KENTUCKY QUIRK in Frankfort

Photos & Article by Virginia Miller

Back again in Bourbon Country, catching up on new restaurants and bars since my visit one year before. While visiting eight distilleries from Bardstown to Lexington, I particularly enjoyed a lunch in the historic town of Frankfort (home to Buffalo Trace Distillery) and fueled up on breakfast and coffee in Louisville before long days of spirits judging/tasting.

RICK’S WHITE LIGHT DINER
In the charming, historic town of Frankfort en route to nearby Buffalo Trace, I thankfully went with my instincts to eat at Rick’s White Light Diner. Chef Rick Paul was a CIA (Culinary Institute of America) grad back in 1975 – unusual pedigree for a small town, KY diner.

His tiny, quirky restaurant, with red counter seats and hodgepodge signage (including a glaringly large photo of Guy Fieri who featured the diner in his show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives), reflects his fun-loving personality and care for local ingredients in New Orleans-influenced food and Southern BBQ. Eating here is a bit touristy – but plenty of locals packed the place, too. Most importantly, the food is heartwarmingly vibrant.

A special of the day converted me: fried shrimp po boy ($15), not so much classic New Orleans style with its crispy flatbread, and plump, juicy shrimp doused in creamy coconut sauce. It tasted like tropical island vacation in New Orleans.

Crawfish pie ($15) is one of Rick’s specialties: a gratifying slice of crawfish and cream under flaky crust. A side of fried banana peppers crusted in cornmeal was one note – salty – but the pie is well worth ordering. Being a lifelong key lime pie fan, I had to try Rick’s ($5), a lush version with perfect texture though I prefer more tart versions (my mouth-puckering favorites experienced in South Carolina and Florida).

All in all, Rick’s is unique, special sort of place that should be a stop when one is near Frankfort. A spritz of bourbon in my mouth (Rick keeps a spray bottle behind the counter) was the ideal finish to lunch, sending me on my way to meet with the next bourbon distiller.

Breakfast (with coffee) in LOUISVILLE

SUPERCHEFS
Superchefs, a divey breakfast-only joint that shares a space with Chicago Gyros (from 11am on) on lower Brownsboro Road and worth going out of your way for. Besides Hillbilly Tea (for cozy atmos and hipster-fied Southern food), Superchefs is my favorite Louisville breakfast spot. A pretzel croissant from beloved local German baker, Klaus Riedelsheimer, is packed with brown sugar candied bacon, egg and cheddar cheese and served with hash browns (8.50).

Red velvet pancakes ($8.99) are a bit more visually stimulating (red and heart-shaped) than exciting in the flavor department.

Other highlights are fluffy “soufflé doughnuts”, or rather Beignets & Coffee (5.99), lighter than air yet crispy on the outside from generous butter and frying. Creamy, slow-cooked roasted red pepper Weisenberger grits ($5.99) are another must on the blissfully high-calorie breakfast menu.

WILD EGGS
With three locations in Louisville’s suburban surroundings, Wild Eggs is bustling every day with breakfasts made from local farms in a cheery, elevated diner setting with close up wall hangings of eggs and farm fresh ingredients. Portions are massive, as is the case with a mountain of Maria’s Chilaquiles, corn tortilla strips piled high with refried beans, salsa verde, queso blanco and a sunny side up egg. Their everything muffin, a biscuit-like muffin loaded with cracked pepper, garlic, onion, poppyseeds and the like, is justifiably popular.

SUNERGOS COFFEE
Sunergos (the Preston Street location) is a bustling, friendly locals coffee spot south of downtown Louisville serving bracing espresso and coffee.

Though not a third wave, artisan coffee shop with perfected microfoam and such, it’s an ideal neighborhood hangout and they do take their in house roasting seriously. It’s a laid back, friendly place to watch locals gather over a good book.

NORD’S BAKERY
Next door to Sunergos Coffees, Nord’s Bakery is a Louisville institution since 2002. Old school donuts are the name of the game, sugary and fluffy. The maple bacon bar is beloved, though I prefer some of the straightforward classics which dissolve, pillowy and soft in the mouth. They do a mean apple fritter or donuts like peanut coconut crunch.

CAKE FLOUR
Tiny, little Cake Flour is one of Louisville’s more artisan bakeries, a haven for daily-changing baked goods, including their popular schmuffin: nutmeg-laced “muffins” brushed with butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. It’s easy to down one (or more) with a bracing cup of coffee.

WINTER DINING in CHICAGO

Article & Photos by Virginia Mille

My second return to Chicago in 6 months (and 4^th trip overall) was a freezing journey, warmed by fantastic friends and family, food and drink. Here are more Chicago standouts and newcomers from late February.

OWEN & ENGINE, Logan Square

Perhaps my favorite find this visit is Owen and Engine, a gastropub-esque restaurant/bar marked by Old World British elegance (black leather seating, 18-19th century paintings). Cicerone Elliot Beier (who is working on his master cicerone certification) was one the early cicerones in the world so his beer knowledge and selection (on tap, bottled and hand-pulled – “Real ales on the engine”) is impeccable.

But he’s also handy with the cocktails ($9-10), serving refreshers like Sage Advice (St. George Terroir Gin, lemon, ginger sage syrup, orange flower water, and a couple variations on a classic Pimm’s Cup (a lively one with Pimm’s No.1 Cup, Fentiman’s Rose Lemonade, lemon, pink peppercorn tincture, cucumber, mint, rose water). I was drawn most to the deeply spiced smokiness of The Shrubbery: Monkey Shoulder Scotch, five spice shrub, lemon, Old Fashioned Bitters; and fascinated with the bitter, bright layers of Wounded Swede: Bols Genever, Bonal Quina, Malort (which some call the “most disgusting liquor of all time“), Cherry Heering (cherry liqueur), orange bitters.

While I’d return for a full meal, bar food is above-average, whether crispy mole pork rinds ($5) or Virginia peanuts ($3) tossed in Sriracha, Worcestershire and brown sugar. Fondness for the UK treat, Welsh rarebit means whenever I see it on a menu, I order it. Plus it’s divine with beer. O&E’s Welsh rarebit is rich blend of aged cheddar, Worcestershire, horseradish, and Young’s Chocolate Stout. There’s a soft pretzel glazed in mustard and Young’s Chocolate Stout ($6) to dip. I’d be hard pressed not to order this fantastic bar dish every visit. Desserts intrigue with savory notes, like parsnip pot de creme ($8), accented by blood orange sorbet, pistachio financier and parsnip chips.

TABLE, DONKEY & STICK, Logan Square

Understated and minimalist, Table, Donkey & Stick was brand new in my February visit, a modern Germanic-influenced restaurant. The name is derived from a Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, emphasized by Grimm’s books, vintage hatchet, and bottles of eaux de vie lining the entrance behind a tree stump host stand. The space is intimate, with a glass-walled, back room illuminated by fireplace and a back garden for warm weather dining.

Service is sincere and thorough, while food encapsulates rustic elegance, still establishing its identity.  House buckwheat bread arrives with a mound of whipped, soft pork butter, while a charcuterie spread, wanderteller ($6 each, 3/$15) offers intriguing bites of schweinekopf (pheasant galantine thinly sliced and smoked with coffee and hazelnut), a savory/sweet bowl of caramel corn chicarrons tossed with sunflower seed oatmeal, and a lovely rabbit terrine accented by caraway and nutmeg with celery seed marmalade.

House pork sausage ($13), served with pork fat pretzel and mustard butter, was a tad dry, but a
celery root salad ($7) made of sunflower and mustard granola in celery mustard vinaigrette, is lively and refreshing. A cheese platter ($5 each, 3/$12) comes with sunflower-oat bread, local honey, candied walnuts, and cheeses like Swiss Heublumen (semi-firm, raw cow with an herb-covered rind), French Tomme de Savoie (cow semi-soft in an aged natural rind, which I’ve often ordered in SF at The Alembic), and a German Chiriboga (raw cow blue, creamy, intense).

Pan-roasted salmon ($21) over brussels sprouts and turnips may not enthrall but is well-prepared, enlivened by one-year preserved grapefruit and lomo (thinly sliced beef tenderloin). Chocolate pave ($7), cacao nib brittle and tarragon pudding exceeds expectations with tart/sweet cherry preserve ice cream. Finish with a pour of eaux de vie, by the glass or flight, like a Golles flight ($18) of apricot, aged plum, and aged apple brandies. There’s also a solid list of Germanic wines and beers.

Consider Table, Donkey & Stick one to watch.

FRANKS ‘N DAWGS, Lincoln Park

One wouldn’t expect the justifiably revered Hot Doug’s to have competition, but they just might in Franks ‘N Dawgs. A similar ethos exists here as at Doug’s: quality sausages and hot dogs ($5.45-11.50) in wacky, decadent combos. Franks ‘N Dawgs walks its own path, serving sausages in buttery, Maine lobster roll-style buns.

My initial favorite is the playfully named Tur-Doggin. Inspired by turducken, it’s a plump turkey date sausage topped with crispy duck confit, slathered in herb garlic aioli, pickled carrots and onion relish. Perfection. Slammin’ Salmon looks better than it tasted. It’s a genius idea though in execution was a bit dry and didn’t pop: a citrus cured salmon dog streaked with herb cream cheese, bagel crisps, fried capers, dill and plump salmon roe. Nonetheless, mouthwatering combos line the menu, like holiday tribute, Pork of July: pork loin-caramelized onion sausage under a mound of house-smoked pulled pork, slaw and cherry bourbon BBQ sauce.

CEMITAS PUEBLA, Humboldt Park

Trekking to Mexican neighborhood, Humboldt Park, on a bone-chilling, windy day was quite the effort, but thankfully the end result was authentically gratifying.

Raved about hole-in-the-wall, Cemitas Puebla, serves famed cemitas: sandwiches originating from Puebla, Mexico, akin to but different than a torta, served in a hefty wheel of brioche-like, sesame seed covered bread. Arabe cemitas ($6.50) is filled with spit-roasted pork, avocado, adobo chipotle peppers, chipotle sauce and Oaxacan cheese. But I gravitated toward their corn tortilla tacos ($2.15-2.75), especially carne asada (skirt steak) and arabes (spit-roasted pork).

MANA FOOD BAR, Wicker Park

Meat eater that I am, I highly value well done vegetarian food. Though intimate, relaxed Mana Food Bar was heavier on starches than the greens I was hoping for, dishes were well-executed with just enough of a twist to avoid tedium.

There’s sake cocktails, a thoughtful beer list, fresh-squeezed juices ($5) like celery, collard greens, apple, and also smoothies ($8-9), like a thick avocado and pineapple with coconut water. Shaved Brussels sprouts ($4) are perked up in miso mustard, while sharp cheddar mac & cheese ($6/11) is best when one can taste added horseradish and black pepper. Butternut squash ravioli ($8/15) in garlic, arugula, walnuts and Asiago cheese was typical, but a sweet and white potato pancake ($7.25/13.25) comforts doused in apple cranberry chutney and sour cream. Cauliflower and kale in yellow curry ($7.25/13.25) rests over black pepper lentils, brightened by pickled apple, and I always enjoy a classic panzanella/Italian bread salad ($6/11), here it’s cubes of ciabatta tossed with shallots, cherry tomato, cucumber and basil in a red wine garlic vinaigrette.

MITAD DEL MUNDO, Logan Square

Old school and dated in look, it’s the warm welcome of servers and manager Fermin Romero, a historic figure in Chicago’s Mexican nightlife and karaoke scene, that draws you in to Mitad Del Mundo. Decent margaritas ($8 top shelf) are shaken tableside while queso flameado ($7.50), a mound of panela cheese flamed dramatically table side in a splash of alcohol, scooped up with fresh corn tortillas.

Chef Geno Bahena, who worked with Rick Bayless for years, is known for mole, one of my great loves. Though I’ve had better in LA and Oaxaca, dishes like enchiladas de mole rojo ($13.95), a Oaxacan red mole over chicken, or maple leaf duck breast ($14.25) marinated in red-chile adobo mole, are heartwarming.

BUTCHER & THE BURGER, Lincoln Park

With vintage butcher theme in a smoky, narrow space, Butcher & the Burger’s burger ($9.50) sounded divine, wisely made of Q7 Farms grass-fed beef cooked in “umami spice” (garlic, ginger, scallions, sweet soy glaze). Though smothered in wasabi mayo, cheddar and topped with Benton’s Tennessee Mountain smoked bacon on a butter egg bun, the end result was suprisingly bland – and the medium rare I requested was overcooked at medium well. Thereal hit was a shrimp burger ($11), a juicy shrimp patty in black sesame seeds on a pretzel bun, vivid with coconut curry and wasabi mayo. Finish with beignets ($1 each) and Cafe Du Monde chicory coffee.

RoSAL’S, University Village

After extensive research narrowing down old school “red sauce”/American Italian joints to assuage my NJ/NY homesickness, the biggest letdown of this visit was RoSal’s. Entering this neighborhood joint strewn with white lights, ‘80’s artwork and a soundtrack of Martin, Sinatra and Prima, I was ecstatic in its glow. But excitement quickly turned to disappointment with mediocre dishes and sloppy service (case in point: our server sloshed a bunch of sauce on our table when setting down a pasta dish but never cleaned it up).

Their “famous fried ravioli” ($10.95) didn’t seem fried at all, merely boiled and bland. Beloved classics like lasagne al forno tasted as if made with grocery store pasta, not fresh. Only an overpriced $25 “special” of spaghetti with shrimp exhibited qualities of freshly made noodles. Another one of my American-Italian favorites, veal saltimbocca ($22), layered in prosciutto, melted provolone cheese and marinara sauce, was dry and diminshed. I’m shocked RoSal’s gets a 29 rating for food in Zagat. I’ve certainly had far better in hole-in-the-walls from NJ to SF. With Chicago’s long-standing Italian community, I know they do “red sauce” Italian well. I just hope I find it next time.

