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Daisies - Logan Square Pasta Restaurant

Daisies - Logan Square Pasta Restaurant
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  • Daisies - Logan Square Pasta Restaurant

    Post #1 - November 20th, 2017, 10:34 am
    Post #1 - November 20th, 2017, 10:34 am Post #1 - November 20th, 2017, 10:34 am
    While this place was covered in the openings thread, my dinner at Daisies this weekend was good enough to suggest the need for a separate thread. My wife and I arrived there at 8:30 after a warm-up at Websters Wine Bar down the street. The place was packed, and loud, but in an energetic way.

    The menu isn't huge, and is clearly focused on modern vegetable-centric starters and pastas. There are two mains as well as a special or two, but we stuck to the core. Not everything was perfect, but everything was at least very interesting, which makes me want to try more. Our meal:

    Carrot rillettes were essentially diced cooked carrots with a dose of duck fat. They were ok, but suffered following a snack of real rillettes at Websters. What did rock were the pickled carrots on the side. These were sliced thin and cooked to the texture of noodles with a vinegar punch. I would love to recreate these at home.

    Raw butternut squash salad with brown butter was our favorite dish. The waiter, who was very engaging, noted that it was a specific heirloom breed of squash (which she also helped us find online for the garden next year) that made the dish work texture-wise. The crunchy and sweet squash held up to rich brown butter. Very interesting idea.

    For mains, my wife enjoyed the very beet-y beet agnolotti, which I passed on trying as I am not particularly fond of the vegetable. I had the homemade tajarin, which was a lovely rich pasta accented with chicken cracklings turned to breadcrumbs. It was very nice, if a bit rich.

    The wine list is also unusual, as it is all US-based wine but not the usual suspects: Ohio, New York, Illinois and Michigan all sat beside California, Oregon and Washington. Styles and grapes varied as well: who pours a skin-contact trousseau gris by the glass? We ended up with a red blend from Cruse in California which was very nice and interesting to try since we usually drink more European wines.

    All, in a very nice spot and one I plan to revisit soon.

    Daisies
    2523 N Milwaukee Ave
    Chicago, IL 60647
    (773) 661-1671
    daisieschicago.com
  • Post #2 - September 12th, 2018, 4:45 pm
    Post #2 - September 12th, 2018, 4:45 pm Post #2 - September 12th, 2018, 4:45 pm
    I had been mentally boycotting this pasta-focused, plant-oriented restaurant because it opened in the Analogue space - and I loved Analogue.

    However, I had heard some interesting things about the pastas here and was looking for a new place to try in the neighborhood.

    In short, the pastas we tried were excellent. As was a grilled cauliflower dish with calabrian chiles. A carrot "rillettes" dish (quotes = mine) was fine, but the seeded flatbread it was served with was fantastic and was even better after I requested butter with it.

    Their menu changes so frequently that I cannot recall all the details of the pastas we tried. I think one was a fava bean leaf pesto with agnolotti. The pesto had just a hint of favas and the (I think) cheese-filled agnolotti were a good pair. The other pasta was a shape/variety that I don't see as often and it was cooked perfectly al dente and dressed just so.

    I looked at their menu now to try to refresh my memory and it has mostly changed over. But the new offerings also look very intriguing. For posterity:

    fried pierogi w/honey, farmers cheese, peach jam

    cauliflower a la plancha w/calabrian chiles, parmesan, pine nuts (referenced above: this was great)

    eggs benedict w/roasted mushrooms, heirloom tomato, mustard hollandaise

    scrambled egg bruschetta w/black truffle ricotta, publican sourdough

    tajarin carbonara w/ tajarin noodles, bacon, onion, black pepper

    potato latke w/ sunny side up eggs, smoked whitefish, greens, pickled red

    hot ham and cheese sandwich w/ shaved ham, horsey sauce, whiz, sage potatoes


    Pick a couple of these and it could be a light, satisfying dinner. They are having fun and cooking starches very well. I will return.

    Daisies
    Address: 2523 N Milwaukee
    Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    (773) 661-1671
  • Post #3 - September 12th, 2018, 10:56 pm
    Post #3 - September 12th, 2018, 10:56 pm Post #3 - September 12th, 2018, 10:56 pm
    I've eaten at Daisies a few times and I admit that at first I felt the same antipathy about it not being Analogue that gg describes above but the quality of their fare -- excellent from the outset -- has steadily improved since the beginning, and has won me over in a major way. This kitchen seems to be hitting their stride. Last week our group had a phenomenal dinner there. We sampled virtually everything on the menu and came away immensely satisfied. With the possible exception of Giant, I don't know of any place in town putting out better pasta than Daisies.

    Here's are the highlight dishes from our meal. All these dishes I'd happily order again:

    Starters:
    Onion Dip | ridged potato chips
    Cauliflower | Calabrian chiles, parmesan, pine nuts
    Fried Mushrooms & Cheese Curds | buttermilk tarragon dipping sauce
    The Overpriced Tomato | bone marrow, Publican sourdough, balsamic

    Pastas:
    Tortellini with lentils, collard greens & pork sausage
    Ravioli with black truffle ricotta, corn, cilantro & cheddar
    Linguine with ramps, grapes, bacon & egg yolk
    Pappardelle with mushroom ragu, basil & parmesan
    Cavatelli with zucchini, mint, feta & bottarga
    Chitarra with sun gold tomatoes, pecorino, olive oil

    The only item we had that I didn't love was a pork dish, possibly a pork porterhouse (website currently lists a roast loin, but I'm not sure that's what we had). It was fine, but the sauce was a bit sweet for my taste and the beans that accompanied it seemed just a bit under-cooked.

    We sat in the back room, where it was pretty loud. In spite of that, service was stellar in every way. We opted for cocktails but given what we ate, a bottle of wine would have almost certainly been a better choice. Oh well, that'll be something to look forward to on our next visit.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #4 - September 13th, 2018, 7:17 am
    Post #4 - September 13th, 2018, 7:17 am Post #4 - September 13th, 2018, 7:17 am
    I've been twice and would like to second (or fourth, as the case may be) the previous praise.

    The first time, I had some sort of butternut squash salad (perhaps the one that tazerowe mentioned) which was light and perfectly balanced -- everything it should have been. I don't quite remember the pastas we had, but I remember fond feelings about them.

    The second time, we had the aforementioned cauliflower dish, to which I would like to add my unqualified praise. Again, light and perfectly balanced. I also had the gnocchi with fava pesto, which was perhaps the best specimen of that pasta I've ever had. They were cloud-like -- exquisitely fluffy while retaining their structural integrity, complemented perfectly by the pesto.
    The best food is well-spiced and well-fattened.
  • Post #5 - September 13th, 2018, 7:42 am
    Post #5 - September 13th, 2018, 7:42 am Post #5 - September 13th, 2018, 7:42 am
    I'm glad someone found an existing thread and moved my post here. I tried searching for something and had not found it.

    I think Ronnie and I must have been there around similar times because the menu he posted looks very familiar. I think our second pasta was the papardalle he listed. It was excellent and really showed off the cooking to al dente chops of the kitchen.

    Regarding wine, I wasn't tickled by any of the cocktails but saw a Cab Franc from Ohio on the list. I haven't seen much Ohio wine on lists so I asked the waiter about it and he enthusiastically told me about the 100 year old wine it came from and a bit of history of wine in the Ohio river valley. I ordered it out of curiosity and it was fine but I was impressed by the wine knowledge and verve of the waitstaff - which it seems by tazerowe was also praising in his initial post I didn't see (at least in the construction of a US-focused list). Another point in Daisies' favor.
  • Post #6 - September 13th, 2018, 9:40 am
    Post #6 - September 13th, 2018, 9:40 am Post #6 - September 13th, 2018, 9:40 am
    ronnie_suburban wrote:Here's are the highlight dishes from our meal.

    What, no photos??? :shock:

    (Props for the excellent photos that usually accompany your posts!)
  • Post #7 - September 13th, 2018, 9:48 am
    Post #7 - September 13th, 2018, 9:48 am Post #7 - September 13th, 2018, 9:48 am
    nsxtasy wrote:
    ronnie_suburban wrote:Here's are the highlight dishes from our meal.

