Chicago Foodies

Lunch Out of the Bolat Truck

It's a movable feast that undoubtably started in Africa, and came to the corner of Dearborn and Erie via Bolat on north Clark. The shiny truck serves cabbies, mostly, from 10:30am to 3pm. There was a line around 1pm and until I got lunch back to the office I was unsure what I was about to eat.

The ESPN Zone

My big complaint is that there is nowhere to eat downtown. Given that Monday night I wanted to watch the game with a buddy and the ESPN Zone was giving away $10 worth of game tokens I figured why not. I had a taste for the fried. So going in with low expectations I was amazed how much further down reality sunk.

One might think that even if the food was lousy the game would be the main event, right? If you are one of the lucky 30 or so to get the "good seats" on the second floor you might have been able to watch the show in comfort. But relegated to the first floor and the standard wooden, unpadded, spartan chairs and stuck facing non-hd rear projection televisions that neither my wife, nor I, would allow in my house we realized the cruel joke was on us. The several dozen hanging TVs in the first floor restaurant were also not only standard def but not even flat screen CRTs. You may ask why this is sounding like a commercial for Best Buy...? Well we certainly weren't there for the food...

Northwestern Memorial Hospital Cafeteria

That's right. I went to the hospital for lunch. They have a mega cafeteria with almost everything you could want. Mac and Cheese, variations of fried potatoes - and unfried potatoes. Hamburgers, hot dogs, slaws and salads, soups, chilis, sandwiches, fruit, veggies, cereals, etc. The really nice thing is the dietary info is right there as you decide between the fried tato wedges and broccoli... I got the broccoli and splurged with the wild rice.

Sunshine Cafe

To many Chicagoans Japanese food means raw fish. I'll admit I can count on my hands the number of times I have eaten Japanese that isn't sushi. I didn't know what to expect with Sunshine Cafe except that it is a small restaurant and based on decor it would be likely considered a takeout place. I have noticed that it is usually very well attended. After a couple of good Japanese experiences recently, Renga-Tei and Katsu, I was excited. Boy was it good.

Pingpong

Pingpong is yet another one of those Asian fusion restaurants that seem to be popping up in every neighborhood. Pingpong however is not new to Lakeview. I remember it opening about four years ago, just before I moved out of the neighborhood.  I didn't get a chance to try it then but I've always heard from people in the area that it is a favorite. 

Karyn's Cooked

After the francheezie I figured I would take it easy at lunch and go to Karyn's Cooked, a vegan restaurant and sister of Karyn's Bistro. It's billed as "conscious comfort food." The idea of a large steaming bowl of macrobiotic is not really that comforting to me. Especially having to walk past Fogo De Chao en route, Luckily that wasn't what I got.

I confess when I go to a vegetarian restaurant and see items that try to be the veggie-version of something I tend to cringe. Karyn's offers spaghetti and meatballs, a slab of ribs, and a steak sandwich. I was just glad they didn't italicize the faux part of the item.

Francheezie... Cambridge House – RIP

There are some mythical menu items that people are either too shocked to understand or disgusted, yet intrigued. The Francheezie is one such item. The Cambridge House is the place to try it.

If we ever start banning food for health reasons the Francheezie will be the first to go. It's a hot dog stuffed with cheeze and wrapped in bacon... As far as I can tell it's only found in and around Chicago, yet is considered a mockery of the hot dog...
(* The Cambridge House is now closed... Francheezies must be had elsewhere – apparantly Zephyr's got 'em)

Chef vs. Gov: Battle Foie Gras

Chicago is debating a ban on foie gras... the barbaric vs. tasty quotient is at high levels on both sides.
But would you rather chefs take a stand, diners on a table-by-table basis, or the government...?

From the New York TImes:

''Our laws are a reflection of our culture,'' said Joe Moore, an alderman who has proposed banning the sale of foie gras in the city, as he addressed the council's health committee on Tuesday. ''Our culture does not condone the torture of innocent and defenseless creatures. And we as a society believe all God's creatures should be treated humanely.''
 

Osteria Via Stato

" Osteria Via Stato embraces the lifestyle of Italian dining..." from the "Lettuce Entertain You" website.

Without getting into the whole restaurant chain vs. traditional Italian lifestyle thing I'll just say it does this gobs better than the Olive Garden.

I wanted a nice lunch and have been curious about Osteria and their fixed price lunch. The price on it has dropped from $19 to $15 which with tax and tip ends up being $20... If you can rationalize $20 for lunch it's money well spent.

Renga Tei

I have pestered my wife to go to Renga-Tei by imitating Jodie Foster in Nell and saying it fast... Renga-Taaaay... after our suprise bank-busting trip to Katsu she was worried that we'd have to break into triple digits for dinner again. Fortuantely not.

Renga-Tei is on Touhy just past Wholly Frijoles. Considering the delay for a table at Wholly a 5 minute walk west will land you a spot that not only has a firm grasp on sushi but cooked Japanese options as well.