Recent Foodie Finds

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season and start to 2020. As per usual, I spent the first few weeks of my winter break in perpetual eating mode with nonstop restaurant visits and various holiday fêtes, followed by a week of Netflix and chill (and that would be actual chill, not the other kind). Now that I've worked my way through You, Fuller House, Watchmen, and The Crown, the time has come for me to stop acting like I'm a professional lady of leisure and finish my spring semester planning (classes start in just over a week! 😱).

While I'm not one to get caught up in the New Year's resolutions hype, I do focus on meeting specific goals throughout the year. As I definitely lost my writing grove during this last round of grad school, one of my major goals of this year is to be more consistent in this space and double the number of posts from last year (which shouldn't be all that difficult considering last year was a record low for me). This is all to say that I will be around more this year - I have plans for a monthly round-up of Chicago restaurant visits, as well as a look at some of my most recent travels. Stayed tuned for some exciting content!

Here are a few of my recent foodie finds (follow me on Instagram for even more!)...

Amatriciana Pizza with tomato, pecorino, and guanciale at Bar Cargo. While Chicago may be known as the city of deep-dish pizza, anyone who lives here will tell you that the real standouts are the places that focus on light and crispy crust with deeply flavorful toppings. The Roman-style pizzas at Bar Cargo are fired in a stone oven imported from Rome and have a perfectly done crispy-tender crust that holds up well to toppings.

Snapper Ceviche with sweet potato puree, avocado, dragon fruit, trout roe, and ponzu leche de tigre at Cabra. Stephie Izard's newest spot (on the rooftop of the gorgeous The Hoxton hotel) highlights the vibrant flavors of Peruvian cuisine. The ceviche offerings are definitely a standout and the snapper is the star with its large cuts and super bright flavors.

Allis Breakfast (two eggs any style, smoked salmon, roasted tomato, avocado, toast) and Smoked Salmon Bagel at The Allis. Along with the gorgeous space and all-day breakfast menu, The Allis also has some of the best almond croissants in the entire city! While Soho House is members only, The Allis is open to the public and offers a lovely and relaxed space; it's especially great for brunch and afternoon tea. 

Al Pastor, Barbacoa, Chicken Tinga, Citrus Shrimp, Roasted Mushroom, and Carnitas Tacos at Asadito. I've said it a million times before - I SO wish all of these fast-casual spots were around back when I worked downtown! Back then, it was mostly either higher-end restaurants that were too expensive for lunch or greasy fast food joints. Asadito is definitely a fab spot for lunch or after work. The tortillas are hand-pressed, the tacos are stuffed, and they offer over 2,000 specialized margarita options. My favorites include the citrus shrimp and chicken tinga tacos (and be sure to grab some churros!).

Pizza da Colazione with sunny-side-up eggs, caramelized onion, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and Prosciutto di San Daniele at Quartino. As I mentioned on Instagram, I’d like to give a big thank you to the person who decided breakfast ‘za covered in runny eggs should be a thing! This is a particularly nicely done version, thanks to the combination of the crispy crust, runny yolks, and copious amount of delicate prosciutto.

I am a sucker for cute packaging and these delicious Liqrboxes (boozy juice boxes) from LiqrBox are the perfect mix of fun and nostalgia!

How gorgeous is the Ora King Salmon from Allium?! Topped with chickpeas, baby heirloom tomatoes, pickled mushrooms, and harissa vinaigrette, not only is this dish drool-worthy, but it's also straight-up food art! If you're looking for a lowkey but still elevated spot for dinner on the Mag Mile, I highly recommend stopping by the Four Seasons Hotel to check out their new menu filled with Midwestern-inspired seasonal bites.

The newest location of the Korean-French bakery Tous les Jours in Wicker Park is the place to get some of the best (and most gorgeous!) cakes, croissants, breads, and more. I really do love everything I’ve tried from there, but I have to say that the fresh fruit and cream cakes are definitely standouts. My absolute favorite is the Strawberry Cream Cake - it’s so light, fluffy, and beautifully done!

 

Yakisoba Dog: Vienna Beef red hot topped with yakisoba noodles at Yakisoba Misoya. The sister restaurant to the popular Ramen Misoya, Yakisoba Misoya specializes in Japanese street food, including noodles, chicken karaage, and takoyaki. The Yakisoba Dog is a fun spin on Japan's famous Yakisoba Sandwich and special to its Chicago location.

One of the most frequent questions I get on Instagram is about my favorite places for Cuban food. It just so happens that Cuban is one of my absolute favorite cuisines, so I've worked my way through almost every Cuban joint in the city! Of all the places I've tried thus far, hands down, my favorite Cubano is from 90 Miles Cuban Cafe (named for the number of miles from Cuba to Key West) - it's even better when paired with their fantastic Cuba Libres.

I'm not a big fan of al fresco dining during the summer (as I'm a heat and humidity wimp!), but I'm all about the gorgeous fall and unseasonably warm winter evenings spent outside. West Loop shared plate Mexican/Central American/South American fusion restaurant Bar Takito is a fun and vibrant place for patio hangs and interesting flavors. My favorite dishes include the Octopus a la Plancha, Coffee Braised Beef Tacos, and Brunkow Cheese Tacos.

ETA: Allium has closed.