Fogo 2 Go
A match made in heaven: Guarana, a typical Brazilian soda that manages to be really sweet but not sickening, and coxinha—a savory that includes chicken, spices, tomato sauce, onion, parsley and sometimes catupiry cheese. Fogo To Go makes the crunchiest coxinha of all, along with Brazilian-style pizzas.
Fogo 2 Go, 926 West Diversey, (773)880-8052, fogo2go.com
Best of Chicago 2012
New England Seafood Company
The Mazza brothers, transplants from New England, serve up scads of flaky haddock blanketed in a crispy robe of fried batter along with golden shoestring-style spuds. Although for our money, while the fries are good, get some of the freshly shaved and fried potato chips. Though that might not be authentic, even English punters would be impressed.
New England Seafood Company, 3341 North Lincoln, (773)871-3474, neseafoodcompany.com
Audience choice: Duke of Perth, 2913 North Clark, (773)477-1741, dukeofperth.com
Best of Chicago 2012
Falafill
Classic, curry and seasonal fried chickpea balls here rate among the best, but it’s the rotating chef selection of falafel like the ones from Jason Hammel of Lula—Sun Gold tomato relish, pickled pistachio, crispy fried kale and honey topped version—or Paul Virant of Vie’s black bean falafel smothered in spicy mayo, pickled peppers, pea shoots, cilantro and lemon garlic vinaigrette that sets this burgeoning franchise apart. The self-service condiment bar here is so good, those skeevy pepper bar-pimping Quizno’s hamsters would love it.
Falafill, 3202 North Broadway, (773)525-0052, eatfalafill.com
Audience choice: Sultan’s Market, 2057 West North, (773)235-3072, 2521 North Clark, (312)638-9151, chicagofalafel.com
Best of Chicago 2012
Crispy On Choy at Andy’s Thai Kitchen
Even vegetarians love bacon, or so the mythology goes. Taste is certainly subjective, but there are certain dishes in Chicago that everyone, unless they have a horrible allergy, loves: Hot Doug’s French fries, the apple fritter at Old Fashioned Donuts, and the brisket at Smoque. Joining that fraternity is a tangle of plump tender shrimp, pepper tempura fried watercress, soothing mint and stinging chilis bursting with a punchy fish sauce and sweet chili drizzle.
Andy’s Thai Kitchen, 946 West Wellington, (773)549-7821
Best of Chicago 2012
“Sleepwalk With Me” premiere at Music Box
Last summer, the folks at “This American Life” launched a kind of grassroots marketing campaign to get more theaters to show their pet project during its opening weekend. The film’s producers, Mike Birbiglia and Ira Glass, made guest appearances at theaters in New York, Chicago and L.A. Lakeview’s Music Box Theatre was completely packed that night. An organist played as moviegoers shuffled in. The film itself was lovely. When it was over, Ira jaunted up to the stage in time with the rampant applause. It’s hard to say which of his antics stole the evening—when he posed for mass cellphone pictures, when he insisted that he and Mike Birbiglia “weren’t banging,” or when he amped up the crowd by saying, in his articulate, NPR-ready way, that the previous audience (a less exuberant group) could go “fuck themselves.”
Best of Chicago 2012
Goose Island
Goose Island brewmaster Jared Rouben has crafted the best sour beers this side of Berlin. That’s where the centuries-old flavor originated when medieval brewers experimented with wild yeasts. But Rouben likes the taste of sour brews, which he says plays nicely with just about any food, so he takes the necessary, costly steps to craft them. The beer must be aged in wood barrels, and the yeast, because it can easily contaminate other yeasts, requires special handling. Goose Island’s “Juliet,” is a Belgian-style sour ale aged with blackberries in Cabernet barrels. Prosit!
Goose Island Brewpub, 1800 North Clybourn, (312)915-0071; 3535 North Clark, (773)832-9040, gooseisland.com
Best of Chicago 2012
Broadway Shoe Repair
No shoe is too far gone to benefit from a little TLC at Broadway Shoe Repair. Studded heel? No problem. Broken zipper? They’ll fix it. Simply drop your downtrodden, broken kicks off here and pick them up within a week, good as new. With a price tag around $10 per pair, your feet will surely thank you and you’ll save a bundle on replacing your favorites.
Broadway Shoe Repair, 3171 North Broadway, (773)472-8800
Audience choice: Shoe Hospital, 318 South Dearborn, (312)922-7518
Best of Chicago 2012
Heritage General Store
Chicago got its own little slice of Portlandia when our first combination bicycle store and cafe opened in Lakeview last January. Michael Salvatore’s beautiful, airy emporium is a headquarters for all things stylish, locally produced and politically correct, and that’s a very good thing. The shop features classy city bikes handmade in Chicago, cycling gear by hometown brands Nonetheless, Winter Session and Po Campo, plus beans from PDX’s Stumptown Coffee and pastries from Southport Grocery. Heritage also hosts weekly bicycle rides, bike-in movies, and visits from food trucks, and the city recently converted parking spaces out front to a “People Spot” mini-park.
Heritage General Store, 2959 North Lincoln, (773)245-3005, heritagebicycles.com
Audience choice: Working Bikes Cooperative, 2434 South Western, (773) 847-5440, workingbikes.org
Best of Chicago 2012
House of Sushi and Noodles
The best thing about getting uncomfortably full from sushi is that it can be done for under twenty bucks. For more than ten years, House of Sushi and Noodles, whose back dining room apexes the Belmont-Lincoln intersection, has remained a Lakeview and Roscoe Village fave with its various all-you-can-eat specials. In the evening you can order maki galore, as well as appetizers, from a buffet menu that offers around twenty different rolls and six (sometimes more) apps for $16.95. If nigiri is essential in quenching your desire for raw fish, the price of the buffet jumps up two dollars. But the real deal goes down at weekday lunch. All-you-can-eat for $14.95, or choose from one of a few box-lunch specials for $9.95. And since HOSAN is always busy, their fish is the freshest.
House of Sushi and Noodles, 1610 West Belmont, (773)935-9110, houseofsushiandnoodle.com
Best of Chicago 2012
Burgers and Beer 5K
For more than three years, Universal Sole has hosted a monthly fun run from their Lakeview location. This August, maintaining their connections with Goose Island (for beer) and Fizz Bar & Grill (for burgers), they turned it into an official 5K, starting and finishing in Montrose Harbor. The promise of burgers and beer lured runners in, but the inaugural run also delivered a well-organized race with a laid back after-party.
Best of Chicago 2012
