Archives » Friday, October 19, 2007
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Newsweek
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Oct 19, 2007 04:00 PM
A vegan restaurant in a former butchery is one of the city's surprises.
Beer gardens, sushi bars and modern diners round out the offerings.
by Gisela Williams | From the October 2007 issue of Budget Travel
Muffathalle Beer Garden Artists, violinists from the nearby
concert hall, and families (there's a giant sandbox for kids) all meet
up at this open-air, organic restaurant. The traditional Bavarian menu
is written out daily on a three-foot chalkboard: meatballs with
coleslaw, super-size pretzels, and glasses of Hofbräu beer, of course.
Zellstr. 4, 011-49/894-587-5073, entrées from $6.
Zerwirk With its white walls, acid-green benches, and plastic
chairs, Zerwirk doesn't look like a former royal butchery--and it
doesn't act like one, either. The vegan restaurant, which opened last
year, already has a following. The seasonal menu includes a risotto
made with radicchio, wine, and caramelized pears. Ledererstr. 3,
011-49/892-323-9195, entrées from $12.
Cosmogrill A diner may not be what comes to mind when you first
walk into Cosmogrill--a huge Swarovski chandelier sparkles above shiny
white tabletops--but the young chef, Christoph Kiening, makes the
city's most delicious burgers. The late-night hangout (closing time is
3 A.M.) is known for its inventive toppings, such as a Tabasco ketchup
and a horseradish sour cream. Maximilianstr. 10, 011-49/898-905-9696,
burgers from $7.
NoMiYa Cross a sushi bar with a German beer hall and you get
NoMiYa, which serves wheat microbrews, plump maki rolls, and tapas-size
skewered meats in a tiny space decorated with antlers and Japanese cat
sculptures. The owner, Ferdl, adds to the quirky ambience: He's the one
in well-worn lederhosen sitting at the bar. Wörthstr. 7,
011-49/894-484-095, rolls from $5.
Nero Pizza The thin crusts at Nero could easily compete with the
ones on Rome's best pizzas. Patrons sit at communal tables and share
margherita and truffle-cream pies. Rumfordstr. 34, 011-49/892-101-9060,
from $10.
Cube Restaurant & Vinolounge Despite the exclusive vibe in
the wine lounge--schicki-micki (the "in crowd") sip bubbly at
cappuccino-colored booths--the idea behind Cube is that there's
something for every budget. You can order chicken satay, spring rolls,
and buffalo wings, or splurge on the four-course menu. Bruderstr. 6,
011-49/891-219-1192, entrées from $13.
Note:This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure
to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in
question before planning your trip.
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Newsweek
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Oct 19, 2007 03:15 PM
Licorice-marinated olives, great paninis and the tenderest lamb shank are among the city's favorite dishes.
by David Sax | From the May 2007 issue of Budget Travel
Coca: Since chef Nathan Isberg's tapas spot opened in December,
people have been raving about his licorice-marinated olives,
house-cured serrano ham, and Catalan-style coca (flatbread) topped with
chorizo and applesauce. On most weekends, the wait for a seat at the
bar is upward of an hour, but there's a cozy dining room with a
fireplace upstairs. 783 Queen St. W., 416/703-0783, tapas from $4.
7 Numbers: Customers at Rosa Marinuzzi's casual Italian
restaurant happily wedge themselves into a hodgepodge of
1950s-diner-style chairs set around worn wooden tables just to taste
her crispy panfried calamari--the best in Toronto. The lamb shank,
which is braised in red wine with peas, onion, and rosemary, is so
tender that a knife is unnecessary. 307 Danforth Ave., 416/469-5183,
entrées from $7. Closed Mon.
Okay Okay: Behind its nondescript façade, tiny Okay Okay is a
retro diner that does brunch right, from plate-size blueberry
buttermilk flapjacks to eggs Bearnadette (which comes topped with
béarnaise sauce instead of hollandaise). Arrive early to snag either a
swivel stool at the counter or one of the five worn-leather booths, or
be prepared to wait. 1128 Queen St. E., 416/461-2988, entrées from $5.
Closed Mon. and Tues.
Niagara Street Café: In a small converted house on a
quiet side street, chef Michael Caballo uses local, seasonal, and
organic ingredients to create Mediterranean-inspired dishes like
roasted rabbit and grilled hanger steak. An upstairs wine bar, which
opened in March, sells plates of charcuterie and dozens of wines by the
glass. 169 Niagara St., 416/703-4222, entrées from $15. Closed Mon. and
Tues.
California Sandwiches: The best sandwiches aren't made in a
Toronto restaurant but in the back of a former grocery store in Little
Italy by three generations of women from the Papa and Bertucci
families. The line of cops, firemen, and construction workers is a
testament to the quality of the veal, sausage, and eggplant paninis.
244 Claremont St., 416/603-3317, sandwiches from $5. Closed Sun.
Clafouti: When the doors of this teensy patisserie open at 8
a.m., there are always a bunch of cars idling illegally outside.
Commuters dart in for hot croissants or a pain au chocolat, knowing
they sell out before lunchtime. If you're not in a rush, you can enjoy
yours with a steaming bowl of café au lait at one of the three small
tables. 915 Queen St. W., 416/603-1935. Closed Mon.
Note:This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to
confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question
before planning your trip.
