Edible Chicago Winter 23-24 Issue No. 2 by ediblechicago

edible

CHICAGO

SIMON'S TAVERN A 90-Year Legacy of Nordic Tradition

CONTENTS Winter 2023/2024

On the Cover: The Great Gatsby, Scott Martin's dog, is a regular at Simon's Tavern. (see feature page 12). Photo: Laura Scherb 2 | EDIBLE CHICAGO WINTER 2023/2024

Letter from the Publisher

Edible Chicago's Holiday Gift Guide

Farming Never Stops: The Importance of Shopping Local in the Winter

Recipe: Gemelli with Short Rib Ragu Adapted from The Lula Cafe Cookbook by Jason Hammel

Liquid Assets: Cold Weather Cocktails with Judson & Moore

Simon’s Tavern: A 90-Year Legacy of Nordic Tradition, Glögg, and the Mission to Preserve Andersonville’s Historic Idetity

One Fair Wage: Modeling the End of Subminimum Wage for Chicago’s Tipped Workers

Beyond Dim Sum: Rediscovering Chicago's Evolving Chinatown Culinary Scene

Edible for Kids™ created in partnership with Barefoot Books, Inc.

Recipe: Mastering Makloubeh

Second Bite: Austin Eats

This page: Nine Bar in Chinatown. Photo: Megan Marshall ediblechicago.com | 1

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

I edible CHICAGO Winter 2023/2024

PUBLISHER and EDITOR IN CHIEF Megan Marshall COPY EDITOR Megan Ashley ADVERTISING info@ediblechicago.com PRINT DESIGN AND LAYOUT Bruce Cole CONTRIBUTORS

Bob Benenson Chelsea Hammersmith Dario Durham Elena Wallace Laura Scherb Sara Faddah Xiao Faria daCunha Contact Us Edible Chicago PO Box 47045 Chicago, IL 60647 info@ediblechicago.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions and supporting memberships are available starting at $45 annually. Learn more at ediblechicago.com/ subscribe-to-edible-chicago Edible Chicago is published quarterly and distributed throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher. ©2023. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us. Thank you.

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am far too late getting to my publisher's note for this issue (sorry, Bruce!) but it’s not my favorite time of year for reflection. Too many decisions to make, too many plans and to-do lists, end of quarter goals, so on and so forth. Not to mention, as we continue to face the dire realities of the climate crisis and ongoing global conflicts - my computer and I react as two like poles of magnets being pushed together. But despite it all, I’ve found these words by poet and playwright Nikita Gill floating around social media the past few weeks to be both grounding and inspiring: “Everything is on fire, but everyone I love is doing beautiful things and trying to make life worth living, and I know I don’t have to believe in everything, but I believe in that.” So, that’s what fills the pages of this issue. Beautiful things. Stories of farmers, activists, chefs, and neighbors making Chicago a city worth living in. A celebration of community in the harshest season of the year. Learn the history of Simon's Tavern, a beacon of Nordic tradition in Andersonville. Delve into the crucial conversations surrounding the sub-minimum wage for Chicago’s tipped workers. Be inspired for your next visit to Chinatown after "Beyond Dim Sum: Rediscovering Chicago's Evolving Chinatown Culinary Scene," as Xiao shares their recommendations for businesses attributing to the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of the neighborhood. Last but certainly not least, we share comforting recipes perfect for any gathering, big or small. Hot Toddy’s from Judson & Moore, Gemelli with Short Rib Ragu from Jason Hammel’s debut cookbook, and one family’s take on a Middle Eastern staple, Makloubeh. Now, I thought a lot about the reasons I shouldn’t put a dog on a bar stool on the cover of this issue - but Spritz, my Aperol inspired companion, insisted. And in the spirit of beautiful things - is there anything more breathtaking than bellying up to the bar next to such a character? What else is beautiful to me right now? Each of you, the readers. The rallying around our relaunch has been so encouraging. We are here uplifting the makers, producers, and innovators building a more resilient and sustainable food system in Chicago and I’m thankful for your support. Welcome to our new advertisers, subscribers, and to sign on to do the same visit ediblechicago.com. Megan Marshall (she/her) Publisher and Editor-in-Chief megan@ediblechicago.com

Restaurant • House Made Pasta • Wine Bar

2824 West Armitage Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 661-1582 info@osterialanghe.com ediblechicago.com | 3

EDIBLE FINDS

Gift Guide Chicago-made gifts at the top of our list this season!

Shameless plug for your favorite local food magazine! Gift subscriptions, totes, and more at ediblechicago.com

Single origin teas sourced with environmental and financial sustainability in mind?! Gift sets available at volitiontea.com Photo: Volition Tea

Check out Laura Scherb's (@pageandplatestudio) guide to vintage props and gifts around Chicago at ediblechicago.com Photo: Laura Scherb

Bronzeville Winery's Black Card wine club offers monthly selections highlighting Women, Minority and African American owned labels among other perks and exclusive access. Sign up at bronzevillewinery.com/memberships. Photo: Bronzeville Winery

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With ingredients sourced from local, organic Midwestern farmers, Koval's Cranberry Gin Liqueur is a classic for a reason.

