Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/422226
this page: photography by todd rosenberg (dolinsky); opposite page: genevieve burruss (hot chocolate); derek richmond (avec) S teve Dolinsky has been reporting on Chicago's food scene for almost 20 years and has tried nearly every restaurant out there. And while Chicago has an abundance of delicious offer- ings, Dolinsky—aka ABC-7's "Hungry Hound"—has specific requirements for winter dining: "I want two things in winter," says the Bucktown resident. "I want warmth and comfort, but also a reminder that there is summer down the road and light at the end of the tunnel." Such are the guiding principles that keep him coming back to these seasonal food and drink favorites. "I will only eat cassoulet in the winter, and the first place I go is Chez Moi (2100 N. Halsted St., 773-871-2100; chezmoichicago.com). Chef Dominique Tougne is French, and cassoulet is in his DNA. He uses pork, lamb, and duck and serves it in a cast-iron skillet. You're essentially eating his childhood comfort food, but in Lincoln Park instead of Lyon. Maude's Liquor Bar (840 W. Randolph St., 312-243- 9712; maudesliquorbar.com) also has great cassoulet. It's a shallower pan, with three different types of sausage, red wine, and garlic. It's a soul-satisfying, rib-sticking dish. It's a different vibe at Maude's. At Chez Moi, you're in a neighborhood restaurant; at Maude's there's the brick, the votives, the candles, the music. The atmosphere is very cool, but they don't compromise on ingredients. "I cannot live without hot chocolate in the wintertime. Growing up I had Swiss Miss, but now my tastes are slightly more sophisticated. At HotChocolate (1747 N. Damen Ave., 773-489-1747; hotchocolatechicago.com) theirs is outstanding—hence the name. It's rich, thick, and intense. It's more of a European hot chocolate. There are a lot of different f lavor options, but I grew up in Minnesota, so I like standard milk chocolate. The restaurant is best known for its desserts, but I love it for brunch in the winter, too. They have the best pancake in the city—it's just one artisanal pancake. It's not a f limsy one that needs to be stacked; it's like a beautiful UFO saucer that's crispy and soft. And I'm not even a huge pancake person. "The new Xoco (1471 N. Milwaukee Ave., 872-829-3821; rickbayless.com/xoco) in Wicker Park is great for winter—it's three times the size of the original, so you can really spread out and stay awhile. It's the only place in the city that does hot chocolate from bean to cup—roasting the cacao beans, winnowing them, conching them. They grind them for two days and make three different hot choco- lates—authentic, Aztec, and classic. It's got a thick, almost tarlike consistency that is great for dipping churros into. "Tank Noodle (4953-55 N. Broadway, 773-878-2253; tank- noodle.com) in Uptown is another ultimate comfort food [destination]. The pho—Vietnamese noodle soup—is like the ultimate facial in a bowl. It's got sliced brisket and a really intense broth that's been simmering for hours. This is where you go to eat like a local—you're getting home cooking. The pho here is as good as any in Houston or Orange County or anywhere with a thriving Vietnamese community. "North Pond (2610 N. Cannon Dr., 773-477-5845; northpond restaurant.com) is so Chicago—you're tucked into Lincoln Park, and it's one of the only restaurants you can't drive up to. They've got a great fireplace for winter, and they always have some kind of soft- boiled egg with sweet potato or mushroom that is cooked perfectly. "In winter, I love ordering drinks that remind me of summer. I refuse to give up! So I try to drink daiquiris. Billy Sunday (3143 W. Logan Blvd., 773-661-2485; billy-sunday.com) is a great throwback cocktail lounge, and their daiquiri transports me. It's nice to occasionally have that reminder that it's warm somewhere. The rums rotate but they have fresh lime, fresh grapefruit, bitters, and a winter dining Dining expert Steve Dolinsky shares his preferred way to shake off the cold—at one of these cold-weather foodie favorites. Quaint North Pond, tucked away in Lincoln Park, offers a roaring fire and comfort food to warm you. Maude's Liquor Bar serves up French classics in a stylized bistro setting. 122 michiganavemag.com