Category Archives: Beer

Temenaks in Tenerife (Day 2: Cannonballs and Cuttlefish)

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Mark T

If you’re still reading Mastication Monologues for day 2 of our Tenerife adventures, you’re in luck because that’s exactly what’s in store for this post! While my post for day one was action packed complete with a beach rave and us being tardy to a sardine burning party, this post is for those who are more into chill days or fans of the world’s beautiful game: Soccer or better known as football.

We started the day off with breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and we decided to take a post-breakfast paseo or stroll to the walkway below the hotel that traced the jagged, volcanic coast of the island with plenty of giant aloe plants, beautiful flowers, and lizards along the way. Eventually, we looked out over the alcantilados or local cliffs and saw that there was a round indentation that jutted out from the coastline and was filled with water. Upon closer inspection, we saw that there were people walking around it and swimming by it in the ocean. Our new plan for the day was to make it to the natural pool and swim in the ocean or bust. This was our first foray into the very hilly main neighborhoods east of our hotel, and it turned out to be more complicated that we thought. Since Tenerife has undergone and still is experiencing the influx of tourism, we had to navigate a labyrinth of private resort properties and small side streets to eventually find a series of stairways that led to the rocky coast line. However, our adventure didn’t end there, we then traversed a series of giant, sloping crags to eventually reach the end of rocky shore and the natural pool. It was a true test of marital teamwork. As we made our way past snorkelers riding the waves while also trying not to be thrown upon the giant stones lining the shore, we were amazed at how Tenerife manages to still have pockets of wild beauty amidst the encroachment of humans. We gazed upon the water as we prepared to dive in, and we could even see small fish flitting about under the surface before we cannonballed our way into the cold and salty Atlantic. It was a great day of soaking up the sun and surf while swimming. Eventually, we decided to call it a day after we began to feel like pieces of salty bacalao, and on our way back up from the natural pool we made friends with an older Italian couple. The jolly signore and I bonded as we helped our ladies over the giant rocks, and he was surprised to find we were American. Turns out he was retired Italian air force officer who temporarily worked with the U.S. military and lived in Huntsville, Alabama (said with his best impression of a Southern American accent), and we enjoyed a good laugh about sometimes not being able to understand some of our fellow tourists’ thick British accents. Eventually, we parted ways at the top of the hill, and Janice and I decided to get an early dinner before the Spain vs. Morocco match.

We ended up at a small restaurant called Camber (Calle Herrador, 64, 38683 Puerto de Santiago, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain) that was your typical Spanish cafeteria with terrace seating and indoor seating and a bar with tapas out for display. We decided to sit outside to enjoy the sunny weather, but that quickly became our undoing as we were bombarded with a horde of flies that were enchanted with my saltwater-soaked jersey. Between enraged swats, we had a lovely meal. The first tapas that emerged were paella and the albondigas or meatballs. The paella wasn’t as good as the one from our sunset cruise, but the sweet tomato sauce went well with the pork-based meatballs. We then received our gambas al ajillo or garlic shrimp which was served in a way I’ve never seen before. Instead of being grilled and tossed with garlic, they were served in a low, wide clay bowl still boiling in water and olive oil and surrounded by a plethora of sliced garlic cloves. Although they were on the smaller end of the shrimp kingdom, they were fresh and coated in a heavenly garlic wash. Finally, our main and muy canario entree emerged from the kitchen: choco or cuttlefish with a side of papas arrugadas or wrinkly potatoes. Surprisingly, there were some indigenous potatoes on the islands before the Spaniards introduced the variety we were eating in the 1500s. However, the ancient preparation of this dish hasn’t changed where they are boiled, heavily salted, and then left to dry which results in a shriveled potato with a salty crust (kind of how we felt after our Atlantic Ocean adventure). These spuds were accompanied by traditional mojo verde and mojo rojo (pronounced “mo-ho). The green/verde variety was more like a mild chimichurri made from parsley, cilantro, garlic, and olive oil, and the red/rojo variety was spicier since it contained paprika and small, red peppers from the neighboring island of La Palma. I liked both of them, especially when mixed together, on the potatoes. These sauces were eventually brought to the Caribbean where they live on in Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Dominican cuisine, and the red mojo legacy even can be seen in some spicier barbecue sauces from the American South where Spanish influence existed like Texas, Florida, and Louisiana. As for the choco or cuttlefish, it is a very common dish as well as octopus in the Canary Islands since island nations typically love their seafood. I don’t think it was the best cuttlefish in the world, but it wasn’t terrible. I liked the green mojo that brought out more of the cuttlefish’s salty flavor, but I’m sure there are better seafood spots on the island. Once we paid, we walked back to our hotel to change out of the fly-enticing clothes we were rocking. On our walk back, we perused a local open-air mall for some possible souvenirs, and we found a let’s just say “suggestive” trend of suspiciously shaped bottle openers as we went from store to store. Eventually, we asked a shopkeep why there are so many of these kind of bottle openers, and he simply said, “One person sold them, and people buy them.” Hooray for civilization! Once we changed, we walked back up the mini-mountain to Bar Central (Av. 5º Centanario, s/n, 38683 Santiago del Teide, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain). It was similar to the Camber cafeteria, but it was soccer themed with all of the crests of Spanish futbol clubs along the top of the establishment. As the teams took the field and the anthems played, we saw the surrounding tables fill up with patrons, some who worked at our hotel, to see the furia roja play their way to the top of the group. As the ball began to roll, our waiter came around with free tapas (credit to Janice for the excellent portraits) including green olives, liver sausage on crunchy, mini toasts, and our favorite spicy chorizo spread on the same small toasts. It was the perfect side to our cold Doradas and the dramatic injury time goal that brought the Spanish to the top of their group. After all that excitement, it was calming to watch the sun set over the horizon and the beautiful island of Gomera that we would explore the following day. Stay tuned, readers!

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Posted in Alcoholic, Beer, European Cuisine, Spanish, Spanish and tagged authentic, Bar, Beer, Beverages, chorizo, dining, Food, grill, onions, peppers, pool, pork, restaurant, Reviews, rice, salad, salsa, sauce, sausage, spicy, swimming. Bookmark the permalink.

Temenaks in Tenerife (Day 1: Noche de San Juan, Sunset Cruise)

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Mark T

Welcome back once again to another entry of Mastication Monologues! I may or may not have more free time to write on this blog now that I have officially graduated from my speech pathology program, but my wife and I actually just came back from a magical honeymoon in the mysterious land of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. When we eventually settled on the location, I was very excited because I wanted to go somewhere in Spain, but a location I had never been before so my wife and I could explore together.

The Canary Islands are a series of volcanic islands that are off the west coast of Morocco that truly are a hidden gem and basically Hawaii for Europeans who are searching for fun in the sun, i.e. English, German, and Russian tourists mostly. However, when we told people stateside where we were going, we were greeted with typically an uncertain, “Oh cool. That’s awesome.” followed by, “So where are they exactly?” However, they wished us well and to have plenty of fun which we obviously did. Funny enough though, the islands are not named after the chirpy birds that were used in mine shafts rather the birds were named after the islands. Numerous theories about the islands’ name abound. One involves the Romans calling the islands Canariae Insulae or “Island of Dogs” due to the presence of the dogs the indigenous Guanche tribes bred, worshipped as gods throughout the island, and even mummified them to be buried with their owners. When the Spanish arrived in the 1490s, they described the same large, powerful dogs killing wolves that were attacking their livestock, and today this ancient breed is known as the Prensa Canario as shown below. Another theory is that the Romans named the islands after the large amount of seals or “sea dogs” they saw on the shores. Instead of starting our travels in the Eternal City like the ancient travelers, we left Chicago on an overnight flight. We decided to start our honeymoon off right with a light dinner at Hub 51 at O’Hare airport. We had been to Hub 51 in Chicago before with friends (delicious food), so we knew they wouldn’t disappoint us. We got a delicious, not too dry Giuliana prosecco in addition to sharing guacamole and chips. The chips were on the thin, cantina-style side which sometimes was a drawback if we wanted to really pile on the rich but not too spicy guacamole. We also wanted to try their Brussels sprout salad, but we had a stroke of luck when they said they were out of the Brussels sprout salad. We switched it up and ordered the Sonoma salad instead which was delectable from the mixed greens to the fresh slices of grapefruit that offset the sweeter vinaigrette and candied walnuts. With our bellies full and ready to depart the Windy City, we eventually arrived in London-town and had a layover in “beautiful” Gatwick airport. During our time there, we decided to grab some food before our next leg to the islands. We ended up at Garfunkle’s which seemed like England’s take on a Chili’s with general burgers as well as more traditional British fare in the form of fish and chips and a chicken pie which we ordered. While the fish and chips weren’t as authentic as getting it from a chippy or a fish and chip shop for those who don’t speak British English, the breading was light and crispy with plenty of delicious cod beneath. Their chips were a bit stale which I didn’t care for, and their mushy peas were a bit too mint heavy. Janice’s chicken pie was more satisfying with layers of creamy mashed potatoes, seasoned chunks of chicken, a hearty cream sauce, and a side of carrots and broccolini. After our bite to eat, we grabbed brews to watch the Belgium v.s. Tunisia. Funny enough, the beers my wife got were from Portland, Maine that her and her friends get when they’re in Connecticut. It was a quite hoppy IPA, but thankfully it was something light before the second leg of our trip that finally brought us to Tenerife.

Flying into Tenerife, it looked like a more desert-covered version of what I would expect Hawaii to be. The most breathtaking portion of the island was seeing the looming Mount Teide above the clouds. It is a still active volcano that the native Guanche people called Echeyde. They viewed the peak as a portal to hell and the home of a powerful demon, Guayota, who was imprisoned there as punishment for kidnapping the god of sun and light, Magec. The subsequent eruptions of the volcano, the most recent in 1909, were seen as Guayota attempting to escape. We were swiftly shuttled from the southern airport on the island of Tenerife to our hotel in Los Alcantilados Los Gigantes. However, it wasn’t just any special night, it was La Noche de San Juan or Saint John’s night which was adopted by the Catholic Spanish from the pagan Guanche people who originally celebrated the date to ring in the summer solstice. We could see the traditional giant bonfires dotting the countryside as the local Canarios were burning old belongings to signify a new start to the year. When we finally arrived to our hotel, we were exhausted yet at the same time exhilarated and ready to find a beach party to experience a unique cultural celebration. Our first meal wasn’t quite a leap into the unknown at the restaurant across the street from our hotel with a Margarita Italian-style, thin crust pizza with mugs of typical, thin, Spanish lager native to the Canary Islands called Dorada. Once we were fueled up, we began our hunt for the beach party for San Juan. We received conflicting information from the waitress and the front desk worker, but they both said that there was a giant wooden sardine to be burned. We had to be there simply for the randomness. It soon began a wild goose chase of people telling us to just find the beach in addition to randomly attempting to find the party with a German family. Suddenly, the skies in front of us lit up with glittering explosions, and Janice and I immediately ran toward them, leaving the Germans in our wake. We finally found the hidden route to the beach party and were faced with only the finest Euro-techno beatz Tenerife had to offer. I asked the bartender about the burning sardine, and it already happened two hours ago on the beach! Still, the thrill of the hunt was entertaining, and we enjoyed the ambiance. After a cold Dorada looking out over the revelers on the black sand beach and the pile of ashes from the wooden sardine in the background, we decided to call it a night.

Our first morning in Tenerife was breathtaking as we enjoyed the iconic cliffs or alcantilados right outside our window. We then went downstairs to experience the interesting buffet that our hotel had to offer. It was very European with plenty of cereals, cold cuts, and a bread wall. You heard me right. It was literally a wall of fresh bread that you could slice your own piece of baguette, boule, or rye. I swear I saw Janice kneeling in front of it praising the carb gods, but maybe it was just my jet lag. I helped myself to a variety of fresh fruits like the Canarian banana that is smaller than the ones found stateside, but are much sweeter and probably the best I’ve ever had. They also had churros and melted chocolate (not pictured here) which constitute a typical Spanish breakfast. There was also a sopressata spread that was salty and spicy in all the right ways. At midday, we decided to watch the England vs Panama game at one of the many local British bars. The food was nothing to brag about compared to what was to come, but I tried a corned beef and Branston pickle sandwich, something I never tried before. While in America, we think of salty, crunchy pickled cucumbers, Branston pickle is an English made spread that consisted of chunks of pickled carrots, onions, and turnips in a sweet, slightly spicy brown sauce. Apparently it’s very popular in English pubs on cheese sandwiches. It was okay on a very simple sandwich, but it did not set my palate alight compared to other meals we would have this trip. After enjoying the 5-0 thrashing of Panama and plenty of airhorn blasts from the barkeeps, we had a date with a private sunset cruise from Puerto Colon.

It was a glorious day, as are most days in the Canaries, and we set sail out on the Atlantic Ocean with Captain Marco and Captain Jan Jan.

