Two Chicago Latin restaurants and one tamale vendor were among the winners in the 2017
Chicago Tribune Dining Awards, announced April 5.
Jennifer Jones Enyart, who co-owns Dos Urban Cantina with her husband Bryan, was named Pastry Chef of the Year. The Tribune judges wrote: "Our nod goes to Jennifer Jones Enyart and her marvelous, Mexican-inspired desserts. Her coconut tres leches cake, studded with meringue shards, has become a signature sweet...but don't overlook her newer efforts, including carrot flan (with ginger-citrus cream and candied pecans), a fascinating banana-leaf sundae and a spring-has-sprung composition of rhubarb, angel food cake and anise-flavored bizcochito." Read more about Dos Urban Cafe in this el Restaurante article about the Chicago Latin restaurant scene.
Dos Urban Cantina was a double-winner: The restaurant also won for Best Happy Hour. The Tribune judges wrote: "You can sit comfortably in the lounge while sipping one of the best margaritas in town for an astonishingly low $4.50."
Rick Bayless' famous place Topolobampo earned the award for Best Splurge. "The menu, divided among eight savory and sweet categories, encourages diners to mix and match their way to culinary heaven."
And the Best Late-Night Food award went to Tamale Guy, otherwise known as Claudio Velez. Velez brings his tamales in a red cooler to bars at just the right moment. "Everybody loves the guy who comes into the bar after midnight and offers, in six beautiful syllables, sustenance to the drunk and hungry: 'Tamales! Tamales.'"
Read about all the Tribune awards here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/restaurants/ct-readers-choice-dining-awards-food-0405-20170331-story.html