    What, no photos??? :shock:

    (Props for the excellent photos that usually accompany your posts!)

    Haha, thanks. It just wasn't feasible this time . . . but another 'for next time' item.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #8 - September 13th, 2018, 10:01 am
    Post #8 - September 13th, 2018, 10:01 am Post #8 - September 13th, 2018, 10:01 am
    Daisies is straight Fire.

    Wandered over with our 3 year old son 2 weeks or so ago, and the host noticed us reading the menu outside (we were deciding if there was anything on it he would eat). The host informed us they do a wonderful childs pasta, and he was not lying. My son also decimated the "overpriced tomato" and we all liked it enough that I have been replicating at home. (PQM Sourdough, bone marrow from Butcher and Larder, rest from farmers market)

    If not for the price, I would be in there every week.
  • Post #9 - November 2nd, 2018, 9:16 am
    Post #9 - November 2nd, 2018, 9:16 am Post #9 - November 2nd, 2018, 9:16 am
    Had another really nice dinner over at Daisies earlier this week. The menu has changed in ways that are mindful of the season but at its core, it remains focused on expertly executed pasta . . .

    Image
    Cauliflower & Broccoli | Calabrian chiles, parmesan, pine nuts
    Two of my favorite vegetables in a really nice dish, and yet the highlight might have been the 'business' that accompanied the veggies. The combination of chiles, vinegar, pine nuts and onions was irresistible.

    Image
    Fried Mushrooms & Cheese Curds | buttermilk tarragon dipping sauce
    A new plating of a dish that, I believe, has been on the menu since Day 1. It's still wonderful, especially if you enjoy tarragon, which is very up-front and center in the sauce. I love how light and crispy the fried items are.

    Image
    Pappardelle | mushroom ragu, basil, parmesan
    So incredibly satisfying, this is the epitome of comfort food.

    Image
    Tortellini | lentils, collard greens, pork sausage
    A great combination of flavors, aromas and textures.

    Image
    Fazzoletti | lamb sugo, heirloom peppers, pecorino
    In my hands, this dish was not very photogenic but it was beautiful and delicious. The tender and toothsome bi-colored noodles were perfect. The rich lamb and mildly spicy peppers were delectable.

    Our server was friendly, accommodating, intuitive and efficient. I had a glass of Michigan riesling that didn't wow me -- and that I didn't finish -- but in the end, that didn't matter very much. My wife enjoyed her negroni, though.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #10 - December 25th, 2018, 5:24 pm
    Post #10 - December 25th, 2018, 5:24 pm Post #10 - December 25th, 2018, 5:24 pm
    i urge all you daisies lovers to check out the holiday special menu (which i believe is up for 1 more week...) as it's quite a departure from the dinner menu and totally unexpected. (no hint of it on their website.) we were there sunday and luckily all 3 of us were excited by it, as it's only available for the whole table. (and well priced at $50 + optional $30 for wine). shockingly, since i'm a somewhat picky eater, there was nothing on the 6 course-plus-dessert menu that didn't look, and prove to be, terrific.
    we started with cocktails and mine was a complicated, pale green, perfectly balanced drink labelled 'young tom sawyer' (gin, suze liqueur, verbena, verjus and carpano bianco). truly one of the best cocktails i've enjoyed in many years...
    then we were served the following: raw shredded brussel sprouts in browned butter; meltingly tender braised leeks with some cheesy goodness; (the menu did not go into great detail), duck filled tortellini in brodo (strangely, we were not given pasta bowls or spoons, just flat plates to eat this); potato gnocchi/pheasant sugo (not a lot of meat to be seen, but wonderful nonetheless); rich sturgeon simply served in a butter sauce; and then zampone, something i wasn't familiar with, a traditional christmas dish from emilia. daisies seems to have combined 2 christmas traditions-cotechino sausage and zampone(pig skin stuffed with ground pork) into a single hockey puck shaped and breaded treat. the raspberry jam served on top really made the dish sing. for dessert we were served a coffee mug filled with chocolate budino(pudding) made special with lots of not-quite-burnt tasting chocolate cookie crumbs. and a nice touch was the comped plate of their oat bars with a candle, since one of us was celebrating a birthday... the service was impeccable- all in all a memorable dinner.
  • Post #11 - June 8th, 2022, 5:06 pm
    Post #11 - June 8th, 2022, 5:06 pm Post #11 - June 8th, 2022, 5:06 pm
    Daisies Leaving Milwaukee Avenue Spot For Bigger Digs In Logan Square.

