Chicago Foodies

Chorizo Burger at Sizzle

Edgewater has started to develop interesting restaurants. Speakeasy, Indie Cafe, Blue Elephant, South, and Sizzle are all recent additions to the neighborhood. Chicago Magazine wrote Sizzle up for their chorizo burger but a couple of months before I got a door hanger announcing the chorizo burger. I've been thinking about the chorizo burger for a while and finally tried it last night.

I'd had drinks at The Pumping Company before and Sizzle still looks fairly similar. I was expecting a beer garden as well but got a beer patio. The place has an identity crisis. It's still a smoky bar but one that serves $5 mini lobster tail plates and halibut entrees. But they offer $1 bud lights. And the chorizo burger.

Blue Elephant

Blue Elephant has been on the border between Roger's Park and Edgewater for about a year (1235 W. Devon Ave). As of late Indie Cafe has been getting lots of props. They both blend Thai with other Asian foods.

I'll confess I am a Thai Pastry fan that has never been to Arun's. I will have to go back to confirm this but I found Blue Elephant's panang better than any I've had in a long time and I eat panang often. It was creamy but not too creamy, spicy but not too spicy, sweet but not too sweet... The ingredients were fresh and not overcooked.

Eastern Style Pizza & Pizza Party at Kendall College

Eastern Style Pizza, 2911 W Touhy Ave,  is pretty close to New York style pizza. They have been around since 1969 and have brought "Philadelphia Style Pizza" to Chicago and in addition grinders including the Philly cheese steak and about 30 more varieties.

They consider it "eastern style" and not New York style which I suppose takes the pressure off to some degree. The slices are foldable, go light on sauce and the cheese is pretty close to what I remember from several years in New York. How it does representing Philly I can't say.

If you have a serious "eastern style" pizza jones check it out. It should do the trick. Around the corner and down on California is Tel-Aviv Kosher Pizza. It's not open on Saturdays I couldn't make a direct comparison but I've been there over the years and it too is more towards the folding/low sauce/add some oregano, peppers, salt and black pepper type of thing, sans pepperoni...

If pizza is REALLY your bag Kendall College is hosting a free event Tuesday night:

Springtime Street Food

Spring is here! How can you tell? The temperature on my car thermometer said 79º. That made me stop for a mango with cayanne, salt and lime juice. The Hispanic street vendors offers cucumber and crunchy puffs with hot sauce too. I would love to find some jicama... I'll keep looking. $2 for a peeled mango cut up and served in a cup. Spring is here!

$5 Pizza Fridays

Alright. I'm admitting that for the past several months almost every Friday I snag a pizza from Dominick's uncooked with one topping for $5. I stop at the video store get a lame movie and proceed to eat a few pieces and fall asleep on the couch before the credits roll.

Every week can be tough but we've perfected the process. You get one topping included on the pizza. Additional toppings are $1 and come in plastic containers. Getting pepperoni this way is really cost effective. BUT it's a grocery store and for about $.89 you can get sliced black olives. Wandering around the produce department you can grab broccoli, mushrooms, pineapple, sun-dried tomatos, green peppers, spinach, onions, etc.

Don't get it cooked. It comes on a black plasti-paper tray that slides right into your oven at 425º and in 14-16 minutes you have a really crispy nice pie if you DON'T cook two at once.

Thien Noodles *Closed

Unfortunately Thien is no-longer with us. Blue Elephant around the corner on Devon is the next closest recommendation.

Thien Noodles (or Thien's Noodles as it says on the sign) is North on Clark. It's our local cash-only spot on the way to the video store. It also is slowly focusing me towards Vietnamese food. While a large contingent of the foodies in Chicago are Vietnamese soup fans I am not. Or at least am not as ardent. I like it but I prefer a Chinese or Thai soup. It's not the fish cake or any one thing in particular but for some reason I don't hunger for it... Or would you thirst for soup? Well if you did it wouldn't be a Joycean thirst. Happy St. Patty's btw.

Indie Cafe

As an Edgewater resident and Thai and sushi enthusiast I was thrilled to hear of this mystical Thai place that has great sushi. I initially thought they meant Thai Vietnamese – Thien Noodles on Clark - a true one of a kind. A neighbor mentioned it so we went. Then a friend said something. then my aunt called. Let's just say word is out.

OK. Here's the deal. Indie Cafe is just OK.
What makes the place special is the way the food looks.