Bad Hunter - Brunch

 

While I had gone to Bad Hunter recently for dinner with Tasting Collective (and really enjoyed it), their brunch had been on my list for a while.  I had wanted to go about a year previous, but a fire got in the way.  The fact that I had really liked it for dinner put it near the top of my list and pushed me to make brunch plans.  I generally do not make plans for small parties, but the number that were coming with me doubled in size at the last minute, which did not allow me to make a reservation for the date and time that I had planned, so it was going to have to be a walk in and wait (if it came to that, my party wasn't that big).  While there were no tables available, we were offered one side of the counter in the center of the dining room which had a row of plants in the center, separating us from the other side of the counter.  It was a little awkward for conversation from one side of the counter to the other, there were 5 of us, but the plant life in front of us was nice.  I started things off, as is typical for me for brunch, with Coffee and a Cocktail.  The coffee was a medium roast and nicely flavored.  It definitely helped do the trick.  For my cocktail, I went with something light and refreshing, a Pink Spritz which came with Ramazotti Rosa, Batavia Arrack, and Sparkling Rose.  The Ramazotti is a wine based Amaro made with Hibiscus and Orange Peel and the Batavia Arrack is a Sugar Cane based Liqueur similar to Rum, but made with the addition of Red Rice.  The drink was nicely chilled, lightly bittersweet with floral and citrus flavors, and provided a nice start to a great meal.

 

 

When there is a pastry selection, I will generally order it for the table.  There were three choices and they all sounded good, so I decided to order all of them.  The first selection were Beignets covered in Powdered Sugar and served with two dipping sauces, one Caramel based and one with Orange Rind.  If beignets are made correctly they are very light and airy with a flaky crust under a ton of powdered sugar.  They are great to eat even if a bit messy with the powdered sugar.  These were very good beignets and the dipping sauces just added to them.  The second Pastry was a Cranberry Sage Pop Tart.  Many Pop Tarts are very sweet.  This pop tart, while having some sweetness was not incredibly so.  It also had a lot of filling and the Sage added an herbal complement to the bittersweet cranberry flavor.  The last pastry was the one that I was most interested in.  It was called a Shakshuka Croissant which I had a little bit of a hard time wrapping my head around.  Shakshuka is a dish from the Middle East consisting of Eggs poached in Tomato Sauce and Spices.  It is very savory and I like it a lot.  A Croissant is a flaky layered pastry which I also like.  While I could see eating Croissants with Shakshuka, I couldn't see how Shakshuka could be made into a Croissant.  The answer was moderation.  The egg was cooked on top and the tomatoes were inside the croissant.  It was topped with Basil and Grated Parmesan and was pretty amazing.

The restaurant had hit a home run with the pastries, I was excited to see how my main course would turn out.  I ordered a Chicken Fried Hen of the Woods Mushroom Sandwich with American Cheese, Bread and Butter Pickles, White Barbecue Sauce, and a side of Hot Sauce.  Mushrooms are very savory and are frequently used as a meat substitute.  Chicken Frying the mushrooms, added a crunchy exterior while maintaining the mushrooms juicy.  The Bread and Butter Pickles were sour and crispy.  White Barbecue Sauce is a spicy, mayonnaise based sauce used frequently with chicken, and everything is better with cheese.  American Cheese is simple and goes well with those things that don't need any complexity.  It was a great finish to a great brunch and I would be happy to return if for nothing more than the Shakshuka Croissant.     

Bad Hunter - Tasting Collective Dinner

 

 

 

While I am not a vegetarian, in recent times, I have been judging restaurants by how creatively they do their vegetables.  Luckily for me, there have been several restaurants that have opened in the past few years that have been vegetable focused, if not strictly vegetarian.  One of the most high profile to have opened recently was Bad Hunter, in the West Loop.  I was very interested in checking them out when they opened, but they had a fire that shut them down for several months.  They reopened recently and while they went back on my list, I was happy to see that Tasting Collective scheduled a dinner there, so I made a point to get a ticket for dinner.  Located in the heart of restaurant row on Randolph in the West Loop, it is not exceptionally flashy.  The building is brick with smaller windows and if it were not for a one color neon sign in one window, the fact that the building holds a restaurant would not be exceptionally obvious.  Looking into the windows, you can see tables and plants, but the space may well be a conference area or cafeteria as it might be a restaurant.  While the exterior is not obvious, the interior is obviously a restaurant with a very relaxed feel.  There are a lot of plants, both hanging and in plant holders, and the space has light colored walls and parquet floors.  The bar, on one wall, is long and runs into the space with round stones cemented together and ground flat to make the bar top.  It looks very cool and with the stone top, I don't imagine that they really have to worry about condensation ruining the bar top.  The rack behind the bar is bookcase like and holds a nice variety of both liquors and plant life.

