Chicago restaurants Archives

Gaijin – Chicago

Gaijin is Chicago’s first okonomiyaki restaurant, offering both Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancake.

Ambiance

Gaijin has a cool, hip vibe like so many restaurants in the West Loop. The restaurant itself can seat about 60 people, so it still feels private and intimate, and there’s some outdoor dining space available too. Personally, I loved how each table came with it’s own grill to ensure your food stays hot as it comes out.

As someone who tried to grab a reservation twice before finally snagging one, I’d say not to wait when doing so.

Service

The service at Gaijin was perfect. I felt like we were waited on without it being too much. Our waitress made some great recommendations, and overall, different people checked in on us throughout the evening.

Food

In terms of food, we really enjoyed everything we tried. The menu itself is broken down by starters, shared plates, sides, pancakes, dessert, and the tasting menu.

Because we couldn’t exactly choose what we wanted, we decided to go for the $39/person tasting menu. It included pickled veggies, noodles, a pancake, and dessert. Lots of food (happy hubby’s who go to finish off what we couldn’t…haha)!

The picked veggies were good. Not something I’d order on their own, but as a light starter, they worked.

Next came the noodles! These were simple yet tasty. My favorite part of this dish was the veggies. They were sautéed to perfection!

Next came the pancakes! I ordered the tofu and my sister went with the shrimp. These beauties – with cabbage, veggies, mayo sauce, and protein – were delish! I would come back to Gaijin just to eat my pancake again! The grill kept them super hot which was nice because you’ll definitely want to savor each bite.

And finally came dessert. Not my favorite course. My mochi donut came with a chocolate topping and my sister’s with a macha one. The thing that bothered me was that the donut itself wasn’t sweet AT ALL! I don’t love super sugary desserts but I need a little bit of sweet, especially after all that savory!

All in all, we really loved our meal at Gaijin! My sister and I both agreed that if we came back, we would order a couple of shared plates and the pancakes. That would make for a very satisfying meal!

Date Night at Girl and the Goat | Chicago

written by Parita 4 Comments

Girl and the Goat has been on Vishnu’s ‘to try’ list of Chicago restaurants for a very long time. In fact, whenever I’d suggest a date night out, his first question would be, “Does Girl and the Goat have any open reservations?” To which I’d reply, “Yes. 10/11 pm on a random Wednesday three months from now.”

Well, my determined husband happened to be looking at Open Table one day and found a more reasonable reservation for us – (a random) Tuesday at 6:45 pm. With my sister free to baby sit (i.e. watch Kaiden sleep!), we decided to go with it!

To be totally honest, I wasn’t expecting to love the vegetarian food at Girl and the Goat. Why? Mainly because they are known for the meat dishes. But let me tell you – I was blown away by how fresh, well-balanced, and truly delicious every element of our meal tasted. A feast to remember!

Vishnu and I started with drinks (sparkling rose for me and an old fashioned for him) and an order of the sourdough bread with a side of whipped feta and red onion mostarda (a creamy dipping sauce). My rose was on point, Vishnu loved his drink as well, but let’s talk about this whipped feta for a second. I need a tub of this by my side at all times. It was so creamy and tangy and the perfect spread for the crusty sourdough bread…and I’m sure anything else you can find that’s dippable.

Vishnu and I decided to share one more vegetarian item before digging into our entrees. Based on a recommendation my friend Jigna shared with me, we ordered the roasted cauliflower. OH-EM-GEE! I’m totally ordering this as my main entree the next time we eat here. If you’re not a cauliflower fiend, you may be wondering what the hype is all about. You guys! The char on this cauliflower…the tenderness…the pine nuts…and the pickled veggies and jalapenos. It all came together to form the perfect bites. I could not get over how tasty this little dish was! A must order in my humble opinion.

For my main entree, I decided on the green garlic pierogies that came with a sour cream and scallion + tomato relish on the side. The portion size was definitely on the smaller side (4 pierogies per order), but it was the perfect amount for me given we ordered a couple of things to share. My favorite part of this dish was the sour cream sauce and the relish. They paired so well together and when eaten with the tender pierogie and creamy filling, it was pure magic!

For his main dish, Vishnu ordered the crisp braised pork shank. In his own words, this was the most tender pork he’s ever had. Super juicy too. I was able to try the dipping sauces and loved them both – the kimchi one was incredible…so unique! And the naan was the softest and fluffiest I’ve ever tried. I don’t think Vishnu regretted his choice by any means!

