#they serve these aioli fries. i’m fucking addicted to them

[mars-ipan]

i LOVEEEE the fusion place near my house <33333

[abiteofnat]

Got Me Feeling Knotty

As in... garlic knotty. As you all know, I am a huge fan of “happy accidents”, especially when they have to do with food. This weekend I got to try the new Wrigleyville find Dutch and Doc’s, located within the Hotel Zachary complex right across from Wrigley Field, due to a colossal error on my part. What was this error, you may ask? Thinking that my boy and I could squeeze into Big Star an hour before the Lizzo concert right across the street to just enjoy a few easygoing tacos and maybe throw back a marg or two, like I'm the fucking queen of Chicago. NO, OF COURSE THAT WAS STUPID. When we arrived at Big Star people were literally hanging out the windows and clinging to space at the bar like lemurs, eyes darting wildly as they looked for a table to open up or get a text from the host. The wait was 23 tables ahead of us. We left.

Of course, it didn’t dawn on me until halfway through the Lizzo concert that people probably heard she would be performing in Gallagher Way and made reservations at Big Star right at that time so they could watch her perform from the comfort of taco & tequila heaven. God, were they smart, and was I a dumbass. However- this is where the “happy accident” part comes in! As we were walking towards Dimo’s to eat large, overpriced slices of OK pizza like the knuckleheads we are, we stopped at a corner waiting to cross the light and Eric looked over and suggested we look at the menu for a new restaurant neither of us had been to. Enter Dutch and Doc’s, a triangular beacon of hope featuring big ole windows, a very coastal-color theme and LOTS OF CARBS. This restaurant feels like it should be somewhere in England OR off the coat of New England, since it’s a mix of old school “shoo-bop design” and decor that could be sporty, but is mostly just classy. It’s crisp, clean and had a great menu with a ton of options for both of us to choose from, so we took a chance on a new spot and sat down immediately since only about four tables were filled. 

Before we get into food, my marketing side needs to have the floor for a moment. Why, on a gorgeous Saturday, when the entire mile-radius is packed with concert-goers and every other patio is overflowing with people, was this place serving *maybe* 10 people maximum? The food is entirely overpriced. Yes, it’s in a hotel. Yes, it’s in the newly famous and fancy Wrigleyville. But these prices scream “Bring your daddy in here for an Old Fashioned because he’s grumpy and hates loud places,” not “Come try our really great food and fantastic atmosphere even though you just want cheap beer and food in your tum tum so you don’t black out.” While the food was delicious and the server was sweet as a peach, and I feel like we ate our weight for the price we paid, they need to jack the prices down to get any business from customers under 45 years of age. 

THAT BEING SAID, I’d gladly return to stuff my face with their appetizer selection. We ended up ordering a feast of “smaller” dishes, since I wasn’t looking to spend $$$ on a questionable vegetarian-friendly entree, and boy did we get some... HOME RUNS! Baseball joke! Below I’ve listed out what should not be missed, and what you can skip. You’ll want to know!!! It’s a shocker!!!

1. Garlic Knots 

THESE ARE EVERYTHING TO ME. Their garlic knots are perfectly soft and chewy, with a thick coating of butter, olive oil and garlic hunks brushed all over, and when you bite through them you can see the garlic soaked through on the bottom. They smell fantastic, they come with bowl of tangy pomodoro sauce to dip, and even though they’re very much filled with cholesterol they’re oddly light. I ate about 3 or 4 and didn’t feel bloated or weighted down, just euphoric and wishing there were more. They should adopt the Olive Garden breadstick mentality there if you order this dish... but that may be giving drunk people too much power. 

2. French Onion Dip

I have not stopped thinking about this dip since we polished it off. While some places might give you a tiny bowl of dip (cough cough, every bougie Mexican restaurant in the city that gives you a dollop of guac and 1000 chips) this place gives you a full ceramic dish of dip, and it is GOOD. It’s creamy, packed with caramelized onion bits and is perfectly salty. The house-made salt & vinegar chips that come with it are addictive and are refilled for free upon request, so you can truly devour every single lick of dip. And we did. 

3. French Fries

We got a side of fries, because why the hell not, and they were pretty tasty but overshadowed by some of the other dishes. The aioli they come with is packed with garlic and delicious, though, so maybe just ask for a side of that with whatever you get.

4. Chicken Gyro 

OF course, I did not eat the gyro, but I did eat the potato salad that came with it. And it was dank AF. Juicy halves of fingerling potato, a light mayo sauce, some crunchy veg mixed in there, and voila- a delightful side that I pawned off Eric because he went from hangry to full too quickly. 

Overall, definitely give this place a try and don’t be shy about ordering the sides. While the main dishes looked good, they’re not what I'll be rushing back to order any time soon. I can get $16 Mac & Cheese somewhere that isn’t in the middle of Wrigleyville. 

“Spontaneous, great find of carbo-loading” - Eric, 2019 

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie 

[abiteofnat]

Eating away the winter blues...

