The 7 Best Dishes We Ate in May

From savory short rib at STK Chicago to upscale edamame at Joy District, here's what the Michigan Avenue team ate this month...

Braised Short Rib at STK Chicago (9 W Kinzie St.) "The meltingly tender braised short rib at STK Chicago was an ideal way to say farewell to comfort food season: Roasted pepper relish and red wine glaze added a hint of sweetness, balanced by a knockout side of jalapeño cheddar grits, which gave the dish the perfect kick." —J.P. Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, @jpanders

Saffron Spaghetti at GreenRiver (259 E. Erie St.) "Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of dining out on the terrace at this Michelin-starred spot in Streeterville (those views, people!), and while every dish I ordered was remarkable, the vibrant saffron spaghetti was exceptional. The noodles are tossed in a rich, velvety uni sauce with tender clams and sweet peppers, and are finished with tiny, delicately placed flowers for an extra pop of color." —Kailley Lindman, Online Contributor, @kailleyskitchen

Pobre Niguiris Nikei at Tanta (118 W. Grand Ave.) "It's a good thing that the Niguiris Nikei come two-to-an-order at Tanta—it's nearly impossible to stop at just one. That proves especially true with the Pobre Niguiris Nikei, a lightly torched bite of skirt steak with a quail egg, chalaca and ponzu gel that is served over sushi rice. Consider your sushi-going experiences forever altered." —Nicole Schnitzler, Online Contributor, @writetoeat

Grilled Edamame at Joy District (112 W. Hubbard St.) "I typically wouldn’t promote a starter to headliner status, but Chef Matthew Wilde’s inventive update to the classic app is nothing short of gush-worthy: steamed, charcoal-grilled, and caramelized, the yuzu salt-dappled pod's ultimately laced with a dried-plum-flavored spice blend—yukari—that ups the ante for finger food." —Stephen Ostrowski, Digital Manager, @quinoa_boy

The Reuben at The Corned Beef Factory (1009 W. Lake St.) "The meat is thin, tangy, and every bite is crazy good, all between rye bread with Thousand Island, kraut, and swiss cheese. Plus, they come with homemade chips, a damn crunchy pickle and wrapped in a brown box tied up with string. They're about to open a new sit-down spot across the street, which means that I'll probably be around there double—one spot to eat at and one to take home for later." —Alex Shebar, Online Contributor, @alexshebar

Salsiccia Pizza at Dinotto Pizza e Vino (1551 N. Wells St.) "I recently dined at Dinotto's restaurant in Old Town for their Wine Wednesday special and a sampling of their famous homemade pizzas. The Salsiccia Pizza is noted as the restaurant's 'most popular pizza' and after trying it I understand why... the combination of fennel sausage and home-made mozzarella cheese was out of this world." —Therese M. Beliveau, Account Executive, @therese_marie

Crab and Avocado Salad at RL (115 E. Chicago Ave.) "After four years of living in Chicago I finally made it to RL and it did not disappoint. Everything was as delicious as I anticipated, but, whoa, the Crab and Avocado Salad was the perfect combination of decadent and light. Give me this dish every day in the summer and I'll be a happy girl." —Brooke Biddle, Marketing & Events Manager, @brookebiddle