    https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/06/08 ... an-square/
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #12 - January 29th, 2023, 9:09 am
    Post #12 - January 29th, 2023, 9:09 am Post #12 - January 29th, 2023, 9:09 am
    Heard/read good things, so when asked to go for lunch for restaurant wk w/a couple friends I went. Turns out what they're known for (pasta) was nowhere to be seen and no, I don't want a dry fucking turkey pastrami sandwich for $25. I took 1 bite and left the rest (waitress said nothing). Suggest if you're doing a special menu, to serve something along the line of your popular items. The avg onion dip w/a bag of potato chips didn't soften the blow. Disappointing.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #13 - February 27th, 2023, 5:35 pm
    Post #13 - February 27th, 2023, 5:35 pm Post #13 - February 27th, 2023, 5:35 pm
    Frillman will hold its last service on Sunday, March 5 at 2523 N. Milwaukee Ave. https://flip.it/oXnWLc
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #14 - February 27th, 2023, 6:48 pm
    Post #14 - February 27th, 2023, 6:48 pm Post #14 - February 27th, 2023, 6:48 pm
    Dave148 wrote:Frillman will hold its last service on Sunday, March 5 at 2523 N. Milwaukee Ave. https://flip.it/oXnWLc

    I think the article should be his, not its. In any case, the close is only for as long as it takes them to get open in their new, larger digs at 2375 N. Milwaukee Ave (formerly The Radler). The opening date is in flux and subject to some variables.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #15 - March 27th, 2023, 4:47 pm
    Post #15 - March 27th, 2023, 4:47 pm Post #15 - March 27th, 2023, 4:47 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:
    Dave148 wrote:Frillman will hold its last service on Sunday, March 5 at 2523 N. Milwaukee Ave. https://flip.it/oXnWLc

    I think the article should be his, not its. In any case, the close is only for as long as it takes them to get open in their new, larger digs at 2375 N. Milwaukee Ave (formerly The Radler). The opening date is in flux and subject to some variables.

    =R=

    Owner Joe Frillman will throw open the doors at its roomy new digs on Wednesday, March 29, at 2375 N. Milwaukee Avenue

    https://flip.it/CjxWjK
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #16 - May 27th, 2023, 12:11 pm
    Post #16 - May 27th, 2023, 12:11 pm Post #16 - May 27th, 2023, 12:11 pm
    Having only had carryout Daisies during the pandemic (which was damn good) and with my friend Leigh now having joined the team, a few friends and I made reservations at the new spot last night.

    First thoughts: wow, pretty amazing what they've done with the space to make it feel cozy. Though it had been 7 years since I've been in the space (The Radler, which I loved), I remembered (or perhaps misremembered) as feeling the space was huge, echoey, and a little industrial-ish? Now, the room is bright with a divider that makes the space feel smaller, and a pastry case in the front for afternoon goodies.

    We had:

    Drinks

    Mushroom Margarita
    Tequila, Fermented Mushroom, Lime
    Image

    We're Back Daiquiri & Smoke Show
    Aged Rum, Cappelletti, Salted Grapefruit, Lime
    Mezcal, Apple Brandy, Cocoa, Mole Bitters
    Image

    Starters

    Shaved Brussels Sprouts
    pear mostarda | pistachio | parmigiano reggiano
    Image

    Tripe
    focaccia | soft herbs
    Image
    One of my highlights of the meal. Close your eyes and you might think it was french onion soup

    Potted Carrots
    duck fat | carrot pickles | gnocco fritto
    Image

    Pastas

    Stracci
    lamb sugo | soft herbs | pecorino
    Image
    My "Ratatouille Movie Moment" where you immediately get transported to a childhood memory. Outstanding.

