Taco Tuesday (...Wednesday, Thursday...): Biting Into the Proliferation of Posh Taquerias in North Shore Suburbia

As my big belly can attest, I like many different types of foods across numerous cuisines. (In 2013 into 2014, I published 50+ articles on Chicagoland restaurants representing various ethnicities, which I dubbed the "Chicago Dining World Tour.")

But I don't think there's any cuisine I like any more than Mexican food, and while in full-service restaurants I tend to order chimichangas, fajitas, chile rellenos or enchiladas--particularly with a dark mole sauce--I also love tacos.

Though a big fan of the ubiquitous homespun, mostly counter-service taquerias that dot the city of Chicago--and I'll cite a few below--in recent years one of my favorite restaurants has been a more refined variation.

I likely found Taco Nano (1743 Orchard Lane, Northfield; website) on Yelp and now tend to get there about once every couple months.

Among their standard tacos--ranging from $3-$4/each--I really like the Pork Al Pastor, Sea of Cortez and Adobe Skirt Steak.

But they also have a special "Taco of the Week" that usually sounds rather tasty and rounds out a trio with two of the above.

Though Taco Nano's guacamole is terrific, I usually forgo ordering it in favor of their delicious fried plantains and a cheese quesadilla.

A bottle of pineapple or mango Jarritos typically rounds out what has consistently been a delightful visit.

But more recently, I've noticed a number of other relatively posh taquerias on Chicago's North Shore--basically, north of my home on the north end of Skokie--and while I wouldn't say any outdo Taco Nano, I've enjoyed trying them out, not just to write this story.

As such, these aren't meant as ratings, or even overt reviews, as much as simply to highlight each of the places visited (just once so far, for the most part).

Located within one of the most beautiful strip malls you'll ever see--Plaza del Lago, on what was once known as "No Man's Land"--is Taco Lago (1515 Sheridan Rd, Wilmette; website).

As far as I was able to discern, none of the places I'll mention are run by the same people, but in name and menu, Taco Lago felt somewhat similar to Taco Nano.

Prices were a bit higher, and if you want 2 tacos they have to be the same kind. I got two Al Pastor tacos for $9 and also a steak quesadilla, but chips and salsa were complimentary.

(All the visits I'm referencing were of the dine-in variety.)

Also in Wilmette, but in the downtown shopping district, is The Trendy Taco (1195 Wilmette Ave, Wilmette). Unlike the others, this is a cash-only enterprise.

Even in the fonts and colors used on the chalkboard--which also had $3-$4/taco prices--this seemed quite akin to Taco Nano, but I'm pretty sure I asked and was told there was no connection.

Here too I got an Al Pastor taco--which came topped by a nice avocado salsa--accompanied by a Chipotle Tilapia taco and a Poblano Rojas, which was stuffed with peppers.

All three of these were really good, especially the poblano. For good measure, I also had a cheese quesadilla and a Jarritos.

The next place I tried, Taco Diablo (1026 Davis St, Evanston; website) is a bit different than the others in that there is wait staff, a bar and more menu selections. I also don't believe Evanston is officially considered part of the North Shore, but this was my first visit to a fairly new restaurant, so I'm including it here.

Although priced at $15 for 3 tacos--albeit with rice and beans, the latter declined by me--the selections here were the most unique and, in sum, flavorful.

Able to get three different kinds in my order, I got Smoked Brisket, Pork Belly & Chicharrons and Gulf Snapper tacos.

And I was also enticed by Pork Carnitas, Spicy Shrimp, Carne Asada, Lamb Barbacoa and Potato. (I'm allergic to poultry; hence no chicken or duck tacos.)

Along with the rice, chips and two kinds of salsa were provided. The green (verde) was one of the best I can ever recall having.

Although it also serves sandwiches--hence the name--Stacked and Folded (551 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka; website) also features a nice slate of tacos and merits being included here.

In one of Chicago's most affluent suburbs, the tacos were $5-$6 each, so rather pricey but quite delicious.

I got Braised Lamb with tzatziki sauce--so something like a gyros taco--an Ahi Tuna Poke and my cherished Al Pastor, which topped the pork with a cilantro lime cream.

Although more expensive than the other places I tried, I liked the vibe at Stacked & Folded--the staff was friendlier than elsewhere--and with several other appealing taco varieties, let alone sandwiches, I intend to return.

Lake Bluff is quite a bit north of the other North Shore towns in which I went taco hunting, but I remembered that a few summers ago I'd found a place close to the town gazebo.

It wasn't that easy to re-find, even online, as The Otherdoor (30 E Center Ave, Lake Bluff; website) not only has no taco in its name, it has no identifying signage on its facade.

