Feed Me Chicago

The restaurant industry in the US is one of the hardest hit as the world fights to dull the exponential consequences of the coronavirus.  Nationally, it supports 15 million jobs, 600,000 of them here in Chicago.

The ability to offer meals for pick- up and delivery has helped; but not nearly enough.  It’s believed restaurants are only recouping 25% of their normal business with these options. Restaurants greatly appreciate and need the revenues from any and all orders.  The following link provides a comprehensive listing of Chicago restaurants with skin in the game for distance dining.

3/30/20 Update

The last random check of the list below revealed that a number of restaurants have chosen to cease offering pickup and delivery options because of low sales and risk. Good Luck!

https://www.diningatadistance.com/chicago

Block Club Chicago has compiled a thorough breakdown of restaurants who’ve set up GoFundMe accounts to help pay staff, provide health insurance and survive this calamity. It also provides links. Find your special dining spot(s) and show some love.

Was eating out ever just utilitarian?  Something you do to satisfy your hunger and nothing else?  If those days ever existed, they’ve gone the way of the brick sized cell phone. Eating out is doing something adventurous, satisfying a curiosity, indulging a craving, commemorating something special or succumbing to a guilty pleasure (Crisp).  We dine out to be stimulated as much as to fulfill a basic need.   Eating out is also a landscape where second chances can pay big dividends.

Following the noise coming from a chorus of both local and national publications about Hyde Park’s Virtue restaurant on 53^rd St. and capturing a hip top near the bar after finally walking in one early winter evening felt like win.  The dining room was open but booked for the whole night; making that high top even more prized.  But then the ceaseless wait began; followed by exasperation and a premature departure.  Deciding not to blame the restaurant for a rogue waiter, a reservation was placed for the main dining room several weeks later.   That decision kept spinning gold when we landed in the restaurant for the redo.

53^rd St. has turned into something that would be comfortable in Brooklyn or the new gentrified Harlem.  It’s got the look and feel of a certain kind of urbanity.  Not too polished and not too slick; with enough rough edges to keep things interesting and distinctive. Virtue fits very comfortably in this milieu and attracts a highly-varied mix that enjoys a little refinement, a little pampering that comes with attentive execution and the kind of urbane spirit anyone can appreciate.

Improved, the bar experience showed no sign of the renegade waiter but still displayed the same openness and easiness that filled the room the first time around.  Not at all anemic or lackluster, its take on a Manhattan turned out to be bold and interesting.  Not a pinnacle cocktail but certainly very respectable one.

Service had done an about face; making the main dining room experience exceptional; if safe.  Most queries were answered with detectable caution.  But always with an engaged awareness and knowledge.  An unexpected chance to share a moment with the chef had its own rewards as he explained how he knew full well expectations he labored under were different.  Higher.  Which is why he places such a premium on the quality of his diners’ service.   With his standing as one of the country’s premier Black chefs and stellar reputation that follows him from MK, he’s already more than proven himself.  For chef Williams, Virtue is in a sense a chance to give tribute to the person who inspired him, his grandmother.  The person who instilled the joy of serving people excellent food.  

Leaning over a little conspiratorially, the woman at the next table wondered if she could ask a question.  “Are the pictures you’re taking going to end up in a review?”  We both laughed at the reply. She went on to say she and her husband were in town from Virginia visiting a hospitalized relative.  A host at her hotel recommended Virtue to them.  “My family’s from North Carolina and we know soul food.  This is clean soul food.” That it is. Grander, finer, and more exalted, too.  A mac and cheese with truffles kind of world; which was wonderful.  She seemed more than pleased with her collards and smoked turkey.  Her husband quickly chimed in his enthusiastic approval of his beef short ribs with crushed potato and creamed spinach. 

