Chicago Bites

Chinese influence shows in the Lomo Saltado.

We went to listener recommended Ay Ay Picante to take another chance with Peruvian cuisine. Did the parihuela, papa rellena, and yucca change our minds? Tune in and find out.

Special thanks to Luis!

( 12.2 M)

00:00 - 01:28 A new frame of mind
01:29 - 04:46 Adventures in appetizers
04:47 - 08:20 Chinese influences and hidden corn, bacon
08:21 - 09:33 Moving through dessert
09:34 - 11:12 Atmosphere
11:13 - 13:15 Ratings and sign-off

Ay Ay Picante
4569 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 427-4239
Get directions

Average price per person: $30

Palta Rellena Vegetariana is an avocado stuffed with a mixure of green peas, carrots.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Machu Picchu

Online buzz about Ay Ay Picante:
Check Please
Eating Out Chicago
Yelp

Check out our Ay Ay Picante photos on Flickr.

Posted by Tammy at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You don't have to go South to get a rainbow cone. Just head to the Taste!

Check out our Flickr set for inspiration about what to try and what to see at this year's Taste of Chicago!

Posted by Tammy at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Happy, the cupcake said. If only it were so.

I've been to Swirlz several times in our quest for Chicago's best cupcakes, but hadn't checked on their progress in a while. I'm both pleased and disappointed to report that they've remained consistent in what they deliver.

Bridget & I always try our baseline cupcake we when go to a bakery - vanilla with vanilla frosting. Specialty cupcakes are too variable to compare as are the approaches to chocolate cupcakes. The last time we had Swirlz's vanilla-vanilla, it was over-baked. It hasn't changed. Cupcakes shouldn't be crunchy & the promise of "happy" shouldn't be written on them unless it's a true statement. Their buttercream frosting is very light with a nice mouthfeel, but it's also light on flavor. There's no bang and I don't crave it afterwards.

As before, their specialty cupcakes were more interesting. The red velvet cake was not too dense and sufficiently moist. I wish they had used cream cheese frosting over the entire cupcake because it too was excellent. However, they garnished the cupcake with more of the bland buttercream. It looked pretty, but left me disappointed when I didn't get a consistent hit of cream cheese flavor.

Their key lime cupcake was the best we had. They used a different cake mixture, not quite vanilla & not quite citrus, but baked perfectly with a nice center of key lime filling. The key lime frosting reminded me of every key lime pie I'd ever had. Yum.

Will we keep Swirlz on our list of cupcake contenders? Maybe. There's some new competition in that neighborhood and Swirlz will need to improve their basic offerings in order to compare. Been to Swirlz? Let us know what you think!

Swirlz Cupcakes
705 W. Belden Ave.

The red velvet cupcake was delicious.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Cupcake Crawl Entries
Twisted Sister Bakery

On-line Buzz About Swirlz:
Food in Mouth
No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner

Got photos of Chicago cupcake contenders? Add them to the We Love Chicago Cupcakes Flickr group!

Posted by Tammy at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The salmon kabob melts in your mouth. And there's no skewer in sight!

Semiramis has long been top in our book for Middle Eastern cuisine. So how does its neighbor Noon-O-Kabab compare? With a more meat-focused menu, it's certainly a different kind of dining experience. But whenever I'm hungry and happen to be hopping off the Brown Line at Kedzie, I'll be torn. That's because both restaurants "got game."

( 11.5 M)

00:00 - 02:11 Wishing for expandable stomachs
02:12 - 03:03 Starter baselines
03:04 - 06:26 Trying what they're famous for... kabobs! (And dill rice!)
06:27 - 08:18 Ambiance, location, and convenience
08:19 - 09:17 Room for something sweet
09:18 - 10:04 Points of comparison -- you can't go wrong
10:05 - 10:33 Comments on service
10:34 - 12:29 Ratings and sign-off

Noon-O-Kabab
4661 N Kedzie Ave
(773) 279-8899
Get directions

Average price per person: $25

Save room for baklava. It's the perfect finish to the meal.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Kan Zaman
Semiramis

Online buzz about Noon-O-Kabab:
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Noon-O-Kabab photos on Flickr.

