My dear friend and I were completely enchanted by our weeknight spot on the patio as we debriefed from the wedding we’d attended the weekend before. Of the tacos we ordered, the pork belly with fresh mozzarella and pickled onions was my favorite, well-balanced even with the rich pork belly. The polenta, made with locally sourced grains and cheese, blew me away with its creaminess punctuated by smoky bits of bacon, and the masa crackers were an especially delicious vehicle for sampling each of the three complex salsas. It was tough to decide on a drink, but I landed on the ¿Por qué No?, which paired just the right fruits with mezcal without being overly sweet. I think I’ll be spending more balmy nights on this patio in the coming weeks – assuming I can get a seat.
¿Por qué No? cocktail with lemon, blueberry, peach, and Sombra MezcalPolenta with cheddar, smoked bacon, pickled chilies, and cilantroTomatillo pistachio salsa, tomato hibiscus ghost pepper salsa, and avocado salsa verde, served with masa and rice crackers
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: As much as I love to eat out at new restaurants, sometimes what really hits the spot is a taste of childhood. These were two of my very favorite family dishes growing up, and I was able to enjoy them both at dinner this past weekend. My grandma’s potato salad recipe is legendary in my family, so much so that a bowl of it was wrapped up for my birthday one year; I only remember asking, “Why is my present so cold?” Without giving too much away, one of the salad’s secrets is pickle juice, which seems to bring together all the flavors and textures of potato, egg, celery, onion, and pickle in a way that I’ve never seen replicated. And then there’s the ribs, which my dad parboils before grilling and coats with seasoning from Rendezvous in Memphis. The balance of dry seasoning and a few layers of sauce gives the ribs a sticky, lacquered finish that’s mouthwatering just to look at, let alone pull off the bone bite by bite. Together, they make the ideal warm-weather meal that oozes with the comforts of home.