Karyn's On Green, Chicago

I am finally getting a chance to post about my new favorite restaurant, Karyn's on Green! This was from a few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went out to dinner with my parents. I have been to Karyn's Raw Bistro plenty of times and love it, so I never really ventured out. It's the closest to where I live and they have an awesome menu. Everytime I go there, I get coupons for her two other resaurants. So we figured we might as well try them out. With my dad being vegan, there was little convincing to do.

My boyfriend and I got there a little early, so we got drinks. He ordered the Bubbling Up Manhattan which has Bourbon, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Hubba Bubba Syrup, Plum Bitters. They actaully make the bubblegum syrup in house! He really liked it. I got the Black Thai Affair which has Gin, Muddled Blackberries and Thai Basil, Lemonade, Topped with Prosecco. It was out of this world and I have ordered about 4 since (we keep going back for more)!

When my parents arrived we all declared famine and ordered an appetizer of carmelized brussels sprouts in a grain mustard vinaigrette, very yummy! We are all brussels sprouts lovers and these were some of the best i've ever had (aside from my dad's homemade recipe)! We also got the broccoli cheddar soup, which was so, so good. That is a recipe I have yet to try out on my own, and I was definitely inspired!

I got the BBQ Jackfruit with fingerling potatoes, broccoli and cornbread. I have been wanting to taste jackfruit for awhile now, and I always see the most creative recipes that incorporate it. It was so delicious, I went back and ordered it again the next weekend! There is a little asain market down the street from me that sells it, and I can't wait to go get some.

My boyfriend got the gumbo, with okra, brown rice, smoked parsnip, and yuba. He really enjoyed this because he doesn't eat dairy (or really any animal products at all) and when we were in DC back in May, he ordered it at a restaurant, and they had to omit a lot of ingradients to cut out the dairy, so he basically got olive oil noodles. So this time, he actaully got what he wanted and was very happy.

Next up, my mom's dish! She got the "Chicken Legs" with collard greens, black eyed peas, brown rice, and cornbread with BBW sauce on the side. She said the black eyed peas were the best part! She really enjoyed this dish overall. She also doesn't eat dairy, and it's really nice to go to a restaurant and not have to think about that at all.

Lastly, my dad ordered the spicy basil tofu with eggplant, bok choy, and rice. He loved it and said the eggplant was so good next time he would get it without the tofu just to get extra eggplant. He always leans towards ethnic dishes, asain, indian, and african being his favorite. It's funny because my mom couldn't be more opposite, as shown in their ordering above (Greek food is her favorite).

I don't know how, but we ended up ordering desert and leaving feeling like we were about to explode. My mom is a huge carrot cake lover, so we ordered that along with chocolate coconut ice cream. Both were delicious! Karyn's strawberry softserve, which she only serves at her Raw Bistro, is still my favorite, though.

So as I mentioned above, we went back the weekend after that, and then my parents again the weekend after that! If that doesn't scream 'raving fan' then I don't know what does! ;) I'm looking through my library and will post the photos from the following times we ate there. They involve pizza, crabcakes, and yummy salads....

(all descriptions in the same order as the photos)