Time Out Chicago's Food & Drink Awards Nominees

The TOC's 2014 Food & Drink Award nominees are released and you get to vote….. 

Best New Restaurant 

42 Grams

Cicchetti 

Dusek's Board & Beer 

Nico Osteria

Tanta 

Best New Bar 

Analogue

The Berkshire Room 

Punch House

Sportman's Club 

Three Dots and a Dash 

Breakout Chef of the Year 

Erling Wu-Bower, Nico Osteria

 Jake Bickelhaupt, 42 Grams 

Jeff Mahim, Summer House Santa Monica/Stella Barra/Do-Rite Donuts 

John Vermiglio, A10

Mike Sheerin, Cicchetti 

Best Cheap Eatery 

Cellar Door Provisions

Honey Butter Fried Chicken

Leghorn Chicken 

Spritzburger

Takito Kitchen 

Best New Brunch 

Ada St. 

Avec 

Dry Hop Brews 

Dusek's Board & Beer

Endgrain 

Best new al fresco spot

Embeya 

Gather 

Little Goat Diner

Parson's Chicken & Fish 

Sumi Robata Bar 

Best New Barbecue 

Blackwood BBQ

County BBQ

Green Street Smoked Meats

Q BBQ

Smalls Smoke Shack & More

Best New Brewery

DryHop Brewers 

Off Color Brewing

 Only Child Brewing 

Temperance Beer Company 

Une Annee Brewery 

Best New Restaurant Cocktail Program 

Bottlefork

The Dawson

Mott St. 

Nico Osteria 

Parson's Chicken & Fish

Best New Restaurant Design 

Celeste

Endgrain 

Nico Osteria 

Summer House Santa Monica 

There Dots and a Dash 

Click here to VOTE! 

Sunday Brunch at Carriage House in Wicker Park

Where do I begin about my love with Carriage House in Wicker Park? It's my neighborhood joint and I adore how the staff, chefs, and decor exude low-country Southern Charm. You know when Esquire Magazine names CH as one the best new restaurants in Chicago, this place must be really special. Time Out Chicago also awarded Carriage House as the Best Neighborhood Joint.  I was lucky to vote and be at those awards last year and celebrate with CH.

You must start your brunch with a french press and a Bloody Mary with a High Life pony. Sunday Bloody Sunday or Sunday Funday, right? 

During my most recent visit, we met friends, Michael and Jahaila, with their daughter Zoe, as Carriage House is kid and stroller-friendly. We started with an order of apple cider donuts as an appetizer, served with spiced sugar and mulled wine caramel, along side a super tasty warm press coffee. They are finger licking good!

Jahaila and Micheal ordered my favorite item on the menu and the BEST shrimp n' grits EVER.  The shrimp is a such a star dish that it is a staple on both the brunch and dinner.

Steve, my husband, and I split the garlic bologna sandwich. Ohhh Myyyy Goddd. It was served on a brioche bun, pimento cheese, bread and butter pickles, mustard aioli, fried egg. You may want to make get a checkup with your cardiologist after this one (wink, wink)! 

Other items I have ordered (and devoured) in the past are the chicken & biscuit, short rib, beignets and fried green tomatoes.  Head over to Carriage House for brunch and you can thank me later. 

chicken & biscuits

short rib

fried green tomatoes

beignets

Carriage House

1700 W Division Street

773.384.9700

Reserve a table 

Time Out Chicago Eat Out Awards 2013

As a member of the Chicago Blogger Network, I was lucky to attend the Time Out Chicago Eat Out Awards at the Terzo Piano, located in the Modern Wing of The Art Institute.   The event featured 15 awards going to the best bars and restaurants in Chicago, voted on by readers choices and critics picks.  Terzo Piano was filled with the industry's top players, and it made for quite an exciting night.  Congratulations to all the nominees and the winners and it was so fun eating, drinking and mingling with you! 

via

And the nominees and winners are... 

   BEST NEW RESTAURANT                       

Balena

Bavette’s

Elizabeth

Fat Rice

Grace

Trenchermen

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR

Janan Asfour, Tom MacDonald

and Jason Normann at Telegraph & Reno

Matt Eisler & Kevin Heisner at Trenchermen

Jerrod, Molly & R.J. Melman at RPM & Bub City

Alpana Singh at the Boarding House

Brendan Sodikoff at Bavette’s & Au Cheval

BEST CHICAGO MICROBREWERY

5 Rabbit Cerveceria

Half Acre Beer Company

Metropolitan Brewing

Pipeworks Brewing Co.

Revolution Brewing

Solemn Oath Brewery

BEST NEW BAR

Billy Sunday

The J. Parker

RM Champagne Salon

Scofflaw

Ward Eight

BEST NEW COFFEE SHOP

Big Shoulders Coffee

Bow Truss Coffee Roasters

Elaine’s Coffee Call

Gaslight Coffee Roasters

Little Goat Bread

BREAKOUT CHEF OF THE YEAR

Abraham Conlon at Fat Rice

Iliana Regan at Elizabeth

Zoe Schor at Ada St.

Lee Wolen at the Lobby at the Peninsula Chicago

Jonathan Zaragoza at Masa Azul

CHEAP EATERY OF THE YEAR

Antique Taco

Armitage Pizza

ATK

Dak

Phil’s Last Stand

BEST NEW PASTRY CHEF

Erin Mooney at Maison & Eggy’s

Mitsu Nozaki at Urban Union

Bobby Schaffer at Grace

Anna Shovers at the Publican

Katie Wyer at Telegraph & Reno

BEST NEW SWEETS SHOP

Bang Bang Pie Shop

Do-Rite Donuts

Interurban Café & Pastry Shop

Julius Meinl Coffee Bar & Patisserie

Katherine Anne Confections

BEST NEW BARBECUE

Big Bricks

Bub City

Dat Bar-B-Q Uncle John’s

Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed

Wrigley BBQ

BEST NEW COCKTAIL PROGRAM

Justin Anderson at La Sirena Clandestina

Charles Joly at the Aviary & the Office

Paul McGee at RPM & Bub City

Tona Palomino at Trenchermen

BEST NEW SUSHI

Arami Go!

Hamachi Sushi Bar

Kai Zan

Masaki

Sushi Dokku

BEST NEW BRUNCH

Au Cheval

Carriage House

Nellcôte

Township

Trenchermen

NEIGHBORHOOD JOINT OF THE YEAR

Bar Pastoral in Lakeview

Carriage House in  Wicker Park

Eggy’s in Lakeshore East

Pecking Order in Uptown

Reno in Logan Square

BEST NEW BYOB

ATK

Bistro Dre

Briciola

Kai Zan

Shaman