Q BBQ is A+

The award-winning barbecue joint, Q-BBQ recently opened its first downtown Chicago location. Q-BBQ already has locations in Naperville and La Grange, but now adds a Lakeview location on Diversey to its offering. The folks at Q take their barbecue very seriously, so much so that they were awarded a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand award two years in a row (2013 & 2014). As a city dweller that hadn't tried their 'cue, I was pumped to check out the new Lakeview spot.

The restaurant features a range of barbecue inspiration from the Carolinas, Texas, and Tennessee. The huge menu offers something for everyone with meats including ribs, wings, brisket, and pork, as well as a selection of salads, sandwiches, and sides. All meats are smoked in-house and all sauces and sides are made from scratch.

The BF and I stopped by on a Thursday night and the place was getting busier by the minute. After browsing the menu on the wall and ordering at the counter, you're given a number and your food is delivered piping hot.

Ordering Counter

Main Dining Room

Homemade Sauces

To get a good feel for all the meats Q smokes in house, we decided to order the Papa Q Platter. This massive plate of meat includes every meat on Q's menu: spicy and regular wings, burnt ends, sliced turkey, brisket, pork, chicken and sausage. It was a meat feast!

Papa Q Platter

Q is known for their burnt ends so it was no surprise these ended up being my favorite. I also loved the spicy wings which were coated in a sweet rub. The turkey was surprisingly delicious and not something I'd normally order so I'm glad I tried it. The pork and brisket were good but I felt the chicken was a bit on the dry side. Next time, I'm definitely getting a full order of those melt-in-your-mouth burnt ends! 

Q also has an impressive selection of craft beers that are perfectly paired with its barbecue. The BF and I chose New Holland Brewing's Full Circle kolsch-style beer to wash down our 'cue.

New Holland Brewing's Full Circle

For our side dishes (not that we didn't already have enough food!) we tried the MacQroni, fresh cut fries, and QPups. The mac was topped with Cheez-Its which added a salty crunch to the creamy mac, but I felt the cheesy sauce could have had more of a punch. 

MacQroni

Fresh Cut Fries

All entrees are served with QPups, Q's version of hush puppies. These were super crispy, not too greasy, and had a slightly sweet flavor. I loved using them to dip in each of Q's homemade barbecue sauces!

QPups

Q-BBQ is a great addition to the Lakeview neighborhood and proves it has what it takes to create some of the best 'cue in the city. Not to mention, the staff is super friendly and eager to help ensure your meal is perfect. Check out Q-BBQ's newest location in Lakeview, or stop by their Naperville or La Grange restaurants!

Note: My meal at Q BBQ was complimentary, however, opinions expressed herein are my own.

Q-BBQ
www.q-bbq.com
714 W. Diversey
Chicago, IL 60614
773.281.7800

Additional locations in Naperville and La Grange

Total Naansense

Your next favorite lunch spot has just hit the Loop. Naansense is a fast casual Indian restaurant located on Wells St., between Lake and Randolph. The restaurant was started by a group of Chicago chefs who drew on their experiences in London, Mumbai, and Mexico City, all in an effort to bring fresh, customized Indian food to Chicagoans, with a modern twist.

The setup at Naansense allows you to move through a line in a Chipotle-like fashion. You have your choice of naanwiches, roti rolls, bowls, or salads, all with a choice of protein, toppings, and sauces. I stopped by with my co-worker Kirk during a busy lunch rush to taste test a sampling of Naansense's menu.

We chatted with Chef Hiran Patel who told us about the concept for the restaurant and brought out heaping portions of their delicious Indian cuisine. All of the sauces are made in house, including chutneys, salad dressings, and traditional Indian favorites. It's unbelievable how they create so much food from scratch, considering just how small their kitchen is!

We tried two bowls, the first of which included pork topped with korma sauce, pickled onions, tomatoes, cucumber, and yogurt sauce. This was my favorite because it had a nice kick to it and the pork was super tender.

Pork Korma Bowl

The second bowl Kirk and I tried was the lamb vindaloo bowl with housemade farmer's cheese, pickled onions, and chickpea noodles. The sauce was super flavorful and spicy but I was definitely partial to the korma bowl.

Lamb Vindaloo Bowl

The sides available at Naansense include the most delicious fries you'll ever try. The masala fries are perfectly crispy, not too greasy, and coated in a blend of spices. You can even dip the fries in a mustard-y curry aioli.

Masala Fries

As another side, we also tried two varieties of samosas including turkey and vegetable. We both enjoyed the turkey samosas a little more because they packed more flavor.

Samosa

Vegetable Samosa

We dipped our samosas in a variety of homemade sauces including mint cilantro and apple tamarind varieties. Everything we tried was bursting with color and flavor!

Naansense also makes its own naan bread in a traditional tandoor clay oven. This special oven maintains temperatures up to 900F and allows bread to be cooked quickly and deliciously. We had a chance to step into the kitchen and watch these pillowy breads made first hand. 

Naan Dough & Tandoor Oven

Tandoor Oven

The Finished Product Fresh Out of the Oven

Naansense is a great option for a Loop lunch with coworkers, especially if you're looking to get out of your weekly sub sandwich or Chipotle grind. The quality of food is fantastic, as are the very reasonable prices, and the flavor and freshness of ingredients is superb. Don't forget to try the naan!

Note: My meal at Naansense was complimentary, however, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Naansense

www.eatatnaansense.com

171 N. Wells Street

Chicago, IL 60606

312.578.8825

Lunch with a View

One of the newest Mag Mile restaurants is probably one you've never seen! Sophie's is a new American restaurant situated on the 7th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue Chicago. The restaurant has stunning views of Michigan Avenue as it sits at the corner of Michigan and Huron. It's tucked away on the same floor as the new men's store, The Fifth Avenue Man. The menu at Sophie's is executed by Chef Ron Aleman and features a selection of appetizers, soups, salads, and entrees for lunch. The menu also features seasonal craft cocktails, housemade sodas and teas, and a thoughtful wine list.

My friend Missy joined me for lunch at Sophie's on a sunny Saturday. We weren't seated with a window view of the Mag Mile, but the space was so bright and warm, we didn't mind. We both started off with a champagne cocktail while we browsed the lunch menu.

Champagne Cocktail

In addition to a selection of fresh breads, we were also presented with a trio of homemade spreads including berry preserves, an olive tapenade, and curry butter. Our favorite was definitely the chunky berry preserves.

Since we both love seafood, Missy and I decided to share a crab cake. The giant crab cake featured huge chunks of fresh crab meat and sat atop san marzano tomato bisque and spinach. A generous dollop of homemade tartar sauce also didn't hurt.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake 

For our entrees, we both ordered one of the composed salads. Missy tried the Butterhead Lettuce Cobb Salad which was super colorful and fresh. The salad included turkey, tomato, bacon, egg, croutons, blue cheese, and honey mustard dressing. I almost didn't want her to mix up the ingredients because they were perfectly aligned on her plate!

Butterhead Lettuce Cobb Salad

I chose the Pink Lady Lobster Salad which blew me away in terms of the presentation. It was almost too pretty to eat! Butterhead lettuce leaves were topped with shaved apple, candied pecans, vanilla-caramel vinaigrette, and huge pieces of fresh lobster. It was so nice to not have to work to get that buttery lobster meat!

Pink Lady Lobster Salad

We were both pretty full after our appetizer and salad, but our server convinced us we had to try the Coconut Bread Pudding. I've just recently become obsessed with bread pudding, so I knew I'd love it. The dessert included croissants drenched in salted caramel sauce, and was topped with coconut shavings, and vanilla bean ice cream. We were both in heaven!

Coconut Bread Pudding

Our meal ended with a glass of bubbly to cap off a wonderful Saturday lunch. I recommend stopping in to Sophie's for a lovely shopping break the next time you find yourself on the Mag Mile!

Note: My meal at Sophie's was complimentary, however, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Sophie's at Saks Fifth Avenue
www.sophies.com
700 N. Michigan Ave., 7th Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
312.525.3400

Valentine's Day, Venetian-Style!

For Valentine's Day this year, I knew I wanted to check out Cicchetti, a new Venetian small plates restaurant in Streeterville. I made a reservation at this hot spot about one month before Valentine's Day. Call me crazy, but I really wanted to make sure the BF and I secured a table!

We were seated in a front room that was tucked away from the bar and the main dining room. I loved being in this intimate space because it really made the whole experience feel relaxed and not rushed, even on such a busy night.

Executive Chef Michael Sheerin (Blackbird, Trenchermen) created an elegant menu of small plates meant for sharing. We started our night with a dish I had been told was a must-try, the pork cracklins. These were really pork rinds on crack and were topped with a generous portion of parmesan and rosemary. Each bite melted on your tongue!

Pork Cracklins

Next, we tried Nonna's Meatballs which were one of our favorite items of the night. The generous portion of meatballs were covered in a pancetta sauce which featured a nice hint of cinnamon. A side of ciabatta was perfect for scooping up each and every last drop of the comforting sauce.

Nonna's Meatballs

Since all of the pasta is housemade at Cicchetti, we knew we wanted to try a few pasta dishes. We first tried the gnocchi with braised pork shank. The pasta was tossed in a creamy buttermilk sauce, similar to an alfredo, and was topped with pear, dill, and chestnuts. We both weren't crazy about the sauce so this wasn't our favorite dish, but I personally liked the complexity of flavors from the pear and dill.

Gnocchi with Braised Pork Shank

At this point in the meal, we were both stuffed. However, the table next to us ordered a plate of homemade short rib ravioli and we immediately were hungry again. We were so happy we ordered this dish because it ended up being our favorite. Each delicate ravioli was stuffed with braised short rib and topped with homemade pasta sauce, and sheets of fresh cheese. The pasta was delicious and the cheese really helped to amplify the flavor of the short rib.

