Yes, serious dieters, those with a sweet tooth and avid vegetarians can find fine fare at Taste of Chicago. Our team of Taste Testers recently checked out some of the offerings.
All-carb eating
Forget Atkins and South Beach. Think carbs. The best was the full serving of potstickers at Tiparos Thai Cuisine (booth 54, 6 tickets). Eight chicken potstickers, sprinkled with fresh basil and sitting in a pool of tangy, spicy sauce, are delicious–not too greasy.
Also good is the taste portion of potato pierogis at Kasia’s Deli (booth 48, 3 tickets), which were a little greasy, but piping hot and flavorful. A generous helping of sour cream on the side is a refreshing complement to the two little packages.
The taste portion of fried ravioli at Tutto Italiano (booth 27, 3 tickets) comes three to a basket with a ladle of marinara sauce. The raviolis are lightly breaded, not overly greasy and nicely spiced with herbs, a tasty treat with the tangy marinara sauce.
Less fabulous is the full portion of pad Thai at Star of Siam (booth 24, 6 tickets), which fills the entire basket and is sprinkled with fresh green onion and chopped peanuts. Although flavorful, the noodle dish is overly salty.
The taste portion of enchiladas at La Justicia (booth 3, 3 tickets) also disappoints. The solo enchilada is served atop a bed of lettuce, tomato, salsa and sour cream, but lacks flavor despite all those ingredients.
— Trine Tsouderos
Protein power
Maxine’s Jamaican Cuisine booth is next to the Dock’s booth where employees give you a cheer and/or song with your serving. Dock’s may be more entertaining, but Maxine’s oxtails (booth 16, 9 tickets) are more appetizing. Try not to think about the name, forget your manners and dig into the tender meat around the bone. It comes with rice and peas and a spicy kick.
The barbecue ribs at Fireplace Inn (booth 44, 9 tickets), a tender 1/3 slab, are just as tasty as the large slathering of barbecue sauce–a good mix of tangy and spicy–that covers them.
Hey, you’re eating food on the sidewalk, so don’t expect a five-star lobster tail when visiting Oak Street Beach Cafe (booth 45, 9 tickets). However, it is pretty darn good. The juicy meat soaked in butter and served with garlic potatoes.
The old adage, “it tastes just like chicken,” did not apply to the wild boar sausage at Grizzly’s Lodge (booth 1, 7 tickets). It tastes just like Polish sausage, with a little gamey twang.
You know those turkey sandwiches made from leftover Thanksgiving dinner? Robinson’s #1 Ribs BBQ pulled turkey sandwich (booth 19, 8 tickets) is similar. Rather than shredded turkey, the sandwich is a hunking pile of chopped turkey that is a little on the dry side even with barbecue sauce.
–Regina Robinson
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Think veggies
Vegetarian, you say? No love of turkey legs? Well fear not, there is enough at Taste of Chicago to satisfy veggie lovers.
Tops on the list is a hefty pair of samosas from Arya Bhavan (booth 52, 6 tickets). You get two of the mammoth, flaky pastries, each stuffed with potatoes, peas, coriander and other spices to create a flavorful treat both hot and sweet.
For those in the mood for down-home soul food, stop by Helen’s Kitchen and Harold’s Chicken #13. Helen’s red beans and rice (booth 26, 7 tickets) are mouthwatering while the mild, spicy fried okra at Harold’s (booth 31, 5 tickets) is perfect.
You get better-than-average hummus shirazi at Pars Cove Persian Cuisine (booth 2, 6 tickets), with yellow pepper, tomato, onion and a pita wedge. Bella Luna’s beer-battered artichoke hearts with pimento mayonnaise (booth 10, 8 tickets) were light and crispy–but it’s the mayo that makes them tasty.
— Glenn Jeffers
Sweet tooth fix
Eli’s Cheesecake unveiled their special 25th birthday edition cheesecake — an ooey, gooey, crunchy, smooth caramel concoction with pieces of pecans and turtle candy (booth 18, 6 tickets). Another cold favorite is at Franco’s Ristorante, with its hand-dipped chocolate covered marshmallows (booth 34, 6 tickets). Served on a skewer, think Klondike bar but with three marshmallows.
A group of teenagers were yelling non-stop at the Original Rainbow Cone booth, getting passersby to stop and try the ice cream/sherbet treat (booth 40, 6 tickets). The chocolate-strawberry-pistachio-orange-Palmer House (like vanilla, but sweeter) sherbet is a visual spectacle, but drip-drip-dripped in the 90-degree heat. .
The peach cobbler at B.J.’s Market & Bakery (booth 35, 5 tickets), with its cinnamon-dusted soft warm peaches and crust, would be better if the temps drop a few degrees. The flan at Taqueria Los Comales (booth 61, 3 tickets) is a good value, has just-the-right sweetness.
— Kevin Pang