Best of the World
Twenty years ago, we decided to take up an enterprise that flourished in other cities but that was absent in Chicago: the Best of edition.

We committed ourselves maniacally to the editorial integrity of the enterprise, going so far as to code-name the computer folder on the server that housed the files in process. (We called it “pizza” in honor of the sustenance that fueled the many all-nighters we pulled to get the first issue out.) And we committed with equal vigor to making it visually the best it could be. For the first issue, we asked a young artist who’d been making a comic strip for us to create the cover. Maybe you’ve heard of him, Chris Ware?

Jorge Colombo was the art director of that first issue and established many of the visual structures that we still use today. Jorge, a native of Portugal, brought boundless curiosity, an intellectual approach to design and a demanding standard for the best in illustration to us, not to mention introducing us to the sounds of the great Brazilian musicians singing in his native tongue. Jorge has since moved to New York, where his career flourishes as an artist, most notably for his regular covers of The New Yorker. Though he assigned and designed several editions as Newcity art director, this is his first Best of Chicago cover, a fitting bookend to the one he first designed. Read the rest of this entry »

The Chach
It’s an off-night in the off-season, so you venture inside the always-packed Chicago-style pizzeria that has the good fortune to be located just a bean’s throw from Millennium Park. Your waiter, a fit late fiftysomething fellow with a bushy gray mustache who looks like he just stepped off a firetruck, attacks the table with the brisk but friendly demeanor of a server who knows how to keep the folks happy and the tables turning. Your first time here, you ask him what he recommends and he tells you firmly the “Rudy’s Special.” You comply. At the end of your meal, when he’s checking back on you, you ask a small question about the place. And then it happens. Time stands still, or at least your waiter, who goes by “The Chach” does. He tells you everything you want to know and much more. You learn about his life. He learns about yours. He tells you the history of this restaurant, and the Rudy Malnati branch of the legendary pizza family, which owns this small chain. You realize that, for better or worse, you’ve never quite experienced a waiter like this. As you talk, he welcomes you into his “family” and tells you about the customers who always ask to sit in his section, some of whom come from far away to relive the experience. A half hour later, you’ve been “Chachified.”

Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta, 61 East Madison, (312)236-1777, pizanoschicago.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Fogo de Chao
Caipirinha is a Brazilian cocktail with fresh limes, sugar, ice and cachaça—a national spirit made from sugarcane. While the correct pronunciation may be challenging (Kai-Pee-Reen-Ya), its sweet and refreshing flavor is getting popular in Chicago. We’ve tried many caipirinhas in the city, but Fogo de Chao still does it better. In addition to the traditional recipe with limes, they also have variations with passion fruits, tangerines or strawberries. In any flavor, a strong tasty drink to go with savory meat cuts and an impressive salad bar—that’s the right way to experience the Brazilian way of life.

Fogo de Chao, 661 North LaSalle, (312)932-9330, fogodechao.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Lithuanian Rye Bread
Real bread should be dense, dark, and have some caraway seeds in it. At least, if you are from Russia, where this is what good bread is considered to be. In Chicago, this kind of bread is sold under the name of Lithuanian Rye Bread produced by Today’s Temptations bakery, and is available in various Jewel-Osco locations throughout the city. It is usually tucked in some inconspicuous corner and hard to find, so you should be persistent and know what you are looking for. A great, less expensive alternative to the “authentic” Russian bread sold in a few ethnic stores.

Jewel-Osco, multiple locations
Today’s Temptations (wholesale bakery), 1900 North Austin, (773)385-5355

Best of Chicago 2012

Brothers K
Alas, it has nothing to do with Dostoyevsky: “Brothers K” deciphers as “Brothers Kim,” and is named after its owners, not Dostoyevsky’s famous novel “The Brothers Karamazov.” Nevertheless, the place attracts the hip Russian population of Evanston and Chicago, who, after realizing the deceptiveness of the cafe’s name, still become regular customers for its excellent coffee, delicious pies, free unlimited wi-fi and artsy ambiance.

500 Main Street, Evanston, (847)328-7940, brotherskcoffee.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Shokolad
One of the Russian legends says that this cake was invented in Moscow in 1912, during the celebration of the first 100 years since Napoleon’s expulsion from Russia, and that its original shape was triangular, like the emperor’s famous cocked hat. Since then the cake has changed its shape and is made now either rectangular or round, but it has not lost its magic powers over Russian souls. The best place to try this sweet, multilayered pastry laced with tender cream is at cafe Shokolad in Ukrainian village.

Shokolad, 2524 West Chicago, (773)276-6402, shokoladpastryandcafe.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Chaihanna
“Chaihanna” is translated as “tea-house.” This restaurant makes good tea served in a colorful piala, a traditional Asian tea cup. But it is not tea that you should come here for: it is the Uzbek food. The dishes are spicy and flavorful, rich, high in calories, and come in generous portions. This is the go-to place if you are suffering from a hangover: according to the Russian (and former Soviet Union) tradition, nothing helps better than a bowl of hot laghman or shurpa (both are soups with meat).

Chaihanna, 19 East Dundee, Buffalo Grove, (847)215-5044, chaihanna.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Jibek Jolu
This is comfort food, an excellent choice for a cold winter Chicago day. Three main components of Kirghiz cuisine are milk, meat and baked goods, and most of the time all three are combined. Choose juicy and tender beef shashlik (similar to kebabs) or hearty manty (steamed dumplings), add a helping of hot kesme (a type of soup with beef and veggies), and you can easily imagine that you are thousands of miles away from the metropolis, in the middle of vast Kyrgyzstan, and are about to climb its highest mountain Jengish Chokusu (if you manage to eat all you have ordered, you just may have enough energy to do so).

Jibek Jolu, 5047 North Lincoln, (773)878-8494, fjibekjolu.us

Best of Chicago 2012

Pear Tree Preserves
Named for the backyard tree that supplied the initial fruit for the company’s product, Pear Tree Preserves creates sweet and savory jam for any occasion. Currently they source organic ingredients from regional farms and vendors (patronizing the Green City Market). Jams are based on seasonal availability such as blackberry vanilla with honey or apple nutmeg. Pear Tree keeps it simple, allowing the natural sweetness of the fruit to dominate with limited pectin.

Pear Tree Preserves, peartreepreserves.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Revolution Brewing
Logan Square’s Revolution Brewing isn’t simply one of Chicago’s growing number of breweries, it’s a modern beer hall. The bar’s multiple levels have spacious seating, whisky-barrel-paneled walls and ornamental ceiling tiles. Their menu has some standout items including the Workingman burger and the Tempeh Reuben (vegan). But it’s their craft brews that are the main attraction. Their seasonal specialty brews are a must, like the Rosa Hibiscus Ale (flowery and sweet) or Cross of Gold (mild hoppy flavor). It’s normally a packed house, but don’t fret, sit at the bar and try one of their draughts while waiting.

Revolution Brewing, 2323 North Milwaukee, (773)227-2739, revbrew.com

Best of Chicago 2012