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.
TWO Dinner
Honey ricotta cheesecake with macerated blueberries and chantilly cream
Best Bite: I’ve wanted to try the seasonal American cuisine at TWO during Restaurant Week for years now, so it made a beyond pleasant ending to this year’s dining festivities. A seemingly unassuming cheesecake dessert was the meal’s biggest surprise. The graham cracker crust, honeyed filling, and juicy blueberries brought back vivid memories of the cheesecake bars of my childhood – but just more refined and even more delicious. I also appreciated the complexity of the crouton garnish on the cauliflower bisque, a platform for bacon, mushrooms, and ricotta to stay afloat in the silky soup.
Roasted cauliflower bisque with homemade bacon, cured mushrooms, and ricotta crouton
Other notes: The diamond-marked pork chop came in two thick, generous slices, and pairing it with roasted potatoes and mustard-pepper sauce felt thoroughly Midwestern (in a good way, of course). We also enjoyed a bottle of wine with our meal, an 2010 Italian white blend from Luna del Feldi that was specially discounted as part of the Restaurant Week menu. There was something about the natural-hued interior that made the room feel warm and familiar.
Berkshire pork kalbi loin chop with roasted Yukon gold potatoes and black pepper mustard sauce
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.
Tanta Dinner
Cebiche clasico with mahi mahi, red onions, cilantro, habenero, and natural leche de tigre
Best Bite: Between this meal and my previous visit, I’ve really fallen in love with Tanta’s take on Peruvian cuisine. An eclectic set of culinary influences – Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, French – make for an irresistible mix of flavors and ingredients. The classic mahi mahi cebiche was bright and balanced with additional unique texture from the hominy. The alfajor dessert also might have been the best I ate during Restaurant Week this year. I couldn’t get enough of the dulce de leche and hot chocolate sauce together.
Alfajor with shortbread cookies, lucuma dulce de leche, hot chocolate sauce, and vanilla bean ice cream
Other notes: Many of Tanta’s cocktails involve pisco, the national spirit of Peru, and they are not to be missed. This pisco punch exploded with cinnamon and lime, and I was immediately transported to warmer climates. The basket of plantain chips was also a great bread basket substitute.
Pisco punch with porton mosto verde pisco, zucca, lime, cinnamon, and cusquena beer, plus a basket of plantain chips
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.
Big Jones Dinner
Alligator and andouille sauce piquant with Louisiana gator tail and house-made andouille simmered in a piquant red sauce, served with popcorn rice
Best Bite: I went into this Louisiana Mardi Gras–themed menu knowing I wanted to order the gator tail as my main course, and it exceeded my expectations. Tender pieces of alligator and andouille sausage swam in a fiery red sauce, right at that heat level where you’re acutely aware of the intensity of the spices, but aren’t slowed down or overwhelmed by them.
Skillet cheddar cornbread with Hook’s cheddar, jalapeños, and scallions
Other notes: The second-course skillets of golden cornbread were a hit with the whole group, irresistibly augmented by cheddar, scallions, jalapeños, and plenty of butter. It was fun to have a classic Mardi Gras king cake as dessert, too – colored sugar and all. Our party of seven was seated at a table right in the window, which made it feel like an extra-special feast.
The details:Big Jones, 5347 N. Clark St., Chicago.
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.
The Bedford Dinner
Burrata & squash with apple butter, pumpkin seed granola, and basil
Best Bite: If there’s burrata on a menu, there’s a very good chance I’ll order it, but the way The Bedford paired the ultra-creamy cheese with squash was especially unique. A swipe of apple butter and crumbles of pumpkin seed granola made it almost like a sweet-leaning breakfast dish, and crispy basil added balance. I actually doubled up on squash with my main course, and am glad I did, because the nutty, cheesy, brown butter-soaked agnolotti was the height of comfort.
Roasted squash agnolotti with brown butter, cipollini onions, pecorino, and pistachio
Other notes: The other pasta option was also exceptional. A more toothsome noodle matched the hearty ragu, which smartly combined fennel and mint with the lamb. And the atmosphere is certainly worth noting: the restaurant is a converted bank vault, so it was fun to take in all the dramatic details.
Lamb ragu with paccheri pasta, fennel pollen, pecorino, and torn mint
The details:The Bedford, 1612 W. Division St., Chicago.
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.
