Last Minute Chicago Holiday Dining Recommendations

I was invited to dine at the restaurants mentioned free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

As much as I love staying inside the week between Christmas and New Year's, usually snuggled under my down comforter with my dog noisily snoring beside me and a cup of some boozed up hot beverage clasped between my hands, eventually I start to get a little cabin fever. And with this year being unseasonably warm (seriously, Chicago, what the hell? I could go back home to Arizona for 50 degrees in December!), I'm feeling the itch to get out for a few more meals before 2018 ends. So enjoy this quick roundup of some of my recent favorites for brunch, dinner, and everything in between!

Dinner at Le Sud

This French/Mediterranean inspired addition to Roscoe Village has gotten great buzz ever since it opened earlier this year. Me? I like a bit of non pretentious French cuisine, so I was very interested to check it out. The inside is the perfect kind of cozy without being overly cramped and the perfect kind of vintage without feeling artificial. This isn't the kind of place you're going to find Americanized French staples, like onion soup or coq au vin. Instead, you will find things like house made charcuterie, a decadent fois gras tart (that is so perfectly balanced between sweet and savory that it could easily be an appetizer or a dessert), a perfectly simple steak frites, and a very inventive vegetarian seared pumpkin entree with leeks and fregola. Everything here is incredibly thoughtful and uncomplicated, while demonstrating an immense amount of skill and care. Go any night you can, or check out their special service for New Year's Eve.

Dinner at Bobby's Lincoln Park

Bobby's recently opened their first location in the city in hopes of replicating their beloved Deerfield location's success. The menu boasts a lot of meat and seafood focused plates as well as handmade pasta dishes, but the vibe is surprisingly casual. The space is open and airy, a rarity in crowded Lincoln Park, and the service is exceptionally friendly and personable. It's may sound ridiculous, but I was impressed right from the start with the bread service, which came with a simple roasted garlic butter that I would have happily bought a bottle of if they had been selling it. The Shrimp Bobby was an excellent take on a scampi, the Steak Tartar was gloriously delicate (I also mixed that delicious garlic butter into it and by God, it was amazing), and the scallops with cauliflower puree and orange zest were a delight. If you want a little taste of everything Bobby's has, order The Mark Miller, which is a platter of sausage, roasted chicken, tender skirt steak, peppers, and onions. For a lighter (by comparison) plate, the Linguini Nduja is also wonderful, with a rich egg yolk sauce, crisped panchetta, sweet onions, and a little kick of heat.

Brunch The Kitchen

Having dined at The Kitchen a few times, I knew to expect only the best. Of course I wasn't disappointed, and despite some minor Instagram drama (don't ask...), I found myself more impressed than ever before with the inventiveness coming out of The Kitchen's kitchen. Highlights for me included a collection of awesome non-alcoholic cocktails (something I'd love to see more of at other restaurants), a succulent southern style Shrimp and Grits with andouille sausage, an earthy Mushroom Toast with red kale and scrambled eggs, an impossibly creamy yogurt panna cotta with blueberries and housemade granola, and poached eggs with green shakshuka, chickpeas, and toast points. They will actually be serving brunch on Boxing Day (December 26th) from 10:00-3:00 and all day New Year's Day, so if any of this sounds good to you, get on that. Also, they will be featuring an exclusive holiday donut flavor (pst... it's chocolate spice with cranberries and candied ginger!) in addition to their already stellar line up of freshly made pastries.

Tea at Vanille

Taking family to a relaxed tea service is just the kind of tradition I'd like to add to my already packed list of holiday traditions. After all, who can resist tiny sandwiches and delicate tea cups? Vanille Patisserie recently launched a beautiful tea service at their Lakeview and Hyde Park locations, offered at 12, 2, and 4 Mondays through Thursdays. The service consists of as much Benjamin's Tea as you can drink (my personal favorites include the Forest Berry and the Roasted Almond) accompanied by mini sandwiches, scones with a variety of spreads, freshly baked madeleines, Vanille's signature macarons, mini cupcakes, and other delightfully tiny treats. At just $28 a person, I think this might be one of the best tea service deals in town. Pinkie's up!

