June 2017 Brunch & Stuff Roundup

Hi there, happy July! We're gonna try something a little different, since we're all busy people and such. Every first Friday of the month, I will be rounding up my favorite brunches from the previous month for you in one handy post. No flowery language, no in depth analysis, just quick and dirty deliciousness. So, without further ado, here's where I've been and what I've eaten in the month of June. For more on the go info, make sure you're following me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Happy brunching!

Pink Taco

It's taken me a long time to really learn how to appreciate a good taco place. My upbringing in the Southwest left me with a lot of traumatic taco memories that involved shredded lettuce, colby jack cheese, and weirdly textured ground meat. The bright colors and eccentric art work inside Pink Taco immediately put me at ease, though. This place was obviously trying to give off a relaxed, fun-times kinda vibe, and I was digging it. It's hard to believe the space used to house one of my favorite gastro-pubs, Bull & Bear, because it now seems so much more open, sunny, and and spread out. Drinks wise, I had to order the Fro-Mosa (a frozen mimosa), which did not disappoint. The Street Corn was killer and the Ceviche Tostada was amazingly fresh. The Lobster Tacos were good, but not something I'd be craving in the weeks to come. On the other hand, the Veggie tacos, with mushrooms and caramelized onions, were so good that I considered ordering a second plate of them. I didn't, though, because the slab of carbs that was the Mexican Bread Pudding French Toast was way too enticing to allow anything even remotely healthy to take up unnecessary room in my stomach.

Nighthawk AM

This intriguing breakfast themed concept opened in Lincoln Park not too long ago. From their cereal themed decor to their cereal themed coffees, they've definitely got a clearly identifiable brand; indulging the inner children of the hungover masses. One of their signature items is breakfast themed scoops of raw cookie dough. They have three flavors available at any given time, and they usually come adorned with a variety of fruit, cereal, and/or candy. My favorites so far have been the Just Jacked (which tasted like apple pie) and the Yabba Dabba Dough (which combines Fruity Pebbles and fresh strawberries). As far as the savory side of the menu goes, there's a lot of options for soaking up any of the previous night's residual alcohol. The Triple Double Breakfast Sandwich is a nearly unconquerable mound of meat, cheese and carbs, topped with a fried egg and bacon fat mayo. I was also a pretty big fan of their sweet and spicy Morning Colonel sandwich, which featured a nicely crispy fried chicken breast and pickles on an English muffin. But my ultimate favorite pick? The AM Fries. They've got melty Swiss cheese, they've got crispy bacon, they've got peppery hollandaise sauce; literally they've got a little bit of everything. Even 100% sober, I found these things delicious, though I would image that they are total heaven when you're fully wasted too.

The Dawson

Every Sunday this summer The Dawson is hosting Camp Dawson; a sort of post-brunch-pre-dinner party on their patio, meant to evoke the joys of summer camp, but you know... with legal boozing this time. The cocktail line up is (of course) stellar, highlighted by the Bug Juices; three bottled cocktails in vivid colors meant to simulate the sugary drinks of our youth. The food menu is also on point, and is all made to be shared. The BBQ Chicken Sliders were my particular favorite, but their version of a Chicago Dog was also fantastic. The S'mores pie though... the S'mores pie... THE S'MORES PIE. Combine all of this with live music from local bands and you've got a Sunday afternoon well spent.

Rack House

It's not often that I venture out to the suburbs for brunch these days, but when I do, it's got to be for a good reason. Rack House provided me with a very good reason in the form of a MASSIVE Bloody Mary called the BAM (Bad Ass Mary). This monstrosity not only had a liter of cocktail and two pints of domestic beer, it came topped with basically an entire buffet. Brisket and pulled pork sliders, sausage, fried shrimps, chicken wings, smoked ribs, cheeses, Nashville hot chicken, even Nutella brownies and donuts! I took one look at this thing and was instantly full. If you want to tackle the BAM yourself, seriously consider bringing an army of friends. If you're in the mood to actually walk out of the restaurant unaided, I cannot recommend their Breakfast Waffle Nachos more enthusiastically. The Hangover Cure sandwich, which gives you all the comfort of a burger, but with tender slices of brisket, was also a standout.

Chicago Burger Company

How did I never know that hidden deep within the Sheraton Grand is a fantastic little burger place with a gorgeous patio right on the river?! I'm so glad I had the chance to visit the recently revamped Chicago Burger Company for a taste of their classic diner fair and cocktails. There is just no beating the views you get as a free side dish with your meal. The River Rum punch tasted like liquid summer, the battered fries were crispy perfection, and the signature CBC Burger was everything I hoped it would be. Best part of Chicago Burger Company's River views? You can't see Trump Tower!