Very pleased overall, there were still a few bumps at our table.  The gizzards with dirty rice and gravy would have cleared the moon if the gizzards hadn’t been over salted.  On the flip side, the dirty rice sang arias of delight with their wonderful depth and tiers of flavor.  Reserved and rather humble, the gumbo could have used a little shake up; a kiss of zest to lift it to gumbo excellence.  And a little beyond the typical scope of many restaurants focusing on southern food, but very fresh and creative, the squash with coconut, pecans and a light orange vinaigrette stood out as a great balancer and a hint of the innovative wonders dwelling on the other side of chef Williams’ culinary brain.

The gizzards soon got whisked away, were replaced and chef Williams dropped by again to check in.  His concern for our satisfaction was genuine and he clearly placed a high value on honest feedback.  Judging from the blissful comments filtering in from surrounding tables and the all of the contented faces relishing his food, the house was full of customers thoroughly enjoying their time at his warm oasis of a restaurant.  Much of that satisfaction may be due to how well the chef listened and responded to meaningful feedback in the past. 

Oddly, the charm of Virtue is embodied in its plates. They’re beautiful throwbacks to a time and place when hospitality and good food in a southern context were a way of life.  The warmth of that hospitality poured as much from the diverse clientele as it did from the restaurant staff.  It’s not terribly difficult to find dining spots that are welcoming and warm, but it is very rare to find them filled with the spectrum of humanity that expresses the richness of the city.  For the food and for the vibe, Virtue excels.

Virtue

1462 E. 53^rd St.

Chicago, IL  60615      

773-947-8831

Open Wed – Sunday

Dinner only except Sunday

virtuerestaurant.com

Approach matters when it comes to a restaurant crawl.  Now in its eighth year, the Wicker Park-Bucktown Fall Dinner Crawl can consider itself a veteran of this kind of dining sport. With the neighborhoods’ dense restaurant proliferation and a broad spatial footprint, splitting the crawl into two routes made perfect sense.  Held last Tuesday night, the Fork route ran along North Ave. with a few stops scattered on Damen, Milwaukee and Wabansia.  Division St. functioned as the Knife route’s heart.

Both routes counted nine restaurants in their number; many of them well known and respected.    Even under vigorous scrutiny, they seemed evenly matched which made choosing one uncomfortably difficult.  Amaru, Urbanbelly, Knead Pizza and Café Robey helped carry the Fork’s flag while Ina Mae’s Tavern, and Packaged Goods, Antique Taco, Smoke Daddy and Pub Royale teamed up with five other eateries to do the same along Division. 

A roll of the dice landed us on Knife but it took a couple of days for opinions to gel regarding the experience. The discovery of Tous les Jours helped nudge the needle more firmly in the direction of success.

West of Ashland, Division turns into a lively and sophisticated restaurant row.  Many of dining spots like Boundary and MAK chose not to participate in this year’s event.   That didn’t mean the one thing most people look for in crawl, variety, wasn’t met.   Inspiration and imagination may have been lacking here and there, but range was not.  An assortment of Persian, Indian, southern and French influenced food was woven into the trail as well as a clever take on tacos.

That’s one reason why Tous les Jours’ star still blazes so brilliantly in our minds.  That a cafe specializing in pastries and sweets got tucked into the route wasn’t surprising.  The soaring enthusiasm radiating from the manager, who greeted every wave of crawlers with the same ingratiating spirit, was.  The café’s space may have been tight but so was its organization and planning.  An assortment of small cakes neatly lined the east wall waiting for guest selection. A separate shelf held goody bags as parting gifts.  Light, delicious and moist, both the tiramisu and the chocolate cake with strawberries had sensational texture and lightness; prompting a trip to the display cases in search of things to take home as eatable souvenirs. The quality of its desserts and the café’s unforgettable hospitality made Tous les Jour repeatable as well as memorable and set them apart in this year’s event.

When asked what the secret weapon was going to be at this year’s crawl, Pamela Maass, Executive Director of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, didn’t hesitate and said, “the number of restaurant’s offering vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options”.    They made an impression on the Knife route.  Antique Taco’s potato and poblano taco was a splendid composition of flavors.  Subtle, pleasing, fresh and intriguing, it provided that flash of creativity you always look for on an excursion like this. 

