Ruxbin

If I had to sum up how I felt about my experience at Wicker Park's Ruxbin in one word it would be "charmed."

This tiny (seats 32) bistro tucked away on Ashland Avenue (near Chicago and Ashland) oozes charm from the moment you step in and start soaking in the eclectic, warm atmosphere.

The clever—and aesthetically savvy—owners made the most of their small space. Look up and you'll see pages of old cook books plastered to the ceiling. Sit down and you realize the highly lacquered, sleek booth you're perched on is really an old schooldesk chair. You'll also find recycled seat belts stretched into seat backs and if you remember the bar/club Sonotheque, you'll recognize the glass panels from the DJ booth.  

It's a new spin on interior design—everything is recycled, refurbished or reused. And it works. The detail-oriented result is something you know you could never achieve at home, but it still has the warm, comforting feeling of your own living room—kind of like Ruxbin's menu.

We went in early August (I know, I'm a big slacker on posting this) and were treated to Ruxbin's summer menu. Like the restaurant itself, the menu was small, but full of familiar ingredients turned unique by creative flavor pairings.

Oh, before I forget, there are two things you need to know about Ruxbin: It's BYOB and they don't take reservations.

So we showed up on a Friday night around 7pm bottle-less (we forgot about the BYOB) and were directed by the hostess to The Noble Grape, a well-stocked little wine store around the corner. Fortunately for us, the Noble Grape happened to be having a wine tasting that evening, so we killed a little time there.

Back at Ruxbin, they took us to a small seating area near the kitchen where they uncorked one of our bottles and got us started with wine and some homemade, gourmet popcorn (a trend of which I HIGHLY approve).

When it came time to eat, we opted for the K-Town Empanadas for an appetizer (kimchee, chimichurri crème fraîche) and the Crispy Eggplant salad. Both were outstanding. The salad featured tempura-battered eggplant, beets and a honey-cardamom yogurt dressing. I know, sounds bizarre, but soooo delicious.

The Crispy Eggplant Salad

For our main course, I had the beef and George went for the trout. Both were prepared exquisitely. The hangar steak I had also had a cauliflower puree (which I practically licked off the plate) and the trout was paired, somewhat unusually, with dates and a bulgar wheat tabbouleh. The result was a richer, heavier flavor on the trout dish, which worked out well for us as we wanted a bottle of wine to go with both our dishes.

The Trout

Also good to note: The folks at The Noble Grape are familiar with the Ruxbin menu, so if you take a peak at the menu beforehand and let them know what you think you want to order,  they can direct you to the right bottle of wine.

The Panna Cotta

For dessert there were two options: panna cotta or flourless chocolate cake. I have no doubt the cake was amazing, but we wanted to go out of our normal comfort zone, so the panna cotta it was. And it was the perfect ending—light, fresh, and with a smattering of toasted coconut and lychee, just different enough to let us know the creativity and though that was put into it.


The new autumn menu debuts at Ruxbin September 7. I can't wait to try it!

Branch 27

After all the rampant barbecuing and pizza consumption that took place over the holiday weekend, my husband and I were in the mood for something a little more upscale last night.

So we wandered over to Branch 27, a newish West Town establishment with a creative, reasonably priced menu and nightly specials. Last night—much to George's delight—we stumbled upon "Mussel Monday."

For $12, you get your choice of four different preparations of mussels with garlic toast and a draft beer. George went for the mussels in chorizo-fennel cream sauce with garlic. I think his t-shirt says it all.

At the end of his feast, we had to wave the waiter over to take George's mussel bowl away as he didn't think he had the self control to stop himself from drinking the leftover sauce. According to the waiter, he wouldn't have been the first person to do this.

One of my favorite things about Branch 27 is their use of seasonal ingredients. When we were there this past spring, the menu had ramps (a wild onion) in almost every dish. Last night, morel mushrooms were heavily featured.

And since I can't say no to a morel, my decision was easy. The homemade tagliatelle pasta with morels and green onions was sublime. It was rich and fresh all at once and they gave me the perfect portion. I may be in the minority here, but I hate portions that are the size of my head. I do not like leftovers and I hate walking away from half the food I just paid for. Ok, rant over.