Jason Hammel's debut cookbook, The Lula Cafe Cookbook: Collected Recipes and Stories, is the no-brainer gift for any cookbook collector this holiday season. Photo: Phaidon Press

When in doubt? Gift Box! All Together Now offers incredible bundles of in-house and Chicagomade snacks and housewares. Photo: All Together Now

@ediblechicago Find more at ediblechicago.com ediblechicago.com | 5

WINTER MARKETS

Farming Never Stops The Importance of Shopping Local in the Winter By Elena Wallace Photos by Tess Graham

Left and above: Green City Market’s indoor market in Avondale features a wide variety of fresh produce, local prepared food, and plenty of familiar faces from the outdoor market season.

washing and packing. This is my sixth year growing commercially, so I love to take the winter months as time to be creative. I’ll find seeds that sustain colder weather, or vegetables that can grow at different latitudes. We’re just trying to push the boundaries on what we can do during the colder months.

Produced in partnership with Green City Market

armers’ markets have long been a staple of spring and summer fun, encouraging folks to connect with the community that’s right outside their door. Farmers spend seasons of labor sourcing, growing, harvesting, transporting and selling their produce to these markets. And folks who are more than happy to enjoy fresh fare in the warm weather. But what happens when the months turn cold? Green City Market connected with one of the local vendors who will participate in its indoor market, GCM Avondale, starting December 2. Marcial Kajer of Kajer’s Greens chatted about what farming looks like in the winter, his experience with indoor farmers’ markets, and the importance of continuing to shop local during the colder months. Elena Wallace (EW): Let’s start with what kind of products you grow in the winter months —any favorites? Marcial Kajer (MK): We grow spinach, kale, chard and also microgreens during the winter. We do a lot of storage crops

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EW: Hopefully you bring that creativity to

the indoor markets! Speaking of, what’s been your experience with Green City Market’s winter Avondale market? MK: This will be my first year, and I’m a huge supporter of any local farmers’ markets that continue on into the winter. I’m excited to see what comes up, especially with the weekly —instead of biweekly—schedule. like squash, onions, beets and radishes. And then we also do frozen meats like chicken. For me, my favorite is the chard. I haven’t done it in previous years! EW: Greens during winter are so important. In your opinion, why is it also important for shoppers to keep supporting local food producers during the winter months? MK: This one cuts deep because we had actually been trying to figure out winter selling for the past four years … so being a part of Green City and having

a community that wants to support local people is huge. Especially because real farms never stop. We’re in our third year of going year-round, and the ability to feed a community, and have them show up to local markets and appreciate what we’re doing is great motivation. EW: Do your growing processes change during the colder seasons? MK: We still harvest our greens weekly. I’m not typically planting during this time, but harvesting is a full process, especially

EW: How do you think the switch from a

biweekly to weekly schedule will impact your business? MK: I think it will impact it positively. Who eats every other week, you know? EW: Exactly. MK: For farmers who harvest every single week and for people who need produce

but whose schedules don’t always align with the market’s, having consistent weekends is going to be good!

EW: We’re giving people no time to miss you all this year! What’s your favorite part about winter farmers’ markets? MK: I love the fact that everyone at the winter market is an entrepreneur. A lot of farmers and people who show up to these markets are hustling. You know, they’re often chefs or cooks—and no matter what they’re doing, they’re just here because they love it. They need that outlet, whether to grow a business or to just have a conversation with another person. EW: Well we love that people get to meet

the farmers who grow their food all year round; that connection is really unique.

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Marcial! We’ll see you in at the winter market. MK: Thank you for having us! The Green City Market indoor season will take place in Avondale at 3031 N Rockwell Street, Chicago, IL. 60618. The market begins December 2, running every Saturday from 8 a.m - 1 p.m. through March 23, 2024. GCM Avondale will be closed on December 23 and December 30. Visit greencitymarket.org and subscribe to GCM’s e-newsletter for updates on vendors and market hours.

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GEMELLI with SHORT RIB RAGU

NOTABLE EDIBLE

uch like the vongole at Lorenzo’s, I’ve often wanted to serve my grandmother’s ragu at Lula. Evelyn cooked a slow-simmered Sunday “sauce” full of short ribs, meatballs, and pork sausage, always enough for both my family and my aunt’s family down the street. Like so many Italian-Americans, I have visceral memories of what it was like to walk into my grandmother’s narrow galley kitchen with the cauldron gurgling beastlike and crimson red over two back burners, rafts of pork fat and olive oil pooling on the surface. As it simmered over the course of a day, the colors of the tomato caramelized and deepened, staining the oil nearly black. An undercounter radio would play the Dean Martin standards that my grandparents danced to at the Italian-American club on Saturday nights. The times I’ve tried to recreate the recipe, despite the way the kitchen begins to smell like hers, the flavors never return. Like a photograph, my recipe for her sauce so close to real, yet is no substitute for the memory. From what was. One winter we tried a different direction with the short rib ragu, incorporating more rosemary, bay leaf, even a little cinnamon. We start the recipe by coating the short ribs in a rub of herbs, tomato paste,

INGREDIENTS

Large pinch red chile flakes 4 cups (15 oz/420 g) pasta, cooked to al dente

2 lb (900 g) short ribs, trimmed

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon black pepper

Lemon juice, to taste

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley

2 anchovies, finely minced

1⁄4 cup (21⁄2 oz/65 g) Ricotta

2 teaspoons minced rosemary, plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped, to garnish

Parmesan, for grating

1⁄4 cup (2 fl oz/60 g) + 2 tablespoons olive oil 11⁄2 oz (45 g) pancetta 1⁄2 onion (31⁄4 oz/110 g), minced 1 carrot (4 oz/120 g), minced 1 stalk celery (11⁄2 oz/45 g), minced 4 cups (2 1⁄4 lb/1 kg) canned (tinned) whole San Marzano tomatoes, passed through a food mill Scant 1⁄4 cup (13/4 fl oz/50 g) red wine 1 bay leaf

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Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon tomato paste

By Jason Hammel Photo by Carolina Rodríguez

and anchovy, which my grandmother would have never thought to do. I love the way anchovy sharpens the woodsy pine of the rosemary, intensifies the browning of the ribs. We topped the dish with ricotta, a dollop which melts into the sauce as you eat. When I was a kid I’d sneak into the kitchen late at night to eat cold bites straight from the plastic container, hunting for morsels of short rib with my fingers. This recipe makes extra for those moments of late-night searching.