Captain Jan Jan showing us around

We were treated to delicious Spanish cava or champagne and (in counterclockwise order below) a mix of Spanish cheeses, mild and spicy Spanish chorizo, and melt-in-your mouth jamon iberico (Iberian ham).Between the appetizers and the main course, we were treated to something unbelievable: 30-35 pilot whales swimming around our boat. Captain Marco said he never saw anything like it before because these whales are naturally shy around humans and boats.

Part of a family pod with a little baby whale in the middle

Eventually, all that excitement made us hungry, and we had a mouth-watering mixed paella that contained fresh mussels, tiny clams, plentiful rings of calamari, and juicy pieces of sausage and chicken. It was followed up by a decadent chocolate torte and an apple tart that were too good for words. As came into port, we were brought to a lookout point to watch the sunset. A beautiful end to a beautiful day.

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Posted in Alcoholic, Bakery, Beer, Beverages, Cake, Desserts, European Cuisine, Pastries, Pizza, Spanish, Spanish and tagged authentic, Beer, bread, cheese, chicken, chocolate, dining, Food, French, Fries, hamburger, paella, pastries, peppers, pizza, restaurant, Reviews, sauce. Bookmark the permalink.

Living High on the Hog (Peckish Pig)

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Mark T

Wow, where has all the time gone? My first quarter in grad school has come and gone. I came out on the other side of stats class a little older due to stress, but overall I’m ready to go into quarter numero dos starting January 3rd. The holidays are currently upon us in Chicagoland, and the weather is definitely playing its part. We have it all: -30 F temperatures, icy streets, and snow covered sidewalks. Luckily, these bleak conditions are ideal for writing some wonderful Mastication Monologues posts that I’m sure you have all been clamoring for due to my prolonged hiatus. Today’s post involves the Peckish Pig, Evanston’s first brewpub.

Chicago has always been a city that has enjoyed its adult beverages. My parents have always told me about how many bars there were in the old neighborhoods they would frequent, and how now most have them have gone away due to changing regulations and consumer tastes, among other influences. However, the rise of craft beers has been seized upon by many purveyors of food, and they have been reaping the benefits ever since. Case in point, the Peckish Pig which is always overflowing with patrons come rain or shine, so I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time if you’re not willing to wait. Janice and I tried this eatery when it was a bit warmer this year, but the laid-back, gastropub ambiance is a warm welcome for most diners even in the dead of a Chicago winter.

There’s always one person creeping on me when I take pictures.

We started our meal with some libations to cool ourselves off. The Peckish Pig had an extensive drink list, both alcoholic and non alcoholic. I was interested in their beers given we were in a brewery while Janice was naturally drawn to the mixed drinks. She went with the shoemaker ($11), and I got a cherry beer. The shoemaker was toe-tappingly good with a mix of Belle Meade bourbon, amaretto, amaro, and walnut bitters to cut through the sweetness with an ever-so-slight earthiness. My cherry beer was not as elating since it seemed to only be “cherry” in terms of hue. They could take some notes from the Belgian Kriek makers if they are looking for a refreshing beer that is both colored and flavored nearly exactly like the sundae toppers. I would not recommend this beer if you are a fan of fruit beers that are bursting with flavor. At least it looked pretty if that was any consolation. Moving on to the appetizer round, we let our grumbling stomachs lead the way. After looking over their options (there are vegetarian options, by the way!), we decided to try their selection of European meats and cheeses ($15 for a medium and $20 for a large plank) as well as their Brussels sprouts ($7). When both arrived at our table, we could see why the name of the establishment was the Peckish Pig. The portions for the price were gigantic, so we were quite excited to tuck into the wonderful repast in front of us. First, there were the Brussels sprouts. The typical scourge of kids’ palates at dinnertime is actually one of Janice and my favorite foods. Therefore, we expected this version with bacon and brown butter to be a highlight of the meal, but similar to my cherry beer, it did not live up to the hype. Yes, it contained all of the aforementioned ingredients on the same plate; however, together they did not taste like anything. It only tasted like some more well done pieces of bacon along with the bitter, almost burnt flavor of the roasted Brussels sprouts. We were not impressed. Thank the culinary gods the charcuterie version of Noah’s Ark came ashore on our table. Where to begin? At the top left, there was the Manchego cheese that was a bit better than your typical Manchego which is known for being crumbly and moderately grainy. It was a bit part player to the other elements on the chopping block. Next, there was the Gloucester cheddar with chives; the very same of the famous Cotswold Games where they roll a wheel of the delicious dairy down a hill while people give chase and try to catch it. Don’t believe me? Check it out here (Fast forward to 2:09 for the rolling). This was the double variety of the cheddar which meant that it had a very sharp cheddar tang to it which was enhanced by the chives. Definitely one of my favorites. To the right of the cheddar was the Stilton blue cheese that was the standout favorite of mine. It paired particularly well with the apricot jam because the potent funk of the cheese was soothed by the dulcet tones of the fruit spread. Finally, there was the ash-cured goat cheese that had a hint of smoke to its flavor profile but was not much different from the run-of-the-mill spreadable cheese. Following the cheese top half, there were the meats. The salami on the left was slightly spicy which I enjoyed as I moved on to the Spanish chorizo. I personally prefer the peninsular sausage over its Mexican equivalent due to its low greasiness and high piquancy. Next to the red disks of chorizo was a fellow Spanish product: Serrano ham. It is Spain’s take on Italian prosciutto, and I highly recommend trying some in this lifetime. It is both delicate yet filling with a bold, peppery flavor. Finally, the Peckish Pig plank treated us to some duck meat which was rich but nothing of note.

We definitely overestimated how hungry we were and the portion sizes at the Peckish Pig when we ordered our food because we also got an order of the hog wings ($13). You’ll never see wings this big at another restaurant unless pigs fly.

Slightly intimidating

These pork shanks were marinated in a hoisin sauce that was sweet and tangy with a soy base to represent its Far East roots. If you’re looking for an app that is gargantuan in size and flavor, I highly recommend this tribute to marinated meat.

Good all the way to the bone

For the entree, I got a duck sandwich ($14). Mind you, you might be wondering how I survived this marathon of delicious food, but I only ate half of the sandwich. Nevertheless, I greatly savored the meal that on paper should not have left the runway but in practice soared like a Concorde. The panini-style foccacia was fresh and crunchy and contained a true yin and yang of flavor profiles. First, the smoky duck was enhanced by the coffee bacon. You read that right. Coffee bacon.

