4832 N. Broadway 773-293-4653
marigoldrestaurant.com
Runners-up
Cumin
| Jun 19, 2013
Hema's Kitchen
| Jun 20, 2012
showing 31 to 60 of 69
by Mike Sula on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Tao Ran Ju 2002 S. Wentworth 312-808-1111 You’d think xiao long bao, so-called soup dumplings, would necessarily contain soup—unless you’d ordered them practically anywhere in Chicago. James An of the great Yunnanese restaurant Spring World has remedied this situation at his new hot-pot restaurant, Tao Ran Ju.
by Kate Schmidt on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Cafe Orchid 1746 W. Addison 773-327-3808 cafeorchid.com Manti are spiced meat dumplings with variants in Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Afghan, and Armenian cuisine, but the most delicate version may be the Anatolian, where the rule is the smaller the better. The manti served at Kurt and Iho Serpin’s Turkish restaurant in Lakeview are small (though a source says they used to be even tinier) and painstakingly handmade, stuffed with mild ground lamb and served in a luscious tomato-yogurt sauce that will have you wiping down the bowl with pide, the house-provided bread.
by Anne Spiselman on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Kimpira at Masu Izakaya 1969 N. Halsted 773-435-9314 masuchicago.com Throughout history, burdock roots and leaves have had medicinal uses—both beneficial and bogus—in many cultures, including Native American and European. The nasty seed-sac burrs, which stick to clothing and even skin, inspired Swiss engineer George de Mestral to invent Velcro in 1948, after he and his dog went for a hike and returned home covered with them.
by David Hammond on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
The Purple Pig 500 N. Michigan 312-464-1744thepurplepigchicago.com At the Purple Pig, Mia Francesca’s Scott Harris and Heaven on Seven’s Jimmy Bannos Sr. and Jr. push the limits of the whole-hog craze by serving up tails braised in balsamic vinegar. This dish gets raised eyebrows from more than a few of the shoppers who bop into in this Mag Mile location, but they’re much tastier than one might expect of a butt-mounted flea swatter: where we imagined something like a turkey neck, thin and bony, with random slivers of fatty meat, we got marvelously thick chunks, not as stringy as ox tails but just as rich, with the sweet-sour vinegar adding big, pork-favoring flavor.
Kith & Kin 1119 W. Webster 773-472-7070 kithandkinchicago.com The principals behind Kith & Kin could’ve hyped their inviting new spot as a gastropub and earned an oxygen-depleting collective yawn. But they didn’t, and a stealthy early-December opening attracted mobs to this otherwise culinarily bereft pocket of Lincoln Park.
mystery corn dawg at Franks 'n' Dawgs 1863 N. Clybourn 312-281-5187 franksndawgs.com Europeans use silverware for the craziest things: Everest’s French chef Jean Joho has told me he eats even emburgers with a knife and fork; my Italian grandmother nibbled fried chicken, meticulously, with silverware. But the hot dog remains a militantly hands-on foodstuff—especially that variant called the corn dog, and that holds true even at Franks ’n’ Dawgs, where the creations of chef Joe Doren show a European influence in saucing and fancy-pants condimentation.
charburger at Edzo's Burger Shop 1571 N. Sherman, Evanston 847-864-3396 edzos.com DMK Burger Bar, the Bad Apple, M Burger, J. Wellington’s—there’s no lack of contenders in this category. But I’ve gotta give the crown to Evanston’s Edzo’s. Chef Eddie Lakin spent months perfecting the formula for his hamburger meat, USDA choice that’s ground fresh daily and comes griddled (as a single, double, or triple), as a patty melt, or as a big, fat, juicy charburger.
by Kiki Yablon on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
wild mushroom-brown rice burger at Sable Kitchen & Bar 505 N. State 312-755-9704 sablechicago.com Ironically the best veggie burger I’ve encountered in years is on the (lunch) menu at a place that offers so many other good-looking vegetable preparations—sweet corn creme brulee, crispy red lentil cake in coconut red curry broth, spring pea-asparagus soup with minted yogurt—that you might never feel compelled to order it. Fortunately, on my first trip to Sable, in the new Hotel Palomar next to the AMA building (and across the street from the Reader), the waiter went out of his way to recommend the wild mushroom-brown rice patty, and I’ve been back for it four times since.
Foie Gras Fries at Big & Littles 969 N. Orleans 312-343-0000 Chicago chefs are well schooled in the art of engendering cognitive dissonance: Moto’s Homaro Cantu serves up simulated roadkill, and the number of chic joints dishing out tongue-in-cheek sliders are too numerous to mention. At Big & Little’s, Gary “Big” Strauss and Tony “Little” D’Alessandro serve the once forbidden, eternally haute liver over proletarian fried potatoes.
