Tag: lakeview

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Best Bites Chicago

This week’s Best Bite: Macho peas, chicken breast wrap & mango sangria, Nando’s Peri-Peri

This Best Bite is one of the 20 foods and 15 drinks I’ve set out to taste and document in 2015. View the full list to see my plan and progress.

Chicken breast wrap with macho peas and fries, Nando's Peri Peri
Chicken breast wrap with lettuce, sweet chili jam, and yogurt sauce, plus sides of macho peas and Peri chips (fries)

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Nando’s Peri-Peri is an international fast-casual restaurant chain that has an especially fanatical following in the DC metro area, so I was excited to try out one of Chicago’s two new locations. Originating in South Africa, Nando’s serves food that is heavily influenced by African and Portuguese flavors, and is best known for its Portuguese chicken with peri-peri sauce. I was immediately captivated by the colorful decor, with South African art splashed across the walls and rich, earth-toned textures on every available surface. My friend and I requested a window seat just so we could swing in the hanging wicker chairs. They served as the perfect perch for starting on a pitcher of fruit-laden mango sangria while we waited for our food.

Mango sangria, Nando's Peri-Peri
Mango sangria and the swinging wicker chairs in the window

I opted for the chicken breast wrap, which showcased the juicy, well-seasoned chicken, and added pineapple for extra tropical sweetness. The chili jam and yogurt sauce balanced nicely, and the lettuce added necessary crunch. An array of Nando’s-branded sauces were available as condiments, all featuring the signature peri-peri pepper; I liked the garlic and wild herb varieties on my wrap. My favorite part of the meal by far, however, was the side of macho peas, mashed with mint, parsley, and chili. I’m partial to peas in all forms, but this was an especially fresh, green, summery addition to the plate. The combination also reminded me of the Middlewest pea pâté I made (and adored) two years ago. It was good enough to deem it my favorite side dish of the year so far.

The details: Nando’s Peri-Peri, 670 W. Diversey Pkwy., Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

This week’s Best Bite: Smoked fish sandwich, Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market

This Best Bite is one of the 20 foods and 15 drinks I’ve set out to taste and document in 2015. View the full list to see my plan and progress.

Smoked fish sandwich, Fahlstrom's Fresh Fish Market
Smoked fish sandwich with duck trap smoked trout spread, three types of thin-sliced smoked fish, thin-sliced capicola ham, capers, cider-vinegar dressing on a toasted french roll

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Because the menu at Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market in Lakeview is nearly endless, I only concentrated on the Sea Sandwiches section during my first visit. I was intrigued by the idea of so many kinds of smoked fish on the same sandwich – four, including the smoked trout spread – and my server confirmed that it was a favorite. I was awed by how well everything in the sandwich worked together, the smoky fish mingling with capicola, sweet cider-vinegar dressing, capers, and lettuce on toasty french bread. The flavor profile even reminded me a little of the bacon-trout-slaw combination on my favorite bagel sandwich. It was the kind of sandwich you wish every deli would offer, all the way down to the house potato pancake and dill pickle on the side.

The details: Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market, 1258 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

2014 Best Bite #7: Blue Cubby Crunch ice cream, Bobtail Ice Cream Company

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Blue Cubby Crunch ice cream, Bobtail Ice Cream Company
Blue Cubby Crunch with vanilla ice cream, sprinkles, Oreo, chocolate chips, and toffee

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: Bobtail makes some of the best ice cream in the city, so I’m always excited to see what special flavors are in the case when I stop in. Cubby Crunch is a common offering, but this brilliant shade of blue was only available for a week or so. With a vanilla base that tasted almost like cake batter, the ice cream’s Smurfy hue belied all the other ingredients packed inside: Oreo, sprinkles, toffee, and chocolate chips.

The details: Bobtail Ice Cream Company, 2951 N. Broadway, Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

2014 Best Bite #6: Grilled cheese flight, Bar Pastoral

For the third year in a row, I’m using each day in December to celebrate the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2014, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at year-end Best Bites from 2012 and 2013.

Grilled cheese flight, Bar Pastoral
Three-part flight: traditional grilled cheese made with Widmer’s one-year cheddar and served with tomato tapenade; Castelinhos grilled cheese served with charred scallion pepper jelly; and Scharfe Maxx Extra grilled cheese served with chocolate ganache

Why it’s another 2014 Best Bite: Bar Pastoral offered this flight back in April to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month, a worthy promotion for a restaurant that’s adjacent to a cheese shop. Each of the three melty sandwiches was paired with a dipping sauce, and although the tomato tapenade and charred scallion pepper jelly both worked well with their respective cheeses, it was the chocolate ganache that struck me as most inventive and delicious.

