When I first moved to Chicago, coming from Madison, Wisconsin, I was rather overwhelmed by my dining options. So many restaurants, so little time, and more importantly, so little money. My boyfriend and I instituted a rule: one new restaurant every weekend. We didn’t eat out much, but when we did, we made sure to take advantage of the multitude of options. The main problem with this rule, though, is that we rarely went to a restaurant more than once–even ones that we liked. That is, until we discovered Urban Belly.

I’ve been on an Urban Belly binge for a little over a month now. Nearly every weekend morning, as we’re contemplating what to do about our hunger situation, my thoughts turn to juicy noodles and perfectly crisp dumplings. On a recent Saturday morning, when I couldn’t decide what to order, I ordered three, yes three meals. For myself. Really, you can’t have too much Urban Belly, and I just bought myself lunch, dinner, lunch, dinner, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The main problem I have with Urban Belly is that this restaurant has single-handedly ruined all other Asian noodles for me. That convenient, all-encompassing noodles, sushi, curry spot just one block from my apartment? I can never go there again. How about my old go-to spot for Pad See Ew? Forever spoiled. Urban Belly doesn’t even serve Pad See Ew, but once you experience the flavors—the addicting broth of the Asian Egg Noodles, the succulent Duck and Pho Spice Dumplings, or the intoxicating Urban Belly Ramen with pho broth—well, the bland taste of anything else remotely Asian will make you wish Urban Belly was on every street corner in Chicago. I can’t. Get. Enough.

While this restaurant has received much hype and fanfare, it remains quick, casual, and perfect. It’s BYOB, counter service, communal dining, smack-you-in-the-face flavor perfection.

Urban Belly

**I’d also like to take this opportunity to plug my personal blog, Wanderlust and Food Stuff. It features mostly travel and food, but many other musings as well. Check it out!**

Like many Chicagoans, I feel a fierce loyalty to the neighborhood in which I live. So, take it with a grain of salt when I say that the Wicker Park/Bucktown area is by far the best place in Chicago to live, eat, drink, play, and be merry. I swear.

I just love the hustle and bustle of the six corners at both 5pm and 3am. I love the patios on Division Street in the summer, and the eclectic mix of wig shops and trendy boutiques on Milwaukee. I love the speed of the blue line, the accessibility of the North bus, the convenience of the Ashland bus. I love that I’ve seen an impromptu break dance show outside Flash Taco and that I can get gourmet tacos from a walk-up counter at Big Star. I love that movies are filmed and dogs walked on the same streets—an amalgamation of superstardom and ordinary life. And, of course, I love the food and drink available just blocks from my doorstep.

So, in celebration of my favorite ‘hood and all its glory, I give you my favorite Wicker Park and Bucktown haunts. (Note, I tried to make this a top five list, with 1 being the best place, but I could not decide at all what would be #1, so I put them all on equal footing. Oh, and I couldn’t stop after five, so  you’re getting my ten favorite places.)

• Café Absinthe. Only in Wicker Park would you find a hidden, fancy French restaurant with fabulous food. You have to enter through the stinking alley, but that does not, at all, hint at the beautiful decadence of the food within.

• Elotes. What, you’ve never heard of this place? That’s probably because it’s not really a place; Elotes is a food cart near the corner of Milwaukee and Ashland. The sweet lady who owns it sells the biggest tamales under the sun for just $1 each. Easily the cheapest dinner around.

• Skewerz. How can you not love meat on a stick? But it’s not just the tasty, charcoal-y chicken, shrimp, and filet mignon that they have going for them. The grilled artichoke appetizer is among my favorite things to order here, and the yucca fries are quite yummy as well.

• Crocodile. I don’t care what anyone says. I love their pizza. Love it. The thin, wood fire crust, the peppery, garlicky tomato sauce, the gooey cheese… the simplicity of it is beautiful, but the layers of flavors are even more exquisite.

• Birchwood Kitchen. No one makes a more perfect sandwich. No one. The fresh ingredients, expert flavor profiles, and casual vibe make this place a winner. Burgers on Wednesday nights are great also.

• Piece. Nearly everybody has been to Piece at one point. The beers are great and the pizzas are yummy, but next time you go, please, try the mashed potatoes on your pizza. You won’t regret it.

• Francesca’s Forno. I actually don’t eat Italian food very often. Yes, I love pasta, but it just feels so regular. So familiar. So—oh, not special. But I do love the Francesca’s restaurants, and Forno does not disappoint. Hint: go on Tuesday nights when 3 courses are only $22. It’s a steal.

• Wing Stop. If you know me, then you know that after 12 years of vegetarianism, I gave in to meat. And not just any meat—true blue Buffalo-style chicken wings. I get my wing fix at Wing Stop—the traditional Buffalo style are great, but the parmesan garlic cannot be beat. Seriously.

• Bin. I go here for the wine and cheese flights. Always amazing.

• Bristol. Seriously, have you had the deep fried olives stuffed with sausage ? No? Really? Then you have not lived. Their menu changes often, so I cannot guarantee you will get the chance to live, but you might as well try.

There you have it folks. This list was so hard to create. I left off many other amazing restaurants in the ‘hood, but I thought you might get bored with my “Top Fifty” list. So, what are your favorites?

Chicago Chef Week, Restaurant Week, or weekly prix-fixe dinner deals—you name it, it’s an excuse for me to eat. With another Chicago Chef Week wrapped up and under my belt (which, by the way, has been loosened), I will now wow you with pictures and stories of all the glorious food I ate.

Boka

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera for this beautiful meal. The menu featured a choice of seared tuna (almost creamy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness) and Diver Sea Scallops (with morel mushrooms—YUM!) for the first course, herb-crusted whitefish (delicious) or beef tenderloin (with both short rib and a crab cake!) for the second course, and a rich, gooey dessert with chocolate, pretzels, Guiness ice cream (yes), and a flawless flourless cake.

Much to my advantage, I always bring a dining partner who orders exactly what I don’t, thus allowing myself to try everything on the menu. In addition, we ordered a side of the chef’s special macaroni and cheese with edamame, and, as a nice little treat, the chef also sent out a side of cucumber salad with feta cheese. Both were delicious.

Landmark

I decided to keep it in the family—the Boka Restaurant Group family, that is—for Chef Week. I did manage to bring my camera to this meal, so now might be a good time to grab a napkin and prepare for the drool.

My first course was a red lentil, brussel sprout, and goat cheese strudel with a frisee salad on the side. As you might notice, I dug in so fast I forgot to take a picture prior to my first bite! This starter, besides being quite substantial, was flaky and creamy, and the salad had the perfect amount of acidity. Great start.

For the second course, I ordered ribeye—crusted with black peppercorns and served with sautéed spinach and blue cheese potato gratin. To be honest, I don’t even remember what my other option was—this dish was so good, I don’t even care (no order regret, here!). The ribeye was huge, and the peppercorns crusted on the edges put this steak in a category of its own.

The sides were equally wonderful and complementary. I mean, blue cheese potatoes? Come on! You’re speaking my language, here!

Lastly, dessert. It was like peanut butter ice cream cake—the gourmet version, with caramel, nuts, and pretzels on the side and a decadent whipped cream. Despite being stuffed, I devoured the entire plate.

And that, my friends, concludes an epic Chef Week. The belt is a little looser, the wallet a little lighter, but my belly a whole lot happier.

Boka

Landmark

Hello Hungry? foodies!

Just a friendly reminder here that this week is Chicago Chef Week! Sorry for the late notice, but I had to make sure to get my reservations in before I told the rest of the world!

Here’s the deal: $30 3-course prix-fixe dinner at one of several amazing restaurants. There really are some great Chicago classics on the list, including some of my all time favorites.

So hurry up because you only have until the 28th of March to take advantage!

Chicago Chef Week

March 22 – 28

www.chicagochefweek.com

In celebration of my good friend Evan finally moving to Chicago, my other friend Danielle and I took him out for dinner, big-city style. You see, Evan is moving here from Appleton, Wisconsin, and while he can get his fair share of Panera and Chipotle up in the north woods (which is only a recent occurrence, might I add), the region is decidedly lacking in quality home-grown, chef-driven restaurants.

To introduce Evan to Chicago culinary, we went to the French-Mexican Fusion of Sabor Saveur. We were all intrigued with this concept; the chef is Mexican, but trained in a French culinary school. The flavors were very much Mexican, but the dishes had more refinement than the casual taco and used traditional French cooking techniques.

From 5-7pm they offer a five-course prix-fixe menu for $40, and the restaurant is, for now anyway, BYOB.

Let’s start with the soup course. Evan and Danielle ordered the soup du jour, which was a creamy, roasted corn and poblano soup. I didn’t try it, but they both were in love. Things were looking up.

My salad—roasted beets with arugula and a touch of crème fraiche. The beets were great. I thought it could’ve used a little more acid, though admittedly I prefer my salads to be on the acid-heavy side.

And then, a nice surprise, a house-made sorbet made with fresh sugar cane—just a little something to cleanse the palate before our entrees. It was spiced with some cinnamon and was really fantastic.

Ultimately, the chef really shined with our entrees. I ordered poached salmon, which was served with some xoconotzle, a mild and slightly sweet fruit that, according to the waiter, helps with digestion. The texture was similar to watermelon, but with a flavor closer to a papaya. Danielle’s Sea Bass was served with it also. And Evan ordered the Chile Relleno. We were all drooling through our meals, barely speaking a word to each other while we devoured the goodness.

I’m always weary of ordering salmon; even at really great restaurants, I’ve had terrible salmon. If it’s not sourced properly, or cooked correctly, or absolutely fresh, a lot can go wrong. But this salmon was so delicate, light, perfectly cooked… just wonderful. Danielle and Evan gave their dishes equally rave reviews.

Finally… and I’ll just let the picture speak for itself… dessert.

Sabor Saveur

www.saborsaveur.com