Traditional lobster roll with tarragon mayo and garlic butter, Da Lobsta
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: The best part about this lobster roll was, somewhat predictably, the lobster. The generous portion of lobster piled onto the roll was left in substantial chunks, with the lavish touch of an entire claw on top. There wasn’t too much mayo – though the tarragon in it complemented the lobster nicely – and the drizzle of garlic butter recalled childhood memories of dunking hard-earned morsels of meat from a whole lobster into my personal dish of melted butter. It all came together on a roll that was slightly sweet and toasted to perfection. While I stuck to the traditional for my first visit, next time I would likely try branching out to the Asian, Greek, or Indian rolls.
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: The beautiful spring weather over the weekend called for a leisurely midday lunch, starting at a fairly new Korean place that I hadn’t tried yet and ending with dessert at a tried-and-true favorite. First up was En Hakkore, nestled in the heart of Bucktown. The small menu offers mostly traditional Korean dishes, with a few fusion-y twists, such as paratha tacos on fried Indian flatbread. My sashimi bibimbap, a stunning bowl of rice topped with more than a dozen kinds of vegetables and four varieties of sashimi, was nothing short of a work of art. Once it was all mixed together with housemade gochujang (Korean hot sauce), it wasn’t quite as pretty, but the fresh, bright flavors in each bite echoed the sunshine streaming through the windows. My dining companion went for a more typical bibimbap with bulgogi-style marinated beef, which was just as delicious.
Blueberry french toast and turkish coffee gelato, Black Dog Gelato
We could have ventured either direction on Damen Avenue to reach a Black Dog Gelato location, but ended up going north to the Roscoe Village outpost. I’ve been a Black Dog fan ever since I volunteered at the Luxury Ice Cream Festival four years ago and was assigned to help out owner Jessie Oloroso at her booth. From the first bite of salted peanut, one of her first signature flavors, I was hooked. Since then, the bold gelato has received nationwide attention, and now shows up on the dessert menu at restaurants all over the city. While I’m always content with Black Dog classics, such as goat cheese-cashew-caramel or malted vanilla, I usually go for whatever’s new and interesting that day. After a lot of tasting, I landed on a breakfast-inspired combination of cinnamon-scented blueberry french toast and cardamom-laced turkish coffee. So good. We’re right at the beginning of gelato season, so if you haven’t tasted this gelato yet, just go. And then go again.
The details:En Hakkore, 1840 N Damen Ave., Chicago; Black Dog Gelato, 859 N Damen Ave. and 1955 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago.
Middlewest pea pâté: as shown in the magazine & my version
I’ve been waiting to blog about the final Fête event that I attended a few weeks ago (see previous Fête coverage here and here): the official launch of Middlewest magazine. Middlewest was created by David Tamarkin and Erica Gannett, both formerly of Time Out Chicago and well-known for food writing and photography, respectively. They worked with design team Sonnenzimmer to produce a new kind of food magazine, meant as a complete departure from tradition. Aesthetically, it’s striking: 10 seasonal recipes on 10 double-sided cards, plus a fold out literary supplement, all inside a white envelope. The images of each recipe are intricately layered for a look that’s undeniably unique. At the event, the creators discussed their bold intentions with Middlewest and how the process unfolded with this inaugural issue. It was really interesting to hear how they ended up with the deconstructed look, the three-word recipe headlines, and other features of the final product.
Middlewest magazines and totebagsServed at the event: editor David Tamarkin’s coffee cake (one of the recipes in the magazine) and pourover coffee from Gaslight Coffee Roasters
So, when it came time to decide which recipe to make first, this brilliant green pea pâté practically leapt off its artful page. I subbed in sage for tarragon (out of availability and personal preference), but stuck closely to the rest of the recipe: toasting, then grinding the fennel; sweating down the shallots; blanching, then shocking the peas; and carefully processing it all together with garlic and salt. The result was bright, springy, and basically addictive. Turns out peas and fennel are great together! I tried it spread on both toasted baguette and seedy cracker, and served it with roasted radishes. I have a feeling the other Middlewest recipes will be just as successful, and can’t wait to explore more of these seasonal flavor pairings.
