By Jeff Ruby
MAGIC AND MYSTERY: Exploring the fine line between a winning restaurant and a disappointing one: a culinary conundrum Read more
Tag: Restaurant Review
By Joanne Trestrail
BUDGET BEAT: We plan to picnic all winter at this Ravenswood deli Read more
By Jeff Ruby
POWER SMOKERS: If 2010 is the Year Barbecue Broke Out, three ambitious newcomers stand head and pork shoulders above the masses Read more
By Penny Pollack
A new Italian restaurant on Taylor Street? Big deal. But Davanti Enoteca is no pizzeria/pasteria/trattoria with red-checked tablecloths. Rather, it’s a smart, friendly small-plate phenom with insanely good food, like the focaccia de recco—warm, oozy cow cheese between thin layers of just-baked crust. Don’t miss the truffled egg toast, wherein truffle oil soaks into brioche and mixes with eggs and Fontina, or the roasted fresh hearts of palm, which make you wonder why anyone ever put those miraculous stalks in a can. Pork cheek ragù over polenta (pictured) flaunts the kind of simple flavors that are quickly making the owner, Scott Harris (Mia Francesca, Nella, The Purple Pig), a legend. 1359 W. Taylor St.; 312-226-5550. Read more
By Jill Rohde
Discovering a new and unique ethnic cuisine is one of our top thrills. So we were panting at the door when this tidy crimson-colored storefront, specializing in grub from Kyrgyzstan, opened at the northern edge of Lincoln Square. Its name means “Silk Road,” and the dishes—all under $10—reflect a medley of influences: Russian, Turkish, Indian, Korean, and Chinese. Jump right in by ordering samsy, a samosa-like pastry stuffed with chopped beef and onions ($2.50), or the brawnier chebureki, a fried puff of dough housing a thin spread of minced lamb ($2.50). Soups are sublime—especially thick, robust lentil and tart borscht spiked with beets and cabbage. Dumplings come in all sizes and guises, our favorite being manty: chubby steamed cuties packed with diced pumpkin, beef, and onion ($9.50). Don’t miss the peppery, garlic-shot carrot salad or lagman—long, slithery noodles pulled by hand and then ladled into a hearty broth. It’s possible to BYO, but the young Kyrgyzstanis stick to steaming mugs of tea. Adding a slice of chocolate-splashed honey cake makes the experience all the sweeter. 5047 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-878-8494. Read more
By Denise Peñacerrada
A lackluster stretch of Lincoln Avenue in Lake View just picked up a little steam with Chizakaya, a hip Japanese small-plate-and-pub combo. Read more
By Joanne Trestrail
BUDGET BEAT: For those less inclined to chase the food truck, get the same food at G-W's Edgewater headquarters Read more
By Jeff Ruby
FROM GOAT TO HERO: Stephanie Izard, everywhere at once and nowhere at all for two years, finally makes good on her promise in the West Loop Read more