EDZO’s BURGER SHOP, Evanston

When in Evanston, where I went to visit Chicago’s best craft distillery, Few Spirits, one should hit the town’s classic burger joint, Edzo’s. My then boyfriend, now husband, briefly lived in Evanston over a decade ago, and I noticed many of the places we dined are still there. But Edzo’s came along in recent years, fast becoming an institution. I may have had better old school burgers around the country, but theirs is pleasingly straightforward: a 4 oz. griddled burger ($4.75 single, $7 double, $9.75 triple, $3 upgrade to Q7 grass-fed beef) in ketchup, mustard, pickle and onion with cheddar cheese an extra .50 cents. Fries ($5-6) are doused in crave-worthy local nods like Taylor Street fries doused in Italian beef gravy, sweet peppers, and giardiniera (a common Chi-town condiment of vegetables in vinegar), or Buffalo fries smothered in buffalo sauce and blue cheese with celery.

The highlight, however, was an off menu milkshake savvy locals know about (thanks to a tip from Master Distiller Paul Hletko at Few Spirits): a speculoos milkshake, that buttery, graham cracker-like European shortcrust biscuit swirled in vanilla ice cream. Sheer goodness.

GULLIVER’S, West Rogers Park

The best part about local deep dish classic, Gulliver’s, is its gaudy interior, a multi-roomed lair of dark woods, excessive lamps and booths, with a 1980’s rustic-flashy glow. The pizza itself nearly dissolves – I went the stuffed route vs. deep dish for even more decadent, cheesy gratification (small – 9″ $11.95; medium – 12″ $15.95; large – 14″ $18.25 plus $1.50-2 for additional toppings). The crust and cheese don’t taste of high quality, preparation is decidedly old school rather than gourmet, but compared to the awful deep dish disappointments I’ve had at legendary pizza joints around Chicago, this was superior aided by atmosphere.

BREAKFAST/BRUNCH

LULA CAFE, Logan Square

The best breakfast/brunch I’ve ever had in Chicago is easily Lula Café. Though it is certainly hipster, service is not aloof. Despite crowds and long waits, impeccable coffee, brunch cocktails and unique dishes make it a blessedly atypical breakfast. House pastries ($4 each or $10 for all) are mouthwatering. In my recent visit, the trio was Meyer lemon upside-down cake, smoked pecan sticky bun, and a chestnut Mast Bros. chocolate scone.

Savory cravings are satiated with hot dish of white beans and Toulouse sausage ($12), braised bacon, roasted garlic, and a soft boiled egg, brightened by mustard vinaigrette and bacon fat bread crumbs. Though $9 is a crazy price for 1/2 a grapefruit, I’ve not yet seen one served like this: under a bruleed crust of candied seeds, fennel and spices, accompanied by a mini-cup of buttermilk panna cotta and paper thin rye crisps.

The winning dish was dreamy almond poppy seed griddle cakes ($10), lush with almond liqueur contrasted by tart lemon curd, fresh pear and pomegranate seeds, and an almond crumble. I’d go back just for those pancakes alone.

LITTLE GOAT, West Loop

Former Top Chef star Stephanie Izard’s newcomer accompanying her still-hot Girl and the Goat restaurant, Little Goat plays the role of all-day diner. A spacious dining room is lined with hefty booths, décor is modern-retro, a tasteful mashup of mid-century lamps and vintage wallpaper.

Our server was hilarious, providing jokes and entertainment while bringing out our Stumptown Coffee. Prices are reasonable considering the massive size of many dishes. Most fell a little short of description, reading more exciting than they tasted, but all was good, whether a giant “ooey gooey Cinnabun” or hash browns in goat cheese. In keeping with the adorable, goat logo, goat cheese and goat milk pop up in numerous dishes.

One of my greatest combo cravings (“Elvis” banana, peanut butter, bacon) shows up in Fat Elvis Waffles, which were ruined drowning in bacon maple syrup. Banana and a dreamy whipped peanut butter-butter would have been enough to make it special. Likewise, a parathas burrito of Indian flatbread exploding with sunny side eggs, avocado-bean salad and chili pepper sauce lacked the oomph it should have had from Indian spices.

Being a Reuben fanatic, how could I not order one filled with smoked corned beef, kimchi, sauerkraut, and cheese on a pretzel rye bun? Similar to the kimchi Reuben I had at Alan Wong’s Pineapple Room in Honolulu, it’s apparent kimchi won’t send a Reuben over the top if the pastrami/corned beef and other elements aren’t perfect to begin with. It’s tough to do pastrami right, as countless mediocre versions around the country attest.

Despite imperfections, the whole package is delightful enough that I’d be tempted to return to Little Goat for breakfast or lunch. Simple joys of coffee and bagels with special schmear (like peanut butter), are available in the adjoining takeout café.

FRITZ PASTRY, Lakeview

Funky, charming Fritz Pastry’s gluten free baked goods are almost as tasty as those with gluten. Records play as you down donuts with the donut hole stuck into the hole, or non-traditional macarons that are much larger and less vibrantly flavored than the best in France, but in pleasing flavors like passion fruit or whiskey. Or just make a beeline for banapple bread: banana bread dotted with Granny Smith apple chunks.

CHICAGO DRINKING, Winter 2013

Article and photos by Virginia Miller

My second return to Chicago in 6 months (and 4^th trip overall) was a freezing journey, warmed by fantastic friends and family, food and drink. A highlight was visiting funky, small Few Spirits distillery in Evanston with Master Distiller Paul Hletko. In my book, Few is the most exciting distillery to come out of Chicago, both in the gin and whiskey categories, and well worth a visit/tasting for spirits aficionados.

On the beer front, Goose Island headquarters are surprisingly commercial in a mall complex, but there are many rare pours on tap, unavailable outside the brewery. Popular Bar Deville might have been a bar I’d recommend with actual vintage bar and classic cocktails, but the screaming, body-to-body din on a weekend ensured I got out of there after one round. I’m sure it’s a far better experience on a weeknight.

Here are more Chicago standouts and newcomers in the bar world.

The AVIARY, West Loop

An evening at The Aviary is more experiential than about a certain drink or the setting. Having written about Aviary this past fall, the most forward-thinking and experimental “bar” in the country (there’s nothing like it overseas either), this time I’ll just share a few photos from my return visit to hint at the culinary and molecular influences (the Achatz touch) on Charles Joly’s ever-fascinating cocktail menu.

OWEN & ENGINE, Logan Square

Perhaps my favorite find this visit is Owen and Engine, a gastropub-esque restaurant/bar marked by Old World British elegance (dark woods, gold-framed paintings). Cicerone Elliot Beier (who is working on his master cicerone certification) was one the early cicerones in the world so his beer knowledge and selection (on tap, bottled and hand-pulled – “Real ales on the engine”) is impeccable.

But he’s also handy with the cocktails ($9-10), serving refreshers like Sage Advice (St. George Terroir Gin, lemon, ginger sage syrup, orange flower water, and a couple variations on a classic Pimm’s Cup (a lively one with Pimm’s No.1 Cup, Fentiman’s Rose Lemonade, lemon, pink peppercorn tincture, cucumber, mint, rose water). I was drawn most to the deep spiced smokiness of The Shrubbery: Monkey Shoulder Scotch, five spice shrub, lemon, Old Fashioned Bitters; and fascinated with the bitter, bright layers of Wounded Swede: Bols Genever, Bonal Quina, Malort (which some call the “most disgusting liquor of all time“), Cherry Heering (cherry liqueur), orange bitters.

While I’d return for a full meal, bar food is above-average, whether crispy mole pork rinds ($5) or Virginia peanuts ($3) tossed in Sriracha, Worcestershire and brown sugar. Fondness for the UK treat, Welsh rarebit means whenever I see it on a menu, I order it. Plus it’s divine with beer. O&E’s Welsh rarebit is rich blend of aged cheddar, Worcestershire, horseradish, and Young’s Chocolate Stout. There’s a soft pretzel glazed in mustard and Young’s Chocolate Stout ($6) to dip. I’d be hard pressed not to order this fantastic bar dish every visit. Desserts intrigue with savory notes, like parsnip pot de creme ($8), accented by blood orange sorbet, pistachio financier and parsnip chips.

THE SAVOY, Wicker Park

The newer Savoy is an ode to all things seafood and absinthe. I’d happily return to the back bar for coconut red curry mussels ($12) with ginger, lemongrass and kaffir lime or fresh Hamachi crudo ($12) with grilled pineapple in red onion marmalade and sesame chili oil.

It’s a noteworthy bar because of creative cocktails and generous, Euro-centric wine, absinthe, spirits, bottled beer, and French cider lists. Cocktails ($12) are categorized under “Savoy Classics”, like the less common Corpse Reviver # 1 (# 2 is most often seen) mixing Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Tennyson Absinthe and Leopold’s apple cordial. A section of “Modern Cocktails” intrigues, particularly a tart, herbaceous, umami-laden In Yusho We Trust, a vibrant blend of Bols Genever, Fernet Branca, Greek liqueur Skinos Mastiha, bitter lemon, and a savory crushed nori (seafood) rim. I particularly enjoyed a refreshing Clandestine La Bleue: Clandestine Absinthe, Appel’s lemon cordial, coconut, egg white, ideally contrasted with lemon flake sea salt.

TRENCHERMEN, Wicker Park

Listening to live gypsy jazz while congregating around a massive, rectangular bar makes for a romantic date night in the historic Wicker Park building housing Trencherman. I didn’t try their food and not all cocktails ($11) enthralled, but I appreciate friendly bar staff and their classic sensibility and simplicity (like the two-ingredient Japanese cocktail of Cognac and orgeat – almond syrup).

Tona Palomino heads up the bar, known in its 10 month existence for their pine needle-infused Dickel whisky, mixed in a Pioneer cocktail with Campari and citrus. They go the carbonated route with cocktails like Mull It Over (spiced Dolin Blanc vermouth, apple cider, red wine), which came off a bit muddled in flavor. A straightfoward Italian Buck fares better (refreshing, bitter, balanced) with Cynar, lime and ginger beer.

The most interesting was a Valentine’s drink special (as I was there that night), Ay, Caramba! Infusing Angostura 1919 rum with banana, mixed with almond liqueur and fresh nutmeg, it was the ideal dessert: not too sweet, textured, creamy.

BILLY SUNDAY, Logan Square

Named after the itinerant American baseball player turned preacher, Billy Sunday was the hot (read: mobbed) new Chicago cocktail bar in my recent visit, having just opened one week before. Though still working out kinks, it showed the most promise in its tonics ($10) section with drinks like Kent: navy strength gin holding up nicely to house tonic, lemongrass, allspice and citrus. Against the Bliss is another refresher of Damrack gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon, and rose bitters, delightful with a melting scoop of tart rhubarb sherbet.

White dog often bores in a cocktail but works in In Word & Deed, foamy with egg white, sweet with quince, the dry tart of Ransom dry vermouth and finger lime tincture. More delicate than I would have liked, Son of the Crusta maintains a soft bitter from Cocchi Americano, though I wished for more lushness from Armagnac and Welsh nectar, balanced by lemon, rare Palo Cortado sherry, and Tempus Fugit’s fine Abbott’s Bitters. It feels first and foremost like a communal watering hole with the likes of Pisco Punch and snacks such as pigs ears ($7) and an SF trend in recent years (at places like Hog & Rocks, Blackbird): “things in jars” ($5-11), like smoked trout, rye and creme fraiche or duck confit, orange marmalade and oatmeal granola.

SABLE KITCHEN & BAR, Near North Side

Though properly tasting through Sable Kitchen and Bar cocktails ($13 each) in my last visit to Chicago a few months ago, I did the rarity for me: returned for drinks from one Chicago’s best bartenders, Mike Ryan, in Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar.

This visit, a couple notable cocktails were Long Road Home (Sutton Brown Label vermouth from SF, Mezcal Vida, agave, lemon), a smoky, bitter refresher, and Eli Wallach (Pueblo Viejo Reposado tequila, Angostura bitters, Green Chartreuse), a spirituous, herbal, clean cocktail. A treat this time around was starters like oozing Wisconsin fried cheese curds ($7/12) in spicy ketchup glaze, and bacon jam and brie cheese on toasted baguettes ($14). I’ve had many a bacon jam, but this one shines, served in a hot, mini-skillet with brie, then slathered over toasted, thick bread.

ACADIA, Near South

On a spaced out block of Chicago’s Near South neighborhood is the fine dining restaurant Acadia. The dining menu intrigues though pricey, while its sleek, white bar was a mellow respite on a Saturday night for cocktails from a thoughtful selection of small batch, artisanal spirits from around the globe. Cocktails ($13-14) are grouped in Forager’s and Hunter’s sections, the latter including classics like Whiskey Sours and Pimm’s Cups.

Cocktail ingredients fascinated but in a number of cases, didn’t quite coalesce into a standout whole. The style reminded me of the elegance and ingenuity of Carlo Splendorini’s cocktails at Michael Mina in SF, but not as seamless or memorable. One example is Rouge (meant to imitate a Napa Cabernet, served in a wine glass as Splendorini has often done over the years), it mixes Calvados Chateau du Breuil with essence (whether from tinctures, syrups or the like) of black currant, beet powder, eucalyptus, dill, coconut. I wish I could taste all those notes. Similarly with the smoky Maine Campfire mixes High West Rye, Los Nahuales mezcal, Cocchi Americano, a cedar, juniper, honey elixir and tobacco, juniper, cocoa nib tincture. The creative vision is striking, though I wish for less muted notes.

Acadia cocktails did shine in a lively twist on a classic Paloma: the Posh Paloma of Tequila Ocho Blanco, Combier Pamplemousse Rose and citrus intermingle with achiote, hibiscus, chipotle bitters. The star of the menu is Gins/Tonics/Limes, bringing dynamic flavor and a layered profile of complex Scottish gin, The Botanist, and house lemongrass tonic over kaffir lime and cucumber ice cubes.

