The January Hit List: Carlucci, Ed Debevic’s, Super Franc, and More

While Joe Carlucci had to close his eponymous restaurant in Downer’s Grove three years ago, he’s finally back with a new spot that offers some old favorites — like squid ink pasta with calamari and prosciutto-packed arancini — mixed with new plates by chef Dana Heffernan, like pappardelle with duck ragu. Tuck yourself into a cushy banquette or set up at the bar and dig into pizza topped with rabbit sausage and hen of the woods mushrooms. With the chairs, tables, and even floor tiles imported from Italy, this spot might just make you feel like you’re there.

If you’re finding it frightening that it’s 2022, take a trip back in time with a meal at Ed Debevic’s, the ‘50s-style diner that just reopened in a new location at the beginning of October (the River North location closed six years ago). Here, notoriously sassy and theatrical servers will bring you all the comfort food you need, from bacon and cheese-topped “outrageous fries” to “Ed’s mom’s meatloaf” and an old-school patty melt. Pair these gut-busting meals with a malt or shake, or go all out with a banana split. You may even get a show, too — the costumed staff is known for strutting down the dining room’s runway for an impromptu dance party.

This is the second location for the team behind brewery Forbidden Root. Executive chef Carlos Cruz directs the food program, bringing along many of the same items from the original Forbidden Root (like the duck confit with ricotta gnocchi), along with some new items that make use of the pub’s hearth, like roasted yellowfin tuna and the porchetta French dip. Even the desserts are tinged with fire (the pineapple is hearth-roasted in the pineapple date cake). Of course, it’s not just about food at Cultivate. Here, you’ll find plant-infused ales, like the Smoochies Boochies IPA with passion fruit and blackberries, and a strawberry-basil hefeweizen.

Tucked into The Godfrey Hotel, Super Franc is an airy Tuscan steakhouse offering classics, like chicken Parmesan, braised short ribs, and a black angus rib eye with garlic butter. Of course, there are plenty of non-meat options available for those looking to keep things light, like a fava bean hummus with crisp radishes, pan-seared salmon with succotash, and kale salad with wild mushrooms. Whatever you choose, pair your meal with a festive spritz (Super Franc calls itself a spritz bar, after all). While not all hotel restaurants are worth a visit, this one certainly is.

Zach Rivera, Christina Chae, and Marvin Boeving met while working at Machine Hospitality Group and decided to go out on their own to open Moonflower, a plant-themed cocktail bar in the old Hops & Barley space. Here, you’ll find all sorts of inventive cocktails inspired by their upbringing, from a Seeing Green with matcha-sweetened condensed milk, soju, and vodka to the fiery guajillo margarita. To pair with your drinks, there are plenty of big snacks, like bacon and cheddar fritters, bolo fries (yes, with Bolognese), and pimento dip. The menu is overseen by Chef Carlos Cruz — the same guy as Cultivate, above! And keep an eye out: The crew is slated to open another cocktail bar/speakeasy downstairs later this winter.

If you feel like you may never see Paris again, get yourself over to Soif, a new French wine bar by restaurateur Aldo Zaninotto that sits beneath his restaurant, Testaccio. The candlelit space, inspired by Zaninotto’s many trips to France, is small and cozy with an exclusive speakeasy feel. (Make sure to get a reservation before dropping in.) Once you’re there, unwind in a red velvet chair and quench your thirst with a French wine paired with gougeres, a selection of caviar, and conservas.

Henry Cai’s original plan was to open a restaurant called 3 Little Pigs where he could sell smoky barbecue ribs, saucy char siu, and fried rice with three types of pork. Unfortunately, the pandemic had other plans. So he started small, cooking up fried chicken sandwiches, noodles, skewers, and dumplings. But word got out and soon his DMs were packed with orders. Now he finally has a spot in Humboldt Park offering carry-out (and delivery soon), where he’s building up to his full menu — waiting on renovations and more cooking equipment. As you await 3 Little Pigs getting on delivery platforms, you can still DM Cai for barbecue pork belly skewers, the salt-and-pepper chicken sandwich with shrimp chips, and crab rangoon. And with a little patience, smoked barbecue meats will definitely be in your future.

From the team behind Community Food + Wine, Gather has been racking up the awards since it opened in 2012. Diners come to watch chef Ken Carter at the kitchen counter putting together uovo raviolo with white truffle butter, Korean barbecue short ribs accented with crunchy rice noodles and sesame seeds, and pan-roasted salmon surrounded by everything-spiced spaetzle. (Of course a spot at the bar or the tufted leather banquettes aren’t bad either.) Like the name suggests, many of the dishes here are meant to be shared with your gathering group, but you probably won’t want to share your dessert, especially if you order the dark chocolate banana brownie. Just a hunch.

Bazaar Meats and Bar Mar, both located in the Bank of America Tower on the Chicago River, are the brainchildren of Jose Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup and the Gibsons Restaurant Group. Bar Mar is the seafood spot, offering a raw bar and small plates in a sprawling 200-seat dining room complete with a massive octopus sculpture overhead. Head upstairs to Bazaar Meats for, you guessed it, a lot of meat, including a whole suckling pig and wagyu striploin cooked in a Spanish Ipsor oven.

To reserve, call 312-820-6601.

You can find both Sicilian and Chicago tavern-style pies at Ayo, a new grab-and-go spot by Eldridge Williams, Chris Scardina, and Chef-partner Christian Sia (it’s one of the only minority-owned pizzerias on the North Side). Along with their pizzas, Ayo delivers on cold weather comfort with garlic knots made from fried croissant dough, croquettes stuffed with smoked mozzarella, and black and white whoopie pies with mascarpone filling. If you’re having trouble choosing your meal, go for the eponymous pie topped with mortadella, ‘nduja, scamorza, and pistachio mascarpone cream. And if you still have room, pick up sweet potato tiramisu for later.

For more information, visit ayopizza.com

From January 7 through April 1, Esmé is offering a special menu called “Peculiar Contract, Perfect Light” in collaboration with Chicago-based photographer and videographer Paul Octavious. The 12-course tasting menu will be inspired by Octavious’s 12-piece exhibition on display at the restaurant throughout the menu’s run. Proceeds from the event will go to HugsNoSlugs, a not-for-profit foundation whose mission is to foster a happy and healthy childhood for children in the Chicago area.