If I hadn't come across it before, I likely wouldn't have revisited it now, but figured it merits inclusion here.

With three tacos for $8.85--and you can mix them, making this a better deal than elsewhere--I had a barbacoa, steak and pork belly, and enjoyed them all.

Like at almost all the places, Jarritos made for a nice beverage. There was a wide array of salsas to choose from and I appreciated being able to order just a cup of guacamole for under $4.

All in all, I think it's "bueno" that there is now quite a smattering of quality, reasonably new taco joints within 15-20 minutes of where I live.

But as something of a corollary to my North Shore taco exploration, I made a point of revisiting some more traditional tacquerias--mostly in Chicago proper--where I found the going rate for tacos to be about $1.80-$2.00 each.

They didn't have all the fancy sauces I found at the posh places, but invariably the tacos were very good and indirectly ridiculed the need to spend up to six bucks apiece.

And as a Mexican friend of mine conveyed when we had lunch at El Taco Veloz on Chicago Ave., true taquerias don't serve fish tacos; those are "only for the gringos."

So while the focus of this piece was on posh North Shore interpretations of taquerias, let me end by also listing a few of the more authentic variety. (Some of these are wait-service joints, but still inexpensive.)

- Taqueria Los Comales (9055 N Milwaukee, Niles and several other locations; website)
- El Pueblito (3941 Touhy, Lincolnwood)

- Taqueria Morelia (3943 W Lawrence, Chicago)
- El Taco Veloz (1745 W Chicago Ave, Chicago)

- Allende (2408 N Lincoln, Chicago)
- El Burrito Mexicano (936 W Addison, Chicago)
- Taqueria Uptown (1144 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago)

Their of the fancier/pricier variety, but I also really like the tacos at:

- BIG & little's (3 Chicago locations; website)

For Mass Consumption: What I Ate at the Taste of Chicago

Here's shocking news: I went to the Taste of Chicago today.

Yes, even though the Taste is smaller, shorter and a couple weeks later than it used to be, I still enjoy it, even if only for a single, sub-2 hour visit per year (at full bloom, I often went twice).

If you need a long preamble about my opinions on the Taste, and my dining strategies at it, please refer to my post about TOC from last year. Most of what I wrote then still holds true, and looking at it now, I ate some of the same things I did this year.

So while noting Phil Vettel's Taste Tips in the Tribune, which I largely heeded, here's a simple rundown of what I consumed for $24 = 36 Taste tickets:

Mongolian Beef Bao
from The Noodle Vietnamese
4 tickets
Rating: @@@@

Tortilla Encrusted Tilapia Taco with Tequila-Lime sauce and Red Pepper sauce 
from Carbon
4 tickets
Rating: @@@@@

Bhel Puri
from Bombay Spice
5 tickets
@@@@1/2

Chorizo, Frijoles and Cheese Empanada
from Beat Kitchen
5 tickets
Rating: @@@@

Rabbit Corn Dog
from Hearty Restaurant (a pop-up booth Wed/Thurs only)
5 tickets (Taste portion)
Rating: @@@@1/2

Mustard-Fried Catfish
from BJ's Market & Bakery
5 tickets
Rating: @@@@@

Watermelon 
from Dominick's
2 tickets
Rating: @@@@@

Chocolate Chip Crunch Dipper
from Eli's Cheesecake
6 tickets
Rating: @@@@1/2 (it seems to have shrunk from past years, yet costs more)

--
Just in case anyone important -- in a civic sense -- sees this post, here's my previously-created suggestion for a Chicago marketing postcard:  

The Chicago Dining World Tour: A is for Argentina

The other day I had an idea.

One that someone with more initiative than I could probably develop into something a good bit more substantive, whether a dedicated blog, a YouTube series, newspaper articles, a Meetup group or whatever.

Have at it.

The idea is this: On a regular basis—perhaps once per week but maybe just once a month—I will eat at a restaurant in the Chicago area representing a different country, ethnicity or cuisine. And without intending to post full-fledged restaurant reviews, I will likely recap many of these dining experiences on Seth Saith.

Yeah, I know, it’s not that spectacular an idea and someone has probably done it before. And even without trying to embark on a Chicago Dining World Tour, I rather routinely eat at Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Cajun restaurants.

Within the past few years, I have also visited local places serving Afghan, Jamaican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Polish, Greek, Persian/Mediterranean, Bosnian/Serbian, Peruvian, Lebanese, Indonesian, Ethiopian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Spanish food. And I’ve sampled other ethnicities at Taste of Chicago, which has led to me going to the restaurants themselves.

