grilled octopus – Hillary Weller

This week’s Best Bite: Bag of crisps & eggs and grilled octopus & housemade spam, Bottlefork

Grilled octopus and housemade spam, Bottlefork — Grilled octopus and housemade spam with brussels sprout kim chee and sugar snap peas

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: A friend suggested Bottlefork for a long-overdue get-together, and we were able to duck in early on a weeknight. I was excited to be able to order Goose Island’s Devon Ave. Pale Ale on draft, an addictive limited release that’s brewed with chai tea, cardamom, and other Indian spices. Out of all the small plates we shared, the grilled octopus was my favorite. Tender octopus and well-spiced cubes of housemade spam – which thankfully bore little resemblance to its canned counterpart – soaked up a funky, acidic sauce that also contained sugar snap peas and fermented brussels sprouts. The eclectic combination of ingredients kept me going back for another spicy, vinegary bite.

Bag of crisps and eggs, Bottlefork — “Bag” of crisps and eggs with malt vinegar powder

The biggest surprise, though, was the first bite of the meal, which was listed on the menu as “Bag” of Crisps and Eggs. The seemingly unnecessary quotation marks actually hinted at the unconventional tableside preparation: the server arrived with a small brown bag full of chips and a soft-poached egg in a separate container; he then slid the egg into the bag, shook the bag vigorously, and poured the bag’s contents out onto a plate. What looked like just a pile of soggy, glossy potato chips turned out to be incredibly delicious. Somehow, the mixture of egg, potato, and zingy malt vinegar powder made the not-so-crispy texture work in the dish’s favor.

The details: Bottlefork, 441 N. Clark St., Chicago.

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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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