I am always wary about going to a famous chef's restaurant. The night usually ends with disappointing dishes and a large bill. But I bow to Chef Stephanie Izard. She has made food into art. Her creativity is immense. She also works with a number of farms in the area to support “local” at the restaurant.
No wonder the reservation is a constant three month out. I went on a Monday night. Arrived a little before 5pm and was seated by 6pm. Not bad! Girl and the Goat had an open kitchen, nice ambiance and professional service! The menu was broken down to vegetable (v), fish (f) and meat (m). All dishes were served small like tapas. Small it might be, each dish entailed inspiring combination of ingredients and sophisticated preparation. How Chef Izard made everything work together was beyond me. Every bite was unfamiliar yet astonishing. Her food took my taste palette to a whole new place.
Chickpeas fritters – with eggplant-tomatillo caponata and Crave Brother’s mozzarella
Sweet n’ sour cod cheeks – with bacon, potato aioli, tempura broccoli
Seared scallops – with pumpkin brandade, fried brussels, pomegranate, spiced pecans
Grilled pork ribs – with tomatillo-mushroom slaw, grilled scallion vinaigrette
Wood oven roasted pig face – with sunny side egg, tamarind, cilantro, potato stix
Confit goat belly – with bourbon butter, lobster n’ crab, fennel
Blood orange sorbet – with parsnip pot de creme, pistachio cake, and three sisters cornmeal crust
Even the dessert was done with much ingenuity. Stephanie partnered with Black Dog Gelato (a great gelato joint in Wicker Park neighborhood) and created absolutely the most amazing desserts.
Next time you are in Chicago, do everything you can to eat here. For more information, visit
http://www.girlandthegoat.com/
Frontera Grill
This restaurant is on many tourists’ to-eat list. It is Rick Bayless’ most famous restaurants in Chicago. The reservation is a few month out. I arrived around 5pm on a Tuesday and there was already a line forming. Restaurant opened at 5:20pm and they would hold your table till 6pm, giving time for the rest of your party to arrive. If you got there at 5:30pm, your wait would probably be two and half hours.
Frontera Grill had great Mexican food, but it was nothing amazing or creative. The waiter had an attitude and couldn't be bothered. Maybe it was the hype or maybe it was that ignorant waiter. I was rather disappointed considering how much I loved the sister restaurant XOCO.
Complimentary spiced nuts
Tamales de Elote – sweet corn tamales (in banana leaves), homemade crema, queso fresco, wood-grilled poblano chile
Trio, Trio, Trio – sampling of Ceviche Fronterizo, Ceviche Yucateco & Coctail de Atun Tropical
Enchiladas de Mole Poblano – homemade tortillas rolled around Gunthorp free-range chicken, doused with Mexicos most famous mole, black beans
Carne Asada a la Oaxaquena – Creekstone Natural Black Angus rib steak (marinated in spicy red chile and wood-grilled), black beans, sweet plantains with sour cream, guacamole
Maybe Elote Asado, an ear of grilled corn topped off with queso fresco and chile powder, would have saved the meal but unfortunately it was not in season. In all fairness, the ceviche was fresh and the food was satisfying. It just did not live up to the price tag and long wait. I did not even bother having dessert here. Went right around the corner and had churros from XOCO. THAT saved the night.
For more information, visit http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/grill.html.
XOCO
It is still one of my favorite spots in Chicago. No need to go to the glorified Frontera Grill. Just come here for some nice Mexican fare from chef Rick Bayless, much cheaper and much more creative.
Dipping churros in homemade Mexican vanilla soft-serve, genius!
Shortrib red chile soup – braised Tallgrass shortribs, red chile broth, roasted vegetables, epazote, wild arugula, lime
Pork belly torta (Wednesday special) – dark salsa negra glaze, bacon, arugula, queso anejo
Ahogada torta – golden pork carnitas, black beans, tomato broth, spicy arbol chile sauce, pickled onions
Choco-Flan – flan on top and chocolate cake at bottom. It was pretty creative. Did not taste as promising as it sounded though.
The soups and sandwiches at XOCO are all very flavorful. Churros are a must! For more information, visit http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco.html.
Bongo Room
This is a very popular brunch joint in Chicago and they have opened a second location in Wicker Park.
Let’s talk about red velvet pancake, what the Bongo Room is famous for. I tried the red velvet pancake at Original Pancake House and it was terrible. It was dry and had no taste. So I was cautious with this one. I did not want to believe the hype. Guess what? This red velvet pancake was fluffy, tasty, moist and savory. The vanilla bean cream cheese and toasted walnuts on top were perfect. I became a believer. By the way, this was a half order, half! Two huge red velvet pancakes. Half order. Seriously.