Any finally, no meal out would be complete without a little something sweet! Vishnu put me in charge of picking our final course, and of course, I went for the one with all the chocolate. Our waiter even confirmed that it was the best one on the menu! You guys, this chocolate pavlova with sesame whip cream, brittle, and ice cream was out of this world and SO unique. The actual pavlova was essentially one huge macaroon, and the crispy edges were everything! My favorite part (no surprise!) was the creamy chocolate caramel sauce. It wasn’t too sweet or even too chocolaty, but it really brought the whole dessert together.

While the food was clearly fantastic, I should also mention the wonderful service we experienced. Our waiter was incredibly helpful and very timely with everything, and I personally loved how he checked in at all the right moments to make sure we were ‘loving our dishes.’

Girl and the Goat, we shall meet again…when Vishnu finds another random weekday reservation! But seriously, every Chicagoan/visitor needs to try this restaurant. AMAZING all around!

Brunch with a Side of Incredible Service at Farmhouse | Chicago

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Given the choice of breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I will always rebel and choose brunch. There’s something about brunch food that gets me excited to eat. For one, who doesn’t love eggs covered in cheese with a side of crispy breakfast potatoes. Or if you’re in the mood for something sweet, a stack of fluffy pancakes with a side of sweet syrup. Ummm…yum!

A weird fun (?) fact about me – I love looking at restaurant menus, even those in different cities I have yet to visit. And brunch menus are a personal favorite!

If you live in Chicago or have ever visited, you know this city takes the brunch game to the next level. There are so many amazing options to choose from. I don’t think we’ll be able to cover them all by the time our next move comes around. Insane!

Farmhouse definitely takes brunch (and food in general) seriously! The menu is filled with fresh, local, and carefully selected ingredients. While not healthy by any means, it’s the kind of food you feel good eating. It feeds your belly and your soul!

I’ve had the pleasure of eating at Farmhouse several times and have yet to be disappointed. However, our most recent dining experience topped them all.

Let’s start with the food…

Vishnu, my friend Jigna, and I started by sharing an order of the cheese curds. OH MY! Little bites of gooey, perfectly battered heaven. These bad boys are fried but still very light. Literally melt in your mouth perfection. This dish is also served with two dipping sauce – homemade ketchup and spicy ‘curd’ sauce. The ‘curd’ sauce, as strange and unappetizing as it sounds, is the perfect condiment for cheese curds and anything else you want to dip in it!

For my main meal, I ordered the Vegetable Hash. Trust me when I say, the name of this dish doesn’t do it justice. My bowl was filled with Fall vegetables like Brussel Sprouts, squash, tomatoes, and green beans and topped with perfectly cooked scrambled eggs (the way I like my eggs!) and a spicy horseradish cheese. On the side, I enjoyed spicy breakfast potatoes that were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

Vishnu ordered the Midwestern Autumn Salad with chicken. He let me sneak a bite of the veggies before he dug in. I loved the flavors and textures, especially the cabbage, apples, goat cheese and pecans. Definitely recreating this at home!

Jigna ordered the Salmon Benedict and judging from the beautiful presentation and the fact that Jigs finished her meal, I think it was a pretty delicious dish.

So that’s the food…as you can see, you really can’t go wrong!

Now let me tell you about our service experience. In one word, it was surprising and heartwarming!

The last time I ate at Farmhouse was back when I was probably eight months pregnant. A college friend of mine was in town and suggested we meet for brunch. I remember our waiter being really funny and kind, but that’s about it. Well, guess what?! We ended up with the same person this time around, and the only way I know is because he actually remembered me! He asked about the baby, so I proceeded to show him a few pictures of Kaiden! And then, to top it off, he didn’t charge us for the cheese curds as a way to say congratulations. Ummm…who does that kind of stuff anymore?! The staff at Farmhouse that’s who! Vishnu and I (and Jigna) were blown away by this small act.

So not only did we have a great meal, but we also left touched by the thoughtfulness (and memory) of our great waiter!

Ernesto’s Chilaquiles at Nookies | Chicago

written by Parita 2 Comments

Three Chicago neighborhoods are lucky enough to call Nookies home (Old Town, Lincoln Park, and Edgewater). Serving delicious and comforting food guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest eater’s taste buds, Nookies’ menu covers the gamut in terms of flavor.

When it comes to eating out, I can be creature of habit. What can I say? When I find something I absolutely love, I stick with it. Consistency, baby!

This is certainly true when eating at Nookies. I’ve now dined there five times, and all five times, Ernesto’s Chilaquiles have been part of my meal in some shape or form. Yes, they’re that good!

Side note – if I were to ever meet this Ernesto, I would give him a hug and then pester him until he gave me the recipe for his chilaquiles!

Traditionally, chilaquiles include fried tortillas, salsa, and cheese served with eggs and beans. Ernesto’s are no different in terms of composition, but they take the cake in terms of flavor. The tortillas and eggs (scrambled but not overly) are layered with generous amounts of cheese and smothered in perfectly spiced sauce. All of this deliciousness is served alongside [the creamiest] refried beans, rice, and sour cream.

