fooddoggie's Profile
Authentic macarons?
You should have gone straight to Fritz Pastry for your macarons!!! It's on Diversey just west of Southport.
I have never tried the ones at Bittersweet so I can't compare. But, the one I had at Fritz Pastry was really intense!!! They have several flavors (75 cents apiece).
Bittersweet is much better for cookies and cakes, and their quiche is unbeatable.
First visit to Chicago
For deep dish pizza, I like the spinach and broccoli at Pizzeria Due's in the Water Tower area. Baccinos in the Depaul/Lincoln park area is also good. There's an outpost downtown too, I think. And, Giordano's is pretty good too.
For breakfast, in the Water Tower area is the International House of Pancakes (the Dutch baby pancakes are really delicious) and Tempo (traditional diner with very good omelets, hash browns, etc.). If you feel like a short cab ride, my fave is Milk and Honey in Wicker Park. I also like Orange in Lakeview. You might also enjoy strolling around in those neighborhoods. Lots of good boutiques.
All the above restaurants are very popular, so plan accordingly.
If you can fit it in, you might also try a Mexican restaurant, steak house, soul food restaurant, or BBQ joint. These are what Chicago does best, in my opinion.
Your "go-to" places in Chicago for everyday eating
I forgot about Turquoise. I ate there before and after going to Turkey. Delicious! I must go back to the restaurant soon. Very under-rated, I think.
Your "go-to" places in Chicago for everyday eating
Great suggestions. I agree on Andies and Reza's. They don't cut if for me. And, I feel gross after I've eaten a basket of pita bread...
Single diner - Frontera/Topo or alternatives
Tempo at State and Chestnut. You''ll have no prob waving down a cab to or from. It's in the Water Tower area. Cheap, hearty - luckily, not so greasy. It's very popular and very dependable. Has everything.
Your "go-to" places in Chicago for everyday eating
Forgot to add Tempo and Melrose for "eat in" diners.
Anyone have everyday "go to" restaurants in Andersonville (besides Andies and Rezas), Lincoln Square, or Roscoe Village?
Would like to broaden this list by neighborhood as well.
Lunch & dinner this weekend on Michigan Ave.
I'm sorry but I think Quartino is awful. Why do people eat there? Subpar for Italian.
Brasserie Jo is much nicer, higher quality ingredients, more sophisticated. No comparison there. . I also recommend Shaw's and Coco Pazzo. Near Millennium Park I recommend the Atwood Cafe in the Burnham Hotel - beautiful historic environment.
steak frittes
Mon Ami Gabi has a reliable one. Also you might like the location - right across from Lincoln Park. I also think their profiteroles are the best in the city. Yum.
One Weekend in Chicago -- The Best Picks: Help!
My favorite burger is at Rosebud on Walton. The burger at the Ritz Cafe is also very good, but probably more expensive than at Rosebud. For a Kobe burger Yoshi's in Lakeview is quite good.
I like the steaks at Keefer's and Rosebud/Walton the best.
Tweet for brunch (kid-friendly), but not sure I'd seek it out if you weren't in the Uptown/Andersonville area.
Your "go-to" places in Chicago for everyday eating
Thanks for the additions. You have a lot of places I used to go to quite often. I think they just ran their course. It happens. It's probably time I consider going back. . .
Your "go-to" places in Chicago for everyday eating
I'll give you Portillos, but McDonalds?! No way!!! See caveat in original post: No fast food/chains.
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Portillo's
7195 S Kingery Hwy, Willowbrook, IL 60527
Hyde Park?
Let's put it this way...I lived/worked in HP for over a decade, and now that I live elsewhere in the city, I would never drive there for a dining/culinary experience. That said, if you think of Hyde Park as a "college town," it's probably on par with any other college town.
My recommendations:
Original Pancake house has really good thick bacon. In my opinion it's probably the best restaurant there. Again, it's the bacon. And, you can't screw up pancakes. Lines can be long on weekends, and I think it's only open until mid-afternoon. (That's crazy! Any good student knows you need some serious carbs for those late nights!)
You go to Vallois, Harold's, and Ribs and Bibs once, so you can say you did.
And, I'm sorry to say, that goes for Jimmy's too. (I was more a Tiki fan).
The Med or Florian are mainly for when you go out with a group. I'd stick with thin crust pizza with the pizza at Florian a little better, I think. Florian also has better salads. The chocolate milkshake at the Med isn't bad if you have a milkshake craving.
I don't know if it's still there, but Lucky Strike has a decent chopped salad. Portions are huge.
For a quick cheap bite, I'd often grab a BLT or grilled cheese at Salonica. Or for breakfast the eggs are fine. I wouldn't eat anything else there.
The cinnamon roll (I don't exactly what they call it) at Bonjour Bakery is really quite good. And, I've had other good pastries there too. The cakes are also good, if you need one for a party.
I've been to meetings where the food was catered by Snail, and I thought it was pretty good. I'd probably never go to the restaurant, however.