Braised Short Rib Ravioli

To end the meal, Cicchetti offers complimentary glasses of their homemade limoncello for each table. For Valentine's Day, they turned the normally yellow drink a bright red, with the help of blood oranges.

Blood Orange Limoncello

Last, but not least, we tried the most famous dessert Cicchetti offers, the Reverse Affogato. This dessert starts with warm malted cream anglaise poured over espresso gelato which is then used for dipping homemade doughnuts. The plank of doughnuts were warm and sweet, with the perfect dusting of cinnamon and sugar. The coffee gelato had an amazing rich flavor that the BF and I both LOVED. This is definitely a must-try dessert! My terrible, grainy photo below does not do it justice.

Reverse Affogato

Overall, our Valentine's Day dinner at Cicchetti was great! While there were some hits and misses, most of the dishes we tried were quite tasty and the quality of the homemade elements really shined through. I'm giving Cicchetti four ghosts!

Cicchetti
www.cicchettirestaurant.com
671 N. St. Clair St.
Chicago, IL 60611
312.642.1800

Heading South to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival

About two weeks ago, I had the chance to attend one of the nation's top culinary festivals, The South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE, also know as SOBEWFF. I jumped at the chance to escape the harsh winter in Chicago for the warm sun and sand in South Beach! The four-day festival is held in February each year and this year marked the 13th annual event. While the festival is a HUGE affair featuring tastings, seminars, late night bashes, and more (check out my event preview at Chicago Foodies), I attended for just one of the four days. You better believe next year I'm staying for the whole weekend!

The BF was my partner in crime and we kicked things off by attending a happy hour hosted by the festival's director, Lee Brian Schrager. The event was held on the rooftop of The Betsy South Beach, a lovely boutique hotel near all of the festival's events. The venue was perfect and featured gorgeous views of the beach!

Since this was a wine and food festival, we sipped on some rose and chowed down on some sushi and seafood, all while mingling with other bloggers, writers, and members of the press.

After the happy hour, we made our way to The Delano Hotel, where the main event we were attending was held. 

Directly behind the Delano was a giant tent that housed several events during the festival, including The Q, which we attended. The Q, hosted by Chef Michael Symon, was a celebration of all things grilled, braised, and barbecued and featured more than 40 esteemed chefs who, collectively, traveled more than 40,000 miles to participate in the event. Each chef prepared a barbecued dish with the help of Florida International University (FIU) Student Associates (the festival acts as a fundraiser for FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management).

We had a blast walking from booth to booth watching each chef preparing and plating their creations. It didn't hurt that we got to eat our hearts out too!

One of the best things I ate was actually the first thing I tried, a pulled pork taco from Chef Chris Lilly.

We stopped by Food Network star Chef Robert Irvine's booth and managed to snap a photo with him. He prepared dry rubbed black angus brisket with a mini biscuit on the side. It was delicious and he was super friendly and entertaining!

To help wash down those fantastic barbecued bites we sipped on some cocktails made from Moet Hennessy's portfolio. I had a delicious passion fruit cocktail made with Belvedere Vodka, while the BF tried some Chandon sparkling wine.

There were even a few Chicago chefs who made an appearance at The Q, including Chef Paul Kahan (The Publican, Nico Osteria, Big Star, et al) and Chef Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill, Xoco, Topolobampo). Paul Kahan prepared a cuban sandwich, while Rick Bayless prepared carne asada brava, complete with a mini tamale that was out of this world!

Not only was Chef Michael Symon a host of The Q, he also was joined by several of the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models. One of the models I spotted was Chrissy Teigen, who appeared on this year's 50th anniversary cover.

You may have heard of Chrissy's husband, he's a singer by the name of John Legend. Yea. That John Legend! I was lucky enough to chat with him and snap a photo before he was whisked away!

One of the perks of attending The Q was that each attendee was given a SavorBand, a silicon-based wristband offering a hands-free way to capture all of your memorable food and drink experiences throughout the night.

Photo Credit: esurance

The wristband, sponsored by esurance, features near field communication (NFC) technology which allowed guests to tap a special tablet reader situated at each tasting station and rate the food they tried. After the event, each guest goes to esurance.com/savorband, enters the unique two-word code from their SavorBand and can access their personalized Digital Memory Bank. These bands were the perfect way to remember everything you sipped and sampled.

I feel so lucky I had the chance to check out SOBEWFF! I had a fantastic time meeting other foodies, chefs, and personalities, soaking up the wonderful South Beach weather, and dining on phenomenal eats. I can't wait for next year's festival, as well as NYCWFF, the sister festival held in New York City in October! If you need an excuse to head to South Beach in the middle of February, SOBEWFF is definitely worth the trip!