Welcome to Star Maps, a new feature wherein a big timer does our work for us. For the second post in the series, we've enlisted the help of Grant Achatz, chef and owner of America's best restaurant.
For last month's Star Map, David Chang's Guide To Tokyo, click here.
Chicago has always had serious gastronomic clout amongst the nation's cities. Names like Trotter, Banchet, Bayless and Joho have been a driving force in the American culinary scene for over twenty years. But a recent burst of young, creative risk takers has helped establish Chicago as a world class food city by filling in the holes that once existed, while creative cocktails and authentic ethnic cuisine continue to grow. Alinea keeps me busy day and night, Wednesday through Sunday. These are the places that I crave all week, and where you'll most likely find me come Monday.
- Grant Achatz
The Drawing Room
"This somewhat under the radar cocktail lounge turns out artisan crafted pre-prohibition style drinks with precision and flair. It is one of the few options for quality … late night food and drinks in the city, and its subdued atmosphere and low seating vignettes make it a comfortable place to relax and end any night out." [link]
Schwa Restaurant
"This could be the most original restaurant in the country and certainly one of the most honest. This tiny BYOB is a haven for foodies that prioritize the highly creative … cooking of Michael Carlson, not what glassware they are sipping from or the pedigree of the art hanging on the walls. The chefs cook and serve all the food, the loud rap metal music comes right off the cook’s ipods and you will be hard pressed to find a better tasting menu in the city." [link]
The Bristol
"The Bristol emphasizes locally-sourced, sustainable and seasonally changing ingredients to fulfill its nose to tail and charcuterie focused seasonally changing … chalkboard style menu. The monkey bread has a cult following for good reason, and the meat courses will satisfy the most ravenous carnivore. But the real sleeper is the well-balanced delicious cocktails from behind the bar." [link]
Kith and Kin
"A recent addition to Chicago’s dining scene, Kith and Kin’s chef David Carrier combines rusticity and refinement while drawing influences from his recent … tenure in Apalachicola, Florida. The crocks of chicken liver pate, foie gras, and onion soup are as delicious as they are rich. And the chef’s relationships with the fishers in his former Florida allow him to showcase amazing seafood from the gulf." [link]
TAC Thai
"Chicago is home to a handful of Thai restaurants that go far beyond cookie-cutter curry and pad Thai, and TAC Quick Thai is one of my favorites. Be sure to request the … second menu, which features Thai specialties with clean, bright and bold flavors. Try the puffed fish maw salad with mint, cashews and raw onions, the chewy beef "jerky" marinated in sweet soy and served with a vinegary chile sauce, and the boat noodles, a deeply flavorful soup of noodles, bok choy and braised meat in a murky and delicious star anise broth." [link]
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