Fab Happenings: Top 20 Things I Ate in Chicago 2015 by SherrieSavorsTheCity

I’m almost ready to say hello to 2016!!! However, before I can properly welcome this year…I cannot help but reminisce on all the wonderful memories of the last year. 2015 was one heck of year and I could not be more grateful for everything that has happened to me. Food has always been a huge part of my life, both personally and professionally, but never in my wildest dreams did I predict that my hobby as an active foodie Instagrammer would lead to so many new friendships and exciting opportunities.

I am so proud to say that my dream of becoming a food blogger came true last year. Being able to witness the continuous growth and evolution of Fab Food Chicago is one of the many highlights of 2015. I feel blessed to be part of this great group of ladies who share the same passion for food like me. Juggling both careers as a full time pastry chef in one of the best bakeries in Chicago and also a full time blogger for Fab Food Chicago can be challenging at times, but extremely rewarding. Since 2015 was a great year, I can only imagine how awesome 2016 will be.

Coming up with a list of the best things I ate last year was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I’m here to report that the Chicago food scene is alive and well with a lot of new openings as well as sad closings. After hours and hours of going back and forth through my foodie archives, I was finally able to narrow it down to 20 unforgettable culinary treasures. To make it easier, I broke the into four different categories: breakfast, lunch/small bites, dinner, and desserts. So what are we waiting for?

Drum roll please…

Best Things I Ate for Breakfast

Military Coffee + Doughnut Vault at Sawada Coffee
Sawada Coffee is a partnership between Brendan Sodikoff (founder of Hogsalt Hospitality) and Hiroshi Sawada, Asia’s first winner in 2008 of the Latte Art World Championship. Sawada’s talent, creativity, and attention to detail are evident in his first coffee shop in Chicago. The hip and funky space, connected to Green Street Smoked Meats in the West Loop, serves amazing espresso-based drinks, boozy steamers, tea, and Doughnut Vault treats.

The military coffee which is made with green tea latte, espresso, cocoa powder, and white chocolate is a true work of art. Savor it with any of the doughnuts they sell at the counter, particularly the Strawberry Old Fashioned and you’ve got a winning combo.

{Location}
Sawada Coffee
West Loop || 112 N Green St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 754-0431

Conchas with Flan Cream at Cantina 1910
Conchas are Mexico’s beloved sweet rolls that are usually sold in a pananderia, or bread shop. It is named after the shape of the sugary topping on top, which resembles a seashell.

Conchas often have a reputation of being dry in the center but the ones that they make at Cantina 1910 is an exception. The thick and sugary crust melts in your mouth and a soft and fluffy inside is revealed. The smooth texture of the flan cream with the caramelized flavor (similar to dulce de leche) elevates it in a whole new level of deliciousness. Now, I wouldn’t mind waking up to this every morning.

{Location}
Cantina 1910
Uptown || 5025 N Clark St, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 506-1910

Avocado Toast at The Allis
The Allis has one of the most beautiful ambiance in Chicago. With its massive chandeliers, plush velvet sofas, and tall windows that allow ample light inside, it is hard not to fall in love with the elegant space.

The breakfast menu is small but beautifully prepared. My favorite thing to order is the avocado toast. Served on toasted multigrain bread, it is generously piled with huge chunks of creamy avocado and topped with a perfectly poached egg. Sometimes I like to substitute a fried egg on top. It is without a doubt my favorite avocado toast in the city!

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The Allis
West Loop || 113-125 N Green St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 521-8000

Thick-Cut Bacon at The Publican
Not all bacon is created equal especially the “pub” bacon they serve at The Publican, which is available only during brunch. Imagine biting into a meltingly tender, extra thick bacon with gorgeous fat striations running through the meat.

The rich bacon is braised in Burton’s maple syrup for that irresistible mix of sweet and salty. Try this with an order of their house made Belgian style waffles, which are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the center.