Brunch at Parley @ Joy District

I think we all know that I have very mixed feelings about brunch buffets, but if you're looking for a spot to drink away your holiday stress with a group of fun loving friends, this might be the place for you. Especially if you have a sweet tooth! The dessert table at Parlay is a little overwhelming with it's donut wall, platters of cereal treats, and legions of layered pudding cups. Fresh pizzas and chaffing dishes with various savory dishes help to balance out the glucose, but I'm tempted to tell you to skip them all together and just go in on the sweets. Calories don't count in December, after all. $50 gets you access to all the food as well as bottomless mimosas in a variety of flavors, but if you STILL haven't uped your insulin levels enough, there's the brunch cocktail menu that features giggle inducing large format cocktails, like the Scumdilyuptious served in a gumball machine with rubber ducky floats, or the Mega Mimosa and the Mega Mule; giant sized versions of the classic cocktails that are perfect for using as selfie props.

Commonwealth Tavern or Sometimes You Wanna Go...

The Slow and Savory Review

Brandy has always held a rather idealistic torch for the type of neighborhood joint where the bartenders have one's favorite drink ready before one has even had a chance to sit down. "I know the traditional old corner pub is all but a romantic fantasy in this day and age," she says, "But wouldn't it be lovely to have those kinds of places again? The ones where regulars have their own seats and whole neighborhoods gather together to watch a big game or toast the season? Ah, those were the days." "Did those days ever really exist though?" asked her friend Bernais Bamboo, who had been listening to Brandy ramble for a good five minutes. "Yes indeed they did!" Brandy chastised her, "Why I remember a time when you were thought to be the village weirdo if you weren't down the pub every night at six o'clock. The pub was where everything in the community got done! Now with all the texting and social anxiety and alcoholism about, it seems like those days are gone for good." "But there's still quite a few good bars around. And they have much better food than they used to, let me tell you!" To this, Brandy had to concede the argument, and in doing so, she allowed Bernais to pick a brunch destination to further prove her point.

In order to give Brandy the kind of cozy neighborhood pub experience she was craving, Bernais took her to Commonwealth Tavern, a friendly little spot in the heart of Roscoe Village. The interior layout was open and spread out, making for a very comfortable vibe that didn't put patrons right on top of each other. A few bar games here and a few televisions there made the place instantly feel like it wanted its patrons to have a good long visit.

Though the Make Your Own Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bar looked promising with lots of juices, mixes, and fixings, Brandy opted for a cup of Uncommon Hot Chocolate, which had been spiked with a cinnamon whiskey. The warm, indulgent drink was just the thing for a blustery and grey morning and Brandy took great delight in sipping it all throughout the meal. Bernais, who was expecting her first child, politely asked the bartender to mix her up a fruity mock-tail, and she was delighted to be handed a muddled mint and strawberry beverage. "That's how you can tell a bartender knows their stuff," said Brandy, "Anyone who can create something this delicious on the fly without using any alcohol gets a gold star in my book."

They then started off their meal with a lighter option, the Mixed Green Salad, which had much more exciting ingredients than its name implied. The bed of peppery greens came accompanied by sweet roasted beets, crunchy chunks of jicama, a sprinkling of fried pecans, and a ginger lime dressing, to which Brandy and Bernais added some grilled chicken. The serving staff sweetly split the salad in two so that both ladies could enjoy their fair share, which they very much appreciated. It certainly had a nice mix of textures between the nuts and various veggies, and while it had a fresh flavor, the salad was actually quite hearty and filling. "Seems like the kind of thing that would taste even better when eaten on a patio in the sunshine," Bernais commented.

Next, they moved on to a slightly less healthy option; a plate of the signature Nachos. This impressive pile of house made chips came slathered in a beer cheese sauce, salsa verde, crema, and was augmented with braised pork and a host of pickled vegetables. Brandy was mightily impressed with the chips themselves, which had an almost buttery flavor and an excellent crunch. The salsa verde packed quite a bit of spice, but could be easily avoided should one not be capsaicin inclined, like Bernais. The pickled nature of the vegetables also lent quite a nice tang, while the tender pork contributed its own injection of smokey flavor.