But it dawned on me that in the great melting pot that is Chicago, there are numerous other cultures represented in restaurants that I should try. Without yet delving too deep into research, I’ve discovered (on the internet) local places that serve Guatamalan, Belizean, Austrian, Venezuelan, Lithuanian, Belgian, Costa Rican, Moroccan, Romanian, Filipino food and beyond, plus other not so exotic cuisines like French, German and Korean.

So I should have no problem readily finding somewhere new—in local and global terms, simultaneously—to try, and while keeping an eye on sensible cost outlay and caloric intake, that’s what I intend to do.

Though I mentioned my idea to family and friends who expressed interest in accompanying some of my flavorful explorations—please be in touch if you would like to—I didn’t know when, where or with whom I would begin my world tour of Chicago restaurants.

But on Sunday, I made plans to meet my friend Dave for a movie at the Music Box—we saw Sister, a movie from Switzerland made in French; it was pretty good—and in discussing where to meet for lunch beforehand, he suggested Tango Sur, an Argentinean restaurant just up the street to which I had never been.

Tango Sur
Argentinean
3763 N. Southport, Chicago
(773) 477-5466
www.tangosur.net

At 12:30 on a Sunday, Dave and I were the only patrons in the older storefront section (there are two), so as you’d hope, the service was pretty good. The prices for entrees were generally about $15 and up, a bit more than I wanted to spend for lunch, especially in trying to diet.

So I stuck to the appetizer section of the menu and got two empanadas—one with ground beef, one with spinach & cheese, both very good—and a Tortilla de Papa, something of an egg soufflé or omelette with potatoes and onions (shown below). I only ate about half of it; it tasted fine but was a bit dry and not something I’d likely order again.

Dave went with the Churrasco—a 12-oz. sirloin that a friend had recommended—and reported it to be quite good. Perhaps I should have ordered that for myself.

I noted a few other items on the menu that I might order, likely more so for dinner. We were offered the opportunity to see the dessert tray, but this point, no pie for me Argentina.

The décor at Tango Sur—including a map of South American, a display of record albums by (presumably) Argentinean artists and a pretty cool illustration taking up a full wall (shown below)—was appealing in a kitschy sort of way, and albeit without any other customers, the ambience was quite comfortable.

I am not necessarily looking to explore countries/cultures in alphabetical order, but Tango Sur turned out to be “A” good way to begin my gastroethnic journey.

On the right occasion, I wouldn’t be opposed to going back, but for now I look forward to traveling on to another international destination in the Chicagoland area.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions—or interest in joining me, somewhere close at hand but with a worldly flavor.

--
Because my idea for a Chicago marketing piece has a slogan that seems rather apt, I'll gratuitously include it here:

Concept, design and slogan © 2012 Seth Arkin, all rights reserved

A Smaller, but Still Quite Appetizing, Taste of Chicago

Although it remains, I believe, the Windy City's biggest communal event and the world's largest food festival, in 2012 the Taste of Chicago is operating at somewhat less gastronomical proportions.

Rather than running 10 days as it has in years past, the Taste is open just 5 days this year, and not wrapping around the 4th of July. Closing this coming Sunday after opening on Wednesday, the Taste also has fewer participating restaurants. There are now just 40 food booths, including three "pop ups" that will be manned by different restaurants each day. This is down from 59 booths last year and previously more than 70. 

While I doubt the downscaling will do much to alter the aversion of folks who disdain the claustrophobic gathering of people stuffing their faces in steamy, sweaty weather, it also shouldn't diminish the Taste's appeal for those who enjoy the populist mix of people and the chance to savor favorite and/or less commonplace foods.

If I haven't been to the Taste of Chicago every year it's existed--excepting 3 years when I lived out of the area and perhaps some early years after its 1980 origin--I haven't missed many. Some years I've gone a couple times, especially if there were artists I wanted to see at the Petrillo Music Shell (Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Midnight Oil and the Stereophonics are among some favorite acts I've seen for free; $25 is now charged for seats, but the lawn is still free).

The shorter duration is likely to limit some people's ability to get to the Taste, but once there the experience is essentially what it's always been. However, fewer booths mean there is only a single row of vendors along the south side of Columbus, rather than the previous four-packs of stands down the middle of the drive.

On Thursday afternoon, this made the throng along the main drag less dense, and Columbus should be less densely packed even on busier days. The lines I experienced at the food booths were short or non-existent, but it seems possible that with fewer booths, many may be considerably more crowded on Saturday or Sunday.

