Frozen mojito at The Hotel at South Beach

Under normal January-in-Chicago circumstances, a luscious photo of an ice-cold, frozen mojito from the pool bar atop The Hotel at South Beach in Miami might have made you all long for summer…but the relatively balmy temps right now aren’t making winter as soul-crushingly horrid as it normally is. Don’t get me wrong, my weekend trip to South Beach and Naples was a welcome respite from Chicago’s ice-encrusted sidewalks, salt-coated cars and dreary skies. I didn’t go too crazy, but did have a mind-blowingly good dinner at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink (forgot camera-blaaaggghh!) and a fantastic muddled rhubarb cocktail at The Setai courtyard bar (the most stunning bar I have ever seen). But a definite highlight was the frozen mojito served at the pool bar atop our hotel. At first glance around the pool, I thought (wished) it was a green smoothie, but figured that was much too healthy an option for 3PM on a sun-soaked, 80-degree Friday. I was feeling more frozen margarita, but our server convinced me otherwise. I’m not a huge mojito fan, but the mint didn’t overpower, nor did the alcohol, and it didn’t taste like a sugar bomb…just a refreshing mint-kissed mojito, perfect for an unseasonably warm day in Chicago. The Hotel at South Beach, 801 Collins Ave.

Frozen mojito magic

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Filed under boozeworthy, eliz-a-trip

On the table: Yusho

5 cloth napkins, 5 sets chopsticks, 5 rocks, votive. Yusho (review to come) 2853 N. Kedzie

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Filed under great for date, new restaurants, on the table

Breakfast sandwich at Floriole

I may have found the perfect egg sandwich. Leave it to Floriole Bakery to slather their killer fresh baked French baguettes with Butterkase (buttery cheese) before adding a generous slab of baked egg, crispy bacon, sweet onions, tomatoes, spinach and Cheddar to make a sandwich that doesn’t even fall apart as you take a bite, and doesn’t take too many bites to finish. 1220 W. Webster Ave.

Floriole breakfast sandwich

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Filed under cheap, tasty brunch

2011 in Review

The folks at WordPress generated this nifty year in review of elizabites. Thanks to all for reading, commenting and checking out my recommendations. Have a safe, happy and healthy new year. Here’s to a fantastic 2012!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 19,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

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My Best Eats of 2011

Smoked steak tartare at Henri


So another tasty year is coming to a close, and while my newfound hobby of cooking at home has certainly caused my dining out habits to suffer this year, I definitely had my fill of best bites in Chicago and beyond. It’s so hard to recall them all..but here are the top ten in no particular order…here’s to more delicious bites in 2012!

1. Reese Pieces macaroons by Sweet spot macaroons.
2. Bittersweet chocolate cake with shiitake gelato at Girl and & Goat
3. Baja shrimp bruschetta at GT Fish & Oyster Bar
4. Duck breast at Next, Paris 1906
5. Hors d’œuvres tray at Next, Paris 1906
6. Turkey leg at The Purple Pig
7. Green Day Live juice at Peeled
8. Smoked steak tartare with quail egg at Henri
9. Lamb shank, Central, Las Vegas
10. Salmon rillets, everything bagel at Ardeo & Bardeo, Washington, D.C.

Turkey leg excellence at the Purple Pig

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Filed under Best bite, I like to eats, thick

Henri

How do I just make a passing reference to dining at Henri and not post some photos? The place had me at smoked steak tartare with a quail egg, and kept me pretty captivated all the way through to the dark chocolate tart. Did I mention we also had cobia gravlax on grain bread all for the three-course prix fixe lunch price of $25? The room itself is elegant without being stuffy, and each dish is dotted with lovely details, from flower petals to dried fruit slices and generous pepper cracklins’. Lunch, dinner, date or just to perch with wine and some Michigan Avenue people watching, I heart Henri, 18 S. Michigan Ave.

Petite Niçoise moderne


mussels


Cobia on rye


Smoked steak tartare with quail egg


Crème brûlée


Dark chocolate tart

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Filed under Best bite, great for date, Take the 'rents

Chicago Hilton gingerbread house

A friend staying at the Hilton Chicago joined me for lunch at Henri a couple weeks ago, but before we set out for mussels and smoked steak tartare, I got a glimpse of Chicago’s largest gingerbread house under construction. A team of chefs balanced on metal ladders to affix tasty gingerbread bricks to the chimney of the nine-foot-tall house, and slap sweet panels on the slanted roof. I think a white picket fence and poinsettias now surround the sweet crib, so head up to the 2nd floor lobby to catch a glimpse and the awesome aroma. Chicago Hilton, 720 S. Michigan Ave.

Gingerbread house in action


Sweet crib

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Filed under random spottings