When Sean Sanders, the chef/owner of Browntrout, thinks of strawberry shortcake, childhood memories begin to drip like whipped cream. Sanders loves to play around with familiar flavors from his past to bridge the gap between adolescence and maturity. A tall order? His strawberry shortcake includes juicy whole strawberries stuffed with lime mascarpone for pure pleasure; melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies for comfort; almond brittle bits for crunch; and vanilla chantilly cream just because. Very adult of him. 4111 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-472-4111.

Photograph: Anna Knott