Artango Bar and Steakhouse

I went to dinner at this Lincoln Square favorite a few months ago and had an absolutely wonderful time, so when they announced that they were launching brunch service, I was counting the days until I could go see what they had in store. Right off the bat, I'm gonna say that this is one of the most gorgeous restaurants in Chicago. The sculptural light fixtures, the industrial bar, the dark and broody art, all of it gets my blood going. The brunch cocktails are good, but pretty much what you would expect (passion fruit mimosas and the like), so my recommendation is to go for the hardcore stuff and get yourself a Caipirinha. After that, you're going to want to order empanadas. All of them. Order every single one, even whatever the mystery one for the day is. The day I went, it was rabbit and root vegetables and I have absolutely no regrets. I also ordered an Acai bowl, admittedly so that I could appease The 'Gram with a glamour shot or it's purpley goodness, but it actually was quite nice and I would absolutely get it again if I wanted something a little lighter. The Benedict had a nice South American twist to it, coming served on grilled corn arepa's instead of English muffins. I went out of my box a little and ordered the Cazuela, which was basically roasted portobello mushroom and tomatoes with a soft boiled eggs, some béarnaise sauce, and some rustic bread, and I found it's simplicity infinitely satisfying.

I was invited to dine free of charge at the restaurants mentioned in this post, but all opinions are my own.

Unite Urban Grill or A Study in Contradictions

The Slow and Savory Review

"You have got to talk to Bailey for me!" Hawk cried to Brandy over the phone one day, "She spent all of the Christmas break watching food documentaries on Netflix and now she's terrified to eat anything but kale and quinoa!  You have to help me, Brandy.  A man cannot live without bacon!"  "Calm down!" Brandy said, "I'll have a chat with her, don't you worry.  If there's one thing I can't stand, it's someone with no sense of balance in their life, and I'll be damned if one of my friends is going to start lecturing others on what they should or should not be eating based on fad diets and unproven testimony."

Brandy decided to take Bailey out to Unite Urban Grill, a West Town hidden gem that recently launched their brunch service, which featured a lot of brunch classics with their own signature twists.  Brandy thought this choice was particularly apropo because of it's back story: opened by married couple Joe and Megan Krouse, the name itself came from the fact that Joe based the restaurant's concept on a combination of his love for grilling and meat with Megan's love of grains, vegetables, and semi-vegetarian cuisine.  "The two of them have come together to to create well balanced cuisine, which is what we should all be striving for," Brandy explained to Bailey.  "But is their food gluten free, organic, heirloom quality, fair trade, cold processed, and raw?" Bailey asked in a panic.  Brandy rolled her eyes.  "Now listen here.  You're going to order a cooked meat dish, you're going to eat it like regular food, and you're going to like it, just as you always have," she said, to which Bailey gave a frightened whimper.

Stepping inside Unite, Brandy was greeted with something she didn't quite expect: a bright and vibrant rather modern and chic looking lounge with comfy blue sofas, warm woods, and colorful pillows, with a sparkling bar area beyond and a dining area with high tables beyond that.  "Perhaps this is rather ignorant, but I was thinking a place with "grill" in the title would be a bit more...pub like," Bailey ventured.  "Exactly," agreed Brandy, mischievously.

Quickly after being seated at one of the tables near the bar, the ladies ordered a couple of drinks.  Bailey took advantage of the customizable Bloody Mary menu and ordered one made with scotch instead of vodka and a skewer with salami, mozzarella, and a pickle.  Bailey thought the Bloody Mary had a nice subtle kick of spice with an extra richness from the scotch.  Brandy went for a cocktail called the Noble Square, which consisted of vodka, lemon, port, and chocolate mole bitters, which she found to be positively enchanting with its bright flavor, warm spices, and sweet, zingy finish.  "Strangely, it makes me think of summer and winter all at once," Brandy commented, "Yet another harmonious contradiction."

As for food, the ladies started off with a shared plate of the Brioche French Toast, which came topped with roasted apples.  Though simply plated, the French toast was actually quite unique in texture: the outside of the thick cut bread was lightly crisp and caramelized as though it had been rolled in cinnamon and sugar before being put on the griddle, while the inside was airy, creamy, and rich like a bread pudding.  "I've had a lot of French toast in my day," Brandy said thoughtfully, "And this is probably one of the most unique and delicious ones yet!"  The roasted apples on the top were also a nice touch, adding a bit of tartness and spice to each bite, though Brandy and Bailey wished there had been just a little bit more of them, as they found themselves silently wrestling over the last two slices.

For her entree, Bailey ordered the Steak and Eggs, which consisted of a hanger steak with a Worcestershire glaze, crispy breakfast potatoes, a garlic Bearnaise sauce, and two eggs, which Bailey requested scrambled.  Bailey found the steak a little on the chewy side, but the flavor was spot on with the silky, umami rich glaze.  The Bearnaise sauce was beautifully buttery with a very light veil of garlic flavor that Bailey rather liked, as it didn't overwhelm the palate, and went extremely well with the lightly crisp potatoes.  "I especially like the fact that they used some herbs in the sauce because it adds not only a bit of flavor, but a nice little touch of greenery to the plate, so at least I can pretend I'm eating some vegetation" Bailey observed.