One of my favorite parts of this dish include the eggs and tortillas. As Thea (who’s now been to Nookies twice!) said, you really can’t tell the difference between the two. It all just melts in your mouth! I also LOVE the beans. When I say they’re the creamiest, I mean it! I want to swim in them will simultaneously stuffing my face by the handful. Ha!

I felt the need to share about Ernesto’s Chilaquiles because a lot of my readers live in Chicago, and those who don’t will likely (or at least they should) visit at some point. And if/when you get the chance, you must put Nookies at the top of your must try restaurant list.

While I won’t be ordering anything different anytime soon, the menu is full of other great options as well. I’ve tried the veggie croissant sandwich and the crepes (both excellent), and Vishnu really enjoys the meaty skillets. But if you want the ultimate delicious meal, go with the chilaquiles and thank me later!

Your turn. Are you a fan of chilaquiles? What’s your go to brunch dish?

The Blissful Veggie + Native Foods Cafe

written by Parita 3 Comments

So I have a problem. I like to do ALL the things, in that I’ve always been a ‘I love my plate tipping over’ kind of person. Until I realize it’s not possible to do all the things and do them well. Let’s take The Blissful Veggie (TBV) as an example.

I started TBV earlier this year with the hopes of creating a space for veggie friendly restaurant reviews. Great idea in theory. But when you’re pregnant and have a blog you already post fairly regularly to and have a full time job, it’s a bit much…even for me! Also, I totally didn’t take into account the fact that after you have a baby meals out are kind of a once in a blue moon type of event. At least for the time being. If we don’t go out to eat, I don’t have any content to share!

So with that being said, TBV is coming to an end…for now. However, I still love sharing and writing restaurant reviews so that won’t stop. When we get a chance to try new restaurants, AND I remember to take a few decent pics, I’ll share my foodie adventures on MIS.

* * * * *

With all of that being said, here’s a restaurant review I’ve been wanting to share.

Native Foods Cafe is a vegan restaurant Thea (my coworker and friend) and I frequent a lot. Mind you, Thea is a not a vegetarian, yet she loves this place as much as I do.

Because we’re basically the same person (just kidding, she’s a lot cooler than me!), we always order the same few things and share. On our most recent visit, we convinced our coworker Lamia to come with us. We’re always looking to spread the Native Foods love!

Lamia was happy to go with the flow, so Thea and I decided to stick with our favorites – the Native Nachos + guacamole + the seitan taco meat and a side of sweet potato fries + the spicy and creamy dipping sauce. Because there were three of us this time, we also ordered Native Chicken Wings with a side of creamy ranch. And of course, you can’t go to Native Foods without contemplating dessert. Our contemplation pointed to a ‘duh,’ so we ended up getting the Peanut Butter Parfait.

SO MUCH GOODNESS!

The following pictures will speak for themselves, but the food here is finger licking good.

The nachos are perfectly prepared with a variety of delicious toppings, including the best “cheese” sauce. I also love the balance of textures and flavors – everything just ‘fits’ together. You may think you’re ordering the standard run of the mill nachos, but you’re wrong. These are super unique.

The sweet potato fries are great on their own, but what makes them extra special is the sauce. Every time we eat here, I’m tempted to ask someone the secret to making it taste so good. It’s so creamy and rich with a bit of spice mixed in. Love the sweet and savory play here!

This was my first time trying the chicken wings, and I must say, I’m a fan! Of course, they don’t taste like chicken, but the sauce gets you as close as possible given these are made of veggie protein. Again, the ranch dipping sauce makes these next level good. The balance of spice from the wing sauce and the cool ranch is perfect.

And finally, this dessert. It’s pretty incredible. I mean, peanut butter cream + chocolate + banana bread. And believe it or not, it’s pretty light!

If you live in the Chicagoland area (or are planning to visit), I highly recommend Native Foods Cafe. There’s truly something for everyone, vegan or not!

Your turn – do you have a favorite vegan/vegetarian restaurant in your city?

St. Patty’s Day/Weekend in Chicago

written by Parita 3 Comments

This past weekend was an absolute blast – our besties, Roshni and Samir, were here, we celebrated our first St. Patty’s Day in Chicago, and this preggo partied with the best of them!

I’m honestly not sure why Chicago celebrates this holiday a week early (if you know, please leave a comment!), but either way, this city sure knows what it’s doing. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it out to watch the river turn green (maybe next year), but everyone (but me) enjoyed lots of green beers!

