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.
Paratha tacos with spicy pork, kimchi, onion, mushroom, cilantro, lettuce, pickled radish, and En Hakkore sauce
Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: Blending flavors of Korean and Indian cuisine, these tacos were fusion at its finest. The pan-fried flatbread served as a pleasantly flaky vehicle for the spicy, crunchy filling. They were easily the best non-traditional tacos I’ve had in Chicago.
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.
Iced mélange with Meinl espresso and sweetened frothed milk, served over ice and garnished with chocolate powder
Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: This is my go-to order at Julius Meinl, an Austrian-style coffeehouse that’s lovely for lingering at any time of day. There’s just something whimsical about this drink’s appearance, and I love mixing the marshmallowy top layer into the espresso and milk beneath for a perfectly balanced beverage.
The details: Julius Meinl, 3601 N. Southport Ave., Chicago.
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.
Chocolate with Tuscan olive oil, sea salt, and toast
Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: This chocolate dessert shined in its pure simplicity. A quenelle of thick chocolate ganache, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with flaky sea salt, was primed for slathering on ciabatta toast as a sweet-and-savory end to the meal.
I spent the week before Thanksgiving on vacation in Aruba, a Dutch island located just north of Venezuela. The pristine beaches and sunset views were spectacular, but I was also impressed with the cuisine, which blended Caribbean, South American, and Dutch influences into its own mélange of flavors. My travel companion and I tasted both traditional and modern versions of classic Aruban dishes, plus a slew of fresh seafood and tropical cocktails, all proving why the country’s slogan is “One Happy Island.”
The most special dining experience of the week was an 8-course tasting at The Kitchen Table by White, a 16-seat kitchen counter–style restaurant opened 3 months ago by Urvin Croes. Chef Urvin’s original restaurant, White Modern Cuisine, was among the first to bring modernist cooking (à la Grant Achatz of Alinea) to Aruba; he opened this second restaurant in order to offer a more intimate and extensive tasting experience with a monthly changing menu. Over a leisurely few hours, we tasted course after course that employed truly creative cooking methods and flavor combinations. Among them was a modern take on keshi yena, one of Aruba’s most traditional dishes: instead of chunks of chicken stewed with fruit and nuts and topped with flame-broiled Dutch gouda cheese (which we tasted later in the week), it became a chicken roulade beneath elegantly constructed layers of gouda and crackers in many forms. In the same way, a “steak basket,” common street food fare in Aruba, was updated to include fries buried in a fascinatingly delicious powdered peanut sauce. I was blown away by how well the complex array of components harmonized in each beautifully plated dish, especially in the four shown below.
“Sopi Oyster”: Aruban oyster soup served with scallops tartar, celery rings, carrots sour, onion gel, Madame Jeanette pepper parfait, pickled okra, and spiced chips, The Kitchen Table by White“Jerked Cobia”: Jerked cobia served with curry popcorn, mini corn, curry coconut powder, plantains, pickled yellow squash, pickled chayote, moringa flowers, polenta, pumpkin, mango chutney, and a lemongrass and saffron sauce, The Kitchen Table by WhiteChef Urvin Croes preparing food in the open kitchen during dinner“Pato Humà”: Brined, then smoked duck breast served with pickled dragonfruit, red beets, radish, tomato compote, pickled onions, roasted bell pepper, and a spicy creole sauce, The Kitchen Table by White“Drigidèk cu Koffie”: Caribbean spiced cake served with mocha panna cotta, coffee crumble, espresso gel, dark chocolate, coco and white chocolate parfait, coconut gel, and a cappuccino foam, The Kitchen Table by White
And then there was the seafood. Whether it was vanilla-scented scallops at sunset with my toes in the sand or richly spiced caribbean shrimp in a lush backyard garden, I enjoyed it all. Grouper was especially prevalent – my favorite version featured a crunchy almond crust and creamy spinach sauce that the restaurant claimed had been imitated-but-never-duplicated since the dish’s debut in 1999.
Vanilla bean-skewered scallops with caramelized Belgian endive and saffron mayonnaise and bottle of Veramonte sauvignon blanc from Casablanca Valley in Chile, BarefootGrouper filet in a coat of almonds served with a creamed spinach sauce and scalloped potatoes, Madame JanetteWest Indies caribbean shrimp in a curried coconut milk sauce with sweet potato puree and okra, PapiamentoMai tai on the first night, which came alongside red snapper, mashed potatoes, and vegetables, Hadicurari
Standout dishes also extended beyond seafood. At Smokey Joe’s, I scarfed down half a rack of Caribbean-style ribs, which the menu touted as award-winning, and also snacked on pastechies, an empanada-like local specialty. Salt and Pepper, a quaint diner-style restaurant with thousands of namesake shakers adorning its walls, was a great spot for an egg wrap with ham and gouda. We even ate well at sea: while aboard the Black Pearl for a snorkeling sunset sail, we feasted on gouda-tomato sandwiches and grilled cheese (so yes, Dutch gouda is everywhere in Aruba).