Toasting the fennel seedsPeas chillin’ in the ice bathWhirling it together in the food processorPea pâté and roasted radishes
The details:For this and other recipes, buy the magazine’s first issue here.
Ace burger with aged cheddar, trimmings, bacon jam, aioli, fries, garlic, and hops pickle
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I had heard excellent things about the burger at this laid-back gastropub on Taylor Street, and it was even more delicious than expected. A great burger starts with the meat, and the grass-fed beef used here was top-notch in flavor and juiciness. The aged cheddar, bacon jam, and aioli were simple yet powerful toppings, and any burger is better when served on a grilled pretzel bun that’s squishy without being too doughy. There’s nothing overly exotic going on, but it just exudes pure burger identity (with crispy fries on the side, of course). We divided the burger for sharing, as with the other plates we ordered; next time, I’m keeping it all for myself.
Check out more of this memorable meal in the photos below.
The Young Pretender cocktail, with Death’s Door Gin, fresh guava puree, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, house-made cayenne and pepper simple syrup, and a float of Blackwell RumLamb merguez sausage pizzetta, served on a tree stumpCity view on my walk to the restaurantOur post-dinner plans: seeing Alicia Keys in concert at United Center
The details:Three Aces, 1321 W. Taylor St., Chicago.
Wood-grilled octopus with fennel and red onions (Htapodáki sti schára), Taxim
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: For me, this octopus dish was all about texture. While I had high expectations after everything I’d heard about this Wicker Park restaurant, chef David Schneider still blew me away by managing to eliminate every ounce of rubberiness from the octopus. It was almost closer to a firm crab meat, unlike any octopus I’ve ever tasted. The smokiness from the grill seemed to evoke the essence of Greek cuisine, with the well-caramelized fennel, onion, and peppers adding aromatic depth. Even a couple of my friends who were octopus-shy enjoyed their bites! The dish was in good company with smoky eggplant dip, fried cauliflower, and other excellent savory and sweet plates, but it remained the star of the meal.
Arches and light fixtures inside TaximCocktail with Greek grape brandy, honey, and lemon, served warm
The details:Taxim, 1558 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.
Chicken sandwich from Pecking Order, butterscotch praline donut from Firecakes, and La Vida Rose cocktail from Longman & Eagle
Last night, I was thrilled to attend the kick-off event for Fête, the first food and design festival of its kind in Chicago. Fête is also distinctive in its curation: Fête’s founders, which represent past and present editors at Tasting Table, Daily Candy, and Time Out Chicago, are well-positioned to understand what’s really trending in the city’s dining and cultural realms, and it showed immediately when the creative four-day line-up of tastings, seminars, and tours was announced. A night market was a great way to open the festival, with an impressive list of chefs and artisans offering both edible and non-edible wares.
However, when you pack a market with that many outstanding vendors – including pop-ups from two not-yet-open-but-already-buzzed-about restaurants – you should expect a lot of people. With a line around the block to get into the building and attendees squeezing shoulder-to-shoulder between booths once inside, I don’t think the space was quite equipped for such a barrage, even with two floors. But, inconvenience aside, there was so much to savor. I loved my chicken sandwich from Pecking Order, with juicy, Filipino-style fried chicken and slaw, and was talked into buying their homemade banana ketchup as well (I have a soft spot for artisanal condiments). I was also able to support Lillie’s Q, who recently suffered a fire in their main Bucktown location, by picking up another bottle of their matchless barbecue sauce. And Firecakes, one of the newcomers to Chicago’s gourmet donut scene, definitely delivered with its butterscotch praline donut, creamy in the center with crunchy praline bits atop its sticky glaze. I’m a little sad I didn’t get to try anything from Mott Street or Parson’s Chicken and Fish, the two aforementioned pop-ups, but I’m planning to get the full experience of both restaurants once they open. My ticket also included two cocktails from Longman & Eagle and a glass of Virtue Cider, all of which were lovely to sip as I walked around.
I’m attending two more Fête events this weekend, and will share those on the blog soon as well. But for now, check out more photos of the night market below.