BIG STAR, Bucktown

Big Star needs no introduction in Chicago, with rowdy, packed crowds, late night hours and white light strewn front patio. The now common combo of American whiskey and tequila with simple cocktails ($7) like palomas, margaritas and bucks is not rare and noisy throngs are a turn off for those of us who like to savor their drinks with friends and conversation. But Big Star won me over with friendly, tattooed, mustachioed staff, consistently checking in to see how we were doing despite the mobs lining the bar. That alone deserves mention. Plus, a simple whiskey and root beer tastes pretty great at 2am with a greasy bowl of melting hot queso fundido ($8), dotted with chorizo and rajas poblano peppers.

CRADLED in WEST MAUI

Article and photos by Virginia Miller

Nestled in the cove of Napili Bay, swimming with the sea turtles and gazing out at the islands of Molokai and Lanai, Napili Kai Beach Resort was my favorite stay in Maui. First driving up to the resort off a winding neighborhood road, the appearance is dated: like a weathered 1980′s resort well past its prime. But I needn’t have feared: our corner room in one of the many buildings lining the coast was modern and lovely, with expansive windows gazing out at the sea and neighboring islands.

Lounging on our deck, we beheld more than one rainbow each morning, reveled in sunsets and were lulled to sleep by the sound of waves. The peaceful resort features a restaurant (see Sea House below) with an unexpectedly different, delicious brunch. The resort is decidedly unhip or flashy and is, instead, what I would hope for in Hawaii: a retreat, an escape, a restorative place.

For music lovers, Napili Kai offers a rare treat: a humble, open air concert hall featuring slack key guitar shows hosted by George Kahumoku, Jr. We were lucky enough to be there when the great Ledward Kaapana played a show, mesmerized by his Hendrix-level-of-greatness guitar stylings. As a gentle backdrop to his tunes, rainstorms passed over, the air full with moisture, leaving a soft dewiness in its wake.

Cradled in Napili Bay and our quiet room facing the sea, I already dreamed of returning.

Restaurants/Eateries

LEODA’S KITCHEN & PIE SHOP, Olowalu

Just south of the town of Lahaina is my top West Maui meal: Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop. The shop is run by a former Californian Rosie Robbins, Cali clearly being an influence on farm fresh ingredients and modern, gourmet aesthetic – she talked of gathering inspiration and ideas for Leoda’s in San Francisco. Reminiscent of home, local farms featured in the menu are listed on a chalkboard near the register.

Local cuisine is highlighted in the likes of dreamy cream pies (macadamia chocolate praline!) and a rare, sashimi-grade ahi tuna sandwich ($15) on grilled rye bread, layered with avocado, caramelized Kula onions, Jarlsberg cheese, basil pesto, garlic aioli and watercress.

Playfulness shows in appetizers like rueben lumpia ($8.25): corned beef, sauerkraut and provolone cheese fried and crispy, dipped in 1000 Island dressing. Reclaimed woods and farmhouse accents make the bright dining room inviting, but it’s also an easy roadside stop (being order-at-the-counter) to grab food to take back to one’s hotel or for a beach picnic, as you drive along the West Maui coast.

STAR NOODLE, Lahaina

Up the hill from downtown Lahaina, Star Noodle is the hip, fun kind of noodle restaurant one finds in big cities: ultra fresh fish, festive drink menu and a modern aesthetic. Chef Sheldon Simeon is a James Beard nominated chef and Top Chef star, churning out an all-around pleasing menu downed with flights of sake and Stargaritas ($10-12), margaritas lively with fresh citrus like calamansi lime, lemon and orange.

Highlights include ahi avo, essentially a raw ahi tuna poke (market price), brightly tossed in lemon-pressed olive oil with a hint of heat from sambal chili sauce, or the common-but-nonetheless-satisfying Momofuku imitator of steamed pork buns ($10) dotted with hoisin sauce, shiitake mushrooms and cucumber. It’s hard to find a bad dish in the lot.

TOUR DA FOOD, Maui – Bonnie Friedman

True foodies would do well to schedule a tour with opinionated, informed local food writer and chef, Bonnie Friedman. During her intimate food tours, Tour Da Food, she leads you through completely under-the-radar food treasures. As a NY native, her no-nonsense, frank nature offers a unique perspective on Maui, while her nearly thirty years on the island means selections will be thoughtful and unusual.

She might begin the tour in the shadow of lush, green mountains in Kepaniwai Park’s Heritage Gardens. Having studied up on Hawaiian cuisine and history during each of my visits to four Hawaiian islands, I’ve seen no better snapshot of the range of cultures that formed its unique cuisine in one place. A Chinese pagoda, Japanese lake, Portuguese gardens and Spanish fountain coexist next to Hawaiian plantation structures and signs of Filipino influence – a few of the countries that collided here, forming Hawaiian cuisine. There’s a sacred spirit in the gardens, the right place to catch a bit of Friedman’s passion about for local food.

Bring your appetite. You might begin with rich butter mochi from over 50 year old Home Maid Bakery, a local interpretation of Japanese mochi made with (you guessed it) butter. Then you’ll move on to out-of-the-way spots for a series of bites: markets, chemical and paper plant (true), even gas stations.

Friedman leads a tour solely on gas station eats for those seeking the truly unusual. A mayo-rich casserole of Hawaiian opakapaka fish at a Chevron was a highlight of the tour, a special the owner only bakes on certain Fridays. These are the tips Friedman has in her deep knowledge of Maui food. Exploring the town of Wailuku, the one well-known stop we made was lunch at Sam Sato’s for dry mein (the non-broth version of classic Hawaiian noodle soup, saimin), teriyaki meat sticks (skewers of jerky-like, grilled beef), and warm pineapple or coconut turnovers.

SEA HOUSE RESTAURANT at NAPILI KAI BEACH RESORT, Lahaina

Napili Kai’s Sea House open-air setting is a dreamy beachside respite (7-11am daily), and easily the best breakfast I had in Maui. Unusual dishes are even artful, like a fluffy Molokai sweet potato egg frittata ($10), dramatic with local purple potatoes, laced with spinach, caramelized Maui onions, and cheese in a spiced hollandaise and vegetable ragout.

Da Kitchen Sink fried rice ($10) is jasmine fried rice mixed with “da kitchen sink” catch-all of this and that: Portuguese sausage, onions, carrot, water chestnuts, pineapple and rock shrimp topped with two fried eggs over reprints of a vintage Honolulu newspaper. Sipping champagne (sparkling wine) and fresh guava juice, breakfast here is leisurely, soothing, truly a vacation.

ONO TACOS, Lahaina

Rather than the Hawaiian-style ahi tacos one finds throughout Hawaiian islands, roadside taco stand, Ono Tacos, transported me straight back to California with Sonoran-style tacos and authentic Mexican street food, even what is ubiquitous in SF: bacon-wrapped hot dogs.

LAHAINA GRILL, Lahaina

In the center of the bustling, touristy yet engaging little town of Lahiana is Lahaina Grill, locals and tourists’ favorite night out. It’s pricey, in keeping with $30-40′s entrees one typically sees around Hawaii, especially for what is a comfortable, not fine dining, setting.

Packed since 1990, Lahaina Grill is fiercely local, showcasing some of the best interpretations of Maui cuisine. $23 is outrageous for a tomato salad, but it’s a beauty of layers of local Olowalu tomatoes, bufala mozzarella and Maui onions doused in shaved basil, truffle oil, aged balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil and black Kilauea sea salt.

Their most popular starter is The Cake Walk ($24), a trio of mini seafood cakes: Maine lobster crab cake, Pacific Northwest white rock shrimp cake and seared ahi cake. Though each wasn’t quite as complex and interesting in flavor as I hoped, presentation was impressive.

I fared best with generously portioned entrees, like hefty, seared California lion paw scallops ($41) over a celery root-herb mash. The dish is decadent in a relish of roasted Kula corn, sweet, grilled tomatoes, a lobster champagne sauce and crisp pancetta chips.

MALA OCEAN TAVERN, Lahaina

The patio of beloved, tiny Mala Ocean Tavern was an ideal afternoon respite for watching sea turtles hovering along the shore just below the restaurant.

But I was let down by each dish and cocktail, including a flavorless ahi burger ($18.50), a thin, dry patty on a whole wheat bun… the one disappointing meal from my heavily researched Maui list of go-tos.

Gelato, Shave Ice, Guri-Guri, Cookies

ONO GELATO, Lahaina

With two locations (Lahaina and Paia), Ono Gelato is top quality, local Maui gelato. Luxurious with heavy cream and whole milk, their flavors delight, from refreshing lemon thyme Chardonnay or cool cucumber mint to bracing chocolate stout or bacon doughnut. As a peanut butter fanatic, I am nuts about the Sandy Beach flavor. Peanut butter gelato, fortified with sea salt, graham cracker crumbs (the sandy part) and coconut crumble? Beautiful.

Worth a stop on its own, their coffee is the best I had on Maui from local roasters, the one place I found espressos and cappuccinos prepared with a European, even third wave, precision.

ULULANI’S HAWAIIAN SHAVE ICE, Lahaina

With three Maui locations, including a window tucked off the waterfront in Lahaina, Ululani’s is simply the best shave ice I’ve ever had on any of the islands. Akin to what Hansen’s Sno-Bliz does for sno-balls in New Orleans, Ululani’s steps up typically sugary, neon-colored flavorings and syrups with quality ingredients and a purer, fresher taste than you’ll find elsewhere. Special combos call out from a daily specials board, like a banana, lilikoi (passion fruit) and li hing mui (dried salted plum) winning me over with tart, tropical coolness. Add on traditional, creamy condensed milk and it’s perfection.

TASAKA GURI-GURI, Kahului

In a humble, dated strip mall in commercial Kahului (near the airport), Tasaka Guri-Guri is a classic Maui shop serving merely two flavors of guri guri: strawberry and pineapple. With Japanese roots, the beloved treat of Hawaiian children is like a creamy sherbet, mixing juices and condensed milk in a secret family recipe. Candy sweet strawberry didn’t appeal to me but pineapple was lively and palate-cleansing. Around (moving locations) for nearly 100 years, it’s a Hawaiian institution worth visiting.

OLOWALU GENERAL STORE, Olowalu

Right next door to Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop, is Olowalu General Store, a humble general store/liquor mart since 1932 selling ready-to-eat snacks like bento boxes, spam musubi, and shave ice.

Where many drinks or shave ice versions of li hing mui (dried salted plum) around the islands are far sweeter than they should be (the best li hing mui-flavored items contrast salty and sweet) this shop does it right, blending a killer li hing mui ice, a salty-sweet refresher I’d stop by for any time on the road to Lahaina.

TOM’s MINI-MART, Wailuku

One of the stops during my tour with Bonnie Friedman (Tour Da Food), Tom’s Mini-Mart, serves giant shave ice with house made syrups from sweet staff who’ve been perfecting shave ice in this liquor mart for years. Powdery ice is best with condensed milk added over vivid tropical flavors.

BROKE DA MOUTH COOKIES, Kahului

Though a recent change in ownership at this cookie shop near the airport means I have no comparison to its earlier incarnation, Broke Da Mouth Cookies still seems to remain quite popular with locals. Everything is blessedly cheap, but I was disappointed in cinnamon rolls and dry cookies in general, but for a coffee mac nut shortbread, flecked with espresso bean flakes. Thankfully, they offer samples of all their shortbreads and cookies so you can decide on your favorite.

LUAU

OLD LAHAINA LUAU, Lahaina

From the owners of Leoda’s, Star Noodle and neighboring Aloha Mixed Plate (where one can dine on the food served at the luau), Old Lahaina Luau is known for serving above-average food from the majority of luaus available to travelers. Despite the kitschy nature of a touristy luau, I’ve always wanted to go once (even better, get invited to a locals’ luau). After the quality of their other restaurants, I knew this was the one.

The food is a step above for buffet style food served to hundreds of people, even if not a destination for on its own merit.  It’s traditional fare like sweet potato, he’e poke (octopus), island crab salad, fried rice, lomilomi salmon, kalua pua’a pork, and the best: taro (poi) salad, lush in creamy coconut milk.

Despite sickly sweet, juice-heavy Mai Tais (better to stick with Maui Brewing Co. beer) and herds of tourist families and couples, Old Lahaina Luau manages to capture that unique-to-Hawaii magic in its idyllic, seaside setting. Set to live music pre-show, attendees wander around getting their photos taken, drinking coconut water from coconuts cracked on rustic tools, watching demos of basket weaving and other local traditions.

After a spectacular sunset, wandering amidst palms, monkeypod trees, tiki torches and statues, tables are released one-by-one (like being at a wedding) to a massive, orchestrated buffet dinner. After dusk, lights go out and a slick but engaging show of dance, music and Hawaii’s history plays out, mesmerizing and well worth seeing once in a visit to Hawaii.

MAUI: Wailea and Upcountry

Article and photos by Virginia Miller

My favorite stay in Maui was on the West side (see my article on West Maui). Wailea, with its posh resorts and mega-malls reminded me of the OC or Beverly Hills of Hawaii – not what I wanted to head to Hawaii for. But I relished in the sugar cane fields, country towns and mountain glories of Haleakalā.

Wailea

Though I’d choose to stay elsewhere on the island than “Real Housewives”-frienldy Wailea, a few of my best Maui meals were here… and sunsets were glorious.

MONKEYPOD by Merriman

The most contemporary, fun meal of my stay on this side of the island was Monkeypod. From famed Hawaii chef Peter Merriman, its beach-y, casual feel belies the chain-like exterior in a small shopping mall atop a hill looking down to the ocean.

Drink-wise, there’s 36 craft beers on tap, a sustainable wine list, and the best cocktails ($12 each) I had on all of Maui… craft cocktails are not easy to come by in these parts. Mai Tais are particularly butchered around the islands – often sickly sweet – despite being a signature Hawaii drink.

