Storefront City Chicago

Archive for the tag “armitage ave”

21 May 2013

DAVIDsTEA

WHAT: DAVIDsTEA
WHERE: 924 W. Armitage Ave., 1645 N. Damen Ave., & 3530 N. Southport Ave.

OUR RATING: Do It!

Tea is taking off, and has been for some time. The city itself is quite replete with teahouses, from the swanky Russian Tea Time to the more relaxed Argo. DAVIDsTEA emerges into an already well-populated market with three locations in Lincoln Park, Lakeview and Bucktown. With its Canadian credentials, bright wooden interior and literally hundreds of teas, DAVIDsTEA clearly wins all the style points. Add the alcoholic tea cocktail we tried and you’re in for an even bigger treat.

Adam:

(davidstea.com)

(davidstea.com)

I’m always a little suspicious of those chains that start small and explode rapidly to encompass whole continents. Starbucks and Teavana are the quintessential examples (the latter now owned by Starbucks). I have nothing against large chains, I just always suspect that their craft has not been honed to its fullest potential yet. The best empires are built slowly, preferably once the home-stores are self-sufficient and producing a major surplus. The goal should never be to expand, but to consolidate and take advantage of profits to enter undervalued markets. Anyway, enough of my business strategy prattle, because DAVIDsTEA allays some of my initial worry.

(davidstea.com)

(davidstea.com)

When you enter a DAVIDsTEA you’ll immediately notice the difference. A combination between the clean lines of modernism and the classic healthfulness of a Scandinavian spa, this company taps right into a branding message that just speaks volumes to the new generation of minimalist, health-conscious urbanites. With just over 150 different teas, and boasting the largest organic tea selection in North America, it can be confusing as to which tea to try. If you feel befuddled, just ask, as the lovely staff will be happy to make suggestions and guide you through the tea choosing process.

Whether you choose to imbibe in-store or take a few packets of leaves home, DAVIDsTEA has an astonishing variety (think traditionals like Assam, rarities like butterfly jasmine green and downright fun ones such as mint julep). I’ll let Alicia clue you in on the more alcoholic options, but as you can see DAVIDsTEA brings something awesome-new to the equation.

Alicia: On our latest visit to DAVIDsTEA we were introduced to the ambitious concept of a tea cocktail. DAVIDsTEA hosted a lovely cocktail reception with specialty cocktails infused with their summer collection teas, created by Tyler Fry of Chicago’s infamous Violet Hour. We were a little too late to sample the “One-Two Punch” with an all-fruit blend of mango, pineapple, and tangerine flavors (DAVIDsTEA’s Mango Fruit Punch blend) combined with tequila, but we were able to sample their “Migratory Coconut,” the low calorie answer to the Pina Colada with Appleton White Rum infused for two hours with DAVIDsTEA’s Coconut Grove blend and a bit of fresh pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram. Such a perfect spring drink!

The Migratory Coconut Cocktail

The Migratory Coconut Cocktail

But if you aren’t lucky enough to stop by a shop during one of these special events, not to fret! Tea Cocktails are super easy to craft at home and with DAVIDsTEA’s remarkable array of tea flavors, I can’t really think of a cocktail you can’t mimic with tea, and I’m sure brand new cocktail concoctions are relatively limitless. After purchasing your tea and spirit of choice, all you need to do is combine your 750ml bottle of spirit with either 5 Tbsp of herbal or white tea for 2 hours, agitating periodically. If the aforementioned Mint Julep black tea is more your style, go for 4 Tbsp for 1.5 hours. After the proper amount of time, simply strain the infusion and decant in the original bottle. And if you’re on a budget but want to make things even fancier, simply add a sprig of fresh herbs, such as mint, and you’ve got a rockin’ tea cocktail.

(davidstea.com)

(davidstea.com)

Final Thoughts: Stylish with an extensive collection, DAVIDsTEA provides a unique experience that feels exclusive and yet welcoming to all in the neighborhood. Tea is the most communal drink in the world, and we think DAVIDsTEA is one of the best places to enjoy it.