The Burton's maple syrup braised bacon @publicanchicago is a game changer. This is more of a thick cut slab of pork belly that is crispy on the outside yet unbelievably tender inside. The special Grade B maple syrup with it's deep caramel profile elevates it to a new level of bacon goodness. 🙌🙌🙌 Have a great day everyone! #bacon #porkbelly #baconporn #brunch #breakfast #chicago #chicagofoodauthority #chicagofoodanddrink #chicagocraves #chicago_eats #goodeatschicago #iwalkchicago #chicagospots #feedyoursoull #eastcoastfoodies #foodiechats #foodcapades #myfab5 #ogluttoness #foodiegurll #foodgasm #theculinarylens #tagsforlikes #foodstagram #foodpornshare #EEEEEATS #yummy #everythingerica #SherrieSavorsChicago

A photo posted by Sherrie Tan (@sherriesavorsthecity) on Jan 3, 2015 at 8:53am PST

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The Publican
Fulton Market || 837 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 733-9555

Breakfast Sandwich at The Long Room
The Long Room has been serving a good selection of craft beers and ciders for 15 years now. But this year, they opened a few chef driven concepts via Sidecar, a service window adjacent to the bar.

One of them being The Biscuit Man, which was developed by Chef Zeehan Shah and offers breakfast and lunch everyday from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. They also serve great coffee along with their house made buttery biscuits and naan sandwiches. The ham and cheese biscuit sandwich is straight forward yet absolutely delicious. But if you want something heartier, you can have them submerge the biscuits in a creamy gravy.

If you're into egg porn as much as we are please let @thebiscuitman know how sexy this biscuits and gravy looks. Check out our website for more pics! #🍳

A photo posted by @alwayshungrychi on Nov 2, 2015 at 7:55am PST

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The Biscuit Man (located inside The Long Room)
Lakeview || 1612 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 665-4500

Best Things I Ate for Lunch/Small Bites

Clam Chowder at GT Fish & Oyster
GT Fish & Oyster has, hands down, the best clam chowder in the city. The beautiful presentation alone is a good indication of how truly special this is. The warm soup comes in an adorable 8-oz. mason jar, which is studded with fresh pieces of clam, Nueske’s bacon, and house made rosemary oyster crackers. The velvety consistency is neither too thick, nor too thin. Next time I go back, I will probably need to order a whole bowl for myself.

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GT Fish & Oyster
River North || 531 N Wells St, Chicago, IL || (312) 929-3501

Empanadas at La Sirena Clandestina
La Sirena Clandestina features Latin-inspired food and cocktails with heavy Brazilian influences. Everyone who goes there, always orders the baked empanadas. They only have two options: meat or veggie.

The pre-made dough is imported from Argentina and fillings vary depending on what is fresh and available.  The empanadas has a delicately thin, light, and flaky crust that wraps around the warm, flavorful filling. I love these portable beauties so much that I wrote an article about it.

Check out my Top 5 Best Empanadas in Chicago here.

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La Sirena Clandestina
Fulton Market || 954 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 226-5300

Crispy Bayou Boudin Balls at Pearl’s Southern Comfort
Pearl’s Southern Comfort offers Cajun and Creole inspired cuisine in the unassuming neighborhood of Edgewater. From creole cornbread to the luscious savory crawfish cheesecake, the restaurant offers a wide variety of classic and modern dishes from New Orleans.

The crispy boudin balls stuck out to me in more ways than one. The filling is made with a flavorful mixture of house-made boudin sausage (blood sausage), creamy chicken liver, and creole-seasoned rice. Before you scrunch your nose, go give this dish a try! You will be rewarded with a crispy and crunchy exterior as well as a rich and incredibly savory interior. Make sure to dip it in the creamy creole remoulade for that extra kick!

{Location}
Pearl’s Southern Comfort
Edgewater || 5352 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 754-7419

Grilled Klug Farm Peach Bruschetta at Formento’s
It is no secret that Formento’s is one of my top spots for Italian food in Chicago. Chef Tony Quartaro cooks up modern and creative takes on classic Italian-American fare in a refined setting.

I have been a fan of their ever changing bruschetta since the first time I tasted it. This past summer, they won me over with their best combo yet. The perfectly toasted seeded bread was topped with three simple ingredients: grilled ripe peaches, whipped ricotta, and spicy sopressata (Italian cured sausage). It was sweet, spicy, creamy, and crunchy…everything I wanted in a bruschetta.

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Formento’s
West Loop || 925 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 690-7295

Smoked Brisket Hash at Dove’s Luncheonette
Wow! Yes, this was my expression when I had my first bite of this stunning dish. What’s not to love about a heaping pile of crispy potatoes mixed with tender briskets pieces and spicy shishito peppers? As if that wasn’t good enough, it is drowned in a creamy aioli and topped with two sunny side up eggs and buttery Texas toast. It was rich, full of flavor, and satisfying.

{Location}
Dove’s Luncheonette
Wicker Park || 1545 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 645-4060

Best Things I Ate for Dinner

Wood Oven Roasted Pig Face at Girl & the Goat
If there was one dish that best exemplifies Chef Stephanie Izard top chef skills, the Wood Oven Roasted Pig Face would be it. Don’t be scared or intimidated by the name, it’s one of the most memorable things I have eaten in my life.

The shredded pig cheeks literally melts in your mouth and serves as a wonderful contrast to the sweet maple gastric and tangy tamarind vinaigrette. The runny egg gives it extra richness while the potato sticks adds a nice crunch. It is recommended to mix everything together before digging in. The result is nothing short of amazing.

{Location}
Girl & the Goat
West Loop || 809 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 492-6262

Philippines Longanisa Sausage at Tête Charcuterie
Among the slew of amazing restaurants in the West Loop, Tête Charcuterie is setting itself apart by focusing on house-made sausages, terrines, pâtés, cured meats, and hot dishes while pairing it with craft cocktails, beers, and wines.

While everything I’ve had was insanely delicious, the standout was a breakfast sausage inspired by my Filipino heritage, the Longanisa Sausage . Although it doesn’t taste exactly like the real stuff, they are able to make it all work and make sense in a composed dish. The two pieces of thick, well charred, and garlicky Philippines Longanisa sausages are served over a bed of dried shrimp fried rice, a scoop of fresno chili marmalade, and a slow-cooked egg. When all of the individual components are combined together, there is something almost magical about it. Every bite was bursting with so much flavor and different textures. There’s a little bit of sweet, sour, spicy, and a whole lot of umami goodness running through it.

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Tête Charcuterie
West Loop || 1114 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 773-1178

Sushi at Kai Zan
Kai Zan is the brainchild of two twin brothers, Carlo and Melvin Vizconde, who have worked in various sushi places before opening their own restaurant in Humboldt Park. They specialize in creating unbelievably fresh and inventive sushi that is not only appealing to the eye but tastes just as good.

Before discovering Kai Zan, I was very discouraged with the Chicago sushi scene because most good quality places often comes with a hefty price tag. Kai Zan sheds a new light for people like me who want to enjoy great sushi at reasonable prices. You can’t go wrong with the uni or oyster shooters, build-your-own uni toro tartare, or anything from the Kai Zan Favorites section on the menu. For die-hard sushi fans, ask about their omakase menu. It is super affordable and absolutely delicious.

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Kai Zan
Humboldt Park || 2557 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 278-5776

Le Cheseburger Royale at Cochon Volant
Tucked within the Hyatt Centric Hotel, Cochon Volant is a modern brasserie that blends American and French influences. With the cuisine of highly acclaimed chef, Roland Liccioni (Les Nomades) and chef de cuisine Matt Ayala (Gilt Bar, Schwa, and Cocello) who runs the kitchen, you know that you are in for a treat.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love the burger at Au Cheval but the le cheeseburger royale from Cochon Volant deserve some merits, too. I appreciate each of them for different reasons. While both are dressed similarly with lots of melted cheddar cheese, thick-cut bacon, dijonnaise, pickles, and onions, the hamburger patty at Cochon Volant is what sets them apart. It is perfectly juicy with a rich beefy flavor that reminds me of a good piece of steak. Not to mention, the excellent fries with the addictive garlic aioli that goes with it. Nom…nom…nom…