Grounds for imprisonment…in my stomach

Once more the Peckish Pig kitchen managed to finagle some coffee-cured piggy into a dish we tried, and it was executed to perfection. With all of these smoky and savory flavors swirling around my tongue, I appreciated the neutral brie that brought them under control and allowed for the sweet and spicy apricot spread to compliment the rest of the sandwich. It was a very unique sandwich that expertly balanced sweet, spicy, salty, bitter, and umami between two pieces of foccacia. Talk about a mouthful! At this point, we thought it wasn’t possible to finish another bite, dessert was calling our name. We found room for the English sticky toffee pudding ($7). It was a sumptuous feast for both our eyes and taste buds. The moist cake was studded with small chunks of delicious toffee and swimming in a thin pool of custard cream and caramel sauce. If anything, skip the meal and just have dessert. It is definitely worth it.

Overall, the Peckish Pig is a casual restaurant that would be ideal for catching up with old friends and family or perhaps you would like to try one of Chicagoland’s many brewpubs. I would also recommend it for its attention to both meat-lovers and vegetable fans as well as its extensive drink menu.

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Posted in Alcoholic, American Cuisine, Bakery, Barbecue, Beer, Beverages, Burgers, Cake, Chicken Wings, Comfort Food, Desserts, Mixed Drinks and tagged bacon, Beer, bourbon, brie, Brussels, charcuterie, cheese, Chicagoland, cream, custard, Evanston, Food, hog, hoisin, liquor, meat, Peckish Pig, pudding, sprouts, toffee, wings. Bookmark the permalink.

You Can Bring a Horse to Water, But He’d Prefer a Burger (Au Cheval)

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Mark T

I never thought that I would be back this soon, this deep into the jungle that is graduate school at Northwestern University, but here I am! Back for a limited time on Mastication Monologues, but hopefully I will be able to write more once this mad quarter is finished. This year has been flying by, and I have visited and eaten at tons of great locations across Chicagoland. However, today’s review involves a restaurant/diner known best for its hotly-touted cheeseburger. In a foodie city like Chicago where we love our meat based dishes, especially hamburgers, the previous sentence will elicit a different response almost every time you ask someone from Chicago depending on where they are living in the city. We even have the Billy Goat Diner made famous by Saturday Night Live and a curse featuring a certain Northside team that is currently trying to break the same curse and win the World Series. Go Cubbies! Yet, Au Cheval is one of the most highly regarded establishments across the city when it comes to the signature American dish of cheeseburger and fries. (Quick note: Two other great restaurants, Cochon Volant and Small Cheval, have similar burgers minus the typical long lines)

Located on Randolph Street in the West Loop/Fulton Meat Packing District a.k.a. Google Headquarters new backyard, it is the flagship on a block of heavy culinary hitters including Stephanie Izzard’s so-famous-you-need-reservations-six-months-ahead-of-time Girl and the Goat (highly recommend this restaurant too). Au Cheval is relatively new in a city of numerous old establishments that have withstood the test of time, and based on our experience, there exists the distinct possibility that this burger joint might become part of the city’s fabric if it hasn’t already. Janice and I met up with our friends Katelin and Dan for lunch. They have metered street parking that we took advantage of, or you can reach it by taking the L (subway for you non-Chicagoans). It is a very popular eatery if you couldn’t tell based on my description before, and they do not take reservations. Because of this fact, it is often subject to mob scenes of people lining up outside during peak lunch and dinner hours to sample their offerings. Luckily, we managed to beat the lunch rush and were immediately seated in their slightly dim, modern diner. As I surveyed the tiny interior, I wasn’t blow away by my surroundings, but I’m a gourmand, not an interior designer. Dan and I started the meal off with their Mad Town Nut Brown that was dark, had 7 different malts, and had nice hazelnut notes. Au Cheval also offers a wide variety of mixed drinks, shots, and non-alcoholic beverages. Food-wise, I could describe them as a very upscale diner that managed to find a twist on simple creations like bologna sandwiches or scrambled eggs served with fois gras. Breakfast offerings aside, Janice and I were there for the burger that has been proclaimed by the Food Network, Forbes, etc. as “The Best Burger in America” for multiple years. They had a single ($10.95) or double patty ($12.95) option for an upcharge as well as the egg and bacon. We followed Dan’s advice for choosing the double patty with egg and bacon. He followed suit, and Katelin ordered the raw vegetable salad with apple and blue cheese ($10.95). Surprisingly, before you could say “Da’ Bears”, our burgers were in front of us in their full glistening glory as well as a side of fries.

Our taste buds are ready

First, let’s discuss the much talked about burger. Now, I am not typically a fan of the egg-on-burger trend that has been sweeping America, but visually this fried egg seemed like a work of pure art with its off-center sun in the sumptuous solar system of flavors in front of me. Plus, if an egg is on top of a burger, it is described as being “on horseback” hence the name of the restaurant being “Au Cheval”. Then there was the slabs of pure pork that were stacked like massive redwood planks over two serious beef patties donning flowing robes of American cheese. The Eastern European side of me also appreciated the dill pickle spear on the side to cut through the grease. Once I stacked it all together, it was a soaked monument to gastronomic greatness. I hefted this sandwich to my maw and was immediately drawn into the aromas of beef and sweet pork belly like bees to honey. I was smitten at first chomp. The beef was grilled to medium rare perfection while the cheese was omnipresent yet not overwhelming. I was partial to the pork belly that shone through and enhanced the flavor profile with a maple syrupy sweetness that your run-of-the-mill, crispy, thin bacon could not accomplish in a million dinner parties. The only downsides to this burger were the aforementioned egg which kind of made the brioche bun hard but not impossible to grip, and the bottom part of the bun which left my burger hanging by my fingertips at the end of this white-knuckle ride of a meal. The fries on the side were just as great as the burger with a palatable amount of salt and just the right amount of fry to their golden hued exteriors. Katelin said her salad was delectable too even though it wasn’t served between two pieces of bread or hiding beneath a sea of gooey cheese. A good option if you want to balance your cholesterol out after downing one of Au Cheval’s incredibly rich burgers.

We left the restaurant to a sunny afternoon with bellies full and greatly satisfied. I could now see what the hubbub was all about when we would go by the establishment and see people jostling for position in line. Great restaurant owners know great ingredients which in turn lead to great burgers. This chain of events was displayed during our visit to Au Cheval, and I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to try a burger worthy of having the word “greatest” in its title. You might disagree with me about it being the be-all, end-all of burgerdom, but it is a high quality burger for a very reasonable price even with a bit of a wait. So, if you don’t know where to go for lunch or have time to wait during dinner, gallop over to Au Cheval!