Half rack of “original recipe” ribs with island slaw and home fries, and Pink Iguana drink with light rum, crushed strawberries, pineapple juice, and coconut cream, Smokey Joe’sBreakfast tortilla wrap with ham and gouda and a side of homefries, Salt and PepperGouda-tomato sandwich aboard the Black PearlBlack Pearl “boat special” with 5 kinds of tropical juices and 3 kinds of liquor
I had a few favorite treats as well. Melk Chocolade Pasta, a Dutch chocolate spread we picked up at the grocery store, made a perfect snack when slathered onto pita chips. At the swim-up bar, I was especially fond of the Bird of Paradise, brightly colored with mango and blue curaçao, and the Slippery Monkey, a dessert-like blend of coffee liqueur, Caribbean coco rum, Irish cream, banana liqueur, banana puree, chocolate swirl, and a dark rum garnish. The best dessert of the week, though, was a classic chocolate soufflé boosted by roasted pumpkin seed ice cream, blueberry sauce, almonds, and a mountain of whipped cream.
Chocolate soufflé served with roasted pumpkin seed ice cream, blueberry sauce, almonds, and whipped cream, Madame Janette Snack of Melk dutch chocolate spread and pita chips
Bird of Paradise cocktail with banana liqueur, coconut rum, mango puree, and Blue Curacao from Seaworthy’s, the swim-up pool bar
Spicy roasted garlic miso ramen with egg noodles, rich pork broth, berkshire pork belly, soft-boiled egg, marinated bamboo shoot, bean sprouts, sesame, scallion, roasted garlic, garlic chips, chili pepper, and sesame oil (plus a background pig to match the ramen!)
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: This steaming bowl of ramen hit me with two primary flavors: lots of roasted garlic and lots of heat – both very welcome on a chilly evening. Together with two forms of pork (broth and belly) and miso, each bite was rich and savory. The very best bites included all the other textures, too: a bit of the beautifully soft-boiled egg, crunch from scallions and garlic chips, and chew from the bamboo shoots and the egg noodles themselves. The garlicky broth was luxurious enough to slurp on its own, a testament to the care that Wasabi’s chefs put into a complicated cooking process that takes 45 hours total. Wasabi also offers sushi and Japanese small plates, but when the ramen is this exceptional, it’s tough to order anything else.
The details:Wasabi, 2115 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.
Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.
Caught the last weeks of fall foliage in Minneapolis
I spent last weekend in Minneapolis to visit close friends and soak in the last little bit of fall foliage. I’ve been to Minneapolis a few times before, but I was more impressed by the food this time around than ever before.
This was in large part because of my dinner at Travail Kitchen & Amusements on Friday night. It was unlike any tasting menu experience I’ve ever had: playful, interactive, a little off-the-wall – but none of the pageantry came at the expense of each dish’s technique and flavor. Across 16-plus whimsical courses, we didn’t just taste the food, but instead took part in more of a multi-sensory experience. For the pasta course, a cartoonish song about pasta blared from the speakers as the staff marched around to the tables, each adding one component until the dish was fully plated. Instead of coming to the table fully assembled, the mini foie gras burger served as the means for an interactive tour of the open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant, with diners snaking through each station until the burgers had all their toppings. And with foie gras mousse, slaw, and a french fry on top, it was probably the best slider I’ve ever had.
Mini foie gras burger assembled step-by-step during an interactive kitchen tour, Travail Kitchen and Amusements
As you can see in the video below, some courses required a little extra effort to eat, though now I can say that I’ve eaten speck (a cured ham like prosciutto) that was dangling from a hook!
The chefs at Travail played around with scent and temperature, too. For the steak courses, a miniature cast iron skillet with fresh rosemary atop smoldering charcoal came to the table first, adding a woodsy depth to the beef and brussels sprouts on the plate. As a palate cleanser before dessert, we were each served a spoonful of raspberry pop rocks straight out of a bath in liquid nitrogen, with firm instructions to “keep them moving on your tongue.” I admit I moved my whole body around as I ate mine, trying to make sure they didn’t stay in one place as chilly vapor poured out of my nose and mouth.