The dessert menu is small, but every item is a must-taste. On our last visit, we had the pot de caramel, which was perfect in texture and taste. This time, we went for the seasonal cherry cobbler.

Amazing. Chewy, soft, vanilla-flavored crust topped with tart cherries. All this deliciousness was served warm from the oven with a melting scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

George and I always split a dessert. I regret this decision last night. For the first time, we actually pondered ordering the same dessert right after we finished the first one.

Fortunately, our memories of the weekend's gluttony prevailed and we refrained.


We also love the atmosphere at Branch. Dimly lit with giant globe lights, the bar area features comfortable, oversized booths and the dining room has exposed brick walls and a warm, contemporary vibe.

The menu isn't huge, but has a good variety of dishes, including a cheese board, a couple flat breads, some salads and a great burger. They're also known for their bread pudding, which will be next on my list of desserts to check off  ...

4th of July: Cupcakes, Pasta and Squash … Oh My!

One of the major gripes suburbanites have about living in the city is the lack of a yard. Ok, I get it—no place to let a dog or kids run loose and do their thing, nowhere to grow flowers, no place to enjoy nature. I see their point.

Although we have no plot of grass to call our own here in Wicker Park, we have something better: a rooftop deck. And it’s not just any old rooftop deck. It’s got a killer view, plenty of places to plant flowers (in pots, of course) and the best spot in the city for viewing fireworks. 

Yes, it’s only good for three months of the year (if we’re lucky), but on the bright side, we don’t have to shovel snow off it.

This weekend, we held our annual July 4 party, complete with booze, bratwursts and this year—babies (they’re starting to infiltrate at a fast pace). Surprisingly, the babies were unfazed by the chaos of party goers and fireworks being set off just a block away.

In addition to the bratwursts, we grilled burgers and hot dogs—the usual cookout fare. I always like to do a homemade side of some sort and this year opted for pasta salad. It got rave reviews, so here is the recipe (sort of—I just kind of threw it together).

Pesto Pasta Salad

Homemade Pesto: Put all ingredients below together in food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add more or less olive oil depending on how smooth/runny you want it.

• Basil leaves (4 cups or so)

• Parsley (3/4 cup)

• 1 cup of Parmesan

• 2 Tbsp lemon juice

• 5 or 6 cloves garlic

• Salt

• 1 cup of olive oil (more or less)

• 3 oz toasted pine nuts

Coat 2 lbs. cooked pasta (I used rotini) with pesto. Add three roasted red peppers (I chopped these in the food processor, too), 1 jar chopped kalamata olives and 2 cups crumbled feta. Serve at room temperature.

Cherry Mini Cupcakes

Of course, I never pass up an opportunity to bake—especially if there’s a theme. I saw this mini cupcake flag in a magazine and had to go for it. I made one of my favorite variations on white cake: cherry. Here’s how I did it:

Cherry Cake (note: this is adapted from the Cake Mix Doctor book)

• white cake mix

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 stick butter, melted

• 3 large eggs

• ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice

• 1 jar chopped maraschino cherries

Once batter is mixed, I put it in a gallon size Ziploc bag and cut one of the corners off. I then squirt the batter into each mini cupcake (use paper liners). The recipe makes about 72 mini cupcakes.

Frosting

• stick of room temperature butter

• ½ cup Crisco

• 1 ½ lbs. powdered sugar

• ¾ cup milk (more or less—add slowly for perfect consistency)

• 2 tsp. almond extract

Squash for the Skeptic

As for the squash, well, I can’t take credit for that. My brother’s girlfriend, Chelsea, has recently returned to her vegetarian roots, and I have to hand it to her—she’s really good at being a vegetarian.

If I were a vegetarian, I’d probably just eat a tortilla with melted cheese in it for lunch, pasta every night and call it a day. Chelsea really embraces her vegetables though. Last night, she showed up with squash blossoms. What’s a squash blossom? I’m still not really sure, but she says you can get them at farmer’s markets.

What I do know is this: she stuffed those squash blossoms with goat cheese, quinoa and chickpeas and threw them on the grill for a few minutes, and they were deeeeeeeelicious.

Seriously, I could have had a plate of those and been perfectly happy. Well, maybe not totally happy. I’d need a half dozen mini cupcakes, too ...