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Posted in Alcoholic, American Cuisine, Beer, Beverages, Burgers, Comfort Food and tagged apple, Au Cheval, bacon, Beer, Burger, cheese, Chicago, dark, diner, drinks, egg, Food, Fries, ketchup, lunch, Randolph, review, salad. Bookmark the permalink.

San Diego (Day 2): A Lambo, Gelato, and Rollin’ in Dough (Donut Bar, Nado Gelato, Village Pizza)

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Mark T

Ah San Diego. Home to the Chargers, the Padres, and their most famous mustaschioed ambassador, Ron Burgundy. While we were visiting the city, we never got into antics like the Channel 4 news team like an anchorman street fight or having our beloved pet dog punted off the Coronado bridge, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have a memorable time (I did get a new suit though for the wedding!). Our first day was fun, but Saturday was a non-stop rollercoaster that had plenty of thrills and a couple spills because we did eat and drink our fair share like any good tourists should.

If you didn’t read my first post, you can check it out here because our morning involved Janice’s friend and local fixer Amber who I introduced before. Sadly, Ellie the schnauzer was not there to keep us company. So, she brought us to a local breakfast favorite for both locals and tourists: Doughnut Bar. Now, coming from Chicago which has its fair share of fancy doughnut bakeries, I didn’t know what the big deal was about a company that specialized in creating mind-boggling sweets. The line that stretched down the block that we soon found ourselves in spoke otherwise to my doubts. Amber recommended getting there the earlier the better as in like 8 am or 9 am if you want your choice of doughnuts because once the fried treats are gone, they close the entire store. As we slowly shuffled like a horde of bleary eyed zombies toward our sugary host, something bright and shiny caught my eye. It was just the Doughnut Bar owner’s new Lamborghini Aventor with a custom paint job. I don’t know why other people weren’t as enthused as I was about this beauty of a machine just chilling on the side of the road. It was a sign that it was going to be a great day on west coast. Thankfully, the line moved quickly because we needed to get our sugar fix on before running off to get ready for the wedding ceremony! I was having some second thoughts about rushing in and out after we set foot inside. It was very modern and quirky with plenty of hilarious doughnut themed swag and artwork. The true objets d’art were spread out in front of us like some type of heavenly bounty graced with every color and flavor of the rainbow. According to Amber, they also switch around their menu and offer vegan options, so they know how to cater to people from all walks of life and keep them on their toes at the same time. Janice and I didn’t know where to start because all of the doughnuts were calling our names. There were chocolate ones, ones made in homage to the local MLB All Star Game, cake batter, and even one with a motherloving Pop Tart baked in the middle! I didn’t want to look directly into its frosting for fear it would put the diabetic evil eye on me. Plus, some honorable mentions among many. We eventually made our choices, and they are not the cheapest doughnuts in the world at roughly 2-4 bucks a doughnut. However, most of them are huge as you’ll see later in the post, and they are some of the most unique doughnuts you’ll ever taste. Janice and I got a box of the Homer doughnut (mmmm sprinkles), a bacon infused cinnamon roll, a peanut butter cup doughnut, a Mexican hot chocolate doughnut, a Nutella doughnut, and a red velvet. In addition to our to-go box, we got a French toast doughnut which was a doughnut fried and served up like regular French toast. This was an homage to the origin of doughnuts. According to Wikipedia, some believe the word “doughnuts” came from the Dutch North American settlers who made oliekoek or “oil cake”, but the more compelling origin comes from a mid 19th century tale of an American boy punching holes in his fried dough because the centers were often raw. This allowed for his dough to cook thoroughly and looked like the traditional doughnuts we eat and enjoy today. However, the “nuts” part might have originally referenced the fried bits they poked out from the middle and have been referenced in writing as a uniquely American recipe as early as the early 1800s by none other than Sleepy Hollow author Washington Irving. We enjoyed every bite of this fried piece of Americana as we chilled upstairs surrounded by plenty of interesting paintings and wall art. The French toast doughnut also came with a side of butter, honey, and syrup. I just went with the syrup, but it seemed almost like gilding the lily with how delicate and light the doughnut was. It was an excellent investment and got us amped up for the very long day ahead of us. Highly recommend this option if you have the chance to snag one from the hungry masses. As we were leaving, there was still a plethora of people lining up outside, but I managed to sit in the Lambo which fulfilled one of my lifetime dreams. Could this day get any better? Oh yeah! We got suited and booted and went also with our friend Kathy to the church on Coronado island.

Burt Macklin on the case!

Much better

We made it just in time, and it was a great service. Personally, I think the flower girl and ring bearer stole the show until the bride’s grandparents came out.

Awwwww

They were so old but in such good shape and happy. Definitely restored my faith in humanity. The ceremony went off without a hitch,

The wedding party

and afterward I found myself once again face to face with another beautiful automobile. This time around it was a classic Rolls Royce that the bride and groom were riding off in, but I wouldn’t have minded if they gave Janice and me a ride just around the block. Instead, we wished them well and needed to find something to eat before the reception. Walking around the beautiful isthmus of Coronado, we eventually found Fire and Fly Pizzeria. It was bright and airy inside with outdoor seating in the front and rear of the establishment. They seemed to specialize in brick oven fired, Neopolitan style pizzas. They offer both premade and make your own pizza options in addition to a few sides. We got an order of two broccoli and tomato pizzas and one chicken pesto pizza ($9 each). I also got a local brewed Coronado beer ($6). They were promptly cooked and served as we made our way to the back patio to enjoy the beautiful day and engaging food. The pizza that Janice and I shared, the broccoli and tomato sans tomato, was good but too bland for my taste. I’m a man of fiery foods, so the mix of mozzarella, ricotta, and herb garlic olive oil was a bit too safe for my palate. Don’t get me wrong, it was a quality pizza, but I’d get a different pizza the next time around. I preferred the chicken pesto pizza that our friend Kathy got because it was coated with a healthy, almost excessive top layer of arugula which gave way to pieces of chicken that were intermixed with mozzarella, pesto, and roasted peppers. As for my California Amber, I realized that I wasn’t a fan from the first sip. It had a slight pine/resin aftertaste which turned me off instantly, but it seemed like a trend in California to serve mainly lighter beers like lagers and IPAs. What does a guy got to do to get a good stout/porter? Still, Fire and Fly was an excellent place to grab a bite to eat before the wedding reception. We finished our lunch and walked around the isthmus toward the Del Coronado hotel and decided to get some gelato at Nado Gelato. It was a non-descript cafe that we strolled into and managed to beat the local crowd from the beach. A clear sign we made a good decision. After looking over their numerous, mouth-watering flavors, Janice and I got a small cup of the giandua (chocolate hazelnut) and salted caramel. It was reasonably priced and extremely high quality. After learning so much from local Chicago ice cream shop owners in another post, we could tell from the rich, nutty flavor complimented by the salt in the caramel that we found the jewel in the crown of Coronado’s dessert scene. Highly recommend this tiny spot if you’re looking for something sweet to cool you off. Eventually, we reached the historical Hotel Del Coronado. It was originally built in 1888 and didn’t look a year over 100. Seriously though, it was a reception location that was without equal that I’ve been to in a wedding and hotels I’ve stayed in for my entire life. We walked through the dark wood lobby under antique crystal chandeliers and past the wrought iron elevator up to the penthouse suite for pre-cocktail hour drinks. Long story short, the views were terrible, and it was a mainly forgettable time. If the written word doesn’t convey my sarcasm, I’ll let the view do the talking.