Posted in Drink It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
26 Mar 2013

Katherine Anne Confections

WHAT: Katherine Anne Confections
WHERE: 2745 W. Armitage Ave.

OUR RATING: Do It!

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

Truffles, caramels, gourmet marshmallows, oh my! Storefront City sampled a few delicacies at Logan Square’s Katherine Anne Confections. Katherine Anne has been creating her own confections at this location since 2006, and while it’s been on Chicago’s radar for awhile, it was just nominated this year for Time Out Chicago‘s Best Sweet Shop 2013 and Katherine Anne herself was just nominated as one of Zagat’s 30 Under 30, so we were super excited to see what makes this place so hot.

Adam:

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

The Truffle

If you’ve been a longtime reader of Storefront City, you’ll know by now that I’m completely into history. So perhaps it was the name of the Mayan Cherry Truffle that just said “Adam, this is for you”, or perhaps it was just because I like dark chocolate and spice. A MI tart cherry centre is infused with cayenne and habanero and enwrapped in a dark chocolate outside that completes this gem. Spicy and tart, it is the perfect adult sweet and is certainly true to its bloody Mayan heritage.

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

The Marshmallow

Like many fantastic modern inventions, marshmallows originated in ancient Egypt, when the sap of the marshmallow plant was mixed with nuts and sweets to treat sore throats. Obviously, the Pharaohs decided that it far too tasty to be merely a medicine and promoted it to a confection which we still enjoy today. Katherine Anne’s Coffee Marshmallow marries this Egyptian sweet with the Ethiopian coffee from further south, to produce a spongy delectable morsel that you will quickly finish. While slightly less powerful in flavor than expected, I imagine that this would make a nice complement to any after dinner get together.

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

The Caramel

Wonderful caramel – chewy and long-lasting, they finish most meals better than a mint would. So try the Fleur de Sel Caramel: a soft honey vanilla caramel covered in 72% cacao bittersweet chocolate and lovingly touched with a few grains of French sea salt, one of the finest varieties to be had. With a cushioned texture, botanical flavor and salty aftertaste, this is one of their bestsellers, and one can see why.

Alicia:

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

The Truffle

It was the cashew that drew me into sampling the Cascara Truffle. It’s made with cascara, the husk from the coffee bean with notes of fruit & coffee; paired with dried huckleberries from Rare Tea Cellar Inc., toasted fresh chevre, and cascara-candied cashews. Honestly, the truffle was a bit one-noted despite the complexity in its creation. Only afterwards upon investigation did I discover that cascara is known for its laxative properties and has some precautions upon consuming…so if you’re pregnant or have problems with your kidney or appendix and the like, you may want to avoid this one.

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

The Marshmallow

What better way to get your drink on than to infuse a marshmallow with some bubbly? The Champagne Marshmallow is pretty subtle, but you can still taste that sparkling wine in there somewhere. Perhaps not the most flavorful, but how elegant and fun!

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

The Caramel

I am the biggest fan of using rosemary and sea salt when cooking, so when I spotted the Rosemary Sea Salt Caramel, I was definitely excited to mix some sweetness into the equation. And boy was this one a winner! A perfect blend of sweet, salty and earthiness with the rosemary, I couldn’t get enough of this caramel, which offered a savory chewiness without getting stuck to my teeth. Which, I almost would have preferred, just to be able to taste it for longer. But alas, it was gone in a snap.

(katherine-anne.com)

(katherine-anne.com)

Final Thoughts: While known for years for their truffles, and despite the latest craze in gourmet marshmallows, the secret behind Katherine Anne Confections is actually in their caramels. And many little birdies have told us their drinking chocolate is the way to go. Obviously, this is high on our agenda next time we’re in the area, but no matter how filling that will probably be, we’ll have to order a whole box of Katherine Anne’s Rosemary Sea Salt Caramels, and maybe even a few Mayan Truffles to spice things up a bit.