A Weekend of Pie

In the pie vs. cake debate, I am always firmly in the cake camp. No matter how delicious the pie, a piece of cake frosted in buttercream always wins.

But I do concede to pie every once in a while. Thanksgiving—obviously—is a pie holiday. In fact, I'd say pie pretty much runs the show on that particular day. But I'll also give pie the summer season. Seasonal fruit = killer dessert.

This weekend, we had two dinner invitations—one to friends for a barbecue and one to my mother-in-law's. I volunteered to bring dessert to both and began to think of light, summery, not-too-sweet desserts.

For the first dinner (gourmet burgers and grilled veggies) I went with key lime pie. It's been my experience it's almost always a winner with everyone. And if you don't like it ... give it another try. It's worth it.

The problem with key lime pie is, there are a million variations on the recipe. There are frozen key lime pies, cheesecake versions, fluffy ones ... the list goes on. For mine, I just wanted the standard, creamy-tangy filling with a graham cracker crust.

So I do what I do when I always want the gold standard, I turned to Cook's Illustrated. If you aren't familiar with this magazine (I have their 1,000-recipe cookbook, too), the deal is this: they test everything. And then they write about it—in depth. So basically you reap the benefits of someone else doing all the homework. It rarely fails me.

Right away I spot areas in the recipe where I can cut corners. Make my own graham cracker crust? Much easier to just buy one. Squeeze the juice out of the limes? Why? I can just buy a bottle of key lime juice.

However, I try to be a purist when it comes to baking and I resisted the urge to cheat and did as the Cook's Illustrated gurus told me. The result was perfect. It was tart, but balanced by the buttery, sweet crust. The pie was creamy and thick, a texture unique to key lime. And did I mention easy? This is one of the simplest desserts I've ever made—but tastes like hours of work.

Below is the recipe with my notes:
Key Lime Pie
Lime Filling
• 4 teaspoons grated zest and 1/2 cup strained juice from 3 or 4 limes
*Laurel's Note: I had to use 5 limes and half a lemon (ran out of limes) to get a 1/2 cup. But, I also didn't have a juicer, so I don't think I got as much juice out. I also think the the lemon actually made the pie better since I was using regular limes, not key limes.
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Graham Cracker Crust
• 9 graham crackers
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 5 tbsp melted butter
*Laurel's Note: Seriously, just make this. Don't buy a pre-made crust. This crust is so buttery and crunchy—it is truly the perfect complement to the pie. 

Whipped Cream Topping
• 3/4 cup chilled cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
*Laurel's Note: Ok, true confession. I bought Redi-Whip and squirted it on. I paid the price for my negligence, too. It was the light version and practically disintegrated before it was served. Although the whipped topping is nice, it's not totally necessary. 

Instructions: Make the filling first so it can thicken while you make the crust. Whisk zest and yolks together until tinted green. Beat in condensed milk, then juice. Set aside at room temperature to thicken (about 30 minutes).

Process graham crackers in food processor until fine. Pulse in sugar until combined. Pour in warm melted butter and pulse until combined. Take out and press evenly into a pie pan. Bake 15-18 minutes at 325.

Let crust cool and then pour filling into crust. Bake 15-17 minutes at 325. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours.

Whip the cream with sugar (use a hand-held mixer) and garnish pie or just dollop on each slice.
Adapted from The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cook's Illustrated.

Summer Berry Pie
After all that key lime perfection, I was reluctant to stray from such a winner. I almost whipped up key lime number two for our Sunday-night dinner with mom, but as I was flipping through the Cook's Illustrated cookbook, a recipe for Summer Berry Pie caught my eye and my curiosity got the best of me. And boy am I glad it did.

My mother-in-law is pretty picky about dessert. She's not, by nature, a sweets person, so finding a dessert she likes is challenging. Not only did she eat her pie, she also let me leave her some leftovers!

Once again, the tart/sweet combo was a winner. This time, it was the berries of summer that lent a little tartness and a lot of freshness to the pie. Juicy, refreshing and light—I can't think of a better way to end a warm summer evening of dining al fresco.

Here's the recipe!