Life is hard

Before we made our way to the cocktail hour, we managed to witness a special part of Sabrina and Thompson’s wedding: the Chinese tea ceremony. I thought it was going to be a traditional Chinese ceremony to compliment the Catholic ceremony before, but it was more of a symbolic uniting of families through Sabrina and Thompson serving tea to the new members of their expanded familial network. In return, they received lucky red envelopes containing many monies I assumed. However, the real show stopper were the gifts for the bride and groom. Thompson got a spiffy new watch, but Sabrina managed to wear half of Fort Knox’s gold in the form of two giant bracelets and a gold chest plate. Once the ceremony concluded, we made our way through the hotel like some sort of entourage. Jokingly, the girls said I looked like a secret service agent escorting some gold covered celebrity and her squad through to the afterparty. Little did they know, I was trained by Burt Macklin from Parks and Recreation. Luckily, we made it safely to to the very bright back lawn that was right next to the Pacific Ocean. No big deal. The setting was picturesque, the drinks were flowing, and the seagulls were out for burgers, mini-sliders to be exact. They swooped down on us to steal food, but luckily we were looking stylish and freaked out in our sweet sunglasses party favors. Their family dog, Bebe, however, was non-plussed looking so stylish in a bowtie. Eventually, the clock struck the reception hour, and we were led to the back ballroom that was enormous and overlooking the same rear lawn where we were enjoying some classic wild animal attacks. I won’t get bogged down in every minute detail of the reception in this post because it’s long enough. In a nutshell, minus the odd band music, we made some new friends and got down with old ones even when the dancefloor was dead sometimes. The food was par excellence (a dessert bar and a macaroni bar? yeah, that happened), and our one bartender we always went to made sure that everyone was having a great time. By the time the band’s encore finished, Janice and I made our way past our fellow partygoers outside the hotel entrance who, like us, needed a comfortable bed. However, our night didn’t end there. Back at the Air BnB we tried some of the doughnuts from the first part of the post. I loved the Homer doughnut because it was simple, iconic, and fitting for someone with a big appetite like me. The Mexican hot chocolate one wasn’t that memorable even with the toasted marshmallows, but the Nutella doughnut was delectable as well as the red velvet one. By that time, our friend Kathy had made it back as well, and we passed out after an incredibly long day with heads filled with memories and bellies stuffed with amazing eats.

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Posted in Alcoholic, American, Bakery, Beer, Beverages, Chain Restaurants, Desserts, Doughnuts, European Cuisine, Gelato, Ice Cream, Italian, Pastries and tagged alcohol, bacon, Bar, Beer, Beverages, broccoli, Chinese, chocolate, Coronado, doughnuts, Food, hotel, Lamborghini, mozzarella, Nutella, pizza, restaurant, review, San Diego, tea, tomatoes, Travel. Bookmark the permalink.

South Carolina (Day 3): Going With the Grain (Granary, Vendue House, Griffin)

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Mark T

As if this South Carolina series couldn’t get any better, here’s part three of our Charleston chronicles! (Part 1 and Part 2 here). We woke up on our first day as fiance and fiancee, and we were on cloud nine. What better way to celebrate than a brunch fit for a king and queen? So, after doing some online sleuthing, we found that there were many rave reviews about the Granary.

It was Saturday late morning, and we were blessed with another lovely sunny day. However, we noticed that the roads were conspicuously empty for such a splendid morning. All was made clear when we entered the Granary. It was located in a moderately sized strip mall, and the interior was tastefully decorated in a modern rustic style. It also continued in a trend I noticed of the restaurant drawing upon the Carolinian bounty of locally sourced and produced products on their menu such as the plethora of cured meats hanging in freezers right at the entrance of the establishment. We also quickly realized the lack of cars and giant trucks on the streets that were typical for the previous days of our visit. Like many parts of the South, football (not futbol or footy as it’s called across the pond or south of the border) is king, and it was no different in the Granary as all of their slick flatscreens had on various college games. Contrary to the majority of diners, we were instead there to experience the show this Southern charcuterie powerhouse could put on. Once we were seated in this charming setting, we got down to business. We started our meal with the butcher plate ($16) which consisted of all house made cured meats, pickled vegetables, and salubrious spreads. The bounty was spread before us, and I didn’t know where to start. I immediately tried some of the pickles and mustard on the side since they are two elements of any savory meal I couldn’t pass up. Unfortunately, they were of the sweeter variety, but the whole grain mustard would prove to pair ideally with most of the meats on the board. The pickled cauliflower was also sour and crunchy which satisfied my palate much more than the pickles surprisingly. I’ll start with my least favorite item, and that was the goose pate. It was like a warm scoop of chocolate ice cream that was both rich and devoid of any sweetness compared to its dessert doppelganger. However, I’m not a huge proponent of spreadable meats, so it started off with a disadvantage. Not for me, but perhaps you might enjoy it more than I did. Then there was the slices of pork rillette which reminded me of bologna with each bite on the accompanying pieces of olive oil kissed bread. The two other items, the bresaola and soppressata, were the true stars in my eyes and taste buds. The small disks of soppressata, a specialty sausage of southern Italy, consisted of spicy pork and reminded me of its mouth watering Catalan equivalent, fuet, that I gnawed on during my siesta period during the day. If you like your fatty meats, this is the one for you. The bresaola, on the other hand, was thinly sliced but had tons of flavor packed into every fiber. Bresaola comes from Lombardy in northern Italy and is typically made of aged beef rubbed with salt and spices. It is then sliced thinly as we had it that day in Charlotte, and it made a great topping for the aforementioned pieces of crusty pane italiano. This multi-ringed circus was a prelude to the greatness that was to follow. For our main brunch plates, we were taken aback by how well made and reasonably priced our meals were. First, there was Janice’s Benedict Hash ($15). Before I begin describing these delectable creations, I have to add if you’re eating at the Granary, come hungry because the portions are not for the faint of stomach. In her plate, one could find crunchy yet tender duck confit pieces, sweet pickled peppers, roasted mushrooms, English muffin croutons, poached eggs, and hollandaise in addition to the traditional roasted potatoes. It was everything Janice could have asked in a meal. From the fluffy, delicately poached eggs to the plentiful duck confit scattered amongst the semi-crunchy potatoes and croutons, it was like a breakfast trail mix we would have brought along with us on all of the walking we would do for the rest of the day and night. It was jazzed up with a dash of local Floking red jalapeno hot sauce that was like a sweeter Tabasco type of hot sauce. However, my sweet tooth conquers all which segues to my French toast. I’m going to make a bold claim, but this was the best French toast I’ve ever had. It started with fried pieces of cinnamon-orange brioche that were then covered with candied pecans, bananas, and lying on a criss-cross of fresh blackberry preserves. As if that wasn’t enough, there was a moderate layer of blueberry cream cheese stuffed throughout the middle of each slice. This astounding version of a breakfast classic was topped with a generous soupcon of bourbon maple syrup which went well with the fresh banana slices. It was a true form of Southern comfort in the morning. Once we were finished, we made our way to the Charleston Aquarium. As mentioned in a previous post, we had bought tickets to the main aquarium as well as the sea turtle hospital. It is very worth it as you are able to get up close and personal with these mighty beasts of the deep who were cut down due to disease or human interference, unfortunately. Moving around the rest of the main facility, it wasn’t as great as Shedd in Chicago, but there were plenty of interactive exhibits for the kids that we also enjoyed. Definitely a fun diversion in Charleston if you have young children or are looking for something to do with inclement weather. After hanging out with Dory, Nemo, and the totally righteous sea turtles, we had to go and see the Charles Town Landing. Many people don’t seem to know about it, but it is actually the actual site English explorers landed in 1670. It is also where the current name of the city comes from: Charles Town -> Charleston. If you love history like me, you’d be in heaven because it looks similar to how they recreated the settlement feel to the embankments, forts, and even cannon. However, if you’re like my fiancee, Janice, and aren’t the most interested in history, they have animals on the northern side of the nature preserve. So we got there close to closing time, so we had roughly an hour to see both sections that were on opposite sides of the Landing. We rushed by the animals to not see any of the animals aside from the trusty bison who were just busy being majestic. I then proceeded to powerwalk/jog my way to the English galleon on the Ashley River. On the way, I found out that I accidentally jogged across a piece of a Native American burial ground, so that could have been slightly better labelled. Eventually, I made it with time to spare, and it was a lot smaller than I thought. I don’t know how the original sailors survived in such cramped quarters, but I can see why they went crazy colonizing America after getting off the boat. Thankfully when Janice eventually met up with me, we were able to walk back and enjoy the sights of the park minus the need to sprint my heart out. By the time we got to our car, we were ready to fill our rumbling stomachs with some sustenance. So, what better time to check out the Vendue Hotel rooftop? This hotel is in the heart of downtown Charleston, and we had to find the elevator to get to the bar at the top of the building. Once there, we were greeted with a tastefully decorated bar that also has one of the best views of the city. It was a bit too chilly to sit outside and take in the sunset over the Holy City, named for its numerous church steeples and other houses of worship, unfortunately. Once we were done admiring this breathtaking city, we got down to business at the bar. Ordered some cava or Spanish champagne with a side of their pulled pork nachos. We were celebrating our engagement like a pair of classy tourists. The nachos were unique and satisfying because it combines a Southern cuisine staple with a tex-mex mainstay. Plus, instead of having typical neon-yellow nacho cheese, they had an almost cheese gravy spread over all of the tortilla chips. I’d highly recommend this bar food mainstay with a distinct Charlestonian character. During our meal, we managed to crush the cava bottle, but I did manage to get an East Coast favorite: Yuengling beer. It is from the oldest operating brewery in America established in 1829, and the unique name comes from the German founders last name “Jungling” or “Young man” in German which was Anglicized to “Yuengling” (youngling in English). As for the taste, I wasn’t a big fan of the thin and kind of hoppy red ale. Janice got the Temple of the Dog ($11) which was a very strongly made mix of rye, chinato, bitters, and a brandied cherry for garnish. It was like a lighter Manhattan that was potent yet refreshing.

Very refreshed right now

By the time we finished that shared drink, we made our way down the street to the Griffon, a famous dive bar that has dollar bills coating the walls like wallpaper. It has reached new popularity after appearing on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. It wasn’t too happening when we went in and got a nightcap, but I’d imagine it would be better later at night on the weekend. Still we had a lot of fun!

Or at least Janice did

We left the dark pub to walk the streets and take in the coastal charm of Charleston walking along a dock under the light of the moon. An almost perfect penultimate day with plenty of excitement to come during our last day in the Dirty South.

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Posted in Alcoholic, American, American Cuisine, Beer, Beverages, Comfort Food, Hard Liquor, Mixed Drinks and tagged animals, berry, bourbon, breakfast, brunch, buffalos, Charles Town, Charleston, cream cheese, French toast, history, hot sauce, meat, ship, South Carolina, syrup, Travel. Bookmark the permalink.

Too Good To Leaf

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Mark T

Welcome one and all to another Mastication Monologues! There isn’t much time to spare this summer in Chitown, so you must take advantage of the great weather before the deathly cold comes and the white walkers take over. So, I’d like to tell you about a great restaurant we’ve been to before during the winter but could also be a wonderful hangout in the summer. That place is called Hopleaf Bar.

This establishment is located in the quaint Andersonville neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago. There are a ton of great brunch places up and down Clark Street, but Hopleaf is more of a lunch and dinner establishment. There is only street parking, but expect plenty to be found. Given the name of the restaurant, Hopleaf focuses intensely on the pursuit of the best and most unique brews around. Due to the focus on alcohol, you have to be 21 or over to enter, and that means there are no children allowed (No offense, but huzzah!). We were a bit surprised about this policy when we walked in, but we also found out that there are no reservations. So, we had to wait a bit for a table. Be prepared to wait for a table if it’s a very nice day/night out or if it’s a weekend. Eventually, we were sat in the bustling back room that gave us a first hand look into the glass-walled kitchen. We were first presented with a beer menu that was extremely varied in terms of craft beers, but I found one that really caught my eye. It was called Etrusca Bronze from the Dogfish Head craft beer company ($9). The description is below,

but basically it is part of a series of ancient ales that the company has brewed based on recipes from millenia ago found all over the world. In this case, my drink was based on a 2,800 year old recipe that was synthesized from analyzing the resins inside drinking vessels found in Etruscan tombs. I’ve been throwing around this term “Etruscan” like nobody’s business, but who exactly were these people? Basically, they were the tribe of people who gave birth to Rome after settling on the Tibur, but it is still up for debate where exactly they originated from.

