Heights Eats

For our final night in Chicago (which happened to be Sarah’s birthday) we went to Topolobampo, Rick Bayless’s most upscale restaurant. We were a bit nervous about bringing Jonathan, but they had a kid’s menu and he generally did really well.

Shortly after we were seated we were given a sort of guacamole amuse bouche with cucumber and jicama. The guacamole was fresh and flavorful with some sharp fresh chili flavor, and the vegetables were crisp and refreshing. And unlike the typical Mexican chips and salsa, this dish was not very filling, making it a perfect first course.

I ordered the Topolo Margarita (with Sauza Commerativo and Gran Torres) to start, which was a very good interpretation. Sarah had a carbonated limeade, which was quite good although a bit on the sweet side.

We started with a fish ceviche, which was outstanding. The fish was perfectly “cooked” by the citrus, and, as with almost all Bayless dishes, a sharp fresh (but not overpowering) spiciness … continue reading

Grand Lux Café is a franchise much like the Cheesecake Factory. The décor is ornate, the menu is huge (and generally well-executed) and the desserts are plentiful. They had a location about two blocks from our hotel in Chicago, and, as we were travel-weary, they seemed like a good bet.

I started with a Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat to keep things local. It was mild, tasty and drinkable, with a yeast profile that seemed slightly in between American and Bavarian.

For our appetizers we had fried pickles and chicken meatballs. The pickles were disappointing, thin chips that were mostly breading, soggy on the inside and bland. We’ve had better at Quaker Steak.

The chicken skillet meatballs, though, were the hightlight of the meal, so full of garlic that they were almost spicy from it. The tomato sauce was rich and flavorful, and everything was covered with gooey cheese. The buttery bread also soaked everything up nicely.

Sarah and I split the Manhattan Salad for dinner, … continue reading

Alton brown suggested using a chiney starter to sear tuna, but I wondered if it might work just as well for any high heat application. It did.

The contraption above is the chimney starter, a grill grate, and a smoker top to grill three hamburgers. It took me 1–2 minutes per side for medium, and the sear was more intense and flavorful than anything I’ve gotten from a regular grill (even in 40 degree weather). Some mesquite wood chips on top of the charcoal added flavor.

I’ve also done this with filet mignon and grilled pears and will do it again any time I want very high heat for a small quantity of food. Obviously this wouldn’t work for indirect heat or having ten people over. Then again, based on the short cooking times, a decent quantity of food can be made in batches in not much time. Plus you don’t have to get out the grill.… continue reading

Since the recently opened Revolution Brewing Company was the “Talk of the Town” on the Chicago Urbanspoon, Sarah and I thought we’d stop by for dinner on our recent visit. We both also enjoy brewpubs, especially those with beer cheese soup.

The feel of Revolution Brewing is a bit more upscale than a typical brewpub. More people were wearing ties and button-down shirts than jeans. The staff is very friendly and down to earth, though, and a sense of humor comes through in the naming of some of the beers.

I ordered an Anti-Hero IPA while we were waiting (briefly) to be seated. It was a great beer, full of floral (but not overly bitter) hops which was nicely counterbalanced by subtle malty sweetness.

For our appetizer we ordered the bacon fat popcorn ($4), which was loaded with fresh bacon, cheese and crispy sage. We all loved this (especially Jonathan) and might try something like it at home.

We never pass up the … continue reading

On our recent trip to Chicago, Sarah and I stopped by XOCO, Rick Bayless’ take on Mexican street food, for breakfast. Sarah has been a Rick Bayless fan since before the Food Network was in existence, and we’ve always wanted to visit one of his restaruants. We were glad we did.

I ordered the open-faced torta with soft-poached egg and tomato broth ($4). The melding of flavors and textures was great. The sharpness of spicy hot peppers and acidic tomato was perfectly balanced by the saucy richness of the very soft egg. The only downside is that it’s hard to eat without a fork once the egg bursts.

Sarah ordered the chorizo-egg torta ($7.50), which was also excellent. All of the flavors–chorizo, egg, peppers, cheese and buttery avocado–melded well but were also distinct. The salsa verde on the side was a nice touch.

Jonathan’s amaranth granola and yogurt ($4) was also yummy, packed full of nuts as well as fresh and dried fruit. I was happy to eat what he couldn’t finish.

The “bean … continue reading

We went to Pier W for our Valentine’s Day dinner on February 13 sans Jonathan. We were very impressed by the food, the service and the setting.

Cal of Dine-O-Mite described the feel of Pier W to us as indistinguishable from a West Coast restaurant. The view out the window, even in winter, is beautiful, a panorama of lake Erie fading off into the distance. Cleveland could use more places like this that take advantage of the coastline.

We started with the grouper tacos, which were stuffed with fresh fish, avocado and cilantro and very neatly plated. They were very yummy.

I ordered absinthe (Lucid, I think–they have quite a selection) to start the meal. It included a sugarcube on a slotted spoon over which one poured hot water. I very much enjoyed it*

For our entrée, we split the surf and turf: filet mignon, lobster tail, spinach, and roasted potatoes. We added a few crab-stuffed shrimp (we were splitting, after all). Like every other aspect of our experience, … continue reading

Monthly Archives: March 2010

Topolobampo

Grand Lux Café

Grilling on a Chimney Starter

Revolution Brewing Company

XOCO Chicago

Pier W