But for me, the key to the Taste, on any day, is to take it casually. Although I enjoy Thursday's musical act, Death Cab for Cutie, I had no intention of making my visit a six-hour affair. I got 2 strips of food tickets ($8 for 12 tix) and spent roughly 80 minutes strolling around, seeing what appealed to me and having a pretty robust lunch for $16. I didn't even have to spend on beverages, as free Sierra Mist and Pepsi Next promotional booths adequately fulfilled that need.

In other words, I like to treat it as a nice walk with some unique food (and perhaps some free entertainment, though I didn't view any this year), rather than concern myself with the enormity of the event. So while some people hate the Taste, I love it.

My Tasting strategy also includes availing myself of "Taste" portions, which only require 3, 4 or 5 tickets, rather than the 8 or more many regular portions entail. This allows me to try more things for my $16. I also tend to stay away from pizza and ribs, which I can easily get elsewhere throughout the year, and though Eli's cheesecake is a perennial choice, the Taste is the only place I eat it.

So what did I eat? Glad you asked. (Warning: hardcore vegetarians may want to look away at this point)

Tortilla Encrusted Tilapia Taco
from  
Carbon Live Fire Mexican Gril
4 tickets
Rating: @@@@@

Slow Braised Beef (Taste Portion)
from
Inspiration Kitchens
(a Pop-Up one day vendor)
5 tickets
@@@@1/2

Pork Filled Banana Dumpling
from
Sabor Latino
4 tickets
@@@@1/2
(I also enjoy their Steak Jibarito, which I've had in past years)

Chocolate Frozen "Baby" Banana (Taste portion)
from
The Fudge Pot
3 tickets
@@@@1/2

Watermelon
from
Dominick's
2 tickets
@@@@@

Mini Chocolate Chip Crunch Dipper
from 
Eli's Cheesecake
5 tickets
@@@@@

1 ticket remaining



















And for good measure, a nice shot of Buckingham Fountain:

---
Click here for more information on the Taste of Chicago, including participating restaurants and entertainment schedules.

A Truly Scrumptious Sweet Obsession: C'est le Macaron

What are your favorite sweets?

To the eternal chagrin of my waistline, blood sugar and primary care physician, my list is rather long.

Pecan pie, chocolate cake, many other varieties of cake and pie, cookies, cupcakes, donuts, muffins, candy bars, chocolate in general, ice cream, Hostess fruit pies, etc., etc., etc.

In fact, it would probably be quicker to list desserts I don't savor: basically anything with a coffee flavor or custard filling, so no tiramisu, eclairs or the like. Otherwise, if it's sweet and sugary, well, you are what you eat ;-)

Certainly, like most people I imagine, I prefer certain desserts on certain occasions, and of course try (real hard) to abide by the adage of "all things in moderation." But I can also become rather obsessive about a certain type of confection.

Like, a couple years ago, I became somewhat addicted to cupcakes, and wrote this article which still ranks as one of the best read on Seth Saith (guess I must not be the only gluttonous slob out there).

And last year I went through a fruit pie phase (not Hostess, but rather Bakers Square and assorted diners).

But lately, there is nothing I'm liking more than the macaron.

Not the coconut-based macaroon, which I also enjoy and which Jews often eat at Passover. A rather large version of one of these, from the Bent Fork Bakery in Highwood, IL, is shown at right.

According to Wikipedia, "The English word macaroon and French macaron come from the Italian maccarone or maccherone. This word is itself derived from ammaccare, meaning crush or beat, used here in reference to the almond paste which is the principal ingredient."

So although the macaroon and macaron (essentially "mac-a-roan" with a bit of French inflection) have related origins, they look and taste quite different.

I've enjoyed macaroons since childhood--though only more recently came to know of examples that didn't come in a can--but although Wikipedia dates the French macaron all the way back to the 16th century, I've only come to know and love it over the past few years.

Since I keep referencing Wikipedia, it's probably apt that I share their definition:

A macaron (French pronunciation:[makaˈʁɔ̃]) is a sweet meringue-based confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food coloring. The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. 

It's possible that I had a macaron when I first went to Paris in 1993 or again in 2000, or perhaps at Paris Las Vegas. But anything representing an acute ancestry to what's lately become an obsession with the macaron begins with the Bouchon Bakery within the Shops at Columbus Circle in the Time Warner Center in New York City.

I've been to Manhattan many times since the Time Warner Center opened in 2003 and on several occasions have made a point of visiting the Bouchon Bakery, which was created by famed chef Thomas Keller of Napa, CA's The French Laundry, New York's Per Se and a restaurant called Bouchon with multiple locations.

