Daisies' "puppy chow" chocolate torte is a Midwestern dream
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Chef Leigh Omilinsky holds her puppy chow torte at Daisies on Milwaukee Avenue. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
Many have long known and loved Daisies in Logan Square for chef Joe Frillman's breathtaking pastas and veggie-forward dishes, as well as local groceries during the pandemic.
- But the place keeps evolving, this time with a larger location on Milwaukee Avenue that includes a new daytime cafe with pastries by chef Leigh Omilinsky.
The bite: On a recent visit, we zeroed in on a dark chocolate torte topped with the Midwestern delicacy of house-made "puppy chow" ($6).
- For those who don't know, that's usually a mix of Rice Chex, chocolate chips, peanut butter and powdered sugar.
The backstory: During our visit, chef Omilinsky said the kitchen approaches the whole menu as if the Midwest was a region of Italy. Staff want to highlight that culture in big and small ways.
- So her sour cream chocolate cake features a fudge frosting, hazelnut mousse and "puppy chow" made with sunflower butter.
The verdict: This cake is worth it just for the deep chocolate and fudge layers, but the hazelnut mousse and childhood crunch of "puppy chow" elevate it to a Midwestern dream.
The rest: Don't miss vegan oatmeal cream pie, gooey butter cake, seasonal filled brioche and an ultra-moist olive oil cake "that took me years to perfect," Omilinsky says.