Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: This is one of those restaurants that’s been in the back of my mind since I moved to Chicago, but still had yet to try. The day my roommate finished her second Chicago Marathon was finally the right opportunity to make plans for celebratory pasta and wine. As expected, the pasta was excellent. The wide, toothsome pappardelle noodles stood up to the hearty boar ragu, with the spiced, carrot-forward warmth that’s so comforting in a slow-cooked sauce. Getting to dine outside was what really clenched it, though – Piccolo Sogno (Italian for “little dream”) is nearly as well-known for its back patio as it is for its food, and I now see why. The atmosphere is nothing short of magical, its fairy-tale trees stretching over to ivy-covered walls to form a lush, softly lit hideaway. Come spring, I’ll be back for more pasta under the stars.
Fresh pappardelle with spiced wild boar ragu and fresh parmesanBread basket with house-bottled olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar
The details:Piccolo Sogno, 464 N. Halsted St., Chicago.
The seasonal guacamole with apples, fennel, and thyme that Chef Rick Bayless made during his cooking demo
I was graciously given a ticket to attend a special event at Prairie Fruits Farm back home in Champaign over the weekend. Proceeds from the evening benefited the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, a worthy organization aiming to fight hunger in the area. The special guest was Chef Rick Bayless, who serves the farm’s goat cheese in his restaurants and agreed to appear for both a private cooking demonstration and intimate four-course dinner. Bayless’s commitment to local agriculture has been transformative in the Midwest over the past few decades; in fact, Prairie Fruits Farm itself had received a Frontera Farmer Foundation grant to install its commercial kitchen, so the event was an especially meaningful celebration of that partnership.
Chef Bayless preparing guacamole and margaritas in his cooking demo before the meal
For the first part of the afternoon, Bayless demonstrated three seasonal recipes: guacamole, margaritas, and tomato salad using produce from the farm’s own garden – a dish he said he made up when he got there that day. I’ve seen his cooking demos before, but continue to be blown away by how seamlessly he incorporates ingredient information (did you know that it takes a full year for an avocado to mature?) and cooking tips into the actual step-by-step preparation of the dish. Bayless incorporated honey crisp apples, which he admitted were his favorite variety, into both the guacamole and the margarita. For the former, they were joined by fennel and thyme in addition to the avocado, and for the latter, they were blended with habanero before mingling with tequila, apple brandy, and a cinnamon-black pepper-salt rim. Both were lovely departures from their more traditional counterparts, although I will note that the margarita had some serious heat! After the demo, Bayless signed a few cookbooks and then was off to the kitchen to resume prep for the night’s meal. Meanwhile, we guests enjoyed a cocktail hour in the barn before co-owner Wes Jarrell led us on a tour of the farm. It was such a treat to see the adorable goats – and thank them for contributing to such incredible cheese! – as Wes pointed out interesting produce in the garden and shared more of the farm’s history.
Windmill on the farmCute goats (whose milk makes incredible cheese!)A chicken on the farmCocktail hour bite of apple slice and tomato salad with roasted garlic-padron pepper vinaigrette and chives
Once back at the barn, it was time to eat. As expected, all four courses were a stunning convergence of the seasonal, elegant Mexican cuisine that Bayless does so well and the pure essence of each showcased cheese. The masa boat packed lots of richness and tang into a single starting bite, and the tomato salad held burst after burst of flavor, each component distinct within a bright tomato-centric palette. I was glad to see Bayless incorporate his famous mole into the main course, and the poblano variety underneath the pork loin was mild, but as complex and velvety as ever. I could have eaten that sauce on its own, but when paired with the chèvre-stuffed tamales, I was in heaven. The real show-stopper, though, was the dessert: a “mash-up,” as Bayless put it, of tres leches cake and a classic pear, blue cheese, and walnut salad. It was out-of-the-box and completely successful, perfectly punctuating the meal’s joint spotlight on the flavors of Mexico and the endless potential of farm-fresh cheese.
