Fish Sandwiches in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: New Fish Sandwiches on Scene

The fish sandwich continues to make a bit of a comeback. I recently did a little piece featuring four in Chicago Magazine back in February which you can see HERE. But since it was published there’s a handful of new options to be reeled in. When I named myself President of the ‘Fish Sandwich Club’ years ago I did so with the intent of making the fish sandwich popular again and I’d like to think we’ve made some strides in doing so. As of now most of the fish sandwiches around town are fried but I’ve noticed at least a few that aren’t so stay tuned for a possible run down of those later this summer. Today we’ll try five fried versions that have popped up since my Chicago Mag piece was published. 

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Mott St. (Wicker Park)

First stop might be the best of the bunch or at least the most traditional in the sense of how a fried fish sandwich is typically made. So let’s head over to Mott St. - the Asian restaurant on Ashland in Wicker Park is named after the unofficial "Main Street" of Chinatown in Manhattan. Mott St. has been around awhile now - I hadn’t visited in some time but that changed quickly when I learned they were putting out an excellent fish sandwich during brunch. It’s made with sesame panko crusted pollock, kewpie tartar, American cheese, lettuce, pickles, and a brioche bun. It’s basically an amped up version of the Filet O Fish and it’s outstanding. An immediate contender for the best fish sandwich in Chicago. 

Fish Sandwich at Mott St.
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John's Food & Wine (Lincoln Park)

Next up we head over to Lincoln Park where John’s Food & Wine on Halsted does lunch on Saturdays. The menu is small but mighty with a very good burger and an even better fish sandwich. The base is branzino and it’s panko breaded and dressed with a celery root caper slaw loaded with fresh herbs plus a kimchi ketchup on a soft and sturdy sesame seeded bun. Another contender.

Fried Fish Sandwich at John's Food & Wine
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Mirra (Bucktown)

Mirra in Bucktown is a unique restaurant on Armitage mixing the flavors of India and Mexico. If you go during brunch you can try a Skate Wing Milanesa sandwich made with panko crusted Skate Wing filet topped with fennel-lime slaw and served with sides of strawberry rhubarb achar, and a Morita crema. This is by far the most interesting of the fried fish sandwiches featured here today or anywhere in town for that matter. It’s also the largest, we split this and left pretty full. Props to them for coming up with such a unique fish sandwich. I love the idea of a fish milanesa using skate wing which is the edible pectoral fins of the skate fish, similar in size and shape to a pounded chicken breast. I thought the fish was a tad bit dry but an array of flavorful toppings helped even it out while giving off tons of exciting flavor profiles. I also appreciated the fact that it came with a really refreshing side salad. 

Skate Wing Milanesa at Mirra
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Andros Taverna (Logan Square)

Logan Square is our next destination, Andros Taverna to be specific. This bustling Greek joint on Milwaukee avenue now offers a crispy fish pita during its weekday lunch service. Crisp battered cod goes into one of the restaurants signature wood fired pitas along with a spicy aioli plus lettuce and tomato. I really liked this in big part due to the smoky and soft pita which is just about perfect. 

Crispy Fish Pita at Andros Taverna
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Bar Bambi (West Town)

Last stop takes us over to West Town where Bar Bambi opened on Chicago Avenue this past Spring. This is a hip and happening cocktail bar with an artistic atmosphere and a very good fish sandwich on the dinner menu. This is another fish sandwich modeled after the Filet O Fish starting with a fried halibut fillet dressed with American cheese, and House-made tartar sauce on a soft and squishy potato bun. It’s a textbook prep as far as the ingredients but each and every one of them is top notch.