Summer Berry Pie
Graham Cracker Crust: See above

Berry Filling
• 2 cups raspberries
• 2 cups blackberries
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp red currant jelly (or whatever you have)

Whipped Topping: 2 cups, see recipe above

Instructions
Make the crust just like the key lime pie. Combine fruit in colander, wash and lay out on a towel to dry.
In a food processor, puree 2 1/2 cups of mixed berries until smooth. Strain through a mesh strainer into a saucepan (to get rid of seeds).

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt and then whisk into puree. Bring puree to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. When the mixture reaches a boil and the consistency of pudding, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Set aside and let cool slightly.

While puree is cooling, place remaining berries in bowl. Heat jelly in small saucepan to melt. Drizzle it over berries in bowl and gently toss with spatula to coat.

Pour berry puree into crust and distribute glazed berries over puree. Gently press them in.

Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours. Top with whipped cream!
*Laurel's Note: This pie was messy to serve! I think I put too many berries on top, which may have been part of the problem. But it was soooooo good that nobody cared.
Adapted from The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cook's Illustrated.

Alliance Bakery

I dare you to walk past Alliance Bakery on Division Street and not stop to gawk at the cakes in the window.

From elaborate, towering wedding cakes to quirky novelty cakes (think 3D), they've got every type of cake decor covered. I've seen a giant chocolate-covered strawberry cake, a PG-13 bachelor party cake and even a rainbow tower of macaroons on display.

If you can pull yourself away from the window, step inside to the ordering area and continue your gawking at the cupcakes, cookies, freshly baked breads and pastries that await you. Prepare to drool, too. If you've got a sweet tooth, you've just entered Eden.

If you're there in the morning for a bit of breakfast before you hit the el, I recommend the almond croissant. They are melt-in-your mouth, and I can't think of a better way to start the day. My brother's girlfriend talks about Alliance's almond croissants in almost reverant tones. She also loves their spacious cafe next door to the ordering area (with free wifi!). She works from home and says it's a great place to work. I'm not buying it though—I think she just has a closet addiction to the croissants.

Last fall, I had my ultimate Alliance experience when I ordered my wedding cake there. Before our tasting, the chef sent us a list of all their cake and frosting flavors and we got to choose three of each. At the tasting, they bring out plain cupcakes in the requested flavors with giant schmears of frosting on a separate plate. It was, hands down, the best half hour of wedding planning we had.

We chose Hazelnut, Almond and Vanilla for our cake flavors and Chocolate and Vanilla Buttercream for our frostings. We also checked out the Dulce de Leche filling. We ended up choosing the Almond cake and Vanilla buttercream. The Almond lent just enough of a subtle flavor to make the cake different without being too exotic (we were serving 200 people).

So that was the easy part. Next up was the decorating. I had some very specific ideas about what I wanted and pictures to go with them! I asked the chef to recreate the details of my dress, including the subtle pink shade used as an accent color. My husband (fiance at the time) had to leave for this discussion (since he couldn't see the dress). Afterwards, he asked if I "scared" the chef with my ... um ... exuberance for cake. I think it would take a lot more than a cakezilla bride to scare the Alliance staff—they've pretty much done it all.

Here is a photo of the detail work from  our cake—it was stunning, and delicious to boot. So if you're in the neighborhood, or doing a cupcake crawl around the city (don't laugh until you've tried it), stop by Alliance and enjoy the view and the tastes.

One last note: Don't forget about Alliance if you need a loaf of homemade bread! The focaccia is fantastic. Pull it out of the bag and pass it off as your own the next time you have a dinner party.

Taxim

For the past few years, Chicago magazine has come out with a "Best New Restaurants in Chicago" list in their May issue.

This mini guide to cuisine has sent us to many new hot spots we've since grown to love as old standbys. The only drawback? Everyone else in Chicago reads the magazine, too. So we usually try to wait a few weeks before hitting up the list.

This weekend, we finally tackled our 2010 number-one pick: Taxim. This Bucktown spot, near the Milwaukee/Damen/North intersection, features food that's quite different than it's neighboring pubs and casual eateries—contemporary Greek.

The restaurant itself is not huge, but its white walls provide a nice backdrop for the intricate glass lamps hanging everywhere. The interior was very inviting, but we opted to dine al fresco and sit out on the patch of sidewalk Taxim has claimed its own.

