Chicago Eats
For the second summer in a row, we’ve enjoyed five weeks of great food in Chicago. We couldn’t resist returning to our favorite spot, Bar Sótano by chef Rick Bayless. Sadly, another favorite restaurant was no more: Jaleo by José Andrés closed its doors last January. The space was still empty, kitty-corner from Bar Sótano. I felt a little sad every time we walked by. Fortunately, Andrés still had two Chicago restaurants open, though they were a longer walk from our apartment. And we did try a few new spots that are worth going back to.
Favorites
Bar Sótano was, again, our #1 Chicago restaurant. We returned every Thursday for the winning combination of delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine, speakeasy-cool vibe, and expert service. We were known as “the chocolate pecan pie couple,” since we always requested it from Frontera Grill upstairs. This year we discovered a new favorite dish, sikil pak - toasted pumpkin seed “hummus” with grilled asparagus and fiddlehead ferns. As part of a monthly “homecoming series,” notable Bayless-trained chefs took turns creating a special, one-night-only taco. We had the pleasure of attending two homecoming dinners and trying four delicious tacos. Our favorite, a soft-shell crab masterpiece, was by the home team (Bar Sótano Chef De Cuisine’s Jackie Hernandez). Best of all, we had a chance to talk with Chef Bayless! Note, our favorite server Sofia is working on her business degree, so we’ll understand if she isn’t working there any longer the next time we’re in Chicago.
Avec was a new favorite - we lunched at the original location in the West Loop with our friend Kristin, and then brunched at the larger, newer space in River North with our kids. Avec was featured in the TV series The Bear. Their shareable Mediterranean dishes were fresh, inventive, and absolutely delicious.
Bar Mar, another new favorite, was a José Andrés restaurant, so it’s no surprise that we loved it. The dining room was super-fun, with a giant octopus above the bar. After dining at the more upscale Bazaar Meat upstairs (see below), we went back to Bar Mar for more of the delectable salt air margaritas, and found that the food was excellent as well. We enjoyed our long-time favorite, pan con tomate, and discovered a new favorite, Neptune’s Pillows - crispy puffs filled with sesame ricotta and topped with silky tuna. Delicious!
Worthy Splurges
Topolobampo was the perfect place for dinner to celebrate Steve’s birthday. It was not just a meal, it was a memorable experience. Read about it here.
Bazaar Meat seemed like a good choice for dinner with the kids because of its proximity to the Civic Opera House (we had tickets for the ballet after dinner). It turned out to be the perfect spot for our group: distinctive tapas by a favorite chef (José Andrés), leading up to a great steak, the quintessential Chicago dish. The dining room was beautiful, and we were given a prime corner table overlooking the Chicago River. When we asked whether we could finish the tasting menu in time for our show, the server assured us that it would be fine - the show’s director was just a few tables away! We are a steak-loving and tapas-loving family, and our meal at Bazaar Meat was definitely one we’ll remember. Oh, and the salt air margarita is now officially my favorite cocktail.
Honorable Mentions
We still enjoyed the deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s, though admittedly we didn’t try any other pizza places this time.
Girl & the Goat had a James Beard award-winning chef, and green beans and goat empanadas lived up to the hype. However, it was a long walk from our apartment, and the noise level made conversation difficult.
Kyura Men is a chain, and we prefer the ramen at Ippudo in New York City, but we went back for their tasty omurice, expertly prepared by a seasoned chef.
