I love the room, but have yet to try the food here. Intrigued by truffle fries, baby octopus with white beans and a maple mohito on the menu
On the table: Bluprint
Filed under on the table
Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique
Bring on the bliss
I first spotted pastry chef Teresa Ging’s picture perfect Sugar Bliss cupcakes at an event last summer, and couldn’t wait for the boutique to open earlier this year. Located across from Macy’s, it’s definitely more minimalist cupcake “boutique” then bubbie’s kitchen, but the cupcakes still taste fresh and homemade. They feature 5 daily flavors (from orange creamsicle to chocolate cappuccino) and seasonal specials all donning luscious flower petal frosting formations. The beauty of offering mini cupcakes is that you can scarf several varieties and still have room for a few of their signature $1 frosting shots (it’s exactly what it sounds like). I loved the chocolate-peanut butter with moist, airy chocolate cake and an intense peanut butter buttercream frosting I would’ve downed in pint glass over a mere shot. The red velvet won out as well, and I should’ve gotten the full size to experience more of the cream cheese frosting and sweet red velvet cake. Sugar Bliss gets all sweet on Cinco de Mayo this weekend with a dark chocolate cupcake with chocolate cinnamon chile buttercream and a Red Hot topping, available through May 5. 115 N. Wabash, 312.845.9669.
Peanut butter-chocolate bliss
Texas Red Velvets available in full-size, mini and as a cream cheese frosting shot
Filed under red velvet cupcake report
On the table: Taxim
Come for the hummus with green chickpeas, stay for the Skouras Viognier from Southern Greece
Filed under new restaurants, on the table
The atrium at Branch 27
I heard about the “atrium” at the back of Branch 27 when it was still a construction site, but couldn’t really picture what co-owner Cary Michael was describing. After finally making my way over to the new West Town restaurant, which recently opened in a former public library, I got a clear view of the tables before the nightly dinner crowd descends. Even though spring is taking its sweet time to grace us with its presence, this part of the restaurant makes me think of summer. I worship the chairs, the mix of wood, brick, metal and glass, and the lush green ivy hanging above. You can tell it’s probably the coveted seating area of the place, but the rest of Branch is a similar mix of comforting materials and gorgeous votive-lit wooden tables (with a few white marble ones thrown in for good measure). As for the eats, a colleague was raving about the roast chicken with Brussels sprouts, sausage and peppers, and mozzarella sticks the size of egg rolls, making me even more excited to try and score a seat there this weekend, Atrium or not. Full review to come. 1371 W. Chicago Ave., 312.850.2700
Filed under great for date, new restaurants
On the table update, best bite, Alinea and more..
Man, these dimly lit restaurants are going to be the death of me and my Canon. Believe you me, I loves the effects of a votive-lit table as much as a the next girl, but more for the face and less for the food shots. Alas, I will continue to manipulate nighttime food photos anyway with the right exposure and a steady (pre-vino) hand. Dim shots or not, I do apologize for my lack of eating adventures lately. There are a slew of restaurants on my radar that I plan to try in the next couple of weeks including Branch 27, the rest of the pie at Hoosier Mama (chocolate banana cream yo!), Eve, Mixteco Grill, the list goes on.
New restos aside, I do want to note that the countdown is officially on for my second dining experience at Alinea, It’s happening next week and will be my first visit back since 2005. I am already dreaming of hearts of palm placed delicately on tiny ceramic pedestals, lavender-essence filled pillows and lobster ravioli with carrot juice and coconut powder…but only Chef Achatz knows what’s in store for our palates. Starting fast now…
As if that’s not exciting enough, I also want to introduce a couple new elizabites features on the horizon; “best bite” will be a brief post about the best thing I ate all week, and the “On the Table” posts will now come with added captions. I figure at some point you may want to know more about the actual restaurant than just the color of its napkins rolls… watch for it under the photo.
Filed under ..and more
Carrot cake at Lula Café
Carrot cake at Lula Café
Filed under cheap, tasty brunch, I like to eats, thick
On the table: Butterfly Sushi Bar
I don't go here often, but every time I do the place is packed
4 water glasses, 4 wine glasses, 4 plates, 4 soy sauce bowls, 1 bottle soy sauce, 4 sets chopsticks, 4 napkins, tablecloth and paper. Butterfly Sushi, 1156 W. Grand Ave., 312.942.9955.
Filed under on the table
Hoosier Mama Pie
Apple Pie from Hoosier Mama
The best part about guest-speaking for my friend’s writing class is getting to dig into the apple pie she brought in from Hoosier Mama for her students to try and then write about as an assignment. I’ve been inside the bite-sized 1940’s-style West Town shop before (the former FanSiPan), but have yet to actually try a slice. This actually turned out better because I got to see a whole golden apple pie in all its maple-leaf emblazoned glory. I love the exaggerated zig-zag crust and uneven knife cuts that remind me of my dad’s homemade apple pie he whips up at Thanksgiving. Because it was eaten away off the premises, it was room temperature when we devoured it, but still deliciously tart, with big chunks of diced apples and a buttery flaky crust. I do love apple, but I need to go back for strawberry-rhubarb pie, peanut butter pie and chocolate cream pie with bananas (which I swear I perfected at age 9 but haven’t had since). Expect a separate post on all of the aforementioned greatness. What’s also great is the tag and cool strings tied around the big white to-go box. 1618 1/2 Chicago Ave., 312.243.4846
Retro pie tag from Hoosier Mama
Filed under I like to eats, new restaurants, thick
ELIZABITES 