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
One of the most-talked-about spots of late, Joe Frillman’s Daisies isn’t new, but with its move nearby to a brighter, airier space, the addition of Leigh Omilinsky (pictured, below) as pastry chef-partner, and extra daytime hours, it certainly feels like a fresh addition to the city’s dining scene. The dinner menu also expanded, but, thankfully, … Read more
Nearly 20 years in, Michael Carlson’s exercise in punk gastronomy may no longer be the agenda setter it once was, but that’s only because other standouts have caught up to him. At this minimalist, one-room BYO, the young dudes in the kitchen, under chef de cuisine Caleb Trahan, hand-deliver their dozen or more creations to … Read more
There are times you want the whole steakhouse song and dance, and then there are other times you just want the steak. For those, this French-German bistro never fails. Its seasonal menu switches things up but always has a place for oysters, shrimp cocktail, big salads, and either a value-priced steak frites or a choice … Read more
