Dark Chocolate and Pecan Banana Bread at Mindy’s Bakery
For banana bread to make any bestof list, it’s got to be next level. Leave it to Mindy Segal. Her cakey offering comes in thick slabs, each swirled with a wide ribbon of bittersweet fudge and finished with pecanstudded streusel. $5. 1623 N. Milwaukee Ave., Bucktown — C.B.
YAKI BEEF GYOZA AT MONSTER RAMEN
Chef-owner Katie Dong makes some of the juiciest fried dumplings in town at her new ramen joint. Each one of these ground-beef-stuffed delights takes a trip to the griddle and comes out perfectly crisped. The filling, which also includes ginger, garlic, and cabbage, delivers an explosion of flavors and textures. $7.95. 3435 W. Fullerton Ave., Logan Square —T.R.
CHICKEN DIAVOLA AT CODA DI VOLPE
When you find a roast chicken that speaks to you, it can be hard ordering anything else. For some of us, that’s the quandary at this restaurant better known for its pizzas and pastas. Its burnished half bird arrives trailing a scent of sweet smoke from the wood-burning oven, and its skin crackles with the flavors of its Calabrian chile and honey glaze. Fantastic pooled juices on the plate soak into roasted potatoes and spears of Broccolini. $26. 3335 N. Southport Ave., Lake View —J.K.
Purple Velvet Cupcake at Jennivee’s Bakery
Red velvet owes its existence to a bottle of food coloring. Purple velvet relies
