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Leena Eats: Trencherman restaurant in Chicago

Leena Eats: Trencherman restaurant in Chicago

The chestnut agnolotti, butternut squash and miso broth, smoked pickled grapes at Trencherman in Chicago.

Oh Chicago. How I’ve missed your food! Don’t let the Bay area know, but I secretly think your restaurant scene is the best in the country. So innovative, so delicious, and every restaurant so different from the last (something the Bay area does NOT do well). So when I planned a visit over Thanksgiving 2012, I knew I wanted to check out one of the many new restaurants that have popped up since I left in late 2009. I consulted my local food peeps, and decided to try out Trencherman, a New American restaurant in Wicker Park.

More photos of food after the jump!

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January 10th, 2013
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats, With Friends | Comments Off

Leena Eats: The Guide to Chicago food

Leena Eats: The Guide to Chicago food

A gorgeous fillet mignon from David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago.

I had the pleasure of growing up in and around Chicago, so you better believe I’ve tasted my fair share of hot dogs and steaks. In honor of the 4th birthday of Leena Eats This Blog, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of links to all of my Chicago-related restaurant reviews. So if you like to eat and live in the Windy City (or plan on visiting it soon), this guide might just be for you.

Enjoy the guide to Chicago eating after the jump!

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January 26th, 2011
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Leena Eats: Upscale Indian Cuisine

Leena Eats: Upscale Indian Cuisine

The succulent tandoori scallops at Ajanta restaurant in Berkeley, California.

See that in the photo? THAT was not scallop. That was a freaking perfectly cooked revelation from the sea, otherwise known as the tandoori scallop at Ajanta restaurant in Berkeley, California. This is a perfect example of a (sort of) new restaurant trend across the country, upscale Indian cuisine.

Technically speaking, upscale Indian cuisine can go by many names, anything from fusing Indian ingredients and recipes with another country’s cuisine, modernizing traditional Indian recipes, or using Indian ingredients with non-Indian cooking techniques. Examples? So glad you asked…

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March 24th, 2010
Posted in Berkeley, Chicago, Leena Eats | 4 Comments »

Leena Eats: Lula Cafe with my food twin

Leena Eats: Lula Cafe with my food twin

Bobby, looking pissy his cocktail has yet to arrive, and me blissful with my hot cider.

When I first arrived home from Australia, I had one thing on my mind: brunch at my favorite restaurant in Chicago with my best pal and food twin, Bobby. You might remember it from this post. I recently moved from Chicago to California, and I knew I needed a repeat. Because when you are leaving a town that you grew up in on a quite permanent basis, one needs a great meal with a food twin. Enter Bobby (Bobert, Bobby Magoo, etc.) and Lula Cafe’s Monday night Farm House dinner. Hot damn, some bitches gonna be eating a storm up in HERE! Read the rest of this entry »

December 28th, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | 2 Comments »

Leena Eats: Nightwood, Lula Cafe’s kick-ass little brother (Chicago)

Leena Eats: Nightwood, Lula Cafes kick ass little brother (Chicago)
Nightwood’s raclette with roasted vegetables. If melted cheese and homemade bread doesn’t get you excited, well, that just makes me cry. And eat your portion.

Being the gastronomic slut that I am, restaurants with unbelievably delicious food in a comfortable atmosphere are the peanut butter to my jelly, the Vegemite to my butter-schmeared toast. If you’ve had the pleasure to dine at Blackbird in Chicago’s West Loop or Lula Cafe in the Logan Square hood, you know what I mean. These restaurants are everything I never knew I needed and more. After eating there, you sort of want to spoon with the restaurant to thank it for such an awesome time. Yeah. THAT good. Read the rest of this entry »

December 10th, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | Comments Off

Leena Eats: Chalkboard in Chicago’s North Center Hood

Leena Eats: Chalkboard in Chicagos North Center Hood
Look! An actual chalkboard at Chalkboard! Yay!

Shortly before I left Chicago, I had the pleasure of dining at Chalkboard, a slightly upscale restaurant focused on local, sustainable comfort food. Fair warning–the photos do not do the food justice. I was en route to a wicked cold during this dinner, and sort of crapped out on good photography. I had been wanting to dine here for a while, especially when I learned that there was literally a chalkboard in the dining room that listed the specials, which change daily. Holla. We started off with their scallops, one of the only mainstays on the menu. It had seared dry pack scallops, sugar cured Kalamata olives, vanilla bean “mayo”, pumpkin oil, sage and roasted walnuts.