The details: Bar Pastoral, 2947 N. Broadway, Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

This week’s Best Bite: Waffle cone with brambleberry crisp & Bangkok peanut, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Brambleberry crisp and Bangkok peanut ice cream, Jeni's
Waffle cone with brambleberry crisp ice cream, Bangkok peanut ice cream, and salty graham gravel

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Based in Columbus, Ohio, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is one of the most highly regarded artisanal ice cream brands in the country. Although the Chicago scoop shop has been open on Southport since last fall, I hadn’t visited until this past weekend – but what better day than the Fourth of July to partake in the rich American tradition of ice-cream eating? It was pretty thrilling to see all the creative, seasonal varieties I’d long admired in pints to instead be available for sampling, with an employee eager to describe the nuances of each flavor in nearly the same kind of detail that a sommelier would use in describing a wine. I was very pleased with the two flavors I chose for my waffle cone: the brambleberry crisp was laced with juicy blackberry jam and oat streusel, while the Bangkok peanut mimicked savory pad Thai and curry via accents of toasted coconut and cayenne. Together, they formed a complex, frozen version of a peanut butter and jelly, topped off with salty graham gravel for even more crunch. Jeni’s has officially joined Black Dog Gelato atop of my list of favorite creamy treats.

The details: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, 3404 N. Southport Ave., Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

2013 Best Bite #27: Starry Night in Sleepy Hollow pumpkin stout, DryHop Brewers

Each day in December, I’m celebrating the rest of the best bites (and sips) that I didn’t get to blog about in 2013, posted in chronological order. Browse all of this year’s Best Bites, or look back at 2012’s Best Bites.

Starry Night in Sleepy Hollow pumpkin stout
Starry Night in Sleepy Hollow pumpkin stout

Why it’s another 2013 Best Bite: On draft at one of Chicago’s most buzzed-about new craft breweries this year, this was my favorite pumpkin beer that I drank all fall – not to mention my favorite beer name. DryHop described the Starry Night in Sleepy Hollow as “brewed with 100 pounds of sugar pumpkins,” and I believe it, its round pumpkin flavor nicely augmented by pie spices from The Spice House. It was also an especially smooth stout, which was evidently due to the nitro pour (high nitrogen content means smaller bubbles for a creamier texture). It tasted even better paired with an outstanding wedge salad and a burger laden with aged cheddar and ancho chile-tomato jam.

The details: DryHop Brewers, 3155 N. Broadway, Chicago.

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Best Bites Chicago

This week’s Best Bite: French onion soup and chicken curry crepe, La Creperie

Traditional french onion soup, with bread and melted emmenthal cheese
Traditional French onion soup, with bread and melted emmenthal cheese

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: Sadly, my first visit to La Creperie was in its final weeks of operation – the classic Lakeview café is closing its doors after 41 years in business. With added urgency, my friend chose to celebrate his birthday over brunch here this past weekend, and I was happy to oblige. I was immediately charmed by the back patio, with red-checkered tablecloths and quaint china atop tables that were nestled between the trees. And while it’s a little rare to order an appetizer with brunch, we’d heard this French onion soup was not to be missed – and am I ever glad we didn’t miss it! The broiled lid of emmenthal cheese was everything you’d want this classic soup’s topper to be: mild and gooey inside, with crispier bits to tear off around the edges of the crock. The deep onion flavor shone through in the broth, accented by thyme and not overly salty.

Crepe filled with chicken in Madras curry with chutney & rice
Crepe filled with chicken in Madras curry with chutney & rice

Although I barely had enough room left, I also enjoyed my variety of the café’s namesake dish. The crepe itself was thin, but hearty enough to hold up to the savory fillings. The creamy madras curry sauce was delicious with the tender vegetables and chicken, and though the rice seemed like more of an afterthought, the chutney added a nice sweetness – so much so that I piled on a little more of my own gingery Major Grey when I finished off my crepe leftovers back at home.

Mimosas on the adorable patio
Mimosas on the adorable patio
The café's sign in its final weeks
The café’s sign in its final weeks

The details: La Creperie, 2845 N Clark St., Chicago (closing, effective late August 2013).

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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!

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Best Bites Chicago

2012 Best Bite #3: Peanut butter cookie dough vegan shake, The Chicago Diner

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

Peanut butter cookie dough vegan shake

Why it’s a Best Bite: I never thought I would count an entirely vegan shake among the best shakes I’ve ever had, but the veggie masters at The Chicago Diner really know what they’re doing. I can’t tell you how many times this year I’ve mentioned how amazing this shake is, and pulled up this photo on my phone as visual evidence. The texture is spot-on, and getting cookie dough and peanut butter in the same shake makes it that much more indulgent. Luckily for me, The Chicago Diner happened to open a second location last week right here in my neighborhood, so there will likely be a lot more of these shakes in my future.

The details: The Chicago Diner, 3411 N Halsted Ave. and 2333 N Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.