P.S.: The wonders of the internet mean that you can now order Katherine Anne Confections online. So why not pick up a box of caramels or some truffles to really experience the variety that Katherine Anne has to offer.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
05 Feb 2013

Butcher & The Burger

WHAT: Butcher & The Burger
WHERE: 1021 W. Armitage Ave.

OUR RATING: Chance It!

(butcherandtheburger.com)

(butcherandtheburger.com)

A lot can be said for this lovely little spot that takes the old fashioned concept of the burger and gives it a modern twist. In keeping with the times, Butcher & The Burger allows for full customization, with patrons picking their meat (a choice of prime beef, turkey, grass fed beef, pork, salmon, elk, lentil brown rice, portobello, shrimp or bison), spice blend (everything from kosher salt and black pepper to umami), bun and toppings. All of this is served on a chopping block, which accentuates the location’s butchery credentials.

(butcherandtheburger.com)

(butcherandtheburger.com)

The ambience is old-timey and evokes an epoch where your local butcher was your friend and the burger shop a major hangout for the kids. No McDonalds back then, and a good thing too. While space is extremely limited, the coziness lends something to the experience that makes you okay with being squeezed up against the wall.

Adam: OK, I know what you’re going to say: why did you order the vegan option at a burger joint? And the answer is: it just seemed right. My philosophy is that if a place is going to have a solid menu, then the vegan option is perhaps the most important part–if you can succeed at that, you’re pretty much good all around. And boy, did they succeed!

(butcherandtheburger.com)

(butcherandtheburger.com)

My lentil burger was meaty and full, and only fell apart towards the end, which is more than I can say of other vegan burgers I’ve had. I went with the Chicago-style steakhouse rub, for a bit of traditionalism, which gave it a rather local kick. Encased in a whole wheat bun and topped off with lettuce, tomato, onion, wasabi mayo (this is great!), pickles, BBQ sauce, and goat cheese, I felt I was in luck.

(butcherandtheburger.com)

So why, you might ask, did I say you should only chance this spectacular burger experience? Well, it’s the little things. For example, on all our burgers, the cheese was a sprinkling at best, providing practically no flavor and therefore making me wonder why it was being offered. I also observed that some of the spices (such as sun fiery ghost pepper and coconut curry) were so very spicy that they overwhelmed any other essence in the burger. Such flavors need to be a little more balanced when it comes down to it.

(timeoutchicago.com)

(timeoutchicago.com)

Another issue was the price vs. size/what you get ratio. My burger cost $7.50 (they range up to $14.50 with no extras), and that included no sides, no drink, no nothing. You might argue that this is a gourmet restaurant with a special experience. The burgers are pretty good, but not that good. They should at least throw in a fries or drink, otherwise, the pretentious a-la-carte nature of the menu outweighs the homestyle cooking. I’m sorry, but you just can’t have a soup called Grandma’s onion soup and foie gras on the same menu. My verdict: perhaps go once to try it out and get a super customized burger you can’t get anywhere else. Then, don’t bother coming back.

Alicia: Yes, I went vegan too, but one of our guests went for the prime beef, so we do offer an account of an actual burger in this review. She ordered the burger medium on top a pretzel bun (which happens to cost $.50 extra, and worth it, according to her) with some other accoutrements. The burger came out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and boy was it vertical. Medium-sized patty at best, but darn tasty.

(butcherandtheburger.com)

(butcherandtheburger.com)

Meanwhile, I went a little crazy with my order. I really wanted a portobello burger, but they were out of that (disappointing), so I went with the lentil-brown rice option with their coconut/curry/honey spice blend, goat cheese, delicious dijon mustard and wasabi mayo, onions, pickles and -get this- a LETTUCE bun. All of this placed between two slices of iceberg lettuce. You’d think all of these additions (and on top of that a burger made of lentils) would be the messiest thing I ever ate. Not the case! It all stayed perfectly within the ‘bun’ and I was able to enjoy all of the tastes without muddying it with bread (I hate that). The coconut/curry/honey spice blend was the perfect level of spiciness and uniqueness without being too un-burger like. All-in-all, a win!