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Newsweek
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Oct 19, 2007 03:12 PM
From bohemian fine dining to gussied-up comfort food, this is where the city chows down.
by Elaine Glusac | From the March 2007 issue of Budget Travel
Hot Doug's: Corner shops throughout the city sell hot dogs
"dragged through the garden" (with mustard, pickles, relish, peppers,
and more). But the wiener cognoscenti head to Hot Doug's for haute
dogs, including those made with exotic meats such as rabbit, boar, and
gator--plus duck-fat fries on Fridays and Saturdays only. 3324 N.
California Ave., Avondale, 773/279-9550, closed Sun., hot dogs from
$1.50
Lula Café: The bohemian alternative to starchy fine dining, Lula
Café focuses on organic and local seasonal ingredients, and even holds
popular Monday-night farm dinners with purveyors from the area. They're
an incredible bargain at $24 for three courses. 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd.,
Logan Square, 773/489-9554, closed Tues., entrées from $13
Spacca Napoli: Chicagoans take pride in deep-dish, but recently,
they've discovered the crispy goodness of thinner-crust Neapolitan
pies. At Spacca Napoli, people queue up for the chance to order funghi
(mushroom) and quattro formaggi (four cheese) pizzas that are cooked to
perfection in an Italian-made, oak-burning oven. 1769 W. Sunnyside
Ave., Ravenswood, 773/878-2420, closed Mon. and Tues., pizzas from $8
Hopleaf: Leaving deep-fried fare to every other corner bar,
Hopleaf takes beer and food pairings seriously. Its mighty collection
of Belgian beers--around 100--complements a menu of moules frites (a
bucket of steamed mussels and fries accompanied by aioli dipping
sauce), salt-cod croquettes, and veal sweetbreads. 5148 N. Clark St.,
Andersonville, 773/334-9851, entrées from $15
Avec: Next to his marquee restaurant, Blackbird, celebrated chef
Paul Kahan runs a more casual spin-off that serves the kind of
small-plate Mediterranean fare he seeks when he punches out: mixed
olives, homemade salami, blood-sausage pizza, braised octopus. The
first-come, first-served communal tables mean strategic diners snag
seats before 6 p.m. 615 W. Randolph St., West Loop, 312/377-2002,
plates from $5
West Town Tavern: Good-time Charlies past their beer-pounding
prime dream of a tavern like West Town: exposed brick walls, a vintage
oak bar, a well-priced wine list, and a chef who knows how to do
gussied-up comfort food--from a cheese ball flavored with, among other
things, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and cumin,
to a satisfying zinfandel-braised pot roast. 1329 W. Chicago Ave., West
Town, 312/666-6175, closed Sun., entrées from $18
Note:This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure
to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in
question before planning your trip.
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Newsweek
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Oct 19, 2007 03:07 PM
Sample the city's rich flavor, from tapas and paella to handmade ice cream and pastries baked by nuns.
by Adrien Glover | From the December 2006/January 2007 issue of Budget Travel
Caelum
The confections sold at this candlelit café are baked by Spanish nuns.
Many of their creations--flaky almond 'moons' and honey-soaked tuiles
with sesame seeds--are on display in the corner picture window. c/de la
Palla 8, Barri Gòtic, 011-34/93-302-6993, from $2
Tapioles 53
Australia native Sarah Stothart's almost-two-year-old labor of love is
small (just six tables), secret (no sign), and exclusive (dinner only,
one seating per night). Expect Stothart, the former personal chef of
Rupert Murdoch, to describe each of the day's Mediterranean- and
Asian-inspired dishes in great detail tableside. c/Tapioles 53, Poble
Sec, 011-34/93-329-2238, closed Sun. and Mon., three courses from $36
Can Majó
Catalans put their own spin on paella. Called fideuá, their variation
is made with vermicelli noodles instead of rice. The place to get it is
at this 40-year-old family-run beachfront restaurant. Order the
"regular" with shrimp and mussels, or a fishier variety cooked in squid
ink. c/Almirall Aixada 23, La Barceloneta, 011-34/93-221-5818, $18
Gresca
The menú del día is a great way to sample Chef Rafael Peña's culinary
genius, which he honed under the tutelage of Spain's culinary god,
Ferran Adrià. The prix fixe lunch starts with a Parmesan-walnut crisp,
best complemented by a glass of cava, Spain's sparkling wine. Menu
items change weekly but could include house-marinated anchovies and
tender beef cheeks braised in rioja wine. c/Provença 230, L'Eixample,
011-34/93-451-6193, $23
Inopia
In just a few short months, the humble tapas bar opened by Albert Adrià
(brother of the aforementioned Ferran Adrià) has become white-hot. It's
standing room only, but you'll feel like part of the club, surrounded
by hipsters sharing plates of patatas bravas (home fries in hot sauce
and aioli) and garlic chicken wings. c/Tamarit 104, Sant Antoni,
011-34/93-424-5231, tapas from $2
Cuines Santa Caterina
The soaring space has an open kitchen, chunky wood tables, and a tapas
bar where specials are scrawled on chalkboards. Locals crowd in at
lunchtime for tempura, curry, and terrific vegetarian dishes like
grilled asparagus with a zippy romesco sauce. Mercado de Santa
Caterina, Avinguda Francesc Cambó 17, La Ribera, 011-34/93-268-9918,
entrées from $6
Tomo II
Teresa Vázquez de la Cueva's ice-cream shop in El Born--the original
location is in Gracia--is anchored by a circular high-tech freezer that
keeps her ice creams and sorbets at an ideal -10 degrees Fahrenheit.
She makes them by hand, so there's always a fresh batch. c/Argenteria
61, El Born, 011-34/93-319-7739 (and c/Vic 2, Gracia), from $1.30
Note:This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to
confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question
before planning your trip.
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