The ultrathin French crèpe is a study in multiple personalities.
For a comforting wintertime breakfast at Balsan (11 E. Walton St., 312.646.1400, balsanrestaurant.com), find a variation that’s dressed with the musky, earthy flavor of black chestnuts and accented with walnut mascarpone and a hint of orange.
At La Boulangerie (2569 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773.358.2569, laboulangeriechicago.com), French native Vincent Colombet stuffs his crèpes with melted brie, caramelized onions, fig jam and pecans. Another model called the Duchesse is made with chicken, peas, carrots, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Among sweeter options, there is the Coco, a chocolate banana mousse-filled delight, along with a more traditional Suzette, which has a kick of Grand Marnier.
Flip Crèpes (131 N. Clinton St., 888.808.3547, flipcrepes.com) brings an American touch to the treat with a bacon, egg and Wisconsin cheese-filled version for early risers, or a multicultural flair with the Chicken Mumbai and the Caprese. If you’re craving crèpes in the comfort of your own home, Flip also offers classes that teach you how to make them yourself. “The batter is not difficult to make, but everything you do affects the color, taste, texture and thickness of the crèpe,” says Antoine Elie, owner of Flip Crèpes. “At first, people are afraid [to flip] the crèpe, but they find it’s actually fun!”—Nancy Maes
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In an age where people want the pleasure of eating good food but are forced to tighten their wallets, classic diners are making a comeback.
When Brendan Neville was growing up, he loved to visit the Tenafly Diner in New Jersey every Sunday with his mom to order a BLT and a malt. Consequently, he was happy to take over as chef at Bite Cafe (1039 N. Western Ave., 773.395.2483, bitecafechicago.com). “We're trying to hold true to [the notion of] providing neighborhood-friendly, approachable food at a reasonable price…with a slight modern twist…using high-quality ingredients,” he says. In
a nod to the old blue plate special, his menu includes a dish for every day of the week, including a Meatball Mayhem special on Mondays. The award-winning recipe comes from an elderly woman Neville worked under in New York City. For $11, diners get a hero sandwich with a half dozen or more meatballs along with their choice of salad or fries. “I use pecorino…provolone cheese and baby arugala,” he says. “People know it's made with love and leave feeling full, which is part of the community diner feel.” The restaurant also offers its own cool takes on milkshakes and malts.
Another update on a traditional diner is in the offing as Stephanie Izard (Girl and the Goat, 809 W. Randolph St., 312.492.6262, girlandthegoat.com), prepares to debut her acclaimed restaurant's offspring, Little Goat, in the West Loop. In the meantime, thanks to a new cookbook, Girl in the Kitchen: How a Top Chef Cooks, Thinks, Shops, Eats and Drinks, fans can enjoy her food in the comfort of their own homes.—NM
Edward Kim's first forays into cooking weren't exactly restaurant quality: He once put a pizza in the oven before removing it from the box and created a fire that required professional assistance to extinguish.
The food Kim creates at Ruxbin (851 N. Ashland Ave., 312.624.8509, ruxbinchicago.com), however, is garnering awards. Bon Appetit even named Kim's one of the best new restaurants of 2011.
Once embarrassed by the childhood nickname (Teddy Ruxbin) that inspired the restaurant's moniker, as well as the Korean food his mother used to prepare for his non-Korean friends, Kim is now facing his past head on and incorporating it into his work. “There is a time in your life [when] you have to embrace the things that were embarrassing or shameful—I am the culmination of my experiences, and I have to embrace them.”
Creating dishes influenced by French technique with an occasional Asian accent, Kim says he is not entirely defined by his roots, though. “I call my cuisine American, not fusion, because that would mean a fusion element in every dish. We don't want to be contained within a box.”—NM
Trendy new restaurants are always tempting us, but sometimes it's
comforting to relax at places that have stood the test of time.
Moody's Pub (5910 N. Broadway St., 773.275.2696, moodyspub.com) opened in 1959 and is still in the hands of the same family that opened its doors more than half a century ago. The outdoor patio beckons in the summertime, but when the cold winds blow, it's time to slide into a booth indoors. The décor channels a cozy ski lodge, where flames in the fireplace add extra warmth. For a dose of extra heat, try one of the restaurant's Fireside Potions (a hot drink with liqueur).
For another retro experience, stop by the original Margie's Candies (1960 N. Western Ave., 773.384.1035, margiescandies.nv.switchboard.com) in Bucktown, which has been owned by the same family since it opened in 1921. Featuring its original marble soda fountain and Tiffany lamp décor, you can order the same gargantuan old-fashioned sundae with house-made ice cream and all the toppings that the Beatles once ordered here in the 1960s. To prolong the pleasure, take home some of the handcrafted candies—pecan, caramel and chocolate terrapins and jars of chocolate fudge let you concoct your own frozen treats.—NM
You may know Suzy Singh from her recent stint on television's “Master Chef,” but the young chef wasn't always on the path to culinary fame. Working as a neural engineer before returning to her first love of food, Singh says she sees plenty of parallels between the two professions. “I love to do molecular gastronomy, which is a very scientific approach to food,” she explains. “I like to do a thyme foam that you [can] put over an eggplant dish, and caviar balls infused with celery puree.”
With a nod to her Indian heritage, Singh says she also loved making tandoori cod in papillote on the show. “It's the perfect combination of Indian cuisine and classic French technique,” she explains.
It was certainly easier than the pork belly Singh had to prepare in only one hour—the dish normally takes three hours to braise.
But it was her sweet potatoes and lemon meringue pie that eventually led to her elimination from the top four. Nevertheless, hot-tempered host Gordon Ramsey showered her with praise.
Currently, Singh is busy creating dishes for private dinner parties and making preparations for her own food truck collaboration, Suzy's Samosas, with Haute Sausage while she pursues her dream of obtaining her own cooking show on TV. We'd definitely tune in.—NM
Health food is typically thought of as more of a necessity than a culinary delight. Thanks to these Wicker Park restaurants, however, that's no longer the case.
Greek for “green,” Prasino (1846 W. Division St., 312.878.1212, prasino.com) uses sustainable ingredients, often from small, local producers, to create chef Scott Halverson's extensive menu. Dishes range from morning breakfast to late-night noshes that always include some vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices.
Sometimes, new dishes even happen by accident. “A producer sends me the wrong green, so I spin a recipe out of that,” Halverson says. Other times, ideas come to him when he should be sleeping. “I go to bed with my iPhone and send emails to myself [to] test out the recipes on the plate the next day,” he confesses. But Halverson never strays from the restaurant's main philosophy. "The décor of the restaurant is 100 percent sleek, modern and minimalist. I try to do the same with my food and focus on quality, seasonal ingredients and flavor.”
At Native Foods Café (1484 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773.489.8480, nativefoods.com), plates are created for vegans with only plant-based foods, ensuring that all can enjoy their meals content in the knowledge that no animals were harmed in the preparation of their food.—NM
