Chicago Foodies

Chicago Foodies Food Truck Bash: 3 Food Trucks, 2 Brothers & 1 Green Lady

 

Wednesday February 22nd at 6:30 is your chance to see 3 of Chicago's finest food trucks flex their culinary muscle at The Green Lady on Lincoln for Chicago Foodies Food Truck Bash

La Adelita, The Brown Bag Lunch Truck, and Cupcakes for Courage will provide a tasting menu that will be paired by Two Brothers Brewing.

Expect sharp and sweet. Savory and sultry. A veritable bonanza of flavors coming together all for $35 bucks!

Northdown Cafe's Half Acre Brewery Night Tuesday 1/31, 6:00 p.m.

Always an inviting spot for a beer event, Northdown Cafe and Taproom is having Half Acre Brewery Night Tuesday the 31st at 6:00pm.

Before getting to that, note that I saw an outstanding film tonight, Maxwell Street Blues.   It screened at Transistor book and record shop on Lincoln Ave. as part of their free movie screening series (BYOB!).  Maxwell Street is a 1981 documentary about the dying Chicago blues scene on legendary Maxwell Street, a transient home to some of the all-time blues greats.  The focus is on the street bluesmen that time forgot, the ones not named Muddy Waters or Buddy Guy. 

This is a Land of Misfit Toys where the discards are weathered black bluesmen playing their last act, with withered fingers, leathery faces, and turquoise eyes blinded by glaucoma and cataracts.  It's vividly alive with brilliant music that in the span of a few strums will make you sad and make you laugh out loud.  Filmmakers Linda Williams and Rual Zaritsky deliver you a Chicago that's as real and tangible as that post-snow gunk you've been cleaning off your shoes.

Uncommon Ground & Finch's Beer Company – Beer Dinner Oct. 27th

Uncommon Ground is hosting Finch's Beer Co. for a beer dinner Thursday the 27th.
Three courses, three beers... $25.

Uncommon Ground
3800 N. Clark St.
773.929.3680

 

Spoon Thai – A Poor Man's Next Restaurant Tour of Thailand?

Not sure if this is the "Poor Man's Next Thai Menu" or the "Luckless Man's Next Thai Menu" but either way it's way cheaper and waaaay easier to get a table! That being said, while the rigamarole is apples and oranges, the food is far more similar. It's a testament to Next that they are able to shift to a Thai menu that provides a combination of authentic flavors while adding wonderful proteins and preparations that go a long way to create something more unique.

Spoon Thai has always been notorious for their Thai-language menu, which has changed a bit over the last 10 years. The last 2 pages look like an appendix but you can, and should, order off of that menu for unique and tasty fare that they, in the past, deemed too unusual for western palates. The lettuce leaf salad here is in that part of the menu.
 
I wasn't planning on writing this as a comparison but when I saw the catfish curry in banana leaf, it made me think of my dinner at Next. Those flavors were there but not in the same dish in the same way. In any event I ordered the Hor Mok which is steamed catfish in curry that is pressed into a banana leaf. Think of it as a curry-catfish-cake.

Northdown Cafe and Taproom – Recently Opened

North siders who like good beer and pub food have new reason to get excited as the Northdown Cafe and Taproom is now open on Lincoln Avenue in West Lakeview.  Northdown just opened three months ago in the space formerly occupied by Bourbon Restaurant.  This area of West Lakeview is dominated by more sports-oriented bars such as The Pony and Beckett's and was begging for a quality beer bar. The Three Floyds neon sign in the window which replicates the Alpha King logo is, as I'm informed by the cafe's owner, a special design by the mad geniuses at Three Floyds themselves, and is said to be the only one of its kind.  More importantly, like a barber's pole, it signifies that there is some serious action going on in there; it's beer, that is, not blood, although some serious beer lovers equate the two.

Orange: Contemporary Brunch, with a Peel

With much anticipation, I finally got over to one of the Orange locations and tried out a bit of their menu. I went to the location in Roscoe Village. Orange is known for putting a modern spin on classic breakfast dishes. 

They have a nice, diverse menu with many healthy options. I opted to go with their special for the week which was a grilled chicken sandwich topped with provolone, avocados, and pesto mayo. Mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette came on the side.

Kanela Breakfast Club

I recently tried the latest breakfast spot in Lakeview, Kanela Breakfast Club. Over the past year, this location has housed multiple breakfast joints. I have a feeling Kanela will stay.

Kanela has an inviting interior with tall-backed booths and an intimate seating arrangement. For those interested in grabbing a quick espresso drink, they also offer bar seating.

Their menu consists of gourmet breakfast and lunch options, as well as fresh squeezed juice and espresso drinks. Everything sounded delicious. I had a hard time narrowing my options down.

Fish Bar: The Real Deal

Editor's note– Welome to our new writer, Ashley Streichert, a Loyola grad who loves food and the conversations food creates.

If you love seafood, then you must check out Lakeview's new restaurant Fish Bar. The owner's of DMK opened up this restaurant in the beginning of March and they really hit the nail on the head. The concept is simple, the food is fresh, and the prices are right.

I went to Fish Bar on a Thursday evening and waited an hour for a table. The wait was tolerable. You can grab drinks from the bar, hang out and peruse the menu. They have a nice selection of craft beers, including Blanche de Bruxellea Witbier for $5.50 a pint. They also had Bloody Mary oyster shooters for $4, which I couldn't pass up.

Local Option – Beer Lineup: One of The Best Ever?

Just want to give a quick blurb about a recent beer event I attended on Wednesday, March 16th, at Local Option pub on Webster Avenue.  The Option did a rare beer tasting headlined by rare Founders brews and some other gems from the U.S. and across the pond.  Word got out about the event early enough that the keg tappings, which were to begin at 6, played to an already packed house by that time. 

Perennial – Restaurant Week Wraps-Up

So as a last minute addition to our gastonomic-calendar we snagged a table at Perennial. The menu seemed at a glance fairly common. Pork Belly, short ribs, scallops... nothing dissimilar to more than a couple other restaurants. But at the same time it gives one a point of comparison.

While I've been to Perennial for a few drink-focused events, I haven't enjoyed a meal there. I was encouraged to see that several of the Restaurant Week menu items are on their regular menu as well. Also as it's restaurant week, it's hard to tell if the crowd was typical. It seemed to be a great date spot for the younger Lincoln Park crowd.

Siam Noodle & Rice

One favorite place of ours is Siam Noodle & Rice. It's a small, cozy, zero-ambiance place in the tough neighborhood of Uptown... but boy does it have great authentic Thai. The dish that beats out all the other Thai places in Chicago is Pad Kee Mao.

It's the prefect blend of thick rice-noodles, eggs, bean sprouts, basil leaves, black bean sauce and (what makes it different) collard greens. It's a zesty delight that's sure to please the Thai newbie or the authentic Thai food lover. Other dishes like Basil Chicken, Tom Kha Kai Soup, and the Thai Iced Coffee will make you glad you took the trip to this whole-in-the-wall in this often-overlooked neck of the woods.

Lillie's Q - Best of Chicago BBQ

I don’t know what it is about real, down and dirty BBQ that gets Chicagoans so fired up (pun intended), but in the last few years grilling up some of the South’s favorites has been all the rage. It’s hard to say who’s at the BBQ forefront with favorites like Honky Tonk and Smoque, but the relatively newly opened Lillie’s Q is quickly making a name for itself.

Located at North Ave and Wolcott, Lillie’s Q is owned and operated by Chef Charlie McKenna, formerly of Tru and Avenues. All about keeping it in the family, the Lillie’s Q team is made up of himself, his father, and his two friends, and is even named after family members (Lillie referring to his grandmother who tough him Southern-style cooking, and Q referring to his father, Quito).

Beer and Barbeque at Sheffield's

As noted in the excellent post written by Foodies contributor Brian Ziegler on September 20, I, too, visited Sheffield's on the same evening.  By the time I got there,  Brian and his friend had already gotten "the tour" of Sheffield's barbecue operations.  I got my turn shortly after my arrival when Brian introduced me to Sheffield's owner, Ric Hess.  I have been a long time Sheffield's patron and an even longer time barbecue lover, so it was a treat to get a chance to explore Sheffield's excellent barbecue offerings in person.

Hoagie Hut... Closing Thursday.

Hoagie Hut - A Lincoln Park Tradition is closing Thursday 9/30

You knew it was too good to last. Located in prime Lincoln Park real estate, this long time establishment served Vienna Beef Chicago-style hot dogs, cheesy cheese fries, and (of course) hoagies of all kinds. Restaurant wise, it wasn't much to look and there wasn't much seating but it was the quintessential hot dog joint... ketchup stained bench seats, a classic arcade machine, and quite the friendly staff who even brought your order to your table.

We spoke to the staff today and they said Thursday is there last day in business... with the future unknown... take a stroll down to this Lincoln Park tradition before it's gone.

Hoagie Hut
2580 N Lincoln Ave

Barbeque at Sheffield's

A friend and I were having a few beers at Sheffield's, known as a destination for craft-brew lovers and an outstanding selection of beers from Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing, as well as our own Metropoltan and Half Acre.   As always, it's a good idea to pair beer with food.  My friend ordered a pulled pork barbeque sandwich, and I tried the smoked sausage.  Unbeknownst to us, we were a bar stool away from the owner, when my friend explained, "That's the best barbeque sandwich I've ever had".   That changed our evening completely - for the better.

Chicago Foodies Weekend Dining Deal! 12-Courses for $75

Now's your chance to experience underground dining at a discount. This weekend Friday and Saturday, One Sister is offering a special rate of $75 a person for 12-courses of hauté cuisine on a first come basis. There are only a few seats left so quickly grab a friend or two and take advantage of Trio, Alinea and Schwa alum, Chef Iliana Regan's fantastic gastronomy. You'll get to experience foie gras ice cream, fish taco bubble tea, scallops, sweetbreads, buffalo tartare, and 7 more courses.

It's a deal even without the discount. To snag a seat, call 773-598-0602 or email onesisterinc@gmail.com

Longman & Eagle – Comfort Food on the Hottest Day of the Year

A steamy hot day has never instilled in me a hunger for platefuls of meat and glasses of whiskey. But maybe that will change. It was, as the title suggested, a hot night– in the nineties even though it was raining. I have been so overdue to checkout Longman & Eagle that I agreed to go. I further broke tradition and went to a popular restaurant on a Friday night. This meant suffering through a wait of over an hour at the bar which would have been better if I were up for more drinking. The cocktail menu was very nice and the bourbon and whiskey selection was extensive. The bartender, Nathan, mixed a couple of dark and stormys and also chatted up the new Maker's 46 and a couple other options (Cabin Still). This made the wait seem shorter.

In a very loud back room we ordered, and received, duck rillettes where the mustard lived up to the meat and Ricotta gnuddi, a word that makes small children giggle, which were more delicate than I expected and though good, didn't compete with the rillettes. Next came the English pea agnolotti - truffle butter was cheating as the pea filled raviolis were sweet and creamy-rich on their own.

Pour Drinks & Eats - Lakeview's Primo Patio

We Chicagoans have an unequivocal obsession with outdoor patios and rooftop bars – from the swanky Loop hotspots to the neighborhood 4-table patios, we’ll take ‘em all. One patio that really nailed the outdoor ambiance we yearn for is Pour Drinks & Eats in Lakeview. Located on the 3300 block of N. Ashland, Pour has a cocktail menu that that is dressed to impress. Spiked lemonade muddled with strawberries and basil topped our list – but one can’t go wrong with a cocktail menu loaded with infusions of ingredients like basil, brown sugar and Cava. 

Roscoe Village Burger Fest...This Weekend!

Summer grilling or winter comfort, burgers are a food for all seasons, and they never go out of fashion. This weekend you can see the Gin Blossoms, 10,000 Maniacs, and eat a lot of burgers!

Formerly known as the Belmont Arts and Music fest, The newly renamed Roscoe Village Burger Fest will run 12-10pm on Saturday & Sunday at the Belmont and Damen intersection.

Live music both days and a wide variety of burger vendors is a scrumptious choice for Chicago summer fun.

Sample burgers from Goose Island, Select Cut, John's Place, Village Tap, The Bad Apple, and Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro.

Consumption highlights include: The Bad Apple offers up hormone-free all natural beef from New York, Village Tap is likely to serve cajun veggie or bacon and egg steak burger, and don't forget to try the Goose Island burgers, which may be topped with either a goat cheese croquette and onion marmalade or stilton cheese and roasted garlic cloves. Delicious!  - Here's the link to the website.

Underground Dining v2.0 – Iliana Regan's One Sister

Forget underground supper clubs… Iliana Regan, who has had stints with Grant Achatz at both Trio and Alinea and more recently with Michael Carlson at Schwa, has something bigger in mind.

Typically, underground dining is all about the mystery. It's called underground for a reason. You have to know someone who knows someone as it's rarely advertised. With one club in particular named 'Clandestino' you get the idea. Eating in a strangers home with other strangers is, what else, strange. But in this case it's more than the novel experience. It's about the food.

Here the Chef is also the farmer/forager/gardener. Iliana hand-forages morels from a location she seriously wouldn't talk, even remotely, about. She hand-gardens and farms greens (when possible). She owns One Sister Inc. where in addition to 'shrooms, she sells  "pierogis, sprouts, pastas, decorative and edible flowers, berry plants, baked goods, soups, and preserves." Many chefs have gardens but not many depend on them for their meals. In this case it certainly seems to be a major part of her inspiration.

This all results in some seriously wild flavor combinations throughout a dynamic 12-course tasting menu. She does her resume justice. That she can even do this in an ordinary residential kitchen is really a feat. The best news is you can try it for yourself. The method is simple, a group of nice folks and a suggested donation and this email. You get an address, a time and a suggestion for what kind of wine to bring. In this case one of Alinea's ex-sommelier's was a stand-in (a ringer I tell you!). 

After 12 courses you see what's important to the chef. Whimsy is a word that is used often with molecular gastronomy and tasting menus, and while there's some of that what struck me was intensity of flavors. The dishes were very focused and while the flavor intensity was up there the subtlety of them all working together so well was special.

The details after the jump.