    Pappardelle
    mushroom ragu | house cheese | basil
    Image

    Pierogi
    mussels | potato | the champagne of beers
    Image

    Proteins

    Salmon Collars
    horseradish gremolata
    Image

    Dessert

    Strawberry Panna Cotta
    strawberries | shortbread | toasted pepitas | strawberry-basil sorbet
    Image

    Chocolate Bumpy Cake
    hazelnut mousse | fudge frosting | puppy chow
    Image
    Wife and dining friends enjoyed this quite a bit, but a little chocolate goes a long way for me and this was quite rich.

    Warm Rhubarb Crostata
    pistachio | rhubarb compote | chamomile anglaise
    Image
    A standout...

    Salted Caramel Semifreddo
    caramel popcorn | candied nuts | rum
    Image
    ...And a winner.

    It wasn't for us, but this might be a dealbreaker for some folks so I'll mention it here: listed right on the frontpage of their website is a popup that states a 25% service charge is applied to all dine-in checks to ensure deserving staff members receive equitable pay and benefits. I had forgotten about that piece when the bill came, but was surprised to see how reasonable the bill was regardless. I paid 40 dollars up front for the Tock reservation, but with the 25%, the bill came out to be right around $280.

    Great meal, I'll be back.
    Last edited by incite on May 27th, 2023, 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #17 - May 27th, 2023, 1:07 pm
    Post #17 - May 27th, 2023, 1:07 pm Post #17 - May 27th, 2023, 1:07 pm
    incite wrote:Having only had carryout Daisies during the pandemic (which was damn good) and with my friend Leigh now having joined the team, a few friends and I made reservations at the new spot last night.

    First thoughts: wow, pretty amazing what they've done with the space to make it feel cozy. Though it had been 7 years since I've been in the space (The Radler, which I loved), I remembered (or perhaps misremembered) as feeling the space was huge, echoey, and a little industrial-ish? Now, the room is bright with a divider that makes the space feel smaller, and a pastry case in the front for afternoon goodies.

    We had:

    Drinks

    Mushroom Margarita
    Tequila, Fermented Mushroom, Lime
    Image

    We're Back Daiquiri & Smoke Show
    Aged Rum, Cappelletti, Salted Grapefruit, Lime
    Mezcal, Apple Brandy, Cocoa, Mole Bitters
    Image

    Starters

    Shaved Brussels Sprouts
    pear mostarda | pistachio | parmigiano reggiano
    Image

    Tripe
    focaccia | soft herbs
    Image
    One of my highlights of the meal. Close your eyes and you might think it was french onion soup

    Potted Carrots
    duck fat | carrot pickles | gnocco fritto
    Image

    Pastas

    Stracci
    lamb sugo | soft herbs | pecorino
    Image
    My "Ratatouille Movie Moment" where you immediately get transported to a childhood memory. Outstanding.

    Pappardelle
    mushroom ragu | house cheese | basil
    Image

    Pierogi
    mussels | potato | the champagne of beers
    Image

    Proteins

    Salmon Collars
    horseradish gremolata
    Image

    Dessert

    Strawberry Panna Cotta
    strawberries | shortbread | toasted pepitas | strawberry-basil sorbet
    Image

    Chocolate Bumpy Cake
    hazelnut mousse | fudge frosting | puppy chow
    Image
    Wife and dining friend enjoyed this quite a bit, but a little chocolate goes a long way for me and this was quite rich.

    Warm Rhubarb Crostata
    pistachio | rhubarb compote | chamomile anglaise
    Image
    A standout...

    Salted Caramel Semifreddo
    caramel popcorn | candied nuts | rum
    Image
    ...And a winner.

    It wasn't for us, but this might be a dealbreaker for some folks so I'll mention it here: listed right on the frontpage of their website is a popup that states a 25% service charge is applied to all dine-in checks to ensure deserving staff members receive equitable pay and benefits. I had forgotten about that piece when the bill came, but was surprised to see how reasonable the bill was regardless. I paid 40 dollars up front for the Tock reservation, but with the 25%, the bill came out to be right around $280.