For soul food go South of Hyde Park, for Chinese go to Chinatown, for Mexican go to Pilson, for Italian go to Little Italy, Greek go to Greektown, etc. Those are all areas that are close enough to Hyde Park, but you'll need a car. If you don't have a car, I believe that there's a U of C bus route that can take you to the North Side, where you can take your pick of restaurants.
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Bonjour Cafe
100 W Randolph St Lowr 115, Chicago, IL 60601
Salonica Restaurant
1440 E 57th St, Chicago, IL 60637
Brunch help, please
We love the Ritz buffet for family gatherings. It's very comfy (big stuffed chairs, couches), the kids love it. There's the big greenhouse atmosphere, large fountain and a big pond with huge koi in it. Very entertaining. Nice to walk around if people get antsy. The food is very similar to the Four Seasons - there isn't anything that isn't there. Carving tables, omelets, waffles, everything you'd expect. And, they don't rush you one bit. Just make sure you save some room for the dessert table. You can stay for hours, relax, very easy environment.
Your "go-to" places in Chicago for everyday eating
Great suggestions! Looking forward to checking them out. Haven't been to Earwax in years - I must revisit it.
The La Madia pizza is thin crust - maybe you'd call it artisanal? adventuresome? Note, it does NOT travel well. I like the grape pizza, the homemade sausage, the one with speck, and the wild mushroom pizza, the Hay & Straw pasta, the beet salad, and mushroom bruschetta. The wine pairings are very nice too. I especially like to eat in the lounge (fireplace area).
Ya, I hope people will add to the thread!
Your "go-to" places in Chicago for everyday eating
Hi there, Chowhounds,
I've been wanting to expand my "everyday" eating repertoire.
I don't really cook so I'm often eating take-out or just plain eating out. I'm not talking about the Alinea's or Shwa's of this city - no doubt, I'd love to go those places at some point - but I'm talking here about the places that regular Chicagoans like you and me go to on a regular basis. I'm talking about the places where you don't need a reservation (at least not more than a day ahead), where you don't need to stand in a line (at least not for more than a few minutes).
So, Chicago Chowhounds, here's where you come in. . .you come home from work, exhausted, you don't have the time or inclination to cook, what do you take home or where do you stop in on your way home from the El? Or, you wake up late on a weekend, you drag yourself out of bed, where's your first meal of the day? You've got a busy bustling day, lunch is calling or you need a little "pick-me-up," but who has the time? Where do you go?
***In short, what's on heavy rotation on your "foodie" play list?***
I'm offering my (non-exhaustive) "go-to" list as an example, with the understanding that I go to these places way too often and, as mentioned above, need to re-fresh my repertoire and add some new ones to "mix it up." Here goes...
For take-out:
Rosebud on Walton (burger or lemon garlic chicken, sides)
Joe's Seafood (chopped salad)
Trotters-To-Go (roasted chicken, sandwiches, bread)
The deli next to Food Life (mini sandwiches, salad bar)
Dee's (once in while for hot and sour soup, cashew chicken)
Sai Cafe (not so often any more, sushi)
Athenian Room (chicken kalamata)
The Bagel (matzoh ball soup, challah)
Las Tablas (matrimonio = Columbian style steak/chicken combo)
Via Carducci (pizza, pasta)
Swedish bakery (cookies)
Fritz Pastry (croissants, donuts)
Vanille (croissants)
Eat in:
Uncommon Ground on Clark (chopped salad)
Taste of Heaven (lunch, sandwiches)
Milk & Honey (lunch, brunch)
Orange on Clark St. (lunch, brunch)
Bittersweet (quiche, soup, cookies)
Meinl on Addison (sandwiches, coffee)
Intelligentsia on Bway (coffee)
Food Life breakfast bar (oatmeal)
Nuevo Leon (everything)
La Madia (pasta, pizza, blood orange dessert)
Piccolo Sogno (I do make a reservation there)
Margie's (turtle sundae fix)
Irazu (burritos, plantains)
Alright, Chowhounds, you get the idea! Go to it! I'm eager to hear what you come up with and excited about expanding my horizons! A few caveats: Whole Foods goes without saying, and no "fast food"/chains, please.
Thanks!
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Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Athenian Room
807 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Sai Cafe
2010 N Sheffield Ave Apt 1, Chicago, IL 60614
Las Tablas Restaurant
4920 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60641
Uncommon Ground
1401 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60660
Afternoon Tea
I enjoyed tea at the Peninsula, it's solid; the tea is delicious, as one would expect, but it doesn't have the luxuriousness of the Ritz or the Four Seasons, probably because of the atmosphere. As far as attire, this is Chicago - you can go casual - nobody cares.
What's the best bakery in Chicago for sweets?
I agree on Sweet Mandy B's. Very mediocre. Has stuff you might not have time or want to make at home like rice crispy treats, snickerdoodles - plays to nostalgia and the "after-school" crowd. Does anyone else think the cake in their cupcakes tastes like Betty Crocker mix? Blech. I think its popularity is due in part to its location - next to a school and John's Place (also mediocre).
For cupcakes Molly's Cupcakes on Clark wins my vote.