Not so Monekypod’s Mai Tai: Old Lahaina light rum and Maui dark rum co-mingle with lime, orgeat and orange curacao, the soft, egg-white of honey-lilkoi (passion fruit) foam making the drink a textural beauty. House cayenne-ginger beer enlivens Makers Mark bourbon, Angostura bitters and lemon, this drink, like each cocktail on the menu, light and bouncy, in keeping with island spirit, yet elevated.

Raw ahi poke tacos are pricey ($18.95) but bright with ginger and shoyu (soy), fresh with cabbage and avocado cream sauce in a crisp wonton shell. Kale macadamia nut salad ($10.95), enhanced with Maui onions, golden raisins, oranges, and a miso sesame vinaigrette, delivered the deep, leafy greens I was craving after over a week of fish and beef. Though a common style of salad in SF, kale is still a rarity on the islands (for the moment).

While the catch of the day fish sandwich ($17.95) was a little drier than I prefer, Thai chili aioli and slaw stepped it up. Rotating pies ($7.95 a slice) are one of the standouts here, whether a creamy strawberry or a salty caramel and chocolate.

Monkeypod doesn’t forge new territory but it’s one of the few places on Maui that’s current, hip and blessedly focused on organic, sustainable, local ingredients.

ALAN WONG’s AMASIA at GRAND WAILEA

I am sorry to report in my experience, Alan Wong’s new Amasia is style over substance. It’s an enchanting space, from the walk down through the massive, Vegas-like Grand Wailea resort, across a pond alight with lanterns, into the subterranean restaurant featuring curtained-off tables, bridges over waterways, and comfy lounge/bar area. Service is attentive and sitting on the floor at a private table is a memorable setting.

If only the food weren’t so uneven. When best-tasting dishes out of a creative-sounding menu are basics like $12 garlic-chive potstickers, you know you have a problem. Wong’s signature skinned, whole tomato makes for a striking “salad” ($12). It intrigued in what should be salty-sweet li hing mui (salty dried plum) dressing, but it was a sickly sweet pool of sauce clashing oddly with a bland tomato. “Soup and sandwich”($12) sounded delicious: a mini-grilled cheese and Kalua pork sandwich is decadent with foie gras over a martini glass of chilled, vine-ripened tomato soup. The sandwich was greasy, the soup tepid and the martini glass unwieldy, difficult to dip the sandwich in.

Sushi and robata were average and more costly than better options elsewhere. It’s all about the setting, decor and celebrity chef backing, but well-traveled foodies will be disappointed. Dessert, however, ended with the right note: light haupia (coconut milk-base) sorbet in a dark chocolate shell crusted in coconut flakes, graced with tropical fruits and passion fruit sauce.

KO at the FAIRMONT

The most consistent, upscale meal during my Wailea visit was Ko, a locally farm-sourced restaurant at the Fairmont hotel. Chef Tylun Pang crafts beautiful dishes, and even the elaborate bread tower to start is no afterthought.

Ko combines the many cultural influences on local cuisine, from Filipino to Portuguese, in its Hawaiian dishes. Dishes are pricey ($20′s-$40′s for entrees) but not atypical for upscale dining in Hawaii. Standouts included fresh fish catch of the day crusted in macadamia nuts doused in tomato ginger butter with artfully whipped purple Molokai sweet potatoes. “Ahi On the Rock You Sear It” ($26) is a long name for raw ahi seared to your preferred degree over a stone, then dipped in shichimi-spiced orange ginger miso sauce. A presentation akin to what you might see at Morimoto restaurants.

Live Hawaiian music from solo musicians on guitar or ukelele ideally suit the outdoor setting.

SWEET PARADISE CHOCOLATIER
In a nondescript shopping mall next to Monkeypod is Sweet Paradise, my favorite chocolatier on Maui. Local flavors play in truffles like Island Spice utilizing Big Island ginger, cloves, vanilla bean, or Kiawe (a local thorny tree) – smoked sea salt caramels covered in dark chocolate. More local delights: lime in the coconut, POG (the island juice beloved by Hawaiian children mixing passion fruit, orange, guava juices), or lilikoi silk, a blend of passion fruit, mango and Cognac.

Kihei

FABIANI’S BAKERY & PIZZA

In the low key town Kihei, humble neighbor to ritzy Wailea, Fabiani’s Bakery & Pizza is a surprising breakfast respite, particularly for impeccable quiche. It’s not the best I’ve ever had (that title belongs to Tartine in SF), but it’s closer to that then the standard quiche one usually finds. Flaky, buttery crust and fluffy eggs with local vegetables and meats make for a lovely breakfast with bracing Hawaiian coffee, hefty cinnamon rolls and pastries.

LAVA JAVA COFFEE

My coffee fix in Kihei/Wailea was Lava Java. Winning numerous awards, even up against pricier, famed Kona coffee, Lava Java’s robust roasts stood up in iced coffees on warm Maui days and felt like a return to the island as I brewed their beans at home the following week.

Upcountry

Maui’s bountiful farmland, ranches, rolling hills and sugarcane fields leading to the base of 10,000 ft. Haleakalā… sigh. Driving through Upcountry was one of my favorite Maui explorations. A surprising hippie and farm-fresh contingency proliferates in tiny Upcountry towns.

T. KOMODA BAKERY, Makawao
Legendary Komoda Bakery is ALL that. Expecting the dingy but beloved bakery, renowned for its cream puffs, to be overrated, I was delighted to find it worth a detour, though not being a cream puff fanatic, my loyalties were fully to the macadamia and coconut doughnuts on a stick and to the oozing guava malasadas. Let the cravings commence!

RODEO GENERAL STORE, Makawao

Rodeo General Store: an unexpected gem I stumbled upon for local, fresh produce, a range of kale salads, fruit smoothies and juices, served with a smile from friendly staff.

COLLEEN’s, Haiku
Breakfast at Colleen’s was a bit of a disappointment (bland mountains of egg and ok pastries), though how I could not be charmed by a town named Haiku, poetry lover that I am? I have it on trusted authority (Bonnie Friedman of Tour Da Food, among other writers) that dinners here are among the most underrated on the island.

AKAMAI COFFEE CO., Kahului

Not located in Upcountry but rather in the congested town of Kahului near the airport, Akamai Coffee Co is an excellent drive-through coffee stand. Iced coffees are bracing and invigorating, dark and rich perfection.

HIGHER GROUND CAFE, Haleakala

Roughly halfway up the mountain is Higher Ground cafe, serving basic teas, coffee and pastries. These elements aren’t notable, rather it’s worthwhile as a rest stop up or down the mountain, with striking views, horse rides, gardens and a lavender farm.

OKC Dabbles In Hipster

Photos & Article by Virginia Miller

OKC is far from hipster. Years behind food and drink trends, they’ve only recently opened their first third wave coffee haven (Elemental Coffee, a true coffee oasis with sleek cafe and roasting facility), first proper cocktail bar (the bar at Ludivine – see below), a couple hipster food outposts, a Belgian-style beer producer, Prairie Artisan Ales.

Especially exciting is underground, popular alternative press like This Land, coming out of Tulsa. It’s a multi-media publication of radio, video, music and online magazine expressing the creative vision of 20 and 30 somethings in the Midwest.

Just two years ago I couldn’t find much competitive with up-and-coming, small cities, much less big cities. Steakhouses (and upscale BBQ at Iron Starr) were the one consistency.

Brand new Kitchen 324 just opened during my December visit, looking the part of sophisticated, urban deli with fresh vegetable/fruit juices (though sitting in carafes vs. fresh squeezed individually) and cookbooks from Yotam Ottolenghi proudly on display (whose bakery/restaurant I’ve been to in London). But lackluster pastries, bagels and lox, and other breakfast dishes confirmed at least initially: its got the look, if not the substance.

Despite an adorable, restored (in pinks and whites) old house setting in the downtown OKC location, Sara Sara Cupcakes‘ food didn’t even quite have the look: think oversized cupcakes neon with food coloring… and how I weary of the decade-plus cupcake craze that just won’t quit.

Upper Crust, a new pizza restaurant in OKC’s increasingly popular Classen Circle, is strong compared to most pizza around, but despite being wood-fired, doesn’t remotely resemble Neapolitan (that now years-old craze has yet to hit the state). Instead, their decent American pizzas are a step up, locally speaking.

Though Oklahoma City has a long way to go before it’s a food or drink lovers destination, there were more signs this trip than in any year prior that its starting to notice what has been happening around the US for years. In my experience, once the wave starts, it thankfully begins to change standards for quality, ingredient sources and authenticity, a crucial counter to the chains and fast food that dominate these parts. Here’s to the local Oklahoma trailblazers in food, farming, drink.

MATTHEW KENNEY, Oklahoma City

I knew times had changed when Oklahoma City is home to not merely vegetarian but vegan food… actually done well (!?) Granted, Matthew Kenney is a four restaurant chain from restaurateur and New York native Scott Winegard, with locations in Santa Monica, Miami, Chicago, the fourth, oddly enough, OKC. Having the privilege of dining at some the best raw food or vegan restaurants from London to LA, I’m pleased to say this OKC location of Matthew Kenney is competitive. Not only is it competitive in its category nationally, it was the most consistent meal of all the new places I tried in OKC (and I’m an avid carnivore).

Using all plant-based, raw foods (except for a couple heated dishes), kitchen artistry shines turning nuts into cheeses in numerous dishes. In terms of the cheese platter ($12), most were a bit bland but for a smoked cumin “cheese”, rich in texture and softly smoky. Better is “lasagna” ($13) layered with ricotta made from macadamia nuts, zucchini strips, pistachio pesto, sun-dried tomato marinara and arugula. Guacamole ($9) is an easy “raw” food winner, enlivened here with jalapeno, pickled onion, a smear of cacao mole, and house corn and flax chips to scoop it up.

“Dumplings” ($8) are likewise raw, freshly filled with almond and nori/seaweed in a sesame foam and tamari/soy ponzu sauce. Another standout is a tostada ($13) topped with Progressive Farms kale, walnut picadillo, avocado, red pepper pico and cilantro vinaigrette. Only a cold green curry bowl of kelp noodles ($13) lacked hoped-for flavor, despite being tossed in coconut milk and Thai basil.

Desserts are a highlight, like an uber-minty mint-chip sundae ($9) of peppermint “ice cream” made from cashews and peppermint oil over a crumbly, dry fudge brownie/cookie, or a pumpkin layer cake sans pumpkin ($10), a cool cashew nut bar of “cream cheese”, carrot, apple, oat, and pumpkin spices.

Naturally, there are fresh juices ($6-7) like tonic of celery, parsley, lime, pink salt, or blend of greens: kale, romaine, cucumber, celery, mint, lime. Blended smoothies ($8) are served in tall Pilsner beer glasses, some working better than others in terms of texture and flavor, but none distasteful. Mint Chip shines, a seamless mix of banana, organic peppermint extract, spinach, cacao nibs, almond milk and agave to sweeten.

When my meat-eating father (who was definitely “not feeling” this veggie menu going in) enjoyed most dishes, I knew there was hope. Maybe the local population could begin to appreciate this OK rarity: a restaurant as healthy as it is delicious.

THE MULE, Oklahoma City

Nowhere is “hipster” more confirmed as “arriving” in OKC than at The Mule. A craft beer list, classic mule cocktails (meaning lots of ginger beer), hearty but gourmet comfort food, vintage Bible belt paintings, full beards and handlebar mustaches, and a perpetually packed house? Sounds like a hipster hangout. Certainly the crowd skewed young on a weekend night, but I noticed plenty of families and older couples intermingling. While waits and noise level can get obnoxious (I’d return for lunch or arrive before 6pm for dinner), the food is surprisingly good.

Locals are given tribute in Okie poutine ($7.50), beer-battered fries in white gravy and Watonga cheese curds. Stuffed, baked mushrooms ($7) filled with goat cheese under gravy and grilled jalapeños, are a crowd-pleaser. “Big ass grilled cheese” ($8.50) on sourdough is best with a side of zippy tomato soup, beating away winter chill.

But the show stops with the first bite of Macaroni Pony ($10). I’ve downed many a funky pulled pork sandwich around the country, but this one, slathered between toasted jalapeño cornbread with pickles, is perfected by three cheese mac ‘n cheese packed in with the pork. It’s one dreamy sandwich (and easily the best on the menu), even better washed down with a Mule Feather ($7): Maker’s Mark Bourbon, bitters, ginger ale, lemon.

While such gourmet comfort food is typical in many a city, it’s important to remember that credit is due for finally ushering in some funky, fun places like this in OK, thanks to restaurateurs willing to introduce national trends in local skin.

S&B’s BURGER JOINT and TUCKER’S ONION BURGERS, Oklahoma City

With two locations (I went to the newer Classen Curve locale), Tucker’s Onion Burgers is a crowd-pleaser of generous, cheap burgers made in a traditional Oklahoma style since the 1920′s where the patty is pressed with grilled onions (order the 1 lb. + $8.99 Mother Tucker only if you’re asking for a heart attack). Despite Tucker’s classic goodness and value, my first local burger choice would be two year old S&B’s Burger Joint, which also has two locations – I like the roomier, converted garage location in the Automobile Alley section of downtown on 9th Street.

Part hipster, with friendly twenty-something servers, part rock star, plastered with punk rock artwork and Rolling Stone album covers, the vibe is chill. Wisely, there are mini-versions of most burgers (call them sliders, if you must) so you can try more. Particularly since these are tasty burgers ($3.25-$4.25 small, $6.50-7.50 large), juicy and pink if you ask for medium or medium rare. I lean towards the Elvis because peanut butter and bacon on a burger WORKS. So does a classic blue cheese stuffed burger. Each burger is playfully listed with beer or wine pairing recommendations. Possibly better than the burgers? Smothered fries ($4-5), appropriately crispy yet doused. I like Thunder Fry (named after OK’s beloved basketball team), smattered with ham, Swiss onions and “Thunder sauce”.

Besides a solid bottled beer list, they shake up some loaded Bloody Marys intense with ingredients like peppers, bacon, edamame, wasabi.

