Festival Report: Chicago Gourmet 2014

Being as old as Brandy is, it's hard for her to remember a lot of things in full detail, but one thing she is reminded of every year is what it's like to be a child at Christmas.  The anticipation the night before, the surge of excitement when the morning finally dawns, the joy at the sight of all the presents under a sparkling tree, all of this Brandy experiences in late summer every year when the Chicago Gourmet festival is upon us.  "Yes, it is foodie Christmas," Brandy fondly sighs, "From June when the tickets go on sale to that glorious weekend in September I feel just like I felt when I was a child in the lead up to Christmas."

This year's festival promised to be the most extravagant ever with plenty of star power to boot.  Chicago icons like Rick Bayless, Graham Elliot, and Stephanie Izard as well as national super stars like Carla Hall, Spike Mendelsohn, and Masaharu Morimoto and so many others were all present for demos, book signings, and tastings.  "The difference between this and a music festival is the simple fact that people can interact with their favorite stars here in a more personal and direct way," Brandy observed, "These chefs are here to give their food, like a gift, to the masses, not show off.  Perhaps that's why there seem to be no egos among even the most accomplished chefs.  Everyone is happy to shake hands, sign autographs, and talk food no matter how many James Beard Awards they have under their belts!"

After the inaugural toast made by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Brandy took a minute to bask in the beautiful weather before diving in head first to the tasting pavilions, gathering up as many bites as she could before the change over at 3:00.  There were surprising amounts of the same sorts of things (lots of sliders, several octopus dishes, and on the sweet side at least five different kinds of donuts), but plenty of restaurants and chefs easily stood out in the crowd.  Lines at the Supreme Lobster Pavilion were as long as ever, but the new BBQ Pavilion also got it's share of attention.

As always seems to happen, Brandy found favorites right away.  Jared Van Camp brought Leghorn's famous Hot Chicken Sandwich, which was a pretty substantial portion of fried chicken breast on a soft house made bun with shaved vegetable slaw and just a touch of hot sauce.  Paul Fehribach from Big Jones showcased an end of summer bisque made of eggplant and pecans, served chilled with poached shrimp and wax beans, which made for a nice change from the usual fall flavored squash soups others were serving, though Jon Keeley of Gemini Bistro and Rustic House had a pretty tasty butternut squash soup with pumpkin seeds and bacon lardons.  Jimmy Bannos Sr. of Heaven on Seven and The Purple Pig had a Creole chicken and cheesy grits that Brandy would have happily eaten a full sized plate of, and in the same pavilion, Stetson's Modern Steak and Sushi had an amazing cup of fall vegetables with mandarin orange, roasted fig, goat cheese, spiced pear puree.  There was an over abundance of seafood dishes, but Brandy's favorite among the crowd was the lobster mango roll from Jellyfish, which was not only tasty, but one of the prettiest dishes there.

Dessert seemed to have a particular emphasis this year, as Brandy was very pleased to see.  Donuts were at the forefront, with Glazed and Infused bringing a goat cheese and red wine glazed cake donut, Firecakes giving attendees the choice between a vanilla, chocolate, and "almond joy" flavored, custard filled yeast donuts, and Stan's Donuts stealing the spotlight with their Chicago Mix donut, which was topped with caramel corn and filled with a cheddar cream.  "Not sure how I feel about this one," Brandy said, studying the neon orange interior of the pastry, "But it certainly is unique!"  Other sweet favorites included Bistronomic's version of a Kit Kat bar, composed of feuilletine, chocolate hazelnut ganache, and served with orange Grand Marnier sauce and The Langham's pistachio and cherry tart, which was a such an intricate dessert that the station displayed one of the desserts cut in half to show all of the layers inside.  Another major crowd favorite was surprisingly from Francesca's Restaurants, which brought a sweet corn butterscotch bread pudding with blueberries, caramel corn, and vanilla ice cream.

Even though the amount of wine in the main festival was overwhelming as always, Brandy made a major effort to visit the Grand Cru this year, the showcase for international wineries that often invites the best chefs at the festival to create small dishes that pair perfectly with the wine.  While Brandy may not be the most sophisticated wine drinker (she pretty much just worked her way through the lines, holding out her wine glass for a pour, and then moving on) she was pleased to see chefs like Stephanie Izard and Andrew Zimmerman were hurriedly feeding the crowds themselves at the back of the space.  Brandy's favorite among the group were Tony Mantuano and Chris Marchino from Spiaggia, who served pickled black mission figs with Castelmagno cheese, ‘nduja sausage and fennel.

Next, Brandy jumped over the Bon Appetite Mainstage to take in a chef demo or two.  She caught the very end of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto's demo, in which he showed off his knife skills by breaking down a gigantic fish (as well as singing) in front of the crowd.  After that, Carla Hall (from Top Chef and The Chew) made a cheddar cheese and apple pie, proving to be just as quirky and lovable live as she is on television.  After that came Jeff Mauro, otherwise known as The Sandwich King, whose comedy training came out while he prepared rustic Italian favorites, even inviting his son to come up and help with the dish's prep.