Fish Sandwich at Bar Bambi
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating in Downtown Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Downtown Dining

After 17 years of almost nonstop posting I don't think it's hyperbole to say that I've covered more ground than most when it comes to food in Chicago. If there's an interesting place to eat in one of the city's 77 designated community areas I've likely stopped in there at some point. We've taken deep dives into places Hegewisch and the West Side and have gone up and down Howard Street over the years. But if there's one area of the city that's been under covered on here that would be the Downtown area. There's a few reasons for this including not going down there too often in part due to there not being a ton of interesting or under the radar spots to check out. But these days I find myself downtown on a regular basis and every now and then I'll go check out a spot while I'm down there and today's post is a collection of some of those spots. Downtown isn't a neighborhood - it's an area made up of a few neighborhoods. It most certainly includes Streeterville and the Loop and according to some it also includes River North and the South Loop but the former is also considered the Near North Side while the latter is kind of new as far as the neighborhood as a whole goes. Today's post will include spots from River North, the Loop and Streeterville. All of them are within a 20 minute walk from each other and could come in handy if you find yourself downtown in need of something to eat.  

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Jian

Mall kiosks and food court stalls aren’t dead yet, in fact they may be making a comeback thanks to Asian spots of all sorts setting up shop and bringing crowds of hungry customers in. Chicago's original Jianbing house is located in the basement of Block 37 where it shares a kitchen with a bubble tea brand. I've stopped in here a few times to grab a classic jianbing which is a popular street food crepe in China that rivals any and all handheld breakfast items. A thin crepe-like pancake made from flour batter and mung bean are spread on a griddle and topped with egg, scallions, cilantro and savory sauces like hoisin and sweet bean paste and it also includes a crunchy element like fried wonton strips or a Chinese donut. It's all folded or rolled into a convenient and flavorful wrap. Jian serves a bunch of different varieties which can include bacon, ham, spam or even fried chicken but I'm a fan of the original version which doesn't include any meat but is known for its contrasting texture of a soft and eggy exterior with a crispy and savory interior. Jian has been packed both times I've gone which was in the morning so be prepared for a short wait as these are made to order. 

Jianbing at Jian
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Oasis Cafe

Next up is a spot that evaded me until this past summer when I decided it was finally time to try this place that many people who work in the Loop swear by. Oasis Cafe is one of those spots that is very well known by people that have worked in the Loop but not so much by the outside world. The first thing that's always mentioned about this place is that it's located in the back of a jewelry store under the train tracks on Wabash. It's a cool setup but if I'm being completely honest it's a pretty standard Middle Eastern restaurant which isn't meant to be a shot at this place or the people who like it. It serves a purpose for people that lunch in the Loop and don't want to eat cheap fried food but also don't want to drop $50+ at a trendy sitdown spot. Oasis Cafe is a great option when you need something fresh and reliable that wont break the bank. I've been in a couple times now and enjoyed a falafel sandwich and Kushari which is a Wednesday special. The kushari at Oasis Cafe is a mix of brown lentils with rice and sauteed onions, served with salad and your choice of meat. It's a hearty plate of food and it'll hit the spot if you have a taste for Middle Eastern cuisine but it's not destination dining. Though many swear by the Moroccan Chicken which is served on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Kushari at Oasis Cafe
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Gus' Sip & Dip

Gus' Sip & Dip feels a bit out of place in River North but it also feels like a throwback to the city’s past. It's a slick but unpretentious spot brought to Hubbard Street by the mighty Lettuce Entertain You restaurant enterprise. It feels like a blast from the past in terms of its dark and lively dining room paired with a menu of timeless classics. The cocktails here are also a throwback at just $12 each and there's quite a few to choose from. All that said it's the French Dip that got me thru the door. I'm a born and bred Chicagoan so I'll always take the Italian Beef when it comes to sliced beef sandwiches but every now and then a French Dip can really hit the spot and I had heard very good things about the one served at Gus' which they label as "The Original Wagyu Beef Dip" and it comes with cups of whipped horseradish and au jus plus a $25.95 pricetag. It's not cheap but it is a filling sandwich loaded with rare sliced prime rib sitting in between thin and crisp Spanish pan de cristal bread.

Wagyu Beef Dip at Gus' Sip & Dip
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Shang Noodle & Chinese

Chinese food continues to ascend in Chicago and it's starting to become readily available in the Downtown area as evidenced in our first stop and now our next stop - Shang Noodle. The Streeterville outpost is one of three Chicagoland locations. They're all known for their modern looks and some pretty good Chinese and Taiwanese food including hand-pulled noodles, dim sum, hot pot, and even a few Korean-Chinese dishes too. They have booze and vegetarian and gluten free options so you can go with a group and shouldn't have any problems finding menu items for everybody to eat. I've been in a few times and each visit was much more satisfying than the other spots on the block would've been. I very much like their Hong Kong style Beef Chow Fun which is served dry with a decent amount of wok flavor and well seared beef that's tender with just the right amount of chew. 