The Bouchon Bakery is quite simply phenomenal and I've tried many of its pastries, including at some undefined point, the macaron.

I didn't instantly become ravenously smitten, in terms of seeking out the macaron near my suburban Chicago home, but being one of the best looking and tasting pastries I've ever consumed, it prompted some kind of gastronomic recall when I next encountered one.

Which I believe was at the Labriola Bakery Cafe in Oak Brook, IL. In 2009, Labriola--a longtime commercial baking outfit--got hailed in the Chicago Tribune for having the area's best cheeseburger at its restaurant location. So although I live relatively far from DuPage County these days, I had to check it out.

The cheeseburger is fantastic, as are the steak sliders and not surprisingly, their baked goods. Of these, my favorite is the raspberry macaron, which I most recently had just last week but initially served as my first known devouring beyond Bouchon. Labriola also has vanilla, chocolate and pistachio macarons, which are $1.25 each and tend to be of a larger circumference than I've gotten elsewhere in the Chicago area.

Now, while I can't recall whether I ingested any macarons on my first two visits to Paris, I know that on the morning of November 30, 2011, I had a raspberry (framboise) macaron--along with a jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) baguette and Coca-Cola Light--while sitting along the Champs-Élysées approaching the Arc de Triomphe.

This was from a patisserie called Paul, locations of which have existed since 1889. But other than being convenient at a time I was hungry, I chose Paul because that evening I would see Paul McCartney in concert and it seems apropos. (You can read my Paris recap here.)

The macaron from Paul, to eat on-site (they charge less for take-with items) was 3.70 euro, which today converts to about $4.86. Considering that I haven't had any macarons around Chicago for more than $2.00 each, that's pretty steep. But I do remember it being quite good.

According to Wikipedia, again, McDonald's in Paris serve macarons at their McCafes, but I don't remember having any there. There are probably hundreds of other places in Paris where you can get macarons and, if one looks, plenty in the U.S., but I'll note that there are some Paul franchises in the Miami and Washington, DC areas, as well as one I also ate at within the Louvre museum.

But what exactly is a macaron?

Diagram found on noobletpatissier.blogspot.com

I realize that I've told you where you can get macarons--and will list some more Chicago purveyors below--and provided the Wikipedia definition, but I haven't really explained why I like them so much.

Although a macaron is undoubtedly rather caloric--I prefer not to know specifics--there is something weightless about a great one. There is no sweet treat I can readily recall that provides such melt-in-your-mouth bliss.

Shaped somewhat akin to a hamburger on a bun, I've seen macarons referenced as crunchy on the outside and soft in the center, but for me, on a first-rate macaron the bun part isn't so much crunchy as flaky. And while I'm not big on things that are overtly gooey--such as s'mores--the texture is surprisingly firm, while feeling airy at the same time.

But the best way for you to know what I'm talking about is to have one. Which brings me back to citing some places around Chicagoland where you can get macarons.

At some point a few months ago, after a visit to Labriola Bakery Cafe, where I brought some macarons back to Skokie for my mom and sister, I decided to see if I could find these delectable treats closer to home.

Thanks to a great new invention called Google, I discovered that in 2010 Chicago magazine hailed Bennison's Bakery in Evanston (1000 Davis St.) as having "the best we've found around so far."

Years ago I worked around the corner from Bennison's and they're only about 15 minutes from where I live, so I was happy to pay them a visit to see if their macarons were très magnifique.

I've now done so on multiple occasions.

I don't mean for this article to be a ranking of the best macarons, a la my cupcake piece, but I haven't had any clearly better than Bennison's. Even their fruit flavors, such as strawberry and lemon, have a melt-in-your-mouth creaminess that is truly truly scrumptious. Bennison's macarons cost $1.17 each and are available in many flavors, including chocolate, salted caramel, rose, mocha, passion fruit and more.

But while Bennison's should suffice to feed my macaron fix, in order to write this article, I felt a little additional research was in order. Not just Google research, but the arduous task of actually driving to some other bakeries where macarons are sold and then eating a few (not that I recommend over-binging on macarons).

While this was not an exhaustive nor comparative survey of places in and around Chicago where you can get macarons--besides Labriola and Bennison's--hopefully some will appreciate my dedication to public service in citing the following: 

Delightful Pastries - 3 Chicago locations including within the French Market at the Oglivie Transportation Center. When I visited their location at 1710 N. Wells they had six flavors: Raspberry Almond, Chocolate, Marzipan Almond, Caramel, Pistachio and Passion Fruit. Rather than a set per unit price, the macarons here are sold by weight. Four cost only $3.42 including tax, and they were not noticeably smaller or thinner than at Bennison's, if not quite as creamy or savory.