Michael Jordan’s Steak House Dinner
Garlic bread with Wisconsin blue cheese fondue
Best Bite: Ever since my first visit a few years ago, Michael Jordan’s has been synonymous with garlic bread for me. Specifically, theirs is the best I’ve ever tasted, and was the subject of one of my very first blog posts (thankfully, I finally have a better photo). The blue cheese fondue poured over the top was just as luscious this time around, and made a wonderful start to our meal. Fittingly, dinner ended with cheese as well: the mascarpone cheesecake had an enchantingly airy texture, with two kinds of sunny orange to cut the sweetness and a little extra punch from the fresh mint.
Mascarpone cheesecake with blood orange curd, graham crumb, and cara-cara oranges
Other notes: Michael Jordan’s is a steak house, after all, so my sky-high, mid-rare filet was another knockout – though that smoked garlic jus on the plate would even have made a basketball taste good. The salad course was a nice surprise, a healthy wedge of gem lettuce surrounded by heirloom cherry tomatoes, onion straws, and a not-too-thick buttermilk-scallion dressing. The portions were so generous that I took home leftovers, especially because we added sides of parmesan-crusted creamed spinach and fries that were dusted with an addictive sweet BBQ seasoning.
Petite filet mignon with gruyere potato gratin and smoked garlic jus
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.
Ada Street “Last Meals” Dinner
Night Moves cocktail with cold-brewed coffee, Amer Picon, cardamaro, rum, and cream
Best Bite: As I mentioned in my Restaurant Week preview, Ada Street’s menu was inspired by the last meal requests of famous criminals. Of all the creative options, my favorite actually ended up being the fourth course, a silky after-dinner drink based on the simple black cup of coffee that was requested by serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The top of the drink was frothy and cocoa-dusted, and it immediately reminded me of a dark, boozy version of Julius Meinl’s iced mélange, an all-time favorite of mine.
Roasted pork loin with corn pudding and pickled red onion
Other notes: The pork loin entree had great textural contrast, particularly because of the crunchy pickled onions. This dish was based on the last meal of Rainey Bethea (the last person to be publicly executed in the U.S.), whose request included pork chops, mashed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, and cornbread. I also enjoyed the combination of rustic strawberry jam with juicy fried chicken, meant to resemble the bucket of KFC Original Recipe chicken and pound of strawberries that were both part of John Wayne Gacy’s request. And for dessert, Jeni’s dark chocolate ice cream with a micro mint garnish made a fine approximation of the two pints of Ben & Jerry’s mint chocolate chip that were requested by Tim McVeigh.
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.
Knife & Tine Brunch
Breakfast sandwich with coffee-cured bacon, fried egg, cheddar, and house mayonnaise with fingerling potatoes
Best Bite: I’m happy to report that my first-ever Restaurant Week brunch was a major success. Knife & Tine’s menu price included an entree, two sides, and a drink, so our group of six ordered strategically in an effort to taste as many different things as possible. I was floored by the sheer variety of rich, creative dishes that eventually hit our table: cheesy grits, smoky pork sausage patties, buttery fingerling potatoes, nutty pumpkin bread, fluffy biscuits with cardamom-scented cara cara orange jam – and those were just the sides! My breakfast sandwich combined many of the best flavors on the table, especially the mingling of fried egg with bacon cured in brown sugar, coffee, and cinnamon.
Salted butterscotch croissant-style donut
Other notes: They weren’t technically on the Restaurant Week menu, but the salted butterscotch croissant-style donuts were fantastic (and helped me understand the cronut craze a little bit better). I also loved the cinnamon biscuit beignets, a plateful of sugary, bite-size rounds with a vanilla bean dipping sauce. As a bonus, our group was fortunate enough to sit at the chef’s table, enclosed by silver-toned wallpaper and a crystal chandelier overhead.
The details:Knife & Tine, 1417 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago.
If it’s your first time visiting my blog, welcome! This is the first in 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.
Towering dessert from Homestead on the Roof, Restaurant Week 2014
It’s hard for me to believe that this is already my fourth year celebrating Restaurant Week in Chicago (and my third year blogging about it). I’m going bigger than ever, eager to sample as much fantastic food as possible across nine total reservations. My picks span a range of cuisines, from upscale Peruvian to classic Louisiana Mardi Gras fare (I’m totally ordering the gator). And like last year, I’ll be checking out Ada Street’s themed menu: all the dishes are inspired by the “last meal” requests of famous criminals. Just read through the choices, and then tell me you aren’t intrigued.