    Great meal, I'll be back.

    That looks like an amazing meal. Thanks for the report and the pics. How many people did $280 feed?
  • Post #18 - May 27th, 2023, 2:28 pm
    Post #18 - May 27th, 2023, 2:28 pm Post #18 - May 27th, 2023, 2:28 pm
    justjoan wrote:How many people did $280 feed?


    4 diners. The Tock reservation was 10 dollars per person, which is why $40 was paid up front.
  • Post #19 - June 22nd, 2023, 7:05 am
    Post #19 - June 22nd, 2023, 7:05 am Post #19 - June 22nd, 2023, 7:05 am
    tried the new daisies last night. they were completely bumping, perhaps surprising on a wednesday, full at every table and the bar. and it was LOUD. that seems an unpleasant change from the previous location, and partly the product of some bad interior decor choices. but maybe mostly the product of crowds enthusing how tasty everything is. we had four starters and four pastas, a selection of wine, beer, and cocktails, and three desserts - thoroughly enjoyed everything. there were some extremely funky cheeses (like the green salad was coated in a deep pecorino type where one might have expected parm; the lamb sugo pasta was filled with an almost overpowering sheep (?) cheese) and those reflected a kind of flavor velocity that gave the dishes their distinction. on pure food alone we'd be back very soon but the noise factor (and frankly it seems they're still figuring out how much floor staff they need with that level of crowd/space) means we will probably wait.
  • Post #20 - June 22nd, 2023, 7:41 am
    Post #20 - June 22nd, 2023, 7:41 am Post #20 - June 22nd, 2023, 7:41 am
    What a coincidence. I was also there last night and thought it was great! It was definitely loud but wasn't a deal breaker for us.

    Everything we had was fantastic but the standouts were the fritto misto, beef tongue and gnocchi. The gnocchi was a perfect plate of food!

    I was happy to see it so crowded on a Wednesday night! I cant wait to go back and try more of the menu.
  • Post #21 - October 2nd, 2023, 2:04 pm
    Post #21 - October 2nd, 2023, 2:04 pm Post #21 - October 2nd, 2023, 2:04 pm
    As has been noted, Daisies is open in the morning for pastries and coffee. Kudos for being open every day at 7am. I had an excellent grape jam turnover which was incredibly flaky and intense grape flavor (I suspect made with farmers markets grapes). My son devoured his chocolate croissant which heated up nicely the next day in the toaster oven. A fantastic addition to Chicago's bakery scene. I will be back soon.
  • Post #22 - October 3rd, 2023, 11:21 am
    Post #22 - October 3rd, 2023, 11:21 am Post #22 - October 3rd, 2023, 11:21 am
    I had my first morning pastry at daisies today. They have a very fine looking selection which I do not intend to work my way through since that would require me gaining a good 5 pounds. I had the special kouign amann which had a chai cream filling. I've never seen a filled kouign amann before. I didn't even know it was possible. I never made them as a pastry chef and when I made them for myself they weren't great. I figure they must inject the cream in it after it's baked. But it was magnificent. Custard was lightly scented and not too rich or sweet so it didn't compete with the very sweet sugar crusted pastry.
    as often happens I was disappointed in the tea selection. The coffee drinkers got all the choices. I wanted an iced black tea, but they only had a herbal one. So I had rare cellars hot earl grey which tasted nothing like any earl grey i've ever had before. i'm not sure why it qualified as an earl grey since it did not taste like bergamot. And the press pot didn't actually press down on the tea leaves so I couldn't add more hot water to the leaves for a 2nd cup because the leaves had been steeping in the little bit of hot water which remained in the bottom of the pot while I was drinking my tea. That is a very poorly designed teapot. As others have noted, the room looks nothing like the beer hall Radler.(RIP radler). it was very serene in neutral shades and there were only three other people there all working on their laptops at 9 AM this morning. I am quite sure that there will be many delicious pastries on offer here. I was told that they change some of the fillings every week but not necessarily the pastries themselves.
  • Post #23 - October 3rd, 2023, 4:02 pm
    Post #23 - October 3rd, 2023, 4:02 pm Post #23 - October 3rd, 2023, 4:02 pm
    I really liked the kouign amanns at Daisies, which I described and pictured in this post in the topic on kouign amanns.
  • Post #24 - October 18th, 2023, 9:47 am
    Post #24 - October 18th, 2023, 9:47 am Post #24 - October 18th, 2023, 9:47 am
    no kouign amann today, all gone by 10am so i had the bostock. i had high hopes, but found it lacked the strong taste i expected of almond frangipane and it was too sweet even after i scraped off the huge glob of supersweet jam(cherry, i think). i also tried the only other black tea on the menu (besides the earl grey). it was full of some very fruity stuff (possibly clementine or tangerine). i hated it, which makes it 2 for 2- no caffeinated tea for me here. ... still a nice quiet place to work/ read/contemplate the universe and it's sorrows...
  • Post #25 - October 18th, 2023, 10:31 am
    Post #25 - October 18th, 2023, 10:31 am Post #25 - October 18th, 2023, 10:31 am
    justjoan wrote:no kouign amann today, all gone by 10am so i had the bostock. i had high hopes, but found it lacked the strong taste i expected of almond frangipane and it was too sweet even after i scraped off the huge glob of supersweet jam(cherry, i think). i also tried the only other black tea on the menu (besides the earl grey). it was full of some very fruity stuff (possibly clementine or tangerine). i hated it, which makes it 2 for 2- no caffeinated tea for me here. ... still a nice quiet place to work/ read/contemplate the universe and it's sorrows...