Starting at 6 and even with quick stops, every minute counted in the three hours allotted for the stroll. Seeing in quick succession how starkly restaurants vary in their temperament as well as their appearance proved tremendously entertaining.  Those character differences trickled down to the waitstaff where panic might be threatening to overwhelm one restaurant while Zen like calm reigned at another.

And what about tips?  Often the food was served buffet or cafeteria style so tipping wasn’t an issue.  But just as often waitstaff stuck to tradition and served.   Even though every table may be getting the same thing, conscience dictates an acknowledgment gratuity.

At $35 plus service fees pre-order or $40 the day of the crawl, The Wicker Park Bucktown Fall Dinner Crawl amounts to a fire sale.  That breaks out to less than $5 for each stop and makes restaurant participation look like an act of civic largesse.

On a beautiful night like the one gracing the Wicker Park Bucktown Fall Dinner Crawl with an easy ebullience permeating the entire evening, sliding from restaurant to restaurant felt like a gourmand’s version of trick or treating.   That sense of adventure and finds like Tous les Jours make the dinner crawl an entertainment form worth seeking out.

The Wicker Park Bucktown Fall Dinner Crawl

Sept. 17, 2019

www.wickerparkbucktown.com.

Why ramen?  It’s just broth, noodles and toppings, so what’s the fuss?  Fortunately, more of us are discovering the irresistible appeal of one of Japan’s most generous gifts to the world.

There are lots of reasons why one of Japan’s most popular soul food/fast food wonders is gaining in popularity.  The main one is taste.  Ramen, when prepared with skill and knowledge is not only delicious, it is wondrously gratifying.  And it possesses that elusive fifth flavor known as umami that adds a unique savory richness to a dish.  Serious home cooks as well as chefs crave to capture umami magic in their meals.

At Table to Stix, a young restaurant on Evanston’s Davis St., the chefs have learned the art of consistently filling bowl after bowl day, after day, with ramen’s satisfying perfection. That steadfastness has earned them an appreciative and loyal following in their spare, modern and hip little outpost across from Bennison’s bakery.

Seriously good ramen is all about the broth and that’s certainly true at Table to Stix. Other actors in the bowl are plenty important, but without a sensational broth, the meal can easily be an also ran.  Like most traditional ramen establishments, there are three key broth types you’ll find described on the menu; shoyu, shio and miso.  They’ll provide the flavor base for your protein choice; pork, chicken or prawns.   You can also go strictly veg.

Some broths like shio are lighter in color and saltier.  Others like the miso powered broths can be much bolder and deeply complex.  With its incredible depth and engrossing levels of flavor, Table to Stix’s Spicy Miso ramen knocks robust out of the park.  Toppings on a broth this spirited should arrive with their own strong appeal.  In the spicy miso, each one is an unqualified star.  Brussel sprouts are halved and charred just enough for them to release their sweetness and add a bit of dryness to their texture.  Sweet corn is genuinely sweet and plump and join scallions, thick succulent discs of pork belly, dry chili strings and of course the requisite boiled egg; also halved and cooked just to the point of setting.  They’re all nestled in their own little neighborhoods on top of the bowl of ramen. At the bottom, another savory delight, wonderfully seasoned spicy ground beef. 

Ramen, when you consider how filling and nutritious it is, makes a perfect go to in the dead of winter when you looking to turn up your body’s thermostat as well as be filled.  And winter’s when you can expect the longest waits for a table.  But even at the height of summer, there’s still something enticing about feasting on these heaping bowls of plenty.  You can always go a little less heavy and opt for the shoyu prawn ramen.  Its base is lighter and less intense allowing the tenderness of tempura prawns to shine through along with the bok choy, scallions, naruto fish cakes and wood ear mushrooms. 

