Market Follow-Up
The Season's First Bitter (Big) Salad
Salt, sweet, sour, bitter. Eaters tend to rejoice with foods full of the first three basic flavors. Yet, how many diners do you see, pushing themselves back from the table, satisfyingly wiping their lips and say, "boy that was bitter." I mean, how many people just winced at the word bitter? Do not fear bitter. Two of the best things to consume are dominated by bitter flavors: chocolate and coffee. And lettuce, dressing tends to tame lettuce's bitterness, but underneath that dressing is some pretty bitter stuff. At Green City Market the other day, we picked up a bunch of mixed seasonal lettuces from Growing Power, the farm located in the midst of the city of Milwaukee. I was a bit skeptical of this lettuce because Growing Power had a lot of hothouse tomatoes. They insisted though, that the lettuce came from the ground. I believe them now.
This was lettuce to tame your fear of bitterness. And of course, high advertisement for farmer's markets. I made my first big salad of the year. I love big salads. I take a bunch of items found in the kitchen, typically farmer's market produce and leftover meats, then chop it as well as my poor knife skills allow. I confess that what I love most about the big salad is just shoving all the minced stuff in my mouth like a squirrel and enjoying the way it interacts. In fact, I do not think I could eat a big salad in the company of others because the puffed out cheeks would be so impolite. OK, I am getting off subject. This big salad featured leftover pollo rostizado from Carnercia Jimenez (not the best I've had from them, too salty); Costco miracle bacon (i.e., their pre-cooked bacon that lasts for 8 months and is really, really good); Caputo's roasted red peppers, the Condiment Queen's famous tapenade (so good the chowhounditas demand it for breakfast, with goat cheese, at least once a week); and some crumbled blue cheese, with mustard vinaigrette. Oh, and that Growing Power Lettuce, at the end of the day, with all those things faded into the background. I mostly tasted the lettuce, a deliciously bitter lettuce. I finished that big salad, pushed myself away from the table, wiped my lips, smiled to no one, and said, boy was that bitter.
Additional follow up: We made the Wilmont Milling polenta last night. It took a long time, much longer than promised, but at the end of the day it was worth the wait (if you like your polenta heavy, intense and tasting like corn.)
Friday, June 03, 2005
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Chicago's Green City Farmer's Market
Always Gettin' Better
We missed the first couple of weeks of Chicago's Green City Market, but it took only one visit to convince me that it is better than ever. From its start, Green City has included vendors selling produce both organic and unique. That makes it a very good farmer's market. Yet, it did not stop there. Over the last few years, Green City has added several vendors offering local, organic meats such as Piedmontese style beef. And we are not talking a few chickens and a bunch of eggs. One could get bratwurst made from Illinois pork, bacon, parts including liver and kidneys, heritage turkeys, etc. More, more, more. A couple of years ago, Traderspoint, an organic dairy based in Indiana began offering their freakishly good milk and yogurt. How could they top it in 2005?
How 'bout stone ground organic grains from a water-run mill? 2005's Green City Market now has an array of products from Wilmont Milling Company (est 1840!). Grits made from white popcorn, polenta from yellow corn, even a grind made from Indian corn (also oatmeal, bread flour, rye, etc.). I found, that at $8 for 24 ounces, it was not a bad deal at all. I have yet to make it, but it looks great (and I doubt I will ever do a direct taste test with some of the mail order stone ground grits guys out there). Still, it adds to the completeness of the Green City Market.
Of course, I like my Oak Park market the best (which this year will include meat and eggs), but I like it for reasons not just food. I am most impressed with Green City.
NB: Wilmont Milling will only be at the market on Wednesdays. On Saturdays, they will be at the Indianapolis market.
Always Gettin' Better
We missed the first couple of weeks of Chicago's Green City Market, but it took only one visit to convince me that it is better than ever. From its start, Green City has included vendors selling produce both organic and unique. That makes it a very good farmer's market. Yet, it did not stop there. Over the last few years, Green City has added several vendors offering local, organic meats such as Piedmontese style beef. And we are not talking a few chickens and a bunch of eggs. One could get bratwurst made from Illinois pork, bacon, parts including liver and kidneys, heritage turkeys, etc. More, more, more. A couple of years ago, Traderspoint, an organic dairy based in Indiana began offering their freakishly good milk and yogurt. How could they top it in 2005?
How 'bout stone ground organic grains from a water-run mill? 2005's Green City Market now has an array of products from Wilmont Milling Company (est 1840!). Grits made from white popcorn, polenta from yellow corn, even a grind made from Indian corn (also oatmeal, bread flour, rye, etc.). I found, that at $8 for 24 ounces, it was not a bad deal at all. I have yet to make it, but it looks great (and I doubt I will ever do a direct taste test with some of the mail order stone ground grits guys out there). Still, it adds to the completeness of the Green City Market.
Of course, I like my Oak Park market the best (which this year will include meat and eggs), but I like it for reasons not just food. I am most impressed with Green City.
NB: Wilmont Milling will only be at the market on Wednesdays. On Saturdays, they will be at the Indianapolis market.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Why Go to Reuters Bakery Tomorrow (Saturday)
Every morning at Reuters, the fresser gets confounded with wonderful choices: multiple versions types of coffee cakes, seasonal rhubarb tarts, strudels, sweet rolls, but on Saturday morning, the choice is that much harder. On Saturday's Reuters bakes a kinda coffee cake loaf (in four varieties!). It is a yeast dough, ever so slightly dry, like a coffee cake, but overcome by various fillings like fresh blueberrys or pie cherries and topped with either icing or sugery crumbs. Slice it like bread. Toast it. But do it in a toaster oven with a tray 'cause the sugar will melt all over every thing.
Every morning at Reuters, the fresser gets confounded with wonderful choices: multiple versions types of coffee cakes, seasonal rhubarb tarts, strudels, sweet rolls, but on Saturday morning, the choice is that much harder. On Saturday's Reuters bakes a kinda coffee cake loaf (in four varieties!). It is a yeast dough, ever so slightly dry, like a coffee cake, but overcome by various fillings like fresh blueberrys or pie cherries and topped with either icing or sugery crumbs. Slice it like bread. Toast it. But do it in a toaster oven with a tray 'cause the sugar will melt all over every thing.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Ripped Off!
Lunch at Osteria via Stato
First, let me note that the Condiment Queen did not hate Osteria Via Stato quite as much as me. Second, on a dinner visit, Mr. Barolo wrote on LTHForum that he had a more pleasant experience. But I got the keyboard in front of me.
Did I mention that I hated Osteria via Stato? Aside from accusations of deliberate food poisoning, I s'pose that calling a place a rip-off is about as bad as you can say. No?
Granted, to be ripped off, one has to be willingly gullible, to expect something nice from LEY places (and I have defended them over the years), and to buy into this "more Italian" experience they were promising at Osteria via Stato. So, maybe it's my fault.
I expected to be impressed with lavish platers of attractive antipasti: vibrant salads, luscious meats. I expected the pastas to be deliciously simple, emphasizing the grain as much as the condiment, and I expected a good if small main course or secondi. Of course, based on all the hype and such, I was also expecting a price fixe menu. (I also expect in a pretty empty restaurant to not be led to a table in the corner abutting the computer, but that I remedied with a bit of vocalization.)
It turns out at lunch they do not really serve the price fixe anymore. It was all ala carte, but I made a little stink (called threatened to leave), and voila there was still a two course set deal for $19 (give or take a dollar I forget now). Should have stuck with the ala carte. Here's what we got. Two bowls of asparagus soup--I mean two bowls with a little bit of asparagus soup in them; two playing card thick slices of baked fennel; and an overdressed green salad. That was our wow-us first course. We were then allowed to pick from the pastas or entrees. I chose the "homemade" paparadelle with meat ragu, and my wife chose salmon with green sauce.
The soup was good enough, it was more a chicken veloute with a few slices of asparagus than a soup that really brought out the spring flavors, but it was very much wrong as the first thing served. The fennel tasted fine, but the way it came, so tiny, on a tiny plate, made eating it seem so joyless, and the salad, surprisingly enough was pretty bad, you would think green salad how can they do that, but it was overdressed and overdressed with a too sweet dressing. But c'mon, where was the house cured salmon I've heard about, the salumi, the proscuitto*. I've had glorious antipasti in Italy, and this felt more like what a place would give you as nibbles with a glass of wine.
And you know I am not gonna like the pasta. It may have been made in house, but I suspect it was done either with an extruder machine or an Atlas machine (if really made in house), because at the end of the day, it had none of that toothsomeness, that feel of real home made pasta. Like so much of the lunch, it seemed lifeless and joyless. And (of course) it goes without saying that it came way over sauced (and the sauce was nothing special either). My wife did enjoy her small piece of fish. I did not taste it, but visually, it did look well cooked.
Perhaps because they sensed my misery, they decided unannounced, to bring us some sides near the end of our meal. We got a polenta that was cooked well but was exceedingly bland, and some nice local asparagus that even they could not ruin.
On top of all of this, we were dumb enough to go with the bring us wine program (abet at the piker $15 option). It was an especially dumb call, cause they offered us a glass of wine with the set lunch. Instead, we got three mediocre glasses of wine. The first, a Sicilian white from Cusamano had a nice floral nose, but was vapid on the tongue. The second, a red Sicilian (Nero d'Avola) also from Cusamano was just vapid, and the third, a Puglian wine (Uva di Troia) from Santa Lucia had that bubble-gum-y taste of a bad Beaujolais noveau. We left most of the reds un-drunk.
*One of the first visual cues that things were not all they should have been at Osteria via Stato, is that when you walk in, you see a display of a bunch of the antipasti (as well as a few of the raw materials with labels of origin). I'm not gonna comment on the wrinkled eggplants, but the ham. It is displayed prominently, shown off. Yet, it is shown off in a machine slicer, actually a show-off machine slice with a vivid paint job. It's really meant to catch your attention, show off. But all I think is, who really wants to show off machine sliced prosciutto. Would not a place that aspires to what they aspire to, hand slice the ham? Is not prosciutto SUPPOSED to be hand sliced...
Lunch at Osteria via Stato
First, let me note that the Condiment Queen did not hate Osteria Via Stato quite as much as me. Second, on a dinner visit, Mr. Barolo wrote on LTHForum that he had a more pleasant experience. But I got the keyboard in front of me.
Did I mention that I hated Osteria via Stato? Aside from accusations of deliberate food poisoning, I s'pose that calling a place a rip-off is about as bad as you can say. No?
Granted, to be ripped off, one has to be willingly gullible, to expect something nice from LEY places (and I have defended them over the years), and to buy into this "more Italian" experience they were promising at Osteria via Stato. So, maybe it's my fault.
I expected to be impressed with lavish platers of attractive antipasti: vibrant salads, luscious meats. I expected the pastas to be deliciously simple, emphasizing the grain as much as the condiment, and I expected a good if small main course or secondi. Of course, based on all the hype and such, I was also expecting a price fixe menu. (I also expect in a pretty empty restaurant to not be led to a table in the corner abutting the computer, but that I remedied with a bit of vocalization.)
It turns out at lunch they do not really serve the price fixe anymore. It was all ala carte, but I made a little stink (called threatened to leave), and voila there was still a two course set deal for $19 (give or take a dollar I forget now). Should have stuck with the ala carte. Here's what we got. Two bowls of asparagus soup--I mean two bowls with a little bit of asparagus soup in them; two playing card thick slices of baked fennel; and an overdressed green salad. That was our wow-us first course. We were then allowed to pick from the pastas or entrees. I chose the "homemade" paparadelle with meat ragu, and my wife chose salmon with green sauce.
The soup was good enough, it was more a chicken veloute with a few slices of asparagus than a soup that really brought out the spring flavors, but it was very much wrong as the first thing served. The fennel tasted fine, but the way it came, so tiny, on a tiny plate, made eating it seem so joyless, and the salad, surprisingly enough was pretty bad, you would think green salad how can they do that, but it was overdressed and overdressed with a too sweet dressing. But c'mon, where was the house cured salmon I've heard about, the salumi, the proscuitto*. I've had glorious antipasti in Italy, and this felt more like what a place would give you as nibbles with a glass of wine.
And you know I am not gonna like the pasta. It may have been made in house, but I suspect it was done either with an extruder machine or an Atlas machine (if really made in house), because at the end of the day, it had none of that toothsomeness, that feel of real home made pasta. Like so much of the lunch, it seemed lifeless and joyless. And (of course) it goes without saying that it came way over sauced (and the sauce was nothing special either). My wife did enjoy her small piece of fish. I did not taste it, but visually, it did look well cooked.
Perhaps because they sensed my misery, they decided unannounced, to bring us some sides near the end of our meal. We got a polenta that was cooked well but was exceedingly bland, and some nice local asparagus that even they could not ruin.
On top of all of this, we were dumb enough to go with the bring us wine program (abet at the piker $15 option). It was an especially dumb call, cause they offered us a glass of wine with the set lunch. Instead, we got three mediocre glasses of wine. The first, a Sicilian white from Cusamano had a nice floral nose, but was vapid on the tongue. The second, a red Sicilian (Nero d'Avola) also from Cusamano was just vapid, and the third, a Puglian wine (Uva di Troia) from Santa Lucia had that bubble-gum-y taste of a bad Beaujolais noveau. We left most of the reds un-drunk.
*One of the first visual cues that things were not all they should have been at Osteria via Stato, is that when you walk in, you see a display of a bunch of the antipasti (as well as a few of the raw materials with labels of origin). I'm not gonna comment on the wrinkled eggplants, but the ham. It is displayed prominently, shown off. Yet, it is shown off in a machine slicer, actually a show-off machine slice with a vivid paint job. It's really meant to catch your attention, show off. But all I think is, who really wants to show off machine sliced prosciutto. Would not a place that aspires to what they aspire to, hand slice the ham? Is not prosciutto SUPPOSED to be hand sliced...
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Al Pastor es La Ley
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my luck in chowhounding has a lot to do with the eagle eye of the Condiment Queen. There are times, however, when I do OK as well. As we have discussed on these boards before, a good signifier to me has always been home-made-y looking signs advertising regional/obscure specialities. La Ley at the intersection of Grand and Austin has several big hand painted signs telling the passerby of their barbacoa de borrego estillo Durango (steamed lamb as done in Durango, in the north of Mexico). I've been wanting to go here for a while. And as so often the case. What took me so long.
The first thing I saw upon entering was a very robust cone of al pastor pork. I knew what to have with my barbacoa. When the CQ opened her menu, she knew what she would have (after seeing a tiny piece of paper advertising carne en su jugo). My ony decision, get the al pastor en gordita or not. With a bit of half-assed Spainish, I learned that the gorditas were hecho a mano, handmade, and I was set on lunch. Truly great al pastor. Ideal al pastor in the sense that the meat was throughly crisped up from the spit cookery, not hung to dry and fried on the griddle. The gordita was huge, like a masa sammy. The two tacos de barbacoa were just as good, the kinda fatty, near gelatonous taste that leaves your lips greasy (but in a good way).
All the stuff was enhanced by a trio of salsas, each hotter than the next. I was especially keen on one made mostly of charred jalepenos, but a thinner green sauce, and a red sauce with a strong smokey element were about as good. The carne en su jugo was not quite as complex as some I've had, but what it lacked nuance, it made up for with muscle. A very strong bowl of meat, bacon and beans. Ms. VI gave it the esteemed comment, "it does not taste like restaurant food." Unlike most carne en su jugo I have had, the meat was soft and rich instead of grilled. They had no take out menus, so I do not currently have the address or telephone number. I cannot vouch for anything else on the menu, but I was pretty blown away on this, my first visit.
After eating here, I was most interested in the opinion of Rich4, a hound rather obsessed with tacos al pastor. Well, it seems he likes the place.
Taqueria La Ley
6000 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL
(773) 385-9878
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my luck in chowhounding has a lot to do with the eagle eye of the Condiment Queen. There are times, however, when I do OK as well. As we have discussed on these boards before, a good signifier to me has always been home-made-y looking signs advertising regional/obscure specialities. La Ley at the intersection of Grand and Austin has several big hand painted signs telling the passerby of their barbacoa de borrego estillo Durango (steamed lamb as done in Durango, in the north of Mexico). I've been wanting to go here for a while. And as so often the case. What took me so long.
The first thing I saw upon entering was a very robust cone of al pastor pork. I knew what to have with my barbacoa. When the CQ opened her menu, she knew what she would have (after seeing a tiny piece of paper advertising carne en su jugo). My ony decision, get the al pastor en gordita or not. With a bit of half-assed Spainish, I learned that the gorditas were hecho a mano, handmade, and I was set on lunch. Truly great al pastor. Ideal al pastor in the sense that the meat was throughly crisped up from the spit cookery, not hung to dry and fried on the griddle. The gordita was huge, like a masa sammy. The two tacos de barbacoa were just as good, the kinda fatty, near gelatonous taste that leaves your lips greasy (but in a good way).
All the stuff was enhanced by a trio of salsas, each hotter than the next. I was especially keen on one made mostly of charred jalepenos, but a thinner green sauce, and a red sauce with a strong smokey element were about as good. The carne en su jugo was not quite as complex as some I've had, but what it lacked nuance, it made up for with muscle. A very strong bowl of meat, bacon and beans. Ms. VI gave it the esteemed comment, "it does not taste like restaurant food." Unlike most carne en su jugo I have had, the meat was soft and rich instead of grilled. They had no take out menus, so I do not currently have the address or telephone number. I cannot vouch for anything else on the menu, but I was pretty blown away on this, my first visit.
After eating here, I was most interested in the opinion of Rich4, a hound rather obsessed with tacos al pastor. Well, it seems he likes the place.
Taqueria La Ley
6000 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL
(773) 385-9878
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
What's Interesting This Week at Caputo's
Organic "mini-watermelons". Also available at Goodness Greeness (although I do not know this place). See here for details.
Also, fish. I've been very impressed with the looks of Caputo's fish department. Right now they have whole "toto" fish. Beats the heck out of me, and sea snails too.
Organic "mini-watermelons". Also available at Goodness Greeness (although I do not know this place). See here for details.
Also, fish. I've been very impressed with the looks of Caputo's fish department. Right now they have whole "toto" fish. Beats the heck out of me, and sea snails too.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Missing Information
Cynics might suggest the lack of posting stems from two weeks of drubbing in the Phil Vettel game (e.g., review AND mother's day listings...). No, I can and will give Phil credit for his victories. Rather, I have been bedeviled by the twin demons, work and wrecked computer. Work's still there, but the computer problems have been mostly fixed (for the time being). Look forward soon to plenty of vital information:
The Czech paradox...opinions on three leading Midwest deli's; the strata of Milwaukee dining...Michigan style coney dogs and coney burgers...a like new version of the ice cream listing (with data on the superb south side ice cream gems like Gayety and Cunis)...reviews of Apple's America and the Stern's Roadfood (neither hits the sweet spot)...lunch with the big shots at Gene and Georgetti's...
Stay tuned and sorry for the missing information.
