Storefront City Chicago

Archive for the tag “wicker park”

04 Apr 2013

Native Foods Café

WHAT: Native Foods Café
WHERE: 1023 W. Belmont Ave. (also 218 S. Clark St., 1484 N. Milwaukee Ave.)

OUR RATING: Do It! (Choose certain dishes)

nf6

Welcome to the small chain offering fast-casual made-from-scratch vegan food, Native Foods Café. Founded in Palm Springs, California, this establishment has locations in California, Oregon, Colorado, and of course its three restaurants in the Loop, Lakeview and Wicker Park. Native Foods Café aims to please vegans and non-vegans alike with seasonal updates of hearty dishes, desserts and homemade beverages, all inspired by the travels of their chefs. Their entire menu is 100% plant-based (and also non-dairy), including homemade tempeh and seitan, and their “Native Cheese.”

Alicia: I almost ordered the Baja Tacos, but as I’ve gone relatively taco crazy the last few days, I decided to try something else: the roasted corn and basil polenta bites. From a friend’s suggestion I also ordered the soup of the day, the Moroccan lentil soup. The soup came first, along with a small piece of toast, and was ultimately pretty good. Chunks of carrot mixed with red lentil puree which offered a bit of heat, along with some fresh ginger for some crunch. The soup was a little watery for my taste and I felt the need to add some extra heat with some ground black pepper, but all in all I was satisfied.

(nativefoods.com)

(nativefoods.com)

And boy was I glad I had ordered the soup to go along with their polenta bite appetizer, as the plate that came next was relatively small with three polenta bites served on top of some fresh arugula. Yet, despite being tiny, these polenta bites definitely packed a bunch of flavor. The basil baked polenta cakes were dense but moist, and the fresh roasted corn, basil, red pepper, onion and Native Cheese on top were a fresh and creamy contrast to the cakes. Only afterwards did I realize the cafe offered some fresh green salsa on the condiment stand, which I surely would have added to my dish. Upon completion I was a little unsatisfied as to the amount of total food I ordered for the price compared to Adam’s gigantic bowl of food, but after a few minutes digesting those polenta cakes I realized just how filling they really were.

Finally, I washed it all down with their watermelon fresca, with fresh watermelon, a touch of mint and sweetened with organic agave. It was refreshing and not too overwhelmingly sweet. I did really want to add fresh mint to the glass, which is usually on offer, but the establishment had failed to refill this delectable herb while I was there.

(nativefoods.com)

(nativefoods.com)

Adam: Veganism, vegetarianism, pescetarianism, the list of -isms is endless, and makes one sound more like they are describing their political persuasion rather than their eating habits. Here, I stuck with veganism, and added to it a little gluten free, so I was all around feeling good about my choices.

For a hefty dinner, I tried the Rockin’ Moroccan Bowl with tofu, which laid two skewers of tofu atop a heap of quinoa, and plenty of currants, almonds and mixed vegetables, all topped off with a Moroccan sauce. It seems that you are indeed embarking upon an international experience, with Asian tofu, Andean quinoa, European currants and Middle Eastern almonds lumped together, but I suspect there is very little of Morocco in this dish.

(nativefoods.com)

(nativefoods.com)

That said, it was filling and tasty, although I might spice it up a little next time, as I do like my foods to have a variety of flavors. However, the more mellow flavor might be appreciated by some who don’t like spice as much as me, so don’t see this as negative.

I paired this with their Lavender Lemonade, created through steeping French lavender in fresh lemonade sweetened with (organic) sugar. Honestly, it was a little too sweet for my taste and one must have to have a fairly sensitive palate to appreciate the lavender, which was completely absent when I sipped it. Stick to the food, steer away from this drink.

(nativefoods.com)

(nativefoods.com)

Final Thoughts: After talking to some die-hard lovers of Native Foods Café, and with our recent experience, we’ve come to realize that this vegan-friendly spot is a bit hit or miss, with definite hits in their hearty and delicious bowls of food and fresh mock meats. We’ll definitely be back to try their seitan and tempeh, perhaps their $10 daily specials, or even their dairy-free pastries in the dessert case. Pair a dish with their organic, natural and local selections of beer and wine and you’ve got a perfect match.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
02 Apr 2013

Antique Taco

WHAT: Antique Taco
WHERE: 1360 N. Milwaukee Ave.

OUR RATING: Do It!