Because there’s nothing to do in Chicago except eat. And eat, and eat. I guess there are some museums and shows and there’s always the gym... but to see friends and get people out of the house for a real NIGHT OUT, there’s usually food involved. I remember a blog post I wrote in the fall in which I romanticized this time, and while eating by permanent candlelight is eternally romantic, I am ready to drink a marg on a rooftop and slip off my shoes under the table. 

We’re entering the stage of Chicago called “second winter,” in which we keep thinking it’s going to get warmer and it only gets colder. People begin to bravely wear leather jackets instead of parkas, and act like gloves are a thing of the past. Exposed ankles? Why not! It’s almost spring, right??? Well, in honor of embracing cozy dinners in dark places, I’ve collected a series of places to visit before it’s patio-only season.

I promise, even though there are a thousand patios I'd rather be sitting on, these places are still the bee’s knees! 

1. Gilt Bar

I had been to Gilt Bar years ago with an old friend, and while I remember liking the dark, mysterious atmosphere that Hogsalt loves to create, I have no clue what I ate. If I don't remember exactly what I ordered the last time I went to a restaurant, it wasn’t good enough to remember in my mind. However Eric and I went back for Valentine’s Day and I'm still thinking about every single bite we had- from the DÉLICE DE BOURGOGNE appetizer, which is triple cream cheese, strawberry jam & fines herbs served on a wooden board and begging to be slathered all over the accompanying warm bread, to the Vodka pasta that knocked the air right out of me. The triple cream cheese was salty, smooth and entirely addicting, especially with a dollop of jam and a sprig of what I believe was rosemary. I couldn’t. stop. eating it. And honestly that’s when you know you found your match- when every other couple around you is trying to delicately serve salads and take tiny little bites, because it’s Valentine's Day and everyone is just feeling awkward, but you’re just chowing down and taking videos of each other biting into big ole burgers. Y’all should see Eric bite into a burger- truly barbaric. (Pro tip- the burger at Gilt Bar is the same burger as at Au Cheval. Skip the three hour wait. Go to Gilt Bar.) 

But, back to the vodka rigatoni. This pasta was cooked ideally al dente, and was tossed in a slightly spicy vodka sauce that somehow seeped into every single noodle, creating a pillow of sauce begging to be bit into. While the recipe is simple and the dish is nothing revolutionary, it’s a perfect example of how GOOD classic dishes can be when they’re made with lots of love.

2. DMK Burger Bar

DMK is another place I'd been before, but still felt there was more to try. In the time of the Impossible Burger it’s nearly impossible (hah) to find an actual veggie burger, made with rice and a protein of some sort. I do not understand this switch AT ALL because when you’re vegetarian, you do not want to eat something that tastes like meat, and now the only option literally everywhere is fake meat that tastes like meat and bleeds like meat. Nope. Not on board. 

DMK does it right- they have a giant, juicy veggie burger that comes on a normal bun, with normal burger toppings and no weird shit that restaurants think vegetarians want. It’s just a VEGGIE BURGER that tastes GREAT, THANK GOD. Then there’s the fries. There are six fry options, all wonderful in their own way, but the two winners to me are the sweet potato fries with lemon aioli and the angry fries, which are coated in chili powder and tossed in Sriracha mayo. Ohhhhh my goodness. Fuck sanity. Order every single type of fry they have. 

And, get the Gose Blood Orange Ale. I tried it for the first time last week, and it’s truly the perfect in-between if you want a cocktail and a beer. Sweet, boozy, and only $7. 

3. Dinotto Pizza e Vino

A new find! To spice up my life AND your life! While there’s nothing “new” about this place, it’s still a wonderful addition to my Old Town go-to spots. Located right as Old Town begins and the shit storm that is North Avenue ends is Dinotto, a classic Italian restaurant that makes you feel like you know the owner even if you’ve never met them. It’s intimate but still bright inside, has all the typical things you’d expect on the menu, and on Wednesdays bottles of wine are half off. Did my girl group of three order a bottle? Of course we did. It was Wednesday, we had to. 

When you find yourself settled at Dinotto, order the garlic breadsticks to start, and get a side of the truffle aioli to dip them into. Fucking brilliant, and entirely addicting. The breadsticks aren’t greasy but somehow trap all of the garlic and butter right in that top layer, so as you bite through all the flavors fill your mouth and it’s bliss. I got the pesto rigatoni, because if you haven't figured out by now, I'm a sucker for rigatoni. If it’s on the menu, I have a magnetic pull towards it. It is my North Star. Overall, the pasta was cooked well and the pesto was fresh and clearly homemade, in the best way. Should I go back I want to order the farfalle with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes, because it looked and smelled absolutely divine. 

I love Italian restaurants in Old Town. They’re two steps from tacky, but hit the mark just right. Mama Mia. 

That’s it for now, eat well and be merry my friends! I’ll see you when the sun shines and it reaches over sixty degrees on every patio in the city, just you wait. 

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie