The Michelin Guide Chicago 2012 and Michelin Star Restaurants

Grant Achatz remains king as Alinea is awarded the sole dignity of having three Michelin stars in Chicago, while last year’s co-champion, L20, fell down to one star with the transition of their executive chef. There were a few other fluxes in this year’s Michelin star ranking from last year; a total of 21 Chicago restaurants were awarded the honors versus 23 in 2011. Next was not included and it’s unclear if that was a result of not being able to experience the restaurant or due to when it opened.

I am thrilled to see some of the standouts from my year  in dining were included, among them Schwa and Tru. With last year’s arrival of Chicago Michelin Guide, it showcased what we in our fair city have known for a long time, we have tasty food and restaurants. I appreciate that the Michelin Guide continues to push and excel our Chefs, but with the Chicago charm I wouldn’t trade for the world. Sappy? Sure. But I’m not wrong.

And now, I present the 2012 Michele star restaurants in Chicago:

Three stars:

• Alinea

Two stars:

• Charlie Trotter’s
• RIA

One star:

• Blackbird
• Boka
• Bonsoiree
• Courtright’s (new in 2012)
• Everest
• Graham Elliot
• L2O
• Longman & Eagle
• Moto (new in 2012)
• NAHA
• Schwa
• Seasons
• Sepia
• Spiaggia
• Takashi
• Topolobampo
• Tru
• Vie

Chicago Gourmet 2011 is Almost Here

If you’re in Chicago this weekend and you’re a food and wine lover, then chances are you’re heading to the annual Chicago Gourmet Festival. With an amazing lineup of chefs, sommeliers, restaurants and participants, this will be the most delicious place in the city this weekend. Take a look at who’s going to be there. I will be attending Sunday and reporting a full recap. Tickets are still available!

2011 chefs

Ted Allen, Robert Mondavi Food and Wine Ambassador
Rodelio Aglibot, The Food Buddha
Michael Altenberg, Bistro Campagne
Luis Arturo “Artie” Aucaquizhpi, Gene & Georgetti
Jerome Bacle, Courtright’s Restaurant
Ariel Bagadiong, Aja at the dana hotel and spa
Jimmy Bannos, Heaven On Seven and The Purple Pig
Jimmy Bannos Jr., The Purple Pig
Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill/Topolobampo/XOCO
Jonathan Beatty, Davanti Enoteca
Greg Biggers, Café des Architectes at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
Brian Binzer, Zapatista Lincoln Park
David Blonsky, Bull & Bear/ Public House
Viraj Borkar, Vermilion
Francis Brennan, L2O
George Bumbaris, Prairie Grass Café/ Prairie Fire
Cyril Calmet, The Lobby at The Peninsula Chicago
Niall Campbell, Firefly Grill
Evandro Caregnato, Texas de Brazil
John Coletta, Quartino
Federico Comacchio, Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush
Steve Coppolillo, Rosebud Steakhouse
Abel Cortes, e.leaven Food Company
Chris Curren, Blue 13 Restaurant & Bar
Jesse DeGuzman, Sunda New Asian
John des Rosiers, Inovasi
Stephen Dunne, Paramount
Kendal Duque, The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant
Graham Elliot and Brian Runge, graham elliot/Grahamwich
Greg Elliot, Lockwood at the Palmer House Hilton
Patrick Fahy, Café des Architects at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
Christian Fantoni, Filini Bar and Restaurant
Joseph Farina, Salatino’s Restaurant
Dirk Flanigan, Henri/ The Gage
John Folse, Restaurant R’evolution
Mark Freedman, Myron & Phil Steakhouse
Jo-Marie Frigo, Nonna Santi’s Biscotti
Dirk and Terry Fucik, Dirk’s Fish and Gourmet Shop
Meg Galus, NoMI Kitchen
Gale Gand, Tru
Luigi Garcia, RIVA Restaurant
John Gatsos, Tavern on Rush
Carlos Gaytan, Mexique
James Gottwald, Rockit Bar & Grill
Elvia Granados, Francesca’s Restaurant
Rick Gresh, David Burke’s Primehouse
Tim Griffin, N9NE Steakhouse
Mark Grosz, Oceanique
Jeffrey Hedin, Leopold
Thomas Heinrich, Stetson’s Chop House & Bar at the Hyatt Regency Chicago
Perry Hendrix, Custom House
Roger Herring, Socca and Redd Herring Food & Wine
Kevin Hickey, Four Seasons Hotel
John Hogan, Keefer’s Restaurant/ Tavern at the Park
Sandra Holl, Floriole Bakery & Café
Trevor Hoyte, IPO
Tony Hu, Lao Szechuan
Dan Huebschmann, Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House
Jun Ichikawa, Japonais Restaurant/ Mirai Sushi
Stephanie Izard, The Girl & The Goat
Noel Jaramillo, Bacardi at the Park
Stefan Karlsson, Fond Restaurant
Paul Katz, Harry Caray’s Restaurant Group
Ryan Kikkert, Jake Melnick’s
Beverly Kim Clark, aria Restaurant and Bar at the Fairmont Chicago
Diane Kochilas, AVLI Estiatorio
Michael Kornick, MK The Restaurant
Sarah Kosikowski, Sixteen
Eddie Lakin, Edzo’s Burger Shop
Mariano Lanfranconi, 5411 Empanadas
Gilbert Langlois, Chalkboard
Ryan LaRoche, NoMI Kitchen
Chan Le, Le Colonial
Kai Lermen, The Peninsula Chicago
Aaron Lirette, Duchamp
JR Luna, LUXBAR
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia
Anthony Martin, Tru
Justin Martin, Uncommon Ground
Shawn McClain, Green Zebra/ Sage Restaurant
Michael McDonald, one sixtyblue
Charlie McKenna, Lillie’s Q
John McLean, Sono Wood Fired Pizzeria
Mary Sue Milliken, Border Grill Restaurants
Cory Morris, Mercat a la Planxa
Jason Mousseau, HEARTY
Carrie Nahabedian, NAHA
Fernando Navas, SUSHISAMBA rio
Tommy Nevill, III Forks
Martial Noguier, bistronomic
Mary Nolan, Bon Appétit
Jessica Oloroso, Black Dog Gelato
Terry Opalek and Michael Frontier, Terry’s Toffee
Dan Pancake, Autre Monde Café
Chris Pandel, The Bristol
Beth Partridge, Autre Monde Café
Mark Payne, deca RESTAURANT + BAR
Nicole Pederson, C-House
Justin Perdue, LM Restaurant
Ryan Pitts, RL Restaurant
Celine Plano, The Peninsula Chicago
Ryan Poli, Tavernita
Tony Priolo, Piccolo Sogno
Patrick Quakenbush, ZED451
Joe Rosetti, Market Bar
Patty Rothman, MORE
Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun’s
Patricio Sandoval, Mercadito
Mario Santiago, May St. Cafe & Catering
Anthony Schmidt, Pierrot Gourmet at The Peninsula Chicago
Brian Schoenbeck, Stetson’s Chop House & Bar at the Hyatt Regency Chicago
Kevin Schulz, Fulton’s on the River/Bridge Bar
Nathan Sears, Vie
Alex Shalev, Park Grill Chicago
Patrick Sheerin, The Signature Room at the 95th
Bruce Sherman, North Pond Restaurant
Michael Shrader, Epic
Brian Shustrick, HEARTY
Larry Sinclair, Cantina Laredo
Mark Sparacino, Prosecco
Chris Spear, Uncommon Ground
Jeff Starr, Build A Better Burger
Sarah Stegner, Pairie Grass Café/ Prairie Fire
Kristine Subido, WAVE
Michael Taus, ZEALOUS Restaurant
Giuseppe Tentori, Boka Restaurant
Shin Thompson, Bonsoiree
Rick Tramonto, Restaurant R’evolution/ Tramonto’s Steak and Seafood/ RT Sushi Bar & Lounge
Melissa Trimmer, C-House
Jared Van Camp, Old Town Social
Paul Virant, Perennial Virant
Randy Waidner, Gibsons Restaurant Group
Scott Walton, Markethouse Restaurant and Bar
Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto
Jared Wentworth, Longman and Eagle
Matthew Wilde, Moonshine
Erick Williams, MK The Restaurant
Keith Willis, SugarToad Restaurant at the Hotel Arista
Shelley Young, The Chopping Block
Ivan Yuen, Shanghai Terrace at The Peninsula Chicago
Celeste Zeccola, Bittersweet Pastry Shop & Café
Bob Zrenner, Hubbard Inn
Randy Zweiban, Province

2011 master
sommeliers

Serafin Alvarado, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois
Jay Fletcher, Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado
Eric Hemer, Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida
Alpana Singh, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
Joseph Spellman, JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery

2011 speakers

Bridget Albert, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois
Jimmy Bannos Jr., The Purple Pig
Xavier Barlier, Maisons Marques & Domaines
Bobby Gleason, BEAM INC.
Lynn House, Blackbird
Charles Joly, The Drawing Room
Stefan Karlsson, Fond Restaurant
Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appétit
John Legnard, Blue Moon Brewing Co.
Rob and Allie Levitt, The Butcher and  Larder
Tony and Cathy Mantuano, Spiaggia
Paul Mugnier, Premium Port Wines
Ira Norof, CWE, Southern Wine & Spirits of California
Adam Rapoport, Bon Appétit
Peter Scott, Premium Port Wines
Erling Wu-Bower, The Publican
Donald Ziraldo, TWG/Equifera Icewine

2011 emcees

David Blackmon, CPS
Lin Brehmer, Radio Personality, WXRT Chicago
Joe Campagna, ChicagoNow.com
Jason Carlen, Spiaggia
Catherine DeOrio, Culinary Curator
Steve Dolinsky, ABC 7
Shebnem Ince, Henri/The Gage
Chris Koetke, Kendall College
Kiki Luthringshausen, Beauty and Her Feast
Amanda Puck, The Foodarazzi
Adam Rapoport, Bon Appétit
LeeAnn Trotter, NBC 5

 

Tru was Truly Sublime

Our menu from Tru, signed by Chef Anthony Miller

It’s important that I write this review now so I don’t forget a single moment from our dinner at Tru. To say it was amazing wouldn’t begin to do it justice. But let start at the beginning.

On August 11, Ian and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. We’ve been married as long as we were in college. It’s not a Things Remembered milestone, but one that we were eager to celebrate. As you know, going out to dinner with a one and a half year old is not an easy task. Ian and I are able to sneak away sometimes for a dinner out in the square, but for our anniversary, we wanted to go beyond our comfort zone and do something special.

My friend, Jeffrey Ward, had been over in July and was telling me about how amazing Tru’s new Chef Anthony Martin was and I was sold.

I booked us a hotel room at the Sofitel and made reservations for Tru. The reservation was at 8:45, which was much later than we normally eat, but again, we were breaking all the rules (how dangerously we live!). I will add, on a side note, that before our dinner, we did something that was so fun and another highlight of our evening. We put on the plush bathrobes, opened the bottle of Veuve Clicquot and watch Bridesmaids in bed. It was bliss! But I digress…

We dressed up for dinner, I put on serious heels and Ian was dapper in his jacket and slacks. When we arrived at the meal, we were greeted with a glass of complimentary Champagne. Perfect.

We were going to order the Grand Collection, but Chef surprised us and brought us the Chef Collection as his treat. Along with the wine accompaniments. All 15 courses.

The first show-stopper was the suspended foie gras. The food was of course amazing; the buttery foie gras with the reinvented texture and the candied pecans. But what truly brought the dish to life was the impeccable pairing from Tru’s wine director and Sommelier, Chad Ellegood.  Ellegood brought out the 2007 Bonny Doon Le Vol Des Anges Roussanne Arroyo Seco. It was delicate enough to partner the heaviness of the foie gras, but substantial enough to enhance the flavor.  When people disregard how wine can compliment a meal, I want them to experience what we did with this bite and sip. It was incredible.

The halibut was another example of Chef Anthony’s ability to simply create a perfect dish. It didn’t have dry-ice or impeccable plating, but it was perfect. Poached in butter (when can you go wrong with that) it was hands-down the most perfectly cooked fish I’ve ever had.

And then the cheese cart. Any civilized meal should have a cheese cart. The one objection I had to this was that after Ian and I ate our cheese, at an admittedly quick pace!- one of the servers pointed out how fast we ate it. Not nice. But we were quick to forgive when the desserts came, one, by one, by one.  The natural cherries with black truffles and honeycrisp apple beignet were the things dreams are made of. If I could, I’d eat them, each, everyday for the rest of my life.

After our almost four hour Tru-athon was over, Ian and I made our way back to the hotel, full bellies and full hearts. In addition to the food, the experience was perfection. The service was the standard to which all other restaurants should aspire, and most importantly, it gave me and my husband a chance to really enjoy each other’s company.
Bravo to Tru, to Chef Anthony Martin and Chad Ellegood. The experience was absolutely amazing and it will go down as one of the greatest meals.

Zucchini Boat B”Z”T

Inspired by all the amazing produce at farmers markets, I decided to transform a normal BLT with zucchini in place of bread and lettuce. It’s super easy, delicious and even healthy. Here’s the recipe:

Zucchini B”Z”T (2 servings)

2 zucchinis, sliced in half and hollowed
12 strips of turkey bacon
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1TBS lowfat mayo

In the zucchini halves, fill withd tomatoes first, then add mayo and finally bacon.

Enjoy!

Time Out Chicago Eat Out Awards 2011 Winners

Best new restaurant: Girl & the Goat (photo from TOC)

Last night the Time Out Chicago Eat Out Awards 2011 held court. With both readers’ choice and critics’ picks categories, lots of great Chicago restaurants felt the love.

Congrats to the nominees and winners.

Readers’ choice winners
Best New Restaurant – Girl & The Goat
Best New Bar – Bangers & Lace
Best New Beverage Program – Sable Kitchen & Bar
Best Local Coffee Roaster – Intelligentsia
Chef of the Year – Stephanie Izard
Breakout Chef of the Year – Matthew Eversman
Restaurateurs of the Year – Kevin Boehm & Rob Katz
Best New Bakery – Sprinkles Cupcakes
Best New Steakhouse – Chicago Cut Steakhouse
Best Dessert Truck – Flirty Cupcakes
Best Food Truck – gaztro-wagon
Best New Pub Grub – Owen & Engine
Best New Barbecue – Lillie’s Q
Best New Italian – Davanti Enoteca
Best New Patio – Big Star

Critics’ picks
The “Extreme Makeover: Integrity Edition” Award – Ba Le
Best Cure for the Average Brunch – Sunday noodles at Takashi
Best Change of Pace – Jeff Pikus’s Cooking at Maude’s Liquor Bar
Best Cheese Course – The goat-cheese-cashew-caramel gelato at Black Dog Gelato
Best Location for a Murder Mystery – Owen & Engine
Best Reason to Fly Again – Tortas Frontera
Best Community Sponsor – Matt Maroni
Lifetime Achievement Award – Scott Harris
Best Box Lunch – The Bento Box
Least Insufferable Food Term of the Year – “Chimney Cake”
Best Chip Off the Old Block – Ed Marszewski
Latest Reason to be a Homosexual – Downtown Bar
Best Late-Night Destination – MingHin Cuisine
The Sorta-Annual “Proof that Evolution Exists” Award – Caffé Streets
Best Excuse to Be a Localvore – The all-Midwestern lineup of spirits at WaterShed

How was Grant Achatz’s Next?

Well, from its Facebook page, despite major email/tech snafus, Next had a great first seating.  With 60 diners on its opening night on Wednesday, and rave reviews, looks like they’re off to a great start. Chef Grant Achatz is truly Chicago’s glory epicurean god, but he’s earned those laurels and we’re thrilled to see the success he’s achieved.

Tonight a friend of The Chicago Foodie, the lovely, Ellen Malloy, is heading to Next. Eager to hear her report of it.

As for everyone still waiting for their tickets/reservations, hang in there. I’ll probably make it to the 900 block of West Fulton Market in about 2014 at this rate. Or, if you’ve got money to spare, tickets are already being sold on Craigslist. A bit tacky, but whatever gets you in the door I guess.

We’d love to hear from people as they experience Next. Is it worth the hype? Better than Alinea? Thoughts, improvements, gripes? Let us know!

 

Vietnamese Sandwich Delight

NhuLan's Bakery Lemongrass Tofu Sandwich (photo from Chicago Tribune)

I made a discovery yesterday. My favorite kind of discovery. The delicious kind.

After reading the Chicago Tribune’s ’30 sandwiches in 30 days’ piece, I realized that day 28’s was from NhuLan’s Bakery– mere steps from my house. I consulted with a co-worker, who also lives in the area, and she confirmed the sandwiches from NhuLan’s Bakery are to die for.

Well, you don’t have to tell me twice!

We put the baby in the stroller, put the leash on the dog and strolled a few blocks to experience the wonders of Vietnamese sandwiches from NhuLan’s Bakery last night. I got the tofu lemongrass sandwich and my husband got the grilled pork equivalent. At the bargain basement price of $3.50 each sandwich, we were already happy with our dinner decision.

When we got home, we tore into our respective sandwich bags and dug right in. The result? AMAZING. I was skeptical at first because the tofu was a little too good. Surely they had mixed mine up and put in pork instead. But no, it really was tofu. Sliced deli-thin and perfectly seasoned. My husband’s pork sandwich was equally delicious.

So the verdict: Yes. Yes, yes, and a million more times, yes. We will be back. Soon. And if you’re in Lincoln Square, we definitely recommend you checking it out as well.

Vote for Time Out Chicago’s Eat Out Awards

Time Out Chicago's Eat Out Awards Photo from TOC

Some Chicagoans may have picked up on an election around town. No, not that silly mayoral election, I’m talking about Time Out Chicago’s fifth annual Eat Out Awards. This gives diners all over the city a chance to weigh in on who served up the best plates in our fair city.

Below are the categories and the restaurants within them. Go vote for them online here. Voting will go until March 9^th and the winners will be announced in the April 14 TOC issue, along with the 15 Critic’s Picks.

My picks include, Intelligentsia for Best Local Coffee Roaster; Billy Lawless (The Gage, Henri) for Restaurateur of the Year; Mastro’s for Best New Steakhouse; More Mobile for Best Dessert Truck; Meatyballs for Best Food Truck; Due Lire for Best New Italian; and Big Star for Best New Patio

On your mark, get set, VOTE!

Best New Restaurant

• Arami
• Girl & The Goat
• Lillie’s Q
• Owen & Engine
• Ruxbin

Best New Bar

• Bangers & Lace
• The Boiler Room
• Curio
• Haymarket Pub & Brewery
• Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar
• WaterShed

Best New Beverage Program

• Chizakaya (sake)
• Duchamp (cocktails)
• Henri (wine)
• Owen & Engine (beer)
• Sable Kitchen & Bar (cocktails)

Best Local Coffee Roaster

• Asado Coffee Co.
• Bridgeport Coffee Co.
• Dark Matter
• Intelligentsia
• Metropolis

Chef of the Year

• Grant Achatz (Alinea)
• Dirk Flanigan (The Gage, Henri)
• Sandra Holl (Floriole Cafe & Bakery)
• Stephanie Izard (The Girl & The Goat)
• B.K. Park (Arami)

Breakout Chef of the Year

• Matthew Eversman (Saigon Sisters)
• Edward Kim (Ruxbin)
• Guy Meikle (Nana)
• Bai Ming Wu (MingHin Cuisine)

Restaurateur of the Year

• Kevin Boehm & Rob Katz (Boka, Perennial, Girl & The Goat)
• Scott Harris (Francesca’s Restaurants; Purple Pig)
• Tony Hu (Lao Sze Chuan, Lao Beijing, Lao You Ju)
• Billy Lawless (The Gage, Henri)
• RJ & Jerrod Melman (Hub 51, Paris Club)
• Brendan Sodikoff (Gilt Bar, Maude’s Liquor Bar)

Best New Bakery

• Cookie Bar
• Floriole Cafe & Bakery
• La Boulangerie
• Sprinkles

Best New Steakhouse

• Benny’s Chop House
• Chicago Cut
• Epic
• Mastro’s

Best Dessert Truck

• Flirty Cupcakes
• More Mobile
• Sweet Miss Giving’s
• Sweet Ride

Best Food Truck

• Gaztrowagon
• Happy Bodega
• Hummingbird Kitchen
• Meatyballs
• Simple Sandwich
• Tamalespaceship

Best New Pub Grub

• Blokes & Birds
• Leopold
• Owen & Engine
• The Southern
• Three Aces

Best New Barbecue

• Brand BBQ Market
• Chicago Q
• Lillie’s Q
• Pork Shoppe
• Smokey Bears BBQ House

Best New Italian

• Davanti Enoteca
• Donatella Mediterranean Bistro
• Due Lire
• The Florentine
• Three Aces

Best New Patio

• Big Star
• D.S. Tequila Co.
• Epic Sky
• The Portage
• Purple Pig

Chicago Blizzard 2011 Done Right

So you may have heard. We got a bit of snow last night. And by a bit, I mean 19+ inches. Luckily, knowing well in advance this was coming, I planned accordingly.

After getting off the train home yesterday, I made a quick detour to my beloved Provenance and stocked up on some wine, cheese, dates and beer. Shocking, I know. Just because we’re snowed in doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it, right?

Chicago Blizzard Survival Package

I got some drunken goat, Manchego and the real star of the evening was the 2008 Ridge Sonoma County Three Valleys Red. Wow. Ridge does it right, that’s for sure.

Wherever you are, I hope you’re warm and know that you have friends in Chicago who are toasting you despite the blizzard!

Provenance: Keeping us classy at home

 

Provenance Chicago

I’m not going to lie. In the old days, going out to dinner was part of our routine. It was an expectation. A constant to look forward to.

These days, not so much.

But, that doesn’t mean we have to give up delicious things as a result. Instead of going out for these acquisitions, we’re now bringing them home. Rather than enjoying a plated cheese platter with wine at Fiddlehead, we bring the fromage and vino to the living room.

A major aid in our efforts to do this is the amazing Provenance. Locale less than 40 steps from where I get off the train every night, Tracy, the owner, has become a familiar and friendly face as I stock up on delicious bottles and stinky cheeses.

Tracy does an amazing job of rotating in great bottles usually all under $14. On any given day she’ll have about 6-7 whites and the same amount of reds. On her back wall, she’ll have a few more options, but those are the fancy bottles, priced upwards of $25-40.

But they don’t just have wine. They also carry small batch, specialty brews that my husband loves. Whether it’s a bottle of Goose Island’s Matilda or Éphémère, he’s equally happy with their options.

There are also local made treats from B True Bakery, Sarah’s Candies and Vosges. Need some Truffle salt? They usually have at least four options. Grape seed oil? Yep. Red Hen Bakery baguette? You know it. Basically, they keep us civilized even when we’re enjoying happy hour in our living room.

B True Bakery

Provenance has two locations, one in Lincoln Square and another in Logan Square.