(antiquetaco.com)

(antiquetaco.com)

In its tiny Wicker Park location, Antique Taco, from husband-and-wife team Rick and Ashley Ortiz, nestles at the corner of Milwaukee and Wood, inviting customers into its cozy, vintage space, complete with rustic long tables for communal eating and deep oak tones. It’s a cute space and somewhat ‘homey,’ and while always buzzing, still provides a relatively chill atmosphere for any type of group. A very long fast-moving line marks this place out as a popular spot with the locals, who seem to brave the sometimes inflated prices for a little bite of Old Mexico.

(antiquetaco.com)

(antiquetaco.com)

Adam: Antique Taco is simple food done well. With a purposefully limited menu of only five tacos (however, with other goods on offer as well, from your typical guacamole to more unique options such as cheese curds), you don’t have to endlessly skim through reams of paper to locate your desired dish. I thought it best to try two of their meatier options: the grilled rib-eye and chicken tinga tacos. Both were excellent, but in quite unique ways. Each order comes with two tacos and ample toppings.

(antiquetaco.com)

Rib-eye Tacos

Beef tacos are somewhat of a staple for me – if you can prepare this correctly, then you’re on the right track. Antique Taco’s rib-eye tacos, with caramelized poblano peppers, onions, cheese whiz (yes, this works!) and fresh cilantro are smoky and delicious, tasting like they just came off a roaring barbeque. The fresh cilantro was the strongest flavor in this one, but I also detected heavy spicing that doesn’t seem to discernibly come from anywhere, so I must assume that the meat was specially prepared.

(antiquetaco.com)

Chicken Tinga Tacos

But, my favourite tacos of the night were surely the chicken tinga tacos, complete with savory shredded chicken, hot sauce, queso, carrot and celery pickle, el rancho crema fresca and fresh cilantro. Spicy, almost to the point of being hot, while also exceptionally creamy, the flavor profile was somewhat hard to pin down, but at once perfectly singed and soothed the palate in such a way as to be wonderfully complex and mouthwatering. If you have to get just one taco, get the chicken tinga!

(antiquetaco.com)

Market Mushroom Tacos

Alicia: One look at Antique Taco’s menu and I knew I was going to try the Market Mushroom tacos. The two warm corn tortillas encased meaty sauteed mushrooms, crunchy salty pumpkin seeds, fresh and spicy arugula, bitingly flavorful purple onion and radish, and a smoked onion cream that cut through all of these flavors with a beautifully creamy finesse. The perfect pairing was obviously the purple onion with the savory onion cream, making me want to keep coming back bite after delicious bite.

(antiquetaco.com)

Maple Farm Duck Enchiladas

Unfortunately, the Maple Farm Duck Enchiladas were much less successful. After ordering at the register, I was notified that the enchiladas were fried, but since I had already gotten my hopes up, I thought I’d still try them. What came to the table was definitely not an order of enchiladas, but of flautas, and I felt angry and embarrassed for Antique Taco in their failed nomenclature. As I dug into the fried tortillas I definitely enjoyed the savory duck meat, but with all the accoutrements on top (cream, lettuce, etc), I failed to pick out what they tried to sell as peanut butter mole and blackberry crema fresca. Ultimately, this was a very sorry dish, and something I would never order again, as their tacos are the clear winner here.

Overall, Antique Taco is fun, and I really enjoyed the sticks accompanying each dish which identified what I was eating, as well as the fun jar of complimentary gum for a post-meal refreshment. Yes to their tacos, no to their fried enchiladas.

(antiquetaco.com)

(antiquetaco.com)

Final Thoughts: A great place to grab a few tacos, we would definitely come back here, especially to try their rosemary margarita (tequila, fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice and rosemary simple syrup) and of course to order one of their horchata milkshakes on a warm day (yet, which to choose is up in the air, as the joint offers up cinnamon, banana, almond, and vanilla varieties). Yum!

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

Headquarters Beercade

WHAT: Headquarters Beercade
WHERE: 950 W. Wolfram St.

OUR RATING: Do It!

The beer-cade. If you were a kid growing up in the 80s or 90s and you haven’t gotten in on this concept yet, you’re A) Behind the Game; and B) probably going to sh*t yourself.

