New year, new me. That’s how the saying goes right? Well, I’m not sure it will be a completely new me, but if there is change in the air then I owe it all to this past year. As I reflect back on 2015, all I can say is that it was truly a year of a food awakening.
It was the year I took a simple hobby of eating out and brought it to the next level. I immersed myself into the food scene and the Instagram/blogger community in Chicago. I was able to eat at places I only ever dreamed of and I met amazing people along the way. I could not feel more blessed every time I think about all the things I was a part of in 2015.
Of course, with all these great experiences came lots of great meals. Although these were hard to pick, check out my Top 5 Things I Ate in 2015…
5. Homeslice
Homeslice is my go-to pizza place. Not only is it conveniently located off the red line (Fullerton) station, but it a fun and chill place to have quality pizza. With 37 pizza choices, salads, calzones, and appetizers, I never leave Homeslice disappointed.
My favorite pizza from Homeslice is the Kern-Holio which comes with chicken, portabella mushrooms, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, mozzarella, provolone, and marinara. One thing that always makes my meal complete at Homeslice is that I can substitute a pesto base to any pizza for no extra charge. As a huge pesto fan, this is what truly takes my pizza to the next level.
As an added bonus, when I went to Homeslice on my birthday, the waiter surprised me by bringing out some chocolate chip cookie-dough balls for my birthday dessert! It was such a cute customer service gesture that took my meal above and beyond my expectations.
FAB TIP: During Sunday Brunch, you can add a sunny-side up egg on top of any pizza. Brunch is 21+.
{Location}
Homeslice
Lincoln Park || 938 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 789-4600
{Price Range}
$-$$ (Under $10 -$35)
4. Cho Sun Ok
My first time at Cho Sun Ok will always stand out because of the chadolbaegi. Chadolbaegi is thinly sliced beef brisket that is grilled at your table. The meat is not marinated but still has nice flavor when cooked with some garlic. It cooks fairly fast, so you don’t have to wait long to eat it!
The perfect bite of chadolbaegi is with some rice and kimchi, keeping all the flavors simple but balanced. In addition to the meat, we had haemul soon tofu which is a tofu based soup with seafood. We also had dumplings and scallion pancakes. I can’t forget to mention all the wonderful banchan or side dishes that came with our food. All together, it was a very well-rounded meal and kept me full for the whole night!
Cho Sun Ok putting the “bae” in chadolbaegi. 😍 || #chelsiaeats #fabfoodchicago #korean
A photo posted by chelsia (@chelsias) on
FAB TIP: Cho Sun Ok is bring your own alcohol – BYOB.
{Location}
Cho Sun Ok
North Center || 4200 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 549-5555
{Price Range}
$-$$ (Under $10 -$35)
3. Hot “G” Dog
I definitely missed out on the Hot Doug’s hype before it closed and trust me…it was one of my biggest regrets of 2015. So imagine my happiness when I heard that Hot “G” Dog had opened up with a similar menu and the same cooks as Hot Doug’s! I have a huge addiction to hot dogs so I tried out their Chicago dog, a bacon bratwurst, and a duck sausage dog. Although simple, the flavors of each hot dog definitely stood out and satisfied all my hot dog cravings.
In addition to the hot dogs, I tried out their duck fat fries which had just the right amount of saltiness and savoriness. I could probably have spent the rest of the day eating the duck fat fries for sure. Besides their hot dogs, Hot “G” Dog offers wings, nachos, a bunch of specialty dogs such as elk, kangaroo, and snake. If you’re a hot dog lover like me, this is the place to check out for sure.
FAB TIP: Duck fat fries are only offered Friday-Sunday.
{Location}
Hot “G” Dog
Uptown || 5009 N Clark St Chicago, IL || P: (773) 209-3360
{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)
2. Dolce Italian
Italian food is my favorite type of food, so it should come at no surprise that I fell in love with Dolce Italian with the first bite. The highlight of my meal at Dolce Italian? Their tartufata pizza. This pizza comes with bianca, speck, spicy salami, and truffle oil. Make sure you ask for it startufata-style to get the star-shaped crust with ricotta cheese stuffed inside. It will make your taste buds melt!
In addition to their pizza, I loved their meatball parmigiana panini complete with the classic Dolce meatballs and tomato gravy. If you’re looking for a appetizer, try the fritto misto. This fried seafood appetizer is perfect to munch on while you wait for your entrée! Their food is deliciously filling and hearty so if you’re lucky you might have leftovers to last you for the day!
FAB TIP: They offer happy hour Monday-Friday from 5PM-8PM at the bar. You choose from small plates, cured meats and cheese, and of course…drinks!
{Location}
Dolce Italian
River North || 127 W Huron St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 754-0700
{Price Range}
$-$$ (Under $10 -$35)
1. Kai Zan
Sushi fans rejoice because I have found the place for you. I have always been an avid sushi lover, but up until 2015 I had kept my sushi options to all-you-can-eat places. Mostly, because I was all about getting the best bang for my buck. Kai Zan was huge game-changer for me in the world of sushi.
Not only is the sushi prepared gorgeously, but the freshness of the ingredients stood out in every bite. You can just taste the high quality of fish that goes into each piece of sushi and it is absolutely worth the price. It was at Kai Zan that I also tried uni for the first time and although it was a bit daunting, I ended up becoming a huge fan of it! One resolution that I have for 2016 is to come back to Kai Zan and try their omasake experience!
FAB TIP: Their omasake is 10 courses of chef’s choice for $60 per person. If you don’t know what to order, this is a great way to try a variety of things on their menu!
{Location}
Kai Zan
Humboldt Park || 2557 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 278-5776
{Price Range}
$-$$$ (Under $10 -$65)
Looking back, I feel lucky that I ate so well in 2015! Each meal, whether it was big or small, was filled with good food and great company. I cannot wait for more food adventures in 2016!
Check out @fabsoopark‘s recap of 2015 here, @vansventures recap here, and @sherriesavorsthecity here.
What were some of your favorite eats this past year? Let me know below!
Eat On!
Chelsia
Note: These meals were not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.