Cynics might suggest the lack of posting stems from two weeks of drubbing in the Phil Vettel game (e.g., review AND mother's day listings...). No, I can and will give Phil credit for his victories. Rather, I have been bedeviled by the twin demons, work and wrecked computer. Work's still there, but the computer problems have been mostly fixed (for the time being). Look forward soon to plenty of vital information:
The Czech paradox...opinions on three leading Midwest deli's; the strata of Milwaukee dining...Michigan style coney dogs and coney burgers...a like new version of the ice cream listing (with data on the superb south side ice cream gems like Gayety and Cunis)...reviews of Apple's America and the Stern's Roadfood (neither hits the sweet spot)...lunch with the big shots at Gene and Georgetti's...
Stay tuned and sorry for the missing information.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Bourdain and Bulli
Apparantly Tony Bourdain did a one hour program on Ferran Adria, but it's been embargoed from US consumption.A Chicago foodie got his hands on the tape though. He gives a re-cap here.
A link for people with BitTorren familiarty is provided at the end of the post.
Apparantly Tony Bourdain did a one hour program on Ferran Adria, but it's been embargoed from US consumption.A Chicago foodie got his hands on the tape though. He gives a re-cap here.
A link for people with BitTorren familiarty is provided at the end of the post.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
James Beard Food Journalism Awards
The nominees are out (via SauteWednesday). Sad to see my favorite food piece missed the cut. Anything else left out?
The nominees are out (via SauteWednesday). Sad to see my favorite food piece missed the cut. Anything else left out?
Do We Have a Winner in the (CTrib) Cheap Eats Game?
Every Wednesday right before I unwrap our Chicago Tribune, I regale (or torment depending on your mood) the family with the Cheap Eats game. Each week, the Tribune's food section publishes a "Cheap Eats" review, or shall I call it a "review". I'll leave for another rant, the heading dominated format that leaves little room for actual remarks on the restaurant, and talk today on the basis of the Cheap Eats Game. Is it a restuarant worth reporting.
Because there is one Cheap Eats review each week. And there are a lot of cheap eats in Chicago (or as noted on LTHForum, in the furthest suburbs as well.) So, each week, I wonder, could it be a undiscovered but interesting taqueria, a well regaded Persian place run by an Assyrian family from Iraq, or god dang it, That-a-Burger. What comes each week? Endless faux Irish pubs (who knew Buffalo chicken wings were so popular in Eire), corporate outposts, and best of all, corporate outposts of Irish pubs (or is that Irish pub corporate outposts?). Play along.
I cannot figger out if we have a winner this week with Let's Go Bistro in Downer's Grove. It's not faux Irish and it's not a chain (I do not think), but it is also faux French (it aint a bistro). Actually, my first thought when I saw the restaurant name was, bistros should be the domain of the main Trib reviewer, Phil Vettel. Since this is really a cafe, really a diner (so it seems), I can see it outside *his* domain. Anyway, in the bungalow this morning we split on whether this was a winner. Care to cast a vote?
Every Wednesday right before I unwrap our Chicago Tribune, I regale (or torment depending on your mood) the family with the Cheap Eats game. Each week, the Tribune's food section publishes a "Cheap Eats" review, or shall I call it a "review". I'll leave for another rant, the heading dominated format that leaves little room for actual remarks on the restaurant, and talk today on the basis of the Cheap Eats Game. Is it a restuarant worth reporting.
Because there is one Cheap Eats review each week. And there are a lot of cheap eats in Chicago (or as noted on LTHForum, in the furthest suburbs as well.) So, each week, I wonder, could it be a undiscovered but interesting taqueria, a well regaded Persian place run by an Assyrian family from Iraq, or god dang it, That-a-Burger. What comes each week? Endless faux Irish pubs (who knew Buffalo chicken wings were so popular in Eire), corporate outposts, and best of all, corporate outposts of Irish pubs (or is that Irish pub corporate outposts?). Play along.
I cannot figger out if we have a winner this week with Let's Go Bistro in Downer's Grove. It's not faux Irish and it's not a chain (I do not think), but it is also faux French (it aint a bistro). Actually, my first thought when I saw the restaurant name was, bistros should be the domain of the main Trib reviewer, Phil Vettel. Since this is really a cafe, really a diner (so it seems), I can see it outside *his* domain. Anyway, in the bungalow this morning we split on whether this was a winner. Care to cast a vote?
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Proud Papa
It was one of those rarest of days. A special day. Daddy-daughter. Solo. Actually, even rarer, it was Daddy and older daughter. We made great use of our day together. A day of great chow. A day to make Pop proud.
After dropping off Mommy and other daughter for their camping trip, we faced the first hurdle of the day, breakfast. Chinese she said, and Dad pointed the car in that direction. An unusual Saturday morning traffic jam forced us off the highway at Independence Boulevard, but it gave Dad a chance to point out all the ex-synagougues. I had been happy before with Seven Wives before, for something breakfasty, but different. It was a little hard at Seven Wives because early in the day the seem to have a limited selection.
Limited. Did I mean different, odd? The standard breakfast is pick one from A one from B. A is mostly "regular" breakfasts like waffles and eggs and B is various kinds of noodles. Nothing there sounded appealing. We decided instead for the congee combo. It is firstly a bowl of congee; secondly some soft rolled rice noodles. And did I say I was proud, the chowhoundita had two bowls of preserved egg/fish congee, although she later confessed, she did not want to know what the fish was until after she finished. While it is unglamorously served in a small styrofoam cup, the coffee that is included with the congee deal is very good. Also, the heavy lacquer furniture and artsy-fartsy wall decorations belie the low prices here.
From there we meandered up Michigan Avenue and Clark Street, talking about architecture and stuff, ending at Tower Records. (You know things have changed so much in this hood by how easy parking is.) She made me proud by seeking out (and requesting for gift) Green Day's American Idiot. What's more, the title song, especially, makes me proud that there is something around still called rock n' roll.
Not quite hungry but there, we took our first dip into the waters of Hawaiian cooking, Chicago style, Aloha Grill. We got a big old plate of fried chicken breast, very, very crisp; two sauces, the curry and the sweet katsu sauce; and a lot of rice. Our plate did not include the mac salad, which I think is a good thing. From there, we checked out the Austrian Bakery on Clark. I know it's gotten pretty good reports, and the Brilliant one raves about it, but nothing looked too good. Instead, we had a crepe and mint tea (well mint tea for Dad, crepe for daughter) at Crepes and Coffee. It is an interesting place, apparently run by some Algerians, which of course means you can get merguez in your crepe. But there are a lot of choices that especially appealed to me, with cajeta and dulce de leche and nutella and Belgium chocolate sauce (an international array of goo).
We spent a fair amount of time playing with cats at P.A.W.S, then hooked up with my parents. For more looking at orphaned animals--this time Anti-Cruelty and an early dinner at Marcello's Father and Son. Dad always likes their broasted chicken and especially their cole slaw with a strong suggestion of horseradish (cole slaw tasting anyone?) Of course, she made me proud by scarfing down a big ol' steak sammy.
All during the planning of our special day, we talked about what would be our crowning touch, dessert. And to make me quite proud, she passed, saying she had enough for the day.
Seven Wives
2230 S. Wentworth
Chicago, IL
312-842-7888
Aloha Grill Hawaiian BBQ
2534 N. Clark St.
Chicago IL 60614
773-935-6828
Austrian Bakery and Deli
2523 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
(773) 244-9922
Crepe and Coffee Palace
2433 N. Clark
Chicago, IL
(773) 404-1300
Marcello's (A Father & Son Enterprise)
645 West North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
312.654.2550
It was one of those rarest of days. A special day. Daddy-daughter. Solo. Actually, even rarer, it was Daddy and older daughter. We made great use of our day together. A day of great chow. A day to make Pop proud.
After dropping off Mommy and other daughter for their camping trip, we faced the first hurdle of the day, breakfast. Chinese she said, and Dad pointed the car in that direction. An unusual Saturday morning traffic jam forced us off the highway at Independence Boulevard, but it gave Dad a chance to point out all the ex-synagougues. I had been happy before with Seven Wives before, for something breakfasty, but different. It was a little hard at Seven Wives because early in the day the seem to have a limited selection.
Limited. Did I mean different, odd? The standard breakfast is pick one from A one from B. A is mostly "regular" breakfasts like waffles and eggs and B is various kinds of noodles. Nothing there sounded appealing. We decided instead for the congee combo. It is firstly a bowl of congee; secondly some soft rolled rice noodles. And did I say I was proud, the chowhoundita had two bowls of preserved egg/fish congee, although she later confessed, she did not want to know what the fish was until after she finished. While it is unglamorously served in a small styrofoam cup, the coffee that is included with the congee deal is very good. Also, the heavy lacquer furniture and artsy-fartsy wall decorations belie the low prices here.
From there we meandered up Michigan Avenue and Clark Street, talking about architecture and stuff, ending at Tower Records. (You know things have changed so much in this hood by how easy parking is.) She made me proud by seeking out (and requesting for gift) Green Day's American Idiot. What's more, the title song, especially, makes me proud that there is something around still called rock n' roll.
Not quite hungry but there, we took our first dip into the waters of Hawaiian cooking, Chicago style, Aloha Grill. We got a big old plate of fried chicken breast, very, very crisp; two sauces, the curry and the sweet katsu sauce; and a lot of rice. Our plate did not include the mac salad, which I think is a good thing. From there, we checked out the Austrian Bakery on Clark. I know it's gotten pretty good reports, and the Brilliant one raves about it, but nothing looked too good. Instead, we had a crepe and mint tea (well mint tea for Dad, crepe for daughter) at Crepes and Coffee. It is an interesting place, apparently run by some Algerians, which of course means you can get merguez in your crepe. But there are a lot of choices that especially appealed to me, with cajeta and dulce de leche and nutella and Belgium chocolate sauce (an international array of goo).
We spent a fair amount of time playing with cats at P.A.W.S, then hooked up with my parents. For more looking at orphaned animals--this time Anti-Cruelty and an early dinner at Marcello's Father and Son. Dad always likes their broasted chicken and especially their cole slaw with a strong suggestion of horseradish (cole slaw tasting anyone?) Of course, she made me proud by scarfing down a big ol' steak sammy.
All during the planning of our special day, we talked about what would be our crowning touch, dessert. And to make me quite proud, she passed, saying she had enough for the day.
Seven Wives
2230 S. Wentworth
Chicago, IL
312-842-7888
Aloha Grill Hawaiian BBQ
2534 N. Clark St.
Chicago IL 60614
773-935-6828
Austrian Bakery and Deli
2523 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
(773) 244-9922
Crepe and Coffee Palace
2433 N. Clark
Chicago, IL
(773) 404-1300
Marcello's (A Father & Son Enterprise)
645 West North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
312.654.2550
Monday, April 11, 2005
No Value Blog
I came across this blog, Anchored Nomad, via a comment on EatChicago. I'm not sure if there's any redeeming value, but it sure is a fun read.
I came across this blog, Anchored Nomad, via a comment on EatChicago. I'm not sure if there's any redeeming value, but it sure is a fun read.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Chowhound
It has been about a year since I and most of the other people who posted regularly on Chowhound's Chicago Board departed to LTHForum.com. Us foodies now have various opinions of our old hang-out. A lot of people could care less about what happens there. To a large part, I agree with that sentiment. It was clear to me and a lot of other posters on Chowhound, that the 1,000's of posts we made that added value to the enterprise were hardly appreciated. The view essentially was, someone else will just take your place. Have they?
My bone is with Chowhound. What bugs me is, there are people out there like me that want to grow as foodies, want to be with people who pang as they pang. The want to be with their tribe. Chowhound just does not serve them well. One of the biggest liabilities of Chowhound is that there is no way to create identity. People can be who ever they want, even from day to day. The only defense a system like Chowhound has, is to have long time posters who are willing to be accountable, be who they are.
Honestly, it was this post on Chowhound that drove me to blog on Chowhound (and it is a post already moot). Someone trying to give a tip on Chinese food suggested a long dead restaurant. I read the post and I did not know if the post was serious or a troll. And it just summed up, to me, so many of the issues with Chowhound. Wonder about the motive of the poster, and Chowhound would step in, correct the poster, and you get attacked for not allowing alternative viewpoints. The whole Chowhound system fails to do what it claims to do, be a resource for people who live to eat.
I am glad I know about other sources. I just want others to be as lucky.
It has been about a year since I and most of the other people who posted regularly on Chowhound's Chicago Board departed to LTHForum.com. Us foodies now have various opinions of our old hang-out. A lot of people could care less about what happens there. To a large part, I agree with that sentiment. It was clear to me and a lot of other posters on Chowhound, that the 1,000's of posts we made that added value to the enterprise were hardly appreciated. The view essentially was, someone else will just take your place. Have they?
My bone is with Chowhound. What bugs me is, there are people out there like me that want to grow as foodies, want to be with people who pang as they pang. The want to be with their tribe. Chowhound just does not serve them well. One of the biggest liabilities of Chowhound is that there is no way to create identity. People can be who ever they want, even from day to day. The only defense a system like Chowhound has, is to have long time posters who are willing to be accountable, be who they are.
Honestly, it was this post on Chowhound that drove me to blog on Chowhound (and it is a post already moot). Someone trying to give a tip on Chinese food suggested a long dead restaurant. I read the post and I did not know if the post was serious or a troll. And it just summed up, to me, so many of the issues with Chowhound. Wonder about the motive of the poster, and Chowhound would step in, correct the poster, and you get attacked for not allowing alternative viewpoints. The whole Chowhound system fails to do what it claims to do, be a resource for people who live to eat.
I am glad I know about other sources. I just want others to be as lucky.
Friday, April 08, 2005
The Phil Vettel Game
Every Friday, we play the Phil Vettel Game. Today was a day we thought there was no winner, as Phil did a review, and appeared to hit a place rather under reported by the Chicago press, Grotto on State. It was not until I got to this line that I realized there was a come from behind win:
"The Grotto also has a well-earned reputation for great lamb chops--meaty, richly flavored rib chops grilled to a perfect medium-rare (if you order them as I do)."
Well, maybe they do, but if today was the first day Phil Vettel reviewed Grotto on State, how could they have a well deserved reputation for great lamb? Is he, perhaps quoting from another reviewer? Inquiring minds wanna know.
Every Friday, we play the Phil Vettel Game. Today was a day we thought there was no winner, as Phil did a review, and appeared to hit a place rather under reported by the Chicago press, Grotto on State. It was not until I got to this line that I realized there was a come from behind win:
"The Grotto also has a well-earned reputation for great lamb chops--meaty, richly flavored rib chops grilled to a perfect medium-rare (if you order them as I do)."
Well, maybe they do, but if today was the first day Phil Vettel reviewed Grotto on State, how could they have a well deserved reputation for great lamb? Is he, perhaps quoting from another reviewer? Inquiring minds wanna know.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
The Difference Between Oak Park and Berwyn
Adjoining villages, Oak Park and Berywn both dealt substantial defeats to their ruling cliques. I s'pose the Oak Park pols went off and had a deep conversation on the meaning of the defeat. In Berwyn, they went off and beat someone up, a politican from another village. (Note, there is nothing funny about the attack which ended the victim in intensive care.)
Adjoining villages, Oak Park and Berywn both dealt substantial defeats to their ruling cliques. I s'pose the Oak Park pols went off and had a deep conversation on the meaning of the defeat. In Berwyn, they went off and beat someone up, a politican from another village. (Note, there is nothing funny about the attack which ended the victim in intensive care.)
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
More Value
One of the top five or top ten eating experiences in Chicago, depending how much you count, say ChefG and his ilk, is the Sunday "Maxwell" Street Market, which as all foodies know, is not on Maxwell Street, but Canal, running in each direction from Roosevelt. It is here that Mexican street food gets to be most accurately presented, and it is especially interesting and delicious because the vendors come from many states of Mexico. You can have the corn masa empanadas of Guanajunto, the birria of Jalisco, the grilled steak of el norte, and the pambaso of Mexico City. It is quite hard to draw this whole enterprise into a few words. Luckily, David Hammond produced the only guide out there. It can be found here. (Tip to Ann on Chowhound who reminded me where it was on the Internet.)
PS
If you really like it, buy the Gorilla Gourmet DVD to your right.
One of the top five or top ten eating experiences in Chicago, depending how much you count, say ChefG and his ilk, is the Sunday "Maxwell" Street Market, which as all foodies know, is not on Maxwell Street, but Canal, running in each direction from Roosevelt. It is here that Mexican street food gets to be most accurately presented, and it is especially interesting and delicious because the vendors come from many states of Mexico. You can have the corn masa empanadas of Guanajunto, the birria of Jalisco, the grilled steak of el norte, and the pambaso of Mexico City. It is quite hard to draw this whole enterprise into a few words. Luckily, David Hammond produced the only guide out there. It can be found here. (Tip to Ann on Chowhound who reminded me where it was on the Internet.)
PS
If you really like it, buy the Gorilla Gourmet DVD to your right.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Miro's Charcoal House Little Europe
As Milwaukee begins to wan in my taste memory, I need to get an even older experience to blog. Otherwise, Miro's Charcoal House Little Europe in Wisconsin will be one blur of schnitzel, sausage and garlic flavored toast. Actually, do I need to say more about Miro's that schnitzel, sausage and garlic flavored toast?
The VI family visited Miro's three times already. Each visit included, if not schnitzel, certainly lots of sausage. Miro's menu goes three pages deep, but like a pizza parlor with an extended list, a lot of the choices are combination plates. It is possible to avoid schnitzel or sausage, but be somewhat forewarned. Twice, the Condiment Queen strayed. Once to fish and once to a beef tenderloin/shrimp combo plate; neither time did she walk away as happy and stuffed as the rest of the table.Avoiding stuffedness at Miro's is quite hard. It is hard first of all, to resist one of the five or so German and Czech beers on tap including a schwarzbier or black beer. And if you come on a Saturday night, as we have, you may have to wait a while for a table. Peckish, you will need to order the small potato pancakes, latkes, served with a sauce somewhere between ranch dressing and garlic butter. With the edge off, you can enjoy your soup. With the soup eat a slice or two of thick Wisconsin rye, either toasted and soaked with salty garlic butter or plain (plain?). Liver dumpling soup stays daily, a fine introduction to this soup, dumplings more fluffy than livery, while your alternative soup rotates. Needless to say, this being Wisconsin, the alternative probably includes cream and butter. One time, we had cream of chicken. It arrived thick yet unusually yellow in color. Guess what made it so yellow (hint, Wisconsin). The soup and garlic toast could sate. Luckily, Miro's serves enormous platters of food. Order a sausage plate, and you get four sausages about sixteen inches long. A schnitzel plate includes three giant swatches of breaded meat. Of course there are sides including long fingers of potatoes, roasted and then fried, showered with lemon pepper and combo plates of spatzle and bread dumplings. Finally, everyone gets dessert. Dessert of the day, but I doubt it ever changes from the dessert we got on each of three occasions, a fresh crepe filled with sweetened thin farmer's cheese.
As I noted above, if you stick with the basics, it seems hard to go wrong at Miro's. They make four kinda sausage in house, a plump Polish, a taut and spicy Bohemian, a meaty knockwurst and a brat heavy on the nutmeg, and then they grill them perfectly. We went to Miro's twice during recent debate on Hot Doug's, and it is hard to really appreciate Hot Doug's sourced sausages after having Miro's terrific handmade stuff. Aside from the CQ's misadventure in slightly frou-frou food, the only other thing less than delicious I tried was, amazingly, the gravy for the bread dumplings and spatzle. Stagnant and underspiced, it did no help. And the spatzle needed help especially, a little too plain. Since the potato wedges are so good, it is not really a problem in the long run.
