Gentleman! If you want to impress your lady with something sweet and chocolatey this Valentine’s Day, I’d stay far away from some of the custom creations I spotted in the window of the Fudge Pot this week. I mean, I can appreciate a solid chocolate Jimmy Choo as much as the next gal, but the PMS block? Eh..I don’t recommend. The ring and diamond are kind of cute, but trust me, they’d prefer the kind they can wear around their fingers and not on their hips. Play it safe and stick with the martini, or peruse the rest of the classic (and non-cliché) Valentine’s Day goodies stocked in the delish Old Town confectionary. 1532 N. Wells Street.
Well, she’s just into chocolate anyway
Filed under random spottings
Big sandwiches at Farmerie 58
The Bistro Burger
The Big Sandwich Tuesday crew lived on the edge this week, and gathered on a Wednesday to take advantage of the surprisingly big sandwiches on Farmerie 58‘s lunch menu. They offer a pretty nifty lunch special of $18 for two courses, and you definitely won’t leave hungry with first course options like lobster bisque and a chopped salad. Second course options include two-fisters like a bistro burger with applewood-smoked bacon, Amish chicken sandwich and a salmon BLT with tarragon aïoli and red wine vinaigrette. I loved that the salmon sandwich came on toasted multi-grain, the fish was perfectly cooked and the aïoli added herby flavor and juiciness without the soggy. My companion, a Big Sandwich Tuesday veteran, tried to devour his bistro burger but only got half-way through. Our third companion went the route of wild boar pasta, a homey hearty mix of wild boar, Italian sausage, rapini, tomato, basil and pecorino. But he couldn’t keep his hands off the truffle frites that come with our sandwiches. At first glance they look like those crunchy, salty shoe string potatoes that just make you crave a classic wedge or waffle fry, but they are surprisingly good, crunchy only on the outside and soft inside with a hint of truffle oil essence. Farmerie’s lunch special is pretty decent, but I can’t say the same for the room. Granted, it was about 3-degrees outside, the space feels a little cold and sparse, with a lot of room for what doesn’t look like a lot of tables. I didn’t see it in its previous life as Republic Pan-Asian Restaurant, but I think I expected a more vibrant milieu. My dining companion referenced a random raw bar on the second floor, but we never ventured upstairs. Cold spaces aside, the truffle fries, pasta and big sandwiches warmed us up nonetheless. The dinner menu looks more striped bass and short rib ravioli than sandwiches, so I’ll definitely be back for what may be a totally different vibe at night. 58 E. Ontario, 312.440.1818.
Pan-roasted salmon BLT
Wild boar pasta
Filed under new restaurants, quick lunch, thick
Mystery wall
More art installation than actual wine cellar, this wall shows up in what Chicago restaurant? Guess for a chance to guest blog. 
Filed under mystery spot
Not known for: Japanese flatbread at Kaze
Japanese flatbread at Kaze
I’ll admit it, when it comes to sushi, I tend to stick to the same go-to spots (Sushi X much?). But I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for Kaze in Roscoe Village. It’s almost a special occasion spot, but not because it’s especially expensive, but because such care goes into everything on executive chef Macku Chan and his crew’s ever-changing menu, from sushi specials like East Coast white tuna topped with banana wasabi purée to white asparagus soup and shrimp tempura and arugula maki. But like any great restaurant, they don’t take off the original favorites, like sizzling sweet potato soup with lobster broth, fish entrées like black cod with bittersweet chocolate sauce, and maki rolls like soft shell crab and salmon. We stuck to these items on a recent visit, but also discovered a few hidden gems and the ultimate not known for. First off, I am a gomae junkie, and I’ve seen the spinach served warm, cold, doused in some sort of rich sesame seed sauce or neatly standing upright in it. At Kaze, it comes topped with crunchy sweet potato sticks and includes deep fried bananas which add yet another textural layer and a bit of sweet. But the biggest surprise came when our waiter convinced us to order the Japanese flatbread, a glorious creation we were told was going to take 30 minutes. We gave it a shot and didn’t know where to start as our server presented a flatbread that smacked of pizza: thin garlic and tomato bread topped with melted mozzarella, fresh figs, sundried tomatoes, tuna and white fish sashimi, microgreens and strawberry mayonnaise with a sprinkling of bonito fish flakes. We didn’t know whether to take a picture of it, eat or fight over it, and we ended up doing all three. It’s a special, so get it before it’s gone. And while you’re trusting me on the insane flavor combos the Kaze crew has the ability to dream up, finish up with the asparagus flan for dessert. Don’t ask, just do. 2032 W. Roscoe, 773.327.4860
Filed under great for date, not known for
Lunch at NoMi
I’m not huge on soup unless I’m lucky enough to be dining at NoMi in the Park Hyatt. Their awesome cold watermelon soup with star anise rocks it in the summer, but this month I am worshipping the warm pumpkin and coconut soup served with a side of cold potato salad with bacon lardons. I recently tried the luscious concoction along with Peekytoe crab cakes and will definitely be back, especially since they just rolled out a $25 starter-entrée-dessert lunch special this week. And even after dessert (which ranges from chocolate caramel brownie macaroon to carrot cake), you get to try not to devour the entire silver box of turmeric marshmallows, hazelnut caramel, licorice chocolate ganache, orange tea cake with hazelnut caramel candies delivered to the table at the end. NoMi, Park Hyatt Chicago, 800 N. Michigan Ave., 312.239.4030
Coconut and pumpkin soup with potato salad
Peekytoe crab cakes
A sweet finish
Filed under ..and more, great for date, I like to eats
Elizabites on Glossed & Found
Fashion and lifestyle Web site Glossed & Found did a fun profile on elizabites.com this week! The interview is sort of beauty- and fashion-oriented, but I do plug my favorite Chicago restaurant, red velvets and other sinful favorites…
Filed under ..and more
Dangerous discovery of the day..
Trader Joe’s dark chocolate covered pistachios.
Filed under ..and more, I like to eats, random spottings
Red velvet report
I know, I know, I’ve been failing at keeping up with my red velvet cupcake report as of late, and I’m especially bummed that I never got to try the velvety treat at Cupcakes, which recently closed. I am still waiting on the L.A.-based Sprinkles to make an appearance, and have yet to try Swirlz, Molly’s, and Chaos Theory Cakes. I did notice that Starbucks just launched a red velvet I have yet to try, and um, has anyone else noticed the red velvet whoopie pie at Fox & Obel? I gave those a try a while back, and I have to say I actually prefer Fox & Obel’s actual red velvet cupcake over the ultra-sweet and dense whoopie pie incarnation. However, it does get points for novelty. Anyone spot any other RVCs I should know about?
Red velvet whoopie pie at Fox & Obel
It beckons to me but I have yet to try the red velvet at Starbucks.
Filed under red velvet cupcake report
ELIZABITES 