Small pinch ground cinnamon 1⁄4 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed

Spruce Oil, for drizzling Salt DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Rub the short ribs with pepper, garlic, anchovies, minced rosemary, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of salt, and place it on a sheet tray (rimmed baking tray) with the pancetta. Add enough water to cover the meat by a 1⁄4 inch (5 mm). Place the tray in the oven and roast until

caramelized, approximately 30 minutes. Do not turn the ribs.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, celery, and remaining olive oil in a small sauce pot, cooking over very low heat until tender, about 25 minutes. Do not brown.

Remove to a blender and purée, then transfer the purée to a large stock pot with the tomatoes and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the short ribs and pancetta from the oven and add to the tomato sauce. Using a flat-edged wooden spoon, scrape any caramelized bits from the sheet tray directly into the sauce. Add the red wine, bay leaf, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and chile flakes, then reduce the heat and simmer until the short ribs are so tender that they fall apart with the simple prod of a fork, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the meat, shred, then return to the sauce. Bring a pan of water to the boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan of short ribs (reserve the pasta water) and continue to simmer for 1 minute, to meld the flavors

together. Add the butter, lemon juice, parsley, and a splash of pasta water. Toss to combine and season with salt.

Plate and top with the ricotta in the center. Grate the Parmesan over, then garnish with rosemary and a drizzle of spruce oil. ediblechicago.com | 9

LIQUID ASSETS

Cold Weather Cocktails with Judson & Moore By Bob Benenson | Photo: Judson & Moore

udson & Moore stands out as one of the Chicago region's newer distilleries, capturing attention quickly with its four varieties of finely crafted whiskey since its launch in mid-2022. Situated in a former leather tannery at 3057 N. Rockwell Street in the Avondale neighborhood, the distillery plays a key role in the Rockwell on the River complex. This complex includes an event space, Metropolitan Brewing, Metropolis Coffee Roasters, and Soul and Smoke barbecue restaurant. Upon entering Judson & Moore, you find yourself in the tasting room, adorned with tables and an extended bar. Whether the weather is chilly or not, you might be tempted to order a Hot Toddy or Hot Cider, and the recipes for these delightful beverages are shared below. The owners, Collin Moore (head distiller) and Elise Bergman (hospitality focus), are a married couple who have managed to create a welcoming atmosphere despite facing

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substantial challenges. These challenges include a fire just after securing the property in 2015 and the tragic death of Elise's father, Judson, a partner in the project, in a 2019 auto accident. Then came COVID, which delayed the opening. However, Moore views it as a bit of a blessing in disguise. The couple decided to focus on aged whiskeys, omitting clear spirits like vodka, gin, and white whiskey, which many new distilleries produce to get products into consumers' hands quickly. "We needed a good couple of years anyway," Moore explained. "So it's like, well, let's just lay down as much whiskey as we can and let it age, and we will go to market when we can." Judson & Moore welcomes the public on Thursdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Distillery tours are also available.

HOT TODDY

HOT CIDER

1-1/2 oz. Judson & Moore (recommended) Single Malt Whiskey 3/4 oz. Ginger honey syrup (2 parts ginger juice, 1 part honey, 1 part hot water) 3/4 oz. lemon juice 5 oz. hot water

1-1/2 oz. Judson & Moore (recommended) Rye Whiskey 1/2 oz. lemon juice 5 oz. Ellis Family Farms (recommended) apple cider Stir and garnish with orange peel.

Stir together and garnish with candied ginger and garnish with lemon peel.

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LIQUID ASSETS

SIMON'S TAVERN A 90-Year Legacy of Nordic Tradition, Glögg, and the Mission to Preserve Andersonville’s Historic Identity Story and Photos by Laura Scherb

here aren’t a lot of perks to living in a place like Chicago during the cold, hard winters, but Simon’s Tavern in Andersonville is one of them. Simon’s is the type of place that you know deep down in your gut will be good for you on a cold day: dark, warm, older than almost any other institution on the street. Steeped in legends of eras bygone and the smell of glögg cooking in a stock pot large enough to bathe a small child, Simon’s has been standing guard against the cold winters of Chicagoland since 1934. Owner Scott Martin knows full well the importance of Simon’s legacy—and of the famous glögg that the tavern serves every winter. His recipe has been well-honed over the decades, as has his sense of responsibility as a steward of Andersonville’s history. “That’s the magic of what we do,” said Martin. “This place hasn’t changed that much in 90 years. It’s all the original woodwork, all of the original coolers—we’re still working with the original things from 1934.” Martin has lived in Andersonville all his life. He is now the owner of some of the last remaining Swedish businesses on the street—Simon’s, of course, and Svea Restaurant, which he bought from owner Kurt Mathiasson, who founded the Swedish Heritage Museum. According to Martin, as Mathiasson was battling cancer, he approached Martin to take the helm and maintain his legacy in the same way Martin had done for the Lundberg family, who originally owned Simon’s. Left: Simon's iconic sign features a fish drinking a martini.

