Where have you had the best fried calamari

My dad has been searching for along time for the best calamari in (or near) Chicago. He likes the tenticles as well as the "rings"
THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!

Kuma's has an amazing calamari as of a year ago with thinly sliced lemons and peppers that are battered and fried with it, if I could have one wish it would be that they fry it a little more properly so it wasn't SO greasy!

I like the calamari at The Celtic Knot in Evanston. Ask for the cilantro lime cocktail sauce instead of the red pepper sauce, imho it's a better accompaniment.

For me it's a tie between Harry Caray's and Ambrogio.

Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse
33 West Kinzie Street
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312.828.0966

Ambrogio Restaurant
6706 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60634
Phone: (773) 736-6131

I quite enjoy the calamari at Tufano's - I rarely eat calamari, but I'm a creature of habit there, & always order the fried calamari, salad & lemon chicken. (& they include the tentacles).



Tufano's Vernon Park Tap
1073 W Vernon Park Pl
Chicago, IL 60607

The best calamari I've ever had was actually grilled rather than fried:

Calamari Griglio
Bella Bacino's
36 S. LaGrange Road
LaGrange IL 60525
708-352-8882

If you enjoy spicy versions of fried calamari, you'll love these:

Kung Pao Fried Calamari
Mitchell's Fish Market
2601 Navy Boulevard
Glenview, IL 60026
(847) 729-3663

Sweet Chili Calamari
Coopers Hawk Winery and Restaurant*
4 locations - Orland Park, Burr Ridge, Wheeling, South Barrington

*EDIT - See July 27 update below regarding Coopers Hawk.

Some of the best calamari I've had have been in Connecticut and Rhode Island, where they put banana pepper slices and a vinaigrette on or next to the squidbits.
The acid of the vinegar is a nice foil for the fried seafood -- much better than cocktail sauce or the ubiquitous insipid marinara.

A Chicago equivalent would be to liberally sprinkle them with giardinera, but I haven't seen anyone do this.

JoelF wrote:Some of the best calamari I've had have been in Connecticut and Rhode Island, where they put banana pepper slices and a vinaigrette on or next to the squidbits.
The acid of the vinegar is a nice foil for the fried seafood -- much better than cocktail sauce or the ubiquitous insipid marinara.

A Chicago equivalent would be to liberally sprinkle them with giardinera, but I haven't seen anyone do this.

I gotta agree the Rhode Island style calamari is really good. I am surprised it is not done that way in more places. The extra spiciness I appreciate.

In Chicago Harry Careys is my favorite.

Offered as an appetizer at Penang, the batter is light golden and crisp, the squid rings and tentacles soft and perfect. Served with stir-fried bell pepper, onion, Thai spices and a light chili sauce. I love the Asian influence of this dish. Exceedingly more-ish.

Penang Malaysian Cuisine
penangarlington.com
1720 W. Algonquin Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
847-222-1888

I've had excellent fried Calamari at Giacomo's in Des Plaines, and I think they do include the tentacles. IIRC

I also really like their mixed Sicilian grill of seafood which includes calamari, shrimp and octopus.
It's enough for two to share or one to take home for a second dinner.

Red sauce people will love their Braciole which is a very unique and delicious interpretation of this classic.
Again, enough for two to share or one to take home for a second meal (in my appetites opinion...)

http://www.mygiacomos.com/

Second Mitchell's Fish Market!

Gatto's in Tinley Park does a great job. The rest of the menu is equally as good.

Just last night I tried the Korean chili-spiced fried calamari at Uncommon Ground. Excellent all-around. Could've eaten four plates of it, really.

My favorite calamari in town is at The Capital Grille. They do a panfried version that's nice and crisp but also mixed with chili peppers and other spicy things. Haven't had it in awhile but I remember it being really delicious and worthy. Also think there's tentacles as well as rings. Tentacles freak me out but a favorite dining companion likes to put them in his mouth and do tricks. It's funny.

Shannon

The Capital Grille
633 North St. Clair Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 337-9400

Fontana Grill in Uptown is a Bosnian/Italian restaurant that does a great Fried Calamari. Always breaded and fried to order and served with lemons and their delicious red sauce . Go on a Wednesday and get the added bonus of 50% off appetizers and wine flights! Great outdoor patio too.
Fontana Grill
1329 W. Wilson
773-561-0400

Jameson's Charhouse at Rte 53 & Dundee in Arlington Heights. Simply presented alongside cocktail sauce and lemon, but a massive portion with rings cut nearly an inch thick, an order can easily satisfy the appetizer needs of a party of four, and the breading to squid ratio is beautifully balanced.

The sweet chili ginger basil calamari at The Clubhouse in Oak Brook is yum.

tapler wrote:Just last night I tried the Korean chili-spiced fried calamari at Uncommon Ground. Excellent all-around. Could've eaten four plates of it, really.

Agreed. I had this a few months ago and it was the bright spot of the meal.

I second or third Harry Carey's, it is really good.

Both Spoon Thai and Sticky rice have great grilled calamari.

To me, fried calamari is a pretty simple dish to execute and tough to screw up - light and well seasoned breading, fried crisp and not greasy. At the same time, few versions really stand out to me. Where I start to distinguish one squid from the next is usually in the accompanying sauce, the addition of seasoning either to the breading or when finishing the dish, or to an accompaniment that really complements the squid.

Now while there are no rings in Sun Wah's version (it's actually octopus I believe anyway), I will say that if there's a better version of fried calamari (or octopus as the case may be) than Sun Wah's Octopus Whiskers, I haven't met them - a nice salt and pepper treatment, some spicy heat and great vegetables. And if you haven't seen them, check out for yourself in G Wiv's picture from the LTH GNR Sun Wah dinner. Now I'm getting hungry - Beijing Duck and Octopus Whiskers!

To me, fried calamari is a pretty simple dish to execute and tough to screw up

gotta disagree. simple stuff is often the easiest to screw up; case in point, fried calamari. far too often, it's tough, rubberbandy, or the breading doesn't adhere, or it's too greasy, or they slice the rings too thin and they cook too quickly. I've had more bad versions than good.

The one at Trattoria Demi in Evanston is pretty darn good. They toss it with sliced banana peppers and serve it with lemon wedges and marinara. Nice, big, meaty pieces of calamari, and they are careful not to overcook it. I also like the one at Davis Street Fishmarket where they toss it with a sweet/spicy asian sauce. When I worked at Carlucci in Rosemont, I ate our fried calamari every day. Nothing crazy, just a light breading (rice flour is the key), good quality calamari, and lemon/marinara. Haven't eaten there in forever, so not sure how it's stood up to the test of time.

BR wrote:

Now while there are no rings in Sun Wah's version (it's actually octopus I believe anyway), I will say that if there's a better version of fried calamari (or octopus as the case may be) than Sun Wah's Octopus Whiskers, I haven't met them - a nice salt and pepper treatment, some spicy heat and great vegetables. And if you haven't seen them, check out for yourself in G Wiv's picture from the LTH GNR Sun Wah dinner. Now I'm getting hungry - Beijing Duck and Octopus Whiskers!

BR,

I've had Sun Wah's "Octopus Whiskers" several times, and while I agree that it is very, very good, I also have to recommend the fried cuttlefish ant Shui Wah (on the dim sum/daytime menu). Batonet cut cuttlefish in a light (rice flour?) batter, absolutely grease free, with a fantastic five spice seasoning salt. It is impossible for me to restrain or pace myself once it's on the table. (Ask for extra five spice salt on the side for dipping)

Shui Wah
2162 S Archer Ave
(In the Chinatown Mall)
Chicago, IL 60616
312-225-8811

I forgot, Tuscany on Taylor, Phil Stefani's place, has a consistently excellent fried calamari. Light, crisp and not greasy. Not to mention a superb grilled octopus.

Impecca in Roselle..the calamari is not overly breaded and has been consistently tender on every visit Ive made

trpt2345 wrote:I forgot, Tuscany on Taylor, Phil Stefani's place, has a consistently excellent fried calamari. Light, crisp and not greasy. Not to mention a superb grilled octopus.

Yes, I think Tuscany's fried calamari is consistently quite good.

I also quite like Keefer's fried calamari - a little different than the norm, Guinness-battered with panko bread crumbs so a (pleasant) darker appearance. However Keefer's *grilled* calamari dish is so good it's hard to get the fried when I'm there.

some great suggestions here!
i'll nominate francesca's restaurants[and there are now 20 of them in the greater chicagoland area].
lightly breaded and served simply with a nice maranara dipping sauce[tomato,anchovy and garlic]and lemon.

I can't believe I forgot about Shui Wah! I will second this recommendation heartily.

I'll third or fourth or where-ever we are on ANY Sun Wah's salt-n-peppa seafood preparation.

And I've written about outstanding fried calamari at Via Mare on the far NW side here.

Haven't had it in a couple of years, but I still remember the calamari and fritto misto at Agostino's on Harlem Avenue as being excellent:

http://www.agostinogustofino.com/enter.htm

earthlydesire wrote:My favorite calamari in town is at The Capital Grille. They do a panfried version that's nice and crisp but also mixed with chili peppers and other spicy things. Haven't had it in awhile but I remember it being really delicious and worthy. Also think there's tentacles as well as rings. Tentacles freak me out but a favorite dining companion likes to put them in his mouth and do tricks. It's funny.

Shannon

The Capital Grille
633 North St. Clair Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 337-9400

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