The chandelier-lit space at Room 1520, which was quickly packed on both floorsRoosters, banana ketchup, and more from Pecking OrderArray of barbecue sauces from Lillie’s QIndia-sourced jewelry from Luxemi
Maple pancakes with meyer lemon custard, Indian sugar brûlée & citrus rind conserve, JamShrimp, grits, hunter gravy & tasso, Carriage House
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I had two excellent brunch dishes this week, and they were different enough – apart from their color scheme, apparently – that it was too difficult to choose a favorite. On the sweeter side, these citrusy pancakes from Jam were like a light lemon crème brûlée with a maple foundation from the cake itself. The toasty sugar and candied rind added great crunch…and don’t even get me started on the bacon-sausage I ordered on the side (that’s right: sausage made from bacon). I think I liked these even better than the decadent chocolate ones I featured from last year – and I also promise that Jam has more than just pancakes!
On the savory side, these shrimp and grits from Carriage House, which I first visited during Restaurant Week, were just the classic I was hoping for. The head-on shrimp were nicely cooked, the grits were creamy, and the gravy didn’t skimp on smoky, meaty flavor. I was also satisfied with the portion size, especially since we couldn’t pass up a little skillet cornbread on the side (I still can’t figure out their secret, but it is delicious).
I fight the sweet vs. savory battle on every brunch menu. Savory usually wins, so I’m glad that in this case, I can call it a tie.
The details:Jam, 3057 W Logan Blvd., Chicago; Carriage House, 1700 W Division St., Chicago.
I’m often asked about what culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu was like, back in 2009–10, and since I kept a (long-winded, diary-esque) blog during my time there, I thought it would be fun to re-post snippets here from time to time.
One of my first few nights in our culinary school uniform
Also, this week, one of the friends I made during culinary school was named a finalist to become the next host for Check, Please (good luck, Flavia!), which of course got me reminiscing about our many nights cooking in the same kitchen.
So, straight from the blog, here are a few memories from my very first week of the 9-month program:
“I came into class a little late, having gone to floors 3 and 4 before determining that the kitchens were on floor 2. And of course, I had no clue how to tie my cravate. In the handbook, it’s an 18-step process, and apparently it’s a half-windsor knot, for those of you who actually tie neckties. Fortunately, most other people didn’t know how either and came to the kitchen with their cravate in hand like I did.
From the moment I stepped foot in the kitchen, I knew the chef was trying to scare us. His gruff voice coupled with a shaved head and dark goatee made him someone you did NOT want to mess with. Before he began covering material for the first class, Food Safety and Sanitation, he went on about how tough the industry is, and what is and isn’t tolerated in terms of hygiene, cleanliness, and appearance. He did teach us how to tie our cravates — and berated a girl for wearing flip-flops by calling her a hippie for the rest of class — along with reminding us that we could wear NO nail polish or fake nails, that our hair had to be INSIDE our hats, and that we had to be clean and smell good, whatever that required…”
“On day 3, it was time to actually cut things. Right before the break between sanitation and culinary class, Chef wrote two headings on the board: “Bleeder tally” and “faint score”. Yuck. A little ominous, don’t you think? We all realized that yes, people WOULD cut themselves, and yes, that can sometimes lead to fainting. I was just praying I wouldn’t be the first one to do so! Before we touched the knives, Chef demonstrated everything for us … After showing us his impeccable 1/8″ x 1/8″ x 2″ allumettes and dices using onion and carrots, it was time to let us loose. We all gathered our materials and washed our vegetables, but then the room fell nearly silent as each of us became completely focused on measuring with our rulers and cutting as precisely as possible. Though at first I had trouble cutting straight, I finally ended up with a decent brunoise of potato! (That means tiny 1/8″ cubes.) I started a carrot, too, but didn’t get very far. And even better, I didn’t cut myself — nor did anyone else, for that matter…”
Dramatic re-enactment of my lessons in knife skills
“[Two days later] was the very first time we had to present what we’d made for Chef to taste — now I know that look of fear on the Top Chef contestants’ faces when Tom Colicchio is about to taste their dish! It’s slightly terrifying. First, I presented Chef with my vinaigrette, which I wasn’t super confident about but wanted to get his opinion so I could go back to the potato purée. He checked the consistency with his tasting spoon, swirled it around a little, and told me it wasn’t homogenous enough and that you could still see too much oil. Then he tasted it and concluded that it was also a little too acidic. “Whisk it more and bring it back.” So the first critique wasn’t too bad; it could have been far worse, I’m sure. I whisked and whisked and whisked, and added a little sugar, only to bring it back and have him tell me it was a little too oily, but otherwise fine. I’m sure I’ll get used to his evaluations, but I’m a little nervous to see how harsh he gets as things get more complex!