Vanille Pastisserie - 2229 N. Clybourn, Chicago and also within the French Market. They easily have the most unique array of flavors I've encountered, including Strawberry Lemongrass, White Chocolate Leche, Chocolate Banana, Sesame, Green Tea, Earl Grey and more common ones like Raspberry, Caramel, Lemon and Pistachio. Macarons here are $1.50 each.

Fritz Pastry - 1408 W. Diversey, Chicago - Just $1.00 each, macaron flavors include Blood Orange, Pineapple, Blueberry, Raspberry, Passion Fruit, Hazel Nut, Chocolate and Vanilla. (They also had some interesting looking donuts, including a Trix Cereal donut and Pineapple Coconut.) I was told by the clerk that macarons have become increasingly popular to serve at events; being compact and colorful, they present well.

Bittersweet - 1114 W. Belmont, Chicago - They seem to have just three standard flavors--Salted Caramel, Strawberry Rhubarb and Passion Fruit--for $1.75 each, but I was told that others such as Green Tea, Raspberry and Pistachio sometimes rotate in. 

Besides the above, all of which I've personally visited and whose macarons I've tasted, some additional area venues I found online include:

Pierrot Gourmet - within the Peninsula Hotel, 108 E. Superior, Chicago

Alliance Bakery - 1736 W. Division, Chicago

La Boulangerie - 2569 N. Milwaukee, Chicago

Bonjour Cafe Bakery - 1550 E 55th, Chicago

Even these listings are not comprehensive and not intended to be comparative in their selection. For even more macaron purveyors--and I read that there's also a macaron food truck--you may want to see the Yelp page for macarons in Chicago. And if you sell or come across wonderful macarons elsewhere, by all means, leave a comment.

I'm also curious how macarons are made. Not so much the actual recipe, though I imagine others may be interested, but the trick to getting the consistency right. I asked at a couple places I visited and even put in some phone calls, but understandably the baker's hands were full. So if someone wishes to comment on that as well, please do.

Finally, for readers not in Chicagoland and even some who are, I have found a number of bakeries that will ship macarons across the U.S.

One of these is the Manhattan based:

Macaron Cafe - They sure seem to have some interesting flavors--including Apricot, Creme Brulee, Honey Lavender, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Passion Fruit and Dulce de Leche--so Bouchon might have some competition next time I'm in New York. But you can get boxes shipped in various quantities starting at $16.00 plus shipping. Ordering a box of 12 macarons for $31.00 plus shipping might seem rather opulent, but remember, they were about $5.00 apiece in Paris and this would save you an international airfare.

Yes indeed, I'm always happy to provide an important public service.

Viva le macaron!

Allow Me To Be Perfectly Frank in Annointing the Wieners -- Now on Booth Reviews

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Wait 'til Next Bear Year (and why Caleb Hanie made me proud)

Photo Credit: John J. Kim, Chicago Sun-Times

Well, except for losing to their most hated rival in one the biggest home games in Chicago football history and thereby failing to reach their third Super Bowl, this is a season of which the Bears should be reasonably proud, especially given the low expectations--mine included--going in.

And in a perverse way, excepting that it ended without a ticker tape parade, it has also been a season that should have made Bears fans exceptionally happy. Because the defining elements for many Bears fans--again, myself included--are:

1) Rooting for the Bears through thick and thin
2) Complaining about the front office, coach and starting quarterback
3) A perpetual sense of disbelief, whether in how well or how poorly the team is playing

Today's NFC Championship game, in which the Packers beat the Bears 21-14, was a pretty good--or bad--microcosm of all of the elemental emotions Bears' fandom entails.

Wearing my Urlacher jersey and watching with my friend Dave, I wanted nothing more than for the Bears to punch their ticket to Dallas for Super Bowl XLV--and I honestly wouldn't have been too surprised had they beat the Packers--yet all season I've had the nagging feeling that they weren't as good as their record.

After I predicted the Bears would only win 4 games in 2010, and they then barely won their opener against the lowly Detroit Lions in a game they should have lost, the Bears wound up going 11-5 and taking the NFC Central. During the season, friends pointed out that the Bears mostly beat losing teams, but they did defeat the Packers (in one of 2 regular-season games), the Eagles and the Jets. Yet even as they put together an impressive record, their losses included some terrible clunkers, such as against the Giants, Redskins and Patriots.

