Tag: west loop

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Lists

List: My 10 favorite places to work remotely in Chicago

Since my job affords me the privilege of working from home one day a week, I’ve made a habit of working from different coffee shops and cafés all over the city – I’m one of those people who’s more focused in that setting, rather than more distracted. My main criteria are good coffee and food options, free WiFi without a time limit (the only exception here is a two-hour timeout at Whole Foods), and reasonably comfortable seating. This list is by no means exhaustive, and in no particular order. I also excluded a few places I love because they’re usually crowded (I’m looking at you, Wormhole and Star Lounge).

KnockBox Café // Humboldt Park

Falling into the “hidden gem” category, KnockBox is a tried-and-true favorite, with friendly staff, easy parking, and a great variety of coffee drinks, sandwiches, and snacks (plus I’m a sucker for applesauce being offered as a side).

Panini with a side of applesauce at Knockbox Cafe
Panini with a side of applesauce at KnockBox Café

Sip Coffee House // West Loop

I love Sip for its array of seating options (upstairs/downstairs, inside/outside) and an extensive, creative drink menu.

Gaslight Coffee Roasters // Logan Square

I had high hopes last summer when I found out that a new coffee shop was opening within walking distance of my apartment, and Gaslight has exceeded expectations, with excellent coffee roasted on-site and a suitably Logan Square-ish aesthetic.

Latte and pain au chocolat in a window seat at Gaslight Coffee Roasters
Latte and pain au chocolat in a window seat at Gaslight Coffee Roasters

Whole Foods // Lincoln Park

Let’s be honest: this gargantuan grocery store is one of my favorite places in the city, period, so I’m always content to assemble a hodge-podge of tastes from a few of the kiosks, then settle in with a laptop in the upstairs river-view seating.

New Wave Coffee // Logan Square

I’ve spent many hours at this convenient Logan Square mainstay, sipping either bottomless Metropolis coffee or a delicious Hail Mary (New Wave’s version of “dirty chai”, or a chai latte with espresso) and sometimes splurging on a spinach and feta croissant, if there are any left.

Oatmeal and Hail Mary (chai latte with espresso) at New Wave Coffee
Oatmeal and Hail Mary at New Wave Coffee

Ipsento // Bucktown

I love holing up in Ipsento’s cozy back room, and can’t get enough of the shop’s namesake signature latte with coconut milk, honey, and cayenne.

A cozy, brightly colored corner at Ipsento
A cozy, brightly colored corner at Ipsento

Dolce Casa Cafe // Ravenswood

I was immediately charmed by Dolce Casa’s cheerful space, energetic service, and killer breakfast items.

Robust Coffee Lounge // River North

A pleasant discovery in the River North area, I especially appreciate Robust’s relaxed vibe and its impressive selection of local sweets (Brown Sugar Bakery, Dat Donut, Lucia’s Homemade Aljafores, and more).

Iced latte and bagel sandwich on the patio at Robust Coffee Lounge
Iced latte and bagel sandwich on the patio at Robust Coffee Lounge

Heritage Bicycles General Store // Lakeview

This bicycle and coffee shop hybrid has proven to be a pleasant, laid-back working environment with lots of natural light; pourover coffee and Glazed and Infused donuts don’t hurt either.

Eva’s Cafe // Old Town

Eva’s Cafe is another gem within its neighborhood, refreshingly spacious with good coffee and lots of interesting seating areas (think wrought-iron furniture and a fireplace).

Globe and other pieces along the counter at Eva's Cafe
Globe and other pieces along the counter at Eva’s Cafe

Where are your favorite places to work remotely? I’m always open to new suggestions!

Categories
Delicious Events

Delicious event: Fête Night Market

Chicken sandwich from Pecking Order, butterscotch praline donut from Firecakes, and La Vida Rose cocktail from Longman & Eagle
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 floors
The chandelier-lit space at Room 1520, which was quickly packed on both floors
Roosters, banana ketchup, and more from Pecking Order
Roosters, banana ketchup, and more from Pecking Order
Array of barbecue sauces from Lillie's Q
Array of barbecue sauces from Lillie’s Q
Luxemi jewelry from India
India-sourced jewelry from Luxemi

The details: View the market’s full list of vendors. Shown here: Pecking Order, Lillie’s Q, Longman & Eagle, Firecakes, and Luxemi.

Categories
Chicago Restaurant Week

Restaurant Week 2013: Blackbird and Carriage House

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

Lunch at Blackbird

Smoked Arctic char appetizer, Blackbird
Smoked Arctic char appetizer, Blackbird

Best Bite: While no dish was less than excellent, I was most wowed by the starter, a superbly delicate piece of smoked Arctic char. I loved the crunch from cauliflower and pear, and just enough meatiness from the tiny dollop of ‘nduja, a type of spreadable salami. It set the tone for the other unique flavor combinations to follow. See full menu.

Other notes: Gorgeous plating, quiet space, surprising main course accompaniments (onion noodles and buttermilk sauce to go with grilled sturgeon), and decadent dessert (an elegant Nutella-banana mash-up) with coffee service.

Chocolate hazelnut bread pudding dessert, Blackbird
Chocolate hazelnut bread pudding dessert, Blackbird

The details: Blackbird, 619 W Randolph St., Chicago.