LUDIVINE, Oklahoma City

Ludivine is the most ambitious of the new restaurants I’ve seen in OKC, and the only realized cocktail bar (with a separate bar area if you just want to come in for drinks). Though farm-to-table has trended across the nation and is the norm (not the exception) for decades where I live, this is the first of its kind in OKC. I appreciate the passion of chefs Jonathon Stranger and Russ Johnson, Oklahoma natives who cooked in NY and Colorado respectively, to utilize local bounty, from meats to produce, in their daily changing menus.

The space is chic and service is attentive, but dishes were unfortunately uneven. Baby beets and leaf lettuces topped with jalapeno onion straws and pistachios in currant rose vinaigrette ($9) appealed, despite the hundreds of beet salads I’ve had in recent years. But it arrived with few beets hidden under a pile of fried onions, minimal in flavor or impact. Sandy Springs tartare ($15) is not traditional French tartare but was pleasing, bright and tender, using local buffalo.

A charcuterie platter (any 3 for $14) is typically minimalist but lovely – I chose a creamy Danish blue cheese, house pork rillette, and melting fat of Mangalista lardo. Berkshire pork bolognese ($22) under Grana Padano cheese and carrots was neither traditional Italian bolognese nor a satisfying American interpretation. Chewy noodles and bland bolognese disappointed. A lamb burger ($16) sounded brilliant in truffle aioli, chow chow and blue cheese, but from accompanying sweet potato salad to barely detectable smear of chow chow, it fell flat.

A lesson in excellence was the preparation of Captain Levi Black’s Neah Bay steelhead trout ($28), seared, juicy, a seamlessly executed, flavorful fish. It was the standout over curried carrot puree, grilled baby bok choy and warm cherry tomatoes in lush orange brown butter. A dessert of frozen eggnog souffle ($8) dusted with dark chocolate was another shining moment.

With a few draft and bottled beers, including local Coop Ale Works, and jaunty wine descriptors like “funkadelic”, “glacial”, “slate”, “fat”, “velveteen” and “yes!”, there’s plenty to accompany the food (I liked a Chanteleuserie Bourgueil Cabernet Franc ($12/48) described as “saddlebaggy”). Gettin’ religious, the menu quotes Martin Luther: “Beer is made by men, wine by God.”

As for cocktails, this may not be a destination in terms of the country’s greats which I have been tracking for years, but it is THE cocktail destination in OKC. Bartenders are sharp and care about their craft, drinks are well executed. My favorite is the Mayberry ($8): overproof bourbon gives backbone to the slight bitter of Averna, with a hint of orange juice, blood orange liqueur and house blood orange bitters, a bruleed orange on top adds blessed smoke, for a wintery, sweet, sour, slightly bitter refresher.

Mr. Smith ($10) cried for more smoky mezcal with reposado tequila, Punt e mes vermouth, Campari, agave and bitters but is still a worthwhile drink. With their preferred Old Overholt Rye on allocation, now difficult to get in the state (the challenges of being bar not located in a key market), they use Wild Turkey Rye in The Craner ($10), a simple sipper with lemon, sugar, ginger beer. Unfortunately, the rye is lost in the beer. Elegant lighter cocktails include a Pimm’s Cup or a Green Beast: absinthe, lime, sugar, water, cucumber.

Overall, Ludivine is a huge dining and drink win for Oklahoma. Thoughtfully assembled menus from people who care, it is one to watch. Though dishes were uneven, I’d gladly return, particularly given local options, hoping for more consistent high points from their daily changing menu.

Local focus in pursuit of quality, sustainable ingredients and animals used is a rarity in these parts and worth supporting, as California-based Outstanding in the Field noticed. When hosting the first Oklahoma event of their many unforgettable dinners around the country, uniting diners with chefs and farmers in an outdoor, nature setting, they chose  Ludivine’s chefs cooking at Crestview Farms.

BAYOU GRILL, Edmond

The most charming – and heartwarming – of my recent Oklahoma food explorations was minutes from my parents’ home in suburban Edmond. We were given an effusive Southern welcome the moment we entered the humble but comfortable dining of Bayou Grill in a nondescript strip mall. Home cooking from Chef Thais Goodwin, who comes from a family of Southern cooks, is serving some of Oklahoma’s best local treats in the form of Louisiana cooking.

I was thrilled to see one of my Louisiana favorites, boudin ($7.99), traditional French sausage filled with rice in the Cajun version. Falling apart and tender with flavor, this is boudin like mama would make and is, in fact, a family recipe from Chef Thais.

Fried green tomatoes ($7.99) are solid, Thais’ mother Martina’s seafood gumbo recipe ($6 cup, $14 bowl) is smoky with andouille sausage – a beauty of a gumbo, while red beans and rice ($3 cup, $7 bowl) exude traditional comfort.

One of Bayou Grill’s most popular aspects, and rightly so, are Thais’ cakes and cobblers, blessedly available by the slice ($4). A traditional Southern Hummingbird cake shines with pineapple, cinnamon, rum – moist and heartfelt. There’s plenty to love on the bakery side, and across the menu. Nothing beats Bayou’s laid back Southern welcome right in the Oklahoma suburbs.

 

Hawaii, the Big Island

Article and photos by Virginia Miller

Volcanoes. Black rock expanses. Coffee berries growing on mountain foothills. Some of the best stargazing in the world. Rolling, green farmland. Waterfalls. Sandy beaches. Singing classic Hawaiian tunes to ukelele under the stars. These are but a few things I beheld and experienced on Hawaii, the Big Island. Flying around the entire island via helicopter (I’d recommend Paradise Helicopters’ circle island tour) is the best way to witness the vast range of Big Island landscape, more varied and vast than any of the islands – and thus it can take longer to drive than any other Hawaiian island. Paradise Helicopters landed dramatically on the lawn of my Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keahou Bay (they can arrange personalized pick-ups), flying from misty, green Hilo to the farmland of Wailea. The island’s northern valleys, cliffs and canyons reminded me of the unforgettable Kauai helicopter ride I took in 2011.

Circling over bubbling volcanoes as they release vapors and red lava is an unforgettable moment. Exploring Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park with Warren Costa, owner of Native Guide Hawaii, brought an insider’s perspective of jungle growth, lava tubes, steam vents and volcanic rock shimmering in the sun, beholding craters and ocean views from lava-marked cliffs.

Stargazing atop Mauna Kea, a 13,000+ foot mountain, is another one of those only-on-Hawaii’s-Big-Island experiences. Easily 40-60 degrees cooler up the mountain than it is below, I disappeared in scarves, gloves, coats and a hat, spotting shooting stars, constellations and planets through state-of-the-art telescopes.

My favorite hotel this visit was on the luxurious Kohala Coast: Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows. My peaceful room was small but well-appointed, with a soothing king size bed, wood-paneled doors separating the bathrooms, and Japanese aesthetic. I especially loved my top floor deck overlooking the ocean and divine sunsets. Blue reclining chairs line the beach, the best spot for morning coffee and a book – there’s even a hammock draped between tall palms. I was greeted with lei and tropical juice upon arrival. The nightly ritual of a figure moving around the expansive grounds at sunset with a torch, blowing the pū (conch shell) is a beautiful tradition I wish I could experience every night at home.

Being on a press trip, I wasn’t able to venture off on my own as much to uncover and dig for gems to the level I prefer.

Nonetheless, I discovered numerous edible treasures (listed below), enveloped by the wild yet relaxed spirit and arresting nature of Hawaii’s Big Island.

13 Edible Big Island Finds

KELLY BOY PEANUT BUTTER MILK BREAD

My single greatest local taste on the Big Island can be found at chain groceries, KTA Super Stores, on the rainy, lush Hilo side of the island: Kelly Boy Peanut Butter Milk Bread. This discovery is thanks to tour guide Warren Costa of Native Guide Hawaii who brought loaves of milk bread on our journeys through Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (not to mention an array of local fruits and plate lunch treats). Versions of airy, malleable, comforting milk bread exist historically in Western and Eastern cultures. While I’d never complain about regular milk bread, it’s the peanut butter version, swirled with streaks of sugary, nutty peanut butter, that elicited sighs of delight… and insatiable cravings ever since.

KONA COFFEE CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Visiting Hawaii, the Big Island, during the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival in November is a coffee fanatic’s dream. Strolling the typically sleepy village of Hōlualoa, the one-street town is packed with attendees buzzing on coffee samples from numerous Kona growers, exploring art galleries in cottages alongside historic Hawaiian churches.

The Big Island’s laid back ease permeates the pace of the entire festival, even UCC Hawaii Kona Coffee Picking Contest, which I competed in myself (in the amateur portion, naturally), picking as many berries (without stems and leaves) as possible in a timed couple minutes. It’s much harder than you’d think.

The festival’s good-natured president, Mel Morimoto, who grew up on his parents’ coffee farm, exemplifies the lighthearted flow of the week. I also had the privilege of being a judge in a cooking competition utilizing Kona coffee, the Kona Coffee Recipe Contest & Big Island Showcase at Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keahou Bay.

Fruit and Baked Goods at the KEAUHOU FARMERS MARKET

A tour with food writer Joan Namkoong included farmers market visits, as she’s been instrumental in the growth of Oahu and Hawaii Island farmers markets. At the Keauhou Farmers Market in a Kailua-Kona strip mall parking lot, I consumed juicy rambutan (a cousin to the lychee with rosy pink, “hairy” skin) and succulent passion fruit. I find these fruits at home in Chinatown, Richmond or Sunset markets, devouring them regularly during my three months in Southeast Asia. Alongside tree tomatoes (tamarillo) and giant avocados, these locally grown fruits are exceptionally flavorful – a prime example of the array of foods and cultures that collide in Hawaii.

I love Kona’s Earthly Delights baked goods, including tart lilikoi (passion fruit) bars and tropical “Shaka Pie”, identical to whoopie pie: fluffy Hawaiian pumpkin gingerbread filled with lilikoi ginger cream cheese.

Another interesting purveyor is When Pigs Fly Island Charcuterie, where Southern BBQ meets Korean influence with house sausages thrown in for good measure. Cuisine mashup is apparent in their version of ubiquitous Korean pork tacos: Southern BBQ pulled pork on a corn tortilla, accented by kimchi, pickled daikon and carrots.

Sushi at MONSTERA

On my flight from Honolulu, I discovered Monstera by happenstance sitting next to a Big Island local who happened to be a notable person in the wine and spirits industry. Monstera’s rather corporate-looking, upstairs location in an outdoor shopping mall near my Kohala Coast hotel, Mauna Lani, would not have appealed if I hadn’t known Tokyo sushi master Norio Yamamoto had moved there not long before.

Norio’s in the Fairmont Orchid was on my go-to list. Having heard Norio’s sushi was the best on the island, I was hoping to visit while lodging nearby.

Sipping li hing mui (salty dried plum) margaritas on the sand at the Orchid was a pleasure, but I never made it to Norio’s as my flight companion informed me that Norio was now at Monstera, which he co-owns and operates with the  gracious Wes Monty.

It was among the best meals of my trip on multiple islands. Pristine fish, fresh sushi, Korean sweet and spicy chicken, bright calamari salad… there’s not a bad dish in the lot. A solid sake selection helps it go down easily.

Smothered Pork Chops at the MANAGO HOTEL

An authentic slice of Big Island history and damn good, cheap food (entrees under $15) make the Manago Hotel a must for dedicated foodies.

A historic, little roadside inn since 1917 on the sleepy mountain slopes of the town of Captain Cook, the hotel’s restaurant features a dozen straightforward, unchanging dishes in a humble yet somehow heartwarming dining room.

This is down home cooking, from grilled butterfish squeezed with lemon to the justifiably famed fried pork chop smothered in gravy and grilled onions.

The pork chop is easily the best dish I had on the island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banana Bread at COFFEES ‘N EPICURES

A humble, little Honaunau coffee shop, Coffees ‘N Epicures, looks like a ’70′s rock hut with dated signage. Inside there’s robust local coffee, a charming back patio, sweet service and fresh baked goods, including soft banana bread and mango bread, scones, macadamia nut sticky buns. I couldn’t resist hilarious, locally made greeting cards of geckos (actually posed, not computer generated, the cards brag) sewing clothes, baking food, etc… It’s a fantastic local bakery with character.

Beer at KONA BREWING COMPANY

Among the best of Hawaiian beers are made by Kona Brewing Company, from father and son team Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa. A visit to the brewery is a must for beer lovers on the Big Island.

In an industrial part of Kailua-Kona away from the coast, the restaurant’s outdoor patio is smartly enclosed by palms and greenery, it feels like an island escape though surrounded by concrete. Pub food is serviceable but you come for the beers, particularly special brews you can only find on draft here in their home setting.

Historic General Store and Market: KEAUHOU STORE

Perched on a cliff amidst the coffee plantations of Hōlualoa is Keauhou Store, built in 1919 by Japanese immigrant Yoshisuke Sasaki who ran the store for decades, as did his son Rikio after him. They sold musical instruments, bikes (in the 1950′s, Rikio sold the first Schwinn and Columbia bicycles in Kona), radios, shoes, Kona coffee. They even operated as a gas station for a time, while also farming and processing coffee and macadamia nuts.

Rikio passed away in 2009. Thankfully, the store was lovingly restored by Kurt and Thea Brown in 2011, retaining that “old timey” general store feel, showcasing Big Island memorabilia: vintage bikes, instruments, radios, a rare record collection of Hawaiian and Japanese artists from the 1950′s and prior. Also, it’s a mini-grocery, selling wine, beer, Kona coffee, Thea’s homemade cookies, and more. A charming slice of island history worth a stop if anywhere near the area.

Honey & the Museum at BIG ISLAND BEES

What a surprise to head up the mountain in Captain Cook (near Kona) and find Big Island Bees tucked away, a honey farm and mini-museum designed by artists from New York (who showed at the Guggenheim Museum, no less), husband/wife Garnett and Whendi Puett.