D’Candela 4053 N. Kedzie 773-478-0819 Five years ago Luis Garcia opened the first Peruvian rotisserie chicken joint in town, and though it’s not the only one anymore—in fact, he’s facing competition from at least half a dozen South American pollerias these days—it’s still the best. Garcia’s chicken is particularly plump and juicy, having been brined and then marinated overnight in about 15 different ingredients, including garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, vinegar, and beer.
Tamale Space Charros twitter.com/tamalespaceship Inspired by the early 20th-century Mexico City-based avant-garde movement stridentism, performance artist Aztlan Cardinal and cohorts have a scheme to launch a “mobile tamalli space ship” (which may take the form of a gas-powered land vehicle) sometime this summer, featuring the Stridentist Charro (“cowboy”), who’ll suggest wine pairings for the tamales and moles. “We want to bring together food and performance art in one concept,” says Cardinal.
by Kevin Warwick on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Handlebar 2311 W. North 773-384-9546 handlebarchicago.com The first time I visited the Handlebar, my former roommate ordered the “Meal of Three Sides.” But instead of mixing them up like any sane person would, he adamantly rolled with three sides of the smoked Gouda mac ’n’ cheese. “Best in the city,” he said confidently, handing his unread menu back to the server.
Sepia 123 N. Jefferson 312-441-1920 sepiachicago.com Andrew Zimmerman at Sepia does a knockout octopus confit, served with salty-sweet black-olive honey, pleasantly acidic preserved lemon, and perky mint salsa verde over a bed of fried chickpeas dusted with smoked paprika. The Mediterranean octopuses he favors (“Asian varieties are too small,” he says) spend some time in a marinade of aromatics, including cumin, coriander, fennel seed, crushed red chili, and garlic.
Sweet Station 2101 S. China Place 312-842-2228 mysweetstation.com We were as surprised as anyone, but the squid balls at Sweet Station proved to be one of our favorite dishes at this Chinatown Mall location—and that’s saying a lot, as the menu presents a dizzying array of several hundred dishes. Squid balls are prepared by cooking and grinding the cephalopod, mixing the meat with ingredients like ginger and garlic, and then forming the slurry into small spheres.
Benny’s Chop House on a wednesday evening 444 N. Wabash 312-626-2444 bennyschophouse.com At Henry VIII’s court feasts, guests ate hundreds of oysters before dinner. But re-creating his preprandial oyster orgies could get expensive—unless you go to Benny’s Chop House.
Pescatore Palace 3400 N. River Road, Franklin Park 847-678-0895 pescatorepalace.com Planning to propose? Or just need a secluded place to cheat?
by Anne Ford on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Zed 451 739 N. Clark 312-266-6691 zed451.com I enjoy an endless array of grilled proteins as much as the next person, but if I’m going to pay $44 for it—not including drinks and dessert—I would prefer not to be served by waitstaff in gaucho outfits or develop atherosclerosis before the check comes. Not only does Zed 451 mercifully skip the costumes, it also serves artery-sparing fish, chicken, and game in addition to the usual slabs of steak and sausage.
by Lauri Apple on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Spinach and Mashed Potato at Piece Brewery & Pizzeria 1927 W. North 773-772-4422 piecechicago.com It might sound like carbohydrate overkill: hearty scoops of homemade mashed potatoes and handfuls of fresh spinach atop thin, hand-tossed crust, baked New Haven-style. And in fact the Pieceniks say spinach ’n’ spud isn’t one of the most popular combos.
by Sam Adams on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
two-for-one coupons at Cozy Noodles & Rice 3456 N. Sheffield 773-327-0100 cozychicago.com Winner of our 2008 Readers’ Choice Award for best restaurant bathroom, Cozy Noodles & Rice has more to offer than just a kitschy toilet. Last year owner Suppaluk Meunprasittiveg, aka Tee, offered Cubs fans two-for-one entrees with a ticket to the day’s game (the restaurant is a stone’s throw from Wrigley, hidden on a residential stretch of Sheffield).