I found before I came, that I had a friend that was working at Bad Hunter and was working on that night, so I decided to stop in early, say hi and grab a beer.  The beer that I grabbed fit in very well with the feel of the restaurant.  Whiner Brewery is a brewery on the south side located in a former meatpacking facility, their work is very much about sustainability and reusing as much as they can.  They produce a lot of wild ales and are very focused on barrel aging.  The beer that I got, Le Tub, is one of their most popular beers.  It is a Blended Barrel-Aged Wild Saison with a tart and funky flavor.  It has flavors of white grape and lemon and while it is good and I liked it there, I prefer their Le Bleu Tub variant, which includes blueberries.

After saying hi to my friend and finishing my beer, I continued upstairs to The Herbarium, their upstairs event space for dinner.  I started with Mermaid Water, made with Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Gin, Nardini Grappa, and Lime.  This was very refreshing, like a Gimlet, and was nice to enjoy with my meal.

Starting out, we were served a Caseificio Artigiana Burrata, a Burrata (Cream-filled Mozzarella) with King Trumpet Mushrooms and Sott'Olia, a combination of Cured Olives and Lemon Peels.  The Burrata was very creamy, of course, and the mushrooms, olives, and lemon peels added a tart, briny, and savory flavor.  The one thing that I didn't care about this, and it was minor, was that the olives weren't pitted, so you had to watch how you bit into them.

After the cheese came the salad course, and with this we were served Butter Lettuces, Lemon Cream Vinaigrette, Black Radishes, Bleu Cheese, and Cashews.  While it had all of the standards of a salad, it wasn't bad.  All of the ingredients were good quality and it did taste good, but ultimately it was a salad which, in many cases, is not exceptionally exciting.

Our next course, however, kind of blew me away.  We were served Butter Dumplings with Charred Corn, Smoked Peanuts, Corn Cream, and Radishes.  The dumplings were perfectly cooked and the corn and peanuts added a lot of smoky flavor.  The corn cream added a sweet corn and creamy flavor and the radishes added a crisp and lightly spicy finish.  This was probably my favorite dish of the night.

Our next course went the fish and seafood route.  We were served Monkfish Tail with New Potatoes, Saffron Fish Stew, and Asian Pear.  It was good and while I don't like pears, the Asian Pear was edible because it was cooked.  The stew reminded me of a Brazilian Stew that I had and enjoyed several years ago.  The Monkfish Tail was very tender and had a light flavor, though was spiced well.  Absent the stew and pear, though, it would have probably been a bit bland.  Together it made a very nice and flavorful bite.

Our last savory course was kind of a surprise.  While I knew that Bad Hunter was not a vegetarian restaurant and that there was meat on the menu, I figured that for those courses that did include meat, the vegetables would still be the star.  This course, though, Adobo Whole Roasted Chicken with Celery, Caramelized Onions, and Labneh over rice.  The chicken was the star with the vegetables working to elevate the chicken.  The chicken was well cooked, tender and had a nice and spicy crust.  The celery, rice, and labneh (soft cheese made by draining the whey from salted yogurt) tasted good on its own, but did a good job complementing the chicken.

From here we proceeded to dessert.  Dessert was pretty simple, but it did taste good.  It was a Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Boysenberry Jam and Cardamom Whipped Cream.  The cake had a texture of Coffee Cake and the Poppy Seeds added a little spice and crunch.  The boysenberry added some sweet and tart, and the whipped cream was light, fluffy, and sweet, with the citrusy, minty, and herbal hit from the cardamom.  All together, the elements made a perfect bite, with many flavors and textures that played very well together.

Dinner was very good and I really enjoyed it.  The lower dining room is very relaxing and the vegetable focused menu used a lot of styles to keep focus on the vegetables.  They also do a weekend brunch that I am interested in so I will definitely return.                 

Bite Cafe - Brunch

I have liked Bite Cafe every time I have come.  Located next to the Empty Bottle, I knew that they were a good place to get food after a show, but I had heard that they also had a good brunch.  I knew, though, that they were very popular, so I didn't think that it would have been a great place to host one of my brunches, especially considering their small size.  I had something that I needed to do on a weekend morning that was close to Bite, so I decided to stop for brunch.  When I arrived, the place was full, though there was a seat at the counter, so I, luckily, was able to sit immediately.  I like sitting at the counter, because I like to watch people working and it gives me a better view of the specials board.  As I was sitting in a corner, it was also easy to turn around and view the dining room.  The dining room frequently has art from local artists for sale on the walls.  On the day that I went, there were bathing suits on the wall.  I assume that they were also for sale, but as I have no use for a woman's bathing suit, I didn't really look.