Rosemary and hot coals as (inedible) scent pairing for the steak course below, Travail Kitchen & AmusementsFilet with red cabbage puree, baby bok choy, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and sweetbread sausage, Travail Kitchen & AmusementsRaspberry pop rocks in liquid nitrogen, Travail Kitchen & Amusements
The next morning, I ate the best autumnal breakfast dish I’ve had all season: a savory waffle at Birchwood Cafe. The pumpkin waffle itself had incredible texture from the millet and gruyere cheese, and the accompaniments added all the sweet and salty notes I needed. And I wasn’t disappointed with my choice to pair it with a sidecar of sweet potato ale, for an extra touch of fall flavor. Later that afternoon, we indulged in Sebastian Joe’s ice cream, and I was especially wooed by my scoop of pumpkin, which was rich with warm spices.
Pumpkin, millet, and gruyere waffle with red onion jam, apple cinnamon butter, bacon lardons, sunny side up egg, Wood’s maple syrup, powdered sugar, and spicy pepitas, and beer pairing of Indeed Sweet Yamma Jamma sweet potato ale, Birchwood CafeScoops of pumpkin and turtle latte ice cream, Sebastian Joe’s
The Bachelor Farmer, another Minneapolis favorite, pays homage to Minnesota’s Nordic roots through more elevated versions of traditional fare. While we sampled several dishes, it was the delicious board of various pates, pickles, and toast (served on the side in a gorgeous metal stand) that stayed with me the most. We wrapped up the weekend at French Meadow Bakery & Cafe, which made me wish that breakfast quesadillas made with black beans and fluffy eggs were on more menus in Chicago.
Groaning board with country pate, headcheese, chicken salad, chicken liver mousse, pork fat pate, pickles, mustard, and toast, The Bachelor FarmerBreakfast quesadilla with scrambled eggs, black beans, cheddar, spinach, house-made guacamole, chipotle sour cream, sprouted tortilla, and house-made salsa, French Meadow Bakery & Cafe
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: In the past few months, nearly every food critic in Chicago has published a glowing review of Parachute, helmed by Top Chef alum Beverly Kim and her husband Johnny Clark. After dining there, I can only agree that they’ve brought something very special to a quiet block in Avondale – even against financial odds, as covered in this fascinating Chicago Tribune feature. Every dish I tried was imaginative and memorable, which made the whole meal one of my favorites this year.
I was already blown away after sampling the two snacks we ordered: crispy sesame leaves and baked potato bing bread. The leaves were lightly fried in a tempura batter, then ready to plunge in a bourbon-soy dipping sauce. Both components enhanced the sesame flavor brilliantly and make it the kind of snack you’d want to order over and over. The bing bread left a similar impression, packing all the best parts of a loaded baked potato into an even more texturally appealing format. The soft bread was rich without being greasy, and the sour cream butter that came on the side was another subtle hint of genius.
Baked potato bing bread with bacon, scallion, and sour cream butterLocally brewed makgeolli rice wine and oysters with soju granita
I was also impressed by the soju granita that came with an exquisite duo of West Coast oysters; besides being visually stunning, it added a cool, floral complexity unlike a typical mignonette sauce. To pair with the oysters (and the rest of the meal), we ordered makgeolli, a Korean rice wine that was brewed locally by Slow City Brewing. This was my first experience with rice wine, and I was fascinated by how its milky appearance belied a beer-like yeast flavor. One last standout dish was the hand-torn noodles, a toothsome tangle of wide noodles and ground lamb. The dish reminded me of an elevated version of chili mac, especially because of the sweetness in the lamb sofrito balanced by cumin and peppery heat. I’m already looking forward to my next meal.
Hand-torn noodles with spicy lamb sofrito, sichuan peppercorn, and cuminThe charming interior, with polka-dotted glass and colorful parachutes as curtains
The details:Parachute, 3500 N. Elston Ave., Chicago.
Peanut butter and banana-stuffed Hong Kong-style French toast with jam and fruit; pan-fried radish cake with stir-fried seasonal vegetables; minchi hash with stir-fried minced pork and beef, sunny egg, coconut rice, and bok choi
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Since opening in Logan Square just under two years ago, Fat Rice has quickly become a darling of the Chicago restaurant scene and has even earned national attention for its Macanese cuisine, a distinctive fusion of Chinese and Portuguese flavors. Even though I’ve blogged about Fat Rice before, the Cha Gordo (or “Fat Tea,” a spin on Macanese high tea) brunch was a unique enough experience to merit its own post. The dim sum menu made it easy to try more dishes than at an average morning meal, so we ordered a little of everything.
