CHIReview
photo credit: Derrick Koch
Daisies
Included In
Drive 25 minutes or so outside of Chicago, and you might start to feel like you’re in a Hidden Valley Ranch commercial, surrounded by haystacks, corn fields, and a bunch of people who seem really nice. It’s this idyllic version of the Midwest that Daisies, a coffee shop by day and vegetable-focused restaurant by night, tries to recreate—and because of its friendly service and delicious, seasonal food, it succeeds.
The menu at this Logan Square spot is vegetable-focused, but Daisies is definitely not a vegetarian restaurant. Where other restaurants give meat a starring role and let vegetables support it, here, it’s the other way around—for instance, the potted carrots are made with duck fat, and roasted parsnips come drizzled with bone marrow.
photo credit: Derrick Koch
The real standouts on the menu, though, are the housemade pastas, all of which feature vegetables heavily. Like the beet agnolotti (not something to order if you’re unsure of your opinion on beets) where the pasta dough is made with beet juice, there’s a beet and ricotta filling, and it all comes in a beet sauce. Apart from the slight risk of a beet version of the Kool-aid mustache, though, it’s fantastic. As is the bowl of potato-filled pierogies in a mussel and beer broth—like the non-pasta dishes, it highlights fresh produce while also incorporating meat or seafood elements.
photo credit: Derrick Koch
photo credit: Derrick Koch
photo credit: Derrick Koch
photo credit: Derrick Koch
There are a few missteps, mostly involving under- or over-seasoning dishes. The stracci has a rich sauce that’s lemony but bland, and the herbs mixed in aren’t enough to boost its flavor. And fans of the original Daisies location (a much smaller spot down the street) might miss the intimate vibe that came with a staff who could tell you things like where the lettuce in your salad came from, approximately what time of day it was picked, which phone number it remembers most from its childhood, and its mother’s maiden name. The new, larger space feels more corporate, with a coffee bar/pastry counter, chef's table, and capacity for all 100 diners who might show up on a random Wednesday night. But the food is tasty and comforting in a homey way—assuming home, for you, is a place with large amounts of great pasta.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Derrick Koch
Fritto Misto
photo credit: Derrick Koch
Potted Carrots
photo credit: Sandy Noto
Agnolotti
photo credit: Derrick Koch
Rigatoni
photo credit: Derrick Koch
Cannelloni
photo credit: Sandy Noto
Pierogi
photo credit: Derrick Koch
Rainbow Trout
photo credit: Derrick Koch