Garnett is a fourth generation beekeeper and the couple’s artistic background is apparent in the design of their tasting room/museum: hand pressed wallpaper, poetry about honey, antique tools, even a couple of Garnett’s impressive beeswax sculptures which have shown internationally.

Their elegantly packaged honey comes in three varieties: ‘Ohi’a Lehua (floral, light, creamy), Wilelaiki (my favorite with subtle spice and savory notes), and Macadamia Nut Blossom (dark, rich, sweet, velvety).

For art and food lovers, this is a unique stop.

Dining by UKELELE & MOONLIGHT at CANOEHOUSE

A CanoeHouse dinner under the stars, wind sweeping the palms and inciting waves, is an unforgettable experience… especially when dining with Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows‘ cultural historian on all things Hawai‘i Island, Danny Akaka, and Hawaii Big Island Visitors Bureau Executive Director, George Applegate, who serenaded us by ukelele as Danny’s wife, Anna, danced under the palms. Time stopped and the image remains the single, most iconic image of the Big Island captured in mind.

Food is almost irrelevant in such a moment, but thankfully CanoeHouse’s Chef de Cuisine Allen Hess has a skilled hand with local ingredients. In keeping with the Kohala Coast and Hawaii in general, it’s an expensive meal ($16-24 for appetizers, $36-48 entrees), although there is a bar if you wish to go for a lighter meal/bill.

The menu is grouped by sections (farmer, rancher, fisherman) with listed purveyors, a common practice of farm-to-table restaurants. Fine dining plates are tempered by Chef Hess’ playful touches, particularly in dishes like Hawaiian hogs pasteles (a whopping $37 for a variation on the tamale) filled with chicken, pumpkin, coconut, or Korean-braised goat “tacos” ($18) on a bao bun, using local Waimea meat.

Local Ingredients at HOLUAKOA GARDENS CAFE

Lunch on the peaceful outdoor patio of Holuakoa Gardens Cafe in the foothills village of Hōlualoa, yielded a few dishes ($7.50-$32) that unfortunately sounded (and looked) better than they tasted. Though “local, sustainable, organic” have long been norms, not exceptions, where I’m from, they are not many places, surprisingly including Hawaii. Thankfully, it continues to become more commonplace here as around the US. The strength of this cafe is that it adheres to all these principals, utilizing produce from farms within five miles and fish from local wild-caught purveyors, uncommon in Hawaii in general. “Local” works best in a lovely Capri salad ($12) with green Heirloom tomatoes, sweet onion, fresh mozzarella, house pesto and grilled wedges of ciabatta bread.

Poke at Sam Choy’s KAI LANAI

Hawaiian celebrity chef Sam Choy was easily the friendliest chef I met at Pebble Beach Food & Wine Classic last year. His good cheer doesn’t exactly translate to the chain-like look of his casual newer restaurant in Kailua-Kona, Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai, aided by ocean views from its cliff perch.

A Big Island native often credited as the “Godfather of poke”, his classic poke ($12) is the thing to order. I equally like raw, silky shoyu (soy) marinated poke and seared, lightly fried poke. Having tried many an edamame hummus, Sam’s version, mixed with spinach, garlic, and olive oil, scooped up by grilled pita wedges, is an exceptional one. Entrees were uneven and cocktails of the dated/’80′s kind, but appetizers and an ocean view make it a pleasurable respite for those wanting to sample the influence of the most famous chef to hail from the Big Island.

Watching Manta Rays at RAYS ON THE BAY

Though dinner was lackluster at Rays on the Bay, the open air restaurant with large patio and bar area overlooking a lit ocean cove where manta rays congregate is a rare and magical setting. Live Hawaiian music or pop tunes sung to soothing ukelele make it a transporting, romantic, setting for a drink or dessert. Watching manta rays feed is mesmerizing.

Ending the day here is a must if staying at Rays’ hotel base, the recently renovated Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keahou Bay. The hotel’s strengths including striking ocean views and pools (though overrun with children screaming down the slide during the day – not exactly restful if your room happens to face the pool), warmly modern, comfortable rooms, dramatic coastal lava rock, and coffee downstairs at Keauhou Coffee Company, featuring Mama’s Kona Coffee, a favorite of the many coffees I sampled during the Kona Coffee Festival. Mama and her daughters were there pouring coffee themselves on a Saturday morning.

Fall in PASO ROBLES

Article and photos by Virginia Miller

An October week in what has historically been a Central California ranching (some say “cow”) town, Paso Robles is now best known for wine, maintaining its small town, cowboy spirit with a thriving wine scene that has everyone from natives to the creators of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance opening wineries (I visited the gamut). Ever since wines like Justin’s Isosceles put the laid back region on the map in the 1990′s, I’ve been coming to the region, watching it change yet thankfully remain low key despite steady winery growth.

This recent trip was my longest and most concentrated, visiting multiple wineries each day, dining with a number of winemakers each night. The first thing almost all of them talked about was of the unusual camaraderie and unity of local winemakers, something I witnessed firsthand. Paso is a community housing first time winemakers next to experienced Old and New World winemakers experimenting with a wide range of varietals.

Here are but a few taste snapshots from an action-packed week, where I zip-lined over winery grounds and dined on restaurant patios on warm, clear, fall nights.

A TASTING ROOM LIKE NO OTHER: Herman Story

Housing a well-loved legless dog and a puppy, nostalgic photos of Dad as life-sized wall art, one tiny tasting room, and wines blended from various plots not just in Paso but in other wine regions of California? Welcome to the one and only Herman Story Wines. Owner/winemaker Russell P. From named the winery after his grandfather, sells every bottle, even those that cost more to produce, at $42 each, quickly selling out of his small production wines (most produced in the 200-800 cases a year range). His vision and style is unique – a bit of Americana, rock and roll rebellion, an artist’s eye, with Old West pioneer spirit using all Rhone varietals.

Though his wines certainly are New World, calling them fruit bombs or limiting them to any California category would be a disservice. Experimenting outside typical expectations, in his Grenache, for example, he plays with Italian charred oak (up to 20%). From says, “Everyone does medium oak – that’s easy. I like to push it to the limit.” He does. The char gives the 2010 On the Road Grenache (my favorite) its toasty nose, though to taste, earthy, berry notes are balanced by a brisk acidity and green notes, not overwhelmed by char. In fact, toast on the nose feels like something you dreamed up in a Southern, BBQ-smoked haze, elusive to the taste. I was delighted to learn the BBQ aromas I was getting were actually coming from somewhere other than my imagination. From also plays with extended maceration (407 days on the skin) in his rare 407 wine, a Syrah, with crazy notes of coconut married to earthy blackberry.

While Herman Story wines could be polarizing, one thing is certain: there’s no other wines or wine tasting experience like it in Paso… or anywhere else.

GRATIFYING LOCAL MEAL: McPhee’s Grill

With the greatest sense of place and history of anywhere I’ve dined in the region over the years, McPhee’s Grill in Templeton was the most satisfying meal of my week. Massive steaks and down home staff in a warm, multi-room restaurant (like dining in a friend’s rambling ranch house) felt like a snapshot of the region’s soul. A massive double cut pork chop is hearty but gourmet, ridiculously juicy cooked low-and-slow sous vide in an ancho chile apricot glaze. A flourless chocolate decadence cake could have been standard, but caramel lime sauce enlivens it.

CHARMING FAMILY B&B: Venteux Vineyards

The Stelzle family’s (partnered with the Goldenberg family) charming, 10 acre Venteux Vineyards, marked by a red barn, was the most homey of any winery I visited. It’s a tranquil setting for their cozy B&B, beautifully decorated with old fashioned comforts (clawfoot tub and wrap-around front porch seating) alongside modern sensibilities (sleek wood bar in the communal living area, tasteful decor). Lunch with the family on their porch sipping Viognier and Petite Syrah, followed by punching down fermenting grapes, was one of the more idyllic afternoons I spent in the region.

PIONEERING WINEMAKER KEN VOLK

Over a multi-course dinner at the East-meets-West restaurant of Artisan off downtown Paso Robles’ town square, I spent much time talking with winemaker Kenneth Volk. His history since 1978 in the region and in Santa Barbara leads other winemakers to herald him as a pioneer and teacher in the region.

His knowledge is encyclopedic, his wines display balance and vision, and he brought fresh clusters of grapes for us to sample alongside bottles produced from those varietals. I particularly enjoyed tasting his whites, like a zippy 2009 Aglianico, and a citrus-laden 2011 Verdelho. Most impressive is the range of varietals he grows and experiments with, like Albarino (the first grown in CA) and one of my favorite Austrian reds, Blaufränkisch.

As we dined on octopus bolognese tossed with cured lemon, another winemaker, the delightful Steve Anglim of Anglim Winery shared his bold-yet-balanced 2008 Grenache, while later in the evening we tasted his rich 2008 Cabernet made from vines over 40 years old.

SMALL BATCH WINES GROWN ON TERRACED HILLSIDES

Not unlike tiered vineyards I’ve seen on hillsides in Italy, an afternoon with small brands grown on Caliza Winery’s peaceful grounds was a standout Paso moment. We sipped finished bottles and aging vintages of wines with the hardworking winemakers of Caliza, Brian Benson Cellars and Edmund August wineries on the hillside under the late afternoon sun. Edmund August’s Indelible and Soft Letters wines particularly stood out.

A COUPLE MORE MEMORABLE PASO WINES
From winemaker Vic Roberts’ Victor Hugo Winery (his middle name is actually Hugo), a sweet, port-style Zinfandel, 2009 Quasi Late Harvest Zin ($32), named after author Victor Hugo’s Quasimodo, is a pleasurably musky, sweet, woody dessert wine balanced by acidity.

It was a delight sipping big name winery J. Lohr’s nod to Pomerol, France: a 2006 Cuvee Pom (63% Merlot, Cab, Petit Verdot, splash of Malbec), showing restraint and elegance.

12 Reasons to Love
NEVADA CITY & GRASS VALLEY

Photos and article by Virginia Miller

Imagine if the Wild West collided with a European village. There might be winding, narrow streets through neighboring towns, plotting through pine trees. Old West saloons, wood sidewalks and columns, classic homes in walkable small towns. Not far from Lake Tahoe, at the foothills of the Sierra Mountains, there are two such tiny towns. The Gold Country towns of Grass Valley, a charming, relaxed Old West town, and its sister merely four miles away, Nevada City, the smaller, more funky-artsy and visually striking of the two. Historically, I’d trek 30 minutes off the 80 on the way back from Lake Tahoe to spend an afternoon in these towns, particularly when fall leaves are at their peak. This fall, I decided to spend the weekend here instead of Tahoe – and a restorative weekend it was.

While you’re in Grass Valley, foodies and cooks shouldn’t miss Tess’ Kitchen Store, three floors of every cooking accoutrement you can think of, and Back Porch Market, a small but well-curated gourmet deli of cheese, salumi, wine and gourmet foods (P.S. inhaling their house pasta sauce cooking as you enter is intoxicating).

In Grass Valley, Big A Drive In may look a little forlorn, a historic drive-in serving freezes, malts, burgers and hot dogs, but their cheeseburger is unexpectedly classic and satisfying – some even say the best in the area.

If you’re there in the fall, take the slower, lovely drive along Colfax Highway at least one way to and from the 80 freeway so you can stop off at Bierwagen’s Donner Trail Fruit & Farm Market, an idyllic farm selling jams, pies, an array of seasonal produce, and an apple farm.

Between nature, architecture, food, and even unexpected nightlife, here are just a few more reasons to love these Gold Country towns.

1. NEW ENGLAND VIBRANT FALL COLORS & CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

When friends from New England told me this was THE spot they’d go for equally radiant fall colors, I was skeptical. But from my first visit in November years past, I walked through neighborhoods of old Victorians and 1800′s homes, awash in the brilliant reds, yellows and oranges of my favorite season, dramatically cast against the green of mountain pines.

Besides warm fall days, crisp mountain nights and stunning fall colors, winter is a festive time in these two towns that pull out all the stops for Christmas. There’s a Victorian Christmas street festival complete with horse-drawn carriages and wandering carolers, and the Sierra Foothills Christmas Festival, known locally as Cornish Christmas, as the early, late 1800′s population of Grass Valley was predominantly Cornish. Now just wish for snow for added magic.

2. ROADHOUSE EXTRAORDINAIRE: THE WILLO

The Willo has been around for decades, a roadhouse on Highway 49, about 15 minutes drive from Grass Valley. Part redneck party in the rowdy bar, part retro dream with neon sign shining like a beacon from a dark, two-lane road in the middle of the pines, it is easily my favorite restaurant in the region.

Locavores and dainty eaters beware. This place is about thick cuts of NY steak (you cook or they cook on the big grill between the restaurant and bar) and local character. For less than $20, one can pig out on hearty, old school fare. Although requested “cheese” with a $1.85 baked potato is a deli slice, taste does not suffer here. When you ask for medium rare steak, you get it: juicy, delicious.

In fact, after numerous meals at more modern restaurants in the area, even those with local ingredients and attention to produce and meat sources, most were highly inconsistent and well behind even average big city standards. With The Willo, I felt like I got exactly what I came for: local flair, delicious food appropriate for bracing mountain air. We brought our own bottle of wine ($10 corkage), well worth it considering what was on offer, although the festive bar was doing just fine with big name liquor brands and country on the jukebox.

The dated, wood-paneled dining room is lined with Elvis, The Duke (John Wayne) and scripture verse clocks, while a Friday night only special of BBQ pulled pork sandwich ($12) is surprisingly good ‘que, and hard-working waitresses ensure you’re right at home with a “hon” and a smile. Dining at this packed roadhouse felt like the kind of meal my grandparents would have enjoyed, of the celebratory, unfussy kind in my childhood.

