Miso-cured and grilled foie gras with pineapple, chocolate, almond cookie, unagi, and malt
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Pardon my gushing, but this was one of those dishes that only comes along every once in a while, the kind where you sigh over every bite and can’t even put together the words to describe how good it is because you’re in such a state of bliss. I love foie gras, and Acadia’s preparation has set a new standard for me. The thick slab of miso-cured foie rivaled the size of my iPhone, and captured the flame-licked meatiness of a grilled steak – that is, if a steak melted into richness and practically disappeared on your tongue. Compressed pineapple underneath hit a bright, juicy note, and the accompanying smoked banana puree, almond cookie crumbles, and unagi sauce all came together in beautiful, if unlikely, harmony. And the chocolate nest was served at the perfect temperature: each curlicue kept its shape on the plate, but softened into a coating as soon as it hit the warm foie. Executive chef Ryan McCaskey clearly has a deft hand in showcasing sweet flavors while still maintaining balance. This foie gras was the second course of a spectacular dining experience that I would recommend for any special occasion.
The details: Acadia, 1639 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago.
Beef stroganoff with mustard spaetzle, mushroom, and peppered cream
Best Bite: The signature beef short rib stroganoff was an ideal winter entree, with a substantial portion of tender meat flanked by hearty mushrooms and dabs of peppery cream sauce. And if a dish comes with spaetzle, I will mostly likely order it, so I was especially impressed by this spot-on mustard variety. The soup course came in a close second-favorite, a chestnut bisque with a surprising combination of sweetness and complexity from allspice, sage, and rosemary marshmallow. See full menu.
Banana split with vanilla bean, candied hazelnut, and pretzel crumb
Other notes: I loved the dessert presentation of a layered banana split in a mason jar. I’m also pretty sure our table was the best in the house: a private, high-backed booth with room to spare for our four-person party and a brightly colored stained glass window enclosing one end.
Musclemen ramen with mussels, onion, chili pepper, scallion, and bonito miso
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: When a ramen craving struck me on a snowy afternoon, I popped over to Oiistar, a relatively new Wicker Park spot I’d been eyeing. Bypassing all the tempting varieties of bao, and even the avocado tempura – next time! – I zeroed in on a mussel-centric ramen. Besides at least a dozen plump mussels, the giant bowl also contained an umami-rich seafood broth with chewy noodles, two kinds of onion, and tons of garlic. Moderately spicy chiles also upped the soup’s warmth factor. Happily rotating between slurps of noodles, mussels, and broth, I settled in with a book and soaked up the sounds of the restaurant’s catchy R&B playlist.
The details: Oiistar, 1385 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.
Wood-fired Dutch baby pancake with apple-rosemary compote and whipped cream
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: After a decade of being dinner-only, Avec launched brunch service last summer – an announcement that made the Chicago food world collectively squeal with delight. While I’ve already blogged about Avec’s legendary stuffed dates, which we ordered almost reflexively, the other stellar brunch plates merited a post of their own. The day’s special was the wood-fired pancake, a velvety stunner cooked in a cast-iron pan and topped with fragrant apple-rosemary compote and mounds of whipped cream. Its Dutch Baby–style texture was unbelievable. Meanwhile, the baked egg dish showed off Avec’s Mediterranean leanings. Its sauce was layered with surprising flavors: chickpeas, roasted peppers of all kinds, and salty feta, all begging to be sopped up with the bread on the side.
Baked egg with roasted peppers, chickpeas, guanciale, feta, and breadcrumbsMarinated butcher’s steak with squash polenta, charred radicchio, pepita pesto, and a fried egg
Another favorite was the butcher’s steak, probably the most beautiful steak-and-eggs in history. The fried egg was perfect, and the steak, ultra-tender from the marinade, shone even brighter with bold accompaniments of charred radicchio, squash polenta, pesto, parsley, and crunchy pepitas. As hard as it was to see this meal come to a close, the indulgence of the stuffed dates at the beginning was evenly matched by the petite nutter butter squares at its conclusion. Don’t miss these: the peanut butter-chocolate base, subtle feuilletine crunch, smooth ganache, and a sprinkling of sea salt made it the ultimate last bite.
Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.
Mickey Mouse pretzel from a stand in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland
I spent my first full week of 2014 on vacation in Walt Disney World with my family – including my 6-year-old niece and 3-year-old nephew, who were especially caught up in the magic of Disney. While it was a blast to see shows, go on rides, and otherwise get in touch with my inner child, I was just as interested in the culinary landscape (let’s face it, Disney World might as well be its own city). Here’s the best of what I ate and drank in 7 days across 4 Disney parks.
Magic Kingdom
Due to its popularity with the kids (and adults) in our party, we spent more time in this park than any of the others. From a luscious, beautifully plated dessert at Cinderella’s castle – in the company of princesses! – to a Thanksgiving-style feast at a patriotic tavern, I was impressed by our fantasy-infused meals. I knew I’d be in for an extravagant week when “grabbing a hot dog” on Main Street to make it time for the electric parade resulted in a behemoth dog smothered in so much pulled pork and coleslaw that I could barely pick it up to eat it. Other Main Street treats included a dessert-like latte (at a cleverly disguised Starbucks) and a Mickey rice-krispie treat made fresh at the confectionery.
Family-style Thanksgiving dinner, Liberty Tree TavernJohnny Appleseed’s Cake filled with apples and Craisins and topped with ice cream, Liberty Tree Tavern
Peanut butter-chocolate rice-krispie treat, Main Street Confectionery
Epcot
Going into the trip, I was most excited to sample the international fare at Epcot’s World Showcase. Mexico proved a reliable option for creative (and strong) margaritas with caramelized pineapple and ginger or jalapeño and cucumber at La Cava del Tequila. I also loved the spicy shrimp in chile sauce at the adjacent restaurant, San Angel Inn. France also didn’t disappoint, with stunning pastries by day and perfectly cooked duck confit by night.
Macaroni baked with cream and Gruyère cheese, Chefs de FranceDuck breast and leg confit with cherries, sweet potato puree, and patty pan squash, Chefs de France
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios held my favorite dining atmosphere – next to the castle, that is – at the charming 50’s Prime Time Café, complete with TV reels, furniture, and decor from that era. From “Dad’s Liquor Cabinet” came electric lemonade with a neon-light ice cube (and yes, I took the cube home for future glowing beverages); it paired nicely with comforting meatloaf and onion rings with zesty horseradish sauce. I also felt transported to the Golden Age at the Brown Derby, imagining stars that dined on the same Cobb salad at the original Hollywood restaurant. I adored the mushroom and bleu cheese napoleon appetizer here as well. And this park was also where I attempted to conquer a jumbo turkey leg – I couldn’t finish it, but enjoyed each smoky bite.
Dad’s Electric Lemonade with with rum, vodka, blue curaçao, sweet-and-sour, and sprite, 50’s Prime Time CaféBeer-battered onion rings and horseradish sauce, 50s Prime Time CaféCousin Ann’s traditional meatloaf (with extra horseradish sauce), 50s Prime Time Café
Crispy phyllo napoleon of bleu affinée, wild mushroom duxelles, grilled portobello, golden chanterelles, and fig reduction, Hollywood Brown Derby“Our Famous” Cobb salad with finely chopped greens, turkey breast, bacon, egg, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, chives, and Cobb dressing, Hollywood Brown Derby
Jumbo turkey leg, Fairfax Fare in Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom
With only one whirlwind day at Animal Kingdom, there wasn’t a lot of time for dining. I knew I wanted to try something from the Africa area, and the mild chicken curry with rice and pita turned out to be an excellent, filling snack. The best sip of the day was frozen mango rum lemonade, unfortunately shared and slurped too quickly to get a photo.