(butcherandtheburger.com)

(butcherandtheburger.com)

Final thoughts: We give Chef/Partner Allen Sternweiler’s place props. They’ve offered a location where foodies and those who just like burgers can both be happy. On top of that, it’s BYOB, so you can carry in your favorite 6-pack without breaking more of the bank than your burger might already. But would we go back again? Perhaps not for their normal lunch or dinner burgers, but we WOULD come back to try their frozen custard perhaps, and definitely their breakfast burgers, which cost the same as they do at lunch and dinner but also come with two eggs any style and small fries. Fancy a burger brunch anyone?

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
27 Dec 2012

Glazed and Infused Doughnuts

WHAT: Glazed and Infused (doughnuts)
WHERE: Lincoln Park Location (939 W. Armitage Ave)

OUR RATING: Do it!

Ever since those Dutch settlers introduced the United States to doughnuts in the distant past, America has had a love affair with the delectably fried treat. From Dunkin’ to Krispy Kreme, doughnuts have been a staple of the working American in need of a quick treat while on the way to work or on the road.

Glazed and Confused staff (courtesy of DNAinfo.com Chicago, Paul Biasco)

Glazed and Confused staff (courtesy of DNAinfo.com Chicago, Paul Biasco)

In keeping with this tradition, we stopped off at the pre-grand opening of the new Lincoln Park location of Glazed and Infused to pick up a free holiday treat. Glazed and Infused have four other stores: West Loop (813 W Fulton Market), Wicker Park (Francesca’s Forno – 1553 N Damen Ave), Streeterville (Rafaello Hotel – 201 E. Delaware Pl) and Little Italy (Davanti Enoteca – 1359 W. Taylor St).

It was fate for us to stumble upon this joint in our own backyard after having seen their location in the Rafaello Hotel on the night of “Sweet on Scotch,” and while also having sampled some of their mini doughnuts when visiting Topman/Topshop’s Pop Up Shop.

Glazed and Infused - Lincoln Park (courtesy of goglazed.com)

(Courtesy of goglazed.com)

This location of Glazed and Infused is conveniently located, being mere steps away from the turnstiles of the Armitage Brown/Purple Line. For the pre-grand opening, apparently, a swarm of commuters had descended upon the store (which has not officially opened yet and is still undergoing renovations) and had picked the place clean. Luckily, this gave us time to peruse an info card with all the possible flavor combinations on offer.

(courtesy of goglazed.com)

(courtesy of goglazed.com)

All items on the Glazed and Infused seasonal Winter menu are priced at $3 (except for the Vanilla Bean, at $2). Doughnuts include: Raised – vanilla bean glazed, candy cane twist, apple fritter; Cake – classic old fashioned, gingerbread old fashioned, carrot cake; Specialty – salted caramel crunch, chocolate chip cookie, egg nog-bourbon bismark; Premium – maple bacon long john, mint chocolate cake, crème brûlée. They’ve also got a few additional doughnuts on their regular menu.

When the truck carrying our long-awaited morning snack arrived, we were more than pleasantly surprised. The doughnuts were HUGE and not at all your traditional doughnut (thus totally worth the price point). These candy-cane shaped peppermint flavored gems, deliciously iced in red and white with just the right amount of space to hold on during your eating experience. In fact, we couldn’t finish the whole thing in one sitting, and managed to salvage it to go with afternoon tea later that day.

Candy Cane doughnuts (courtesy of Glazed and Infused)

Candy Cane doughnuts (courtesy of Glazed and Infused)

Our verdict on Glazed and Infused is simple: these are darn good doughnuts! Skip Dunkin’ and move aside Krispy Kreme, Chicago has a new guy on the block and we’re nuts for their doughnuts.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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