I have a confession to make: I’m not into dressing up for Halloween. It’s not that I hate it; it’s just that I don’t feel inspired to spend lots of time and money on a costume. This year I decided I didn’t want to dress up. I had last-minute ideas in mind in case I had to wear a costume, but I was relieved to instead have low-key dinner plans with friends in Wicker Park. We checked out Barley and Brass on Division Street, an area I haven’t been able to explore much yet.
I’m a fan of restaurants with unique cocktails, like the Weekend at Bernie’s, which is what I ordered. The drink is Jamaican rum, Fernet, honey, pineapple, lime and Nasturtium (whatever that is). I noticed a drink being served at a neighboring table that looked like it had burning sage in it. It was the In the Air Tonight drink that comes with sprigs of rosemary. Bonus points for creativity.
I ordered the beer cheese as an appetizer, but it was delivered along with our entrees. I dined on the corn and black bean salad, while Graham ate spicy wings.
The beer cheese (not pictured), served in a small glass jar, was delicious. I would order it again, along with the Frites D’Fromage: fries, cheese curds and mornay. I would even just order a bunch of the appetizers and bar snacks as a meal. The menu has other vegetarian options as well. I plan to check out more of the menu next time I’m in the area. Also, if you’re on Division, go to Caffe Gelato for dessert. Thank me later.
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.