Chicken curry from stand in Animal Kingdom’s Harambe, Africa
And, even though it’s technically not inside Disney World, I have to gloat a tiny bit about enjoying a piña colada at the resort’s poolside bar on Polar Vortex Sunday…
Poolside piña colada
For a comprehensive guide to all things Disney dining, check out Disney Food Blog; I found it to be a very helpful resource before and during the trip.
For the second year in a row, I’ve spent all December celebrating the rest of my favorite bites and sips from 2013. These are all dishes that I didn’t have a chance to cover as Best Bites when I originally enjoyed them. You can check out the full list of 30 below in chronological order.
Each day in December, I’m celebrating the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2013, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at 2012’s Best Bites.
Apple, pear, and port wine elk sausage with red fruit mustard, Port Salut cheese, and pâté de campagne
Why it’s another 2013 Best Bite: I’m ashamed that it took me this many years to make a trip to Hot Doug’s, the “Encased Meats Emporium and Sausage Superstore” that’s revered by hot dog devotees everywhere. Even though it took sprinting through heavy snow to catch a bus, I was delighted to find that this particular Saturday’s line didn’t even stretch past the outer door (it’s typically down the block). After thoroughly perusing the menu board, I went with an elk sausage special, along with the must-order duck-fat fries, which are only available on Friday and Saturday. The sausage was bursting with game and fruit flavors, with snap from the casing and sweetness from the mustard. Both toppings – mild Port Salut cheese and bits of country pâté – added richness and texture to every bite. Subtle duck flavor came through in the fries, and somehow made the meat taste even better. Owner Doug Sohn’s astounding warmth and friendliness completed the experience.
Duck-fat fries
The details: Hot Doug’s, 3324 N. California Ave., Chicago.
Each day in December, I’m celebrating the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2013, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at 2012’s Best Bites.
4-piece fried chicken with sides of pimento mac ‘n’ cheese, whipped sweet potatoes with balsamic marshmallow, and creamed corn with Thai green curry
Why it’s another 2013 Best Bite: Honey Butter Fried Chicken was another darling of the Chicago food scene this year, and I finally got to check it out on a recent weeknight. There’s no question that the signature dish lives up to the hype. You really do slather whipped honey butter all over buttermilk double-battered chicken – and then immediately wonder why you haven’t been eating fried chicken this way your whole life. All the sides I tried were exceptional, too: ultra-cheesy pimento mac ‘n’ cheese spirals, green curry-scented creamed corn, and sweet potatoes with puffy balsamic marshmallow, plus the adorable honeycomb corn muffins.
Each day in December, I’m celebrating the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2013, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at 2012’s Best Bites.
Soft-serve Lait Gelato in sweet milk
Why it’s another 2013 Best Bite: When I was helping assemble a travel guide to Eataly earlier this month, it was all but impossible to decide what to taste as I surveyed the 63,000-square-foot Italian wonderland. Among my best decisions was bypassing the Nutella bar in favor of a cup of Lait Gelato, the only soft-serve gelato of its kind in North America. I opted to keep things simple with the sweet milk flavor, which was pleasantly light while still retaining the luscious, buttery finish I expected from gelato. It will now be an obligatory treat during all future Eataly adventures.
Each day in December, I’m celebrating the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2013, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at 2012’s Best Bites.
Starry Night in Sleepy Hollow pumpkin stout
Why it’s another 2013 Best Bite: On draft at one of Chicago’s most buzzed-about new craft breweries this year, this was my favorite pumpkin beer that I drank all fall – not to mention my favorite beer name. DryHop described the Starry Night in Sleepy Hollow as “brewed with 100 pounds of sugar pumpkins,” and I believe it, its round pumpkin flavor nicely augmented by pie spices from The Spice House. It was also an especially smooth stout, which was evidently due to the nitro pour (high nitrogen content means smaller bubbles for a creamier texture). It tasted even better paired with an outstanding wedge salad and a burger laden with aged cheddar and ancho chile-tomato jam.