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Photos on the wall at Simon’s show snapshots of a neighborhood that no longer exists: parades with float after float celebrating Swedish heritage, giant Swedish flags, and groups of men holding signs for the Tavern Owners Association. It’s easy to tell from the way Martin reels off the names of businesses long shuttered and families who moved away that the old neighborhood looms large in his memory. “There were Swedish bakeries everywhere. When you walked through the streets, you would smell butter, sugar, and cardamom. I have amazing memories of what that was like, living in a neighborhood where people were still so tied to their homeland,” said Martin. As Swedish families began to assimilate and move to other areas, Andersonville hit hard times and then gradually built itself back up. It was around then, in 1994, that Martin bought Simon’s from Roy Lundberg, the son of the eponymous Simon. From behind the original wooden bar, Martin has watched the neighborhood change again since the 90s. With Sweetgreen on the corner a few blocks down, rents rising steadily, and local businesses disappearing, it seems the neighborhood is on the brink of yet another change in identity. As leases come up for legacy businesses, owners are finding it difficult to meet the rents that landlords have come to expect when dealing with corporate clients. Down the block from Simon’s, a Taco Bell Cantina is under construction, a prominent reminder of another blow to the neighborhood’s ediblechicago.com | 13

LIQUID ASSETS

Vintage photographs of Andersonville adorn the walls of Simon’s.

Martin mixes his signature aromatic blend and prepares the seasons first glogg. He estimates that during Simon's busiest month in 2022, they went through 3,000 gallons of their signature drink. 14 | EDIBLE CHICAGO WINTER 2023/2024

local spirit. “That’s when you need the public demonstration— something of a staple at Simon’s. Martin has been brewing neighbors asking them please not to move in and take that it since 1994, and what started as a 70-gallon endeavor has space. I mean, what about this place?” said Martin, gesturing become a tradition of thousands of gallons. “It gets insane to the bar where his dad brought him for his first beer. A in here. Everything is sticky, and it smells like Christmas. fruitless petition signed by over 2,400 Chicago residents It’s a great time,” said Martin. His winter brew, which is sold starting on Thanksgiving circulated last year requesting that aldermen deny permits to the chain. Now, residents have resorted to writing letters eve, is the best-known version, featuring raisins, cinnamon in hopes that a liquor license will be denied, leaving space for sticks, cardamom, cloves, orange peels, almonds, and port taverns like Simon’s to continue their role as neighborhood wine, along with a few secret ingredients (including the watering hole. aromatics from the previous year’s brew). It’s a recipe that Martin, biased though he may be, knows the value of a he’s honed over the years to pay homage to the distinctly bar like Simon’s. “Our beautiful responsibility is to serve the Nordic tradition, but one that varies from family to family: person walking through that door, whatever they’re getting “I’ve had little old ladies bring in a jar of their glögg to tell me away from or coming to find. When they come here, it’s a how glögg should be made,” laughed Martin. time of recreation. Our responsibility is to serve them where For Martin, the yearly fundraiser that Simon’s hosts they are. That’s what we’re for, neighborhood bars.” to benefit the Ebenezer Lutheran Church shows off what Despite the construction down the street, busy season is neighborhood bars offer that chains never could: “We’ll approaching at Simon’s, where I spent an afternoon watching have 120 people in here, arm in arm, singing Silent Night Martin brew the first batch of his secret recipe for glögg and drinking glögg. You could hear a pin drop. It doesn’t (pronounced glug). A mulled wine of sorts, glögg has become happen in any other bar.” e ediblechicago.com | 15

Left: Alderperson Jessie Fuentes, sponsor of the One Fair Wage ordinance, with leaders of Chicago’s One Fair Wage movement. Photo by One Fair Wage. Above: Daisies, Photo by Neil Burger.

One Fair Wage

Modeling the End of Subminimum Wage for Chicago’s Tipped Workers By Chelsea Hammersmith

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ipping’s nearly 180-year legacy in the United States is coming to an end — at least in Chicago. The city joins Los Angeles as one of two U.S. cities to do away with subminimum wages, as well as seven states. On October 6, 2023, the Chicago City Council passed the One Fair Wage ordinance, kicking off a five-year transition to phase out subminimum wages for tipped workers. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938—the same federal law that outlawed child labor and created the right to a minimum wage—allows employers to pay subminimum wages to employees who receive tips, so long as they earn at least the standard minimum wage once tips are added in.

Compensation for tipped workers can vary wildly due to the type of restaurant, the nature of the shift, or the whims of the patrons. A 2020 report conducted by One Fair Wage found that more than 80% of tipped workers saw a decline in tips during the early months of the pandemic, while more than 40% reported an increase in sexual harassment from customers. The practice also has explicit ties to slavery. After abolition, Black Americans primarily had access to jobs as hospitality workers, or worked as sharecroppers. Many employers would not pay service workers under the condition that guests would offer a small tip instead. Starting July 1, 2024, Chicago’s tipped workers “such as restaurant servers, bartenders, bussers and runners” who currently earn a subminimum wage of $9.48 per hour will see their wages increase by 8 percent per year until it reaches Chicago’s standard minimum wage of $15.80 in 2028,” according to the Mayor’s press office.

Daisies

Well before the ordinance passed this fall, some Chicago restaurants were already experimenting with more equitable pay structures. Daisies, a “vegetable-driven and pasta-focused” restaurant in Logan Square, implemented a 25% service charge for dine-in customers in 2020 that enabled them to raise every employee’s wage above the standard minimum wage.

Prior to the pandemic, Daisies had a 5% service charge that helped the restaurant pay for employee’s healthcare. In 2020, their business model changed dramatically in response to pandemic shutdowns, reorienting workers towards executing takeout orders and operating the local grocery and ready-toeat market created inside the restaurant. “We were left with a lot of management and a lot of kitchen people who typically are not able, by law, to participate in tips,” said Executive Chef and Co-Owner, Joe Frillman. Legally, tips cannot be redistributed to managers and until the Fair Labor Standards Act was amended in 2018, tip pools also could not benefit kitchen or back of house staff. In many cases, tip pools still exclude back of house workers. “We needed another way to distribute this money to the people who were actually in the building,” said Frillman. Five percent of Daisies’ 25% service charge is reserved by ownership to pay for employee benefits including healthcare, paid time off, and 401(k). After that, the server retains the majority of the service charge and the remainder is allocated to other front and back of house positions. “The model’s been embraced by kind of everybody. Yeah, we are taking some of the servers’ ‘tips,’ if you will, and redistributing them, but they also get paid a higher hourly wage—so it should compensate and help them get back to where they were previously, if not more,” said Frillman. He continued that compenediblechicago.com | 17

sation for servers ranges from $40-65 per hour which matches pre-pandemic wage ranges. Frillman cites their compensation model as a possible reason why Daisies never experienced a staffing shortage, even during the worst of the labor shortage that’s been plaguing the restaurant industry over the last few years. Daisies’ service charge is only in effect for dine-in dinner service, and it essentially guarantees a 20% gratuity per table. Frillman says the policy helps them avoid situations where “the guest is essentially punishing whoever’s working for various circumstances that sometimes might just not be within their control.” The restaurant industry is infamous for its already razor-thin margins, and many detractors of the One Fair Wage legislation are citing concerns around the feasibility of this change for business owners. Frillman noted, “Technically, it costs the business more money up front. But for us, we’ve Above: Executive Chef and owner of Daisies, Joe Frillman. Photo by Neil Burger / Daisies seen dividends in terms of staff retention, job security, satisfaction, etc. around its workers’ wages. As Frillman remarked, “The retort to We still have a handful of people who have been with us since day us commonly is, ‘Why don’t you just raise the price of everything one, and we’re on year seven.” by 25%?’ What it comes down to is this: Until the entire industry Restaurants are also highly vulnerable to price sensitivity is regulated in some way, we’re going to continue to apply the from customers, and educating guests about what service charges service charge.” mean has been an uphill battle. According to Frillman, while guest feedback was “overwhelmingly positive,” some guests were initially Middle Brow Meanwhile, Middle Brow — another Logan Square spot that dismayed by what they perceived as a ‘secret fee’ being attached to their bill. “What we’ve realized is we have to be extremely up specializes in pizza, bread, beer, and now natural wine — has been doing its own experimenting regarding compensation. When front,” Frillman explained. To ward off any surprises at the end of a meal, Daisies works Middle Brow opened in 2019, the business started with a traditional to get the information to customers ahead of time–in part, via tipped minimum wage of $6.25 per hour, instituted a tip pool that an explainer that pops up on their website and a tabletop card was distributed equally to all front of house workers, and charged a dropped by servers alongside the menus. When guests reserve 4% hospitality fee. This structure helped pay back of house workers a a table online, they must check a box indicating they understand base wage of $15 per hour and a bonus of $2-3 per hour every week. Co-owner Peter Ternes said the gap in pay between front of and accept the service fee. Of course, Chicago diners are admittedly facing a scattered house and back of house workers was part of what motivated landscape—making it difficult to understand the true cost of dining them to change their compensation model in 2020. Similarly to out. Prior to the One Fair Wage legislation taking effect, higher Daisies, Middle Brow found that as the nature of work shifted menu prices or unfamiliar service charges may deter diners from during the early months of the pandemic (as their business shifted to a restaurant like Daisies trying to add a little more protection focus on takeout and grocery pre-orders),the distinctions between 18 | EDIBLE CHICAGO WINTER 2023/2024

Above: Photo by Garrett Sweet / Middle Brow

front and back of house blurred. In an effort to pay back of house workers—who were not originally included in the tip pool—more equitably, they raised the minimum wage for all workers to $20 per hour. This increase was facilitated by a 20% service charge. However in April 2022, Middle Brow reverted to the tipped minimum wage due to challenges filling high-need shifts. After doing away with the tipped minimum wage, Ternes found “there was no incentive to work the weekends. This left the busiest shifts the worst staffed, and that just crushed the management team.” “One thing that got lost in all of this is [the understanding] that managers are staff too,” Ternes commented. “So we said we need to change the model again and re-incentivize nights and weekends so that the management doesn’t feel so isolated, and they don’t have to struggle to make these really busy shifts work.” After returning to the tipped minimum wage, Middle Brow lowered its service fee to 8% and is using that fee to maintain higher wages for back of house workers, who are now earning $22-25 per hour. The shift back to tipped minimum wages “worked, frankly,” according to Ternes. “Our back of house pay stayed really high; our front of house pay went up, and everyone wants to work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday now,” he said.