Or you can skip ramen all together.  With the restaurant’s variety of small bites and buns, it’s easy to slay the hunger dragon with a medley of straightforward, well prepared and tasty down menu options.  The bulgogi pork buns are beautifully done.  Marinated, thinly sliced and filled with their own umami splendor, they have the fan base to prove their appeal.  If you’re pork or meat averse, the pork belly can be swapped out for crispy chicken or deep fried potato and vegetable croquettes called korokke.  For many the two cloud-soft buns filled with any of these choices could function as a satisfying meal.  But stopping there wouldn’t be advised. Better to balance the meal out with a seaweed salad whose sweetness and brightness make a great counterpoint to fried foods or the richness of pork.  Spicy edamame would work just as well.  Suck the tangy coating from the pods before breaking them open to free fat green pearls of perfectly al dente edamame inside.  Ramen toppings come as sides too so enjoy the Brussel sprouts or sweet corn on their own stage.  The chicken karaage (fried chicken) comes to the table with a baby of a bowl filled with a jazzed-up mayo/aioli that has the color of turmeric and only the slightest hint of heat.

The restaurant’s owners opened Table to Stix hoping to capitalize on their proximity to Northwestern University and the ravenous throngs studying there.  That objective explains the many high topped tables with backless stools. The style also fits the traditional ramen shop aesthetic.  Perfectly comfortable to most, they may prove challenging for others.  Fortunately, there are a few tables of standard height scattered around the space. 

Price points are reasonable enough to fall within even a student’s budget and service hovers between sufficiently courteous and attentive to very attentive and friendly.  And servers always make a special effort to greet every customer with a hello and leave them with an amicable goodbye. 

Table to Stix

1007 Davis St.

Evanston, IL  60201

847-859-6847

www.tabletostix.com

About 30 blocks south of The Full Slab and just west of Western is a whole new breed of BBQ oasis.  Loaded with quaint charm outside and what looks like a take-off of an Italian beef franchise inside, Nine One One BBQ Shack in Evergreen Park has tapped into a whole new rule book for running their business.  Comfortable seating inside and out, tidy, neat and cozy, you might feel a little disoriented when you walk in and look around.  Compared with many barbeque outposts, Nine One One is downright inviting.  And the phalanx of young faces manning the counter not only seem genuinely warm in their greetings; they’re more than willing to engage with customers and help them navigate the menu.

Because they looked so “right’, it was hard passing up any of the sides.  Spaghetti had recently been added to the choices and, according to the server, has already become very popular.  Along with the spaghetti, sweet potatoes, corn bread, and mac and chess join forces with the more typical greens, baked beans and fries to act as culinary supporting players.

If you grew up with more than a little awareness of food preparation below the Mason-Dixon line, you immediately notice some similarities.  Like how the pasta for the spaghetti gets mixed into the ground beef flecked sauce giving it the pale orange hue of saffron.  You’d think without more sauce the flavor would be washed out or neutralized.  Instead, the tang of the tomato remains vibrant and there can often be a slight sweet second note that comes through the way it does here.  Delicious. 

Neither overly boiled or watery, the greens hold their integrity with the leaves retaining a good bit of their texture and keeping their natural earthy sweetness.  Even after years eating and cooking them, it’s hard to say whether any have been as beautifully flavored as the greens that Saturday afternoon. Even the stems were delectable.

Sides at Nine One One can outshine the star attractions.  Not only are they delectable, portions are honest attempts to balance and accentuate whatever meat option you choose; which includes chicken.  Although at least one side accompanies most standard orders, more is available in either small ($2.99) or large (4,99) servings.

Genuine anybody pleasers, you could taste the care and attention in preparing both the ribs and tips. Succulent, bold and pristine.  The tips especially were precisely cut to maximize their meatiness and therefore their value. A good complimentary adornment, the sauce did a fine job highlighting the quality of the main events.