Leena Eats: Chalkboard in Chicagos North Center Hood
Chalkboard’s signature seared scallops with vanilla bean “mayo” and kalamata olives.

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December 3rd, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | Comments Off

Leena Eats: Chicago One Last Time (Cari’s Visit)

Leena Eats: Chicago One Last Time (Caris Visit)

Seasoned beef short ribs @ Cho Sun Ok. Welcome to Chicago, Cari!

One of the best treats towards the end of my time in Chicago was my good friend Cari (who you might remember from this post, this podcast, or her blog) came to visit and wanted a proper food tour of the city. Cari (whom I met in grad school) normally lives in Florida and had never been to Chicago before this trip. It was a great way to say good bye to this city that I love to eat. And also a great excuse to eat my weight in food. Just saying. Read the rest of this entry »

December 2nd, 2009
Posted in A Leena-made food tour, Chicago, Leena Eats | Comments Off

Leena Eats: Hema’s Kitchen with the Fam!

Leena Eats: Hemas Kitchen with the Fam!
Deep fried spinach pakoras @ Hema’s Kitchen. Sadly, the best part of the meal.

A few of my Indian cousins were in town shortly before I moved to CAlifornia, and we all met to dine on some delicious Indian food and catch up. Sadly, we were all also lazy and forgot to make a reso at our favorite restaurant, which means it was closed. Thus, we found ourself at Hema’s Kitchen, the Indian restaurant that seems to get a lot of press in Chicago. Then it was time to get our eat on. Read the rest of this entry »

December 1st, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | 4 Comments »

Leena Shops: Paulina Meat Market

Leena Shops: Paulina Meat Market
Welcome to Paulina Meat Market, Chicago’s Disneyland of Meat!

Once upon a time in early 2007, I decided to start writing a little food blog. One of the first places I covered? Paulina Meat Market, a true Disneyland of Meat. (It’s a bit rough, but you can read that first post here.) Now, as I am preparing to leave this great cold city of Chicago, I felt it was time to do a proper post of my favorite butcher in the city. And maybe eat a few pounds of smoked meats. You know, in honor.

Leena Shops: Paulina Meat Market
The carnivore mecca of Chicago. Genuflect now, please, or you will anger the gods of porkdom.

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November 19th, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | 1 Comment »

Leena Eats: Vegetarian! Handlebar, Visit Deux

Leena Eats: Vegetarian! Handlebar, Visit Deux
Pub cheese with ale and a whole lot of deliciousness. Seriously. This dish would make me swing vegan for a bit!

Vegetarians always seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to dining out. Especially if you happen to live in Central Illinois, where a local Subway is a luxury, and god forbid you find one link of soy-rizo at the local grocery store. Such if the case for my friends Chris and Danielle, proud residents of a cute little town called Henry in Illinois, population 2500. Read the rest of this entry »

November 18th, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | Comments Off

Leena Eats:An entire cow at David Burke’s Primehouse

Leena Eats:An entire cow at David Burkes Primehouse
Classic shrimp cocktail w/ ginger sauce and cocktail sauce @ David Burke’s Primehouse, $16 USD. Love. Shrimp. COCKTAIL! Especially when the shrimp are the size of small elephants. Mmm. Sea-elephants.

So remember that guy I married? Well, he loves me so much, he took me to eat a whole cow and a cake in a can in celebration of our third wedding anniversary. Some say the third anniversary is the leather anniversary, but my husband knows better: it’s the gluttony anniversary. And really, shouldn’t they ALL be? Read the rest of this entry »

October 14th, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | 8 Comments »

Leena Eats: Brunch @ Chelsea Grill…and is still unsure…

Leena Eats: Brunch @ Chelsea Grill...and is still unsure...
Grilled spicy sausages, one of the good brunch offerings at Chelsea Grill.

So, I’ve been to Chelsea Grill once before for dinner. It was pretty good and moderately priced, so I was pretty happy with the experience. I went again for brunch with some girlfriends, and I have to say…meh. That’s it. Meh. Read the rest of this entry »

September 30th, 2009
Posted in Chicago, Leena Eats | 6 Comments »
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