Bernais picked the BELT (a BLT with an egg added) for her entree. The L portion of the sandwich had been replaced by arugula, while the T portion was represented by a thick slice of fried green tomato, which Bernais thought was a stroke of genius. The bacon, while substantial, didn't over power anything else, making for a rather well balanced bite. Bernais especially liked the herb mayonnaise, which helped to keep some of the otherwise rich flavors in check with a subtle freshness.

Brandy picked the Breakfast Burger, the center piece of which was a patty made from 70% brisket and 30% bacon. Right from the start, Brandy could actually taste the bacon, which made it one of the more distinctive breakfast burger's she's had to date. The "tavern sauce" on the burger had a lovely mustardy flavor to it, which combined rather well with the sweet and sour pickle slices, and the addition of some deep fried onions made for an excellent contrast in texture to the soft brioche bun. "I have to say that I do rather enjoy having my bacon inside the burger rather than topping it," said Brandy, "It's an entirely different experience, and yet a familiar flavor. A lovely surprise!"

As Bernais and Brandy snacked away on the remaining nachos and some excellent thin cut fries, Brandy casually watched the rest of the bar. Every table was filled with smiling groups, all of them happily chattering away or breaking off to visit the Make-Your-Own station, and though the televisions were playing a rather important game, most people seemed too engrossed in their conversations to pay much attention. The friendly servers hopped from table to table, taking the time to make knowledgeable recommendations for the first time visitors, yet kept pace with the busy flow of brunch time service. "You know, this does seem like the sort of place one could grow very accustomed to," said Brandy. "You think you might become a regular, eh?" asked Bernais. "Sadly, in order for this to be my new corner pub, I'd have to actually live around the corner from here, which I don't. But, if I could pick it up tomorrow and move it to my corner, I certainly would consider it!"

The writers of this blog were invited to dine at the restaurant free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

The Short and Sweet Review

Kitsch'n or Camping Out and Up

The Slow and Savory Review

It seems a fairly common thing to attach nostalgia to breakfast more than any other meal.  Most of us have a fond memories of being presented some scrumptious offering on a weekend morning by our parents, whether it was a buffet of French toast, pancakes, and crispy bacon, or a simple bowl of sugar coated, marshmallow dotted, chocolate milk making cereal.  Brandy's own fond memories of her childhood weekend breakfasts (two eggs over easy, a warm buttery crumpet, blood sausage, roasted tomato, baked beans, and a fresh cup of milky tea) have stuck with her throughout the years and definitely influence how she judges a perfect breakfast to this day.

The unfortunate part of this phenomenon is that every single person has a different idea of what those nostalgic breakfasts should taste like.  So when word reached Brandy of the supposed home of nostalgic comfort food, Kitsch'n in Roscoe Village, she placed one eyebrow firmly into the "sceptical" position.  Perennial tag along Biscuit Brown was there to offer the "young person's" perspective (Brandy considers Biscuit to be a young person for the soul fact that she did not live through both World Wars). 

Upon entering, one is quite literally slapped in the face with 70's and 80's nostalgia, from the brightly colored walls adorned with various old toys and advertisements for now extinct beers to the coffee mugs, each emblazoned with the diner's afro-sporting logo.  A short wait of 15 minutes or so passed quickly before Brandy and guest were seated at an accommodatingly large table.  "This is not childhood nostalgia," Brandy said huffily, looking around, "At least not my childhood.  Why I was already getting senior discounts when most of these things were current."  "I think its supposed to just be a sort of general nostalgia for the time period.  I loved the 70's personally.  They used to call me the Dixie Disco Queen," Biscuit retorted, wistfully.

The array of odd sounding brunch cocktails immediately attracted Brandy's attention and she decided upon a concoction called a "Tang-tini," which seemed to be some sort of orange flavored powdered drink mix infused alcohol.  The effect was rather underwhelming once the "kitsch" value was taken away.  Biscuit chose the Deluxe Mimosa, which didn't seem to have any difference to a regular mimosa, but was still pleasantly bright and acidic.