The house potatoes and thai chicken sausage with ginger were very tasty.
For more information, visit http://www.thebongoroom.com/.
DMK Burger Bar
Saw this place on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and was intrigued by the blueberry BBQ sauce. After looking at the menu, I was intrigued by many more items. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Luckily our waitress was super friendly and gave great recommendations.
Onion rings or fries? I wanted both. Apparently there was a secret “half size” order for the onion rings. Score! Chili-rubbed onion strings with house ketchup was addicting!
Hand-cut russet potato fries with parmesan and truffle cream was delicious! I was so glad that I got to try both, because I wouldn’t want to choose between the two.
Then there were the burgers. All the combinations/toppings on the menu sounded interesting and unique. But burger of the month sounded good too! Eventually picked number four – with roasted hatch green chile, friend farm egg, sonoma jack and smoked bacon. The burger had a bit spicy kick to it. Buns were freshly baked and toasty. It was a good burger overall, though I like my burger a bit more greasy.
Also got burger of the month. It was basically number five – bison (buffalo meat) burger with fresh goat cheese, pickled red onions and blueberry BBQ sauce – but with a beef patty and a different BBQ sauce. The waitress put some famous blueberry BBQ sauce on the side so I could try it. How thoughtful!
And speaking of being thoughtful, DMK reminded me why I love Chicago so much. The waitress knew that I was from out of town, so she put in an order of peanut butter milk shake – with vanilla, chocolate, espresso – for me to take to go. Say what? I was in total shock and was so grateful. I left with a smile and would forever remember this place.
DMK Burger Bar is committed to giving back to the community. Its ongoing philanthropic initiative, 365
Days of Giving, raises funds for a designated charity every month. For more information, visit http://www.dmkburgerbar.com/index.php.
Cafe Iberico
Tapas. I am really starting to appreciate the idea of it. You get to taste so many different flavors in one meal. Cafe Iberico is popular among the locals and offers really great Spanish dishes.
Pulpo a la Plancha – grilled octopus with potatoes and olive oil
Champinones a la Plancha – grilled mushrooms with garlic and olive oil
Raxo Adobado – marinated pork loin served with homemade fries
Paella Marinera – seafood paella made with shrimp, fish, clams, and other seafood in a special saffron broth
Homemade fries were so good. Mushrooms and pork loin were seasoned and grilled well with lots of garlic and olive oil. Mmm, paella, mmm. It was so yummy that I cleaned out the pan, not even one rice left.
For more information, visit http://www.cafeiberico.com/.
Lou Malnati’s
After tasting most of the deep dish pizzas in Chicago, I can proudly say that I am a fan of Lou Malnati’s. It is not as greasy and the crust is just mad good.
Tried “The Lou” this time – fresh spinach, mushrooms and sliced tomatoes covered with a blend of mozzarella, romano and cheddar cheese. It actually tasted rather healthy!
For more information, visit http://www.loumalnatis.com/.
Floriole Cafe and Bakery
What a lovely cafe! Huge floor window in front, modern and clean decor inside, it felt cozy yet bright.
Hot apple cider. Amazing. The flavor was so rich. Nothing beat a freshly brewed hot cider!
Spinach and cheddar quiche was good at first and then it got really heavy. It was a bit too creamy for me. The crust was very good though!
Almond croissant was dense. I like my croissant more fluffy and crispy.
For more information, visit http://www.floriole.com/.
Sweet Mandy B’s
The cutest cupcake shop ever! It was so colorful and cheery inside!
Tried the carrot cupcake. The cake was moist and the icing was creamy and not too sweet. Probably one of the best cupcakes I have tasted in Chicago. I now understand why this place is loved by so many Chicagoans.
For more information, visit http://www.sweetmandybs.com/.
Luscious Layers Bakery
This place got very good reviews. The cupcakes looked delicate and beautiful. Tried pistachio and pumpkin cupcakes. The cake was dry and icing was hard and too sweet for my taste. I was not a fan, sadly.
For more information, visit http://www.lusciouslayers.com/.
Hoosier Mama Pie Company
Their pie is delicious, no doubt. They also bake fresh muffins and scones every morning and they usually sell out by the afternoon. I got to try the maple pecan scone this time and it did not disappoint. It was crusty (outside) and chewy (inside) at the same time. A good scone could really make your morning wonderful.
For more information, visit http://www.hoosiermamapie.com/.