    Just as a counterpoint, I tried the Bostock yesterday and really liked it. I was happy that the frangipane was so restrained. It all seemed quite balanced to me. But what do I know? I'm definitely a pasty n00b, especially compared to you, Joan.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #26 - October 18th, 2023, 12:47 pm
    Post #26 - October 18th, 2023, 12:47 pm Post #26 - October 18th, 2023, 12:47 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:
    justjoan wrote:no kouign amann today, all gone by 10am so i had the bostock. i had high hopes, but found it lacked the strong taste i expected of almond frangipane and it was too sweet even after i scraped off the huge glob of supersweet jam(cherry, i think). i also tried the only other black tea on the menu (besides the earl grey). it was full of some very fruity stuff (possibly clementine or tangerine). i hated it, which makes it 2 for 2- no caffeinated tea for me here. ... still a nice quiet place to work/ read/contemplate the universe and it's sorrows...

    Just as a counterpoint, I tried the Bostock yesterday and really liked it. I was happy that the frangipane was so restrained. It all seemed quite balanced to me. But what do I know? I'm definitely a pasty n00b, especially compared to you, Joan.

    =R=

    i'm glad you loved the bostock. If I gave the impression that I didn't like it I overstated the case. I would've liked more forward frangipani and less sugar but it was still really good. Though I stand by the fact that that cherry jam was definitely not meeded.

    and once the science world confirmed that we have different quantities of taste buds in our mouths it became even more obvious that we're not always tasting the same things in the same way , nor do we have to…
  • Post #27 - October 18th, 2023, 12:50 pm
    Post #27 - October 18th, 2023, 12:50 pm Post #27 - October 18th, 2023, 12:50 pm
    justjoan wrote:
    ronnie_suburban wrote:
    justjoan wrote:no kouign amann today, all gone by 10am so i had the bostock. i had high hopes, but found it lacked the strong taste i expected of almond frangipane and it was too sweet even after i scraped off the huge glob of supersweet jam(cherry, i think). i also tried the only other black tea on the menu (besides the earl grey). it was full of some very fruity stuff (possibly clementine or tangerine). i hated it, which makes it 2 for 2- no caffeinated tea for me here. ... still a nice quiet place to work/ read/contemplate the universe and it's sorrows...