After a rather long wait for food (their friendly bespectacled waitress kindly informed them that a problem with a large table in the back room of the restaurant had held up the kitchen, but that she would be treating them to a round of mimosas to make up for it) their entrees finally arrived.  To start off with, they split an order of Coconut French Toast, which came served with an array of fresh strawberries and pineapple, as well as a raspberry dipping sauce.  The toast was soft and eggy, with just a little texture and sweetness added from the flaked coconut coating.  The dipping sauce was also a nice touch, which helped to cut the richness of the toast.

Biscuit's main dish was the Chicken and Waffles, a rather large and flat slab of chicken breast served with a traditional Belgian waffle.  Both elements of the dish was rather bland and under seasoned, though the chicken did have a nice crunch to it (the waffle didn't seem to have anything remarkable about it).  On the side was a sort of delicious honey sauce, which Biscuit really loved.

Brandy chose the Crab Cake Benedict, which came served with a cornbread hash and a small salad.  The hash was definitely a nice and unusual touch, tasting rather sweet and spicy.  The salad came undressed, which Brandy thought was a bit odd.  "I'm used to being the only thing undressed at breakfast," she said.  The crab cakes had a good crunch on the outside and were nicely fresh and light on the inside.  The eggs came just the slightest bit over done (no runny yolk on one, but the other was perfect) and the hollendais was unnoticeable.

While Kitsch'n may not have inspired Brandy's sense of nostalgia in particular, it did make for a nice neighborhood stop with a homey feel, or as Biscuit put it "Like a secret hideout in a friend's basement."  Colorful atmosphere matches the colorful plates the food comes served on, and an all over friendly staff certainly makes up for any waiting for tables or food.  Brandy is rather determined to return, if only to sample all of the entertaining sounding cocktails.

The Short and Sweet Review



Victory's Banner or The Art of Zen and Brunch

The Slow and Savory Review

There is a long standing tradition of fascination with Eastern cultures among the British, from the Victorians to the Beatles and beyond.  Our beloved Brandy is no exception to this rule, as she will swear up and down it was in fact she who gave George Harrison to idea to seek out enlightenment in India in the first place (rumor has it she may have had a hand in ending British rule in India as well, and though we're not able to verify that claim completely, Brandy does have in her possession a certain photograph signed by one Mr. Ghandi that says, "No one needs to know about those pancakes.  Thanks for everything.").  While not considering herself a religious person per say, Brandy does claim to be highly spiritual and always in search of the true meaning of life, hence her many journeys and adventures, and she decided long ago that the path to her own personal happiness was through brunch.  After all, what is bliss if not for a perfectly poached egg, an evenly toasted bit of bread, or a plate of fresh and ripened fruit?

It was these questions and more that lead Brandy to Victory's Banner in Roscoe Village, a restaurant not only know for healthy and hearty vegetarian dishes, but also for its employees, who are all followers of Sri Chinmoy, an Indian Spiritual Master and proponent of self-realization through mediation and healthy living.  The woman all wear saris, fliers for mediation classes are on every table, and the entire restaurant closes down 4 weeks a year so that the employees can go on a spiritual retreat.  The spiritual backbone of the eatery is reflected in the interior decor as well, which consists of bright, clean colors, sparkly wind chimes, and cheerful paintings of birds everywhere from the ceiling to the awning.  As the inside was a bit cramped, Brandy chose a seat on the patio, where she could relax beneath a tree and listen to the wind rustling its leaves.

For starters she ordered a Mango Lasse, a traditional Indian drink consisting of mango and yogurt, with a consistency similar to a smoothie.  The result was thick and rich in mango flavor, though perhaps a little short on portion.

The menu proudly boasts of house made everything, from the pesto to the whipped cream, countered with organic free range eggs and fresh fruit juices.  Brandy chose something sweet and something savory to sample; the Curry Omelet and the Award Winning French Toast ("Funny, I didn't see a plaque from the International French Toast Society on the way in," Brandy commented).

The French Toast, though a little plainly presented, came served with a fabulous peach butter to liven it up.  The toast was thick cut, soft, and eggy, but flavor wise a bit unremarkable, except for the aforementioned butter and the some real maple syrup, which had been provided to every table.  A few pieces of fruit would have done wonders for the taste and the plating.