Dinner at Carriage House

Crispy braised pork shoulder
Crispy braised pork shoulder entree, Carriage House

Best Bite: The entree best showed off the restaurant’s upscale take on low-country cuisine. The melt-in-your-mouth pork shoulder came with a host of balanced companions: smoked plums, pickled peppers, and celery hearts, atop grits and pork jus. With prevalent vinegar to cut through the richness, it was a pleasantly refined Southern dish. See full menu.

Other notes: Outstanding side of skillet cornbread, divine coffee-fudge dipping sauce for the beignets at dessert, tasty (and strong) rum punch, colorful ceramic dishware, and a table in the cozy porch area, with plaid flannel blankets over the chairs and plenty of candles.

Skillet cornbread, Carriage House
Skillet cornbread, Carriage House

The details: Carriage House, 1700 W Division St., Chicago.

Categories
Best Bites Chicago

This week’s Best Bite: Fat Elvis waffles, Little Goat Diner

Fat Elvis waffles, Little Goat Diner
Fat Elvis waffles, Little Goat Diner

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I’ll just say it: these waffles were crazy in the best way possible. It was the kind of New Year’s Eve brunch dish that said “2012, let’s send you out with a sweet, bacon-y bang.” The texture of the waffles was just dense enough, the bacon syrup and bananas were indulgent-yet-balanced toppings, and the peanut butter butter simply defied logic with its creaminess. Of course, the waffles were even better washed down with a couple cups of Stumptown Coffee, one of the best roasters around. I could only eat half in one sitting, but it also made for killer leftovers.

Needless to say, I’m already planning my next visit, as my dining partner and I found it very difficult to decide on just one dish from perhaps the most comprehensive, enticing, otherwise mind-boggling diner menu I’ve ever seen. From the food to the décor, mastermind Stephanie Izard nails every detail – just look at the wallpaper! We also stopped into Little Goat Bread, adjacent to the diner, and swooned over the gorgeous bar (espresso by day, liquor by night) and the ingenious idea of mixing Girl & the Goat’s “life-changing” green beans into cream cheese for bagels.

Stumptown coffee, Little Goat Diner
Stumptown coffee, Little Goat Diner

The details: Little Goat Diner, 820 W. Randolph St., Chicago.

Categories
Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #17: Fried bologna sandwich, Au Cheval

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

Fried bologna sandwich
Fried bologna sandwich

Why it’s a Best Bite: Of all the nostalgic diner food that Au Cheval reimagines and refines on its menu, this bologna sandwich has probably captured the most attention around the city, and for good reason. The bologna is made from mortadella that’s cured in-house and griddled, then piled onto brioche with gooey melted cheese. This well-executed and supremely delicious sandwich is definitely best shared, even though things might get a little messy.

The details: Au Cheval, 800 W Randolph St., Chicago.

Categories
Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #15: Smokey violet smash, Maude’s Liquor Bar

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

Smokey violet smash
Smokey violet smash

Why it’s a Best Bite (Sip): When it comes to cocktails, I have a soft spot for muddled mint and fruit, so I was looking forward to trying one of the smashes at Maude’s. This one featured gin, Crème de Violet, and bitters in a scotch-rinsed glass, “smashed” with sugar and loads of citrus and mint. Sipping this smooth, complex, outstandingly balanced drink on a summer evening was pure bliss. Plus, I’m a little partial to purple, thanks to my alma mater.

The details: Maude’s Liquor Bar, 840 W Randolph St., Chicago.

Categories
Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #7: Red velvet cake (and miracle berries), iNG

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

Why it’s a Best Bite: This one requires a little more explanation. It was the last course of an exhilarating three-course Restaurant Week dinner with several of my coworkers. iNG is known for experimenting with wild, scientific techniques, and has been among the first to integrate “flavor-tripping” into its menu. Inducing that “trip” are miracle berries, whose properties tend to make sour or bitter foods taste sweet, among other taste-bud effects. So, before dessert arrived, our group was presented spoons that were filled to the brim with a pinkish powder. We were instructed to swallow the contents of the spoon, then taste the lemon and lime wedges served alongside it.

Miracle berry powder
Miracle berry powder

After downing the powder – about a third of which I blew onto my sleeve instead, in the heat of the moment – I tasted the lemon and lime, which indeed weren’t tart at all. It was surreal to know what a lemon wedge was supposed to taste like, and yet experience what seemed more like sugary lemonade. Soon after, dessert appeared: red velvet cake with a cheesecake nitrogen sphere and freeze-dried blood orange on top. The first few bites were delicious, but the real excitement was seeing the sphere slowly deflate, completely changing the texture and bringing the flavors together in a different way.

Red velvet cake
Red velvet cake

The photo doesn’t really do it justice, so definitely check out this video of the dessert in action.

The details: iNG, 951 W Fulton Market, Chicago.

Categories
Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #6: Chorizo-stuffed dates, Avec

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

Chorizo-stuffed dates
Chorizo-stuffed dates

Why it’s a Best Bite: Avec is one of those Chicago restaurant staples where strategy and patience are involved: no reservations, little space, legendary wait times. We arrived early on a Monday evening, in hopes of fitting in a few of the small plates that I’d heard so much about before making it to our Restaurant Week reservation elsewhere. Fortunately, there were four seats left at the end of the sleek wooden banquette, and this was the first dish I knew we had to order. These dates have already garnered a lot of attention over the past several years (including this mouthwatering video from Eater), so I’ll just say that every component is incredible. The chorizo interior and bacon exterior pack twice the meaty punch, and sopping up that piquillo-tomato sauce with the fresh bread is exceedingly satisfying.

The details: Avec, 615 W Randolph St., Chicago.