Brandy ordered the Unite Reuben with a side of fries.  The fries were much like a Belgian frite; thin and crispy.  Brandy found them very easy to munch on, enhancing them by dipping them into some sriracha aioli, which their server had strongly encouraged her to try (Brandy was at first terrified of the spicy aioli, but her fears were at once quashed when she tasted the smokey, creamy, and slightly tart sauce).  The main event, the sandwich, looked like a typical Reuben, with its succulent pastrami, melty Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and sauerkraut on marble rye ("I've never noticed how international a Reuben sandwich is!" Brandy exclaimed), but Brandy was pleased to see that, while fairly traditional, it had been done very well.  "It's not too vinegary or overly burdened with spice from the meat," Brandy mused, "Though I could do with a little more cheese."  "There's never enough cheese to satisfy you!" Bailey laughed.  Brandy began to rebuff her, but found her friend was probably speaking the truth, and so she just continued enjoying her sandwich.

To finish off the meal, the ladies enjoyed one last cocktail, the Bridgeport, which came beautifully presented with a purple orchid in it.  The cocktail itself was a little herbal and floral from some Petal and Thorn Vermouth, and quite citrusy from the use of lime and grapefruit juices.  "Really quite a nice finish to a meal," Brandy observed.  "It's such a feminine drink, yet its strong and bold," said Bailey, "Would you just listen to me!  I think I'm getting the hang of this critiquing thing!"

The well balanced food of Unite Urban Grill certainly did seem to calm a lot of Bailey's food fears with their well prepared versions of classic dishes, knowledgeable service, and bright, friendly atmosphere.  "Now do you understand how one can eat healthy and mindfully without sacrificing needless deliciousness?" Brandy asked her as they headed out of the restaurant.  "Yes," Bailey smiled, "But I still kind of like kale and quinoa."  "That's fine," Brandy sighed, "But for Hawk's sake, when just throw some bacon in there next time."

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

The Short and Sweet Review

Frontier or Lions and Tigers and Bears...on Rye!

The Slow and Savory Review

There are not many alive today who can remember who the winner of Miss Big Game 1942 was, let alone the runner up, and there is a very good reason for that, namely that the original runner-up for Miss Big Game1942 was so angered by her failure to capture the prize that she "accidentally" fired on those in attendance.  Members of the audience not hit were rendered temporarily deaf, so they could not hear the announcement of the true winner, one Miss Bunny Bacon, who hit the runner-up square in the right calf to stop her from continuing to "accidentally" fire.

Since that day, Bunny's taste for hunting wild game has been tainted a bit.  But upon hearing about Frontier, a restaurant in West Town that specializes in unique meats, Bunny began to feel the old twitch in her trigger finger.

Frontier seemed at first more bar than restaurant, though upon closer inspection it actually settled somewhere between pub and lodge, as it was done up in lots of rustic woods and metals.  A deceivingly large space, the establishment seemed a little understaffed for such a busy Sunday brunch with only two servers attending to all the tables.  Bunny and Brandy were positioned beside the wood decked beer garden (open, but unpopular in the blistering heat) and presented with water right away.  A hurried yet friendly waitress told them that mimosas and bloody marys were only $5, so two mimosas were duly ordered, arriving in glasses far too small for Brandy's liking.

For starters, Our Ladies ordered some House Doughnuts, (more beingets than doughnuts, really), covered in powdered sugar, which came served with Apple Rum Sauce.  Light, fluffy, and warm, the doughnuts were quite pleasant, especially when combined with the sauce, which provided a lovely bit of sourness to balance the sweet.

Brandy chose two entrees to satisfy both her sweet and savory teeth, the Bananas Foster French Toast and the Parmesan Gnocchi (her original choice, the quiche, was sadly out that day).  She was quite glad she had decided to order both dishes, as the portions were far from generous.  The French Toast, which came served on a massive cutting board, consisted of only one slice (granted, a rather large slice) of challa bread, doused in rum soaked banana slices, caramel sauce, and whipped cream.  The flavors were spot on as far as matching that of a banana's foster, and the toast was pleasantly soft without being mushy.  The gnocchi were a slight bit on the salty side and had a funny texture to them, being a little too soft and gummy.  "They could have done with a good pan searing," Brandy mused.  The mushrooms that dotted the dish were lovely at first, but became greasy as the plate cooled.

Bunny reigned in her wild instincts a bit and chose the Fried Rabbit and Waffle with Spiced Pear butter and Habanero Maple Syrup.  The cornmeal waffle proved to be a bit of a challenge for Bunny, as it was very heavy and dry, yet lacking in flavor.  "I supposed that's why they pair it with such exotic condiments," she said.  The rabbit was very well cooked, with a crunchy and slightly spicy outer crust and juicy meat within.  Brandy could not get over the feeling of witnessing an act of cannibalism, watching Bunny eating bunny, so her eyes wandered to the television scenes above the bar where the previous night's baseball highlights were being played.

For all of its fluff and bother about being unique, Frontier remained firmly on the side of average on just about every level.  Service was a tad rushed (once the mimosas were finished, no one ever came to see if they would like a second, but bus boys were always on hand to clear empty dishes straight away), the interior didn't quite match the sophistication of the menu (both Our Ladies decided it was most definitely meant to please more masculine tastes), and though the choices sounding varied and interesting, they proved to be nothing more than...well...just your average brunch.  Bunny decided that the next time she found herself craving some big game, she might as well go out and shoot it herself.

The Short and Sweet Review