The Curry Omelet, which was stuffed with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and apple chutney, was a strange combination of flavors at first, but Brandy grew to enjoy it more with each bite.  The Curry was present, but no over powering, and turned sweet along with the tomatoes and onions once the apple chutney was introduced., leaving the mushrooms as the odd man out.  The potatoes that came served on the side of the omelet were sadly overcooked and flavorless, despite their enticing appearance.

Full of food and bliss, Brandy left the friendly staff at Victory's Banner with a new found feeling contentment.  Though not the most impressive or inventive dishes are to be found there, the food is most definitely made with love and care, which is more than evident.  And so for now we wish you all Namaste.

The Short and Sweet Review

Bakin' and Eggs or Classically Twisted

The Slow and Savory Review

Every restaurant needs a gimmick these days.  "Breakfast... with a twist!"  "Coffee...with a twist!"  "Ice Cream... with a twist!"  But there comes a point after all the twisting that one begins to wonder what the original idea was in the first place.  Of course, the whole reason for going out for a meal is to experience something you wouldn't be able to make at home, but sometimes its nice to find a dish that reminds you of home, in that the thought, "This is lovely.  I should try making this next time the in-laws are over," isn't such a bad thing.  Restaurants aren't just there to feed us when we don't want to wash our own dishes, they are also there to inspire us in our own cooking.  "I could make this at home," is supposed to be an insult, but there is nothing more flattering than, "I could make this at home, but I never thought of adding blue cheese!"

This weeks' destination for Bunny and Brandy was Bakin' and Eggs, a charming cafe and restaurant boasting home made everything.  Our Ladies were told it would be an hour wait for a table, but were pleased that there were plenty of benches upon which to alight, as well as coffee, tea, and pastries to nosh upon.  The hour wait turned out to be less than 30 minutes, as Our Ladies were whisked away to a table near the back.  Happy to see the tables were not crowded in together, Our Ladies took in the loveliness of the sunny and open space, which was painted with subtle cheery colors and not overly decorated with meaningless breakfast themed art.  The space was a tad loud, but they got used to slightly elevated conversation in time.

Drinks were ordered first; some Blood Orange Green Tea for Brandy (served in loose leaf form, which Brandy very much appreciated) and some iced coffee for Bunny.  Brandy indulged her sweet tooth with a Red Velvet Whoopie Pie (two red Velvet discs sandwiching cream cheese icing and a graham cracker center), which was soft, flavorful, and had the telltale tanginess of vinegar in the cake.  "That's how you know they've made it right!" she said through mouth fulls of cake and cream cheese filling.

Bunny's starter consisted of the Bacon Flight: five pieces of bacon in different guises, such as Cherry Wood, Mesquite, and Maple Pepper.  Our Ladies both agreed that the Jalapeno strip was the winner on flavor.

Brandy's entree of choice was the Sauteed Spinach Omelet, which included mushrooms and Gruyere Cheese, and came accompanied by bacon, toast, and cheese grits.  The omelet was a little watery once broken into, but the eggs were cooked nicely and the cheese perfectly melted.  The grits too were very pleasant, with a wonderful peppery note.  The real surprise was the home made raspberry jam, which Brandy slathered liberally onto her toast.

Bunny decided upon the Banana Bread French Toast, which came served with butter, banana rum sauce, and hazelnut ganache.  The banana bread itself was very light and moist, but didn't quite bring the French-toastiness one would expect.  Bunny did enjoy the various sauces that allowed one to customize each bite to their desired flavor.

Bakin' and Eggs shines with its simplicity; easy and accessible food done well is better than a plate with more twists than a roller coaster any day of the week.  Drinks, starters, and entrees came out to just about $20 a person, a particularly good value for the variety and portion size.  Service was friendly and informative, though it did take quite a while to get the check.  Brandy didn't mind, as she is a waiter's worst nightmare when it comes to "camping out" after a meal, but Bunny, who had a parking meter to pay, wasn't amused.  All told, Our Ladies left Bakin' and Eggs quite pleased, quite full, and quite full of ideas, none of which are ever a bad thing.  As Bunny heard a young lady say once on television, "Don't get it twisted."

The Short and Sweet Review