Beef Chow Fun at Shang Noodle
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Magnolia Bakery

We head back to Block 37 where Magnolia Bakery brought their famous classic American style desserts to Chicago from New York City. People from all over the world are attracted to this "small-batch bakery" for cupcakes, cookies, and their nationally recognized banana pudding. I'm a big banana pudding fan so I do find myself stopping in from time to time for the best banana pudding north of the Mason Dixon line. Actually I used to think this was the absolute best but then I went to Alabama and found there’s way better. That said they make a very tasty batch for a corporate brand.

Banana Pudding at Magnolia Bakery
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BONUS STOP!!!


The Walnut Room

Last year around this time I dined with my family at The Walnut Room. My mom, dad, sisters, brother and spouses were joined by my nieces and nephew on the 7th floor of Macy's on State which most of us knew as Marshall Fields. The historic restaurant was the first in a department store and is known for its beautiful Circassian walnut paneling, Austrian chandeliers, and a massive Christmas tree displayed each holiday season. It's a big tradition for Chicagoans and it was actually pretty fun going back for the first time in forever. I went in thinking that the famous Mrs. Hering's Pot Pie was really just a frozen Marie Callender's but I was mistaken as it's made there though no bottom crust. It wasn't a memorable pot pie but I cant remember any that were but it did hit the spot in a throwback way. 

Mrs. Hering's Chicken Pot Pie at The Walnut Room
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Lincoln Park Eats

 -Grubbing in Chicago
Five of a Kind: Newly Opened in Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park has long been one of Chicago's premier neighborhoods in terms of living but only recently has it started to enter the chat of Chicago's best food neighborhoods. The food scene in the neighborhood I grew up in has exploded over the last five years or so. Take Lincoln Avenue for example. When I was a kid the stretch of Lincoln that cut thru Lincoln Park was mostly watering holes. I remember when the Bulls were winning championships and Lincoln Avenue was one of the main places people would go to celebrate when they won. Then in the early 2000’s it kind of became dead over there for quite a while until restaurants like Galit and more recently Nadu started setting up shop. Fast forward to today and LP has suddenly become one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods when it comes to opening a restaurant. But how come? Two guesses 1) people have money to spend in that area and 2) it’s become much younger and much more diverse as a neighborhood leading to some interesting restaurant openings. Today we take a look at five spots that opened in Lincoln Park in the last year or so. The type of spots that would’ve been out of place in this area a decade ago. 

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KookKook Khao Man Gai

For our first stop we head over to Clark street which is also booming right now. The stretch of Clark between Fullerton and Diversey has seen a handful of international openings the last couple years. Kook Kook Khao Man Gai is one of the more recent spots to set up shop. It’s ran by a guy from Nashville by way of Thailand. So I was told the owner runs a bubble tea shop in Nashville but he wanted to do something a bit more personal here and he’s doing exactly that at 2532 N Clark where he’s serving up Thai style Chicken and Rice aka Khao Man Gai. This chicken and rice dish consists of boiled chicken, rice cooked in broth, sauce, and a chicken soup as a side. It's a Thai version of Hainanese chicken with which it shares a common origin, though they differ mainly in the sauce and accompaniments. Khao Man Gai is known for its punchy, complex dipping sauce, most often made with fermented soybeans, vinegar, and chili, and is typically served with chicken soup and cucumber slices. It’s not the most instagramable dish you’ll come across but it’s likely to be one of the more flavorful. Kook Kook serves up an excellent version that comes with or without the skin - get it with for extra flavor. All facets of this dish from the tender boiled chicken, to the rice infused with broth, and the garlic sauce are very well made. The menu is small with a few other options including what’s said to be a good Tom Yum  soup plus other chicken dishes like Khao Mun Gai - fried chicken and rice. 