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

Headquarters Beercade, located in Lakeview, offers 37 vintage arcade games and craft beers. Chicago is home to another older beercade, Emporium, in Wicker Park, but now the North Side has realized how necessary this concept is for using the millennial generation’s nostalgia to profit their businesses. Headquarters is not your average Lakeview bar, nor does it cater to the usual North Side/Wrigleyville-esque crowd.

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

Alicia: To be perfectly honest, the closest I came to playing in an actual arcade was when I went to the Enchanted Castle or Discovery Zone, where I much more enjoyed playing redemption games like Skee Ball rather than video games, partly for the physical actions required, and mostly for the tickets.

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

But that doesn’t mean that I haven’t played arcade games before, even if my memories of Dig Dug are associated with my first real PC, or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reminds me of my Super Nintendo set (which, by the way, I still play when I go home). Each of these games, however, is available arcade-style at Headquarters, and I was more than happy to play both – for free! Not to mention Pinball…the mere action of manipulating the spring launcher was enough to bring back a whirlwind of fun memories.

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

I really enjoyed Headquarters, with my two major loves being their amazing original artwork all over the place and the FREE game playing. While I completely didn’t understand why sports were playing on their televisions (yes, I understand they’re trying to hit all demographics, but this didn’t seem to fit at ALL branding wise), I’ve heard that when there’s nothing big going on in the sports world they actually do air old episodes of shows like Double Dare and the like. I don’t know…I really think they should be airing Legends of the Hidden Temple. Then they’d have me hooked for life.

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

Adam: In actual fact, I haven’t really frequented that many arcades, nor do I think I would have wanted to when I was younger. Similar to Alicia, I too have fond memories of playing arcade-type games on the old Windows 95 or Nintendo, but having rarely physically visited an arcade myself, Headquarters was a bit like a blast from someone else’s past. Not that this mattered: the games are myriad and absolutely fun, while the atmosphere is laid-back, with friendly doormen and patrons alike.

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

I got a chance to play (and complete) their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, located on the slightly raised upper level towards the front window. This is a four person game, so great to play with friends and, since it’s free, it doesn’t matter how many times you’re KOed. Other games on offer seemed extremely interesting and I’d love to return to play some more! In terms of the bar, I was slightly less impressed on this front. Somewhere between a craft beer spot and a regular joint, beers start at $6 for (supposedly) craft varieties, even though their craftiness is questionable. I would perhaps get the beer flight in future, but there’s no need to blow money on the bottles.

(hqbeercade.com)

(hqbeercade.com)

Final thoughts: A great group hangout spot, with many games available for multiple players simultaneously. On Tuesdays you can build your own flight of 5 craft beer tastings for $11, and on those days there are even Sitcom wars where they show two different sitcom episodes. Headquarters offers a sweet variety of arcade games to fill your need, whether you are a pinball fiend, a racer, a sports fan, or just want to play table space invaders with a beer in hand. A great place to bring out and really celebrate the kid inside of you, who’s just been waiting to pounce.

Posted in Do It!, Drink It!, Nightlife and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
06 Feb 2013

Silence Kills

WHAT: Silence Kills (Photographic Exhibit)
WHEN: February 1 – 25
WHERE: 1431 N. Milwaukee Ave. (inside EyeWant Eyewear)
HOST: Eyeporium Gallery

OUR RATING: Do It!

Credit: Brian Leli

Credit: Brian Leli

Last week, Storefront City dropped into the Eyeporium Gallery in Wicker Park for the opening reception of Brian Leli’s photography exhibition “Silence Kills,” which also provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate the release of his new photo and essay book, “London in a Year.”

Credit: Brian Leli (August 2011: A man rests in front of a wall painted with street art at the Notting Hill Carnival.)

Credit: Brian Leli

“Silence Kills”  tells the everyday story of a city (in this case London), which seems to prove the point that an ordinary day doesn’t exist for a huge metropolis. Documenting everything from protesters in the Occupy Movement outside St. Paul’s Cathedral, gay pride celebrants in Trafalgar Square, or a coffee shop owner in Camden, Leli’s work focuses on the people that make a city tick, and their place beside these well-known monuments of old. As such, this is a snapshot of Londoners, rather than the city, and what it means to be a member of (or outsider in) a modern cosmopolitan capital.