    Just as a counterpoint, I tried the Bostock yesterday and really liked it. I was happy that the frangipane was so restrained. It all seemed quite balanced to me. But what do I know? I'm definitely a pasty n00b, especially compared to you, Joan.

    i'm glad you loved the bostock. If I gave the impression that I didn't like it I overstated the case. I would've liked more forward frangipani and less sugar but it was still really good. Though I stand by the fact that that cherry jam was definitely not meeded.

    and once the science world confirmed that we have different quantities of taste buds in our mouths it became even more obvious that we're not always tasting the same things in the same way , nor do we have to…

    Gotcha. And yes, science or not, if we all liked the exact same things, life would be very boring. :)

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #28 - October 18th, 2023, 9:50 pm
    Post #28 - October 18th, 2023, 9:50 pm Post #28 - October 18th, 2023, 9:50 pm
    justjoan wrote:no kouign amann today, all gone by 10am so i had the bostock.


    First off, bummer about the kouign amman. But in my experience they do replenish pastries so it is worth asking. That said, I was there on a Sunday rather than a weekday. But I was hanging out with a friend for a good long while (maybe pushing 2 hours) and they pulled new pastries out of the back a couple of times.

    justjoan wrote:the huge glob of supersweet jam(cherry, i think)


    This brings to mind a croissant I had on the visit mentioned above. It was quite large and filled with both raspberry jam and pastry cream. The thing honestly weighed a pound or more. It was a mess to eat and probably skewed a bit sweet for my tastes. However, I'll give credit where credit is due. I was impressed that it held up structurally pretty well and even maintained some flakiness given the load it was carrying. Mostly when I've seen cargo croissants like this, they basically disintegrate as soon as you break into them. This kept its shape pretty well and had good texture.

    Anyway, I'm sure the comment above sounds like high criticism of the croissant. I still happily ate it. And I think the flaky pastries coming out of Daisies kitchen are as good as I find these days. I'll be back for more soon.
  • Post #29 - December 12th, 2023, 10:18 pm
    Post #29 - December 12th, 2023, 10:18 pm Post #29 - December 12th, 2023, 10:18 pm
    This place is really great. Had one miss, two home runs and one grand slam the other night.

    Image The Raviolo “Carbonara” bacon | egg | cheese was the miss for me. A lot had to do with missed expectations. There was a strong lemon flavor from the zest and the menu makes no mention of lemon. I get why the lemon is there - it's a heavy dish - but if it's supposed to be as prominent as it was, I'd have liked to have known so I could have avoided it.

    ImageI don't love gnocchi so it certainly wasn't my idea to get this one, which comes with chanterelles | thyme | parmigiano reggiano. The gnocchi was as light as any version I've had which even a non-aficionado like me could appreciate. But I'd have eaten the mushrooms and sauce out of a shoe pulled out of a landfill. Just fantastic.

    ImageThe second home run was this vegan oatmeal cream pie. I have no idea how Omilinsky pulls this texture and flavor off without cream or butter, but this thing - a gift from our server who successfully challenged my skepticism - was fantastic.

    ImageThis stunning concord grape sorbet is why everyone should run to Daisies immediately. There's only about a week or so supply left so don't wait if you want tangy sweet concord perfection in the form of some confusingly smooth sorbet. I'm not sure what the crumble at the bottom is but it almost had a light pop rock texture and it worked really well with the sorbet.
  • Post #30 - December 12th, 2023, 11:12 pm
    Post #30 - December 12th, 2023, 11:12 pm Post #30 - December 12th, 2023, 11:12 pm
    I look forward to dinner maybe next month as they're pretty well booked for December. But the other day when I was eating my first sandwich there i introduced myself to the pastry chef to tell her how much I appreciated the work she was doing. I learned that the Bostock which this time came with some delicious caramelized apples in the center which I thought was an improvement over the jam, is cleverly made with scraps from the croissant dough rather than the brioche that it's usually made from -a great way to make use of every bit of the laminated dough and the flavor is amazing. the sandwiches are all very large, enough for two meals. I had the slagel ham, arugula, peach jam and chevre. I enjoyed it but it was even better when I took the other half home and slapped on some spicy brown mustard. i'm really loving the vibe at this place, as well as the food.

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