Advocates for ending tipped wages argue the policy opens up the door for discrimination. And research backs that claim up.Studies show Black workers are tipped less than white workers. While Daisies no longer accepts requests to remove the service charge unless there’s a clear issue with service, prior to this shift Frillman said they found “a pattern of some of our most experienced individuals being requested to remove these charges more so than their counterparts. And the only difference between those individuals happened to be gender and race.” During its 20% service charge era, Middle Brow advertised on its menus and website that it had “abolished” tipping. The word choice was an intentional one, as Ternes sees tipping as “absolutely a vestige of slavery.” What does it mean, then, when the restaurant that “abolished” tipping, well, un-abolishes it? To that end, Ternes remarked, “We tried to do away with [tipping], and it was good for a little while, but it ended up hurting women and people of color and LGBTQ folks who needed us to stop that harm,” referring to managers impacted by front of house staff ’s reluctance to claim night and weekend shifts when the tip incentive disappeared. “This tipping thing is bad, but if you try to get rid of it yourself, you risk hurting people more,” he continued. “The state needed to step in, and the big players in the restaurant industry needed to step in, and I’m glad they finally did because now with their support, we can finally make a shift in the entire industry and start to actually chip away at this pretty ugly model.” e

For More Information: ONE FAIR WAGE CAMPAIGN: Stay upto date on the latest developments and actions by visiting onefairwage.com CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL: For details on the City Council's decision and related discussions, visit chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/ press_releases/2023/october/one-fair-wageapproved.html

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Beyond Dim Sum Rediscovering Chicago's Evolving Chinatown Culinary Scene

Photo: Xiao daCunha

Mrs. Gu Skewers Hot Pot

Recreating China’s Streetside Dining Growing up in China, I celebrated most significant moments with friends at Da Pai Dangs: streetside diners and food halls set in a canteen environment. Devoid of stunning interiors, elevated service, and hand-crafted presentations, Da Pai Dangs prioritize relaxation and community. ne of my favorite Chinese proverbs states: love and Mrs. Gu Skewers Hot Pot is the only place in Chicago that has food will never fail you. Whether it's home cooking, fully recreated that environment for me. Here, you have full control street food, or fine dining, food is essential to China's over your dining experience. Choose your broth and sides using community culture, both domestically and abroad. In Chicago, their QR code menu, and pick whatever you want from the coolers there's no better place to savor the authentic Chinese food in the back. Create personal dipping sauces using their sauce and culture than in Chinatown. topping bar, containing everything from basic soy sauce to more For a long time, Chicago's perception of Chinatown adventurous flavors like fermented tofu. centered on Zodiac Plaza and the gateway. Fortunately, in For the Chinese diaspora like myself, Mrs. Gu is nostalgic. For recent years, many visitors have become more adventurous, those unfamiliar with this culinary tradition, Mrs. Gu offers an exploring the area's lesser-walked streets such as 88 Market engaging and authentic Chinese experience. If you have the time, at Jefferson, S. Archer Ave beyond Canal St, and the deeper ask a Chinese-speaking friend or a server to translate Mrs. Gu's end of Wentworth Ave. story from the blackboard in the restaurant. It's a heartwarming While some still view Chinatown as the perfect spot for boba story about how an ordinary woman selling BBQ skewers back tea and dim sum, the neighborhood has evolved alongside in Chengdu, China, shaped a generation's memory and how Chicago's culinary scene, embracing the latest dining trends that memory became a timeless icon for communal dining and while holding China's food and community values at its core. Stop collective experiences. by one (or a few!) of these restaurants and bars to experience Mrs. Gu Skewers Hot Pot, 2407 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago China's dining culture with your soul. gusskewershotpot.com

By Xiao daCunha

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Photo courtesy of Holu

HOLU

Chinatown’s Fine Dining Destination Chinatown stretches beyond Cermak and Wentworth. On the other side of the neighborhood, adjacent to Pilsen, sits 88 Market, Photo: Peter Ranvestel a newer Chinatown destination. Among the many businesses within the marketplace is HOLU, an Asian restaurant dedicated to providing a high-end dining experience while inheriting traditional Nine Bar Chinese hospitality. Think A5 Wagyu, dry-aged steaks, premium Chinese Takeout in the Front, Cocktail Bar in the Back seafood, and farm-to-table microgreens – yes, Chinatown has an A speakeasy in Chinatown? Yes. Situated behind Moon Palace upscale dining destination. Express, a Chinese takeout counter, Nine Bar is a literal "hidden gem" Like many other Chicago restaurants, HOLU is dedicated to of Chinatown. Co-founder Lily Wang, alongside Joe Briglio, opened building partnerships with the local community and rebukes the Nine Bar to fill a void she noticed in Chinatown's nightlife scene. assumption that Chinatown restaurants rarely work with smaller, "So much of the American 'going out' culture revolves around local suppliers. HOLU sources from Closed Loop Farms, an urban drinking. If people want to continue their night by grabbing a drink, farm in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South then they have to leave the neighborhood, and that always made Side of Chicago. The farm grows microgreens year-round, as me feel like something was missing from the area," Wang shared. well as edible flowers, herbs, baby greens, as well as produce on Nine Bar also carries a beautiful family story. Moon Palace their quarter-acre farm during the outdoor growing season. The Express, the "front," was owned by Wang's parents for decades. restaurant also sources a variety of gourmet mushrooms from Four As they aged, they considered opportunities to step away from the Stars Mushrooms, a Chicago producer dedicated to developing physical demands of operating a restaurant. At the same time, the a more sustainable food system. pandemic made restaurant operations more challenging. While a From a replica of China’s iconic streetside dining to elevated speakeasy concept wasn't initially in the plan for Wang and Briglio, fine dining, Chinatown has much to offer. As the Chinese saying the model simply made sense as a way to preserve a Chinatown goes, food is people’s heaven. It brings hope, growth, and staple and fill the gap in Chinatown's nightlife scene. positivity and offers comfort, healing, and peace. Rediscovering Nine Bar breaks from the all-too-familiar story of younger Chinatown goes beyond uncovering hidden gems with good generations opting to step away from family businesses and food and tasty drinks. It's rediscovering those who live and work instead shows that with creativity, there is a future for family-owned there, along with their efforts in developing the community. We hospitality businesses. It demonstrates that Chinatown's younger look forward to the day when people head to Chinatown for a generations are creating new waves in the neighborhood. Instead good cocktail, an anniversary dinner, a karaoke party, or simply of 'growing out' of Chinatown, business owners like Wang hope to for the atmosphere. Chinese culture, at large, is reserved. But it bring more visitors to the neighborhood while continuing to build is always willing to show its full beauty to kindred spirits. the local community. Holu, 2101 S Jefferson St, Chicago Nine Bar, 216 W Cermak Rd, Chicago holuchicago.com ninebarchicago.com 22 | EDIBLE CHICAGO WINTER 2023/2024

