Urban food halls — with their poke bowls, cronuts, and Detroit-style squares — rarely live up to the hype. You eat something trendy, pay too much, and enjoy the architecture. Food courts, on the other hand, with their neon lights and cafeteria seating, still connect because they dish up the quick, craveable things you know … Read more
We liked Wazwan, Zubair Mohajir’s casual BYOB Southeast Asian storefront located in front of Coach House, his tasting-menu restaurant. But when he gave the space a face-lift, brought on David Mor as beverage director, and added more snackable share plates, our affinity turned to love. Everyone seems to feel that way, given the energy that … Read more
Getting a reservation is the only challenging thing about dining at Brendan Sodikoff’s French-inspired steakhouse. Two options: Sign onto Resy right at 9 a.m. 21 days before you want to dine, or walk in when the place opens. Once you’re at your table, exhale. From here on, this is one of the most seamless dining … Read more
Ricky Dinh, a veteran of many kitchens along the Asia on Argyle enclave in Uptown, brings something fresh to this restaurant set on the outskirts of Chinatown. Vietnamese seafood is the specialty here, and you’ll find market-fresh shellfish — razor clams, sea snails, giant Pacific oysters — in a variety of preparations. Our faves are the oysters grilled on … Read more
One of the most-talked-about spots of late, Joe Frillman’s Daisies isn’t new, but with its move nearby to a brighter, airier space, the addition of Leigh Omilinsky (pictured, below) as pastry chef-partner, and extra daytime hours, it certainly feels like a fresh addition to the city’s dining scene. The dinner menu also expanded, but, thankfully, … Read more
Nearly 20 years in, Michael Carlson’s exercise in punk gastronomy may no longer be the agenda setter it once was, but that’s only because other standouts have caught up to him. At this minimalist, one-room BYO, the young dudes in the kitchen, under chef de cuisine Caleb Trahan, hand-deliver their dozen or more creations to … Read more
There are times you want the whole steakhouse song and dance, and then there are other times you just want the steak. For those, this French-German bistro never fails. Its seasonal menu switches things up but always has a place for oysters, shrimp cocktail, big salads, and either a value-priced steak frites or a choice … Read more
The metro area’s most vibrant and of-the-moment Korean cooking happens along this suburban stretch of Milwaukee Avenue, where international Korean chains compete with homegrown talent, and every restaurant has a specialty, whether beef soup (Claypot), Chinese-Korean cooking (Paik’s Noodles), or grilled intestines (Gopchang Story). Our favorite, from native Koreans James Shin and Brian Lee, is … Read more
Bayan Ko owners Lawrence Letrero (pictured) and Raquel Quadreny have always smartly melded Filipino and Cuban flavors for an original take on both cuisines, but when they began offering a $95 five-course tasting menu, they showed how seamlessly these two cuisines can work together at a higher level. You’ll start with a soul-soothing bowl of … Read more
Even if it’s just a random Tuesday, dining at Noon-O-Kabab, an anchor of Albany Park’s Persian scene (there’s also a shiny new location in Highwood), feels like a celebration. The room has a lively din, and everyone is there to dig into the vibrant flavors — and large portions — found all across the menu. So even if you’re … Read more