It’s the delivery system the restaurant uses for its hot links that really caught our attention.  The top and bottom buns have been completely separated with a moist spice enhanced link squarely lined up between them.  The restaurant dunks each of the rich tender brioche like ends in a wonderful sauce that’s full of zest and depth.    The dish’s vitality is a complete surprise and the approach turns a delightful entree into a magnificent one. Nine One One’s macaroni and cheese could have benefited from more dimension in its seasoning; but its texture and portion size makes it an ideal complement to any of the main courses. 

And there’s even a tasty finisher.  Although the one of owners sometimes bakes cakes to broaden the selection of desserts; a cinnamon forward peach cobbler is always a ready and solid go to.

Nine One One BBQ Shack

2734 W. 111^th St.

Chicago, IL  60655

773 – 238- 9111

www.nineoneonebbqshack.com

Closed Sundays

BBQ’s like bacon.  It enjoys a natural allure.  Maybe it’s the primitivism of its origins.  Something about the pure honesty of meat on flame and enveloped in smoke.  Time and technique gave it nuance and tenderness.  Sauce gave it another layer of bold flavor.

With scores of pits dotting the city, it’s easy to satisfy your craving to gnaw succulent meat off bone.  But what if you need to be strategic and only have once in the entire year to enjoy this most tantalizing of treats?  What do you do?  Especially if you don’t want to waste your shot on the mediocre. 

Fortunately, the Trib’s Nick Kindelsperger did the leg work a couple of months ago to uncover those establishments (six in all) that offer some of the best ribs in the city.  City Pleasures checked out two of them and is up to vouch for the superiority of both. 

The Full Slab, just south of 83^rd Street on Stony Island is so classic in appearance it could almost be a cliché.   There’s no bullet proof shield separating customers from the restaurant’s staff but all the elements that characterize a no-frills operation are there.  The work takes places on the north side of the counter and customers stand along the south wall while they wait for their orders.  Since there’s no sit-down service, chairs and tables are completely absent.  Big playful advertising posters promoting the restaurant line a corridor and make up the only decoration.  The feel’s clean efficiency.

Dangling in the 90’s, temperatures made the restaurant just bearably sticky.  Welcoming and cordial despite the heat, the staff didn’t even seem annoyed with the light shower of questions about recommendations and food preparation.  Settling on a half slab and rib tips with a variety of sides, we patiently chilled and watched someone hand cut potatoes for fries.

Curiously small servings of sides seem to be a staple of most traditional bbq “shacks”.   A couple of dollops of greens or baked beans don’t usually qualify as true accompaniments to a meal. But in the world of BBQ, no one quibbles.  At The Full Slab, the hue and odd bitterness of the greens made them taste as if they had been braised.  And something left an odd lingering aftertaste making the meager portions more than adequate.

A conversation with another customer gave us the sense The Full Slab’s secret weapon might just be their sauce.  We decided to choose wisely from four choices: Chicago (mild and sweet), Memphis (tangy vinegar based), Carolina (sweet mustard based) and Flaming Hot.  Even though we were a little taken aback at the carnage when we opened the Styrofoam lid of the tips; the first bite dispelled any concerns about the integrity of the meat.  Roughly and unevenly chopped, the meat was still pliable, wonderfully tender and unquestionably delicious.  The sauce made them sensational despite the lack of visual bounce.

Ribs fared much better on the eyeball test. They looked meaty, substantial and appetizing as they poised on a large mound of fries; generously doused with sauce.  And again, it’s the sauce that’s radiant, or even brilliant, at The Full Slab.  The meat’s toothsome, plentiful and more than satisfying.  But it’s the layered complexity of the sauce that sets the restaurant apart from others in Chicago practicing the grill arts.  They’ll even mix the sauces to give you the heat level or flavor profile you’re looking for.  The balance of sweet (Chicago) and heat (Flaming Hot) proved ideal for not only the ribs and tips, it even added interest to the fries.   They’d have been bereft of excitement without it.  

Because of their popularity, the cashier also recommended the turkey tips.  But their high demand also makes them hard to score.  One day they had run out by 6pm and it would be a couple of hours before more would be ready.  On another they weren’t ready for sale even after noon and wouldn’t be available until midday.  Fortunately, the ribs and tips with their covetous sauce are all reasons to return on their own.