Photo Credit: John J. Kim, Chicago Sun-Times

So throughout the season, all three elements were pretty well fulfilled, as fans relished the team's solid playoff push, but--while wondering if it might be a mirage--also spent a good amount of time ripping Coach Lovie Smith, Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz, GM Jerry Angelo and on up the ownership hierarchy.

Many fans may have been satisfied with franchise quarterback Jay Cutler, who on the surface seemingly vindicated himself after an atrocious 2009 campaign, but I still found his decision-making rather suspect. He seemed to throw too many silly interceptions and, though I would be silly to say this really matters all that much, I've been disappointed with his off-the-field demeanor.

Rick Reilly's recent negative column about Cutler on ESPN.com includes too many outdated attributions to hold much water with me, but Cutler has always appeared mealy-mouthed and arrogant in post-game interviews and I've heard direct accounts about how he has been less-than-polite in his interactions with fans, even kids seeking his autograph. None of this is enough for me to hate Jay, or to demonize him, but I've never really liked him, on or off the playing surface.

Funny thing is, while many callers to sports radio after today's game are bashing Cutler and questioning his manhood for leaving the game due to an as-yet-clearly-defined knee injury, I actually think it is unfair to take him to task for that. I don't remember any other cases of him begging off the field, even in games where he got sacked on nearly every play, so I'm willing to take him at his word. What I have a greater problem with is the seven Bears' offensive possessions while Cutler was in the game, which ended in 6 punts and one interception. Plus, there were at least two throws that should have resulted in Bears' touchdowns, but Cutler overthrew his receivers. Superstar quarterbacks can't do that in big games, and in earning $22 million this season Cutler certainly has a salary to put him in that category, if not the pedigree.

Photo Credit: John J. Kim, Chicago Sun-Times

Other than Smith's stupid--and potentially catastrophic--decision to initially insert Todd Collins rather than Caleb Hanie for Cutler, I actually think Jay leaving the game was the best thing that happened to the Bears today. He couldn't get anything going and, after Collins failed miserably--justifying ire aimed at Angelo for making him seemingly the best backup option--third-stringer Hanie, pumped some life into the team, drove them to two touchdowns and had the Bears in position to potentially tie the score within the last minute of a game in which they were badly outplayed.

In fact, the 16 minutes for which Caleb Hanie was at the helm today were my favorite of the Bears' 2010-11 season. Up until then, the Bears lethargic performance today had me perpetually on the verge of posting my sarcastic Facebook comment asking, "When do pitchers and catchers report [for Spring Training]?" But Hanie kept proving rumors of the Bears' demise to be premature, bringing the score to 14-7 and then 21-14, even after throwing an interception that was returned for a 4th Quarter Packer touchdown. In a game the Bears didn't otherwise look like they had any business winning, Hanie made me proud. Although he ultimately fell short and threw a final interception to seal it for the Packers, after a "successful" season full of elements #2 and 3 above, he almost single-handedly justified my commitment to #1.

I don't know if I would want Hanie to be the Bears starting quarterback next year, and even had he pulled a miracle and led them past the Packers, Cutler probably would have been the right pick--on most levels--to start the Super Bowl (in which the Packers will now play the Steelers). But I also don't think I want Cutler to be the starter next year, although he almost certainly will be. Not because I think he "quit," but because Caleb Hanie showed far more than Cutler what may have been possible.

In fact, it's not with anger but enhanced expectations that I wouldn't mind the Bears starting anew in 2011, with no Cutler, Smith or Angelo. Otherwise, "next year," we might not even be lucky enough to get a repeat.

Today's Weighty Topic: The Best Cupcakes in Chicago

According to Wikipedia, cupcakes date back to at least 1796. So in one shape or another, I imagine that gourmet cupcake emporiums have been around for ages. But I have only been aware of trendy little cupcake cafés popping up around Chicago for about the last 2-3 years.

For the preservation of my arteries, the relative recency of the cupcake craze is probably a good thing. Because in the category of "Sweet treats that I shouldn't eat but sometimes still do," cupcakes have surpassed Eli's cheesecake, Portillo's chocolate cake, Krispy Kreme donuts (are they still around anymore?), pecan pie from Baker's Square and pretty much everything else as my gluttonous fix of choice.

Unlike the aforementioned sweets, for which I have a very specific favored purveyor (not that I refuse chocolate cake, pecan pie, donuts or cheesecake from most elsewhere), having a cupcake--and where from--is a choice predominantly based on convenience. For although there seem to be several more cupcake joints around town than there were five years ago, most bakeries have just one location and if I am in the neighborhood of any at a time that I can justify--er, rationalize--the cost and calories, I typically find the experience truly scrumptious, whether it's one place or another.

