Trendy chow: The next big bite

Lauren Gold
Lauren is a master's student at Medill here in Chicago. She loves new media, exploring the city and collecting recipes for meals that she never makes.

First there were onion blossoms and Chicago-style hotdogs. Then, it was bite-sized tapas, coffee shops and food trucks. And for the last few years, Asian-influenced frozen yogurt shops, cupcakes the size of softballs and petite desserts tucked neatly into shot glasses have safely found their way into the consumer lexicon and most of our bellies.

Our hungry team of dedicated reporters scoured the streets of the city to bring you a few new food trends that may be next to capture the city’s imaginative food cravings.

Vietnamese sandwiches

Vietnamese sandwichroboppy/Flickr

If your standard BLT sandwiches just aren’t cutting it anymore, you may want to get in on the latest craze: Vietnamese sandwich shops. Light, airy bread, called banh mi, filled with grilled meat is sure to quell your cravings. Think cucumber slices, pickled carrots and oven-roasted pork belly or Vietnamese sausage. Or try soy options with fried eggs, cheese and tofu. Whatever your preference, these sauteed chicken, pork meatball or spicy chili sauce sandwiches are sure to replace your standard brown-bagged lunch.

Cupcakes

Cupcake from Molly's Cupcakesmichellerlee/Flickr

When you’re ready to give up on your New Year’s diet resolution, your local bakery (or should we say cupcakery) should be your first stop. We know cupcakes have been around for a while, but we’re okay with that. At Molly’s Cupcakes in Lincoln Park, a portion of their profits go straight to local schools. That means you’re giving in and giving back all in one bite. Sweet!

B.Y.O.B. sushi

BYOB SushiKitten/Flickr

Bring Your Own Beer, or B.Y.O.B., sushi is a hip way to experience the eclectic compositions of Japanese cuisine and still enjoy that whole bottle of wine without paying an arm and a leg. Enjoy the invigorating coolness of raw fish with sharp-tasting patches of wasabi without thinking about paying for that spicy, big-flavored wine.

  • Toro Sushi in Lincoln Park

    2546 N Clark St
    Chicago, IL 60614, Map
    773-348-4877

  • Seadog Sushi Bar in East Ukrainian Village

    1500 W Division St
    Chicago, IL 60642, Map
    773-235-8100

  • Ora

    5143 N Clark St
    Chicago, IL 60640, Map
    773-506-2978

Froyo

BYOB SushiNicki Knacks/Flickr

You can perhaps call it the most colorful treat in a city known for its indulgent foods. Self-serve frozen yogurt, or Froyo, is a new alternative for ice-cream. You can put many spins on your treat by mixing flavors and adding spice – or calories – to it with toppings of fruit, nuts and candies. You can fill your cup with as much or little yogurt as you want because the payment is based on weight.

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