Masa boat with braised chard, caramelized onions, Prairie Fruits Farm feta, and salsa verdeHeirloom tomato salad with lime-marinated albacore tuna, Prairie Fruits Farm goat milk yogurt, tomato water gelatina, and pickled baby onionsRoasted pork loin with mole poblano, smoky green beans, and tamales stuffed with Prairie Fruits Farm fresh chevrePastel de tres leches with pear liqueur, Prairie Fruits Farm Eldon cheese, pears, walnuts, crema, and herbs
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Of all the great things ushered in by this new season, autumnal beers are near the top of the list. And while I’m always excited to try whatever new offerings are on tap at Revolution’s Logan Square brewpub, this year’s Oktoberfest has proven to be one of my all-time favorites. It had lots of caramel and spice notes without being too heavy, and would pair well with pretty much any fall food. I typically skip over cheese plates when reading a menu, but this thoughtful board was a good reminder to stop overlooking them. The three cheese selections on a recent weeknight were each excellent, especially the smoked gorgonzola (I had to restrain myself from devouring all the pieces on the board). The spiced pears, pickled vegetables, and candied peanuts all offered pleasant contrasts without clashing with any of the cheeses. Between that and the other dishes we ordered, Revolution is continuing to prove that it takes its food just as seriously as its beer.
Wild rice gouda, aged cheddar, and smoked gorgonzola cheeses, with pear compote, pickled vegetables, candied peanut, and spent grain crackers
Parm #2 sandwich with breaded chicken cutlet, basil tomato sauce, fried sage, and mozzarella on a Franks n’ Dawgs roll
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Whenever I’m at a Randolph Street restaurant and have extra time, especially if I’m with someone who’s new to the area, I’ll wander into nearby Publican Quality Meats, the café and butcher-shop sibling of The Publican across the street. I love browsing all the artisanal pantry items that line the shelves and gazing longingly at the deli case (I have to remind myself every single time that no, I still don’t need to buy four of the ready-to-bake stuffed dates from Avec to eat at home). PQM also makes outstanding sandwiches, and a friend and I decided to finally dine in and savor the last bit of patio weather. The clear favorite was this take on a chicken parmesan sandwich, with richly flavored marinara, melty mozzarella, and crispy sage surrounding the chicken cutlet. And it was a genius move to put it all on the same spongy split-top roll that’s used at gourmet hot dog joint Franks ‘N’ Dawgs – a toasted repackaging of an Italian classic.
11 City French Toast, with challah, strawberries, bananas, and toasted coconut
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: South Loop brunch favorite Eleven City Diner recently opened a second location in Lincoln Park, complete with an old-fashioned soda fountain and other charming touches. With so many promising savory options (bagels and lox! Latkes! Egg dishes galore!), I even surprised myself when I went with the signature french toast instead. But now it’s hard for me imagine ordering anything else because it was just. That. Good. The fresh-baked challah is the star, striking that elusive french-toast balance of a crispy, golden crust outside and a super-soft inside without being the least bit soggy or overly eggy. Fresh strawberries and bananas with a dusting of powdered sugar always make an excellent topping, but it was the extra crunch of the toasted coconut that brought the dish to another magical level. It was too much toast to finish on the spot, but the challah held up well as leftovers.
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: For my birthday this year, I chose a 20-course tasting at Elizabeth Restaurant as my celebratory meal of choice. Elizabeth uses the same booking system as Next and Alinea, so instead of just making a reservation, I bought tickets that covered food, tax, and gratuity for a specific date and time – and thankfully, three of my closest friends were willing to chip in and come along for the tasting menu experience. The inconspicuous storefront was tucked away next to a tire shop in Lincoln Square, but inside was a white-hued haven with rustic wooden tables, cozy antique chairs, and woodland knick-knacks. It was just the right setting for what Chef Iliana Regan calls “New Gatherer cuisine.”
