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Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #26: Pumpkin french toast, Lula Cafe

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

Pumpkin french toast
Pumpkin french toast

Why it’s a Best Bite: I feel very fortunate that Lula is the closest restaurant to my apartment, and that I have enjoyed so many wonderful dishes there in the past year. I chose to highlight this french toast because it exemplifies what I can always expect from brunch (or any other meal) there: the season’s best sustainable ingredients prepared with consistent, exacting technique. The brioche took on more of a bread pudding consistency, crunchy on top and custard-soaked inside, which made the chantilly cream on top all the more decadent. With cranberry jam for acidity, pumpkin seed granola for crunch, and of course, the bed of sweet pumpkin underneath the toast, this dish screamed fall in the best way.

The details: Lula Cafe, 2537 N Kedzie Ave., Chicago.

Categories
Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #16: Ensalada Azteca, Native Foods Café

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

Ensalada Azteca
Ensalada Azteca

Why it’s a Best Bite: This is my idea of a salad: a bowl packed with bright, healthy ingredients – jicama, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, currants, and avocado, to name a few – that add diverse textures in addition to their flavors, and a punchy dressing – mango-lime vinaigrette – that brings it all together. The second time I ate this salad over the summer was after a beach volleyball game, and it was just the right way to refuel. View the recipe on the restaurant’s blog.

The details: Native Foods Café, 1484 N Milwaukee Ave. and 1023 W Belmont Ave., Chicago.