The Full Slab

8340 S. Stony Island Blvd.

Chicago, IL  60617

312-620-7522

www.thefullslabchicago.com

Tomorrow:  Nine One One –  Evergreen Park

Napolita Pizzeria and Wine Bar has enough charm to make you give it a whole handful of second chances.  With its devoted local following and exceptional wine offerings, there are reasons to keep the sophisticated little outpost on Wilmette’s main drag in your suburban play cycle when Neapolitan pizza crosses your mind. 

Sometimes thought of as a purist’s pizza, the Neapolitan approach has everything to do with simplicity.  A few top tier ingredients and classic flame baking have been resulting in a delicious all in one meal for over 200 years.

Originating in Naples, the first Neapolitan pizza featured only three ingredients in its center, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil; the colors of the Italian flag.  In 1984, an association was founded to formalize the standards needed to qualify as a true Neapolitan style pizzeria.  Requirements not only included the use of a wood fire dome oven but also the use of refined Italian type 0 or 00 wheat flour.  Only a few hundred restaurants carry VPN certification worldwide and Napolita is one of them. 

The second outing to the restaurant proved that things can still go wrong even though you’re working with all of the right tools.  Early on, all of the bells were ringing.  Happy Hour starts at 2pm and features half off bottles of wine listed at $78 or less.  Glider smooth and just the right balance of soft sweet and touch of tart, a Pieropan from Veneto Italy proved sensational.  Rice ball appetizers were also a great pick.  Not quite as big as a baby’s head, they were still opulent, well-formed and stuffed with beef, parmigiana, bel pases (a semi-soft cheese) and peas.  A bit too mildly seasoned but lovely to behold.  In the end, they represented the highlight of the dining portion of the meal.  That and the take-your-breath-away fresh Caesar salad with its subtle anchovy infused dressing.

The jury may be out forever on what should go on a traditional Neapolitan pizza or even how it should taste.  Few will argue high quality ingredients invariably insure the purest flavor profile. These days, toppings vary widely as they do at Napolita.  The key is to keep them down to just a few per pizza.  Many say the crust or base of the pizza should be thin with the charring on the puffed border reflecting a proper baking temperature.  Early Naples pizzas didn’t go beyond 10” because a raw tomato sauce made them difficult to slice. 

Our crowd didn’t stick with the tradition.  Some chose a salsiccia rossa consisting of house made sausage, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, mozzarella and basil while the conscientious went for the vegetable centric like the quattro stagioni (artichoke, mixed olives, mushrooms, cheese).  Although they all looked stunning and presented extremely well, taste didn’t match the visuals.  The base of each was ever so slightly wet and tough; giving them far too much chew.  The caramelized onions had no sweetness and the sausage was devoid of salty richness.  It’s dismaying to say a frozen pizza would have been better. 

That disappointment didn’t damper curiosity about the restaurant’s pasta menu.  Thinking of dinner later, ziti Genovese with beef ragu’ as its base and an earthy mushroom risotta sounded like great take home treats.  Again, flavor in the ziti was more phantom than real.  Neither raves or rocks were thrown at the risotto.  It was simply a rather drab appearing adequate. 

Early happy hour meant the restaurant was idling on purr.  Service was attentive, a little shy and helpful.  The restaurant, enveloped in dark wood and scaled for conversation, is inviting and gracious.  I’ve got to believe somebody there knows how use that oven the way it’s intended.  We’re more than ready to go back and find out.  Besides, the wine’s great.

Napolita Pizzeria & Wine Bar

1126 Central Ave.

Wilmette, IL  60091

224-215-0305

napolitapizza.com

In the twelve years since Michael Carlson created Schwa, jolting the city’s dining scene with a completely new take on how fine dining can be done, the commitment to vision still seemed thoroughly intact last weekend.   