Khao Man Gai at Kook Kook Khao Man Gai
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China Wok

Next we head a couple minutes down the street to China Wok located at 2485 N Clark I’ve featured this spot before as the owner here used to run a takeout spot called New China Station in Humboldt Park where I was a regular. The dry chili fish filet at New China Station was one of my favorite dishes in town until it suddenly closed out of nowhere. I spent a couple years trying to find a replacement for it often to no avail until one day I decided to try this newly opened spot called China Wok that had quite a few Sichuan dishes including dry chili fish filet. As soon as it came out I knew I had found my favorite version again as the owner of China Wok previously ran the kitchen at New China Station. So you know about the dry chili fish filet but what else is worth getting? Here’s my go to order when we go with a group as it’s great place to byob as the family is so accommodating. First up I suggest an order of their old school potstickers which are thick and chewy and bursting with pork and ginger flavor. I’d also go for an order of the Sichuan green beans which always come out crisp with a nice spice kick. Then I recommend a plate of the “Thai Crazy Spicy Noodle” for the noodle lovers in your group. These are made with thick stir fried rice noodles mixed with onion, Chinese broccoli, jalapeño and basil leaves. We usually get the shrimp as the beef is a bit chewy but the noodles are always cooked well with hints of wok hei abound. I also love the “Szechuan Fish Casserole” which seems to be an Americanized description of Shui Zhu Yu or Sichuan boiled fish. This is a popular dish where marinated fish is boiled, then hot oil is poured over it, with heavy use of chili and Sichuan peppers. But whatever you get make sure to try the dry chili fish which is still the best in town on my watch. 

Dinner at China Wok
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Trilokah Kerala and South Indian Restaurant

Moving along we head over to Clybourn just off Webster where there’s yet another string of recent openings including Trilokah Kerala and South Indian Restaurant at 2239 N Clybourn. Trilokah isn’t exactly new though as they moved to Lincoln Park from Mount Prospect. I never got a chance to try this regional Indian restaurant when it was in the suburbs but I’ve been a few times since they moved into the city. Trilokah is cooking up food from Kerala, a state on India's tropical Malabar Coast. Judging by the crowds on my visit they made the right call moving to Lincoln Park. They did a nice job on the inside giving it a fun feel with colorful pieces of art lining the walls. On my first visit, which was solo, I had to try the Kothu parotta - a popular South Indian and Sri Lankan street dish made up of shredded flatbread (parotta) stir-fried with assorted vegetables, eggs, and meat in a spicy masala. The name "kothu" literally means "minced" or "chopped," referring to its preparation method. This dish is kind of like fried rice except it’s diced flatbread instead. Trilokah serves up the best version I’ve tried in the States. It’s super fluffy and not mushy at all with a nice spice profile. I tried it with beef which might seem out of place at an Indian restaurant but not one featuring the food of Kerala which has a large Christian population that often eats beef. Actually beef seems to be the move here, the beef curry has a ton of mentions in online reviews and most of them are favorable. As far as appetizers go the Tawa Roasted Shrimp makes for a great group starter with a thick and flavorful coating. 

Tawa Roasted Shrimp

Beef Kottu Porotta

The menu at Trilokah features quite a few dishes I’d never had before including Kizzi Porotta - a popular and aromatic South Indian delicacy where flaky, layered parottas are combined with a flavorful, spicy meat or vegetable curry, wrapped tightly in a banana leaf, and then steamed or slow-cooked. I decided to try it with beef and even though I had never tried this hands on dish it brought back a ton of memories upon first bite as it tasted like an Al’s Italian beef to me. I can see myself returning on a cold day as this dish had the same warming effect as a pot pie does. On a more recent visit we very much enjoyed the Kottayam style fish curry which is a semi spicy curry from Kerala cooked with kudum puli (malabar tamrind) and red chili powder which produces a vibrant red color that really stands out on a crowded table of food. Be sure to add a side of flaky porotta for dipping purposes. I look forward to further exploring the menu at this exciting new spot. 