The interior décor at ElizabethCenterpiece with edible “twigs” that we ate as breadsticks during a truffled potato and quail egg course
In each course, the simplicity of seasonal ingredients was elevated by exquisite, imaginative presentation. Many courses brought bits of adventure, from sipping a palate cleanser out of a test tube and sampling soil from a terrarium to licking bear meat and its accompaniments off of a rock. Here, I’ve narrowed it down to the dishes that were most memorable for both flavor and creativity. Early on, I was intrigued by several different preparations of zucchini and beans alongside a wonderfully simple beef tartare, bringing the meat and vegetables together seamlessly. Another unanimous favorite was the creamy corn soup, served with a sturdy wheat biscuit and three spreads: thick honey, sweet tomato jam, and smoky pancetta butter. As I rotated between spreads and bites of soup, the flavors at once recalled my Central Illinois roots and transported the corn to a more elegant place. Later, smoked salmon and cucumber were matched with yogurt and dill to create a sort of deconstructed tzatziki, which was again familiar but also sophisticated. I also adored all the textures and richness in the “stew” with venison three ways – loin, sausage, and tiny cubes of heart – and a mushroom sauce underneath.
Zucchini: Tartare and Sea BeansCorn: With BiscuitsSmoked Fish and CucumberHunter and Gatherer Stew
On the sweeter side, the “cheese” course composed primarily of mascarpone, cantaloupe, and Queen Anne’s Lace was possibly the most revelatory. The delicate, harmonious flavors came in solid, sorbet, and gelée forms, with little dots of dill pickle sauce that added a surprising sour note. I also loved the dessert that followed (shown in the top photo), its petite meringue mushrooms a nod to the actual mushrooms used in the earthy brownies, which were then balanced in flavor and color by a few forms of raspberry. The whole meal was a fantastic way to say farewell to summer.
Mascarpone and Queen Anne’s LaceMenu presented at the end with a cookie to take home
Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.
Sweeping vineyard views in Sonoma wine country
I originally planned this trip around Saturday’s football game – my alma mater Northwestern was playing Cal in Berkeley, and two of my friends from college live there, so it was the perfect excuse for a whole group of us to reunite over the long holiday weekend. The trip also happened to correspond with my birthday on Sunday, so I knew there would need to be some especially good eating and drinking involved. After recovering from an exciting NU victory on Saturday, we spent a gorgeous Sunday afternoon in the Sonoma Valley, with tastings at three different wineries (I couldn’t resist bringing home a bottle from each). For my birthday dinner, I feasted on an incredible whole spit-roasted chicken, which I split with another just-as-excited-and-hungry friend, and later lounged with house-brewed beer on an idyllic patio at Jupiter, the Berkeley equivalent of Chicago’s Piece. The next day, in San Francisco, we ate mostly in the Mission, from a killer brunch platter featuring a green onion biscuit and veggie gravy packed with sage, to legendary Bi-Rite ice cream (roasted banana and cinnamon-snickerdoodle flavors, anyone?) for dessert. And I had to cap off the trip with a mint mojito iced coffee from Philz, which I’d been dreaming about ever since trying it two years ago. The barista turns virtually an entire mint plant into creamy, frothy goodness that you just can’t leave the Bay Area without tasting.
Loved the tasting notes at Ravenswood Winery, our first stopGrapes on the vine at Arrowood WineryArrowood Winery tasting, complete with a little leftover Northwestern spiritMore wine tasting at Imagery Estate WineryImagery Estate Winery’s backyard, with space for bocce ball and other gamesWhole spit-roasted Fulton Valley chicken, served with fire-roasted fingerling potatoes, black beans, achiote rice, and tortillas at ComalBougainvillea cocktail at Boogaloos, with champagne, orange juice, and cranberry juiceThe Boogaloo Classic, with home fries, eggs over easy, and a biscuit with veggie herb-cream gravy and green onionBeer flight at 21st Amendment Brewery, including the well-garnished Hell or High WatermelonThe Ricachu sundae special at Bi-Rite Creamery, with scoops of roasted banana and ricanelas (snickerdoodle), plus brownie bits, caramel sauce, and toasted coconut flakesMint mojito iced coffee from Philz CoffeeExterior of Philz Coffee in Berkeley
Food for Thought is an occasional series covering creative works that are connected to a food issue or trend. See more.