Then Flavia brought up our potatoes soon after for Chef to taste. Basically, he told us they were cold and lumpy. So we first put the bowl over a hot water path, whipped it more, went back and forth. Then we realized they weren’t going to get hot enough that way, so we transferred them directly into a saucepan and heated them, put them back in the bowl, added more butter, salt and milk, more whipping, and so on. The next time we served them to Chef, at least we made sure that he couldn’t tell us they were cold! He still didn’t think they were smooth enough, but let us go with it. There it was, our first big moment of approval and getting to proudly eat the fruits of our labor.”
Trio of pickles: Charlie’s peanuts, sichuan eggplant, and ginger lime cauliflower
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I’d been anxious to try this restaurant for months now, totally intrigued by the idea of blending Portuguese, Macau, and other global street-food influences, and further convinced by the owners’ other ventures – much-lauded underground dinners and irresistibly delicious nuts that are beloved at my neighborhood farmers’ market. Perhaps predictably at this point, I was so blown away by the whole meal that I couldn’t pick just one best bite. I loved my cocktail, sweetened by vanilla and tamarind with a licorice kick from star anise. I loved the colorful trio of pickles, giving eggplant, peanuts, and cauliflower a new sweet-and-sour character. I loved the potstickers, with an eye-catching lattice of crispy dough still holding them together on the plate, and the silky, spicy pumpkin soup. There was enough going on in the fat noodles and Portuguese chicken to keep my palate constantly engaged, and the serradura dessert’s dreamy guava-banana layers made for spoonful after spoonful of happiness.
We did pass on the eponymous fat rice dish, which can be ordered as a prix-fixe meal with soup, vegetable, and dessert, so I already have a built-in excuse to go back. If you go, plan to arrive as close to the 6 p.m. opening time as possible (or even join the line that forms beforehand) to avoid long waits in the already crowded space.
Callan Club, with rum, tamarind, vanilla, and star anisePumpkin soup with tofu, mushrooms, fried bread, and calamansi picklePork and shrimp potstickersFat noodle with X.O. saucePortuguese chicken with mussels, mild curry, parrano, coconut, and chorizoSerradura dessert, with guava, banana, sweet cream, and cookie crumb
The details:Fat Rice, 2957 W Diversey Ave., Chicago.
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I was overjoyed by this unique take on eggs benedict on a recent weekday morning. The poached eggs sit atop cheddar jasmine rice cakes, crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside, with hollandaise, pico de gallo, and black beans to tie it together. Large pieces of grilled pineapple and red pepper also make a statement as garnishes, joined by a pleasant arugula salad. It’s filling and a little exotic, meant to be enjoyed with coffee and a good read (in my case, the never-ending quest to catch up on magazines).
Sunny interior, Grandma J’s Local Kitchen
Walking into Grandma J’s is like stepping into someone’s living room, mismatched furniture and all. Bold art, antique photos, and knick-knacks huddle under the colorful fabric panels that adorn the ceiling, and an armoire surrounded by wall-mounted clocks holds an array of hot sauces, a gentle reminder that it’s still a restaurant. The service is casual and friendly, and the open kitchen makes it feel like you’re pulling up a stool to watch Grandma cook (if Grandma was younger, with hipster sensibilities). It’s tucked away in Humboldt Park, a block from my old apartment – I so wish it had opened while I still lived there, as it would have been a dream to have brunch like this within walking distance. If you go, make sure to also stop for a treat at 100-year-old Roeser’s Bakery, just across North Avenue.
Mason jars and cozy details, Grandma J’s Local Kitchen