Kizzi Porotta at Trilokah

Kottayam Style Fish Curry
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Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian

Tavern style pizza is having a big moment across Chicago right now with lots of chefs chasing the crowds that come with it. Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian opened up at 1112 W. Armitage and it’s been a hot stop since first opening their doors this past August. It’s ran by the Cornerstone Restaurant Group which took over the former space of Tarantino’s, a family-run Italian spot that closed last year after a 30-year-run. The kitchen is helmed by executive chef Matt Eckfeld, who previously worked at some very popular red sauce joints in New York such as Carbone. I really like the dining room which gets very lively on the weekends with groups of friends and families sharing plates of pasta and super thin and crisp tavern style pizza. I haven’t had the pasta, prices on that are getting pretty ridiculous, but the pizza is pretty damn good. It reminds me of the version served at Middlebrow as it’s super thin and almost too sturdy if that makes sense. It comes out as if you requested it extra well done. The namesake salad was a perfect pairing with the pizza. Some people don’t like this recent trend of cheffing up a working man’s treat but I find it refreshing in that a lot of pizza out there is average at best. It's the same product at a lot of spots as they all use the same supplier (Sysco) for their cheese, and toppings and so forth but places like Dimmi Dimmi are giving it a bit of a more personal feel.

Sausage Pizza at Dimmi Dimmi
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Le Mistral

Last stop takes us over to the beautiful Belden Stratford building at 2300 N Lincoln Park West where S.K.Y. recently relocated after spending seven years on 18th Street in Pilsen. As was to be expected it’s a beautiful space and a quite large one at that though I only walked through there to get to their new hidden wine bar Le Mistral. It’s a sleek looking spot hidden in a back room that you have to pass thru the kitchen to get to. It has the feel of a posh hotel bar in Europe and I don’t mean that in a bad way. On top of cocktails and wine they also have a little food menu that’s separate from S.K.Y. but I think you can order off the standard menu too. I saw something about their French Onion Burger which comes with a dipping sauce though it’s not poured over the top like those viral ones you've seen on social media. But this burger felt like a bit more than a viral stunt with a nice juicy patty covered in buttery onions and melted gruyere cheese with a Parmesan crisp added for crunch. It’s served with a rich and indulgent gravy like you might find on an upscale version of poutine. It hit the spot but I thought the Parmesan crisp was a bit distracting though that sauce would be good on anything beefy. Not cheap ($24) but with a bit of a tweak they can make it worthy of the price. I look forward to trying the new iteration of S.K.Y. which has a few old favorites and some new dishes too. 

French Onion Burger at Le Mistral
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Roadfood in Nashville

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Passing thru the Music City  

We stopped in Nashville for the night on our drive down to Florida this past December and I got to check out a handful of spots on our overnight stay. I hadn't been to the Music City in almost ten years so I went with a pretty big list of places I wanted to try but we would only be there for about 18 hours so I only got to four of them - the first stop is from a drive back from Florida a few years back. 

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Loveless Cafe

The Loveless Cafe might be Nashville's most well known restaurant and it's busiest restaurant by extension. Impressive considering it's about 30 minutes outside of the city center. They get a ton of roadtrippers even though it is a bit of a detour. But I was able to stop in for breakfast one morning when I was driving back to Chicago thru Alabama with my buddy. We didn't want to delay our return too much so we ordered to go as it was packed and there was a little bit of a wait for one of the 150 seats on site. This Tennessee landmark gets more than 500,000 visitors per year but that accounts for all the businesses on site including the motel and gift shops. It's story started in 1951 when Lon and Anne Loveless purchased an old tea room on Highway 100 and renamed it the Loveless Motel and Cafe. They originally served fried chicken at picnic tables on their front porch but they would eventually convert rooms in the house to accommodate a bigger menu and a need for more dining space. The menu is a collection of made from scratch southern favorites and as time has gone by the Loveless Cafe has become famous for their biscuits. Pictures of the famous adorn the walls, many of them with personal messages mentioning the biscuits. We still had an eight hour drive ahead of us so I stocked up on biscuits and they are indeed delicious. I scarfed down a trio of biscuit sandwiches on site including a ham and cheese, fried chicken and cheese and a fried green tomato with pimento cheese and saved some biscuits with jam for later on in the drive. I thought it was worth the pit stop for these especially if you order them ahead of arrival and skip the inevitable wait to sit-down. 

