2018: Chicago and Beyond
2018. A burning dumpster fire in so many ways, but man, did I eat.
Chicago finally answered my prayers, hypothetically speaking, for better pastry. Cardamom buns from Lost Larson and the combination of Mexican and French baked goods at Pan Artesanal were welcomed additions. The gougères at Bar Biscay were a standout, but it doesn’t look like they’re on the menu any more. I moved to Avondale this fall to be closer to The Bakery at Fat Rice. I can’t resist the simplicity of the bolo de arroz.
I leaned into my love for Cafe Marie Jeanne in 2018. The service doesn’t ever seem to *thrill* me, but the food and wine is exceptional. My most indulgent meal of the year was very likely the duck frites and foie gras. No regrets, but I prefer a counter seat for the ham/butter/pickle sandwich and a glass of wine.
A hard-right driving home from Indy finally lead me to Calumet Fisheries. I didn’t make it home with any smoked shrimp (a perfect car snack, no?), but I savored every bit of the smoked salmon. It’s such a small place. Seeing the faded “No Reservations” poster on the wall was nostalgic. I stopped by not long after Bourdain’s death and it all became a welcomed reminder that the detour is always worth it. Heavy for a bit of smoked fish, maybe, but food has a funny way of doing that to memory.
Looking at the note in my phone of all my favorite bites from the year, something became abundantly clear. Apparently, I love sandwiches. Cravings this year regularly included the Dante from Tempesta Market, the crab cake sandwich from Glenn’s Diner, burgers from The Loyalist and The Moonlighter, and the lomito sandwich at La Nonna.
Beyond sandwiches, some of my favorite items of the year were lamb and dill dumplings at QXY, tellagio pizza at Pizzeria Bebu, fermented sausage at Cellar Door Provisions, rouladen carpaccio at Funkenhausen, hamachi sashimi at Parachute, Bò Nướng Tỏi from HaiSous and the spicy vegan “chicken” dosa from Art of Dosa.
The most anticipated opening of 2018 in my little corner of the world was Kumiko. Just under the wire, they quietly announced a few reservations for preview nights leading up to their opening on New Year’s Eve. It smashed my high expectations. I sat at the bar for a five-course omakase. The beverage pairings were done off the cuff in the style of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” cocktail experience, but guided by Sammy and Julia to ensure your personal tastes still paired well with the menu. I was introduced to my first snow-aged sake and a new favorite cocktail made with Pure Malt Nikka Whiskey, plum liquor, black sugar syrup and something else I can’t quite remember. Consider it a secret ingredient. I ate by myself and subjected the diners on both sides of me to audible gasps after every bite of food.
In hindsight, a January trip to NYC launched a year of coveted dining experiences. Hart’s (Brooklyn) clam toast is a simple dish I’ve thought about often throughout the year. Bon Appetit published a recipe for the Hart’s clam toast last year, but the atmosphere of the restaurant really played into the taste for me. I’m not prepared for the disappointment of trying to recreate it at home. We ducked into Prince Street Pizza on the same trip for a slice of their pepperoni square pie (and one traditional NY thin slice because I’m not a monster). I eat the square pizza at Paulie Gee’s so often in Chicago just to cope with the distance between me and Prince Street. It’s not the same, but it helps.
In other travels, I loved the bar out back at Alter in Miami (the prix fixe meal inside was a disappointment), everything about Rolf & Daughters in Nashville, the grilled octopus at MUR MUR and the roasted pepper tartar from ARCA in the jungle of Tulum, and dining in the middle of an art gallery with ArtxFood in West Hollywood. Tacos and tortas from Taqueria Honorio in Tulum stand alone. Eaten outside on plastic chairs on plastic plates for less than I’d pay for an Uber pool to any of the other places mentioned in this post.
Check out the photos in the gallery below for a few of the highlights. I’ve also added quite a few photos from traveling to the main gallery on this site.
A few 2019 intentions to close things out.
1. Learn more about natural wine so I stop reaching for the word “funky”
2. Vote with my $$. Continue to actively seek out restauranteurs and chefs who treat their staff and customers well, prioritize diversity and inclusions, and those who continue to challenge the notion of what it means to eat out in Chicago.
3. Use the Instapot I got for Christmas
4. Cook from my collection of cookbooks instead of just occasionally flipping through them, starting with The Adventures of Fat Rice.
5. Write more.