The exhibition is located within the Eyeporium Gallery, which is, in turn, inside an eye-wear store, EyeWant. But this isn’t your average Pearle Vision. Colorfully decorated with Oriental lamps topping display cases, luxuriant plush seats, a plethora of bespectacled  mannequin heads, and fantastical representations of the ocular variety (yes, even including a hoard of The Residents paraphernalia), EyeWant is the perfect space to host a gallery, and really peer into a different kind of retail experience.


Due to the eclectic nature of this salon-style gallery, the gallery can maintain an attractive fringe quality while not being subsumed by the faux vogue of similar galleries elsewhere. Owned by local philanthropist Annette Sollars, the gallery is directed by Carron Little, who we had the good fortune to speak with at the opening. Apparently, this little gem has represented some of Chicago’s more well known visual artists, including Tony Fitzpatrick and Marc Hauser, but we’re always excited to see galleries who nurture a variety of artists, both emerging and established.

Credit: Brian Leli (October 2011: Occupy London: a woman smokes a cigarette at the steps to St Paul’s Cathedral.)

Credit: Brian Leli

Photography often ranks lower on the scale of artistry for some people, probably because it is believed that anyone can snap a photo, while only a talented few can apply paint to canvas with even a modicum of success. However, Leli’s work seems to show us that a certain artistic endowment is absolutely necessary to capture that look of proud triumph while marching with Occupy London or a state of complete defiance whilst protesting against the bombing of Yemen. Then again, the choice to close the shutter on a mundane puff of a cigarette whilst outside St. Paul’s or the pain of illness in a London hospice, seems to immortalize moments otherwise lost, perhaps because we don’t want to remember these happenings in the grand scheme of history. By being forced to remember them through photography, artists like Leli do humanity a service that any other profession would be hard pressed to emulate.

Ravishing, didactic and insightful, Leli’s exhibit will let you explore London at your own pace, and see the city (and its people) behind the monuments.

Posted in See It!, Visual Arts 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
18 Dec 2012

Forever Yogurt’s Froth (Hot Chocolate)

WHAT: Forever Yogurt‘s Froth (Hot Chocolate) Station
WHERE: Lakeview’s Forever Yogurt (931 W. Belmont Ave)

OUR RATING: Do it!

Lakeview's Forever Yogurt (courtesy of foreveryogurt.com)

Lakeview’s Forever Yogurt (courtesy of foreveryogurt.com)

Feeling the cold and (upcoming) snow this winter? Need a moment to relax, rejuvenate and warm up? Look no further than Forever Yogurt Froth Hot Chocolate station at the store’s Lakeview location on Belmont. We love this location generally, as it is perfectly designed to mimic the interior of a CTA underground carriage, seats and all. Not too glamorous you say (we know, the CTA is rather terrible lately), but somehow it works. Froth stations are also available at Forever Yogurts in Wicker Park (1924 W. North Ave.) and the Gold Coast (42 E. Chicago Ave.).

Friendly staff will give you a wide range of options for your Froth Hot Chocolate, including the Steam Engine with Hershey’s chocolate, the Cliffhanger with Andes mint and PB Confidential with Reese’s peanut butter cups. The fun names are just half of it.

The quality of the hot chocolate is superb. You won’t see any hot chocolate powder mix or flavoured syrups here. Your steamy cup of hot chocolate is made with the pure melted chocolate of your choice along with either whole, two percent, soy or skim milk. After we ordered our chosen manner of death-by-chocolate, we took a seat as the staff created our drinks.

Froth topping station

Froth topping station

Once our cocoa was mixed and melted into our generous-sized cups, we took a trip to the topping station. If we were overwhelmed with the chocolate choices before, the toppings just blew our world. Toppings included different types of candy including reese’s pieces and butterfingers, nuts, marshmallows, various spices, and chocolate and caramel syrups. Our only disappointment was the distinct lack of whipped cream, which we hear is present at other locations. Perhaps they will order it in soon.

Hazelnut Boulevard & Abuelita hot chocolates

Hazelnut Boulevard & Abuelita hot chocolates

Adam ordered the Hazelnut Boulevard with Nutella, topped it off with marshmallows, cinnamon and even salt! Meanwhile, Alicia ordered the Abuelita Mexican hot chocolate and topped it with cayenne pepper, cinnamon, sea salt and a healthy dose of marshmallows. We settled down to a pleasant sipping that the CTA certainly wouldn’t allow on its carriages. All we can say is that the Mayans would be super stoked to imbibe these sweet treats!

Posted in Drink It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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