That said, there are three cupcake shops that so far rank as my favorites in the Chicagoland area. This shouldn't be taken as a comprehensive survey, as I haven't been to all that many places and at least one that I liked has already come and gone. But rather than embark on a comprehensive cupcake gorging expedition, let's consider these the best of what I've found so far--of shops visited at least twice, so as to sample a variety of flavors--and I'll be sure to update you if I discover anywhere else that truly "takes the cake."

Before my three medalists, let me give a shout out to three other cupcake bakers. Mrs. A's Cupcakes & Cookies at Old Orchard Mall in Skokie doesn't really create the same type of beautifully-decorated gourmet cupcakes as the top three, but does an excellent job with the basics, including chocolate fudge and red velvet varieties. Foiled Cupcakes is a delivery only cupcake bakery in Naperville, so you can't just stop in, but their creations were provided at a Meetup I attended and the two cupcakes I had were phenomenal. Their delivery reach is pretty extensive and the proprietor does a great job of promotion via Twitter, so keep them in mind for your next event. Although Sweety Pies Bakery is in my hometown of Skokie, I have yet to visit, but they have gotten some good reviews on Yelp and if their home page photo (above) is to be believed, they make the most beautiful decorated cupcakes I've ever seen.

But now that I've whet your appetite, and mine, here are my choices for "The Best Cupcake Places in Chicago," in reverse order (to be clear, I'm ranking establishments, not specific flavors of cupcakes):

#3. Molly's Cupcakes - 2536 N. Clark, Chicago
This popular Lincoln Park café certainly fills the bill in making delicious cupcakes in a variety of flavors. But with nearby parking often hard to find, popping in for a cupcake isn't always all that practical except for those who live in the neighborhood. And compared to my top two choices, Molly's cupcakes are somewhat small and pricey, not particularly original and on at least one visit, not exceptionally moist.

So although it's pretty hard to make a truly bad cupcake and Molly's certainly doesn't, I've had cupcakes just as good at the now-gone Chicago Cupcakes (on Briar Place, near Broadway) and would expect to find similar quality or better at other cupcake bakeries, including Phoebe's (3327 N. Broadway), which I think may be run by the same proprietors as Chicago Cupcakes. What I do really like about Molly's is that it's a comfortable place to sit for awhile and they have sprinkle-shakers with which to adorn your cupcake. And I most recently had a cookie dough cupcake that was pretty awesome.

#2. More Cupcakes - 1 E. Delaware Place, Chicago
Chicago Magazine gave this Gold Coast emporium a couple of citations, including noting their launch of a cupcakemobile, a good idea if I've ever heard one. Helped by a "15 minute loading zone" in front of the shop, which has scant or no seating (I can't recall), I've stopped in a few times now. I would have to say that More takes the cake in terms of originality, combining sleekly designed cupcakes like the red velvet at left, with unique flavors such as "salted caramel" and over-the-top extravaganzas like their version of cookies & cream, one of many varieties that feature a creamy filling.

More is clearly the most gourmet of the cupcake places I've visited, with the industrial design of their single-serve cupcake boxes rivaling the ingenuity of Apple (I've been tempted to tell the clerk, "just throw it in a bag; it'll be gone in about 37 seconds"). But despite the prevailing wisdom that it's impossible to be too rich or too pretty, I've occasionally found both to be somewhat true at More. While beautiful, the red velvet cupcake in particular wasn't quite as heavenly or unique as I was expecting (although it was certainly more than adequate). So while this bakery is excellent and well worth several More visits, at least in my humble opinion, their cupcakes can be topped.

#1. Sensational Bites - 3751 N. Southport, Chicago
Located up the block from the Music Box Theatre, this accurately-named "dessert cafe"--two of my friends rave about their chocolate caramel brownie--has benefited from my relatively newfound affinity for world cinema and I've enjoyed sampling a new cupcake (or sometimes two) on each visit.

While neither their flavors or designs are as unique or elegant as More's, they have a good assortment of cupcakes both basic and fancy, including a few with fillings. I've had their red velvet, cookies & cream, marble (at left), orange dreamsicle and a couple of others and have never been disappointed. Especially as their cupcake prices range from $2.50-$2.75, about dollar less than anything at More and most choices at Molly's. I've occasionally found their counter help to be a bit gruff, but nothing to keep me from coming back and enjoying Sensational Bites again and again (in moderation, of course).

If there are any places I haven't yet tried (or just didn't include) and should particularly know about, by all means don't keep your favorite cupcakes under wraps. As time and my blood sugar levels will allow, I'll be happy this investigation open. Preferably with a glass of milk.