I started things off with a Coffee (from Dark Matter) and a large Orange Juice and a Bowl of Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries.  In general, I have found that Dark Matter Coffees seem to be roasted a little on the lighter side.  I prefer my coffee a medium roast, so in general, I have found their coffee a little light.  This coffee, however, was made specifically for Bite and was a darker roast than I had had in the past.  This I liked.  The Orange Juice was also freshly squeezed.  It was sweet and had a good amount of pulp (which I like).  For my first bites, I ordered a bowl of bowl of Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries.  I really like strawberries and blueberries and while I would expect both of these in a summer fruit salad, it was funny and nice to see that it was just strawberries and blueberries being served.  They were very fresh, juicy, and flavorful, and really enjoyed it.

Also on the menu as a side was the Crispy Pork Belly.  Bacon is Pork Belly that has been cured and while I have had my share of bacon, I don't know that I have ever had Pork Belly that was simply pan fried.  When it came out, I saw that it looked like a very thick and crispy piece of bacon and I was looking forward to it.  While it looked like a nice piece of bacon, however, without the cure, pork belly tastes more like ham than bacon.  It did taste good and had the salty flavor of bacon, but texturally, it was more liked well cooked ham.  It was good, though I do prefer bacon to ham.

I finished things off with a Hash.  Most hashes that I have had are a combination of Potatoes, Meat, and Onions, with an Egg on the side.  This hash, however, was a Veggie Hash.  It started with Yukon Gold and Sweet Potatoes, and added Zucchini, Squash, Baby Kale, 2 Poached Eggs, Hollandaise Sauce, and Toast.  While I am a meat eater, I can appreciate a good vegetarian dish, and this was very good.  With the variety of textures and flavors, the meat was unnecessary and I didn't miss it.  The Hollandaise Sauce combined with the flavors of the vegetables and potatoes to make for a very enjoyable dish.  It was a great brunch and I will certainly make a point to return in the future.  

Range

I had seen this restaurant many times when passing in Lincoln Park, but circumstances fell in a way that I was here at dinner time and I wanted to eat, so I decided to try Range out.  From the outside and not knowing anything about it, I guessed that it was going to be a golf-themed restaurant.  The building was white and looked similar to a golf clubhouse and the sign above the entrance was covered in Astro-Turf with Range off to one side as it were a driving range.  After I entered, my mind changed.  The space had a hardwood floor, an unfinished ceiling, white walls, and a lot of wooden furniture.  The place had the vibe of a neighborhood restaurant and the menu was very veggie-friendly.  I sat across from the bar and overhearing conversations, I heard a lot of talk about tennis and biking.  I decided to start things off with a cocktail called Space Cowboy which was made with Yuu Baal Mezcal, Calle 23 Tequila, Pur Pear Liqueur, Strawberry, Serrano Pepper, Lemon, and Mint.  There was a lot going on with this drink.  It did have a smoky aspect from the mezcal, but their was also a lot of fruit and citrus flavors, and both a spicy and minty finish, which I wouldn't have expected to work, but it really did.

For my appetizer, I was interested in a Parsnip Hand Pie, but they had run out, so I went with something that I was also very interested in, the Beet Tostadas.  While I like the ideal of Tostadas, they have a tendency to be pretty messy.  Having said that, I really like beets, so I would be fine with having to deal with the debris after eating the tostadas.  In addition to the beets, it also had Black Beans, Cilantro Pesto, Red Cabbage Slaw, Sour Cream, Sunflower Shoots, and Queso Fresco.  It was sweet and earthy, with a very fresh botanical flavor and a crunch from the tostada shell.  It was really good, even if I did have to use a fork to eat what was left after eating it by hand.

For my main course, I could have gone with a variety of burgers, sandwiches, or flatbreads, but The range platter just sounded too ridiculous not to try.  It had seven cheeses and four meats from some very good vendors, such as Zingermans, Great American Cheese Collection, and Smoking Goose, plus Raspberry Serrano Jam, Sliced Apple, and Baguette Toast from Hewn.  I could and did try things individually and in combinations and it was all very good.

