New spots for suppli, wurst and Vegemite
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Sausages from Wurst Behavior. Photo: Courtesy of Dave Pavlina
Some fine new restaurants are rolling just in time for the holidays including a new Joe Flamm eatery, a sausage-centric spot and a Mexican craft cocktail bar from Erick Williams.
Here's what's new:
Wurst Behavior in Irving Park offers a sausage party catered by Art Wnorowski and Gosia Pieniazek — the same couple that brought you Wicker Park's excellent Pierogi Kitchen.
Dig in: House-made sausages ($8-$10) inspired by our fair city, including Italian sausage topped with giardiniera, a massive Chicago dog, a classic kielbasa with caramelized onions and a pierogi dog — yes, a wiener topped with dumplings.
Il Carciofo is Flamm's third Fulton Market restaurant (after Rose Mary and BLVD), this time focusing on fresh pasta and pizza.
Dig in: Expect "straight forward, true-to-form Roman food, focusing on product and technique, and hopefully, paying great homage to the history and cuisine of Rome," Flamm, who cut his teeth under Tony Mantuano at Spiaggia, tells Axios.
Chef rec: "Start with [mozzarella-filled rice balls] suppli, either with meat ragu or pesto, then get the apple, pine nut and [chicory-like] puntarelle to balance it out," he says.
- "And then pizza from the forno — the rossa is my favorite — and the carbonara. If you still have room, get the [oxtail stew] coda di vaccinara to warm you up on a cold night."
Cantina Rosa is Hyde Park's first craft cocktail bar, opened by Williams (Virtue and Daisy's Po-Boy) as he pivots from food that celebrates Black culture to honoring the Mexican culture of some of his longtime staffers.
Drink up: Look for elegant cocktails inspired by agave-based spirits and Mexican nibbles that include guacamole, empanadas and Oaxacan tamales.
Omakase Room by Kanemaru marks the third New York import to River North from The Group Hospitality company that brought us La Grande Boucherie and Olio e Piu.
Dig in: Sixteen courses of handcrafted sushi and other Japanese delicacies starting at $195 designed by chef Shinichiro Kanemaru served in an intimate 10-seat dining room.
More openings:
Terrific tavern-style pizza is exploding all over town with WG Pizzas in Avondale and Pizz'Amici and Dicey's in West Town.
To Korean Cuisine in Lakeview has opened with hearty Korean fare from bibimbap and kimchi stew to noodles and Korean barbecue. Don't miss the kimchi bulgogi fries ($7).
Blue Bayou has returned to its original Lakeview after more than a decade of serving bar food, po'boys, smashburgers and salads.
Chapel Street, opening in January, claims it will be Chicago's first Australian cafe with savory hand pies, flat white coffees, Australian wines and Vegemite. But what about Barangaroos Aussie Pies in Lakeview?
Bar Sotto has opened in the Loop's century-old Italian Village complex to present a community gathering space, innovative Italian fare (think giardiniera braised short ribs) and even Italian disco nights.