Tag: gold coast

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Chicago Restaurant Week

Chicago Restaurant Week 2015: Dinner at Fig & Olive

This is part of a series of posts about Chicago Restaurant Week 2015, held January 30–February 12. Check out recaps from 2014 and 2013, or browse all Restaurant Week coverage.

Fig & Olive Dinner

Octopus a la gallega, Fig & Olive
Octopus a la gallega with thinly sliced braised octopus, marinated bell pepper, heirloom potato, black olive, basil, arugula, and pimenton lemon dressing

Best Bite: I couldn’t pick a favorite between my first and second courses, both seafood-focused. The first was a gorgeous mosaic of thinly sliced octopus and other colorful, zingy accompaniments. The second was a paella del mar that was absolutely packed with oceanic ingredients nestled into creamy saffron rice.

Paella del mar, Fig & Olive
Paella del mar with black tiger shrimp, sea scallop, calamari, mussels, saffron rice, chicken, green pea, red bell pepper, artichoke, saffron aioli, pimenton, and oregano

Other notes: Pot de crème is a classic dessert from Fig & Olive – I first had it when I visited the New York location, and it still captures chocolate and vanilla at their finest. The interior was quintessential Gold Coast chic, and our upper-level table overlooked the stately live olive trees sprouting from behind the bar.

Chocolate pot de crème, Fig & Olive
Chocolate pot de crème with crunchy praline financiers and vanilla cream

The details: Fig & Olive, 104 E. Oak St., Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

This week’s Best Bite: Salt-crusted branzino, grilled ramps & more, Nico Osteria

Grilled octopus fettunta, Nico Osteria
Grilled octopus fettunta with favetta, grapefruit, and preserved lemon

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Nico has been near the top of my list since it opened late last year, having already earned local and national accolades that are now becoming routine for Paul Kahan’s restaurants. We began the evening on the patio facing bustling Rush Street and snacked on a grilled octopus fettunta (Nico’s term for grilled bread with toppings, much like bruschetta) that was bejeweled by grapefruit and preserved lemon for double the acidity. It was lovely alongside my Venus in Furs cocktail, smoky and refreshing on such a muggy evening.

Venus in Furs cocktail, Nico Osteria
Venus in Furs cocktail with aperol, mezcal, velvet falernum, lime juice, and campari, on the Nico patio

Before we knew it, a thunderstorm had set in and we were quickly moved inside to the bar. It wasn’t long before a pristine whole branzino arrived, salt-crusted and studded with tender forest mushrooms and sweet zante currants. The fish was buttery and perfectly flaky, although it’s worth noting that Gold Coast prices make it expensive enough to be more of a special-occasion centerpiece. And on the side, a tangle of grilled ramps reminded me why their short season is so cherished. Their mild onion flavor melted beautifully into the salt-cod crema, with crunch from almonds and lingering char from the grill.

Salt-crusted branzino and grilled ramps, Nico Osteria
Salt-crusted branzino with forest mushrooms and zante currants; grilled ramps with salt cod crema and almonds

And we couldn’t skip dessert – not when pastry chef Amanda Rockman is hailed as one of the city’s best and is responsible for such masterpieces as Balena’s gelato sundaes. While I loved the affogato – espresso poured over cardamom-sweet cream gelato for a “dirty chai” effect – I was even more impressed by the Nico torte. It was like eating all the best lemon desserts at the same time: the crusty bottom of the cake with lemon filling soaked inside evoked a lemon bar, but together with the poppyseed gelato, it transformed into a muffin; add in the pickled blueberries and lemon curd on the plate, and it became a summer parfait. The Nico torte changes seasonally, so I’ll have to return for more variations.

Nico torte, Nico Osteria
Nico torte with lemon, pickled blueberry, ginger, and citrus poppyseed gelato

The details: Nico Osteria, 1015 N. Rush St., Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

This week’s Best Bite: Traditional lobster roll, Da Lobsta

Traditional lobster roll with tarragon mayo and garlic butter, Da Lobsta
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.

The details: Da Lobsta, 12 E Cedar St., Chicago.

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Chicago Restaurant Week

Restaurant Week 2013: Vermilion and Cafe Spiaggia

This is part of a series of posts about Chicago Restaurant Week, held February 1–10, 2013.

Dinner at Vermilion

Mango-cardamom flan, Vermilion
Mango-cardamom flan, Vermilion

Best Bite: I was partial to dessert, a mango-cardamom flan that made for a creamy, aromatic finish to our Latin-Indian fusion meal. The lychee and tart cranberry garnishes set off the flan nicely, though I wish there had been more than one piece of lychee. See full menu.

Other notes: Also enjoyed the caldeirada de peixe (Brazilian seafood stew), loaded with seafood and the right amount of heat, and artichoke pakoras made a nice, street food-inspired starter. Service was a little off, though, and the setup of the menu itself wasn’t the best value – an $11 upgrade to normal entree portions made the tasting almost cost more than the sum of the courses. Liked the lighting and red decor.

Brazilian seafood stew with tomato rice, Vermilion
Brazilian seafood stew with tomato rice, Vermilion

The details: Vermilion, 10 W Hubbard St., Chicago.

Lunch at Cafe Spiaggia

Gnocchi with pork and beef ragu, Cafe Spiaggia
Gnocchi with pork and beef ragu, Cafe Spiaggia

Best Bite: This one was a tie. My entree’s gnocchi were impossibly fluffy, perhaps the best texture of any gnocchi I’ve tasted, with a meaty ragu that wasn’t too thick. And then there were the bomboloni, a heavenly trio of Italian doughnuts for dessert. Again, I was impressed by the airy texture (they weren’t greasy at all!) and the apple-cinnamon compote and poppyseed sugar recalled all the comfort of cider doughnuts from my local orchard growing up – just in a more refined package. See full menu.

Other notes: Lovely first-course ribollita soup, with tomatoes, kale, and cannellini beans. Excellent service and pleasant view of Michigan Avenue and the lake, even on a gray, slushy day.

Bomboloni with apple-cinnamon compote, Cafe Spiaggia
Bomboloni with apple-cinnamon compote, Cafe Spiaggia

The details: Cafe Spiaggia, 980 N Michigan Ave., Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #2: Art’s Hummingbird cake, Table Fifty-Two

Each day in December, I’m celebrating my best bites (and sips) in 2012, posted in chronological order.

Art’s Hummingbird cake

Why it’s a Best Bite: I was previously unfamiliar with this traditionally Southern cake, but over the past two years or so, it’s become my new favorite. I’ve eaten chef Art Smith’s decadent, three-layer version twice now, and I can’t get enough of the combination of banana-pineapple cake and cream cheese frosting. This comforting dessert also perfectly suits its cozy environs at the restaurant, a converted 19th-century carriage house.

The details: Table Fifty-Two, 52 W Elm St., Chicago.