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Mastering Makloubeh

By Sara Faddah | Photos by Dario Durham

ven the most traditional of Middle Eastern dishes vary by household -- and by cook. You'll probably never run across the same version twice. And of course, each household will most certainly claim their family's personal take and recipe is the best. Makloubeh, a dish made from layers of meat, fried vegetables, and rice, is hardy and a personal example of the region’s most traditional food. Makloubeh, which translates to “upside down,” is found throughout Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Iraq, and its preparation dates to the 13th century. The Levant is a region in the Arab world that is full of simple,deeply

flavorful recipes–and Makloubeh is no exception. With just a few simple and seasonal ingredients, you can make a dish that is worthy of being a centerpiece at your next dinner party. Again, this is a recipe where you can use many different vegetables, including eggplant, potato, cauliflower, and even go as bold as adding chickpeas, tomatoes, and carrots. My version will include eggplant and potato. Until the day I moved out of my parents’ home, I don’t think there was a week where I didn’t have Makloubeh; so let’s get into it.

INGREDIENTS

4-6 servings

FOR THE CHICKEN STOCK

4 lbs of chicken (I use a whole chicken cut into 6 pieces)

2 bay leaves

4 tbsp seven spices (homemade could include equal parts allspice, cinnamon, ground cloves, coriander, cumin, black pepper, nutmeg)

1 onion, quartered Salt to taste

FOR THE VEGETABLES

2 eggplants

1 potato

Oil with high smoke point Salt

FOR THE RICE

2.5 cups basmati rice

3 cups stock (from above)

2 cups water

2 tbsp seven spice

2 tbsp salt or to taste

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I start by cutting the eggplants into rounds that are a quarter inch thick. We’ll be frying the eggplant so it’s essential that the slices are thin so they don’t absorb too much oil. If you prefer not to fry, you can bake the eggplant. Once the eggplants are sliced, lay them flat on towels and sprinkle with salt;flip and repeat on the other side. The salt will draw out the moisture and lend to a nice crispy result. continued ediblechicago.com | 27

Next we’re going to move onto the rice. Thoroughly wash your rice by rinsing the grains in warm water until the water runs as clear as possible. Once the water runs clear, submerge the rice in warm water and set aside to soak. Now the chicken is ready to come out of its bath. Strain and set aside the stock. I like to give my chicken a little sear in the same pot I’ll be using later. (I often go for a dutch oven but a stainless steel, or whatever pot you have will suffice.) You don’t need much oil for searing since your vegetables are fried, but I always add just a tablespoon. Sear your chicken for a minute or two on each side to add color and set aside. Next, strain the rice and set aside. Build an assembly line of potato, eggplant, chicken, rice, and spices. Add a thin even layer of rice to the bottom of the pot—just enough to cover the surface. Add a layer of potatoes, then eggplants, then chicken.Next, add one more layer of eggplant to cover the chicken. Top with the remainder of the rice. Once you’ve fried all your eggplants, allow them to rest on a cooling rack. Continue with frying the potatoes until they reach a golden brown color. After all of your potatoes are fried, set them on the cooling rack with the eggplants. While my eggplants are resting, I begin preparing the chicken. Any somewhat fatty cut of meat you prefer can work for this dish. For example, my mother loves to use lamb chunks. I prepare the chicken by parboiling with spices and aromatics that I have on hand. I add salt, seven spices, bay leaves, and the onion to a large pot of water and allow the chicken to cook for about 30-40 minutes. While the chicken is doing its thing, I move back to the eggplant. After about 20 minutes, most of the moisture is drawn out and the eggplant is ready to be fried. Make sure to pat dry as much as you can because water and oil…don’t mix. But you knew that already. In a shallow frying pan, add your preferred frying oil and allow it to reach approximately 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently drop the eggplants into the oil, making sure not to crowd them. Allow them to fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown While the eggplants are frying, let’s prepare the potatoes. I usually do a 1:4 potato to eggplant ratio; just enough for one layer, depending on the circumference of your pot. Peel and slice the potatoes into the same rounds as the eggplants but this time about a half inch thick. 28 | EDIBLE CHICAGO WINTER 2023/2024