3. UNEXPECTED NIGHTLIFE & MUSIC SCENE – Though I struggled to find strong restaurants outside of The Willo or Sushi in the Raw, Nevada City nightlife, though not in the same breath as a big city, can get surprisingly rowdy. Being here days before Halloween meant Day of the Dead parties, concerts at historic Miners Foundry with everyone in costume, revelers wandering the streets, reminiscent of raucous nights in party towns like Savannah and New Orleans.

There wasn’t an evening I didn’t catch street musicians singing along the streets, a few of them exceptional, like a girl with a soulful, R&B voice belting along to one guy beatboxing, the other with a guitar.

On sleepier nights, the historic Mine Shaft Saloon is the dive bar in town. Crusty bartenders, chatty locals, plenty of personality, and bowls of hot and sour soup arrive through the swinging door at next door’s Fred’s Szechuan Chinese Restaurant.

4. WINE COUNTRY

As with many parts of California, the Sierra Foothills is home to a strong community of wineries. The best afternoon of my recent weekend was spent driving around local vineyards, off scenic country roads, tucked in between valleys and mountain views.

My other afternoon highlight was an hour tasting wine with Alex Szabo of Szabo Vineyards in his downtown Nevada City tasting room. With big personality and opinionated passion for wine, he’s lived in Europe and San Francisco, now winemaking here. He knew every local who came through the door, his friendly repartee and stories of his Hungarian family with winemaking roots back to 1780 particularly engaging – he grew up taking “a few pulls of wine from the jug” in his Grandpa’s basement.

His tasting room is full of hand-crafted pieces like a striking bar made from red gum eucalyptus trees salvaged in Berkeley’s Tilden Park after a fire. Launching Szabo in 2003 with 40 acres (15 of them vines, the rest sustainable forest), Szabo’s winemaking style is “balanced wines that you can still grab onto.” He mentioned being the only winemaker in area growing all his own grapes on premises, and his wines do represent balance rather than merely bold fruit.

Tasting through a flight ($6), I noted the pleasant funkiness of a 2010 Grenache ($23 a bottle) which he describes as a “dusty Spanish road”, but was surprised to find I preferred the Zinfandel, a varietal I rarely gravitate towards ($18 a bottle). Though there are intense blackberry notes, there’s no residual sugar and the berry is balanced by tannins and an earthiness. Balance is also found in a sweet dessert wine, an off-dry 2011 Muscat redolent of orange blossom with a creamy mouthfeel. Best of all, his Voila, at $28 a bottle, is the highest priced of any of Szabo wine.

5. GOURMET ICE CREAM

Every time I’m in Nevada City, I don’t miss ice cream at Treats. Gourmet flavors hit the mark, like plum shiso or saffron rose pistachio.

Childhood favorites like Swiss orange chip, and a handful of daily gelatos (such as chocolate cherry), are made with big city-quality and standards.

6. CORNISH HISTORY

With over 60% of Grass Valley’s population being Cornish in the late 1800′s, the influence of Cornwall, England, can be felt in the fact that this small town has more than one pasty shop. But there is only one you need to visit: Marshall’s.

These flaky, filled pastries are certainly old school – even the tiny shop evokes 1970′s. Marshall’s has been churning them out for decades, with your choice of vinegar or ketchup alongside a classic beef and potato or sweet, spiced apple in sugary vanilla sauce.

7. CAFFEINE FIX

Hipsterization has even reached this small foothills town, but it’s a pleasure at Curly Wolf, an espresso house with Victorian wallpaper and couches on Nevada City’s main street.

This form of retro/Old World hipster feels right home off wood sidewalks, serving properly prepared cappuccinos, coffees, cold brew iced coffee, even a chocolate orange espresso reminiscent of a Caffe Nico at LA’s Caffe Luxxe.

In Grass Valley, Caroline’s Coffee Roasters is a roaster and shop of the old school kind, not necessarily a coffee geek’s dream. But when in Grass Valley, it’s where locals congregate on a Saturday morning talking arts and sports (the SF Giants, naturally) over bracing cups of coffee.

8. SUSHI HOTSPOT

One doesn’t expect to find a sushi haven in towns this small. In fact, I’ve been to bigger towns around the country that lack a sushi restaurant as good as Sushi in the Raw. The fish is fresh and pristine and the environment in a converted Victorian boasts quirky charm, feeling like a hidden big city gem.

That being said, sushi aficionados and purists, while delighting at house pickled ginger and only sustainable fish will also notice an excess of sauce on or with most sushi, a “no-no” many a hardcore sushi master from Japan has warned us against. Though wishing I could taste the cleanness of fish apart from muddles of sauce (and this is coming from a sauce fanatic), Sushi in the Raw is still one of the better meals to be found in the area, though good luck getting a reservation. You MUST call ahead no matter the night of the week – they book weeks in advance.

Husband/wife owners, Susan Frizzle and Executive Chef Kaoru “Ru” Suzuki, have created that small town rarity: a coveted hot spot everyone seems dying to get into.

Octopus/tako salad ($11.50), though thoughtfully presented, was surprisingly bland drowning in spicy sauce with kelp, carrots and shredded nori, and the popular black truffled sashimi ($10/17), made with “best fish of the day” (each piece was different: salmon, yellowtail, kanpachi, albacore, trout) was overwhelmed by Italian black truffle, truffle salt, soy vinaigrette and French black truffle oil (tasting a number of truffle sashimi dishes over the years, a light hand is needed). While a sashimi platter arrives with five different bright cuts of fish, again, one is served a generous side of three sauces… with sashimi! So the drowning continues.

Rolls/maki are solid, like the Susan Roll ($14.50) of avocado, mango, smelt roe, crab mix, green onion, ginger, while scallop shooters ($3 each or $4 “drunken”) are vividly fresh with green mussel, mango and quail egg, particularly fun ordered drunken with a shot of shochu. On the drink side, a plum refresher ($4) is a lovely way to go with organic plum wine, lightened but not diluted by lemon, ice and sparkling water. “Ru’s pick” for sake, Kikusui KaraKuchi Dry ($5.50 glass/$33 bottle) is a crisp, pleasant accompaniment.

9. JUICE CENTRAL

As with a number of small California towns, you’ll find a healthy dose of hippies and back-to-the-earth folk. In Nevada City, Fudenjuce is a blissed out roadside hut with outdoor picnic tables, serving wraps, salads and rice bowls – but go for the juice.

Though you may reek afterwards, a garlic heavy Immune Enhancer is an eye-opener with carrot, apple, parsley, spinach, ginger, while Planet Favorite is tart with lots of lemon, carrot, apple. Unlike most juice shops, everything, even 24 oz. pours, are affordably under $7. Only downside is that wheatgrass shots tasted sickly sweet – I like wheatgrass for that fresh-cut grass taste and wished it had been noted that it was sweetened so I could opt out.

Flour Garden Bakery is mainly a bakery but also whips up a few fresh (and a couple thankfully green) juices in the Neal Street shopping center location of downtown Grass Valley.

10. GRAB A PINT

Though far from my top California brewery, Ol’ Republic Brewery is the first local brewery in town. The sterile, low ceiling space has a front patio and Saturday nights draw live bands and crowds. Their IPA English Ale strikes a fine balance of hoppy notes, and their range includes Bavarian Black Lager, Dead Canary (German lager), Celtic Red, Schwarzbier and Export Stout.

Pretty much across the street from Ol’ Republic, Jernigan’s Tap House & Grill has a rotating draft selection of beers from around California.

11. AND ONE MORE ROADHOUSE: THE OLD 5 MILE HOUSE

Just follow the bikers (motorcycles parked out front) who congregate at The Old 5 Mile House, an 1890 roadhouse and former stagecoach stop off forested Highway 20 just 5 miles out of Nevada City. You’ll find a cozy, dark wood respite with fireplace, bocce area and back patio under massive trees. It’s a bar with decent beer selection and surprisingly tart, tasty margaritas, and a restaurant with far better-than-expected food. Recommended dishes: Piadine (aka pizza crust topped with salad) – the arugula version with tender skirt steak, chimichurri sauce, red onions and blue cheese ($14.99), the pizzas (some are better than others), and hearty 5 Mile Corned Beef Hash ‘n Eggs ($10.99). This is one of my top recommends for food and atmosphere in the area, worth a detour from town.

12. HOT TUBBING UNDER THE STARS

Though my room felt a bit cavelike on the bottom floor with only one small window and minimal light at Grass Valley Courtyard Suites (ask for an upstairs room with more windows), the room was otherwise comfortable, the owners and service exceptionally friendly, with an unexpectedly pleasant hotel breakfast in a cozy dining room, a day spa and comfortable gym, easily walkable in old town Grass Valley, and best of all, the hot tub next to the pool was the ideal way to unwind every night.

The stars appeared in all their glory and crisp foothill air invigorated as I relaxed in soothing, hot waters.

 

Eating Through CHICAGO

Article & Photos by Virginia Miller

Last issue we journeyed through six newer cocktail destinations in Chicago – with a little food. This time, its food highlights from my recent Chi-town travels – sometimes with cocktails. Listing stand-out places or dishes, first I recap coffee, tamales and deep dish explorations.

Though Intelligentsia Coffee was launched here in 1995 by San Francisco transplants Doug Zell and Emily Mange, Chicago remains behind major cities in the coffee realm (even NYC, which was quite late to the third wave/quality coffee game, though latching onto it with a vengeance in recent years). I found myself having to drive 2-3 miles out of my way for a decent cup at spots like Edgewater’s neighborhood favorite, Metropolis Coffee, which roasts their own beans, or returning to a go-to of three years ago, Andersonville’s Coffee Studio (serving Intelligentsia) because I couldn’t find better. Chicago has many neighborhoods and downtown hubs needing to grow beyond the Starbucks phase.

While I still haven’t dug as deeply as I’d like into Chicago’s oft-lauded Mexican food, whether hole-in-the-wall or upscale (I’m sorry, but much as I appreciate him as a TV/cookbook chef, I’ve been less-than-enthused with Rick Bayless’ restaurants in visits past), down the street from my brother-in-law’s place in Irving Park, I enjoyed hefty tamales at Tamales Garibay. Whether cheese with jalapeno or chicken mole, Alicia Romero’s tamales aren’t the best I’ve had, but they make a gratifying, cheap meal at under $2 each.

As with any regional cuisine – one of my favorite subjects – when it comes to Chicago’s ubiquitous deep dish pizza, each time I’m here I visit a couple more raved about haunts, hunting for deep dish in the same league as Zachary’s or Little Star back home. Chicago is the source of this dreamy, cheesy interpretation of pizza, after all, but oddly enough I’ve yet to find a pie here remotely comparable to my top two Bay Area haunts, though it must exist.

This visit I took in a classic, the original Lou Malnati’s, an atrocious mix of rubbery, cheap-tasting cheese and bland crust, and what had been recommended as a local’s favorite, the better-but-still-fast-food-quality (reheated slices and all) Art of Pizza. I’ve yet to find “my” Chicago deep dish but I will not give up.

SPINZER, West Rogers Park

The most exciting taste this trip was a Pakistani hunter beef sandwich from Spinzer on the dense Pakistani blocks of Devon Avenue. Part of the excitement was never having it before – in fact, it’s a rarity in the US, but West Rogers Park boasts a few sources for the sandwich.

Intrigued by this review in the Chicago Reader, I entered the dingy, humble shop. It was heartwarming witnessing Pakistani families sharing platters of food and kids downing Middle Eastern falooda (or faluda), which I couldn’t resist ordering since I’d never had it, an odd mix of cold vermicelli noodles, basil seeds, jello, tapioca pearls, ice cream and rose syrup.

Hunter beef is the Pakistani version of corned beef, essentially a masala-cured brisket. If that doesn’t already make your mouth water, subtle notes of chile, jalapeno, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and garlic infuse the tender meat with complexity. Shredded amidst a crusty baguette, the sandwich is laden with onions, jalapeños, and a generous smear of mayo. Under $5, it’s a generous, garlicky, laden with heat and flavor. I’ve been craving it ever since. San Francisco has a concentrated Pakistani/Indian community, particularly in the Tenderloin. If only a few knowledgeable souls would start serving Hunter beef sandwiches, I’d be oh, so grateful.

RUXBIN, West Town

Ruxbin stands out as the most ambitious of my recent Chicago meals. The tiny space exudes personality, a mish-mash of styles: old theater chairs made into lamps, an artistic cookbook showcase lining the wall. Chef Edward Kim’s mix of Asian cuisine and French technique is an East-meets-West ethos that reminds me of home, typical of restaurants in SF and LA. Though a Chicago native, Kim attended NYU, Le Cordon Bleu in Los Angeles, and worked at Thomas Keller’s Per Se, exhibiting influences from the coasts and his Korean roots – a style that is of-the-moment, even comforting, though portions are delicate.

Using locally-sourced produce when possible, some dishes work better than others but those that did made an impression. Dainty bits of raw tuna ($14) are punctuated with horseradish, zucchini and smoky bonito flakes drizzled in miso-carrot puree and citrus vinaigrette – a beautiful range of flavor. Grilled octopus ($12) alongside fried chickpeas almost surpassed the tuna, earthy with black soybeans, radishes, roasted grapes, and ginger scallion vinaigrette. Roasted, pickled and shaved beets ($12), housemade ricotta and greens, though a common presentation in today’s dining world, was perked up by crispy pistachio praline, pumpernickel, white anchovies, and orange segments.

Buttermilk fried quail ($13) with miniscule cubes of watermelon and tomato “salad”, watermelon pickles, basil and mint felt like a pale shadow of other quail dishes I’ve had this year at SF’s incomparable State Bird Provisions, for one, or of other watermelon tomato salads, like the one at Tavernita below. Garlic fries ($5) with chipotle aioli were near perfect and needed filler after small portions, while an entrée of duck breast ($28) was appropriately rare and juicy accompanied by baby greens, shaved fennel, snow peas and orange in a mustard vinaigrette, the crowning glory of the dish being a dessert-like zucchini bread, dissolving dreamily in the mouth.