If you’ve never been and only know what you’ve read about the restaurant, you may still be surprised when you enter the space.  Stripped of all the finery normally associated with sophisticated dining, you’re essentially in the middle of the dining room floor as soon as you cross the threshold.  There’s a small wind break that shields the room from direct contact with the outside world; but the room itself is remarkably small.  Lighting is low, walls are dark and those already seated and in the throes of the experience seem to be having a delightful time.  You immediately notice the laughter and the excellent hip hop/dance leaning music spilling from restaurants speakers.

Everything’s spare, efficient and reveals a knowing eye for essential beauty.  Attractive doesn’t have to be soft and polished.  Sometimes it can come with a harder edge and feature bare light bulbs and painted walls that look like they’d be right at home in a turn of the century gentleman’s club. 

Waiters are chefs and chefs are waiters without necessarily looking the part of either.  In black T-shirts, baseball caps and bandanas, the absence of pretense is refreshing and novel.  You get the sense that each person on staff is an invested ambassador who can give you in depth back stories on each dish if they weren’t so busy on the floor and in the back

The food is all you’d hope for in the best of the best.  Painstakingly inventive, there almost seems to be a conscious decision to lather each course in layers of complexity.   Menu descriptions only scratch the surface of what’s being plated.  The first Welcome to Schwa course beautifully typifies what that means.  It’s current configuration still uses a long wooden board with piped cream-textured dots and dashes running across it. Reminiscent of the muted colors of fall, the design is Morse code spelling at times “welcome” and others “Chicago”. This night the restaurant has decided to employ perfect golden puffs of hollow bread as the course’s wing men. A small glass cup of clarified chocolate is on hand to help slide it all down.  It’s a startling presentation and you’re not really sure how to attack it.  Fortunately, a young woman at the next table volunteered her expertise.  Break the bread and swipe it through a portion of the “code”.  Then pop in your mouth.  Bliss.  The cardamom and curry waltz lovingly over your tongue while the bread adds texture and warmth. Sips of warm chocolate ideally balance to the course’s soft toned spices. 

If the evening’s room is any clue, Schwa enjoys a large and youthful following that may be a byproduct of its casual accessibility and its comfort with the grit of contemporary life.

Each of the ten following courses continued to either marvel or delight; often both.  The ravioli with truffle, ricotta and quail egg was bold, assertive and Cartier classy.  The black cod dressed in mole Amarillo, stinging nettles and white copal, whether considering flavor, texture or complementary profile accents, was perfect in every detail.

Probably the most unusual dish centered on the varied dimensions of corn.  Tiny edible flowers are tucked in a halo of maize surrounding a corn broth with a single agnolotti pasta packet filled with popcorn submerged below.  The dish’s sweetness is almost brazen but carefully muted by the neutral texture and taste of the maize. 

Protein is well represented in the menu’s roster.   Caviar, the superb cod, sweetbreads, an exceptional lamb ingeniously prepared with coconut and green curry followed one after another in unhurried procession.       

The longer you linger over your meal, observing and absorbing the room, appreciating the knowledgeable and open staff; it’s no wonder thoughts begin to wander to opportunities for a return.  Don’t be alarmed if you also wonder what kind of leftovers may be in the fridge when you get home.  Schwa doesn’t use an “insurance” course that’s noticeably more substantial to guarantee even the most demanding appetite is satisfied.  With the restaurant generally introducing a new dish every month, you’ll still find yourself mulling over the thought of a new reservation to check out what’s rolling out of that tiny magic kitchen.

Schwa

1466 N. Ashland Ave.

Chicago, IL  60622

773-252-1466

Strolling down memory lane during Restaurant Week (RW) can reap big rewards.  It’s been decades since last dining at Topolobampo.  Finally that experience and curiosity about how Rick Bayless rocks the yearly food fest became two incentives that drew us into this year’s campaign to fill the towns dining chairs.  2019’s winter vortex threatened to make the festival a bust and caused organizers to extend the “week” to 21 days.  Topolobampo was on our hit list well before that happened. 