You're not going to see the staples of Greektown on Taxim's menu. There's no saganaki (flaming cheese), and you're not going to find spanakopita or mousakas, either. 

The menu is arranged in small cold plates, small hot plates and mains. The small plates are basically appetizers, but definitely not to be overlooked. In fact, I would recommend ordering several. We tried the beets, the hummus and a special: a trio of veggies, including the most amazing peas (yes, peas!) I've ever tasted.

I'm not normally a beets girl. They taste like dirt and the texture is questionable. But I was converted by Taxim's beet dish. With a peppery sauce, sliced roasted beets and sheep's milk feta, how could I not fall in love? It's a dish I'll order again.

The hummus (or pureed chickpeas, as they called it on the menu) was fresh and flavorful. But the best part was the pita bread they make in house and serve warm—practically steaming—with the chickpeas. It's chewy pita perfection.

After our small plate successes, we were pretty excited for our entrees, and they didn't disappoint.

I ordered the dumplings. They were light, but filling—stuffed with fava beans and goat cheese with a side of roasted eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes. The sauce was yogurt and browned goat butter.

Now it should be noted I never clean my plate. No matter how much I like something, I just don't. An exception was made with those dumplings. Not only did I clean my plate, I probably would have licked it if the waiter hadn't taken it away.

My husband got the lamb chops with a rice pilaf filled with currants and almonds—crunchy, chewy, wonderful. The lamb chop wasn't too shabby, either.

My brother got the duck breast. It was rolled up like a wrap sandwich and served with a side of mint yogurt dipping sauce. I think he actually did lick his plate.

Check out the wine menu, too. Featuring regional Greek wines, it's small, but the wines are carefully chosen. We asked our waiter for recommendations and information and he was very helpful. Taxim sends their waiters to "wine school" on a regular basis so they can stay knowledgeable. Our wine was apparently made by monks with some sort of ancient wine-making process. It was delicious, that's all I really needed to know!

I was a little underwhelmed by dessert, but then I've never been a big fan of Greek desserts. If you feel like walking, head over to Hot Chocolate on Damen and have dessert there, instead!

We'll be going back to Taxim ... I look forward to trying more of the unique menu.

Old Oak Tap

In Chicago, people tend to classify bars/restaurants according to season: "That's a great winter bar." or "That place has a good outdoor patio."

Part of this phenomenon has to do with our dramatic seasons. On a freezing, snowy winter night, we crave tables next to the fireplace and a menu full of potpies and roast beef with a hot toddy to start. While a warm, humid summer night calls for fish tacos and sangria on a patio with a great view.

One of our go-to spots in Wicker Park has the right ambiance for any season. Old Oak Tap (2109 W. Chicago Ave.) has a large outdoor patio tucked away from the sidewalk and street just enough to feel private. In other words, you don't feel like you are sitting in the way of every pedestrian that walks by.

In the winter, the inside of Old Oak offers even better ambiance. A dim interior with a bit of medieval flair manages to be spacious and cozy. A bar with an adjoining sitting area—complete with fireplace—is available for those who want to enjoy the drinks menu.

So, the food. The menu is not huge, but it's all about quality here, not quantity. My husband loves the fish tacos and I can't get enough of the chicken pesto sandwich. In addition to grilled chicken, the chef has slapped on salami, romaine and parmesan that's been fried (to die for) on a crispy-chewy baguette. Add a little of that pesto and Old Oak's skinny fries and you've got one heck of a dinner.

I'm also a big fan of the grilled cheese with cheddar and swiss on brioche and a shot of tomato bisque. Yep, that's right—a shot of tomato soup. Perfect for dipping that melted cheese into (This one's definitely a winter meal).

Off the appetizer menu, the tempura battered green beans with dipping sauce are deeeeeeeeelicious and great for sharing. The empanada of the day is also always a winner.

One other thing to note: When your waiter tells you something is spicy, he's not kidding. Old Oak is not afraid of flavor, and that includes spice! So be warned ...

Lastly, dessert. The one time I had dessert at Old Oak it was a special—a cupcake. Chocolate on chocolate—fluffy, sweet, perfect. I recently noticed they have a banana-stuffed deep fried twinkie headlining the dessert section. I'm intrigued.