I’m not used to nicer restaurants being BYOB (surprisingly common in Chicago), so we sadly ate intricate dishes without any wine pairings. House dry lavender and passion fruit sodas ($4) at least assuaged the summer heat outside. A pretzel and beer dessert ($9) took the form of doughnut holes oozing chocolate with a scoop of beer-milk sorbet topped with a pretzel. A pleasing end to an ambitious dinner.

Note: no reservations taken – the space is tiny and waits are long. We arrived 20 minutes before opening at 5:30pm, immediately seated, noticing those right behind us weren’t seated until we left. Also, don’t miss the bathroom. That’s all I will say on that.

ARAMI SUSHI, Ukrainian Village

Arami, a retreat-like sushi haven in hip Ukrainian Village, is to date, the best sushi meal I’ve had in Chicago. Prices add up, as at most worthwhile sushi restaurants, but under sloped, blonde wood ceilings punctuated by skylights, with seamless service, silky fish and a solid sake selection, it’s a memorable Chicago meal.

Though there’s donburi and noodle sections, I stuck mostly to fish, enjoying uni shooters ($5), ebi (shrimp) chawanmushi ($8), live hotate (scallop) sashimi ($8) brightened by a spritz of yuzu and Japanese sea salt, a chef’s choice sashimi platter ($35), and one of just a handful of rolls available, like hirame (fluke) and spicy tako (octopus) maki ($13), rolled with ginger in a Fuji apple dressing. Robata (skewered bites from the grill) pleased, such as corn grilled in miso butter with togarashi mayo, or tender tsukune (chicken meatballs – $4) contrasted by pickled pearl onion.

KUMA’S CORNER, Avondale

In a few short years, Kuma’s Corner is already a Chi-town institution – self-proclaimed as “harshing our mellow since 2005” (misspelled as “melow” on their website). This big hair, 1980’s-spirited rock bar is a dive serving what many claim to be Chicago’s best burgers (naturally) named after old school metal bands from Megadeth (topped with chorizo, red potato hash, pico de gallo, cayenne avocado cream, tortilla strips) to Black Sabbath (cooked in blackening spice, topped with chili, pepper jack, red onion).

I’m told waits can be long for a burger, but late one night, ‘80’s rock blaring (naturally) while the cooks complimented my retro sundress (necessary on sticky-humid September nights), my medium-rare Iron Maiden burger ($13) arrived quickly. The 10 oz. patty was properly pink and juicy, topped with what felt like over half an avocado, cherry peppers, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo. At midnight after a delicate gourmet meal at Ruxbin, it tasted like a hunk of heaven. There’s also a heaping $12 pile of bacon bleu cheese fries.

LONGMAN & EAGLE, Logan Square

Longman & Eagle is one of those all day hipster gastropubs with a solid cocktail menu (all $8), fine selection of American whiskey (bourbon, rye, corn, wheated – with $12-20 flights of 3), craft beers (12 on draft, including Midwest favorites like Bell’s Oberon and Three Floyds Pride & Joy), and all-around gourmet comfort food from chef Jared Wentworth. Though open all day, they won’t seat you between the lunch and dinner switchover due to staff changes (?), so be prepared to wait at the bar if arriving early.

The hipster gastropub, farm-to-table, whole animal/nose-to-tail approach is old news in cities like my own, so though Longman & Eagle is not unusual, it does what the best gastropubs worldwide do: offers something for everyone, from casual-gourmet food to quality in every drink category. Cocktails ($8) are artisan and straightforward, like The Cut of Jib, a Zaya rum and Noval ruby port base, layered with the fall-spiced notes of Snap liqueur, bright with lime and Tiki bitters, or The Chicagoan, a sweet, boozy, bitter mix of Punt E Mes sweet vermouth and Wild Turkey Rye whiskey with Cynar, Malort, salt, and angostura bitters. A Rye Tai sounds like a great idea with Jim Beam rye, Curacao orange liqueur, Gosling’s Black Seal rum, orgeat (almond liqueur), lime, Angostura bitters and mint with an absinthe rinse, but lacked the hoped-for layers of a perfect Mai Tai (which are hard to come by).

Despite sometimes miniscule portions, pasta dishes are delicately layered, both a chanterelle agnolotti ($12) with corn, pea tendrils, shaved Grana Padano cheese and truffle on top, or ricotta gnudi ($9) accented by cider gel, baby fennel, sweet Cicely (an herbaceous plant in the anise, caraway family) and toasted hazelnuts in a braised cippolini onion vinaigrette with celery froth. Both showcased layers of tastes and textures, despite a fussy number of ingredients. One of the more satisfying, generous entrees was a vegetarian dish of slow roasted cauliflower ($17) over beluga lentils, savory with caramelized onion, sweet with golden raisins and mango, creamy-fresh in cucumber raita. The most memorable bite goes to warm cheese gougeres ($7) oozing Gruyere Mornay, a creamy Béchamel cheese sauce.

Desserts ($9 each) were consistently interesting. Though wishing I could taste more menthol-laden Fernet in the Fernet Float (made with a house Fernet soda phosphate and chocolate sorbet), a sweet corn churro with vanilla sweet corn pudding exhibited the appropriate contrast from saffron air, dulce de leche and shaved cinnamon. 1987 is a dessert of white chocolate lime “biscuit”, passion fruit mousse and raspberry, the highlight being a dollop of curry frozen yogurt, cool and blissfully intense with curry.

BLACK DOG GELATO, Roscoe Village

My number one ice cream recommend in Chicago to date is Black Dog Gelato in laid back Roscoe Village. After working on the pastry side at the now defunct Scylla under Top Chef’s Stephanie Izard, Jessica Oloroso sold her gelato and sorbets through restaurants before recently opening her charming shop. Fresh flavors of the day are handwritten on cards attached by clothespins to a line behind the counter, with pleasures such as sesame fig chocolate chip, coffee basil, rosemary Irish cream, Oreo mint, salted peanut, and blueberry French toast. There’s also whiskey gelato bars on a stick, dunked in milk chocolate, rolled in bacon. Sample as many flavors as you can before deciding. It will be a tough decision.

PLEASANT HOUSE BAKERY, Bridgeport

On Chicago’s crime-ridden South Side, the neighborhood of Bridgeport is a burgeoning mix of artists and hipsters: where gentrifying often seems to begin. On one block, there’s Bridgeport Coffee Company, Maria’s Packaged Goods, a fantastic beer/spirits shop with a back dive bar serving craft cocktails and beer, and quirky Pleasant House Bakery, like a ‘70’s-looking British pie shop meets locally sourced, hipster eatery. You can eat in, take out or bring home pies with cooking instructions (I did all of the above).

While waiting for pies, I enjoyed perusing garden and farming books highlighting Midwest farmers I’m not as familiar with, some of them sources for Pleasant House ingredients. Most importantly, they perfect flaky, buttery pie crust at $7.95 per individual pie, filling enough for one. You can’t go wrong with a classic British steak and ale pie of all-natural beef, ale, carrots, and herbs, or curry chicken Balti pie, but I enjoyed the fresh, green warmth of mushroom kale pie, laden with kale, scallions, white wine, herbs, and Parmesan cheese. Cold pork pie ($10) is an interesting, classic direction to go, gelatinous but not unappealing with cold pork pate and aspic.

Pleasant House also serves Cornish pasties (stuffed with steak and potatoes), fresh salads, buttery mint peas, a Scotch egg, daily changing specials (like bangers, burgers, fish & chips), mashed potatoes, British chips (fries) topped with skirt steak, gravy and aged cheddar. Amen.

TAVERNITA, River North

Tavernita was not quite what I anticipated when exploring the website menu. Partly chosen because of its late weeknight hours and cocktail menu, ideal for flying late into Chicago, it was an oddly clubby, loud dining room, its cool design bordering on slick.

It wasn’t quite the food and cocktail haven I’d hoped for though there were a few highlights. Kegged sangria ($10) disappointed, both in red (Tempranillo, Hennessy VS Cognac, orange, grapefruit, Mallorca melon tea syrup) and white (Albarino, Orujo, peach, orange oil, tarragon). Both felt muddled, more like juicy, indistinct mash-ups. Though I had a similar experience with their barrel aged cocktails, individually made cocktails fared better, particularly a vibrant One-Thumbed Gypsy ($11), a mix of Leblon cachaca, red pepper and saffron syrup, lemon and Moroccan bitters.

While I was disappointed in a weak Coca de Setas ($14.50), flatbread topped with mushrooms, caramelized onions, chevre, herb salad (SF’s Gitane historically has served among the best coca I’ve had), and with overly doused crudo, like Faroe Island salmon ($12.50) in piquillo peppers, olives, charred onions, sherry vinaigrette and marcona almonds, I found Greg’s meatballs ($15), rounds of Wagyu beef and pork in hazelnut romesco sauce, heartwarming.

Tomato y Sandia salad ($11) is an all-too-common gourmet presentation of heirloom tomatoes and compressed watermelon, but I appreciated Tavernita’s presentation. Instead of artfully dotted around the plate as I’ve seen a dozen times before, big chunks of tomatoes and watermelon are cubed and tossed together in a bowl with grilled Gulf shrimp and pickled jalapeno in lemon vinaigrette. Their version was a breezy salad, reinvigorating the combo, evoking late days of Summer.

The most interesting and ambitious dish was a paella special ($20 for a fairly small portion), which changes daily. A twist on the Spanish favorite, the rice was black with squid ink, dotted with cuttlefish, enlivened by lime crema and Fresno chilies. A surprising paella, if perfected it could be superb.

FABULOUS FREDDIE’S ITALIAN EATERY, Bridgeport

Thanks to a tip from Charles Joly at The Aviary, who grew up eating here, I found Fabulous Freddie’s. And Fabulous Freddie’s is fabulous. Locavores and those of us concerned about where our meat comes from will balk at huge portions of meat all under $8 – some items, like a slab of gravy bread filled with shredded roast beef is a mere $1.35. This can’t be good news since it (should) cost far more than that for ingredients.

Nonetheless, this family owned eatery, since 1990, is everything you hope for from this style of food, appropriately capturing the spirit of Chicago’s South Side. Maybe it’s my Jersey past and the number of close friends I’ve had over the years from the South Side, but the senior, Tony Soprano-type guys hanging out here with giant meatball subs and Styrofoam cups full with watermelon and lemon Italian ice, transported me straight to Brooklyn, Hoboken, and other East Coast haunts.

But this being Chicago, Italian beef is the name of the game, shredded thin and unadorned on a loaf of ciabatta bread. Even a small Italian beef sandwich ($4.85) is big. My heart belonged to their breaded steak sandwich (baby breaded was plenty big enough at $6.25): beef tenderloin breaded and served on loaves doused in sweet-savory marinara sauce. With a storm passing through on an early September afternoon, I sat outside blissfully filling up, then cooling off with Italian ice, breathing in the humid air, transported straight back to my teen years East.

BIG JONES, Andersonville

Reading Big Jones’ menu online, a relaxed Southern restaurant in the cozy Andersonville neighborhood, I felt as if I’d found my dream restaurant. Detailed descriptions of Low Country dishes, a Southern-specific house charcuterie selection listing spicy tasso ham and Acadian andouille sausage smoked over pecan wood, and a 1933 Boarding House Lunch ($16 per person for multi-courses including biscuits, red beans and rice, and fried chicken cooked according to the great Edna Lewis’s recipe in fresh leaf lard with butter and a ham hock), reminiscent of Mrs. Wilkes‘ in Savannah, made this a must-visit from a long list of possibilities. Clearly, Big Jones has more than a passing interest in and knowledge of Southern food.

Granted, I was only able to visit at lunch but my anticipation made it all the more disappointing to find most dishes distant from my Southern favorites. House ginger beer was delightfully ginger-heavy, and they deserve kudos for only serving sustainable seafood and using whole animal butchery, not letting any part of the animal go to waste. But the charcuterie ($5-6 each), even typically flavor-packed boudin rouge, was surprisingly bland, as were limp fried green tomatoes ($8), one-note despite accents of creamy egg salad and pickled shrimp. Gumbo Ya-Ya ($7), failed to gratify despite a dark roux, chicken and sausage.

Smothered pork shoulder ($12) fared better, tender and smoky in South Carolina mustard sauce (my favorite BBQ meat and top two for sauce styles). A Beaufort, South Carolina, shrimp burger recipe ($12) with typically vibrant chow-chow, was a dry, while their classic chicken and dumplings recipe from 1920 ($14) was banal in terms of flavor, with minimal dumplings, far from the doughy, hefty beauties my mother used to make from scratch. The menu is a loving, respectful ode to the South and service is heartfelt, making me still want to respect Big Jones.

NIGHTWOOD, Pilsen

The biggest let down of my recent Chicago meals came at Nightwood in the hipster Pilsen neighborhood on the city’s gritty South Side. Hipster definitely describes this place, renowned for its brunches with typical long waits. I made reservations well in advance, yet that didn’t save us from a cold, blasé host at the door and a table in the back corner by a noisy kitchen. Likewise, popular house doughnuts ($5 each) were not as gratifying as they sounded, whether bacon butterscotch or a Michigan raspberry glazed, white chocolate custard-filled donut topped with cacao nibs  – oh, for more nibs to provide earthy contrast to the too-sweet doughnut.

A side of Butcher & Larder maple bourbon sausage ($4.50) was juicy and comforting, while a meager portion of Ligurian ravioli ($14) filled with butternut squash, dotted with bacon, amaretti crumbles, pinenuts, Parmesan, in a runny egg and maple butter, though an Italian classic (which I can’t get enough of when in Italy), felt oddly out of place with the rest of the brunch menu. It was “spit-roasted animals” (all locally sourced) – shredded chicken, rabbit and duck – served Philly cheesesteak-style ($14) in a hoagie bun filled with Vickie’s peppers and onions and 8 year cheddar that it made it worth trekking here for. Every element was perfect, from soft-yet-crusty bread to tender meat laden with earthy cheese. I’d order one again in a heartbeat.