For a traditional French croissant or pain au chocolat I go to Vanille, but it can get very pricey. The cakes are like those one finds (or used to find) at Payards in NY. Very sumptuous, rich.
My latest "go-to" place is Fritz Bakery on Diversey/Southport. It's a nice atmosphere too,where you can sit down, take your time, have coffee, read the paper, etc. Most pastries are about $2, very reasonably priced, and also smaller in size than you'd normally find.
Croissants have a lot of bite to them, slightly more salty/crunchy than buttery, which I really like. My guess is that they are more "Breton" than Parisienne, but what do I know. Anyway, they have a lot of character, if that makes sense. Fritz also makes a variety of brioches which are perfect little bites, and their macarrons are intense!
For cookies (especially shortbread) and a very nice quiche, I like Bittersweet.
I still have not found a proper baguette. Anyone? A while back I stopped in on Cook au Vin (which is mostly catering) and their mini's were excellent. But I never seem to make it there during their (very limited) hours.
I once went into Bleeding Heart. The place was dusty and the cases virtually empty. Didn't buy anything. Sounds like it's improved, though.
Also, where do people go for a traditional birthday cake? Growing up we got all our childhood birthday cakes - sheet cakes and layer cakes with wonderful butter cream frosting, yellow roses, etc. - from Field's bakery. That was in the 70's and 80's. Oh, what I would do for the Field's bakery or at least the recipes. They had a fantastic Dobbish Tortes (I can't spell that!), German Sweet Chocolate Cake, and these wonderful iced chocolate cookies with walnuts. Anyone remember??? At one time it was fabulous.
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Sweet Mandy B's
1208 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Molly's Cupcakes
2536 N Clark St, Chicago, IL
John's Place
2132 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618
Best Pushcarts (Manhattan)
In search of "gelato cart": Does anyone know of a pushcart that sells gelato? I had some awesome gelato from a guy in midtown or was it the upper east side? Never found him again. ) :
East 50-70's: Restaurants and cafes, the whole shebang!
No one has mentioned the above yet, thanks! Will look into it more. Based on previous posts, looks like Tal isn't open (at least for now).
Best for Desserts open late
I like the Turtle Sundae with everything on it. Personally, I wouldn't say that the ice cream is all that special, but I love the toppings (hot fudge and caramel). Also, everything is huge. And, part of the fun is seeing the huge sundaes people order. Most everything gets served in a large white conk shell dish. It's a local crowd, lots of families and teenagers, few if any tourists. As far as sitting down, if the place is crowded expect to squeeze into pretty small booths - red vinyl. Another part of the fun is the doll collection and other random displays, including music memorabilia. Don't expect anything slick or trendy here, just good old-fashioned fun.
Best for Desserts open late
If you go to Margie's, you can make it a double header: Irazu followed by Margie's. These are places a lot of locals go to, super-cheap, very casual, and tasty too!
East 50-70's: Restaurants and cafes, the whole shebang!
Thanks! Plenty to choose from! I will check out the menus!
East 50-70's: Restaurants and cafes, the whole shebang!
Got it! Thanks!
I wonder if pushcarts is the way to go these days, especially for those restaurants who seem to be losing their leases left and right.
East 50-70's: Restaurants and cafes, the whole shebang!
Thanks for the updated info on La Goulue. I had heard different things on the boards, so I was hoping...We had passed by Orsay, but had never stopped in. I guess now's our chance!
I will also look into your other suggestions! I greatly appreciate them!
Alinea, and Trotter set. Where else should I go?
Piccolo Sogno is a favorite of ours. Don't know if the outdoor area will be open, but the food is delicious inside or out.
East 50-70's: Restaurants and cafes, the whole shebang!
Thanks, especially for the Chinese takeout!
Any other suggestions out there? Still in search of restaurants and cafes in the East 60's and 70's. ( :
East 50-70's: Restaurants and cafes, the whole shebang!
Hi there,
I saw from another post that Payard is closed (for the moment), and I am this close to freaking out! I lived in New York for many years and whenever I return my family and I stay on the Upper East Side just to go to Patisserie Payard - sometimes two three times a day!
So...we arrive in NY next week, and now we have a "situation": we need to know where to go - breakfast, lunch, and dinner; brunch and afternoon tea - the whole shebang. (I guess this is what happens when you don't "diversify!") Your help, please?
We need restaurants and cafes in in the Midtown/Upper East Side areas (east 50's-70's). I know, not the easiest.
We already go to La Goulue. And, i found Fig & Olive on several posts here, and it looks like our style. (We like good healthy food, organic is nice too. We don't care about trendy.) I saw Financier Patisserie posted here - on 54th, I think? - so I am looking into that as an option nearby as well.
Recommendations (East 50-70's) for the following would also be most welcome :
Chinese take-out
Greek diner or coffee shops (with actual good coffee?)
Pushcarts (for anything) are fine too.
Bagels
Baguettes or French sandwiches (stuff to take on the go)
Any place that makes an old-fashioned hot chocolate or oatmeal!
This is a tall order, I realize. If you can help with any of it, that'd be great!
Thanks so much!
