January 2003

Dining
Decadent Desserts

Kim Colwyn

The holidays may be over, but the celebration need not end. In honor of a sweet New Year, we're having dessert first. Here's a taste of Chicago's Best.

If you could put ecstasy on a plate it would be called the Muddy Bottom Pie served up at Hugo's Frog Bar (1024 N. Rush, 312.640.0999.) A cookie crust is piled high with vanilla and chocolate Haagan Daz ice cream, marshmallows, macadamia nuts, chocolate chips and peanuts and then topped with hot caramel sauce. And like every dish served up at this seafood haven, the desserts are sized for sharing so bring an appetite and a few friends.

MK (868 N. Franklin, 312.482.9179) has been graced with many positive reviews since its 1998 opening, and Mindy Segal's desserts are usually a highlight. Creative and decadent - it wasn't difficult to convince us that MK's is one of our favorite dessert lists. Go for the Amazing ApplePie, a "pink lady" apple pie with a rich center and crispy crust served with a cider caramel sauce, roasted apple ice cream and apple granita.

While it features Asian cuisine, there is something very "all American" about Big Bowl's, (6 E. Cedar, 312-640-8888) "Big Bowl Brownie." The dessert is as unpretentious as the restaurant, a warm gooey brownie baked in a bowl and topped with vanilla bean ice cream and then smothered in a hot chocolate sauce.

A true chocolate lover sees beyond the dessert menu and envisions…an entire room devoted to this delectable devil. One Sixtyblue (160 N. Loomis, 312.850.0303) did just that when it teamed up with Chicago's own Vosges Haut Chocolat to open the restaurant's new Coco Bar. Filled with Vosges' extremely popular truffles, the bar offers specialty hot chocolate and chocolate desserts made from the delicacies as well as pairs them with wine and cigars.

While the name means "sea and sun" in Spanish, we're not in the mood to squeeze into a bathing suit after indulging in Mar y Sol's (816 W. Randolph, 312.563.1763) dessert list. The Brazilian-influenced menu happens to dish up a delicious, albeit different, Banana Split. This version is milk chocolate chip banana cake topped with strawberry and pineapple sorbet and milk chocolate and pecan crunch-dipped bananas, hot fudge and maraschino cherries.

Almost as famous as its Stone Crab is the Key Lime Pie at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (60 E. Grand, 312.379.5637). The signature sweet is fresh, served cold and topped with homemade ice cream. If for some reason lime is not your favorite flavor, opt for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, a Oreo cookie crust, peanut butter mousse of cream cheese, whipped cream and butter, topped with hot fudge. If it's peanuts it's healthy, right? Ha!

Ambria (2300 N. Lincoln Park West, 773. 472.5959) has recreated Crème Brulee, and no one is complaining about it. Pistachio, lemon and vanilla are the flavors of choice in the Trio of Crème Brulee. While it's a new look for an old favorite it's still the same soft creamy center and crisp sugary top. Even if four-star dining isn't your thing, stop in for an after-dinner drink and indulge in this top-tier dessert.

With the candy colored décor, a pastry chef that earned her reputation at Charlie Trotters and a name like Sugar: A Dessert Bar (108 W. Kinzie, 312-822-9999), it's a safe bet you'll find something you like on this menu. It just might be the Apple Crisp Tart, filled with Heirloom apples sautéed in calcados, topped with almond crumble and served alongside gingerbread ice cream or the very holiday happy White Chocolate Peppermint Crème Brûlée served, of course, with a candy cane tuille.

A homemade bittersweet chocolate crust, a melted chocolate oozing center and vanilla ice cream. Need we say more? Only that you can get it at Roys (720 N. State, 312.787.7599) Just ask for the Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle.