Think Outside the Stocking with These Christmas Dishes
When it comes to Christmas foods, there’s more to fawn over than gingerbread and stocking-stuffers. In fact, there’s a whole world of flavors to explore over the holiday that go well beyond the Americana template. From Filipino Christmas fare to Peruvian holiday specials, here are some outside-the-box Christmas eats to enjoy this season around Chicago.
This Christmas Eve, Pecking Order wishes us all a “noche buena,” and what a good night it will be when rotisserie turkeys and chickens are involved. The Filipino poultry parlor promises birds and sides with Filipino flair this holiday, prepared by chef/owner Kristine Subido and her mom. Along with the aforementioned birds, dishes include five-hour bone-in glazed ham, mom’s chicken relleno, empanadas, Pinoy eggs, and adobo arancini.
From the Philippines to Peru, holiday dining adapts a South American accent at Tanta. December 20 through December 24, the zesty restaurant will heat up the Christmas season with specials such as chuleton doble, a grilled Berkshire pork chop with spicy Brussels sprouts, sweet potato puree, and rocoto-passion fruit sauce; pescado nikei, grilled cod with green lima beans, tamarind aji panca sauce, and lima bean salad; and quinoa and scallops with grilled jumbo scallops draped over an organic quinoa and beet salad with creamy passion fruit dressing.
Spice up your holiday dinner table with some tamales to-go from Cantina Laredo. For the home entertainer or gracious guest, tamales are a nice, potent way to put a unique variation on the standard Christmas repast.
For dessert, one surefire way to wow yourself and everyone around you is with a doughnut croquembouche from Beavers Coffee + Donuts. Inspired by the classic towering French dessert of stacked profiteroles and spun sugar, Beavers heaps 60 mini filled doughnut truffles atop an eight-inch base. The truffles are flavored per customer specifications, available filled with chocolate, strawberry, caramel, peanut butter, candy cane, gingerbread, or egg nog.
Pecking Order
4416 N. Clark Street, Chicago
(773) 907-9900
Website
Tanta
118 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago
(312) 222-9700
Website
Cantina Laredo
508 N. State Street, Chicago
(312) 955-0014
Website
Beavers Coffee + Donuts
131 N Clinton Street, Chicago
(773) 392-1300
Website