Add your spices and season with salt to taste. Pour three cups of stock and two cups of water into the pot. Allow the water to come to a boil over high heat and once you see about an inch of water left, turn down the heat to the lowest setting. Let the rice cook for at least 30 minutes, covered. Try to resist the temptation of removing the lid and letting all that steam escape. I usually check the dish’s doneness by trying a couple of grains of the rice off the top. If the rice is tender enough to smash between your fingers, it’s good to go! To serve, you will need courage and confidence. The Makloubeh will sense your fear so don’t let it see you shake. Grab a flat serving plate, preferably something like a baking sheet and place it on top of the pot. With a hand on each handle, hold the tray down and swiftly flip the pot away from you, placing the baking sheet on a flat surface. It wouldn’t be Makloubeh if you didn’t give it a couple of pats on the bottom, but gravity does most of the work. After a minute or so, you can lift your pot slowly to reveal a beautiful upside down layered dish! Enjoy and remember: Makloubeh is often served with plain yogurt or a Jerusalem Salad. e ediblechicago.com | 29

SECOND BITE

austin eats AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS CREATING WHAT CITY SYSTEMS FAIL TO DO Story and Photos by Sara Faddah and Dario Durham

ver the summer when our family from Jordan came to visit, we decided to treat them to a day at the Oak Park Conservatory. Our drive to the conservatory, as you might imagine, took us through the Austin neighborhood. And the moment we passed from Austin to Oak Park, the shock on our visitors’ faces was impossible to miss. It sparked a big, but not infrequent, discussion: why do such evident disparities exist between bordering neighborhoods? To answer these questions, we need to understand Chicago’s history of segregation. Generations have grappled with the consequences of redlining and divestment—two factors that have left deep imprints on Chicago’s neighborhoods. While Austin and Oak Park may share geographical proximity, they are separated by a chasm of economic opportunities and infrastructure. There are, of course, different ways to measure and determine segregation but we are most interested in food access. Austin is one of several Chicago communities suffering the consequences of food apartheid; it is the second most populated community area after Lakeview and the largest in geography, but its 90,000+ residents only have access to two grocery stores. Due to the lack of grocery stores, clothing stores, boutiques, etc., residents spend 85% of their disposable income in Oak Park and surrounding neighborhoods, according to Austin Coming Together.

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As we’ve seen time and time again, when systems fail, communities come together and work to provide for each other and fill those gaps. Austin Coming Together (ACT) is one such community organization in Chicago that’s creating what the city’s systems fail to do. ACT created an Austin Community Hub to support residents and improve quality of life. Over the last decade, this effort has turned the community area into a powerful space of civically engaged residents, responsive and accountable institutions, and highly collaborative private, public, nonprofit and faith-based leadership. Together, they are gaining ground. Touring the Gardens Between the Historic Schock Homes and Austin Town Hall, the growth is visible. There, the community gathers year round to fight food insecurity. Under the initiative known as “Austin Eats,” ACT provides emergency food access, grocery access and culinary entrepreneurship, food education, gardens, and farms. Austin Eats addresses the neighborhood's social determinants of health by …. To learn more about the work they do, we visited one of the neighborhood’s 20+ community gardens . Alisha, a member of the Harambee Community Garden for 10 years, walked us through the garden beds and shared stories from the last decade. The community meets at this garden monthly ediblechicago.com | 31

SECOND BITE

Above: The team from Forty Acres Fresh Market sells fresh produce at the Austin Town Hall City Market

to enjoy activities like live music, movies, cooking lessons, and fresh food was lacking and they are a staple vendor at the Town pizza from the onsite pizza oven on site. This is a space where a Hall market. lot of organizing happens, Alisa said; residents meet over food Forty Acres Fresh Market secured seed funding from the and discuss what they need and how they’re going to accom- Austin Fresh Fund to secure a $2.5 million City of Chicago Neighplish it. In addition to the food garden, there is an ornamental borhood Opportunity Fund grant for the development of a fullgarden where kids from the neighborhood can play and learn service grocery store on Chicago Ave., but progress is slow-going. under the gazebo. “One year, 26 days, 2 hours, 1 minute, and 39 seconds after we first After visiting the garden’s neighboring goat (!) farm, we met submitted our application to Chicago's Department of Buildings, with Veah Larde, the Austin Town Hall City Market manager. She the city has bestowed upon us a coveted construction permit,” describes the market as an integral part of the community and shared the store’s team on Instagram. Forty Acres Fresh Market mentions that “different city officials come and just have resources broke ground late September. for the members to talk to them about…just so people can get Even though the Town Hall City Market is seasonal and the insight on how they can get help. This market is becoming more community garden has busier months than others, the Austin than just, oh, I got me some fruits and vegetables…It's functional.” Eats initiative is year round. ACT continues to create a bridge Veah is an essential part of the team that has prioritized building between 50+ organizations and the residents they support.The relationships with vendors–helping them register their businesses, Austin Eats initiative demonstrates the extraordinary impact unload and set up their stands each market day. Veah reached that a united community can have on shaping the future of food. out to individual members of the community and asked what Business owners like Liz are committed to providing access to they would like to see at the market like diversity in food, for fresh food options to the community. It leaves us with a sense example. According to Veah, the market has “introduced the of inspiration—that is, if we’re paying attention. Hopefully each young people over here to different food and flavors. Something of us will answer the call to participate in the collective effort to they haven't seen.” create a more sustainable and connected future for all. e Fresh Market A community favorite at Austin Town Hall City Market, Forty Acres Fresh Market, was founded in 2017 by Liz Abunaw. Forty Acres began with a goal of responding in communities where 32 | EDIBLE CHICAGO WINTER 2023/2024

For more information: Austin Coming Together austincomingtogether.org Forty Acres Fresh Market fortyacresfreshmarket.com Austin Town Hall Market austintownhallcitymarket.com ediblechicago.com | 33

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