But let’s back up for a second…

We started the weekend with some DELICIOUS pizza at Coalfire with Aek/Adarsh and Roshni/Samir. You guys, alongside Piece, this stuff is among my favorite when it comes to Chicago pizza. I love the thin, crispy crust and fresh toppings. At Coalfire, the whipped ricotta takes an already delicious pie and puts it over the top. So much yum and so much fun conversation. Who knew that Samir, Vishnu, and Adarsh were such fans of the Bachelor?! Ha!

The next day started bright and early with the hopes that we would make it to the river, but instead, we drank breakfast shakes and talked. Oops!

After breakfast shakes came the breakfast beers…green beers at 10 am at that. Again, I obviously didn’t partake, but it was still fun to watch everyone else enjoy themselves!

A couple of hours later, we took our party of six to a local bar. And that’s where this preggo thrived. The music was so good even I had to get up and shake my bump! We then met up with my sister and her friends and headed to another bar where we danced and ate some more before calling it a night…at 6:30 pm. #soold Of course, there was more good food involved at this point. We stopped at Magnolia Bakery for some banana pudding before heading home and eating Opart Thai and Bombay Wraps (the things that appear when Rosh is in charge of dinner!) for dinner.

Sunday came a little quicker than I would’ve liked. We had until about 4:00 with Rosh and Samir, so we got up, chatted over more breakfast shakes (sans alcohol), got ready, and eventually headed to brunch at Hutch. By the time we got home, it was almost time for them to leave for the airport. Luckily, our next reunion is only two short months away!

And that, my friends, was our first St. Patty’s day/weekend in Chicago!

*I clearly failed at taking fun pics this weekend. Oops!

Your turn – do you celebrate St. Patty’s Day? Green beers galore?!

The Halloweekend That Wasn’t

written by Parita 5 Comments

Halloweekend 2016 wasn’t very Halloweeny, but it sure was fun!

Roshni and Samir’s flight was delayed by about an hour on Friday night, so Vishnu and I watched the Cubs game until it was time to head to the airport. After picking them up and dropping their bags off at home, the four of us headed to Duck Duck Goat for a very late dinner that was worth every delicious bite. We shared six different things between the four of us, including green beans topped with crispy shallot and cashews, gyozas, veggie fried rice, spicy tofu, a pineapple dessert, and a few other things. In my opinion, the fried rice and pineapple cake stole the show!

Our friend Rohit, who also stayed with us this weekend (his brother rented out their place on Airbnb for the Cubs games this weekend), met us at the restaurant. The five of us sat around and chatted for a while before heading home to talk some more and finally fall asleep around 2 am.

Needless to say, the next morning started much later than any of us anticipated. By the time we left the house, it was 3:00 pm! Our first stop was Oven Grinder for a late lunch. A late lunch that turned into dinner because of a 3.5 hour wait.

We didn’t wait around the restaurant for 3.5 hours though. We grabbed a bit at Del Seoul and then walked around Lincoln Park for a bit. Our main objective was to find Halloween costumes for me, Rosh, and Samir. Vishnu figured his out late last week. We finally settled on a Dr. Seuss theme for the three of us (Dr. Seuss himself + two cats). Not too shabby for a very last minute costume search.

So after all that, we headed back to Oven Grinder for dinner. *A word of caution to those who haven’t eaten here yet – try to go at an odd time (apparently the best time is 9 pm on a Sunday). The wait is ridiculous. Not always over 3 hours, but you’ll almost never walk in and be seated immediately. Be ready for that!

Dinner was awesome. I’m not a huge deep dish pizza fan, but I love the saucy Oven Grinder pie. With the exception of Vishnu who went for the meat sauce, the rest of us got 1/2 pounders with light cheese, veggie sauce, and a white crust. YUM!

So this is where our plans veer off track. We were supposed to go home, get ready, and meet Rohit and a few of our other friends for a fun Halloween night out. Instead, we got home, sat down [for a supposed minute], turned on the Cubs game, and passed out! OOPS!!! In a roundabout way, it all worked out because Roshni had a cold that took a turn for the worse, and it probably wasn’t a great idea for her to be out until the wee hours of the morning. In all honesty, it worked out for me too. Due to some lingering stomach cramps, I wasn’t feeling too hot either. Such is life!

The next morning started fairly early since we all got 13200948730 hours of sleep! We ate breakfast and watched football until everyone was hungry again for some Seoul Taco (not to be confused with Del Seoul!). So good!

Then, before we knew it, it was time to drop Samir and Roshni off at the airport. 🙁 But not before we took a picture (the only non-food pic of the weekend)…

Even though this Halloweekend turned out a bit differently than planned, I think we would all agree that it was pretty delicious and lots of fun!

Can’t wait until R+S come back to visit (hopefully sooner rather than later!).

Your turn – did you dress up for Halloween?