The best stuff The A.V. Club ate in 2011
Cliff1066/Flickr
Thinking about big year-end lists, we at The A.V. Club knew two things: Top anything is a little boring and tired, and that, of course, we still wanted to participate. For what it’s worth, we tried to come up with some original ideas — not just the normal “best local records” or “best Aldermen”—which we’ll present for the rest of 2011.
Up first, the best meals The A.V. Club staff and contributors ate this year. As always, we welcome your contributions in the comments.
Amalia Oulahan
The best thing I ate in Chicago in 2011 was a coconut-frosted doughnut from The Doughnut Vault. The place is popular, and I had to brave a line of several people well before 8 a.m. to get it—but wow was that doughnut ever delicious! I recall that specialty cupcakes were trendy for a while, but I’ll take a doughnut any day instead.
David Anthony
When it comes to Chicago’s culinary scene, there’s a seemingly endless amount of enticing options. For me, this year I focused heavily on North Ave.’s diverse offerings. From the delicious barbecue found at The Southern and Lillie’s Q to the vegan and vegetarian options at Handlebar, there was something to meet my every desire. Perhaps my most visited locale during the city’s warmer months was Forever Yogurt. Being able to build my own Frankenstein-dessert was exactly what I needed to power me through those oppressively humid summer days and keep my sweet tooth in check.
Alyssa Vitale
The Uncommon Ground on Devon, which was recently named the greenest restaurant in the country, is just down the street from my apartment. It has tons of seasonal specials, but its fall Genesis Pumpkin Agnolotti might be the most delicious meal of all time, with roasted pumpkin seeds, parmesan cheese, and a sage brown butter sauce. At $17 it’s a bit pricey, but even my college student’s meager budget had to make room for this taste of carb heaven. The Sunday drink special also gives me an excuse to order my daily serving of vegetables in the form of an Uncommon Bloody Mary.
Tom Whitcomb
Picking your favorite hot dog place is a dangerous business, since everybody seems to have some very strong opinions on the subject. That being said, I throw my full support to Chicago’s Dog House. One of the many late-night eateries situated around DePaul University, the Dog House specializes in more out-of-the-ordinary fare—past specials have included wild board and kangaroo. I’ve always been partial to the T-Frank, a wiener laden with bacon, cream cheese, avocado, and the homemade hot sauce, and the frips, which is a French fry/potato chip hybrid. Chicago’s Dog House is cheap, open late, and adventurous—three ideal qualities in great food.
Marah Eakin
It’s tempting for me to say Doughnut Vault, too, but I’ve got to with the Low Country Oyster Roast the Chicago Food Film Fest threw this November. Basically, the fest’s organizers had grown up around oystermen in South Carolina, so they made a short about harvesting oysters, screened it, and had 7,000 of the little buggers driven up here—along with some good South Carolina beer, of course—in a Penske truck by the guys who actually appear in the movie. Steamed open on a metal pan while covered with burlap, these Bull’s Bay oysters were just about the most delicious thing I’d ever had, especially because we were eating them in a parking lot at Kendall College plied with live fiddle music and, again, plenty of that South Carolina beer. The fest’s organizer told us that the oysters hadn’t been eaten in Chicago in well over 50 years, and man, it just felt special. The only downside is that my stomach gave out long before the oyster supply did, though I did make a valiant effort to eat my body weight in salty sea candy.
Ivy Gray-Klein
Three Aces in Little Italy is undoubtedly my new favorite hang out joint. Fusing reinvented Italian-American classics plus an extensive outdoor patio with all the charm (but none of the riffraff) offered at Big Star, this place really does everything right. Its annual summertime Tomato Fest is not to be missed, especially the polenta cake that was beyond incredible. The classic menu items are also great, including a range of ultra-tasty pizzas (served on a circular chunk of wood, no less) and a burger that easily rivals those of DMK and Kuma’s Corner. One of the owners, Anthony Potenzo, is always on-site and might just be the coolest guy to ever drop by your table.
Anna Gross
Does Forever Yogurt count as “food?” Because that glittering pink establishment had me craving FroYo every single day this summer (even still, really.) A diamond is forever, but Forever Yogurt is this girl’s best friend.
Matt Byrne
The best thing I ate in Chicago this year is something I try to eat at least once a month: the Seoul Sassy Jumbo Wings from Crisp in Lakeview. I’m originally from Buffalo, New York, so I’m a bit of a wing snob and usually avoid chicken wings outside of my hometown, but these wings, which The A.V. Club had a somewhat tepid reaction to early in 2011, are among the best I’ve had anywhere. I went out to eat pretty regularly this year, but I think about few places more than Crisp. Now, if they were only open on Mondays.