Earlier in the summer, I read Jennifer 8. Lee’s The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food. Within the first few pages, I was floored by this sentiment:
“American Chinese food is predictable, familiar, and readily available. It has a broad appeal to the national palate. It is something nearly everyone nowadays has grown up with – both young and old…Our benchmark for Americanness is apple pie. But ask yourself: How often do you eat apple pie? How often do you eat Chinese food?”
Thought-provoking, right? I enjoyed reading about each segment of her quest to understand Chinese food in America, from historical anecdotes to more personal discoveries. A former New York Times reporter, Lee turns thorough, detailed research into engaging storytelling. Here are a few paraphrased tidbits from the book:
A Chinese restaurant on the Upper West Side of New York pioneered food delivery in the mid 1970’s
Origins of the fortune cookie are disputed, but likely point back to Japan instead of China
One time, 110 people across 29 states all won the Powerball just from playing numbers they found on a fortune cookie
Chop suey exploded as a “national addiction” around 1900, which was what started the proliferation of Chinese restaurants
General Tso’s chicken is a completely American dish
One company in New Jersey makes the vast majority of soy sauce packets, chopsticks, and white cartons distributed throughout the country
Lee’s search for the greatest Chinese restaurant outside China culminated at a Vancouver strip mall
You can find The Fortune Cookie Chronicles on Amazon, or watch Lee’s TED talk for her overview of the subject.
Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) with asparagus, kewpie mayo, bean sprouts, and green onions
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: La Sirena Clandestina is a South American-influenced restaurant that’s been on my list for a while, but moved up toward the top once I saw their out-of-the-box brunch menu. Faced with too many interesting options, my friend and I split a breakfast empanada to start, then shared two other dishes (and we must have been onto something, because the women at the next table over copied our order exactly). The okonomiyaki was a thick, scallion-heavy pancake with two complementary, umami-rich sauces. This version rivaled the ones I’ve had as appetizers at Japanese and Korean restaurants in the past, but still managed to feel like a morning dish. The fries were what I would imagine Brazilian poutine to be like, generously doused in black beans and gooey cheese with surprising notes from the pickled fresnos and mustard sauce, plus a fried egg to tie it up in a more breakfast-y bow. I loved the whole design of the space, too: turquoise walls, light streaming through salvaged windows, beautiful wood everywhere. To top it off, La Sirena made a spicy, no-frills Bloody Mary with pisco and Fernet that far exceeded the usual brunch benchmark.
Feijoada fries with black beans, provolone, pickled fresnos, green onions, sour cream and mustard sauce, and fried eggBloody mary with Peruvian pisco and Fernet Branca
Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.
Picking our own peaches at Crane Orchard in Fennville
Spending a gorgeous Saturday in southwest Michigan does present convincing evidence that the state is as magical as depicted in the “Pure Michigan” commercials, especially when it comes to food. From a picnic by the water in Saugatuck to picking peaches and apples in South Haven and tasting cider in Fennville, we fit in as many delicious summer activities as we could. I was impressed by the quality of everything we tried: excellent bottled cold brew coffee, mellow pear and blueberry fruit wines that would make excellent pairings, five nuanced styles of the Virtue Cider that’s already beloved in Chicago, and a lovely farm-to-table meal at Salt of the Earth, where I also drank the best lemonade I’ve had all summer (white whiskey, grilled lemon, and thyme add up to greatness).
Uncommon Coffee Roasters’ bottled cold brew coffee in SaugatuckNebraska wrap from Boardwalk Deli in SaugatuckTasting fruit wines at McIntosh Wine Cellars in South HavenWhere cider is made at Virtue FarmsThe Virtue Cider signGrilled lemonade with Journeyman white whiskey, lemon sour, thyme, and soda at Salt of the Earth in FennvilleFeta and herb pizza at Salt of the Earth in FennvileEating apple pie from Crane’s Pie Pantry by moonlight