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Cochon Volant Chicago
The Loop || 100 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 754-6560

Fried Chicken at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken
Fried Chicken is one of my favorite things to eat. Chicago has a few good places for fried chicken but nothing comes close to what Gus’s cranks out. The Memphis based chain import landed in Chicago last October. I couldn’t help but go oooh and aaah with sheer delight as I bit into the sheath of shatteringly crisp, spicy chicken skin, and the juicy meat. They only use fresh not frozen chickens and fried to order. Talk about finger lickin’ and lip smackin’ good ol’ fried chicken!

{Location}
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken
Fulton Market || 846 W Futon Market, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 773-1971

Best Things I Ate for Dessert

Chai Doughnut at Pub Royale
Pub Royale opened last year in the same space that Small Bar used to be. It was a risky concept that ended up being worth it. Wicker Park needed a unique bar that served great British-Indian food along with a good selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails. You know how much I love my doughnuts but the deep fried naan doughnut is unlike any other. It is soft with a pleasant chew to it and drenched in a chai-infused dulce de leche glaze. Yum…

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Pub Royale
Wicker Park || 2049 W Division, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 661-6874

Pastries at Cellar Door Provisions
Cellar Door Provisions has won my heart and belly through their slow food concept. When everything is made in-house and all the ingredients are sourced from local farms along with careful execution, there is no doubt in my mind that they got something special over there. The pastries are pure perfection from the gorgeous layers of the croissant to the creamy, custardy center of the canelé. Not a single detail is left unattended.

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Cellar Door Provisions
Avondale || 3025 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 697-8337

Jam Butty at Peckish Pig
Peckish Pig is a restaurant and brewery located on the historic Howard Street in Evanston. The restaurant is known for its hearty and comforting pub fare with British influences. No visit to Peckish Pig is complete without ordering the jam butty for dessert. It is essentially a deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich on steroids. It is crispy on the outside without being overly greasy. The cold vanilla ice cream on the side is the perfect contrast to the warm sandwich.

{Location}
Peckish Pig
Evanston || 623 Howard St, Evanston, IL || (847) 491-6778

Donut Ice Cream Sandwich at Firecakes
Firecakes is high on my list of top spots for donuts in the city. So when I found out that they carry donut ice cream sandwiches, it was my duty to make sure that they were as good as they sounded. In fact, the soft, pillowy, rectangular shaped vanilla glazed donut with a slab of creamy vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce in the middle, exceeded my expectation. A seasonal flavor favorite is the pumpkin ice cream and caramel praline in-between a cinnamon sugar donut. Mmm…

{Location}
Firecakes
River North || 68 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL || (312) 329-6500

Warm Chocolate Butter Cake at Siena Tavern
Top chef alum, Fabio Viviani, is behind the casual yet stylish River North Italian eatery, Siena Tavern. The busy restaurant is known for their small plates, house made pastas, and pizzas that are made for sharing amongst a group pf people.

Don’t forget to save room for dessert! Pastry whiz Amy Arnold is a true magician when it comes to her house-made gelatos and decadent desserts. The warm and gooey chocolate butter cake left a lasting impression on my palate. It came with a scoop of brown butter/peanut butter gelato and candied peanuts which elevated the sinful cake to new heights.

{Location}
Siena Tavern
River North || 51 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 595-1322

Whoa, I am getting hungry again! Each of these places offer something unique and special. It was quite a feat to write an article about my top 20 things I ate in 2015 but hopefully you will be able to check some of these cool places.

Check out @fabsoopark‘s recap of 2015 here, @vansventures recap here, and @chelsias recap here.

What were some of  your favorite things that you ate last year? Please comment below. I want to know!

Savor Every Moment,
Sherrie

Note: These meals were not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.