The Perfect Cup at Asado Coffee Company from mike sula on Vimeo. Asado Coffee Company 1432 W. Irving Park 773-661-6530 asadocoffee.com In addition to espresso, cortado, cafe con leche, and iced coffee, former navy vet and self-taught roaster Kevin Ashtari sells hot, made-to-order manual-drip coffee.
by Alison True on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
New Wave Coffee 3103 W. Logan/2557 N. Milwaukee 773-489-0646 newwavecoffee.com This airy, funky Logan Square coffeehouse invites lounging, but nowhere quite so insistently as at its dead center, where a big, fat comfy couch gives onto a big, fat old-fashioned TV, complete with a vintage Nintendo system and a pile of games. As if you needed more encouragement to stay awhile, there’s free wi-fi, and the kitchen serves up locally roasted Metropolis coffee along with pastries from Beans & Bagels, plus inexpensive meals and snacks, including some vegan offerings.
Cheogajip/Chicken and Pizza Love Letter 8273 W. Golf, Niles 847-583-1582 cheogajip.co.kr The most local outlet of a Korean superchain. Arguably also best place for a Lost in Translation experience.
The Easy Virtue at The Drawing Room 937 N. Rush 312-266-2694 thedrchicago.com Mixologist Charles Joly created this phlegm cutter for the Drawing Room’s spring menu after watching the Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby vehicle High Society, where “they’re pretty much sauced for half of the movie.” After she’s spent the night before her wedding cavorting with Sinatra in a swimming pool, Crosby serves Kelly an eye-opener—a classic Stinger. Embarrassed, she suggests that Crosby call her “Easy Virtue.” Joly subs Peruvian pisco for the Stinger’s brandy and the overlooked Italian mint digestivo Branca Menta for the creme de menthe, and sticks a straw straight through the mint so you get it right in the nose.
by Katherine Raz on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
The Stalkerat Tiny Lounge 4352 N. Leavitt 773-463-0396 tinylounge.com Just four ingredients: Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, fresh lemon, celery juice, and simple syrup. Whether it’s the “botanically-intensive” gin or the liquified plant stalks (Tiny Lounge juices its own celery), something masks the fact that this delicious cocktail actually contains alcohol—but not in a sugary-sweet underage-drinker kind of way.
The Micheladaat Big Star 1531 N. Damen 773-235-4039 Go in the day, when it’s not so impossibly crowded, find a seat at the bar, and treat yourself to an impeccably made version of this summer refresher: Tecate, lime, and house-made hot sauce, served in a salt-rimmed glass over ice. Kitty Wells on the hi-fi seals the deal.
by Julia Thiel on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Half Acre halfacrebeer.com Following in the footsteps of boxed wine, which has only recently started to shake off the stigma that cheaper brands like Franzia have given it, canned beer is moving beyond Old Style and Bud Light. Craft brewers have recently started to embrace aluminum cans, which are lighter and cheaper to ship than glass bottles; unlike glass, they don’t let in light, which can make beer go skunky, and cans allow less oxygen uptake during packaging.
Persimmon Solera from Purgatory Cellars whiteowlwinery.com Lots of Illinois wineries make sweet wines from fruits other than grapes, but Brian Neighbors of White Owl Winery/Purgatory Cellars in Flat Rock wanted something really unusual, so he turned to the persimmon trees he climbed as a boy 40 years ago in the woods on the family farm. Like a Spanish sherry except for the main ingredient, his Persimmon Solera (developed with his father, Ken) starts with persimmon wine fermented from a combo of fruit grown on the property and more gathered wild by Illinois and Indiana locals in the fall.
by Philip Montoro on June 24, 2010 at 4:00AM
Bolat African Cuisine 3346 N. Clark 773-665-1100 Palm wine, made by fermenting the sweet sap from any of several species of palm tree, is common in tropical and semitropical regions of Africa and Asia, from Ghana to the Philippines. But it’s tough to find in Chicago, especially if you’ve got no special connection to an immigrant community from a country where it’s popular.
West Lakeview Liquors 2156 W. Addison 773-525-1916 westlakeviewliquors.com Best, not biggest. It’s hard to compete with Binny’s when it comes to inventory, but West Lakeview Liquors, like In Fine Spirits and Drinks Over Dearborn, has a lovingly curated selection—and unlike those places, it crams bottles onto every inch of shelving, sometimes with a second row of beers on a sort of terrace behind the first.
Drinks Over Dearborn 650 N. Dearborn, second floor 312-337-9463 drinksoverdearborn.com In Fine Spirits gets an honorable mention for providing a stack of empty cardboard caddies so customers can put together mixed six-packs, and for knocking 10 percent off the per-bottle price once they do. But Drinks Over Dearborn takes first prize—for its tasting fridge, which holds a selection of opened but carefully resealed wines, meads, liqueurs, and spirits for sampling, and for the way its staff hooked me up with three bottles of the 2009 Founders Nemesis.
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