Finally, Brandy took one more turn around the tasting pavilions (and as many of the cocktail tents that would serve her).  Davanti Enoteca smartly pandered to the crowds a little bit by serving the ever so fashionable cheese, burrata, with stone fruits, microgreen basil, and saba and RL Restaurant had a very simple yet classic Crab Louis with avocado.  Three of Brandy's brunch favorites made the list of standouts: ZED451 which brought their signature stuffed pepperdous as well as a steak tartar, Koi had a cold noodle and peanut salad sweetly served in a take out container, and Nana, who had one of the most unique dishes at the festival, which was a fried Mexican pasta topped with a farm raised shrimp (they were so proud of the shrimp, in fact, that they had a live one in a tank at the station and gladly told anyone who would listen about their partnership with The Salty Prawn), avocado, and sweet corn.  720 South Bar and Grill brought a lobster salad on a sweet corn macaroon, which Brandy loved as it straddled the line between sweet and savory.  Lastly, Brandy finished off with a fall vegetable terrine from Café des Architectes at the Sofitel made with red pepper, eggplant, yellow and green zucchini, topped with house-made goat cheese and pepperone.

As per usual, Brandy had to be practically torn away from the gates as the fesitval closed down for the night.  "And now the worst time of the year," Brandy whimpered as she waddled her way to the bus, "The longest possible wait until next's year's Chicago Gourmet Festival."  Brandy may have even started to weep from despair if it wasn't for the fact that she fell into a deep slumber the moment she sat down on the bus, only awaking just in time for her stop when her knitting needles fell from her hands.

Remember to check Bunny and Brandy's Facebook page for even more delectable pictures, and check out this piece from Time Out Chicago, where the writers behind Bunny and Brandy talk about their favorite fall flavors from this year's festival.

The writers of this blog were invited to attend this festival at no charge in exchange for an honest recap of the events.

Toast or New Year’s...Hey!

The Slow and Savory Review:

There’s that old idiom that says, “Third time’s the charm,” and for Our Ladies and Toast, that has proven to be true.  Turning up at just past 10:30 on New Year’s Day, Our Ladies were surprised to find a table open and ready for them, as in their previous two tries they have been told a wait of more than an hour was expected.  Once inside, it’s easy to see why there’s such long waits, as Toast only holds about 20 medium sized tables in a smallish space.  But the ambiance is cozy enough, with varied toasters scattered around the room and ironic country rooster wallpaper.

This week Bunny and Brandy were accompanied by some new friends, Bean and Bailey Blue, a charming couple from Boise, who they had met at their local lodge’s annual New Year’s Eve Bash.  “I’ve heard lots of good things about this place,” said Bean good-naturedly, “Kinda has to be somewhat decent with a two hour wait, eh?”  He chortled to himself, causing Bailey to roll her eyes at him and smile to herself.

The menu had a few surprises and twists to it, but for the most part Our Ladies were presented with standard brunch fair: sandwiches, pancakes, omelets, and (of course) French Toast.  Our Quartet ordered beverages first, to cool their aching, celebration weary heads: a mocha, a latte, some fresh apple juice, and “Coffee… just bring me coffee,” groaned Bean.  For entrees, Bailey played it safe with 2 eggs, scrambled, with toast, fruit, and house potatoes, while Bunny ventured out of her comfort zone with a dish called “Pancake Orgy,” a combo of different pancake flavors, topped with yogurt and granola.  Brandy ordered something similar, the “French Toast Orgy,” while Bean tempted Bunny’s ire by ordering the Tenderloin Benedict, with a truffle flavored hollandaise. 

Drinks and food arrived in a decent amount of time.  By then, Our Ladies had noticed the huddled masses forming at the front door and whispered amongst themselves that they must have just missed the rush by mere seconds.

Bailey’s eggs were a lovely, simple dish, just as promised.  However, Bailey noted that her scrambled eggs were the best she’d ever had in a restaurant.  “They have weight to them, you know?” she chirped, “So often places make scrambled eggs too fluffy.”

Bean’s Tenderloin Benedict was cooked wonderfully, with just the right amount of runny to his yolks.  He observed that there was something a little different about the hollandaise, which the waitress told him was due to the lemon included in the recipe.  But Bean found the house potatoes disapprovingly bland and greasy.  “I’m from Idaho and I know a good potato,” he was heard to remark.

Brandy’s dish came with three pieces of stuffed French toast of different flavors: strawberry, Mexican Chocolate, and Mascarpone.  The menu had promised a topping of yogurt, granola, fresh berries, and honey, but sadly, the dish only came with the berries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  The stuffings themselves were good and just the right amount of unusual to make things interesting, but the French Toast into which they had been stuffed could have been cooked up in almost diner’s kitchen.

Finally, Bunny’s pancakes did come with the promised granola and yogurt, but sadly, Bunny felt the granola didn’t help the already dry, yet fluffy pancakes.  The flavors, which were meant to be banana, blueberry, and lemon poppy seed weren’t very distinct from one another either.