I have to begin with the Hong Kong–style French toast, a decadent study in contrasts. The peanut butter-banana filling and peach-berry compote were comforting and familiar, but otherwise, the toast was out of the box: it was deep-fried in a batter spiked with lime zest, then scattered with slivers of young coconut and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. It was what might result if a school lunch PB&J went on an exotic vacation. I couldn’t get enough. The minchi hash, reminiscent of Korean bibimbap, and the unexpectedly smoky pan-fried radish cake were both excellent as well.
Sweet and sour stuffed eggplant with shrimp and pork
This brunch also strengthened my conviction that the eggplant at Fat Rice is just better than the eggplant anywhere else. The texture of each slice was soft without being mushy, soaking up an irresistible sweet-and-sour sauce, and the shrimp and pork stuffing added a richer dimension that felt very brunch-appropriate. We also wanted to make sure to partake in the “tea” portion of the Cha Gordo, so we shared a boozy carafe of black tea mixed with spiced whiskey, sweet vermouth, tea shrub, and mint. While I’d gladly drink it year-round, it really set the mood for a laid-back feast amidst flowers, string lights, and fresh air on the charming side patio.
Carafe of boozy bourbon tea with spiced whiskey, sweet vermouth, black tea, tea shrub, and mint
The details:Fat Rice, 2957 W. Diversey Ave., Chicago.
House-blend beef burger with Grandma’s Onion Soup spice blend, lettuce, tomato, goat cheese, caramelized onions, avocado, and sriracha mayo, on a split-top roll
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I don’t usually blog about burgers, but this one was memorable enough to merit an exception. A friend treated me to a belated birthday dinner at Butcher & the Burger, which she had always raved about but I’d never visited – and let’s just say that being introduced to this place was a birthday gift in itself. The menu allows you to customize your entire burger, all the way down to the spice blend in your patty, so I had several tough decisions to make. I ended up choosing the house blend of natural, local beef with Grandma’s Onion Soup spices on a classic split-top bun. The patty itself was everything I could have wanted: well-seasoned, cooked to picture-perfect medium, and terrifically juicy (though it was the liquid from the caramelized onions that sent the burger into extra-messy territory). The spongy bun did its best to soak everything up, concealing layers of creamy goat cheese and sriracha-spiked mayo. Lettuce, tomato, and avocado rounded out the contrasting textures. The burger evoked backyard grilling and gourmet gastropub fare in equal measure, which made it one of the best I’ve had in Chicago. And I couldn’t resist stealing a couple sips of the thick chocolate milkshake across the table, a tried-and-true combination of velvety frozen custard and chocolate syrup.
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I’m happy to finally be writing about The Publican, one of the first restaurants I learned was something special when I started getting into the Chicago food scene. It was where I celebrated with family and friends right after my culinary school graduation, and it also happened to be this month’s pick for the “brunch club” organized among several of my friends. I hadn’t been back for brunch in years, so I was excited to try the Saturday menu.
Whenever I recommend The Publican to anyone, I always add that they have to order the pork rinds. To be honest, I never thought I’d have a favorite pork rind, but anyone who’s tried The Publican’s version knows they’re like none other. The first bite is the loudest, most satisfying snap-crackle-pop you can imagine, and then the spicy, porky flavor just melts away in your mouth. The rinds are dusted with cheddar, malt vinegar, and espelette pepper powder, a bright orange combination that you’d notice was getting all over your hands if you weren’t so absorbed in all the crunching. Chicago magazine made a great step-by-step video of how Chef Brian Huston puts them together.
Custard french toast with grilled peach, spiced granola, and whipped ricotta
I’d heard the french toast was not to be missed, and the fact that it involved fleeting summer peaches made it an even easier sell. The custard-soaked bread was creamy on the inside and deeply caramelized on the outside, with more toasty aromas from the grilled peaches (I would have loved even more slices) and an especially nutty, seedy granola. Even after adding syrup, the slathering of mellow ricotta kept the dish from being overly sweet.
The Smokin’ Mary was another hit – I really loved the smoky depth of the stout and chipotle mix, and the white whiskey by Evanston-based Few Spirits is always a no-brainer in cocktails. Simple garnishes and a pilsner sidecar made it a balanced, manageable Mary.
Smokin’ Mary with Few white whiskey, chipotle house mix, stout, and Krombacher Pils sidecarThe Publican’s now-iconic globe lighting
The details:The Publican, 837 W. Fulton Market, Chicago.
