I love good food almost as much as I love good theatre. Well, perhaps that’s a bit of hyperbole, but delicious food can certainly put a smile on my face. Luckily, Chicago is a terrific city for both food and theatre, which is a significant portion of the reason why I love living here.
In no particular order, these are my favorite 15 dishes of 2015:
Fried Chicken Sandwich – Frontier
Fried Chicken Sandwich – Fried Chicken Thigh, Hook’s Maple Jack Cheese, Molasses Mustard, Pickled Banana Peppers, Brioche Bun, served with rosemary fries ($13)
Pork Belly – Boka
Pork Belly – Black Garlic, Olives, Celery
Slow Poached Egg – Boka
Slow Poached Egg – Squash, Parmesan, Cavatelli, Smoked Ham ($14)
Crispy Sesame Leaves – Parachute
Crispy Sesame Leaves, Bourbon Barrel Soy ($4)
Brussels Sprout Bruschetta – Nico Osteria
Brussels Sprout Bruschetta – Stracciatella Cheese, Lemon Honey, Trufflebert Hazelnuts ($14)
Nico Torte – Nico Osteria
Nico Torte – Candied Pecans, Apple Confit, Rosemary, Burnt Vanilla Gelato ($12)
Lobster Roll – GT Fish & Oyster
Maine Lobster Roll ($30)
Vanilla and Pistachio Flan – Frontera Grill
Duo de Flanes – Traditional Mexican vanilla flan and toasted pistachio flan. White chocolate-pistachio bark, honey Manila mango ($8.25)
Brussels Sprouts – Slurping Turtle
Fried Brussel Sprouts ($6)
Kougin Amann – Nico Osteria
Kougin Amann ($3.25)
Korean BBQ Pizza – Pizzeria Lola
Korean BBQ Pizza – Grass Run Farm Beef Short Ribs, Mozzarella, Scallions, Arugula, Sesame & Soy-Chili Vinaigrette ($17)
Duck Egg, Smoked Potato Puree, Sourdough – Green Zebra
Culver Farm Duck Egg, Smoked Potato Puree, Parsley, Country Sourdough ($12.50)
Oyster Po’Boy Slider – GT Fish & Oyster
Oyster Po’Boy Slider – Kimchi, Peanuts ($4 each)
Quiche – Bouchon Bakery
Quiche Lorraine – Bacon, Gruyere, Onion ($9.50)
42 – Owen + Alchemy
42 – Heirloom Tomato, Organic Himalayan Sea Salt ($10)
And as a bonus, although this isn’t strictly a dish, I discovered the incredible Noir de Crimee and Striped German heirloom tomatoes from the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus at the Loyola Farmers Market.
Noir de Crimee and Striped German heirloom tomatoes
Night Out Reviews 