The goat-whisperers at this family-run birria spot, which recently added an Uptown location, butcher the animals in house, then steam the meat, marinate it in mole, and finish by roasting it. The result is meltingly tender birria that’s available in all kinds of formats. You can order plates of birria with tortillas and consommé, cilantro, … Read more
Once you have tried Lem’s, you can’t help but develop a particular craving for it whenever you want barbecue. Because nowhere else in town does it quite as well. Lem’s, run by sisters Carmen Lemons and Lynn Walker Harvey, whose father and uncle started the business in 1954, is the city’s oldest Black-owned barbecue joint … Read more
When we want a fun tasting menu that doesn’t completely break the budget, we go to Indienne. There, in the muted roses and teals of the beautiful dining room, chef-owner Sujan Sarkar (pictured, below) and culinary director Sahil Sethi explore Indian cuisine through a fine-dining lens. The bites that begin every meal set the tone: … Read more
Tigist Reda’s warm and joyful Ethiopian restaurant never delivers a less-than-stellar experience. Start with an order of flaky sambusas (we like the ones stuffed with lentils) and kay seer salata, a bright and spicy beet salad mixed with pickled onions, jalapeños, and a lime vinaigrette. Then, feast. Order platters loaded with silky collards, split yellow … Read more
In a city of great sandwiches, Chris Cunningham’s friendly spot stands apart, thanks to terrific renditions of American regional offerings. Picking a favorite is impossible. Is it the pork tenderloin sandwich, tender as can be and topped with red onion, pickles, mayo, and mustard? Or the beans and greens melt, a play on the Philly … Read more
Every neighborhood needs a good neighborhood restaurant, and residents of Bridgeport are lucky that theirs is the Duck Inn. Kevin Hickey’s comfortable joint has a packed bar in front and a cozy dining room in back with a peek into the kitchen. If it’s your first visit, get the rotisserie duck, which is presented with … Read more
Urban food halls — with their poke bowls, cronuts, and Detroit-style squares — rarely live up to the hype. You eat something trendy, pay too much, and enjoy the architecture. Food courts, on the other hand, with their neon lights and cafeteria seating, still connect because they dish up the quick, craveable things you know … Read more
We liked Wazwan, Zubair Mohajir’s casual BYOB Southeast Asian storefront located in front of Coach House, his tasting-menu restaurant. But when he gave the space a face-lift, brought on David Mor as beverage director, and added more snackable share plates, our affinity turned to love. Everyone seems to feel that way, given the energy that … Read more
Getting a reservation is the only challenging thing about dining at Brendan Sodikoff’s French-inspired steakhouse. Two options: Sign onto Resy right at 9 a.m. 21 days before you want to dine, or walk in when the place opens. Once you’re at your table, exhale. From here on, this is one of the most seamless dining … Read more
Ricky Dinh, a veteran of many kitchens along the Asia on Argyle enclave in Uptown, brings something fresh to this restaurant set on the outskirts of Chinatown. Vietnamese seafood is the specialty here, and you’ll find market-fresh shellfish — razor clams, sea snails, giant Pacific oysters — in a variety of preparations. Our faves are the oysters grilled on … Read more
