Category: Best Bites

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Best Bites Chicago

2014 Best Bite #26: Turkey pot pie poutine, The Bad Apple

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Turkey pot pie poutine, The Bad Apple
Turkey pot pie poutine with turkey, cheese curds, veggies, and gravy

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: While I had fully intended on blogging about one of The Bad Apple’s elaborate burgers, I instead went with this hearty appetizer special (which I ate on the same day as yesterday’s post). Pot pie and poutine just make so much sense as a mashup: a peppery gravy base, skin-on fries as the crust, and cheese curds mixed in among the meat and veggie filling. And thankfully, the portion was reasonable enough that we still had a little room for burgers.

The details: The Bad Apple, 4300 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #25: Southern Tier Crème Brûlée imperial stout, World of Beer

Merry Christmas! For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Southern Tier Crème Brûlée imperial stout, World of Beer
Southern Tier Crème Brûlée imperial stout

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: I stopped into World of Beer for the first time with a good friend before a Northwestern football game this fall. I’d heard about their vast selection, but didn’t expect to love my beer quite this much. I chose a draft of Southern Tier’s crème brûlée imperial stout, laced with vanilla bean and roasted caramel malts. It had all the sugary splendor of its namesake custard dessert, but was toasty and dark enough to still hold its own as an imperial stout.

The details: World of Beer, 1601 Sherman Ave., Evanston.

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Best Bites Chicago

2014 Best Bite #24: Skate wing, Mexique

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Skate wing, Mexique
Achiote-and-tequila pan-seared skate wing with cauliflower, plantains, pickled grapes, spinach, and tomato-habanero beurre blanc

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: I first dined at Mexique the weekend of my culinary school graduation, and it was such a memorable meal that I can’t believe it took four years to make it back. On both occasions, skate wing was the standout dish for me. In this year’s version, the seared skate had an incredibly velvety texture, punctuated by pickled grapes, plantains, and watermelon radish. And while a plate full of sauce would usually seem like overkill, the added heat and creaminess here was just right.

The details: Mexique, 1529 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #23: No. 21 juice, Owen+Alchemy

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

No. 21 juice, Owen and Alchemy
No. 21 juice with blueberry, basil, grapefruit, and lime

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: Owen+Alchemy opened in Logan Square this year as the first “juice apothecary” of its kind, with a staggering selection of sleek glass bottles filled with concoctions of every color. My first selection was Number 21, a blend of blueberry, basil, grapefruit, and lime. Every sip began with a punch of basil, which I loved, and then glided into a delicate balance between sweet blueberry and tart citrus.

The details: Owen+Alchemy, 2355 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #22: BBQ jerk chicken with mac & cheese, Uncle Joe’s

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

BBQ jerk chicken with mac & cheese, Uncle Joe's
BBQ jerk chicken with mac & cheese

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: I visited this Bronzeville gem with a group of girlfriends one Saturday, eager for spicy Caribbean cuisine. This BBQ jerk chicken combined two delicious styles, boasting a layer of fiery seasoning underneath sweet, tangy BBQ sauce. The mac ‘n cheese on the side was creamy and comforting, and the white bread served its purpose to temper the heat of especially pungent bites.

The details: Uncle Joe’s, 4655 S. King Dr., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #21: Red chile enchiladas, Dove’s Luncheonette

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Red chile enchiladas, Dove's Luncheonette
Corn tortillas and roasted chicken thighs with guajillo-ancho chile sauce, queso oaxaca, queso fresco, cilantro, onions, and pickled serrano chiles

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: I usually don’t visit restaurants in their first week open, but I suspected that Dove’s – adjacent to Big Star – would already be excelling at its retro-Mexican-diner concept. These soulful enchiladas were all the confirmation I needed. The guajillo-ancho chile sauce that smothered the tortilla-wrapped chicken thighs was deep and smoky, with contrast from the pickled chiles, cilantro, and two styles of cheese on top.

The details: Dove’s Luncheonette, 1546 N. Damen Ave., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #20: Tagliolini nero, Balena

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Tagliolini nero, Balena
Tagliolini nero with crab, sea urchin, and chili

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: This year I found out why this pasta dish is still a fixture on the Balena menu: it’s equal parts lavish and simple, and captures the flavors of the sea in a remarkable way (Time Out Chicago evidently agreed, since tagliolini nero made its list of the 25 essential Chicago dishes and drinks). Twisting briny pasta around buttery urchin, tender crab, and spicy red chili peppers made for seafood pasta heaven.

View another Best Bite from Balena.

The details: Balena, 1633 N Halsted St., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #19: Passionfruit beermosa, Dusek’s

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Passionfruit beermosa, Dusek's
Passionfruit beermosa with hefeweisen, passion syrup, and Malört

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: Beer cocktails are a trend I can completely get behind – it’s a creative way of using other ingredients to get the most out of beer’s complex flavor profile. However, I didn’t expect to fall in love with one that featured Malört, Chicago’s notoriously bitter, oft-maligned spirit. So that’s why I’m impressed by this concoction at Dusek’s: when the Malört was combined with passionfruit syrup and banana-scented hefeweisen, it fell into balance for probably my favorite brunch beverage of the year.

The details: Dusek’s, 1227 W. 18th St., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #18: Portobello & avocado tempura, Oiistar

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Portobello & avocado tempura, Oiistar
Portobello & avocado tempura with parsley, parmesan, and shiso pesto mayo

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: I’m a bit of an avocado fanatic, so when I saw this tempura appetizer on Oiistar’s menu, I knew I had to make a return trip to try it. The umami in the portobello worked well with the creaminess of the avocado, and the pesto shiso mayo made a bright dipping sauce – that is, once I found it under the heavy dusting of parmesan and parsley.

View another Best Bite from Oiistar.

The details: Oiistar, 1385 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

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2014 Best Bite #17: Bone marrow, Longman & Eagle

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Bone marrow, Longman & Eagle
Roasted marrow bones, bacon shallot jam, preserved meyer lemon, sea salt, and sourdough toast

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: Longman & Eagle did a lot of things very well this year; the bone marrow appetizer is one of the dishes that still wowed me time after time. The roasted marrow itself was truly luscious, and the combination of bacon, shallot, and preserved lemon turned it into the perfect spread for toast. It was easy to miss the little spoon of sea salt, but trust me: a generous sprinkling on top of the toast was what launched this dish from great to extraordinary.

View two other Best Bites from Longman & Eagle: one at dinner, one at brunch.

The details: Longman & Eagle, 2657 N Kedzie Ave., Chicago.

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