Miro and his family, who escaped communist Czechoslovakia in 1981 dominate the dining room. It is easy to do. Miro's Charcoal House is highly visible from the expressway, I-94. There are two buildings, plain in nature, but decorated with effort to look as mitteleuropean as possible. So much so, that it looks almost too cutesy, like Apple Holler, which is an exit or two north. When you get there, you find that one building, housing a classic Wisconsin tavern, remains reserved for parties. Everyone gets crammed into the other room. It reminds me a bit of the famous Marx Brothers scene on the steamship. There is a u-shaped bar with Mrs. Miro, chatting, smoking and pouring large glasses of beer. There is a small showcase cooking area, where Miro with his floppy chef hat, makes his daily specials, and there are typically, at dinner, people waiting for tables. The spectacle though, is all part of the appeal.
Miro's Charcoal House Little Europe
6613 120th
Kenosha, WI
262-857-9073
(You will see Miro's going north on I-94 from Chicago. It is on the east side of the highway, your right. You then exit the expressway and double back on the frontage road to get to Miro's.)
As Milwaukee begins to wan in my taste memory, I need to get an even older experience to blog. Otherwise, Miro's Charcoal House Little Europe in Wisconsin will be one blur of schnitzel, sausage and garlic flavored toast. Actually, do I need to say more about Miro's that schnitzel, sausage and garlic flavored toast?
The VI family visited Miro's three times already. Each visit included, if not schnitzel, certainly lots of sausage. Miro's menu goes three pages deep, but like a pizza parlor with an extended list, a lot of the choices are combination plates. It is possible to avoid schnitzel or sausage, but be somewhat forewarned. Twice, the Condiment Queen strayed. Once to fish and once to a beef tenderloin/shrimp combo plate; neither time did she walk away as happy and stuffed as the rest of the table.Avoiding stuffedness at Miro's is quite hard. It is hard first of all, to resist one of the five or so German and Czech beers on tap including a schwarzbier or black beer. And if you come on a Saturday night, as we have, you may have to wait a while for a table. Peckish, you will need to order the small potato pancakes, latkes, served with a sauce somewhere between ranch dressing and garlic butter. With the edge off, you can enjoy your soup. With the soup eat a slice or two of thick Wisconsin rye, either toasted and soaked with salty garlic butter or plain (plain?). Liver dumpling soup stays daily, a fine introduction to this soup, dumplings more fluffy than livery, while your alternative soup rotates. Needless to say, this being Wisconsin, the alternative probably includes cream and butter. One time, we had cream of chicken. It arrived thick yet unusually yellow in color. Guess what made it so yellow (hint, Wisconsin). The soup and garlic toast could sate. Luckily, Miro's serves enormous platters of food. Order a sausage plate, and you get four sausages about sixteen inches long. A schnitzel plate includes three giant swatches of breaded meat. Of course there are sides including long fingers of potatoes, roasted and then fried, showered with lemon pepper and combo plates of spatzle and bread dumplings. Finally, everyone gets dessert. Dessert of the day, but I doubt it ever changes from the dessert we got on each of three occasions, a fresh crepe filled with sweetened thin farmer's cheese.
As I noted above, if you stick with the basics, it seems hard to go wrong at Miro's. They make four kinda sausage in house, a plump Polish, a taut and spicy Bohemian, a meaty knockwurst and a brat heavy on the nutmeg, and then they grill them perfectly. We went to Miro's twice during recent debate on Hot Doug's, and it is hard to really appreciate Hot Doug's sourced sausages after having Miro's terrific handmade stuff. Aside from the CQ's misadventure in slightly frou-frou food, the only other thing less than delicious I tried was, amazingly, the gravy for the bread dumplings and spatzle. Stagnant and underspiced, it did no help. And the spatzle needed help especially, a little too plain. Since the potato wedges are so good, it is not really a problem in the long run.
Miro and his family, who escaped communist Czechoslovakia in 1981 dominate the dining room. It is easy to do. Miro's Charcoal House is highly visible from the expressway, I-94. There are two buildings, plain in nature, but decorated with effort to look as mitteleuropean as possible. So much so, that it looks almost too cutesy, like Apple Holler, which is an exit or two north. When you get there, you find that one building, housing a classic Wisconsin tavern, remains reserved for parties. Everyone gets crammed into the other room. It reminds me a bit of the famous Marx Brothers scene on the steamship. There is a u-shaped bar with Mrs. Miro, chatting, smoking and pouring large glasses of beer. There is a small showcase cooking area, where Miro with his floppy chef hat, makes his daily specials, and there are typically, at dinner, people waiting for tables. The spectacle though, is all part of the appeal.
Miro's Charcoal House Little Europe
6613 120th
Kenosha, WI
262-857-9073
(You will see Miro's going north on I-94 from Chicago. It is on the east side of the highway, your right. You then exit the expressway and double back on the frontage road to get to Miro's.)
Monday, April 04, 2005
Sites that add value
Note, I have been out of town, eating away at Milwaukee. I will catch up on posting soon. One thing that I needed to post on sooner, was on three foodie sites that add value. I saw these sites, and I started wondering what do I do. I eat out a lot. A lot. Then, write about it. Hopefully, my sharing of this eating helps people eat a bit better as well (or at least sparks mild ammusement). But these sites really add value.
Erik M's Silapaahaan.com adds value by bringing the Thai menu to the masses, both by translating the menus and photographing the dishes. I am perhaps, the last person to get on to this site and surely the last to offer my words of appreciation for what he has done to help the eater in Chicago (as well as to applaud the overall design and artfullness of the site). (As far as I know) Calvin Trillin first put words to paper on the secret menu, about a chowhound's saddness of not getting the good stuff, not being able to read the wall menus, forever being locked out of the most delicious. Since then, others have talked about secret menus, but Erik did something. If you like Thai food go to his site. Even if you do not live in Chicago, the site will be useful.
I do not know the Pro Bono Baker the way I know Erik M, but I appreciate her blog. My all to present girth reveals too much, my love of bakeries. Give me a prime aged porthouse or a good donut or piece of bread, and yes, I will probably enjoy more the latter. I have never contemplated the Atkins diet. So, I go a lot to bakeries. And I have written a fair amount of commentary on them. PBB blows me away with her details and photographs of various bakeries.
I kinda know Steve P. We have spared more than a couple of times on his foodie site, OA. Steve's more of an absolutist, and he is entirely confident in what he thinks. All the logic in the world is not gonna shake him from his conviction that French food is not THE best, period. I'm a little more flexible and a little more agnostic in my tastes than Steve. That's getting off the point. What Steve really does, is eat the best and drink the best. Yes, one can be jealous and hateful of his good fortune, but on the other hand, someone has to do it. With his exacting tones and eye for details, Steve P expands your food view.
Note, I have been out of town, eating away at Milwaukee. I will catch up on posting soon. One thing that I needed to post on sooner, was on three foodie sites that add value. I saw these sites, and I started wondering what do I do. I eat out a lot. A lot. Then, write about it. Hopefully, my sharing of this eating helps people eat a bit better as well (or at least sparks mild ammusement). But these sites really add value.
Erik M's Silapaahaan.com adds value by bringing the Thai menu to the masses, both by translating the menus and photographing the dishes. I am perhaps, the last person to get on to this site and surely the last to offer my words of appreciation for what he has done to help the eater in Chicago (as well as to applaud the overall design and artfullness of the site). (As far as I know) Calvin Trillin first put words to paper on the secret menu, about a chowhound's saddness of not getting the good stuff, not being able to read the wall menus, forever being locked out of the most delicious. Since then, others have talked about secret menus, but Erik did something. If you like Thai food go to his site. Even if you do not live in Chicago, the site will be useful.
I do not know the Pro Bono Baker the way I know Erik M, but I appreciate her blog. My all to present girth reveals too much, my love of bakeries. Give me a prime aged porthouse or a good donut or piece of bread, and yes, I will probably enjoy more the latter. I have never contemplated the Atkins diet. So, I go a lot to bakeries. And I have written a fair amount of commentary on them. PBB blows me away with her details and photographs of various bakeries.
I kinda know Steve P. We have spared more than a couple of times on his foodie site, OA. Steve's more of an absolutist, and he is entirely confident in what he thinks. All the logic in the world is not gonna shake him from his conviction that French food is not THE best, period. I'm a little more flexible and a little more agnostic in my tastes than Steve. That's getting off the point. What Steve really does, is eat the best and drink the best. Yes, one can be jealous and hateful of his good fortune, but on the other hand, someone has to do it. With his exacting tones and eye for details, Steve P expands your food view.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Good Food
(Really)
I am very much the sucker for companies that name themselves after their product, say Krispey Kreme.* My all time favorite is an international security firm I used to work with, Control Risks--can you think of a better name for an international security firm? So, I knew it was only a matter of time until I would try Good Food in Broadview.
Good Food is a small soul food restaurant in a spot that was probably a hot dog stand at one time. You order at a high counter. You can just see all of the apparatus of real cooking, strainers, balloon whisks, measuring cups, etc. After you order, you sit in one of about eight small tables and they bring you the food. Did I say small tables. Well, I wanna try to make this a play on Sunset Boulevard, the tables did not get small, but I cannot quite manage it. The point: huge, huge amounts of food. Which is good, because Good Food seems slightly pricey until you get the food. My meatloaf dinner was $8.95. Yet, that was $8.95 worth of 3 slabs, dictionary example of slab, slabs, of meat, big portions of two sides, plus a rectangle of corn bread as big as the cakes in my cribbed NYTimes pic of Machine Shed, a big glass of pop, tea or lemonade. And it was the same for the other lunches on our table: fried chicken wings and a turkey leg that kept on reminding me of the food that tipped the car over at the end a Flintstones episode**.
Yes, I am a sucker for big portions, but this was exceedingly good food too. The meatloaf featured plenty of chopped onion in its mix, and while I am not a raw onion fan, in this mix it added a lot. Candied yams were candy sweet but I love 'em that way. If you like your mac and cheese gooey and peppery, you would love that, and if you liked your chicken plump and crisp-dry in the Chicago fashion, well you would have love that. Dressing had a heavy hand of sage so you have to love 'em that way, and greens were highly (if perhaps artificially smokey) from the use of smoked meats in the likker, but I still loved them that way. Oh, and that cake of corn bread, love your corn bread that way, cakey, moist, seemingly begging for butter but great without, well you'd love that too. The only thing I do not know if I love, and I wonder if I ever know if I'd love, is the desserts. Big containers of vanilla pudding and homey looking mini-sweet potato pies. I just cannot ever imagine having room for dessert.
Good Food is. While it is quite casual and lacking the over-the-top friendliness of Pricilla's down the street, I found the food better at Good Food.
1801 W. Roosevelt
Broadview, IL
708-338-0170
*I'd love to hear some other good examples
**Why was it that some Flintstone's episodes ended with the trip to the drive-in and some with Fred getting locked out of the house due to that rascally saber-tooth?
***Like Pico Rico, Good Food happens to be just as convenient to a good thrift shop. Nothing from the Kup collection, but I was got to fill up a bag with all the sports coat I could cram in, for $5.
(Really)
I am very much the sucker for companies that name themselves after their product, say Krispey Kreme.* My all time favorite is an international security firm I used to work with, Control Risks--can you think of a better name for an international security firm? So, I knew it was only a matter of time until I would try Good Food in Broadview.
Good Food is a small soul food restaurant in a spot that was probably a hot dog stand at one time. You order at a high counter. You can just see all of the apparatus of real cooking, strainers, balloon whisks, measuring cups, etc. After you order, you sit in one of about eight small tables and they bring you the food. Did I say small tables. Well, I wanna try to make this a play on Sunset Boulevard, the tables did not get small, but I cannot quite manage it. The point: huge, huge amounts of food. Which is good, because Good Food seems slightly pricey until you get the food. My meatloaf dinner was $8.95. Yet, that was $8.95 worth of 3 slabs, dictionary example of slab, slabs, of meat, big portions of two sides, plus a rectangle of corn bread as big as the cakes in my cribbed NYTimes pic of Machine Shed, a big glass of pop, tea or lemonade. And it was the same for the other lunches on our table: fried chicken wings and a turkey leg that kept on reminding me of the food that tipped the car over at the end a Flintstones episode**.
Yes, I am a sucker for big portions, but this was exceedingly good food too. The meatloaf featured plenty of chopped onion in its mix, and while I am not a raw onion fan, in this mix it added a lot. Candied yams were candy sweet but I love 'em that way. If you like your mac and cheese gooey and peppery, you would love that, and if you liked your chicken plump and crisp-dry in the Chicago fashion, well you would have love that. Dressing had a heavy hand of sage so you have to love 'em that way, and greens were highly (if perhaps artificially smokey) from the use of smoked meats in the likker, but I still loved them that way. Oh, and that cake of corn bread, love your corn bread that way, cakey, moist, seemingly begging for butter but great without, well you'd love that too. The only thing I do not know if I love, and I wonder if I ever know if I'd love, is the desserts. Big containers of vanilla pudding and homey looking mini-sweet potato pies. I just cannot ever imagine having room for dessert.
Good Food is. While it is quite casual and lacking the over-the-top friendliness of Pricilla's down the street, I found the food better at Good Food.
1801 W. Roosevelt
Broadview, IL
708-338-0170
*I'd love to hear some other good examples
**Why was it that some Flintstone's episodes ended with the trip to the drive-in and some with Fred getting locked out of the house due to that rascally saber-tooth?
***Like Pico Rico, Good Food happens to be just as convenient to a good thrift shop. Nothing from the Kup collection, but I was got to fill up a bag with all the sports coat I could cram in, for $5.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Czeck Please
The bandwagon certainly seems to have eluded Operetta. I would be highly surprised if this place ever made it on to the Check Please TV show. As I have noted before, there are two versions of Bohemian food in the Chicago area, the old "Bohunk" staples, mostly these days in Brookfield and Westmont, although Klas hangs on in Cicero. Then, there is the new school. Operetta is filled with young, strikingly thin for all the dumplings they eat, no-smoking ignoring, beer drinking, Czech speaking clientele. You think there would be no place finer for Hungry Rabbi, but he seems to be missing.
I am not sure if Operetta has gone through a recent change of ownership. They've spruced the place up slightly with black faux teak chairs and better flooring. The menu is also different. Yet, it stays the same. The grand thing about Bohemian cooking is from the oldest to the newest place, from immigrant to been here, the menu seems unchanged. We're talking firstly tons of food, almost all buried within some form of gravy, and if not gravey-laden, then fried. Secondly, we are talking ultra-Atkins repellent food. If you are not getting ten or so slices of light yet substantial bread dumplings, you are getting about five potatoes boiled and casually smashed on your plate. Of course, it all tastes good. There are three classic Czech beers on tap, a few types of slivowitz for variety, garlic soup to ward off the un-dead and pancakes for dessert. I cannot fathom why this place is not more popular.
Needless to say, my meal last night both tasted great and left me with tons of leftovers. On our table was a goulash, and two kinds of pork dishes. Each gravy was unique if not overly complex. One daughter got chicken in blue cheese and the other cheese sticks on steroids. When we were leaving, we noted that a woman at another table was eating these huge blocks of fried cheese, so they are not just for meat eschewing chowhounditas.
Operetta
(773) 622-2613
5653 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60639
In googling the address for Operetta, I found this link from the Czech embassy for food places in Chicago and around the USA.
The bandwagon certainly seems to have eluded Operetta. I would be highly surprised if this place ever made it on to the Check Please TV show. As I have noted before, there are two versions of Bohemian food in the Chicago area, the old "Bohunk" staples, mostly these days in Brookfield and Westmont, although Klas hangs on in Cicero. Then, there is the new school. Operetta is filled with young, strikingly thin for all the dumplings they eat, no-smoking ignoring, beer drinking, Czech speaking clientele. You think there would be no place finer for Hungry Rabbi, but he seems to be missing.
I am not sure if Operetta has gone through a recent change of ownership. They've spruced the place up slightly with black faux teak chairs and better flooring. The menu is also different. Yet, it stays the same. The grand thing about Bohemian cooking is from the oldest to the newest place, from immigrant to been here, the menu seems unchanged. We're talking firstly tons of food, almost all buried within some form of gravy, and if not gravey-laden, then fried. Secondly, we are talking ultra-Atkins repellent food. If you are not getting ten or so slices of light yet substantial bread dumplings, you are getting about five potatoes boiled and casually smashed on your plate. Of course, it all tastes good. There are three classic Czech beers on tap, a few types of slivowitz for variety, garlic soup to ward off the un-dead and pancakes for dessert. I cannot fathom why this place is not more popular.
Needless to say, my meal last night both tasted great and left me with tons of leftovers. On our table was a goulash, and two kinds of pork dishes. Each gravy was unique if not overly complex. One daughter got chicken in blue cheese and the other cheese sticks on steroids. When we were leaving, we noted that a woman at another table was eating these huge blocks of fried cheese, so they are not just for meat eschewing chowhounditas.
Operetta
(773) 622-2613
5653 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60639
In googling the address for Operetta, I found this link from the Czech embassy for food places in Chicago and around the USA.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Foodies
I get exasperated with certain posts on the "old" food sites, Chowhound.com and e-Gullet, but mostly by the time I get the blog opened to say my say, my ire has dissippated. Yet this little nugget tipped to me by today's lunch companion, who shall go nameless but has a sandwich named after himself, sums up certain thoughts that never make it to the Internet.
I get exasperated with certain posts on the "old" food sites, Chowhound.com and e-Gullet, but mostly by the time I get the blog opened to say my say, my ire has dissippated. Yet this little nugget tipped to me by today's lunch companion, who shall go nameless but has a sandwich named after himself, sums up certain thoughts that never make it to the Internet.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Who are these people
A week or so ago, I was talking with a woman from Great Britain. We were talking about Private Eye Magazine, an interesting magazine that combined satire, politics and a bit or muckracking, but written in a fashion and code that was difficult to decipher. I never knew at what point I would "get it", but I never did. Still, it's inspired me to write first on Chowhounnd and now here (and on LTH) in my own code. But I am willing to explain at least some of the stuff, and since I've recently been lucky enough to get some included in some great food blog sites, I thought I'd link to this post for a little backstory.
A week or so ago, I was talking with a woman from Great Britain. We were talking about Private Eye Magazine, an interesting magazine that combined satire, politics and a bit or muckracking, but written in a fashion and code that was difficult to decipher. I never knew at what point I would "get it", but I never did. Still, it's inspired me to write first on Chowhounnd and now here (and on LTH) in my own code. But I am willing to explain at least some of the stuff, and since I've recently been lucky enough to get some included in some great food blog sites, I thought I'd link to this post for a little backstory.
Big Fatty, Smokey Chickens
Pico Rico
Once upon a time, Cathy2 and I discussed a possible talk for the Culinary Historians on "How to Chowhound." Perhaps one day. But I have a secret weapon that cannot necessarily be taught. The eagle eye of the Condiment Queen. We planned on going to Trader Joe's today (for their preternaturally good decaf coffee--I actually think that TJ's decaf is better than their caf, explain dat). Our lunch plan was to have no lunch plan. Drive east, probably to somewhere in Wicker Park or perhaps a cemita. Then, she spotted it. It's not really easy, the signage is small, a pollo a carbon place called Pico Rico. One deep breath when we entered, and we knew we where in the right spot.
Pico Rico cooks their chicken with a roitissere over smoldering piles on hardwood charcoal, the sweet smell of wood wafting around the room. We ordered the whole chicken plus three sides for $14.99. It is not the cheapest roast chicken deal in town, but these were huge, fatty birds. Birds that really stood up to the coals. For sides, we got white rice, red beans, yuca con mojo de ajo (and an extra order of patacones or fried green plaintains).
I've complained before that their is at times a reliance of photographs over words in the foodie world, but I SO wished I had my own digital camera when the food arrived. Two plates, one with chicken, one with rice/plaintains/yucca, plus the bowl of brick red beans, a narrow palate range, would have seen highly impressionist. The succulent fat would still glisten in the digital picture. We truly feasted with our eyes for a few minutes. Of course, the sensory experience was helped by aromas that would be hard to capture. The mojo from the yucca fought with the citrus-anniotte marinade for our olfactory attention. Believe me, it tasted just as good. Not just the chicken either. All of the sides, even the white rice tasted great.
Also, there were no secrets at Pico Rico. Salsa de aji, at least their salsa de aji, was described to us as chimichurri with jalepeno. He gave us the ingredients: parsley, cilantro, jalepeno, and olive oil. He said it was better when made my hand, but he needed to use a blender. The chicken marinade: orange juice, anchiotte, garlic and salt. The charcoal, Royal Oak, well that I learned because there were lots of bags laying around. Still, you can watch the chickens cook very easily. Go for the chicken and the lessons.
The owners are Ecuadorian, and there a a few other Ecuadorian items on the menu, goat stew, seco de chivo; some pork dishes, but we only had the chicken, and in fact may be hard pressed to ever NOT have the chicken.
Pico Rico
4107 W. North
Chicago, IL
773-252-Rico (7426)
PS
We never made it to Trader Joe's. A few doors down from Pico Rico is a thrift shop. As great as lunch was, it pales next to what I found at that thrift shop. Two sport coats once belonging to Kup--no joke! One cashmere (purchased for $2!), the other made by legendary Michigan Ave. tailor, Pucci (with a lining as nice as the jacket itself.). Hopefully, it was not the same Pucci suit Kup was buried in.
Pico Rico
Once upon a time, Cathy2 and I discussed a possible talk for the Culinary Historians on "How to Chowhound." Perhaps one day. But I have a secret weapon that cannot necessarily be taught. The eagle eye of the Condiment Queen. We planned on going to Trader Joe's today (for their preternaturally good decaf coffee--I actually think that TJ's decaf is better than their caf, explain dat). Our lunch plan was to have no lunch plan. Drive east, probably to somewhere in Wicker Park or perhaps a cemita. Then, she spotted it. It's not really easy, the signage is small, a pollo a carbon place called Pico Rico. One deep breath when we entered, and we knew we where in the right spot.
Pico Rico cooks their chicken with a roitissere over smoldering piles on hardwood charcoal, the sweet smell of wood wafting around the room. We ordered the whole chicken plus three sides for $14.99. It is not the cheapest roast chicken deal in town, but these were huge, fatty birds. Birds that really stood up to the coals. For sides, we got white rice, red beans, yuca con mojo de ajo (and an extra order of patacones or fried green plaintains).
I've complained before that their is at times a reliance of photographs over words in the foodie world, but I SO wished I had my own digital camera when the food arrived. Two plates, one with chicken, one with rice/plaintains/yucca, plus the bowl of brick red beans, a narrow palate range, would have seen highly impressionist. The succulent fat would still glisten in the digital picture. We truly feasted with our eyes for a few minutes. Of course, the sensory experience was helped by aromas that would be hard to capture. The mojo from the yucca fought with the citrus-anniotte marinade for our olfactory attention. Believe me, it tasted just as good. Not just the chicken either. All of the sides, even the white rice tasted great.
Also, there were no secrets at Pico Rico. Salsa de aji, at least their salsa de aji, was described to us as chimichurri with jalepeno. He gave us the ingredients: parsley, cilantro, jalepeno, and olive oil. He said it was better when made my hand, but he needed to use a blender. The chicken marinade: orange juice, anchiotte, garlic and salt. The charcoal, Royal Oak, well that I learned because there were lots of bags laying around. Still, you can watch the chickens cook very easily. Go for the chicken and the lessons.
The owners are Ecuadorian, and there a a few other Ecuadorian items on the menu, goat stew, seco de chivo; some pork dishes, but we only had the chicken, and in fact may be hard pressed to ever NOT have the chicken.
Pico Rico
4107 W. North
Chicago, IL
773-252-Rico (7426)
PS
We never made it to Trader Joe's. A few doors down from Pico Rico is a thrift shop. As great as lunch was, it pales next to what I found at that thrift shop. Two sport coats once belonging to Kup--no joke! One cashmere (purchased for $2!), the other made by legendary Michigan Ave. tailor, Pucci (with a lining as nice as the jacket itself.). Hopefully, it was not the same Pucci suit Kup was buried in.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
L'Affair Continues
[Note, I misreported the name of the restaurant below. It is called Zasciankek.]
The other night myself and several other chowhounds and chowhounditas went to Zasciankek for a little dinner and floor show [had to be there to see the kidz do some kinda Supreme's type of dance routine.] We tried more soups, chicken noodle, tripe, mushroom, dishes done with potato pancakes and regular pancakes, two variations of chicken breast and other fried things. It was all good and satisfying, although I've had better goulash (too much sour cream muted the flavors). Still, as foreshadowed the other day, come to see the dumplings.
We were all very keen on trying the Silensian dumplings. And these turn about to be about the lightest potato based product you will ever taste. They look like big globs of stiff mashed potatoes, but when you bite in, it take a few seconds for your teeth to hit anything. After that pause through light goo, where you take in the earthy mushroom gravy, you hit a firmer layer. This mantle yields gently to the mouth, leaving a wonderful contrast of chew and air. It is possible to get other gravies besides the mushroom. Essentially, think of these as giant, better than gnocchi, gnocchi.
And as good as the dumpling were, the pierogies were better. They did not come out until late in the meal, and I am not sure if they make the entire package to order or it was just slowly cooked. The wrappers were so clearly homemade, so exquisitely, perfectly flawed. Dough wrapped just to the point of breaking, and you could taste where the hand had fixed any over exuberance. The pierogies were equally light and substantial. A sauce of clarified butter with just enough long cooked onions for sweet-bitter contrast set things off right. If the filling was junk, these pierogies would have still tasted great, but needless to say, the fillings were good too.
There are certain small, apparently unpublicized (yet hardly unknown) places, La Quebrada, Spoon Thai, this place, that it just takes one or two visits to know the place is special. I will always adore Halina's for simple and delicious Polish food, but I will continue cheating on her for sure at Zasciankek.
[Note, I misreported the name of the restaurant below. It is called Zasciankek.]
The other night myself and several other chowhounds and chowhounditas went to Zasciankek for a little dinner and floor show [had to be there to see the kidz do some kinda Supreme's type of dance routine.] We tried more soups, chicken noodle, tripe, mushroom, dishes done with potato pancakes and regular pancakes, two variations of chicken breast and other fried things. It was all good and satisfying, although I've had better goulash (too much sour cream muted the flavors). Still, as foreshadowed the other day, come to see the dumplings.
We were all very keen on trying the Silensian dumplings. And these turn about to be about the lightest potato based product you will ever taste. They look like big globs of stiff mashed potatoes, but when you bite in, it take a few seconds for your teeth to hit anything. After that pause through light goo, where you take in the earthy mushroom gravy, you hit a firmer layer. This mantle yields gently to the mouth, leaving a wonderful contrast of chew and air. It is possible to get other gravies besides the mushroom. Essentially, think of these as giant, better than gnocchi, gnocchi.
And as good as the dumpling were, the pierogies were better. They did not come out until late in the meal, and I am not sure if they make the entire package to order or it was just slowly cooked. The wrappers were so clearly homemade, so exquisitely, perfectly flawed. Dough wrapped just to the point of breaking, and you could taste where the hand had fixed any over exuberance. The pierogies were equally light and substantial. A sauce of clarified butter with just enough long cooked onions for sweet-bitter contrast set things off right. If the filling was junk, these pierogies would have still tasted great, but needless to say, the fillings were good too.
There are certain small, apparently unpublicized (yet hardly unknown) places, La Quebrada, Spoon Thai, this place, that it just takes one or two visits to know the place is special. I will always adore Halina's for simple and delicious Polish food, but I will continue cheating on her for sure at Zasciankek.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Think Global Eat Local* (cont.)
Beware the mango in Baltimore sez Chez Pim. Now if I can only wean the Condiment Queen of her year-round berry habit.
*Think yiddish, dress British - As told to me by Evil Ronnie
Beware the mango in Baltimore sez Chez Pim. Now if I can only wean the Condiment Queen of her year-round berry habit.
*Think yiddish, dress British - As told to me by Evil Ronnie
The Italian Beef
Many years ago, I went to school in Washington DC. In one of those initial dorm sessions where you get to know everybody, I asked the seemingly innocuous question, where could I get a good Italian beef sammy. After all, what does a kid from the Chicago area want when he's hungrier for more than a hot dog. Believe me, that moment of derision followed by the revelation that no one really knew what was an Italian beef has stuck with me the rest of my life. People around the USA eat things like the Italian beef: french dip, beef-on-weck, even cheesesteaks, but no one else eats the Italian beef.
The distinguishing feature of Chicago's beef sandwich is the lack of substantial condiment to the beef. LA dips get slathered with a spicy mustard. 'Weck's get nose clearing horseradish and the ample salt crusted bun. Philly beef is thoroughly hidden in extras. Roast beef satisfies, but it needs something. Chicago beef adds its succor from a jus or gravy that houses the meat for a substantial period before service. This gravy gets highly influenced by those dreaded dried spices, especially garlic powder and oregano. Beef users adjust the amount of gravy per sandwich by asking for their sandwiches dry, wet, juicy, dipped, whatever. But no matter how much gravy is added to the Italian beef sandwich, the meat will already carry the spiced flavor through out. Although the Italian beef needs no frill, it does often get two compliments.
First, many eaters add peppers to their beef. The peppers can either be sweet, some kind of cooked green bell pepper, or hot, a/k/a giardinara, a mix of chopped things in oil. (See here for additional information on giardinara). The peppers do not so much as dress the meat but add another flavor dimension. The second way to adjust the beef sandwich is to throw an Italian sausage onto the bun too. Known around town as a combo, the sausage leavens the meat mass with pork fat, char and a contrasting texture.
Several hounds led by by Dickson and George R have been exploring various Italian beef stands around town. It has been a great process. At first, it seemed that they were all great, but over time, we've found some awful beef too. Below is my general summary based on tastings so far.
Unique and fab in taste and garnish
Al's - 1079 W. Taylor, Chicago - Al's differs from all other Italian beefs, firstly by a different spice mix, mysterious but with strong hits of fennel seed; secondly by the consistency of the meat, more shredded than smoothly sliced; third by its giardinara, thin slices of celery heated up with red pepper flakes instead of the typical chopped sport pepper. Great charcoal grilled sausage.
Best of the "typical beefs"
Johnnies - 7500 W. North, Elmwood Park - On one of the beefathons, we visited Carm's in Hillside (see below). Really good. Then we went to Johnnie's. Taste is always subjective, and it is hard to explain why one thing just tastes better. Johnnies just tastes better. Nothing stands out, the gravy, the cut of beef, the giardinara. Just balance and the best of the beef's that is like all the other beefs, just better. Also grills their sausage over real hardwood charcoal. This is one of the best smelling restaurants in Chicagoland.
2nd best, slightly unconventional beef
Freddy's in Cicero - 1600 S. 61st Ave, Cicero - Distinguished by a tomatoey gravy (it's subtle), it is a stellar beef.
Third best, slightly unconventional beef
J&C Bombacigno's - 558 W. Van Burean, Chicago - Uses a different roll than most beef stands, Dakota Pride. Unlike the standard Gonella bread, J&C's bread is lighter but also crisper. Yet, because of its nature, the sammy dissolves somewhere between the third and fifth bite. The way you are scooping bread, meat and gravy after a while, with a couple of fingers, reminds you of eating Moroccan or Ethiopian food. The gravy is a bit oily, in a delicious way, and the only one that ever so slightly mimics Al's.
Next best beef's, all normal style
Carm's Hillside - 1801 S. Wolf, Hillside - See Johnnies above. Well balanced, tastes great, and only against Johnnies doe it seem less.
Chickies - 2839 S. Pulaski - Enhanced from a giardinara that is thin sliced jalepenos instead, although the oil tempers what looks to be too spicy.
Patio - 1503 W. Taylor - A much lesser known stand than its neighbor on Taylor, Al's, but gives the visitor to "Little Italy" a chance to have the regular Chicago beef, done very, very well. Gets their beef cooked from Serrielli's (which deserves a post).
Reaching for greatness but not quite
Mr. Beef - 666 N. Orleans, Chicago - I have a thing against Mr. Beef. It started when they started wrapping the sammy's ahead of time. But I also take out my distaste for Jay Leno on Mr. Beef (he loves it). Lastly, for ages, the folks on e-Gullet would proclaim Mr. Beef the best in Chicago with NO sense of other places. I had to hate it. Yet, on the first beefathon, I was surprised to find that, when served fresh, it is not bad at all. The giardinara is dominated by raw celery.
Dino and Nick's - 2035 N. Pulaski - With Al's, the most aggressively seasoned beef, but there is no mystery to this mix. Lots of garlic and lots of oregano. Some find it too, I like it.
Max's - 5754 Western - Another beef place most interesting for its giardinara. The giardiara oil is tinted red, and there is much speculation about its secret ingredients. I taste something quite Asian in the sauce, wondering if it's chile oil.
Boston BBQ - 2932 W Chicago - I admit, the coolest thing about this ancient beef stand was the its old fashioned sign with the neon and lotsa light-bulbs. With that sign gone, it is just a respectable beef.
Buena Beef - Various locations - Uses the lighter Turano bread, has a gravy dominated by black pepper, and offers a giardinara heavy with chunks of celery and whole olives. Lots of bells and whistles, but it does not taste quite as good as, say Johnnies.
Finely Average
Frannies - 4304 River Road, Schiller Park - Advertises "virgin" beef. Which is nothing special.
Carm's on Polk - 1057 W. Polk, Chicago - Another choice in the old neighborhood, but this one is not nearly as good. Too fatty.
Tores - 2804 N. Western Avenue Chicago - Edible, I have no problem here, as compared to the places below, but I would not run out of my way for it.
Below Average
Jay's - A few locations - Incredibly tough beef, who thought that was possible.
Roma's - 4237 N. Cicero, Chicago - Ronny takes huge pride in his product, and perhaps I caught them on an atypical day.
Satchell's - 4700 W Cermak, Cicero - Once considered among the giants, now seems to be phoning it in.
Gutter
Quick Bite - 5155 N. Western, Chicago - Really awful, odd, chemical taste.
Too afraid to try
Beefee - Multiple locations - On TV, I saw they add some spice mix to the beef after finishing it on the grill. Two things that confirm my worst fears.
Many years ago, I went to school in Washington DC. In one of those initial dorm sessions where you get to know everybody, I asked the seemingly innocuous question, where could I get a good Italian beef sammy. After all, what does a kid from the Chicago area want when he's hungrier for more than a hot dog. Believe me, that moment of derision followed by the revelation that no one really knew what was an Italian beef has stuck with me the rest of my life. People around the USA eat things like the Italian beef: french dip, beef-on-weck, even cheesesteaks, but no one else eats the Italian beef.
The distinguishing feature of Chicago's beef sandwich is the lack of substantial condiment to the beef. LA dips get slathered with a spicy mustard. 'Weck's get nose clearing horseradish and the ample salt crusted bun. Philly beef is thoroughly hidden in extras. Roast beef satisfies, but it needs something. Chicago beef adds its succor from a jus or gravy that houses the meat for a substantial period before service. This gravy gets highly influenced by those dreaded dried spices, especially garlic powder and oregano. Beef users adjust the amount of gravy per sandwich by asking for their sandwiches dry, wet, juicy, dipped, whatever. But no matter how much gravy is added to the Italian beef sandwich, the meat will already carry the spiced flavor through out. Although the Italian beef needs no frill, it does often get two compliments.
First, many eaters add peppers to their beef. The peppers can either be sweet, some kind of cooked green bell pepper, or hot, a/k/a giardinara, a mix of chopped things in oil. (See here for additional information on giardinara). The peppers do not so much as dress the meat but add another flavor dimension. The second way to adjust the beef sandwich is to throw an Italian sausage onto the bun too. Known around town as a combo, the sausage leavens the meat mass with pork fat, char and a contrasting texture.
Several hounds led by by Dickson and George R have been exploring various Italian beef stands around town. It has been a great process. At first, it seemed that they were all great, but over time, we've found some awful beef too. Below is my general summary based on tastings so far.
Unique and fab in taste and garnish
Al's - 1079 W. Taylor, Chicago - Al's differs from all other Italian beefs, firstly by a different spice mix, mysterious but with strong hits of fennel seed; secondly by the consistency of the meat, more shredded than smoothly sliced; third by its giardinara, thin slices of celery heated up with red pepper flakes instead of the typical chopped sport pepper. Great charcoal grilled sausage.
Best of the "typical beefs"
Johnnies - 7500 W. North, Elmwood Park - On one of the beefathons, we visited Carm's in Hillside (see below). Really good. Then we went to Johnnie's. Taste is always subjective, and it is hard to explain why one thing just tastes better. Johnnies just tastes better. Nothing stands out, the gravy, the cut of beef, the giardinara. Just balance and the best of the beef's that is like all the other beefs, just better. Also grills their sausage over real hardwood charcoal. This is one of the best smelling restaurants in Chicagoland.
2nd best, slightly unconventional beef
Freddy's in Cicero - 1600 S. 61st Ave, Cicero - Distinguished by a tomatoey gravy (it's subtle), it is a stellar beef.
Third best, slightly unconventional beef
J&C Bombacigno's - 558 W. Van Burean, Chicago - Uses a different roll than most beef stands, Dakota Pride. Unlike the standard Gonella bread, J&C's bread is lighter but also crisper. Yet, because of its nature, the sammy dissolves somewhere between the third and fifth bite. The way you are scooping bread, meat and gravy after a while, with a couple of fingers, reminds you of eating Moroccan or Ethiopian food. The gravy is a bit oily, in a delicious way, and the only one that ever so slightly mimics Al's.
Next best beef's, all normal style
Carm's Hillside - 1801 S. Wolf, Hillside - See Johnnies above. Well balanced, tastes great, and only against Johnnies doe it seem less.
Chickies - 2839 S. Pulaski - Enhanced from a giardinara that is thin sliced jalepenos instead, although the oil tempers what looks to be too spicy.
Patio - 1503 W. Taylor - A much lesser known stand than its neighbor on Taylor, Al's, but gives the visitor to "Little Italy" a chance to have the regular Chicago beef, done very, very well. Gets their beef cooked from Serrielli's (which deserves a post).
Reaching for greatness but not quite
Mr. Beef - 666 N. Orleans, Chicago - I have a thing against Mr. Beef. It started when they started wrapping the sammy's ahead of time. But I also take out my distaste for Jay Leno on Mr. Beef (he loves it). Lastly, for ages, the folks on e-Gullet would proclaim Mr. Beef the best in Chicago with NO sense of other places. I had to hate it. Yet, on the first beefathon, I was surprised to find that, when served fresh, it is not bad at all. The giardinara is dominated by raw celery.
Dino and Nick's - 2035 N. Pulaski - With Al's, the most aggressively seasoned beef, but there is no mystery to this mix. Lots of garlic and lots of oregano. Some find it too, I like it.
Max's - 5754 Western - Another beef place most interesting for its giardinara. The giardiara oil is tinted red, and there is much speculation about its secret ingredients. I taste something quite Asian in the sauce, wondering if it's chile oil.
Boston BBQ - 2932 W Chicago - I admit, the coolest thing about this ancient beef stand was the its old fashioned sign with the neon and lotsa light-bulbs. With that sign gone, it is just a respectable beef.
Buena Beef - Various locations - Uses the lighter Turano bread, has a gravy dominated by black pepper, and offers a giardinara heavy with chunks of celery and whole olives. Lots of bells and whistles, but it does not taste quite as good as, say Johnnies.
Finely Average
Frannies - 4304 River Road, Schiller Park - Advertises "virgin" beef. Which is nothing special.
Carm's on Polk - 1057 W. Polk, Chicago - Another choice in the old neighborhood, but this one is not nearly as good. Too fatty.
Tores - 2804 N. Western Avenue Chicago - Edible, I have no problem here, as compared to the places below, but I would not run out of my way for it.
Below Average
Jay's - A few locations - Incredibly tough beef, who thought that was possible.
Roma's - 4237 N. Cicero, Chicago - Ronny takes huge pride in his product, and perhaps I caught them on an atypical day.
Satchell's - 4700 W Cermak, Cicero - Once considered among the giants, now seems to be phoning it in.
Gutter
Quick Bite - 5155 N. Western, Chicago - Really awful, odd, chemical taste.
Too afraid to try
Beefee - Multiple locations - On TV, I saw they add some spice mix to the beef after finishing it on the grill. Two things that confirm my worst fears.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Cheating on Halina
About a month or so, I poked my head into Zascianek, a Polish restaurant on Belmont a few blocks west of Central. The bilingual menu with selections under veal, beef, pork and chicken seemed interesting--veal tongue anyone? Moreover, the place was packed (early on a Sunday night). I've been wanting to return since, especially as it is a lot closer than my darling Halina.
The Condiment Queen and I had lunch there today. Yes, I am not gonna draw too much of a conclusion from one meal, but boy was it good. Really good. One must have soup at a Polish restaurant (no?). There are three regulars: chicken noodle, tripe and red borsht, plus a soup of the day. We went with the SOTD, pickle. And boy did it taste like pickle. I admired the high thriftiness of the kitchen that took probably those last pickles from the jar and combined them with a smooth and creamy stock (and a potato or two for contrast) to make a great soup. Then again, I do not think I have had a bad soup at a Polish place.
I was curious to try the contractor's special, the menu has a lot of dishes that are mysterious in name. I s'pose it is something to keep you fortified for a hard day's worth (or reward you after a hard day's worth). It's an oblong potato pancake underneath a breaded pork cutlet, both the pork and the pancake are the same size. Next comes a ladle of mushroom gravy, finally two slices of cheese are melted on top. Out of guilt, I only at 1/2. It was like a Polish version of ReneG's Diner Grill Slinger. Good too. Crisply fried, fresh mushrooms, I could taste the potatoes in the potato pancake, and the cheese gave it a unifying element as it dribbled down.
My wife ordered boiled beef with a horseradish-apple gravy. Sauce on the side was noted upon ordering but not in execution from the kitchen. The meat was a tad stringy but in a good way. It came with two mounds of pure mashed potatoes topped with fried onions. Both dishes came with a tri-part mix of homemade salads.
The woman in the kitchen, Anna I believe, was glad we came. We talked chow a bit and she showed me what her dumplings looked like. I am eager to continue the relationship.
Zascianek
5752 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL
About a month or so, I poked my head into Zascianek, a Polish restaurant on Belmont a few blocks west of Central. The bilingual menu with selections under veal, beef, pork and chicken seemed interesting--veal tongue anyone? Moreover, the place was packed (early on a Sunday night). I've been wanting to return since, especially as it is a lot closer than my darling Halina.
The Condiment Queen and I had lunch there today. Yes, I am not gonna draw too much of a conclusion from one meal, but boy was it good. Really good. One must have soup at a Polish restaurant (no?). There are three regulars: chicken noodle, tripe and red borsht, plus a soup of the day. We went with the SOTD, pickle. And boy did it taste like pickle. I admired the high thriftiness of the kitchen that took probably those last pickles from the jar and combined them with a smooth and creamy stock (and a potato or two for contrast) to make a great soup. Then again, I do not think I have had a bad soup at a Polish place.
I was curious to try the contractor's special, the menu has a lot of dishes that are mysterious in name. I s'pose it is something to keep you fortified for a hard day's worth (or reward you after a hard day's worth). It's an oblong potato pancake underneath a breaded pork cutlet, both the pork and the pancake are the same size. Next comes a ladle of mushroom gravy, finally two slices of cheese are melted on top. Out of guilt, I only at 1/2. It was like a Polish version of ReneG's Diner Grill Slinger. Good too. Crisply fried, fresh mushrooms, I could taste the potatoes in the potato pancake, and the cheese gave it a unifying element as it dribbled down.
My wife ordered boiled beef with a horseradish-apple gravy. Sauce on the side was noted upon ordering but not in execution from the kitchen. The meat was a tad stringy but in a good way. It came with two mounds of pure mashed potatoes topped with fried onions. Both dishes came with a tri-part mix of homemade salads.
The woman in the kitchen, Anna I believe, was glad we came. We talked chow a bit and she showed me what her dumplings looked like. I am eager to continue the relationship.
Zascianek
5752 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL
More Time in Wisconsin
We were driving from Oconomowoc to Oak Park on Sunday. After extensive research, it was decided that it was only to Milwaukee that we would get decent chow. The first and last place that came to mind for Milwaukee, the place I most want to try in the land of butter was the Jewish deli, Jake's. A quick check on the chow hot-line, however, educated me of no Jake-y's on Sundays. We ended at Mader's, which was the choice all a long of the Condiment Queen. Later, we arrived too late for hot ham and buns (PLEASE EXPLAIN!) but had an early dinner of burgers and custard at Omega. We finished the day with some shopping at Woodman's in Kenosha. Wisconsin remains a great chow state.
We pulled into Mader's lot around 1 PM and were initially disappointed to learn it was buffet. By the end of the meal we realized this was an intensely good deal. The buffet encompasses most of the Mader menu. More aptly put, most of the Mader's menu is no different from what is on the buffet. In other words, if you ordered sausage or sauerbraten, it's coming from the same holding cell regardless of whether you can see it. Same thing with appetizers of various Usinger meats. There are little secrets on this buffet. Which means it is food that works very well on the buffet. Fat brats and even fatter knockwursts in an onion broth, goulash that tasted almost of Texas chile and kessler ribs with sauerkraut all went down well with my New Glarus Spotted Cow beer. Before these hot meats, I ate a bunch of Milwaukee cold cuts, some herring and a big portion of smoked coho salmon--how can they get that in Wisconsin? Roast beef stood up amazingly well to the heat lamp but dessert were like school food--sheet cakes with plain frostings.
We parked between Glorioso Brothers and Peter Sciortino's Bakery on Brady Street, just north of downtown Milwaukee, both advertising hot ham and fresh buns, only to find both places just closed for the day. Must come earlier to find out. So, we wandered the shops a bit, later getting one of the most over-extracted espressos I have ever tasted at Anodyne. We got a bum lead on a custard place that turned out to be Cold Stone Creamery!!! Around 5ish, we started south on in Rt. 32, passing through some more of Milwaukee's frozen in time neighborhoods, also got to drive right up to a lake freighter, something you cannot do in Chicago. We decided to stop at the Milwaukee chain Omega for custard and burgers. Omega is just the place to have handy on a Sunday evening. Nothing extraordinary. No gobs of butter on the burger, just a discreet swipe on the soft bun, yet the burger had that real taste I also associate with Fatburger or In'n Out. Again, the custard was not extraordinary yet real tasting. It fortified us to wander Woodman's.
A few years ago, there was some debate on Chowhound on whether Woodman's was a great store or just a big store. I would say that for a long time on Sunday night, I was in the big, just big category. As has been noted, the store is claustrophobic, poorly organized and filled with a lot of just stuff. The produce is cheap but seemed on the verge of spoilage (similar to Stanley's in Chicago), and granted it was Sunday night, but the bakery stuff did not impress--hey if I skipped the kringle you know it is not so impressive. Still, the longer I wandered Woodman's, the more it grew on me. Within all those miles of shelves are tons of Wisconsin products, all those honeys and door county preserves and summer sausages and cheese spreads but always a few dollars less than at the specialty shops. We spent a while ruminating over which Wisconsin mustards to take home. Of course, there was the Tenuta's giardinaras, and we bought a jar of the finely diced mix. The selection of Usinger and Klements sausage was huge. Most interesting to me was a range of wild caught smoked fishes from different Wisconsin providers. In addition to the more common chubs and whitefish, there was smoked blue fish, smoke lake (i.e., larger) trout and even smoked carp. Woodman's is well worth the time even if it is not a great store.
[All addresses Milwaukee unless stated otherwise]
Jake's Deli - 1634 North Mader's - 1041 N Old World 3rd St
Glorioso Brothers 1020 East Brady Street.
Peter Sciortino's Bakery 1101 E. Brady Street
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. 1208 E. Brady Street
Omega Custard and Burgers - 32 and Kinnickinnic (among other locations)
Woodman's - Just off of Highway 50 and I-94, Kenosha
We were driving from Oconomowoc to Oak Park on Sunday. After extensive research, it was decided that it was only to Milwaukee that we would get decent chow. The first and last place that came to mind for Milwaukee, the place I most want to try in the land of butter was the Jewish deli, Jake's. A quick check on the chow hot-line, however, educated me of no Jake-y's on Sundays. We ended at Mader's, which was the choice all a long of the Condiment Queen. Later, we arrived too late for hot ham and buns (PLEASE EXPLAIN!) but had an early dinner of burgers and custard at Omega. We finished the day with some shopping at Woodman's in Kenosha. Wisconsin remains a great chow state.
We pulled into Mader's lot around 1 PM and were initially disappointed to learn it was buffet. By the end of the meal we realized this was an intensely good deal. The buffet encompasses most of the Mader menu. More aptly put, most of the Mader's menu is no different from what is on the buffet. In other words, if you ordered sausage or sauerbraten, it's coming from the same holding cell regardless of whether you can see it. Same thing with appetizers of various Usinger meats. There are little secrets on this buffet. Which means it is food that works very well on the buffet. Fat brats and even fatter knockwursts in an onion broth, goulash that tasted almost of Texas chile and kessler ribs with sauerkraut all went down well with my New Glarus Spotted Cow beer. Before these hot meats, I ate a bunch of Milwaukee cold cuts, some herring and a big portion of smoked coho salmon--how can they get that in Wisconsin? Roast beef stood up amazingly well to the heat lamp but dessert were like school food--sheet cakes with plain frostings.
We parked between Glorioso Brothers and Peter Sciortino's Bakery on Brady Street, just north of downtown Milwaukee, both advertising hot ham and fresh buns, only to find both places just closed for the day. Must come earlier to find out. So, we wandered the shops a bit, later getting one of the most over-extracted espressos I have ever tasted at Anodyne. We got a bum lead on a custard place that turned out to be Cold Stone Creamery!!! Around 5ish, we started south on in Rt. 32, passing through some more of Milwaukee's frozen in time neighborhoods, also got to drive right up to a lake freighter, something you cannot do in Chicago. We decided to stop at the Milwaukee chain Omega for custard and burgers. Omega is just the place to have handy on a Sunday evening. Nothing extraordinary. No gobs of butter on the burger, just a discreet swipe on the soft bun, yet the burger had that real taste I also associate with Fatburger or In'n Out. Again, the custard was not extraordinary yet real tasting. It fortified us to wander Woodman's.
A few years ago, there was some debate on Chowhound on whether Woodman's was a great store or just a big store. I would say that for a long time on Sunday night, I was in the big, just big category. As has been noted, the store is claustrophobic, poorly organized and filled with a lot of just stuff. The produce is cheap but seemed on the verge of spoilage (similar to Stanley's in Chicago), and granted it was Sunday night, but the bakery stuff did not impress--hey if I skipped the kringle you know it is not so impressive. Still, the longer I wandered Woodman's, the more it grew on me. Within all those miles of shelves are tons of Wisconsin products, all those honeys and door county preserves and summer sausages and cheese spreads but always a few dollars less than at the specialty shops. We spent a while ruminating over which Wisconsin mustards to take home. Of course, there was the Tenuta's giardinaras, and we bought a jar of the finely diced mix. The selection of Usinger and Klements sausage was huge. Most interesting to me was a range of wild caught smoked fishes from different Wisconsin providers. In addition to the more common chubs and whitefish, there was smoked blue fish, smoke lake (i.e., larger) trout and even smoked carp. Woodman's is well worth the time even if it is not a great store.
[All addresses Milwaukee unless stated otherwise]
Jake's Deli - 1634 North Mader's - 1041 N Old World 3rd St
Glorioso Brothers 1020 East Brady Street.
Peter Sciortino's Bakery 1101 E. Brady Street
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. 1208 E. Brady Street
Omega Custard and Burgers - 32 and Kinnickinnic (among other locations)
Woodman's - Just off of Highway 50 and I-94, Kenosha
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Food Blogs
On LTHForum.com, Ann Fisher introduced me to a new food blog. It got me on a ten minute food blog digression. As always, Kipblog keeps on top of all the blogs (food). One of these days, I'll update my page...
On LTHForum.com, Ann Fisher introduced me to a new food blog. It got me on a ten minute food blog digression. As always, Kipblog keeps on top of all the blogs (food). One of these days, I'll update my page...
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Fried Herring Found! (Not exactly available...)
I'm still working on my manifesto, you know local and sustainable, hunting's OK if you eat what you catch, the sage advice from Evil Ronnie, "think yiddish, dress british." One plank will surely be about the value of river and lake fish. Creatures we seldom truly appreciate as we rush off for the next Pantagonian tooth-fish and extra fatty o-toro.
Luckily, in Eastern North Carolina, someone else still cares about real fish (and real pie). Gosh, I wish this place was closer. Check out the nice plate of fried herring.
Cyprus Grill
1244 Brown Rd.
Jamesville, NC
Open only during the herring season!
I'm still working on my manifesto, you know local and sustainable, hunting's OK if you eat what you catch, the sage advice from Evil Ronnie, "think yiddish, dress british." One plank will surely be about the value of river and lake fish. Creatures we seldom truly appreciate as we rush off for the next Pantagonian tooth-fish and extra fatty o-toro.
Luckily, in Eastern North Carolina, someone else still cares about real fish (and real pie). Gosh, I wish this place was closer. Check out the nice plate of fried herring.
Cyprus Grill
1244 Brown Rd.
Jamesville, NC
Open only during the herring season!
Round Mound O' Executive Salad - Club Lago
Did the cookie exchange yesterday with AF O'Neil at one of our favorite places, Club Lago. We both thought we'd have a date with our pal Guido, but when we saw a couple of salads being served at a neighboring table, we revised our orders. I am forever indebeted to John M and Jeff B who introduced the world to the saline treasure that is the Club Lago Executive Salad (or more accurately put, introduced ME to the Club Lago Executive Salad). Still, while I love the salad, I usually find it too small for a lunch (and not worth its $).
Yesterday, when I saw the bigger salads at the other table, I asked our waitress, are all salads that big. She pointed to the section on the menu with the luncheon salads, the grilled calamari, the tuna, etc., and said they were all that big. I said yes, but what about the Executive. She did hem a bit, saying that it had to do with the pile-worthyness of the ingredients, essentially that the chopped onions or what not took up more room on the salads I was seeing. Undaunted, I said I wanted the Executve and make sure it was as big. It was. The family and I have been watching SuperSize Me the last few days. This was super-sized, and surely enough calories to send Morgan Spurlock into cardiac arrest. But as they say, moderation. Do not eat an Executive Salad daily, but when you do...You eat. You eat blue cheese and bacon and anchovies and olives and dressing until the sodium chloride produces a near-giddy toxicity in your body. Plus, it is crunchy and squishy and soft and crisp too. 1000 layers of salt.
I cannot say for sure if the Club Lago has extended the size of their Executive Salad because they have heard the cry of chowhounds, or yesterday was a lucky abberation. I hope someone else can do some research as I think I need to let the bloating go down before my next order.
Club Lago
331 W. Superior St
Chicago, IL
(312) 951-2849
Did the cookie exchange yesterday with AF O'Neil at one of our favorite places, Club Lago. We both thought we'd have a date with our pal Guido, but when we saw a couple of salads being served at a neighboring table, we revised our orders. I am forever indebeted to John M and Jeff B who introduced the world to the saline treasure that is the Club Lago Executive Salad (or more accurately put, introduced ME to the Club Lago Executive Salad). Still, while I love the salad, I usually find it too small for a lunch (and not worth its $).
Yesterday, when I saw the bigger salads at the other table, I asked our waitress, are all salads that big. She pointed to the section on the menu with the luncheon salads, the grilled calamari, the tuna, etc., and said they were all that big. I said yes, but what about the Executive. She did hem a bit, saying that it had to do with the pile-worthyness of the ingredients, essentially that the chopped onions or what not took up more room on the salads I was seeing. Undaunted, I said I wanted the Executve and make sure it was as big. It was. The family and I have been watching SuperSize Me the last few days. This was super-sized, and surely enough calories to send Morgan Spurlock into cardiac arrest. But as they say, moderation. Do not eat an Executive Salad daily, but when you do...You eat. You eat blue cheese and bacon and anchovies and olives and dressing until the sodium chloride produces a near-giddy toxicity in your body. Plus, it is crunchy and squishy and soft and crisp too. 1000 layers of salt.
I cannot say for sure if the Club Lago has extended the size of their Executive Salad because they have heard the cry of chowhounds, or yesterday was a lucky abberation. I hope someone else can do some research as I think I need to let the bloating go down before my next order.
Club Lago
331 W. Superior St
Chicago, IL
(312) 951-2849
Monday, February 28, 2005
Return to the Scene of the Krime
Kewpies and a Kringle
Surely, a place called Kewpie's possesses a child like quality. That is a reminding of child like quality. Kewpie's gleaming tile floor remind me intensely of school cafeterias, and the stainless steel trimmed formica tables existed in everyone's kitchen once upon a time. The effect was so profound that my Dad exclaimed how much the burgers reminded him of when he was a kid before taking one single bite. Mom at least waiting to sample her Kewpie burger, said it reminded her of McDonalds when it first got started.
The Kewpie burger gets started as one big kewpie loaf of meat. One grill man begins the kooking process by hacking off chunks of meat, then whacking, turning it into a patty. He retains responsibility for the burger for a few more columns, flipping and a-pounding. A second grill man takes over for the last two columns. By keeping a couple of kids busy, the burger is well cooked but NOT over cooked by the time it ends up in your bun. It gets a strong dose of catsup, and here is a case where the maligned condiment acts more as a sauce. The pickles were inside the bun but my heart went flippity-flop nonetheless. Fries are crinkle cut but nothing special, but the homemade rootbeer is nicely dry the way I like it (although not nearly as complex or medical as modern yuppie root beers). With a kringle, it makes a fine lunch.
But where to kringle. It was a decision vexing me all day. I so had loved Bendsten's. Yet, I was a connoisseur. Should not I take in another kringle to compare. Surefire pleasure or chow-science. I went back and fourth. Finally, I decided I had to try Larsen's kringle just to see. And it is a story with a happy ending. Larson's had a strawberry kringle out to sample. And it aint Bendsten's. Too much shortening coffeecake and not enough sucrose injected crust. I got a few donuts so as not to hurt their feelings and headed back to Bendsten's. Of course, now I had to ruminate a long time over which variety. Pecan it was.
Kewpies and a Kringle
Surely, a place called Kewpie's possesses a child like quality. That is a reminding of child like quality. Kewpie's gleaming tile floor remind me intensely of school cafeterias, and the stainless steel trimmed formica tables existed in everyone's kitchen once upon a time. The effect was so profound that my Dad exclaimed how much the burgers reminded him of when he was a kid before taking one single bite. Mom at least waiting to sample her Kewpie burger, said it reminded her of McDonalds when it first got started.
The Kewpie burger gets started as one big kewpie loaf of meat. One grill man begins the kooking process by hacking off chunks of meat, then whacking, turning it into a patty. He retains responsibility for the burger for a few more columns, flipping and a-pounding. A second grill man takes over for the last two columns. By keeping a couple of kids busy, the burger is well cooked but NOT over cooked by the time it ends up in your bun. It gets a strong dose of catsup, and here is a case where the maligned condiment acts more as a sauce. The pickles were inside the bun but my heart went flippity-flop nonetheless. Fries are crinkle cut but nothing special, but the homemade rootbeer is nicely dry the way I like it (although not nearly as complex or medical as modern yuppie root beers). With a kringle, it makes a fine lunch.
But where to kringle. It was a decision vexing me all day. I so had loved Bendsten's. Yet, I was a connoisseur. Should not I take in another kringle to compare. Surefire pleasure or chow-science. I went back and fourth. Finally, I decided I had to try Larsen's kringle just to see. And it is a story with a happy ending. Larson's had a strawberry kringle out to sample. And it aint Bendsten's. Too much shortening coffeecake and not enough sucrose injected crust. I got a few donuts so as not to hurt their feelings and headed back to Bendsten's. Of course, now I had to ruminate a long time over which variety. Pecan it was.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Kringle Follow Up Follow-Up
I realized that after I wrote this, I just kinda assumed everyone would know what a Racine kringle is, but for those who do not, I add the following notes:
It seems that in the early 20th century a pack of Danes (shall we call them Great Danes?) picked themselves up and moved to Racine Wisconsin, a minor industrial town somewhere between Chicago and Milwaukee. And if Milwaukee is mostly Chicago frozen than I suppose Racine is a stunted version of Milwaukee. Anyways, the Danes kinda peaked in Racine when Frank Lloyd Wright designed (perhaps) the greatest commercial building ever. The Johnson Wax HQ. And the Dane's opened bakeries, including Bendsten's selling various pastries. Somehow, however, they settled as their calling card, their collective speciality, their gift to their new world word, the kringle.
I believe, but am not positive, that in Denmark, the kringle is a holiday pastry, a buche noel, a pannetone, a figgy pudding. In Racine, it is the raison d'etre for visiting the town (well that at the Johnson Wax buidling). It is an oval pastry, about the shape of a miniture Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It can be filled or just garnished with nuts. In fact, pecans are considered the classic kringle decor, and in nod to real agriculture that warms my little sustainable heart, the kringleries in Racine right now either are not selling pecan kringles or selling them at an up-charge 'cause of an apparant pecan shortage. Besides being oval, the other distinguising visual feature of a kringle, especially compared to normal coffee cake is its flatness. As I noted above, the flatness comes from packing a thousand layer of flavor into something less than an inch.
I realized that after I wrote this, I just kinda assumed everyone would know what a Racine kringle is, but for those who do not, I add the following notes:
It seems that in the early 20th century a pack of Danes (shall we call them Great Danes?) picked themselves up and moved to Racine Wisconsin, a minor industrial town somewhere between Chicago and Milwaukee. And if Milwaukee is mostly Chicago frozen than I suppose Racine is a stunted version of Milwaukee. Anyways, the Danes kinda peaked in Racine when Frank Lloyd Wright designed (perhaps) the greatest commercial building ever. The Johnson Wax HQ. And the Dane's opened bakeries, including Bendsten's selling various pastries. Somehow, however, they settled as their calling card, their collective speciality, their gift to their new world word, the kringle.
I believe, but am not positive, that in Denmark, the kringle is a holiday pastry, a buche noel, a pannetone, a figgy pudding. In Racine, it is the raison d'etre for visiting the town (well that at the Johnson Wax buidling). It is an oval pastry, about the shape of a miniture Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It can be filled or just garnished with nuts. In fact, pecans are considered the classic kringle decor, and in nod to real agriculture that warms my little sustainable heart, the kringleries in Racine right now either are not selling pecan kringles or selling them at an up-charge 'cause of an apparant pecan shortage. Besides being oval, the other distinguising visual feature of a kringle, especially compared to normal coffee cake is its flatness. As I noted above, the flatness comes from packing a thousand layer of flavor into something less than an inch.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Kringle Follow-up
The Bendsten's kringle has been gone for several days, and I have yet to post. As I mentioned to a fellow kringle lover the other day, I wish to expound on the kringle but fear my skills will not do it justice. Perhaps, the mere fact that I ate a Bendsten's kringle pretty much solo in about two days makes a statement. Yet, when do hounds associate mere gluttony with sublime taste? I could not stop myself from eating this pastry because it was so good.
Great. How many times shall I say it. Great. The five letter word of one with little else to say. I shant have a post on kringles just saying great, great, great, great, great, great, great. How was the kringle great. Well, as someone else who recently ate a Bendsten's kringle knows, the defining feature is crisp. You think of Danish pastry as buttery, flaky, rich. Does crisp come to mind? The Bendsten kringle was krisp. Crisp almost in an odd way because it was both crisp and moist. It is as if a thousand layers of pastry were crushed under a hydraulic press. Inside the kringle you can still see some of the layers, like certain types of geology, but it was one stone. And it was like the heat of that press altered those top layers into something burnished. Inside could be gooey--and I would be remiss to say that it was great goo, not at all cloying or artificial tasting. In fact, the balance of the interior layers and the fillings against those top layers of crunch made that crispness all the more remarkable. Yes, it was great!
Luckily for me, I reside not in Racine, but its neighbor 100 miles south. My waistline cannot stand very many kringles in the house. I have no willpower around a Bendsten's kringle. Like some crazed rat in an experiment, I eat kringle until my stomach aches. I eat kringle past when my stomach aches because its pleasure overrides all other sensations. It is only the revelation that I have hacked off my third chunk of kringle that gets me to stop. Hack I say. The urge for kringle was so strong that after the initial try, after I was initially hooked, I did not wait for plate or knife. I would reach into the kringle bag and rip out some kringle. Eat it in bliss and then rip out another slab. And you wonder how I could eat that in a mere two days.
In conclusion, please get your own Bendsten's kringle to learn what my words cannot describe. What's more, I have concluded that one cannot actually control their kringle consumption. It is actually something someone should buy for someone else. Purchase Bendsten's kringles for me. Ration me. Help me eat a regular portion of kringle. We will all benefit.
The Bendsten's kringle has been gone for several days, and I have yet to post. As I mentioned to a fellow kringle lover the other day, I wish to expound on the kringle but fear my skills will not do it justice. Perhaps, the mere fact that I ate a Bendsten's kringle pretty much solo in about two days makes a statement. Yet, when do hounds associate mere gluttony with sublime taste? I could not stop myself from eating this pastry because it was so good.
Great. How many times shall I say it. Great. The five letter word of one with little else to say. I shant have a post on kringles just saying great, great, great, great, great, great, great. How was the kringle great. Well, as someone else who recently ate a Bendsten's kringle knows, the defining feature is crisp. You think of Danish pastry as buttery, flaky, rich. Does crisp come to mind? The Bendsten kringle was krisp. Crisp almost in an odd way because it was both crisp and moist. It is as if a thousand layers of pastry were crushed under a hydraulic press. Inside the kringle you can still see some of the layers, like certain types of geology, but it was one stone. And it was like the heat of that press altered those top layers into something burnished. Inside could be gooey--and I would be remiss to say that it was great goo, not at all cloying or artificial tasting. In fact, the balance of the interior layers and the fillings against those top layers of crunch made that crispness all the more remarkable. Yes, it was great!
Luckily for me, I reside not in Racine, but its neighbor 100 miles south. My waistline cannot stand very many kringles in the house. I have no willpower around a Bendsten's kringle. Like some crazed rat in an experiment, I eat kringle until my stomach aches. I eat kringle past when my stomach aches because its pleasure overrides all other sensations. It is only the revelation that I have hacked off my third chunk of kringle that gets me to stop. Hack I say. The urge for kringle was so strong that after the initial try, after I was initially hooked, I did not wait for plate or knife. I would reach into the kringle bag and rip out some kringle. Eat it in bliss and then rip out another slab. And you wonder how I could eat that in a mere two days.
In conclusion, please get your own Bendsten's kringle to learn what my words cannot describe. What's more, I have concluded that one cannot actually control their kringle consumption. It is actually something someone should buy for someone else. Purchase Bendsten's kringles for me. Ration me. Help me eat a regular portion of kringle. We will all benefit.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Kewpie was Klosed. We Still Kringled
Probably like a lot of families, the VI family vacillates between Saturday’s crammed with plans and Saturday’s devoid of obligations—actually like most families, we have much less of the latter. But we did yesterday. A plan less day. And we were not gonna let that go to waste (especially with the false spring weather). We reduced our choices to Strongbow Inn, for an out of season Thanksgiving lunch or Racine for the never visited “Hamburg with pickle on top, Makes your heart go flippity-flop” Kewpie’s (plus a Kringle for dessert). Well, you can see the math here right? Racine = burger AND kringle, Valparaiso = just turkey lunch. It was off to Wisconsin. And of course, Wisconsin is one of the most chowiest states around. It would be a FULL day of eating.
Travel north to Wisconsin just a few times and you know exactly when you cross the border. I am not sure the reason for the boundary between Illinois and Wisconsin. It follows no river or other obvious line. Yet, it is very apparent when you are in the state to the north of ours—and I do not mean just because all the cars fly their green and yellow flags, and the frontage roads are lined with adult book stores. Physically, the state looks different, even before you hit any rolling kettle moraine. And Illinois does not have cheese shops off of Interstate exits.
It does take two exits to get to the cheese. One must be a patient traveler in Wisconsin. The Mars Cheese Castle beckons, but Bobby Nelson seems 100% more real. In fact, Bobby Nelson’s Cheese Shop is so obviously non-obvious, that I feared it would be less good in a Larry David kinda way. Mars is big and prominent and looks of many recent additions. It is right there. Bobby Nelson’s is small, retro, and with Wall Drug allure, the mysterious sign advertising, mitt or mittout. Since this is Wisconsin, that chowiest of states, both places are worth a visit. Yes, Bobby Nelson’s is better, more real, with an engaging owner who runs through the mitt and mittout (with or without garlic) and talks up the bison-pheasant farm made by 400 lb Tiny who runs a nearby bison farm. At Bobby Nelson's, we also pick up some smoke salmon and the de rigueur cheese shaped like the state of Wisconsin. I wanted to buy nearly everyone of the Koepsel Door County canned products, so instead got none. Mars has a huge and intriguing selection of Wisconsin booze, a classic backwoods Wisconsin bar where one can eat cheese spread and drink brandy old fashions, and a ton of other things to buy--this would be the ideal store to shop up pre-Super Bowl. The irony of the day is, that Mars, while not as good as Bobby Nelson’s, turned out to be better than a few shops in Racine not geared towards tourists. And since this was Wisconsin, we picked up excellent cheddar cheese bread and King of Clubs cheese spread (preternaturally delicious) at Mars.
The road to Kewpie’s goes right through Old Racine, once the heart of Danish America. Which means the oval flaky pastry called kringle. We stopped for kringle. Put money in the meter, then decided lunch should come before dessert. We continued on downtown, where we found, to our sadness, Kewpie took the week off for vacation. Undaunted, we immediately turned to a place we saw on the way towards Kewpie, The Balkan Restaurant. After all, I figured, one of the most famous place’s in Racine’s northern suburb, Milwaukee, was the Serbian Three Brothers, why not in Racine proper. (I’ve never been to 3 Brothers, but years ago, it used to bother me that the Stern’s included the ethnic place for Milwaukee in their book, but did not include similar places from Chicago.)
While we still crave a Kewpie burger, Balkan highly satisfied. The owners come from Slavic Macedonia. They limit their traditional fare to a few items, borek wedges served with hime-made chicken barley soup, sarma (stuffed cabbage) and kebapi, the archetypical Balkan “sausage” of ground meat and baking soda. Many a time, I have not loved kebapi (or its variations), but this place fried them real well and served them with a highly spicy red pepper-eggplant condiment. Great. Chunks of potato, American fries, crisp on one side, also helped ease the pain of missing Kewpie.
If seeking out tiny hamburger chains is Dad’s thing, the chowhounditas HAVE to get up close and personal with any major body of water. From Balkan, we walked to the edge of Lake Michigan. There, a panic attack hit me worse than the one over controlling myself with Bobby Nelson’s inventory. Would the kringle shops still be open? Bakeries do close early on weekends, no? Luckily, I have noted Racine-phile, Chowhound SethZ’s number on the speed dial. He did not know exactly when the Danish bakeries closed, but he was kind enough to get me some needed telephone numbers. Finding out I had (at least) a few hours to spare, let me enjoy the lakefront, plus time to shop downtown Racine’s Century Market. Earlier in the day, we theorized that there would be a relationship between the quality of food shops and their distance to the Interstate, but Century and later Borzynski proved us wrong. This store was nothing special and had way less Wisconsin stuff than Bobby Nelson or Mars. Because we are chowists, we bought out nearly all the vintage cook books at a bookstore on 6th Avenue (including Luchow’s German Cookbook from 1952 and a 1948 Scandinavian book). Still, there was the problem that the Kondiment Kween demanded an espresso before her daily cut-off at 3 PM.
Downtown Racine is no Harlem Avenue. We returned though to Old Racine for coffee and pastry. Bendsten’s, probably considered the best kringlery has a café, but it looked pathetic. We decided to get a few kringles (well one for us and one for SethZ). JeffB notes that this is the best version of coffee cake he’s ever had, and he passes on the fact that the pastry is about 85% fat. Down the street from Bendsten’s is Wilson’s Coffee and Tea. They roast their own coffee but over extract their espresso. I ran across the street to Larsen’s, one of Bendsten’s prime kringle rivals. I skipped the kringels here (knowing by the time I finished my Bendsten's kringle, the other would be stale) but took full advantage of Larsen's end of day special. Most of the donuts and Danish cost only 25 cents. The one I ate on the spot, a cherry diamond, tasted only worth 25 cents, too dense and sweet, but the cake donut I had the next day was good—and I have about $2 still to try. We also picked up 2 half pounds of Wilson’s coffee. Hopefully the beans beat the brew.
And we could not leave this stretch of Racine without trying DeRango “the Pizza” King. It cost less than $6 for a 12 inch, cheese heavy, thin-thin pizza. A little too much garlic powder in the sauce made it a tad less than ideal for me.
On the way out of Racine we visited Borzynski’s Farm Market. I finally gave in and bought expensive Wisconsin cherry jam and expensive Wisconsin Kallas honey (for the impending household honey tasting). As I mentioned above, this place was not as impressive as Mars or Bobby Nelson.
I would say our last chow stop of the day was Miro’s Charcoal House Little Europe, but after dinner and when the kidz should have been hitting the hay, we caught the outlet mall still open. There, there is a gourmet shop where Ms. VI picked up some needed glass bowls, and I got an extra bitter orange marmalade from Maxim’s de Paris (really!). Our original plan was Ray Ratigan's, but Miro's tempted from the expressway. It need’s its own report, which I will do.
Bobby Nelson's Cheese Shop Fine Cheese, Gifts
2924 120th Ave.
Kenosha, WI
Mars Cheese Factory
2800 120th Ave
Kenosha, WI
Kewpie's
520 Wisconsin Ave
Racine, WI
Three Brothers
2414 S. St. Clair
Milwaukee, WI
The Balkan Restaurant "A Bit of Balkan"
605 Sixth Street
Racine, WI
Martha Merrell's Books
312 Sixth Street
Racine, WI
Century Market
506 Sixth Street
Racine, WI
Bendtsen's Bakery
3200 Washington
Racine, WI
Wilson's Coffee and Tea
3306 Washington
Racine, WI
Larsen Bakery
3311 Washington
Racine, WI
DeRango "The Pizza King"
3114 Washington Ave.
Racine, WI
Borzynski's Farm and Floral Market
11600 Washington
Racine, WI
Miro's Charcoal House Little Europe
6613 120th Ave.
Kenosha, WI
Le Gourmet Chef
11211 120th Ave.
Pleaasant Prarie, WI
Probably like a lot of families, the VI family vacillates between Saturday’s crammed with plans and Saturday’s devoid of obligations—actually like most families, we have much less of the latter. But we did yesterday. A plan less day. And we were not gonna let that go to waste (especially with the false spring weather). We reduced our choices to Strongbow Inn, for an out of season Thanksgiving lunch or Racine for the never visited “Hamburg with pickle on top, Makes your heart go flippity-flop” Kewpie’s (plus a Kringle for dessert). Well, you can see the math here right? Racine = burger AND kringle, Valparaiso = just turkey lunch. It was off to Wisconsin. And of course, Wisconsin is one of the most chowiest states around. It would be a FULL day of eating.
Travel north to Wisconsin just a few times and you know exactly when you cross the border. I am not sure the reason for the boundary between Illinois and Wisconsin. It follows no river or other obvious line. Yet, it is very apparent when you are in the state to the north of ours—and I do not mean just because all the cars fly their green and yellow flags, and the frontage roads are lined with adult book stores. Physically, the state looks different, even before you hit any rolling kettle moraine. And Illinois does not have cheese shops off of Interstate exits.
It does take two exits to get to the cheese. One must be a patient traveler in Wisconsin. The Mars Cheese Castle beckons, but Bobby Nelson seems 100% more real. In fact, Bobby Nelson’s Cheese Shop is so obviously non-obvious, that I feared it would be less good in a Larry David kinda way. Mars is big and prominent and looks of many recent additions. It is right there. Bobby Nelson’s is small, retro, and with Wall Drug allure, the mysterious sign advertising, mitt or mittout. Since this is Wisconsin, that chowiest of states, both places are worth a visit. Yes, Bobby Nelson’s is better, more real, with an engaging owner who runs through the mitt and mittout (with or without garlic) and talks up the bison-pheasant farm made by 400 lb Tiny who runs a nearby bison farm. At Bobby Nelson's, we also pick up some smoke salmon and the de rigueur cheese shaped like the state of Wisconsin. I wanted to buy nearly everyone of the Koepsel Door County canned products, so instead got none. Mars has a huge and intriguing selection of Wisconsin booze, a classic backwoods Wisconsin bar where one can eat cheese spread and drink brandy old fashions, and a ton of other things to buy--this would be the ideal store to shop up pre-Super Bowl. The irony of the day is, that Mars, while not as good as Bobby Nelson’s, turned out to be better than a few shops in Racine not geared towards tourists. And since this was Wisconsin, we picked up excellent cheddar cheese bread and King of Clubs cheese spread (preternaturally delicious) at Mars.
The road to Kewpie’s goes right through Old Racine, once the heart of Danish America. Which means the oval flaky pastry called kringle. We stopped for kringle. Put money in the meter, then decided lunch should come before dessert. We continued on downtown, where we found, to our sadness, Kewpie took the week off for vacation. Undaunted, we immediately turned to a place we saw on the way towards Kewpie, The Balkan Restaurant. After all, I figured, one of the most famous place’s in Racine’s northern suburb, Milwaukee, was the Serbian Three Brothers, why not in Racine proper. (I’ve never been to 3 Brothers, but years ago, it used to bother me that the Stern’s included the ethnic place for Milwaukee in their book, but did not include similar places from Chicago.)
While we still crave a Kewpie burger, Balkan highly satisfied. The owners come from Slavic Macedonia. They limit their traditional fare to a few items, borek wedges served with hime-made chicken barley soup, sarma (stuffed cabbage) and kebapi, the archetypical Balkan “sausage” of ground meat and baking soda. Many a time, I have not loved kebapi (or its variations), but this place fried them real well and served them with a highly spicy red pepper-eggplant condiment. Great. Chunks of potato, American fries, crisp on one side, also helped ease the pain of missing Kewpie.
If seeking out tiny hamburger chains is Dad’s thing, the chowhounditas HAVE to get up close and personal with any major body of water. From Balkan, we walked to the edge of Lake Michigan. There, a panic attack hit me worse than the one over controlling myself with Bobby Nelson’s inventory. Would the kringle shops still be open? Bakeries do close early on weekends, no? Luckily, I have noted Racine-phile, Chowhound SethZ’s number on the speed dial. He did not know exactly when the Danish bakeries closed, but he was kind enough to get me some needed telephone numbers. Finding out I had (at least) a few hours to spare, let me enjoy the lakefront, plus time to shop downtown Racine’s Century Market. Earlier in the day, we theorized that there would be a relationship between the quality of food shops and their distance to the Interstate, but Century and later Borzynski proved us wrong. This store was nothing special and had way less Wisconsin stuff than Bobby Nelson or Mars. Because we are chowists, we bought out nearly all the vintage cook books at a bookstore on 6th Avenue (including Luchow’s German Cookbook from 1952 and a 1948 Scandinavian book). Still, there was the problem that the Kondiment Kween demanded an espresso before her daily cut-off at 3 PM.
Downtown Racine is no Harlem Avenue. We returned though to Old Racine for coffee and pastry. Bendsten’s, probably considered the best kringlery has a café, but it looked pathetic. We decided to get a few kringles (well one for us and one for SethZ). JeffB notes that this is the best version of coffee cake he’s ever had, and he passes on the fact that the pastry is about 85% fat. Down the street from Bendsten’s is Wilson’s Coffee and Tea. They roast their own coffee but over extract their espresso. I ran across the street to Larsen’s, one of Bendsten’s prime kringle rivals. I skipped the kringels here (knowing by the time I finished my Bendsten's kringle, the other would be stale) but took full advantage of Larsen's end of day special. Most of the donuts and Danish cost only 25 cents. The one I ate on the spot, a cherry diamond, tasted only worth 25 cents, too dense and sweet, but the cake donut I had the next day was good—and I have about $2 still to try. We also picked up 2 half pounds of Wilson’s coffee. Hopefully the beans beat the brew.
And we could not leave this stretch of Racine without trying DeRango “the Pizza” King. It cost less than $6 for a 12 inch, cheese heavy, thin-thin pizza. A little too much garlic powder in the sauce made it a tad less than ideal for me.
On the way out of Racine we visited Borzynski’s Farm Market. I finally gave in and bought expensive Wisconsin cherry jam and expensive Wisconsin Kallas honey (for the impending household honey tasting). As I mentioned above, this place was not as impressive as Mars or Bobby Nelson.
I would say our last chow stop of the day was Miro’s Charcoal House Little Europe, but after dinner and when the kidz should have been hitting the hay, we caught the outlet mall still open. There, there is a gourmet shop where Ms. VI picked up some needed glass bowls, and I got an extra bitter orange marmalade from Maxim’s de Paris (really!). Our original plan was Ray Ratigan's, but Miro's tempted from the expressway. It need’s its own report, which I will do.
Bobby Nelson's Cheese Shop Fine Cheese, Gifts
2924 120th Ave.
Kenosha, WI
Mars Cheese Factory
2800 120th Ave
Kenosha, WI
Kewpie's
520 Wisconsin Ave
Racine, WI
Three Brothers
2414 S. St. Clair
Milwaukee, WI
The Balkan Restaurant "A Bit of Balkan"
605 Sixth Street
Racine, WI
Martha Merrell's Books
312 Sixth Street
Racine, WI
Century Market
506 Sixth Street
Racine, WI
Bendtsen's Bakery
3200 Washington
Racine, WI
Wilson's Coffee and Tea
3306 Washington
Racine, WI
Larsen Bakery
3311 Washington
Racine, WI
DeRango "The Pizza King"
3114 Washington Ave.
Racine, WI
Borzynski's Farm and Floral Market
11600 Washington
Racine, WI
Miro's Charcoal House Little Europe
6613 120th Ave.
Kenosha, WI
Le Gourmet Chef
11211 120th Ave.
Pleaasant Prarie, WI
Friday, February 04, 2005
Oranges Continued
While Oranges do have a long shelf live, they do not last that long. So, I thought it prudent to do our orange tasting with what we had in-house. Tasters were me, the two Chowhounditas and the Condiment Queen.
1. Blood Orange - Sunkist, purchased at Trader Joe's - One taster declared this the best; another declared it tied for best. Inside the orange is not orange (of course) but dark ruby red. It smells much different than the other oranges too, an aroma called after much debate, "unique." In the mouth, it was both strongly sweet and strongly sour, mimicking raspberries. In the best Wonka-way, it managed to change as was eaten.
2. Temple Orange - Florida - This was the favorite orange of two tasters and tied for favorite from a third. The inside of this orange is very bright, not like a real orange but like a picture of an orange. In fact, this is the orange's orange. One taster described its flavor as "classic", and it had a strong citrusy smell or smell associated with orange sprays. It was not too sweet, with some astringency on the tongue. One taster found it close to a grapefruit. As I have noted before, lots of seeds.
3. Clementine - "Darling" - Spain - Also from Trader Joe's - The orange itself has an intense odor, so strong one person called it medicinal. The flesh of this orange was much firmer than the previous two, but the flavor was also much fainter than the first two. One taster described the orange as watery. This was the least favorite of two tasters.
4. Navel - Heller - Florida - This orange had a pronounced lemony scent, and the taste was also more sour than the above oranges with just the barest bit of sweetness at the finish. This orange has a very meaty and pulpy fruit. The pleasure of this orange comes from the way it feels in the mouth. A texture orange not a taste orange.
5. Organic Tangerine - Florida (Not an orange per se!) - We all picked up melon aromas from this fruit, one taster found it smelled a lot like a cantaloupe The flavor itself was flat and overly sweet. Two of the tasters found this their least favorite.
While Oranges do have a long shelf live, they do not last that long. So, I thought it prudent to do our orange tasting with what we had in-house. Tasters were me, the two Chowhounditas and the Condiment Queen.
1. Blood Orange - Sunkist, purchased at Trader Joe's - One taster declared this the best; another declared it tied for best. Inside the orange is not orange (of course) but dark ruby red. It smells much different than the other oranges too, an aroma called after much debate, "unique." In the mouth, it was both strongly sweet and strongly sour, mimicking raspberries. In the best Wonka-way, it managed to change as was eaten.
2. Temple Orange - Florida - This was the favorite orange of two tasters and tied for favorite from a third. The inside of this orange is very bright, not like a real orange but like a picture of an orange. In fact, this is the orange's orange. One taster described its flavor as "classic", and it had a strong citrusy smell or smell associated with orange sprays. It was not too sweet, with some astringency on the tongue. One taster found it close to a grapefruit. As I have noted before, lots of seeds.
3. Clementine - "Darling" - Spain - Also from Trader Joe's - The orange itself has an intense odor, so strong one person called it medicinal. The flesh of this orange was much firmer than the previous two, but the flavor was also much fainter than the first two. One taster described the orange as watery. This was the least favorite of two tasters.
4. Navel - Heller - Florida - This orange had a pronounced lemony scent, and the taste was also more sour than the above oranges with just the barest bit of sweetness at the finish. This orange has a very meaty and pulpy fruit. The pleasure of this orange comes from the way it feels in the mouth. A texture orange not a taste orange.
5. Organic Tangerine - Florida (Not an orange per se!) - We all picked up melon aromas from this fruit, one taster found it smelled a lot like a cantaloupe The flavor itself was flat and overly sweet. Two of the tasters found this their least favorite.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Oranges
Think global, eat local. The farmer's market mantra has been popular for several years. It is something I think highly desirable. I do, however, allow certain gross deviations. One is for bananas. Bananas are one of the few fruit that ripen off the vine, and thus long time from farm to mouth does not hamper things that much. Another is for citrus. I drop my eat local rule for citrus for the same reason as for bananas, that citrus travels well. More important to my sensibility, good citrus has a defined seasonality to it. For instance, Texas grapefruit are not currently in market. And, of course, I like the variety of varieties.
At present, we have five types of oranges at the Bungalow: Temple (River) oranges from Florida; blood oranges from California (Sunkist); clementines from Spain; navel oranges from Florida; and navel oranges from California. Myself and the chowhounditas plan on conducting a more formal tasting soon--I want to add mineolas first. I would say, that right now, I am especially keen on the Temple oranges. These oranges, so quaintly, still have seeds. Lots of seeds. And the skin does not break away so easily. You can see why Navel's control the market. Yet, this is a great orange, musky and sweet.
To be continued.
Think global, eat local. The farmer's market mantra has been popular for several years. It is something I think highly desirable. I do, however, allow certain gross deviations. One is for bananas. Bananas are one of the few fruit that ripen off the vine, and thus long time from farm to mouth does not hamper things that much. Another is for citrus. I drop my eat local rule for citrus for the same reason as for bananas, that citrus travels well. More important to my sensibility, good citrus has a defined seasonality to it. For instance, Texas grapefruit are not currently in market. And, of course, I like the variety of varieties.
At present, we have five types of oranges at the Bungalow: Temple (River) oranges from Florida; blood oranges from California (Sunkist); clementines from Spain; navel oranges from Florida; and navel oranges from California. Myself and the chowhounditas plan on conducting a more formal tasting soon--I want to add mineolas first. I would say, that right now, I am especially keen on the Temple oranges. These oranges, so quaintly, still have seeds. Lots of seeds. And the skin does not break away so easily. You can see why Navel's control the market. Yet, this is a great orange, musky and sweet.
To be continued.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
My History of Drinking Coffee in Chicago
1981 - Graduate high school. Celebrate. Must attend to job early next day. Discover coffee. Drink it black 'cause I'm a Man and thus do not bother to ever appreciate said coffee.
81-85 - Master the art of scheduling all classes after 2 PM. Mostly skip coffee.
85 - Visit Europe. Gosh, coffee tastes good, especially in the AM mixed with milk. Real men drink brown coffee. Of course cafe express is much better.
87-89 - Coffee shops start opening in the States. When I am not whiling away my law school years at Cooter Browns, I visit newly hip coffee shops like PJs. Start drinking coffee more regularly even though it does not taste like Europe.
Early 90's - Starbucks arrives in Chicago. More reason to drink coffee. Still, no matter how hard I try, I cannot get their lattes to taste like I remember. Is it the 2 shots of espresso to a small latte, less coffee, steamed 1/2-1/2? Turn mostly to the dopio, and learn it is nice to ditch the office mid-afternoon for such drink.
93 - Visit Boston, wander the North End. Drink an espresso at some cafe. This will remain the standard for USA coffee for a long, long time.
96 - Visit Seattle - Yes the coffee was good, but no North End.
99 - Begin working at home.
01 - Move to Oak Park, discover a lot of coffee houses near by.
01-04 - Visit assorted coffee shops around Harlem Avenue, but mostly Caffe Italia. Wonder, however which really are the best, and which ones approach Euro or even North End quality. Compare coffee notes with fellow coffee freak, SethZ.
Late 04 - Talk with SethZ about assessing various coffee shops.
Early 05 - Drink coffee at Salerno's in Berwyn. Is this the best in Chicago?
Slightly later 05 - 20 espressos and a big baby - Round up a few hounds to see which really is the best espresso in vertical tasting. Think we will finish with Nicky's Big Baby, next to Salerno's.
1/29/05 - 8 AM-10:15 AM - Skip typical morning coffee in anticipation of tasting. By 9:30 am yelling at kidz and muttering at wife. Coffee Monster.
1/29/05 11 AM - Meet at Bungalow, drink small drams of girlie Scotch to set our focus.
1/29/05 - 12:05 PM - Bar Cafe San Francesco [sic] - Nina, President but not present. Requisite Fox Sports World soccer games on. Mostly empty tables. We gather around two tables. We are very happy. Wonderfully tiny cup of espresso. Nearly as much crema as coffee, rich but mild.
1/29/05 - 12:21 PM - City Lights Bar and Grill - And espresso bar. Still cleaning up from last night's crowd, but willing to rev up the espresso machine for us tasters. More coffee less flavor. Much thinner than San Francesco with faint flavors.
1/29/05 - 12:33 - Cafe Cappuccino - Drive 1 block. Very Euro feeling cafe, with wide array of customers, but also Fox Sports World. Fairly authentic looking cornettos, but we are just here for the coffee. Just as thin as City Lights but while City Lights was annoyingly bland, this was even more annoyingly sour. Great atmosphere, crappy coffee.
1/29/05 - 12:44 - L.A. Caffe - L.A. stands for the owners, not the city. Noticeable more for its huge satellite dishes than any other signage. While it looks uninviting from the outside, sharing a strip mall with a liquor store, inside they are quite friendly. They explain their raison d'être is soccer, especially Italian soccer. Huge assortment of almanacs and such to settle arguments. No Fox Sports World, but RAI. With the schedule of the day's games on a chalk board. Weak coffee though. Or is it too much coffee?
1/29/05 - 1:01 PM - Rivera Italian deli - Sensory overload, aged provolone cheese and giardinara aromas battling with caffeine high.
1/29/05 - 1:08 - Bar Nazionale - Rivera guys tell us to eat our subs here. What an odd idea, a coffee bar on Harlem. An empty coffee shop. TV actually showing channel other than soccer. My experiences here in the past had been so-so coffee. Not today, but palate pleasing chocolately cup of coffee not agreeing with throbbing head.
1/29/05 - 1:29 PM - Palermo Bakery - This is an espressoathon, but who does not have room for a few sweets? These are the best Italian pastries I have had outside of NY. Ideal sfogliatelle, not the least bit soggy or chewy. Also very good mini-donut with cream filling and spongy cake colored to look like a watermelon. A plus in Palermo's pastry case is the stuff comes in three sizes. Espresso. Of course, but the merest sip sends a pain straight to the aorta. I stop.
1/29/05 - 1:33 PM - Winter sun very bright on Harlem Avenue. Act of squatting down to sit in car not easy. Bang my head. Luckily my head is numb.
1/29/05 - 1:44 PM - Cafe Amante - Another empty Euro night club masquerading as a day time coffee shop. Design elements include four types of business cards on table and non-working "wall of water." Drink a tiny bit of Rene G's sugar-less espresso. Who does not put sugar in their espresso.
1/29/05 - 1:58 PM - Cafe Versace - Similar look and feel to Caffe Italia down the block, but they have their own tiny coffee roaster. Others say the coffee is very good, but I stick to water. No apparent connection to haute couture. Odd feeling of belt growing tighter at waist. Numb face. Drink three glasses of water.
1/29/05 - 2:05 PM - Caffe Italia - I know what their coffee tastes like. Instead, I get generous pour of Courvessier VSOP for $4.50. This IS a good place. Head hurts.
1/29/05 - 2:21 PM - Leaving Caffe Italia - Realize that as an exercise in inebriation, coffee does not cut it. There is alterness and there is pain. We are never witty. We never look better then when we start (and after all these Euro coffee shops we never look that good) and we never get bulletproof.
1/29/05 - 2:28 PM - Leave Harlem, turning west on Grand. Stop at La Spiga D'Oro Bakery. Seth Z somehow intimates proprietress by asking if canoli's are made to order. No, frozen. No coffee, but we can buy an espresso maker here for $18.
1/29/05 - 2:38 PM - Drive around the circle that is "downtown" Elmwood Park. Is that an espresso bar? Cafe La Feme, with two femme holding court. Clean and empty. They make espresso's from pods. It's not me, but this coffee has no taste.
1/29/05 - 2:46 PM - Did I say I have a headache.
1/30/05 - 7:45 AM - Make regular pot of coffee. Mistake.
1/30/05 - 6:15 PM - My tummy hurts. Is it the espresso. The shrimp shells I ate the other day at Islas Marias?
1/30/05 - 9:05 PM - Can we decrlare a winner? Of course, there are many more espresso's in Chicago to try, but I learned this is a marathon not a sprint. But so far, three stand above the rest: Caffe Italia, the only one that I know can do it on more than one occasion. Cafe Versace, and the winner of day Chicago's first espresso-athon, Bar Cafe San Francesco.
1/30/05 - 9:11 PM - Kudos to SethZ, Erik M, OPMark, ReneG and the Condiment Queen who provided cover. I was mildly concerned that a few of the shops along Harlem would be a bit off putting, and I wanted just enough of a crowd to ensure comfort but not too much as to upset anyone. Instead, we found warm welcomes everywhere. And Signor Zurer, alone, managed to have a coffee at each stop.
1/31/05 - Will I be able to have a cup of coffee?
Bar Cafe San Francesco
3815 N. Harlem
City Lights Bar and Grill
3809 N. Harlem
Cafe Cappuccino
3719 N. Harlem
L.A. Caffe
3502 N. Harlem
Riviera Market
3220 N. Harlem
Bar Nazionale
3222 N. Harlem
Palermo Bakery
3317 N. Harlem
Cafe Amante
3308 N. Harlem
Cafe Versace
2661 N. Harlem
Caffe Italia
2625 N. Harlem
La Spiga D'Oro Bakery
21 1/2 Conti Parkway
Elmwood Park, IL
La Femme Cafe
Conti
Elmwood Park
Salerno's
7111 W. Roosevelt
Berwyn, IL
1981 - Graduate high school. Celebrate. Must attend to job early next day. Discover coffee. Drink it black 'cause I'm a Man and thus do not bother to ever appreciate said coffee.
81-85 - Master the art of scheduling all classes after 2 PM. Mostly skip coffee.
85 - Visit Europe. Gosh, coffee tastes good, especially in the AM mixed with milk. Real men drink brown coffee. Of course cafe express is much better.
87-89 - Coffee shops start opening in the States. When I am not whiling away my law school years at Cooter Browns, I visit newly hip coffee shops like PJs. Start drinking coffee more regularly even though it does not taste like Europe.
Early 90's - Starbucks arrives in Chicago. More reason to drink coffee. Still, no matter how hard I try, I cannot get their lattes to taste like I remember. Is it the 2 shots of espresso to a small latte, less coffee, steamed 1/2-1/2? Turn mostly to the dopio, and learn it is nice to ditch the office mid-afternoon for such drink.
93 - Visit Boston, wander the North End. Drink an espresso at some cafe. This will remain the standard for USA coffee for a long, long time.
96 - Visit Seattle - Yes the coffee was good, but no North End.
99 - Begin working at home.
01 - Move to Oak Park, discover a lot of coffee houses near by.
01-04 - Visit assorted coffee shops around Harlem Avenue, but mostly Caffe Italia. Wonder, however which really are the best, and which ones approach Euro or even North End quality. Compare coffee notes with fellow coffee freak, SethZ.
Late 04 - Talk with SethZ about assessing various coffee shops.
Early 05 - Drink coffee at Salerno's in Berwyn. Is this the best in Chicago?
Slightly later 05 - 20 espressos and a big baby - Round up a few hounds to see which really is the best espresso in vertical tasting. Think we will finish with Nicky's Big Baby, next to Salerno's.
1/29/05 - 8 AM-10:15 AM - Skip typical morning coffee in anticipation of tasting. By 9:30 am yelling at kidz and muttering at wife. Coffee Monster.
1/29/05 11 AM - Meet at Bungalow, drink small drams of girlie Scotch to set our focus.
1/29/05 - 12:05 PM - Bar Cafe San Francesco [sic] - Nina, President but not present. Requisite Fox Sports World soccer games on. Mostly empty tables. We gather around two tables. We are very happy. Wonderfully tiny cup of espresso. Nearly as much crema as coffee, rich but mild.
1/29/05 - 12:21 PM - City Lights Bar and Grill - And espresso bar. Still cleaning up from last night's crowd, but willing to rev up the espresso machine for us tasters. More coffee less flavor. Much thinner than San Francesco with faint flavors.
1/29/05 - 12:33 - Cafe Cappuccino - Drive 1 block. Very Euro feeling cafe, with wide array of customers, but also Fox Sports World. Fairly authentic looking cornettos, but we are just here for the coffee. Just as thin as City Lights but while City Lights was annoyingly bland, this was even more annoyingly sour. Great atmosphere, crappy coffee.
1/29/05 - 12:44 - L.A. Caffe - L.A. stands for the owners, not the city. Noticeable more for its huge satellite dishes than any other signage. While it looks uninviting from the outside, sharing a strip mall with a liquor store, inside they are quite friendly. They explain their raison d'être is soccer, especially Italian soccer. Huge assortment of almanacs and such to settle arguments. No Fox Sports World, but RAI. With the schedule of the day's games on a chalk board. Weak coffee though. Or is it too much coffee?
1/29/05 - 1:01 PM - Rivera Italian deli - Sensory overload, aged provolone cheese and giardinara aromas battling with caffeine high.
1/29/05 - 1:08 - Bar Nazionale - Rivera guys tell us to eat our subs here. What an odd idea, a coffee bar on Harlem. An empty coffee shop. TV actually showing channel other than soccer. My experiences here in the past had been so-so coffee. Not today, but palate pleasing chocolately cup of coffee not agreeing with throbbing head.
1/29/05 - 1:29 PM - Palermo Bakery - This is an espressoathon, but who does not have room for a few sweets? These are the best Italian pastries I have had outside of NY. Ideal sfogliatelle, not the least bit soggy or chewy. Also very good mini-donut with cream filling and spongy cake colored to look like a watermelon. A plus in Palermo's pastry case is the stuff comes in three sizes. Espresso. Of course, but the merest sip sends a pain straight to the aorta. I stop.
1/29/05 - 1:33 PM - Winter sun very bright on Harlem Avenue. Act of squatting down to sit in car not easy. Bang my head. Luckily my head is numb.
1/29/05 - 1:44 PM - Cafe Amante - Another empty Euro night club masquerading as a day time coffee shop. Design elements include four types of business cards on table and non-working "wall of water." Drink a tiny bit of Rene G's sugar-less espresso. Who does not put sugar in their espresso.
1/29/05 - 1:58 PM - Cafe Versace - Similar look and feel to Caffe Italia down the block, but they have their own tiny coffee roaster. Others say the coffee is very good, but I stick to water. No apparent connection to haute couture. Odd feeling of belt growing tighter at waist. Numb face. Drink three glasses of water.
1/29/05 - 2:05 PM - Caffe Italia - I know what their coffee tastes like. Instead, I get generous pour of Courvessier VSOP for $4.50. This IS a good place. Head hurts.
1/29/05 - 2:21 PM - Leaving Caffe Italia - Realize that as an exercise in inebriation, coffee does not cut it. There is alterness and there is pain. We are never witty. We never look better then when we start (and after all these Euro coffee shops we never look that good) and we never get bulletproof.
1/29/05 - 2:28 PM - Leave Harlem, turning west on Grand. Stop at La Spiga D'Oro Bakery. Seth Z somehow intimates proprietress by asking if canoli's are made to order. No, frozen. No coffee, but we can buy an espresso maker here for $18.
1/29/05 - 2:38 PM - Drive around the circle that is "downtown" Elmwood Park. Is that an espresso bar? Cafe La Feme, with two femme holding court. Clean and empty. They make espresso's from pods. It's not me, but this coffee has no taste.
1/29/05 - 2:46 PM - Did I say I have a headache.
1/30/05 - 7:45 AM - Make regular pot of coffee. Mistake.
1/30/05 - 6:15 PM - My tummy hurts. Is it the espresso. The shrimp shells I ate the other day at Islas Marias?
1/30/05 - 9:05 PM - Can we decrlare a winner? Of course, there are many more espresso's in Chicago to try, but I learned this is a marathon not a sprint. But so far, three stand above the rest: Caffe Italia, the only one that I know can do it on more than one occasion. Cafe Versace, and the winner of day Chicago's first espresso-athon, Bar Cafe San Francesco.
1/30/05 - 9:11 PM - Kudos to SethZ, Erik M, OPMark, ReneG and the Condiment Queen who provided cover. I was mildly concerned that a few of the shops along Harlem would be a bit off putting, and I wanted just enough of a crowd to ensure comfort but not too much as to upset anyone. Instead, we found warm welcomes everywhere. And Signor Zurer, alone, managed to have a coffee at each stop.
1/31/05 - Will I be able to have a cup of coffee?
Bar Cafe San Francesco
3815 N. Harlem
City Lights Bar and Grill
3809 N. Harlem
Cafe Cappuccino
3719 N. Harlem
L.A. Caffe
3502 N. Harlem
Riviera Market
3220 N. Harlem
Bar Nazionale
3222 N. Harlem
Palermo Bakery
3317 N. Harlem
Cafe Amante
3308 N. Harlem
Cafe Versace
2661 N. Harlem
Caffe Italia
2625 N. Harlem
La Spiga D'Oro Bakery
21 1/2 Conti Parkway
Elmwood Park, IL
La Femme Cafe
Conti
Elmwood Park
Salerno's
7111 W. Roosevelt
Berwyn, IL
Le Coq Again
Another recent meal at Le Coq. I started with the salad lyonaise, which I have had there before. I like this salad of curly endive, not over-cooked bacon (a bit too thin this time to be lardons), runny poached egg (to be incorporated over the salad) and mustard vinaigrette, but I would have liked it a lot more if they used about six less ounces of dressing. I moved on to the cassolet special, which was not so much cassolet but grilled meats and a pot of beans. Still good, especially the crisped up duck confit leg, but the lamb chop and garlic sausage were not far behind. The Condiment Queen had a stellar if unconventional bouillabaisse. Mostly shellfish, clams, scallops, mussels, in a large platter, with broth acting as a moat, a couple of croutons as drawbridges, and a large swirl of rouille as, I'm not sure where the metaphor goes. She loved it, finishing it all. Neither of us got dessert, but I took a nibble of carmel soaked spice cake order by one of our dining companions. Carmelicious.
We had a bottle of Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage (1999). More nicely biodynamic wine. I thought this was one not as luxuriously heavy as the Cote du Rhone we had by the glass a few weeks ago (but still good). Sometimes more expensive wines are not better wines!
Another recent meal at Le Coq. I started with the salad lyonaise, which I have had there before. I like this salad of curly endive, not over-cooked bacon (a bit too thin this time to be lardons), runny poached egg (to be incorporated over the salad) and mustard vinaigrette, but I would have liked it a lot more if they used about six less ounces of dressing. I moved on to the cassolet special, which was not so much cassolet but grilled meats and a pot of beans. Still good, especially the crisped up duck confit leg, but the lamb chop and garlic sausage were not far behind. The Condiment Queen had a stellar if unconventional bouillabaisse. Mostly shellfish, clams, scallops, mussels, in a large platter, with broth acting as a moat, a couple of croutons as drawbridges, and a large swirl of rouille as, I'm not sure where the metaphor goes. She loved it, finishing it all. Neither of us got dessert, but I took a nibble of carmel soaked spice cake order by one of our dining companions. Carmelicious.
We had a bottle of Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage (1999). More nicely biodynamic wine. I thought this was one not as luxuriously heavy as the Cote du Rhone we had by the glass a few weeks ago (but still good). Sometimes more expensive wines are not better wines!
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Thai in Chicago
It really amazes me that the level of Thai food is so high in Chicago (and of course, not at the most famous Chicago Thai, Arun's.) I recently visited two of the best in Chicago.
Spoon Thai
A LTHForum.com dinner was organized for the weekend visit of sergeant-At-Arms, Shirley the Hammer, at Spoon. Not a huge crowd, but a huge amount of food:
Ja plon, or something like that. - A small crab shell stuffed with cheap crab meat (claw meat), small shrimps and perhaps squid. Well done. I mean the fying was perfect. But more of a snackin' item.
Whole mudfish, fried and then put in red curry with a few vegetables - spicy and good
Pork neck laab - fatty in a great way, very spicy
Exploded catfish salad, bigger pieces of catfish, maybe a bit too cold, still good
Fried chicken - yea
Nam prik with vegetables and small fish - artfully presented, and the nam prik was (well, was what you want in a nam prik, direct, smelly, spicy, mysterious...)
Rice cooked with shrimp paste, with sweet pork and other things to eat with it - smelled a lot worse when cooking
Catfish custard - A Spoon Thai classic, steamed soft fish in a delicate yet spicy custard block
Boat noodles - not really a dinner dish, but very well done
Ice cream in pineapple - nothing special
As at any hound gathering the company was foodly intense as well. It was also the first time at Spoon that there was leftover sticky rice.
Spoon Thai
4608 N. Western Ave
Chicago, IL
TAC Quick
I am slowly catching up to others at this terrific spot under the El Tracks. With the kidz off of school, we used the chance to roam afar for lunch. Met the Zim family and Erik for lunch. Because of a vegetarian and the kidz we had to cater our ordering a bit towards their needs.
Pad thai folded in omelet - nice idea to create "something" out of this warhorse, nice presentation too, with the condiments put in little piles on the outside of the main item.
Papaya salad - ordered "medium" and with tiny shrimps on the side, but it still had plenty of flavor and heat.
Green curry "fish cake" - not so much fish cake, but fish balls - Erik notes that TAC makes their own fish balls. Truthfully, they tasted like pretty much any fish ball, but they were good. The green curry was a bit gloppy, yet spicy and sweet at the same time.
Crispy pork on greens - This is one of Erik's favorite dishes here. I liked the heavily flavored greens, tons of garlic, but I was less keen on the pork, which was more like cracklin's
Braised pork belly with eggs and tofu - The best dish in the house? - Very rich broth, almost too sweet on the tongue but with flavors that bloom and emerge in the mouth, including a nice hot finish. The fatty pork pretty much "literally" melted in the mouth. The eggs and tofu were good for the non meat eaters.
Grilled chicken over curry rice - Loved the spicy curry rice, more Malaysian tasting than Thai. Hardly got to try the chicken, but from its curry marinade, looked great.
Ginger tofu - For others. I sampled a jalepeno.
I believe there is one more dish, but it is slipping my mind.
3930 N. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago
It really amazes me that the level of Thai food is so high in Chicago (and of course, not at the most famous Chicago Thai, Arun's.) I recently visited two of the best in Chicago.
Spoon Thai
A LTHForum.com dinner was organized for the weekend visit of sergeant-At-Arms, Shirley the Hammer, at Spoon. Not a huge crowd, but a huge amount of food:
Ja plon, or something like that. - A small crab shell stuffed with cheap crab meat (claw meat), small shrimps and perhaps squid. Well done. I mean the fying was perfect. But more of a snackin' item.
Whole mudfish, fried and then put in red curry with a few vegetables - spicy and good
Pork neck laab - fatty in a great way, very spicy
Exploded catfish salad, bigger pieces of catfish, maybe a bit too cold, still good
Fried chicken - yea
Nam prik with vegetables and small fish - artfully presented, and the nam prik was (well, was what you want in a nam prik, direct, smelly, spicy, mysterious...)
Rice cooked with shrimp paste, with sweet pork and other things to eat with it - smelled a lot worse when cooking
Catfish custard - A Spoon Thai classic, steamed soft fish in a delicate yet spicy custard block
Boat noodles - not really a dinner dish, but very well done
Ice cream in pineapple - nothing special
As at any hound gathering the company was foodly intense as well. It was also the first time at Spoon that there was leftover sticky rice.
Spoon Thai
4608 N. Western Ave
Chicago, IL
TAC Quick
I am slowly catching up to others at this terrific spot under the El Tracks. With the kidz off of school, we used the chance to roam afar for lunch. Met the Zim family and Erik for lunch. Because of a vegetarian and the kidz we had to cater our ordering a bit towards their needs.
Pad thai folded in omelet - nice idea to create "something" out of this warhorse, nice presentation too, with the condiments put in little piles on the outside of the main item.
Papaya salad - ordered "medium" and with tiny shrimps on the side, but it still had plenty of flavor and heat.
Green curry "fish cake" - not so much fish cake, but fish balls - Erik notes that TAC makes their own fish balls. Truthfully, they tasted like pretty much any fish ball, but they were good. The green curry was a bit gloppy, yet spicy and sweet at the same time.
Crispy pork on greens - This is one of Erik's favorite dishes here. I liked the heavily flavored greens, tons of garlic, but I was less keen on the pork, which was more like cracklin's
Braised pork belly with eggs and tofu - The best dish in the house? - Very rich broth, almost too sweet on the tongue but with flavors that bloom and emerge in the mouth, including a nice hot finish. The fatty pork pretty much "literally" melted in the mouth. The eggs and tofu were good for the non meat eaters.
Grilled chicken over curry rice - Loved the spicy curry rice, more Malaysian tasting than Thai. Hardly got to try the chicken, but from its curry marinade, looked great.
Ginger tofu - For others. I sampled a jalepeno.
I believe there is one more dish, but it is slipping my mind.
3930 N. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago
Le Coq, Your Neighborhood Bistro
We had another excellent if slightly flawed meal at Le Coq on Saturday. For a change, we got shunted off to the alcove near the front window. It meant that the Condiment Queen and I sat perpendicular to each other. Perhaps not as romantic. Worse, the place at various times got too full, and the waiters (and waiters) got stuffed into the space around us. Still, I enjoy the hyper-real décor and spirit of Le Coq. It is the kinda place you want in your front yard.
Our dinner did slip just a bit on one plate, my wife’s skate. Meals begin with a complimentary taste, and ours began with a small cup of cold potato soup—yes I know why cold potato soup in January, but the menu also had a medley of summer vegetables in harissa broth on it. Outstanding soup, tasting like supreme liquid mashed potatoes. We noticed the intense underlying flavor of butter in the soup, and I commented on how Le Coq’s chef does not fear the butter. Yet, with the skate, the butter went too far. It sogged up the fish, leaving the whole dish mushy and unpleasant.
All the rest of the plates tasted fine. We started with two raw fish dishes, house-made gravlax and tuna tartare in a caper dressing. Gravlax is one of those dishes that an even average version tastes great. This one was not average. What made it (more) special was a texture verging on leather, but not quite, think proscuitto. Pickled onions, avocado and crème fraiche nicely garnished the salmon. Those prickly capers contrasted equally well to the raw tuna. My short ribs were not fatty at all, although with a bit of cow gelatin (to slightly paraphrase Bob Kopinski). Opera cake finished us off well.
Wine by the glass was a biodynamic, horn-o-crap, Chaputier Cote de Rhone, heavy and fruity. Le Coq is doing a dinner with Chaputier wines in Februrary. With our Restaurants.com certificate, the meal came to $62, which was a nice surprise (and that with expensive options).
Cafe Le Coq
734 W Lake, Oak Park
We had another excellent if slightly flawed meal at Le Coq on Saturday. For a change, we got shunted off to the alcove near the front window. It meant that the Condiment Queen and I sat perpendicular to each other. Perhaps not as romantic. Worse, the place at various times got too full, and the waiters (and waiters) got stuffed into the space around us. Still, I enjoy the hyper-real décor and spirit of Le Coq. It is the kinda place you want in your front yard.
Our dinner did slip just a bit on one plate, my wife’s skate. Meals begin with a complimentary taste, and ours began with a small cup of cold potato soup—yes I know why cold potato soup in January, but the menu also had a medley of summer vegetables in harissa broth on it. Outstanding soup, tasting like supreme liquid mashed potatoes. We noticed the intense underlying flavor of butter in the soup, and I commented on how Le Coq’s chef does not fear the butter. Yet, with the skate, the butter went too far. It sogged up the fish, leaving the whole dish mushy and unpleasant.
All the rest of the plates tasted fine. We started with two raw fish dishes, house-made gravlax and tuna tartare in a caper dressing. Gravlax is one of those dishes that an even average version tastes great. This one was not average. What made it (more) special was a texture verging on leather, but not quite, think proscuitto. Pickled onions, avocado and crème fraiche nicely garnished the salmon. Those prickly capers contrasted equally well to the raw tuna. My short ribs were not fatty at all, although with a bit of cow gelatin (to slightly paraphrase Bob Kopinski). Opera cake finished us off well.
Wine by the glass was a biodynamic, horn-o-crap, Chaputier Cote de Rhone, heavy and fruity. Le Coq is doing a dinner with Chaputier wines in Februrary. With our Restaurants.com certificate, the meal came to $62, which was a nice surprise (and that with expensive options).
Cafe Le Coq
734 W Lake, Oak Park
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