There didn't seem to be anything exceptional on the dessert menu, Ice Cream, an Apple Fritter, and a Cake, though the cake was a bit odd, so I had to try it.  It was a Parsley Mint Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream, and Microgreens.  It was green, tasted very botanical (in fact, it kind of tasted like grass), and was a bit dense.  While I did eat it, I have to say that it was my least favorite dish.  The Lemon Whipped Cream did help, but I could have done with a wider range of flavors in the dessert.

I enjoyed my time here.  The drinks were very good, the staff was very friendly, and the platter was ridiculous, in a good way.  I will keep my mind open for Range as an option if I happen to be in the area.    

Hopewell Beer Dinner at Bite Cafe

The Empty Bottle has been around since I've been in Chicago (longer actually, opening in 1992).  It looks like a dive bar, but it is also a very good music venue that is able to draw bigger bands than you might guess from the size of the bar.  It is also the first venue in the 16" on Center empire which also includes Longman and Eagle, Dusek's, and Revival Food Hall.  Attached to The Empty Bottle, although a separate venue, is Bite Cafe.  When I was going to The Empty Bottle more often, I noticed it and thought it looked interesting.  The menu looked very veggie-friendly if not strictly vegetarian and I thought that I might want to try it out sometime, but until recently, it hadn't happened.  Although Bite Cafe is BYOB, about once a month, they have started doing a very casual beer dinner.  I went last month when they were hosting a neighborhood favorite of mine, Hopewell Brewing Company.  For the dinner, you had a choice of one of two appetizers and entrees, each paired with a different beer.  The dessert was set, but the last beer was a surprise.  Going there, I knew where The Empty Bottle was and I knew that Bite Cafe was right next to it, so I thought that it would be easy to get there.  Unfortunately there are several doors and I was confused as to which door was the correct entrance, so I ended up walking through The Empty Bottle to get there.  The sign for the cafe is over where the cafe is located, but it isn't specifically located over a door.  Once I was actually in the homey dining room though, I saw that there was an exterior entrance.  The space is small and bright, with a simple look.  It has hardwood floors, brick walls, wood chairs painted light blue, which is about the same color as the sign out front, and local art.  There is a small counter/coffee bar at the back of the room which is also used for dining and was where the owner/brewers of Hopewell Brewing were sitting, though I didn't notice that until I sat down at a table behind them.

For my appetizer, I had a choice of a Cured Salmon Latke served with First Lager or Beer Battered Cheese Curds served with Endgrain Lager.  While Cheese Curds are always a win, I was more interested in the Cured Salmon Latkes which were served with Dill Creme Fraiche and an Herb Salad.  For beers, while First Lager is eminently drinkable, I think Endgrain Lager (a Marzen-style) is more interesting.  I wish that I could have had the Endgrain with the Latkes, but First Lager would go better with the dish.  As far as the latkes were concerned, the salmon was very fresh and flavorful, the latke (potato pancake)  was lightly fried and pretty tender.  The dill, craime fraiche, and herbs, added a lot of good flavor and I really enjoyed it.

For my entree I had a choice of the Pan Seared Bass served with the 24:37 Red IPA or the Pork Schnitzel served with the Family Saison.  I went with the Pork Schnitzel which was served with Pickled Cabbage, Warm German Potato Salad with Apples, and Gravy and the Family Saison.  With this one, I again wished that I could have switched beers.  The saison is good, and has a nice flavor with a dry finish, but I like the IPA better.  I suppose though, that the botanical flavor of the IPA goes better with the bass than does the dry flavor of the saison.  The schnitzel was classic and very good.  The pork was pounded flat, well breaded, and fried, giving a nice crispy exterior and tender interior.  The red Cabbage was sweet and tart and the German Potato Salad also very good.  The apples in the salad added some sweetness to the tartness of the potato and vinegar salad.

There was only one dessert being served, so it was easy to make a decision.  We were served Ginger Lemon Bars with a Lavender Caramel Drizzle.  With this, the Hopewell team broke out their Squad Quadrupel.  I love lemon bars on there own, but the lavender caramel added a floral sweetness that contrasted with the sharp tartness of the lemon bar.  The Squad was Hopewell's 1st Anniversary beer.  At 10.4% ABV, it isn't light, but it is pretty good.  It's sweet, boozy, and tastes of raisins, and it has a nice head.  It was a great finish to a very good dinner.  I like Hopewell and their beer worked well with the food served.  I will continue to enjoy Hopewell, but I will have to return to Bite Cafe to try more of their regular menu (possibly with some other beer).