Posted by Bridget at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Pork chop in an excellent Oaxaca mole sauce.

We hit the newly opened Mixteco Grill this week on a quest for mole sauce. It's a hot and crowded little hole-in-the-wall spot, but does the mole sauce make up for all that? Pass the chips and turn up the volume! That's all I can say.

( 10.9 M)

00:00 - 01:01 Talking about mole sauce
01:02 - 02:55 Reservation woes
02:56 - 05:07 Appetizers & BYOB
05:08 - 07:50 Mole is the centerpiece
07:51 - 09:11 Excellent dessert recommendation
09:12 - 11:35 Ratings and sign-off

Mixteco Grill
1601 W Montrose Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 868-1601

Average price per person: $30

The tres leches cake was an outstanding recommendation by our waiter.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Adobo Grill
Austin, Texas Round-up, Part 1
Frontera Grill
La Fonda

Online buzz about Mixteco Grill:
LTH Forum
Time Out Chicago
Yelp

Check out our Mixteco Grill photos on Flickr.

Posted by Tammy at 5:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The lobster & shrimp omelet

We popped into Roy's this weekend to try their new Sunday brunch menu. Starting things off were a basket of yummy miniature muffins and an instant offer of coffee. I appreciated the opportunity to snack without ruining my appetite, but I could've easily snarfed on poppyseed muffins all morning. They were seriously good.

We were a guest of the restaurant, so there was little hesitation in trying the $26.95 prix fixe menu. Bridget chose three courses that included the smoked salmon salad, a haiku omelet stuffed with bacon, gouda, mushrooms and onions, and the hot chocolate soufflé. I almost took that option because of the buttermilk pancakes served with Macadamia nuts and bananas, but instead I went ala carte and tried the lobster and shrimp omelet served with a side of potatoes and toast. We could've gone for bottomless mimosas (another $12), but we decided to forgo that in favor of the excellent coffee.

The service was excellent and the refills limitless. Two things that I firmly expect for any brunch experience. Everything we had was well executed, but I can't say it was exceptional. Toast, eggs, soufflé -- they didn't lack, but they didn't stand out either. The only thing I finished that morning was my coffee.

Roy's is a nice place to take out of towners who don't want to stand in line to get in the quirkier, more affordable neighborhood options, or a place to drop in because it's conveniently located to the many churches in the area. It's a midway choice between the all-out Sixteen brunch blow-out and the casual but interesting Over Easy experience.

Go if you're there, but I wouldn't seek it out.

Roy's Restaurant
720 North State Street
$30 -$40 for brunch

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Overall: 8/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 2/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Overall: 6/10

Smoked salmon salad.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Glenn's Diner
Over Easy
Yolk

Online buzz about Roy's:
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Roy's photos on Flickr.

Posted by Tammy at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fava beans and strawberries make the Alaskan halibut a standout dish.

Tammy and I went to Tallulah, a new bistro in Lincoln Square, with high hopes. What we discovered there has a lot of potential. The food is creative, and we tasted hints of greatness. Listen in to hear more.

(25.1 M)

00:00 - 01:03 Simple, sleek, and upscale
01:04 - 03:25 Fois Gras is back! A taste of the forbidden fruit
03:26 - 04:43 Add lobster to anything and how could you go wrong?
04:44 - 09:10 A tight squeeze between tables, angling issues, and hallway seating
09:11 - 09:46 Wine recommendation
09:47 - 11:51 East-Meets-West Steak Frites a tad overcooked
11:52 - 12:48 Alaskan Halibut with strawberries, fava beans, and hidden meat
12:49 - 13:45 Portion sizes and meat eating
13:46 - 16:39 Dessert disappointment paired with hints of potential greatness overall
16:40 - 18:16 Ratings and sign-off

Tallulah
4539 N. Lincoln Ave

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Overall: 6/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 2/5
Overall: 5/10

Average price per person: $65

The lobster deviled eggs are really good and really pink.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Chalkboard
Fiddlehead Cafe
Trattoria Trullo

Online buzz about Tallulah:
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Tallulah photos on Flickr.

Posted by Bridget at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)