After eating and paying their bill, Our Ladies and guests were rather rudely rushed along by a manager so that the next of the millions of people on the waiting list could have a seat.  All in all, Toast proved to be mediocre at best, and no where near the standard expected by a two hour wait for food.  With so many other hidden gems around the city, Our Ladies wondered why it was that anyone would wait that long for over priced and under-plated comestibles.  After all, why wait when you could be full and happy by the time some one on the Toast waiting list is just being seated.

P.S.  Our Ladies would like to extend a hearty congratulations to NANA for hosting a very successful and refreshing Pajammy Jam New Year’s Day Brunch, and they most certainly look forward to that sort of spectacle being instituted for brunches across the land!

The Short and Sweet Review:

Nana or Mama’s Boys

The Slow and Savory Review:

There are times in all of our lives when we all need warmth, comfort, good food, and company, and there is no better time for any of those fine things then on a blustery, blizzardy, bitterey day, such as this particular Sunday happened to be.  This is precisely why Our Ladies chose to deviate from their original plan of visiting one particular restaurant in Bucktown with a bread-based moniker in favor of somewhere that had less than a two hour wait for a table.  “Two hours indeed!” Brandy huffed as they trudged back through the snow to Bunny’s ’27 Model T, “I could die at any second, and they want me to wait two bloody hours for brunch?”  “It does seem a tad excessive,” said Biscuit Brown, who had joined Bunny and Brandy for a Girl’s Morning/Early Afternoon Out.    “Calm now, ladies,” Bunny said as she cranked the engine into life, “I have an idea.” 

Half an hour later, they arrived, travel weary, at Nana in the Bridgeport neighborhood, an all organic family owned restaurant that’s still in it’s infancy, having opened a little over a year ago.  Three blue faces presented themselves to the smiling hostess at the door and they were whisked away to a spacious table near a window (“This is more like it!” Brandy was heard to mumble).

Nana achieves the remarkable goal of feeling homey and sophisticated at the same time.  Original art works, some of which are for sale, hang on the exposed brick walls just above white wainscoting, and at the back of the house is an open kitchen, where all of the action can be glimpsed.  A set of brothers, Omar and Christian Solis (“If their food is as delicious as they are, we’re in for a treat,” said Bunny), run the place along with the restaurant’s name sake, their mother, who is an accomplished pastry chef in her own right.

Our Ladies and guest had been hoping to sample that days’ special of roasted sweet potato beignets, but sadly, they were informed the kitchen had run out of them.  Instead, they were encouraged to split a plate of Gingerbread pancakes with roasted apples, which they agreed to.  Drinks were also ordered: for Bunny, a mocha for Biscuit a cappuccino, and for Brandy, a house made hot apple cider.  For entrees, Bunny, a sucker for a certain egg dish as always, ordered the Nanadict (a Latin twist on the original), Brandy got a bowl of the soup de jour as well as Pear and Raspberry stuffed French Toast, and Biscuit decided on the Fried Chicken and Waffles.

The gingerbread pancakes were utterly deliriously delicious.  They came served with a cinnamon sugar whipped cream, which only enhanced the taste the fire had licked onto the apples.  Brandy’s soup too was warm and filling, though she had mistakenly thought it to be a mushroom based soup.  “It says Northern white and wild mushroom soup, does it not?” she asked the table.  “Northern Whites are beans, dear,” said Bunny, which explained the abundance of legumes in the bowl.  Brandy devoured it none the less, savoring the still crisp veggies and the warming herbaceous broth.

Biscuit’s Chicken and Waffles was thoroughly scrumptious; doused in a spiced and flavorful gravy, the dish left Biscuit with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face.  “This chicken makes me want to go home and slap my mama,” she said.  Seeing that her hostess’ faces had registered a touch of confusion and shock, she simply said, “It’s just an expression.  I’ve never slapped my mama, mostly because I would have been slapped back, 3 times harder.”  Blank stares met her laughter, so Biscuit shoved a waffle bite into her mouth.

Brandy’s French toast was beautifully presented with whipped cream and a sliced, poached pear.  The thick cut brioche was packed with a pink, cheesy filling that was sweet and creamy, but not overpowering to the dish.  The pear on the side, while a splendid garnish, also served the purpose of a side dish to help break up the richness of the plate.

 Bunny’s Nanadict was more closely related to Huevos Rancheros than a traditional Benedict, but she found it refreshing.  Covered in chimichuri sauce, the brilliantly poached eggs rested on a zesty corn cake and were accompanied by some equally peppery potatoes.  Rich, well portioned, and unique, the Nanadict gets the stamp of approval from Bunny, Pros. Emeritus of Eggs Benedict.

A little on the pricey side, but worth it for a place that is all organic and local, Nana gives one the feeling of being well looked after.  All they need to do is make warm, fuzzy blankets and slippers a mandatory part of the dress code.

The Short and Sweet Review: