Author Archives: Mark T

Best of Mastication Monologues (200 Post Anniversary)

Posted on July 20, 2014 by Mark T

Wow, never thought I’d make it to 200 posts back in 2011 when I first started my blog with the pedestrian title of Stick a Fork In Me. Since then, I’ve traveled to many different countries and cities around the world. I’ve had meals with old friends and new ones in some very interesting backdrops. There have been certain foods that have made me hear the food angels trumpeting on high while others have taken me to the fiery pits of hell. Long story short, I’ve experienced meals that most people haven’t in their lives, and that’s the main reason why I’ve started this blog. I want to educate the public of not only the variety of foods and drinks that exist throughout the world, but also the cultural environments that have birthed said foodstuffs. While my aim is all well and good, I’ve decided (compliments to my gf, Janice, for the idea) to make it easier for you, the reader, to make sense of my blog’s contents. I plan to do this by providing you with a top 3 list for certain dishes or cuisines on which I have an overwhelming amount of entries. I will only be ranking restaurants I have written about on this blog, so they might not reflect my true feelings about the rankings, i.e. the pizza ranking, for example. If you have any suggestions, questions, comments, or concerns, do let me know in the comments section below. I’d love to hear your opinion one way or another. Without further ado, time to drop this list!

Best Hamburger Best Pizza

1. DMK Burger, Chicago, USA 1. Pequod’s, Chicago, USA

2. Kuma’s Corner, Chicago, USA 2. Eataly, Chicago, USA

3. Wolfhound, Seoul, South Korea 3. Monster Pizza, Seoul, South Korea

Best Hot Dog Best Italian Food

1. Hot Doug’s, Chicago, USA 1. Quartino, Chicago, USA

2. Nicky’s, Chicago, USA 2. Papa Joe’s, Orland Park, USA

3. Doc’s, Del Ray Beach, USA 3. Buona Beef, Darien, USA

Best Korean Food Best Chinese Food

1. Kim Bong Min Kimbap, Ulsan, South Korea 1. Lao Zhai Yuan, Beijing, China

2. Onnurye Donkatsu, Seoul, South Korea 2. Zhong Guo Song, Hong Kong

3. DelSeoul, Chicago, USA 3. Din Tai Fung, Hong Kong

Best Latin Food Best Breakfast Place

1. Taco Grill, Westmont, IL, USA 1. Blueberry Hill, Darien, IL, USA

2. Carnivale, Chicago, USA 2. Bongo Room, Chicago, USA

3. Gusto Taco, Seoul, South Korea 3. Honey Bowl, Seoul, South Korea

Best Dessert Weirdest Food Consumed

1. Kilwin’s, Delray Beach, Florida, USA 1. Live octopus, South Korea

2. Quartino, Chicago, USA 2. Poisonous blowfish sperm sacks, Japan

3. Fell + Cole, Seoul, South Korea 3. Dog soup, South Korea

Most Creative Restaurant Spiciest Food

1. Ninja Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan 1. Onnurye Donkatsu, Seoul, South Korea

2. Modern Toilet, Taipei, Taiwan 2. Salvador Molly’s, Portland, Oregon, USA

3. Bunga Bunga, London, England 3. Mae Oon Jjampong, Seoul, South Korea

Worst Customer Service

1. Ali Baba’s, Seoul, South Korea

2. Pompei, Westmont, IL, USA

3. Falafill, Chicago, USA

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All Hail Cesar!

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Mark T

Que tal, amigos? If you couldn’t get enough of my food adventures on Mastication Monologues, today I’m bringing you a review of a Mexican restaurant that is well known for their murderous margaritas: Cesar’s Killer Margaritas. I’ve passed by it many times while gallivanting about Chicago on the Northside, but I’ve never set foot in the establishment. Thankfully, I got an opportunity to visit for dinner recently, and it was quite an enjoyable experience.

When Janice and I walked in the door, there were a bunch of people waiting for a table sitting along the wall, and that immediately elicited my response of, “Great…a wait”. I’ve worked as a host at a restaurant, and I know that giving an estimated table time is a very loose interpretation of how long it’s actually going to be since there are so many variables to take into account. The hostess quoted us at 10 to 15 for a free table which is the fallback answer since it doesn’t give the customer unreasonable expectations yet doesn’t seem like an insurmountable wait. Surprisingly, the wait was shorter than estimated, so we were hustled up and down two staircases to get to our table. Once seated, we immediately looked over the signature margarita menu since we wanted to see if they could live up to the hype. While they had the usual flavors like raspberry and strawberry, they had nods to Latin flavors with tamarindo and guava. I got a frozen guava margarita ($11) while Janice got the chilled raspberry margarita ($11). While waiting, I was systematically destroying the chips in front of me along with the watery but cilantro filled salsa roja that come complimentary with the meal. Eventually, they were brought out to us, and they looked like any other margaritas. However, it was a pleasant surprise that they were not too syrupy, and we could taste the liquor as well which let us know we were getting our money’s worth. I found Janice’s margarita to be more interesting than mine because it contained something I’ve never seen in a margarita: fresh fruit. I don’t know if they do this with all of their flavors, but her raspberry margarita literally had whole raspberries floating amongst the ice floes of the red sea of tequila. It was a masterstroke of tex-mex bartending. While we were enjoying our frozen beverages, we looked over the dinner menu. They had plenty of entrees, lighter options, appetizers, starters, and soups. While they didn’t stray much from the tried and true tex-mex favorites, I decided to go for the steak mini burritos ($10) while Janice got the vegetarian fajitas with steak ($14). While waiting for our plates to come out, I thought back to another Mexican dinner that I had in London which resulted in me carrying a pair of twin food babies around for the majority of the night. Thankfully, these burritos wouldn’t destroy me like that chimichanga in Old Blighty. Before our entrees arrived, we were hooked up with a free cup of what seemed to be tomato soup with noodles. It was flavorful but nothing noteworthy since we could only taste tomatoes. When they came out, I immediately pounced on them since these plump little buggers looked quite scrumptious under their cheese and salsa verde blanket. I sliced into them, and the juicy pieces of steak, beans, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes came tumbling out. I poured the sour cream all over them while spackling guacamole on each forkful. Madre de dios, estos burritos fueron de la puta madre! (“These burritos were the bees knees!” in so many words). The tortillas were flavorful and bursting with gooey cheese and fresh vegetables. I think the combo of the cool sour cream and the cilantro filled guacamole gave the savory steak a herbal tinge that made my tastebuds scream “Más Más Más!”. The Mexican rice was average, but I didn’t even touch the beans. As for Janice’s vegetable fajitas, they were served piping hot at our table and contained plenty of veggies one typically doesn’t find in Mexican cuisine like cauliflower, broccoli, and mushrooms. She offered to make me a taco out of the ingredients in her fajita, so I got a mouthful of peppers and onions along with the same succulent steak in my mini burritos. I would have helped her more with the monstrously-sized meal, but I would have needed a second stomach. I was feeling full by that point in the meal but not to the point of sickness. It wasn’t the most mind blowing meal in the world since Chicagoland has a ton of great Mexican eateries, but I was a happy customer with the service and food.

So if you’re looking for a fun establishment with well made dishes and unique margaritas, check out Cesar’s!

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Posted in Alcoholic, Beverages, Mexico, Mixed Drinks and tagged alcohol, burritos, Chicago, cilantro, fajitas, guacamole, guava, Margarita, Mexican, northside, raspberry, salsa, tacos. Bookmark the permalink.

Death Metal Delight

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Mark T

Art can be manifested in various mediums. While paintings and sculptures can be found all over the world from the beginning of humanity, music has a special place in the collective soul of mankind. It can reflect a gamut of emotions, cultures, and innovations in technology (or hatred of said technology). An eatery in Chicago called Kuma’s Corner (Kuma means “bear” in Japanese) manages to fuse metal music culture with a menu focused exclusively on creatively named and constructed burgers. What could be better than that?

Now, I’m not a huge fan of death metal or really heavy rock music outside of listening to it on my workout mix, so I was curious to see why so many people kept on raving about their burgers even though they seemed like the last people to be headbanging or howling along with the gutteral lead singers. The exterior looked pleasant enough, but as soon as I walked in, I was greeted with a wall of people and fierce chords being pumped out of the speakers overhead. I was surprised though since I heard from friends that the music was turned up to 11, but I didn’t find that to be the case. Since I was dining alone, I was immediately seated at the bar, but I’d recommend bracing yourself for a wait if you’re going there around lunchtime. The bartender along with every other employee there was friendly and covered in tattoos. Not only did the artwork decorate my server’s arms, but I even found her probable inspiration all over the bathroom walls as every square inch was covered with tattoo samples. After sitting down and pouring over the burger options, I noticed that they had very creative names paying tribute to different rock bands like Led Zeppelin, Megadeath, Slayer, and Plague Bringer to name a few. Not only were the names intimidating, so were the options since they all looked so delicious. After bringing it down to two choices in my head, the Plague Bringer and the Goatsnake, I asked my bartender which she’d recommend out of all of them. Surprisingly, she said those two were her favorite. She then gave me time to think about it, and even said she’d surprise me if I couldn’t make up my mind. After some deliberation, I told her I’d take the Goatsnake ($10) along with a complimentary side of handcut fries, but I could have also picked chips or a salad instead of the fries. If you’re not feeling like a burger, they do have appetizers, salads, and sandwiches. After waiting for some time and slobbering on myself while checking out other peoples’ burgers, my burger was placed in front of me. I didn’t know where to start. It was overflowing my plate, and the guy next to me even asked me what I got since it looked so much more intense compared to his burger. Jackpot! This creation named after the doom metal group from California caught my eye because of its creative ingredients. While there was a pile of fried red onion strings on top, I’ve had that on other burgers I’ve destroyed at other restaurants. The holy trinity of ingredients that piqued my interest was the herbed goat cheese, poblano and corn relish, and Cholula lemon vinaigrette. I could see the first two elements, and the third one could only be experienced. I put my top bun on and was ready to rock my socks off. Wow! From the first bite, I knew I was dealing with a unique burger. The patty was hearty and juicy but was borderline greasy. It didn’t take away from the bold flavors that were more radical than a face-melting guitar solo. The goat cheese was plentiful and provided a strong flavor background for the rest of the star ingredients like Lars Ulrich’s drumming for Metallica. As for the corn and poblano pepper relish, it supplied a counterbalance of texture and a hint of spice that I enjoyed. Finally, there was the most outrageous yet memorable part of the burger which was the Cholula lemon vinaigrette. With every bite, my palate was awash with a spicy citrus punch that went especially well with the goat cheese that almost made it seem like they did an homage to Chicago’s saganaki legacy unintentionally. Once I demolished my main dish, I turned my attention to the fries. They were on the less crispy side which I perfer and weren’t too salty. I wasn’t sure, but I believe the ketchup had a bit of spice in it. Either way, these fries couldn’t measure up to the burger magnum opus I experienced moments before. The bartender finally saw the feeding frenzy was over, and offered me a round of applause with how thoroughly I cleaned my plate. I applaud you too, Kuma’s Corner, for your passion for creating insanely delicious burgers.

So if you’re tired of the same old burger joints that use the same old ingredients in the same old bar and grill environment, bear crawl on over to Kuma’s Corner and party on!

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Posted in American Cuisine, Burgers, Comfort Food and tagged Bar, Beer, cheese, Chicago, corn, dining, Food, French, Fries, goat, hamburger, onions, peppers, potatoes, relish, restaurant, Reviews. Bookmark the permalink.

Happy Is the Stomach That Wears the Crown

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Mark T

Well, the summer is just rolling by, and the weather is getting as wild as some of the food adventures on which I’m embarking. Today’s post is another addition to my already extensive Far East collection of restaurant reviews, but it serves up some new dishes that I’ve never tried before. While I’ve experienced some dim sum that has been out of this world, I’m always up for trying novel places like Triple Crown in Chicago’s Old Chinatown.

I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews about this location from my friends who are of Chinese/Taiwanese ancestry since some have said that they’ve sold out to Western tastes while others have conjectured that they still keep it old school with some of their menu selections. Adventure time! I went there with my girlfriend since we had a craving for dim sum, and luckily, they indulged us in the afternoon when other diners only serve the Chinese version of tapas at night. After scaling the stairs, we were greeted with a spacious dining hall that was sparsely populated, but I’m sure come dinner time it would be packed. It was tastefully decorated but unusually warm as if the air conditioning didn’t work, clearly an air conditioning repair is in order. It didn’t help they gave us hot tea to drink upon sitting down. While living in Korea, I learned the best method for allegedly cooling down is to consume hot food and drinks in order to make it not seem as sweltering outside…it doesn’t work for me, but who knows? So we looked over the dim sum menu, and it was quite minuscule compared to the selection at other competitors. Triple Crown’s normal entree menu is quite encyclopedic though ranging from fried rice and orange chicken to more old-school dishes like tripe and duck tongues. We saved those options for another day though. After picking a smattering of dim sum plates, we waited for about 20 minutes for the first wave to emerge. We were greeted by three steamed char siu barbecue pork buns and three scallion and shrimp cakes. I started with the bbq pork buns since I love pork and savory sauces. The chewy, white exterior gave way to a blood red interior that immediately gave me a minor case of the meat sweats. The pork was tender and slathered in a semi-sweet yet tangy sauce. I still think they could have been better with a meat to bread ratio that leaned toward the former rather than the latter, but I did enjoy them from the first to the last gooey bite. As for the shrimp and scallion cakes, they were much more interesting since the delicate, translucent covering gave way to a plethora of verdant onions that provided a real pep to the chunks of plain shrimp. I like my shrimp, but the scallions were the only saving grace of this dim sum choice since the shellfish weren’t even seasoned. While we were gobbling down the first wave, the second installment invaded our table with a trio of fried sesame balls and a quartet of siu mai/shumai dumplings. I’ll start with the latter first since they have an interesting background. While many scholars contend that these uniquely shaped dumplings originated in Inner Mongolia, they quickly became associated with Cantonese cuisine in the West due to this population’s mass diaspora throughout Europe and America. In Chinese, “shumai” literally means “to buy and sell”, and while we did buy them, I wasn’t completely sold on them. The outer dough was chartreuse, but didn’t bring much to the table (pun intended) in terms of flavor. On the other hand, the interior was adequately prepared. It seemed to be a mix of pork seasoned with soy sauce and ginger that reminded me of a Swedish meatball sans sauce. Nothing really mind blowing though even with the generous helping of orange fish roe atop the meat like an ill-fitting ginger toupee. Our meal took a turn for the better with the fried sesame buns. While they did contain a hefty helping of one of my few bugbears in Far Eastern cooking, sweet red bean paste, I loved the copious amounts of savory sesame seeds that jived all meal long with the crunch exterior encasing a chewy rice cake interior. I hated eating plain rice cake or “tteok” in Korea, but the Chinese managed to find a way to make it much more palatable. I’d highly recommend these if you’re looking for a dim sum plate that has great textural and taste variety. As we were working on this penultimate round of dishes, the piece de resistance emerged: the chicken feet. While they’re more commonly known as “phoenix talons” in Chinese, these chicken feet are another one of my must-have’s when going out for dim sum. While most people, including my girlfriend, are disgusted at the sight of me chomping on the chickens’ tootsies, they’re truly missing out a delicious delicacy. The feet are boiled, deep fried, and then seasoned with a black bean sauce that is sweet with a hint of spice.

Getting cold feet. Hiyo!

I’m not going to say that it’s for everyone since there are a lot of bones and cartilage to deal with and not a ton of meat, but what meat there is, it’s mind blowingly tender along with the slightly crispy skin. It’s a mind over matter sort of choice, but you’d be crazy not to try it.

By the end of the meal, we were stuffed and paid only 20 bucks total for two people for a ton of good food. While I’ve been spoiled by dim sum restaurants overseas or other local establishments with bigger menus, I’d still recommend Triple Crown if you’re looking for a new Chinatown eatery or even want to try dim sum for the first time.

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Posted in Chinese, Dim Sum, Far East Asian Cuisine and tagged bbq, bean, bread, buns, Cantonese, Chicago, chicken, Chinese, dough, Dumpling, feet, fish, pork, red, roe, sweet. Bookmark the permalink.

Bongo A-Go-Go

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Mark T

Happy 4th of July, ‘Murika! What is more American than a new Mastication Monologues post about stuffing my face with delicious food that comes in gargantuan portions that would feed a family for a week? Nothing…well, except maybe this . Today’s restaurant review takes me to Andersonville in Chicago to the famed Bongo Room.

I had heard through the grapevine that this establishment knew how to sling some delicious brunch items to fill some growling, hungry and possibly hungover bellies. I knew I had to check it out since I also caught wind of their portion sizes being insanely large. I went there on a weekday morning, and I found it quite easy to park in their minuscule parking lot on the side along with procuring a table upon walking in. However, they don’t take reservations, and if you go on a weekend, you will have to brave the hungry hordes that I often see milling about outside their doors. Anyway, I was just there by myself, so I decided to sit at the bar since I didn’t want to take up one of the larger tables that were perfectly spaced and designed for the dining room. The bartender gave me the main menu along with a list of specials. It wasn’t as extensive as a Greek diner or other chain breakfast places I’ve been to, but they did have plenty of creative entries like a similar Andersonville diner, M. Henry. I looked over the omelets, French toasts, and pancakes they had to offer, but it was like trying to pick your favorite child. So, I asked the bartender what she would recommend, and she picked what I was leaning towards initially: white chocolate and caramel pretzel pancakes ($10.50).

After a bit of waiting, they finally came out. I honestly didn’t know how they managed to fit in the pretzels in this plate that looked almost like a canvas that should be hanging in the MOMA. I almost felt bad that I would have to sully the milky white and golden lattice pattern that covered these monstrous cakes, but I sallied forth to my delectable date with destiny. From the first forkful I was hooked. The actual pancakes were light and fluffy, and the white chocolate sauce that covered them wasn’t thick like frosting but rather an extremely thin syrup made thicker with the presence of divine caramel. This sauce was the key to the success of these pancakes while at M. Henry I was very disappointed in their bliss cakes. M. Henry went the healthy route with berry juice, but the problem was that they used way too much of it. The sauce itself was too watery which the cakes absorbed too quickly, and in turn, left me with a plate of soggy flapjacks. The Bongo Room, on the other hand, did coat their pancakes with a lot of sauce like M. Henry but with just enough to coat every inch of them and no more. I didn’t interrupt another pancake pool party for breakfast. Plus, the sauce was thicker which meant that it infiltrated the pores of the pancakes much slower than the thin berry juices. Take notes, M. Henry. You have good ideas and ingredients for bread-based recipes, but you need to tweak them to make them truly great. Anyway, there is also the pretzel element of this dish that I found quite novel. As I cut through my meal, I would occasionally be greeted with actual pieces of pretzels, salt and all, between the sweet folds. I inquired with the bartender how they integrated these pretzel fragments into the meal, and she said that they are sprinkled in as the cakes are on the griddle. Much to my surprise, they were not soggy at all and provided a great crunch to offset the more delicate pancakes. The saltiness of the pretzels were a double edged sword since it was a masterstroke to combine it with the sweet white chocolate and caramel, but at times towards the end of the meal, the salt seemed to be a bit too much for my palate to handle. Either way, this snowy white chocolate dish left me in a winter wonderland in the middle of summer. I ate all of it so fast that the bartender asked if I wanted to lick the plate, but I wanted to preserve a bit of self respect after the dust settled from my feeding frenzy.

I was greatly satisfied by The Bongo Room. From service, environment, price, portion size, and overall quality, they got it all. Even though their menu isn’t encyclopedic in comparison to other nearby establishments, The Bongo Room makes up for it with fewer dishes done so well that they make everyone want to come back for more. Just don’t cut in front of me while we stand in line, and I’ll see you there.

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Posted in American Cuisine, Breakfast, Chain Restaurants and tagged Andersonville, Bongo, caramel, Chicago, chocolate, omelet, pancakes, pretzel, room, sauce, waffle, white. Bookmark the permalink.

The Upper Crust

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Mark T

Italy is a country known for many cultural exports that range from supercars, beautiful people, political corruption with a real flourish, and a culinary legacy without equal. From my own backyard to the other side of the world, I have seen variations on some well known Italian specialties like pizza along with some new inventions like the Italian beef sandwich. A new food superstore called Eataly arrived in Chicago a few years ago and is the figurative baby of famed, Croc-donning chef Mario Batali. There are currently locations all over the world in Chicago, NYC, Japan, Istanbul, Dubai, and of course, Italy. I had previously spoken with friends and family about their experiences within the establishment, and I heard nothing but rave reviews. After waiting way too long to finally see what all the hubbub was about, I finally made the trek with my lovely girlfriend, Janice.

It was overwhelming right from the beginning as we walked through the monstrously large glass doors. Not only that, but Eataly was dedicated to the one and only Ernest Hemingway. Apparently Papa spent a good amount of time in the Veneto region of Italy which is known for its bountiful food and drink. Then again, it made me think of the litany of restaurants and watering holes throughout the world that try to cash in on Hemingway’s legacy. Oh well, I don’t think Eataly was having many problems with business as hordes of people were streaming through the doors and buzzing about the interior as I looked in awe at the cathedral of food that towered before me. Fresh plums and nectarines lay in front of me as we passed them to the escalator to start on the second floor. We passed each section that was devoted to a certain part of the Italian culinary landscape like pasta, fish, fried food, bread, cheese, meat and wine. It looked like all of the produce was kept to the first floor while the second floor was solely devoted to the restaurant portion of the store. It was like an elite food court where you could go from counter to counter and pay for top notch service and foodstuffs, way too many to enumerate here. So, I’ll just tell you about what Janice and I tried during our visit. We settled on the popular pizza and pasta section of the second floor and were immediately seated in front of one of the expansive windows over looking Rush Street. It was a perfect seat for our date, so hint hint to all you couples out there. Our waiter was quite helpful in explaining the menu options while supplying us with complimentary pieces of bread and a plate of olive oil. This definitely wasn’t Papa Joe’s in terms of the pre-meal munchies, but the bread was delicious. The edges were crusty and crunchy, and the dough was pliable and had a slightly nutty flavor. The olive oil was quite smooth on the palate. I wish they brought out some balsamico as well. After looking over the menu with lots of deliberation, we settled on sharing the Genovese pizza ($18).

According to the website, at Eataly they only utilize Neapolitan pizza making techniques that one can watch before it comes to the table. We decided to take in the view instead before as our 12″ pie was delivered to our table. Looking at it, it was more reminiscent of the pizzas I had in Italy or even New York. Our waiter said that due to the delicate crust, it was recommended that we use knives and forks to consume the mouth-watering looking pieces. So we naturally obliged, but we still thought you could eat it with your hands if you don’t feel like putting on airs. Regardless of others perceptions, we tucked into our meal. The dough was delicate but with plenty of artisanal flour flavor with a slightly buttery hint. As for the toppings, there was a generous layer of mozzarella cheese across said crust and topped with a mix of the aforementioned olive oil, tidbits of salty and slightly fatty Parma ham, rich and zesty pine nut pesto, bits of aromatic basil, and diced garlic cloves. All of these elements came together to make one of the best thin crust pizzas I’ve ever tried. I normally don’t like crusts, but this pizza’s end pieces were light and chewy which I prefer over their crunch counterparts (this also applies to my cookie affinities). Once we finished that, we moseyed down to the first floor for dessert at, where else?, the Nutella bar. If you don’t know what Nutella is, it’s the choice snack spread of the gods. While the British have marmite and Australians have vegemite, once again the Italians outcook them with this sweet, molto chocolately, hazelnut-based topping for bread, toast, and other items. We could have gone for the gelato or candy counter, but the Nutella bar landed us with their large tubs of the dark chocolate nectar and circular griddles for nutella stuffed crepes. They had a good amount of Nutella inspired items, but I knew what I wanted: il bacio di dama ($4.80; literally: the lady’s kiss). Fitting for my date. Janice got the saccottino con Nutella ($3.80). When we got our individual noms, we couldn’t find a spot to sit down since it was so jammed, but luckily a guy who reminded me of Bill Cosby offered to scoot down so we could sit at the communal tables. My plate consisted of two hazelnut cookies with a thin layer of Nutella in between. From the first to last nibble, it was a flavorful pleasure like shifting through the gears on a Murcielago through the hills of Tuscany. The cookies were soft, fresh, and nutty which balanced out the sweet innards. As for Janice’s saccottino, it was a pastry made with croissant dough that had an extremely thick schmeer of the hazelnut topping that bordered on the obscene. I’d recommend they cut down on the Nutella, or you get a drink to go with this dessert. Perhaps that is all part of their scheme for you to buy more merchandise since half way through it it felt like I was eating a ball of glue coated in chocolate. It was tasty nevertheless.

In summary, Eataly is a wonderful place for foodie and tourists alike, but it’s not the cheapest place in the world to experience all of Chicago’s culinary potential. That is not to say though that you will be ripped off since everything is extremely high quality for the price. I finally visited it, but I don’t know if it will be a regular haunt on my food list in Chicago.

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Posted in Chocolate, Desserts, European Cuisine, Italian and tagged bread, cheese, Chicago, chocolate, cookies, ham, hazelnuts, Mario Batali, mozzarella, Nutella, oil, olive, pizza, thin crust, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

How I Learned to Stop Wondering and Love the Bomb

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Mark T

Ah the sandwich. One of the most simple yet fluid concepts in food. Food has long been enveloped or contained in some sort of bread in various cultures across the world, but the actual word can be traced to 18th century England. Edward Gibbons states that John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich, would ask for his meat to be between slices of bread, so he could eat with his hands while playing cards and not get the cards dirty. Eventually, people began to ask for their meals, “The same as Sandwich”, and a new word entered the English language. Today, there are a million ways to put one together that range from the classic peanut butter and jelly to the straight up bizarre. Today’s edition of Mastication Monologues features a Mexican twist on the food staple in the form of Cemitas Puebla in Chicago.

This eatery in Humboldt Park has received its fair share of publicity after appearing on the Food Network, PBS’s Check Please, and the Hungry Hound a.k.a. Steve Dolinsky from ABC 7 news. Surprisingly, given that this establishment is located in the heart of Chicago’s Puerto Rican community, it is purely Mexican, specifically from the state of Puebla. The exterior blends into the neighborhood, and the interior is just as simple. I went there around lunch, and it was hopping. The line was moderately long, but the cooks knew how to hustle. Looking over the menu, the cemitas were dominant, but there were other dishes like tacos, enchiladas, chalupas, and quesadillas to name a few. I was determined to see what made these south-of-the-border super sandwiches were made of. I decided to speak in Spanish with the lady at the cash register to maybe get a bit of extra info that the gringos wouldn’t get. I was torn between the pata (cow foot) or the atomica (atomic) cemita, but the lady recommended the atomica because the cow foot wasn’t very popular and lower quality. Taking her word for it, I put down $9 for the atomica cemita and a small agua de jamaica to drink ($1.25).

While waiting for my meal, the cashier got my drink from the back freezer along with a couple of squeeze bottles. She set them down, and I asked about the different salsas in the bottles. While the two clear ones were filled with some sort of red and green sauces, the woman pointed out the bright yellow bottle of sauce would go the best with the cemita. I thanked her for the info started sipping on my drink. Agua de jamaica (literally: water of hibiscus) is a tea that can be served either hot or cold, the latter in this case, and is an infusion of hibiscus flowers and a bit of sugar. It’s a great drink for a hot day with a hint of sweetness in each sip, and it has anti-oxidant properties that can lessen the effects of hypertension. Finally, the star of the show emerged from the grill, and was brought to my table with minimal fanfare. I was taken aback by how large the sandwich was for the price I paid and then pondered how to tackle this monstrosity? The atomica consisted of breaded pieces of milanesa (breaded pork), carne enchilada (chili seasoned meat), and jamon (ham). This meat parade was further accented with adobo chipotle peppers, Oaxacan cheese, and fresh papalo or a green herb used for seasoning. I took my first bite that consisted me of unhinging my jaws like a reticulated python around a baby hippo, and it truly was a weapon of mass deliciousness. The bun was moderately toasted with a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds on top, and it was strong enough throughout the meal to keep these ingredients in check and not on my pants. Each layer of meat moved from strength to strength as the jamon was salty to compliment the milanesa breading while the breading provided a crunchy contrast to the soft carne enchilada. I loved the stretchy Oaxacan cheese that was plentiful along with the chunks of creamy avocado. The papalo was there, but I personally didn’t think it brought much to the table flavor and texture-wise. Once I was acquainted with my new sandwich friend, I decided to try some of the sauces on the table. I began with the recommended cemita sauce, and it was a peppery adobo that had a robust, peppery bite to add a savory dimension to the sandwich. I moved on to the green sauce that had an uncanny resemblance to boogers, but it thankfully didn’t taste the same. I’d liken it to a flavorful tomatillo salsa with hints of cilantro. As for the red sauce in the other clear bottle, it was nothing noteworthy. ‘Twas just another run of the mill tomato based salsa. Much to my dismay, I wasn’t overly stuffed even though the sandwich probably had over 3,000 calories and could choke a horse. It was a simple yet thoroughly satisfying lunch.

So if you want to try a unique piece of Mexico beyond tacos and tamales for a reasonable price, check out Cemitas Puebla.

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Posted in Latin American Cuisine, Mexico and tagged adobo, beef, bread, Chicago, chile, chipotle, ham, Mexico, Oaxaca, papalo, pork, Puebla, salsa, Sandwich, seed, sesame, tomatillo, verde. Bookmark the permalink.

Shack Attack

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Mark T

The concept of what is American is a very fluid in nature. We are a nation of immigrants aside from the Native Americans, and our culture is a melange of different ethnic backgrounds. However, one way that each community manages to hold on to their own cultural identity is through food. Therefore, it is often times hard to find dishes that are uniquely American without having roots in another country. Fried chicken is no different. While it is synonymous with down home Southern American cooking and made famous through Colonel Sanders of KFC fame, fried chicken can be traced back to both Scottish and West African culinary histories. Ergo, when both populations arrived in the Southern US, willingly and unwillingly, they brought this greasy treat with them to share with the world. I’ve partook in my fair share of the poultry pleasure whether that is from a chain or an upscale eatery, but nothing like the Chicken Shack in Evanston.

My friend David had been talking about this eatery as the place to go for the best fried chicken in the city, so naturally I had to do an investigation. When I pulled up to the restaurant, it actually looked more like a decrepit shack than a glittering monument to fried chicken. How fitting given the name. Usually, a shabby facade could either mean the food is really good or really bad. We entered to another bare-bones interior similar to one of my favorite hot dog joints on the Southside. Looking over the menu, they keep it simple at the Chicken Shack with chicken dinners, fish, rib tips, combo meals, and buckets. David and I were feeling hungry, so we got a 12 piece bucket (3 breasts, 3 thighs, 3 legs, 3 wings for $18.14) with some extra hot sauce on the side, and a biscuit for me ($0.92). We took a seat at one of their two tables next to the soda vending machines, and they even had plastic picnic tablecloths to keep the tables clean. After about a 15 minute wait that signified they were making the chicken from scratch in the kitchen, we finally got our box. When we opened it, it was a treasure chest of fried goodness. I took a couple pieces out along with my biscuit and decided to try the flaky bread first. It was fresh, hot, and fluffy, but not as good as the buttermilk biscuits with honey found at Popeyes. Then there were the golden pieces of bird on my plate that I had to greet. As I sunk my choppers into the crunchy, dimpled skin, I was greeted with a mouthful of pure white meat. It was only further enhanced by the sour and spicy hot sauce and sweet bbq sauce. Overall, it was solid chicken, but I still prefer the spicy Cajun seasonings at Popeyes over the only mild variety offered at the Chicken Shack.

Remnants of the feeding frenzy

I can see why Chicken Shack is a great option for fried chicken in Evanston given the surroundings, but it hasn’t captured my heart like my first love. Still, I highly recommend anyone to make the trip up to the Shack!

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Posted in American Cuisine, Chicken Wings, Comfort Food and tagged bbq sauce, biscuit, chicken, Colonel Sanders, Evanston, fried, hot sauce, Shack, spicy. Bookmark the permalink.

The Saint Baby Back Rib Day Massacre

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Mark T

Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water.

W. C. Fields

Chicago is truly a world-class city with amazing attractions and a truly intriguing history. Whether that be the foundation of the city by a black pioneer to the Great Fire to the legacy that is Ditka and Da Bulls/Michael Jordan, but nothing is more iconic than the era of Prohibition. While New York may have been known as a rough and tumble city up until recently, Chicago has been filled with gangsters, murders, and crooked politicians from day one until now. They don’t call it Chiraq (Chicago + Iraq) for nothing.

While the small gang block squabbles today have been tearing apart communities on the West and South sides, Al Capone infamously instilled a wave of fear throughout the city utilizing mental and physical intimidation. It speaks volumes about the man’s influence given that there are still tours highlighting his hangouts, Valentine’s Day Massacre site, and his numerous speakeasies. One such former speakeasy still exists in Chicago in the form of Twin Anchors. While the actual building dates back from 1881 and the restaurant from 1932, the food and brews served there are timeless.

The facade of the building is extremely inconspicuous, but surprisingly it was the favorite hangout for Frank Sinatra and even was used in the Dark Knight as a scene with Two Face (you can see the same anchors in the windows).

While Janice and I didn’t expect to see Ol’ Blue Eyes or Harvey Dent meting out his unique form of justice during our visit, the bar was hopping just like during the “dry” era of Prohibition. There was a twenty minute wait, but suddenly we got a table right at the entrance in the dining room after a two minute wait. It didn’t look like the interior had changed since the 1940s or 1950s, and it really was a no-nonsense sort of place with their “Positively…no dancing!” sign above the entrance. The modern touches were mainly all of the signs from modern tv programs that have interacted with this wonderful eatery including the fitting period series Boardwalk Empire. While I wasn’t sure what to order since I had never been there, and I was feeling the effects of some day drinking, Janice helped me out. We split a full rack of their famous ribs ($23 or $16.50 for half) and picked our complimentary sides: onion rings for me and baked beans for Janice. To drink, I got an Obsidian Stout. If you’re not into ribs, they do have other forms of meat like steaks, shrimp, chicken or sandwiches or salads if you’re taking it easy on the old cholesterol. Before the ribs arrived, we got a basket of crackers, small packages of sesame breadsticks, and big slices of black rye bread with butter on the side. It was like being at one of the South side family restaurants but on the North side. I half expected a free cup of soup to come along with the meal, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. The rye bread was great though since it was fresh, hearty, and earthy with plenty of caraway seeds. My beer came out first, and it wasn’t anything that grabbed my attention. It was a solid, chocolate and coffee tinged porter that also had a hoppy bite that proved to be the ideal partner for the culinary experience I was about to undergo.

Civilized

Eventually the ribs came out, and they didn’t look like anything new or special. However, Janice informed me that they were slathered in their Prohibition sauce which was to die for. I asked her if it was because like Prohibition it was spicy and illegal, and my prediction was correct. Apparently, it is a smoky sauce infused with cracked black pepper, brown sugar, and a hint of the dastardly hot ghost pepper. I have tangled with the ghost pepper before in a challenge and won, and it didn’t put a damper on this dinner either. I have to say that these were, sauce-stained hands down, the best ribs I’ve ever eaten. Not only was there plenty of meat on every rib, but it literally fell off the bone when I gently picked each piece up. The sauce to meat ratio was ideal since each piece was at least 90 percent coated with a thin layer of the sweet, smoky, and spicy marinade. I could swim in it though since it was that lip-smacking good. Lord, there was a minimal amount of fat on these ribs, and my plate looked like the remnants a summer feast at Hannibal Lecter’s house.

Savage

My face and hands looked the part by the time I was done as well. Janice said she never saw someone eat ribs so fast as well. The onion rings were scrumptious, but I was simply in awe still from the ribs. I tried some of Janice’s baked beans too which had pieces of shredded pork in it. It was a great twist on a classic bbq side. I could only get one forkful in since I was ready to keel over. To say I was merely satisfied with the meal, would have done the chef a disservice.

Long story short, if you enjoy history, bars with character, and/or food that is out of this world, sail off to Twin Anchors!

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Posted in American Cuisine, Barbecue, Steakhouse and tagged Al Capone, baked, beans, Beer, bread, butter, Chicago, liquor, northside, onion, Porter, prohibition, ribs, rings, sauce, spicy. Bookmark the permalink.

Solid Like a Rock

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Mark T

What says summer more than a barbecue? Burgers, beers, and brats abound as Americans across the country congregate in their backyards around a sizzling grill as our ancestors have done since the beginning of time. While we’ve gone beyond grunting at each other and digging into fresh hunks of mastodon, the love for grilled meats is still going on strong as I found out at Rocks in Lincoln Park.

The previous night we had spent a good time enjoying some bodacious burgers and brews at George Street Pub, so we ended up at Rock’s since they had some delicious brunch options. It didn’t strike me as anything novel in terms of decor or concept upon walking into the establishment though. A high end pub with wood and stone accents that focuses on beer and whiskey…yawn. Since it was already noon, I was in the mood for something a bit more on the lunch end of things. They had a fair bit of appetizers, sweet plates, sandwiches, and burgers (including a four pound burger challenge). Plus, they had a litany of beers along with plenty of whiskeys; hence the name, Rocks, as in the ice cubes. Continuing in the trend of the weekend, I looked over the burgers and tried to find something new and interesting. Enter El Gordo or “The Fat” ($10). I could then choose a side from a mini list of intriguing options, but I went with the Greek fries.

When the burger came out, I was taken aback with how it was presented with all of its toppings bared to the world like a sorority girl at Mardi Gras. I could see the half pound beef patty topped with pepper jack, cheddar, and provolone, three strips of bacon, pieces of onion rings, deep fried pickles, and a coating of spicy 1,000 island dressing. I was having the meat sweats just looking at this mountain of a meal, but I put the pretzel top bun on and got ready to rock. The first bite was quite intense as I cut through the gooey layer of cheese, juicy meat, crispy bacon, and sour layers of fried vegetables. I personally thought they were gilding the rose though with this burger. While I’d recommend it to anyone, it seemed like a bit too much was going on in regard to the flavor profile. The pickles overwhelmed a lot of the flavors including the supposedly spicy 1000 island sauce. Thankfully, the pretzel bun managed to keep all of the contents between my fingers, and I’ve found the pretzel bun to be the sturdiest variety of bread utilized in burger construction. Good old fashioned German food engineering at work. What I was more entertained with were the Greek fries. While they were similar to some taters I’ve tasted in Oregon, they were a Hellenic treat complete with actual chunks of seasoned Feta cheese. I’m loco about my queso, and these fries fit the bill. The creamy and crumbly pieces of goat cheese were pungent and transported the oregano coated potatoes to a cut above the rest.