Biscuit Sandwiches at Loveless Cafe 
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SS Gai

Asian food is having a moment not just in Nashville but the rest of the south too. Quite a few of the restaurants on my Nashville “to try” list were Asian and SS Gai would be the first of the two I got to try. It’s located at The Wash which is a culinary incubator made up of multiple micro-restaurants testing out their concepts before making the leap to a permanent brick and mortar. Dare I say the Gai Tod (Thai Fried Chicken) at SS Gai is some of the best fried chicken in the south? 100% YES! Absolute best is debatable but this is every bit as satisfying as some of the well known old school spots. As they say it’s “fried chicken that hits a little by different” which is the perfect way to describe the Southern Thai fried chicken I first had at Soi Polo in Bangkok - one of those meals I’ll never forget. SS Gai hits the same high notes as far as skin as crisp as a potato chip made extra crunchy by topping it with a ton of fried shallots while the meat is extremely moist and full of flavor. It’s served with sticky rice, fried shallots, garlic, tamarind chili fish sauce, aromatic chili vinegar, and herbs and veggies like lettuce, cabbage, jalapeño, mint, cilantro, and red onions making it an absolute feast. I wish I had room for the Gai Yang (Thai grilled chicken), but after the Gai Tod and a wholesome curry made of roasted Japanese sweet potato with charred cabbage in a homemade green curry, I was stuffed.

Gai Tod at SS Gai
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Arnold's Country Kitchen

What a wonderful surprise it was to have learned Arnold’s Country Kitchen was back open in Nashville. I wasn’t aware this old favorite had returned until the week before we hit the road and it doesn’t seem to have skipped a beat. Arnold's Country Kitchen was founded in 1982 by Jack and Rose Arnold. This locals favorite for made from scratch southern food in "Meat and Three" form is setup like a cafeteria. Diners line up to choose their entree (meat) and which three sides they want to go with it (three).  I first came here back in 2012 and very much loved my visit - it’s a first ballot Roadfood Hall of Famer for sure. The roast beef is still cooked to a beautiful bloody rare and sliced to order and all the sides are equally outstanding. Arnold's Country Kitchen is must stop lunch spot. 

Meta and Three at Arnold's Country Kitchen
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Noko

I was able to secure a last minute dinner reservation at Noko - albeit an outside one in the middle of winter though it wasn’t that cold and they had heat lamps at every table. Noko is the highest rated restaurant in town by Infatuation with a 9.6 score. I liked what I saw and read - “Noko is our surest, most set-it-and-forget-it dinner recommendation we can make in Nashville. They serve ridiculously good Japanese wood-fired plates and crudos that have never let us or anybody we know down.” Unfortunately our meal was a bit of a letdown. I had high hopes for Noko which started with an absolute bang in the form of the “Burnt Ends Lettuce Wraps" made with smoked bits of beef belly with a spiced honey glaze served with carrots and bibb lettuce. This was one of the best things I’ve eaten all year but the rest of the meal wasn’t as exciting. Crispy Tuna Rice was good as was a bowl of Nori dusted fresh cut fries but the crab fried rice was a miss. It might as well have been microwaved as there wasn’t much flavor to it. I forget what the market catch was but it wasn’t anything to blog about. Would I go back? Yes but I might just make a complete meal out of two orders of beef burnt ends.

Dinner at Noko
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Dino's Bar

Nashville was a very different place when I first visited back in 2012. It wasn’t nearly as hyped up as it is today. I remember checking out what was a relatively unknown dive bar called Dino’s that served a great burger and I decided I would pay a return visit to the East Nashville dive bar that was later visited by Anthony Bourdain. From what I remembered they served a really good bare bones burger at a very fair price but that wasn’t the case on my return visit. It’s still a fair price at under $10 each but the bun was cold and the patty was a bit too compact making it a very average bar burger that was nothing like what I had remembered it to be. Oh well you can’t win them all. Until next time!

Cheeseburger at Dino's Bar
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See ya next time @chibbqking