Named after a small Mexican fishing village because of its spiffy name, the restaurant has become a well-regarded fixture on the city’s restaurant scene and sits at the pinnacle of Bayless’s dining empire.  Noted not only for the authenticity of its dishes, Topolobampo is just as meticulous about using the best ingredients possible to make them.  It’s this double fisted commitment that earned its Michelin rating and that keeps diners’ palettes dancing.

The restaurant’s stature could withstand a mediocre showing during RW.  Smaller portions of reasonably good food would likely do little harm to the restaurant’s reputation.  Bayless doesn’t take that approach and provides instead one of the best values to be found during the annual celebration. 

The dining room may be even more beautiful than last remembered.   Lights hang like stars over a beautifully stylized bar and add to the room’s feeling of shelter, privacy and casual posh.  The lunch crowd on yet another glacial day in February is a mixed bag of sophistication and utility.  The wait staff, lopsided.  When asked for recommendations, the woman handling our table said, a bit dismissively, that we didn’t want her opinion. She remained taciturn and cautiously condescending throughout the meal. Her comrade taking care of tables just beyond ours was nothing but sunshine and graciousness.  Sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw that determines what kind of service you get.  Fortunately, the menu; not the service, lured us to Clark St. that Thursday afternoon.

Soup, quesadillas and tapioca don’t sound terribly groundbreaking.  But just like anything else; in the right hands, even the mundane can “poof”, become marvelous.  The sopa azteca’s pasilla chili-based broth certainly proved a subtle knockout with its thin homemade masa crisp lid.  The quartet of shrimp filled tacos wowed the eyes first.  Then got all gratifying with the tongue.  As an appetizer, they were a hearty well appreciated roll out to a wonderful lunch.   Fresh and premium quality ingredients turned out to be the hallmarks of the opening courses and everything that followed; especially the carne asada.  The $12 additional charge was well worth the investment.  Drizzled with an Oaxacan black mole, creamy braise of heirloom mushrooms and mezcal infused radishes, indulgences rarely come so delectable or bountiful.

Delicious as they were, the pork quesadillas did disappoint.  The quality of the tortillas, salsas, cheese and pork were unassailable.  Unfortunately, the protein was not evenly distributed throughout the four wedges.  A regrettable surprise but one that only slightly dented the pleasure quotient. 

Offering both the novel and the classic for dessert, diners could choose between innovative uses of fruit or chocolate. Door number one held layers of small coconut flavored pearls resting under a sweet ball of lime sorbet.  The two distinct tastes made them both bold and distinctive.  Door number two opened with two scoops of ice cream and a rich Mexican brownie that would make any sweet tooth feel pampered. 

If only Bellemore the following day had proved as rewarding. Just a year old, the restaurant’s something of a media darling.  Chef Jimmy Papadopoulous caviar-topped oyster pie received glowing coverage during the latter part of last year and remains a highlighted feature on the menu.  During restaurant week it was the Icelandic Cod with harissa charred eggplant that caught our attention.    We were counting on the restaurant’s reputation for boldness and innovation to make the dish memorable.  It turned out that the first course’s vegetable soup; with its radishes, carrots, kale and beans made a more lasting impression.  Another first course option, sweet potato tater tots with parmesan aioli delivered on taste but was meager. 

Regrettably, Bellemore’s RW menu was more appealing on paper. 

In a merry mood and remembering an outstanding cocktail prepared at the restaurant in November, we decided to ask for the bar’s rendition of an old fashioned; a cocktail called To the Point.  At $18, its sticker price was just $6 under the cost of the three-course fixed rate lunch.  But past knowledge and the competent reputation of Bellemore’s mixologists proved strong motivators. Neither as complex or as intriguing as hoped for, the highest praise you could give it is competent. 

But that’s what makes restaurant week so pleasing, you’re never quite sure what going to happen when you slip into one of those dining chairs organizers are so anxious for you to occupy.  And a home run three out of four times at bat will keep you swingin’ every time Restaurant Week rolls around.