As always, I’m also excited about my dining companions, which include two dozen different people this year. I’m kicking things off tomorrow morning with my first-ever Restaurant Week brunch at Lincoln Park’s Knife & Tine. Check back in the coming days to hear how my nine meals went!
Travel Eats documents my food adventures outside of Chicago.
I dined on four Restaurant Week menus in as many days during a recent trip to New York. From the Financial District up to Harlem, and from Bowery over to Meatpacking, each three-course meal was distinctly delicious – here’s a round-up.
Dinner at Delmonico’s
Classic baked Alaska with walnut cake, apricot jam, banana gelato, meringue, and crème anglaise
Best Bite and other notes: Counting its earlier iterations, Delmonico’s is hailed as the oldest fine dining restaurant in the U.S., and this meal certainly had the most old-school feel, complete with mahogany-paneled walls and monogrammed china. Delmonico’s also lays claim to conceiving the classic baked Alaska dessert, which came in the form of a spiky, marshmallowy mound that encased banana gelato and almond cake. The equally delicious entree, a petit filet mignon with red wine sauce, creamy potatoes, and charred cauliflower, had the simplicity and execution you’d expect from such a storied steakhouse. See full menu.
Petit filet mignon with Delmonico potato, charred cauliflower, and cabernet wine sauceDelmonico’s classic interior, including the mural that was inspired by a 1940’s photo
Best Bite and other notes: I’d never been to one of Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, and was impressed not only by the food, but also the decor – especially the mirrored walls emblazoned with culinary quotations. For dinner, I happily slurped down four briny East Coast oysters with a garlicky champagne mignonette and devoured the plump duck and pork belly sausage with grainy mustard. My favorite course, though, was the playful dessert. The bourbon chocolate sundae was vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup and bourbon, and then scattered with cubes of all textures – dense chocolate brownie, bourbon gelee, crispy chocolate-chip cookie – all underneath one big whipped cream cloud. It was my favorite ice cream dessert since the Choco Taco at Little Goat here in Chicago. See full menu.
Bourbon chocolate sundaeDuck and pork belly sausage with housemade sauerkraut, glazed turnips, and fingerling potatoes
Mac & greens with smoked gouda, NY cheddar, and caramelized onions
Best Bite and other notes: Red Rooster seemed to truly capture the spirit of Harlem, with vibrant colors and all kinds of cultural relics. I was also thrilled that Chef Marcus Samuelsson himself was at the restaurant that day, and stopped by our table to say hello! I really enjoyed all three courses: the coconut-cauliflower soup fragrant with lemongrass, the oh-so-cheesy mac ‘n’ collard greens, and the cinnamon-sugared doughnut holes with light sweet potato filling. See full menu.
Red Rooster doughnuts with sweet potato filling and cinnamon sugarColorful interior of Red Rooster
Mapo tofu with black bean sauce, Chinese long beans, and thai basil
Best Bite and other notes: Spice Market is the Southeast Asian-influenced restaurant in Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s dining empire, so it seemed like a fun, shareable pick for Restaurant Week. Ornate and dimly lit (please excuse the lighting in the photos!), the palatial space fit right into the buzzy Meatpacking District. Food-wise, the mapo tofu was the winner, with chunks of tofu, chewy rice-cake slices, and Chinese long beans lacquered in black bean sauce. There was also irresistible crunch in the grain salad – we later learned it was millet and amaranth – amidst lots of veggies and a tangy tamarind vinaigrette. See full menu.
Crispy grain salad with tamarind vinaigrette
The details:Spice Market, 403 W. 13th St., New York.
On a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge when I lived in New York
Just when you thought I couldn’t possibly have anything else to say about Restaurant Week – it’s time for round two. Tomorrow, I’ll be traveling to another incredible city to participate: New York! It’s part of a girls’ trip for my friend’s birthday that conveniently overlaps with NYC Restaurant Week. We won’t just be indulging in three-course meals, though, so also expect a full report of all the best bites in between. After a short time living there and a handful of trips since, I’ve decided that a few foods are mandatory whenever I’m in the Big Apple: bagel and lox, pastrami (preferably from Katz’s), pizza, and two kinds of cookies (namely, chocolate-chip from Levain and black-and-white from Lenny’s). I’m excited to try several new places this trip and taste the cuisine of chefs I’ve followed for years. Check back next week for more on my NYC adventures.
