2 wine glasses, 2 water glasses, 2 napkin rolls, the number “14”; Davanti Enoteca, 1359 W. Taylor Street
On the table: Davanti Enoteca
Filed under great for date
Mystery candy
What Chicago restaurant sells Bazooka bubblegum and more in the front?
Filed under mystery spot
Jack Archer
Looking to dine locally in Chicago and beyond? Here’s a recent round-up of seasonal, locally focused faves I put together a few weeks back for sharp new fashion/pop/politics/music/lifestyle online magazine JackArcher.com.
Filed under ..and more
Sprinkles love…
Forget the conversation hearts…this is what I’m taking about…Sprinkles’ embraces the high holy day of sweets with flavors like Red Hot Velvet (red velvet cake with spicy cinnamon cream cheese frosting), and Raspberry Chocolate Chip (chocolate chip-studded Belgian dark chocolate cake with raspberry frosting). Valentine or not, it’s not too late to get in line and stock up. Sprinkles, 50 E. Walton, 312.573.1600
Raspberry chocolate chip cupcakes from Sprinkles
Red hot velvet
Filed under red velvet cupcake report, thick
Chocolate mousse at Leopold
I don’t know about you, but I am LOVING the French bistro and Belgian-themed menus making their hearty mark all over town. Paris Club, Bistronomic, Maude’s and now Leopold, located oh-so-close to my house. Which means even if it’s obnoxiously cold out, I know that this perfect cup of chocolate mousse topped with Barry Callebaut crispearls is a short distance away, as is everything else on the awesome menu, from the braised short rib with glazed turnips to the soft pretzel and veal sausage. Leopold, 1450 W. Chicago Ave., 312.348.1028
Chocolate mousse at Leopold
Filed under great for date, new restaurants
Guest blog: Not Known For: The Smoke Daddy cornbread
OK, this mystery post was a little obscure, but once you spot the Stay-Puft marshmallow man at Wicker Park’s Wormhole coffee, you never forget it. Second-time guest blog winner Mark Rumble expressed his love for the 1980s-enrobed coffee shop, most notably for the Castle Grayskull toy (which I had to google, but still don’t get). Mark took a break from his new blog for Chicago men (and the women who tolerate them) ManUpChicago.com, to post on a not known for that I already knew and loved…the cornbread at The Smoke Daddy…
Not Known For: The Smoke Daddy’s Cornbread
Much to my own detriment, I’m a sucker for all things spicy. So whenever I see something on a menu that would typically not be spicy, but through the miracles jalapeños it has been made so, I cannot resist. (For proof of this, see my last guest post where I raved about Beans and Bagels’ jalapeno cream cheese.)
One of my favorite jalapeno-enhanced dishes is undoubtedly The Smoke Daddy’s cornbread. I’m not a cornbread connoisseur or traditionalist, I just know what I like: a gooey, buttery and tad bit smokey piece of cornbread. The Smoke Daddy delivers on all those fronts. But because they are geniuses, they also add little pieces of jalapeño in the cornbread. It makes for a fantastic, extra jolt of flavor and spiciness, enough to make you consider ordering two sides of it.
Now this concluding sentence might sound sacrilegious, but it’s true: If you ever decide to skip The Smoke Daddy’s barbecued meat and just indulge in several pieces of their cornbread, it’d be totally justifiable. The Smoke Daddy * 1804 West Division St., 773.772.6656
The Smoke Daddy cornbread (not shot from a TV still)
Filed under guest blogger, not known for
Paris Club
Paris Club sign
If you didn’t notice, the Eliz-a-bite of the week is back, and this this week it’s the melt in your mouth tender short ribs I had at a preview for the new Paris Club. The old Brasserie Jo space has taken an industrial-chic turn (DJ, wrought-iron work, white subway tiles, mirrors, rustic reclaimed wood tables to full to snap an “on the table,” and wood floors to match), with chef Jean Joho’s French bistro fare. The perfect lighting (seriously) makes for a fine milieu, but not always a fine photo, but I did my best. Opening tonight (officially), expect hard-to-get-tables in this bumping spot, but once you get one, savor the short ribs, delicious steak frites, oysters, mussels, croque monsieur fingers and more. We also loved the selection of terrines, pâtés (like the chicken liver pâté not served in a jar with a hinged lid!), Lyonnaise salad topped with a sprawling egg, and vegetable sides (a nice growing trend!) like the cauliflower gratin. For dessert, chocolate mousse was tasty but more like a pudding, but the pistachio pot de crème topped with crushed pistachios…totally worth the wait for your table. And if you are faced with a wait, head to scene-y bar area, grab a Pinot Noir on tap and take in the DJ beats. Paris Club, 59 W. Hubbard St., 312.595.0800
Lyonnaise salad
(This photo of) chicken liver pâté (doesn't do it justice)
Mussels
A hot table indeed
Filed under great for date, new restaurants
On the table: Leopold
4 plates, 4 napkins, 4 glasses, 4 forks, 4 knives, Leopold, 1450 W. Chicago Ave.
Filed under great for date, new restaurants, on the table
ELIZABITES 