Gettin’ crunk since 700 BC!

Anyway, I’ll leave that for the history scholars to decide. Back to the beer. When it came out, it was served in a goblet, and it looked like a cup of warm cider.

Nectar o’ the gods

I gave it a sniff before imbibing, and I was taken aback by the aroma that overtook my nostrils. It made more sense when I looked at the variety of sweet, savory, and aromatic ingredients it was brewed with like pomegranate, clover, wildflower, raisins, chestnuts, and even myrrh, an ancient tree sap that was used as perfume, incense, an embalming agent for Egyptian mummies, and even presented as a gift to Jesus by one of the three kings. Clearly, I wasn’t in bland lager-land any more. When I finally took a sip, it was one of the most unique and complex beers I’ve ever tried. The honey notes were tempered by the pomegranate juice that had a very subtle nuttiness compliments of the chestnut. This was further embellished by the wispy wildflowers still dancing in my nose that joined the flavor party on my tongue. Long story short, this isn’t a drink to be pounded during a game of flip cup, but if you appreciate something super unique or are a historically obsessed weirdo, then you found your beer. This distinguished beverage prefaced one of the most epic meals I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, Hopleaf’s menu, both beer and food, changes with the seasons, so some of the options I talk about may or may not be served when you visit like my pastrami sandwich ($12), for example. This was a straight old-school dish from the turn of the 20th Century New York deli culture. From the rye to the thick layers of beet red meat, it was simple in form but exquisite in flavor. The combo of herbal caraway with the saltiness of the meat was wonderful, but I would suggest finding a heartier form of rye since it was on the dryer side and crumbled under the pressure of my powerful jaws. The fries were just my type since they were on the softer side with the occasional crunchy one, but I found their smoky taste intriguing. Naturally, the pickle on the side was an homage to this deli staple, and it was large, crunchy, and sour. Yes, please! Janice’s choice, the duck Reuben ($13), upstaged its fellow New York sandwich. The origin of the sandwich’s name is a point of contention. Some parties state that it was named after Reuben Kulakofsky, a Lithuanian born grocer who held poker games at one of Omaha’s premier hotels in the 1920s and 1930s. Other’s believe that this savory snack came from Arnold Reuben, the owner of the now closed Ruben’s Delicatessen in New York. Arnold claimed to have come up with the “Reuben special” back in 1914. Whoever invented it, I doff my proverbial cap to them. It’s a wonderful combo of meat, bread, and condiments. First, it was on toasted marble rye that was heartier than my basic brown rye. Then we got to the heart of the matter. Instead of finding the typical pastrami, we were greeted with thin slices of slightly fatty Peking duck breast that also possessed traces of caramelization due to its traditional preparation. This sweetness was further garnished with a cranberry cream cheese spread that took the place of mustard or Russian dressing to give this typically savory sandwich a sweet side. To top all of it off, there was a moderate helping of acidic sauerkraut to cut through the sweet elements, and the gooey melted Emmenthaler cheese held all of these mouth-watering ingredients together. I highly recommend both sandwiches!

So if you’re looking for a laid back beer heaven or a date night without the kids, check out Hopleaf Bar!

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Posted in Alcoholic, American Cuisine, Beer, Beverages, Burgers, Comfort Food and tagged adult, Andersonville, Bar, Beer, Chicago, duck, Etruscan, flowers, Food, Fries, honey, pastrami, pickle, restaurant, Reuben, review. Bookmark the permalink.

A Place Drinkers Hold Beer

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Mark T

Markets have been around since the beginning of establish civilizations. They are meeting places where people from all corners of the earth can come to exchange goods, news, and ideas. These markets can take many forms. There are traditional ones that still exist today like supermarkets or farmer’s markets, or the advent of the internet has led to the rise of the all powerful online marketplace. Along with markets, alcohol has been the cornerstone of most nation states throughout history. Whether that be airag, the milky spirt sipped on by one Ghengis Khan, or the wine that filled the goblets of the Caesars throughout the history of the Roman Empire, alcohol has been a double edged sword that has existed for man’s pleasure or survival in the case of areas where watersheds were too polluted to drink from. Given all of this information, it would only seem natural to place both of these concepts together into a market that sells beer or today’s restaurant: Beer Market.

They have many different locations throughout the Chicagoland area, but my parents and I visited the franchise branch in Bolingbrook’s Promenade shopping center. It wasn’t too busy when we walked in since we eat dinner earlier than the average bear or bird in this context. It was like any other modern American gastropub with exposed brick, dark accents, wooden chairs, and random neon beer signs. We sat down and were greeted with a monstrous beer menu. As I leafed through the 25 pages of beers, I was overwhelmed with making a selection. However, once I was finished reading the tome, I settled for a kolsch to go along with my bratwurst entree. What better than a German beer to accompany a German meal? My mom got the cole slaw burger which I had a natural aversion to since it was carrying the stepchild of potato salad in my eyes when it comes to picnic side dishes. When all of it came out, it didn’t look like the most appetizing meal in the world, but I’d let the flavors do the talking. Kolsch or Kölsch beer is a German beer that was invented in Cologne in English or Köln, hence Kölsch. It is a light yellow, pale ale which is quite rare in the land of lagers, but thankfully the hops are not over the top. Instead, it has a bit more body than your average lager and a more floral/fruity quality to it. Definitely more of a summer beer if you’re looking for something light and crisp. It paired very well with my bratwurst. The word bratwurst comes from the German words “brät” or “finely chopped meat” and “wurst” or “sausage”. They were actually made popular throughout the USA compliments of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball franchise where even today brats still outsell hot dogs. Beer Market’s take on the bratwurst had slight riffs on the original sausage. First, it was soaked in beer to give it even more flavor and seal in the juiciness. Then, it was buried in a heap of grilled onions that were great, and the brown mustard had a kick to it that was an homage to another ballpark staple. The sausage and onions were not served on your typical white bread bun or roll but a pretzel bun. So, the pretzel-mustard-brat combo in short was a home run. My mom’s cole slaw burger seemed ok presentation-wise, but she wasn’t too satisfied overall. She said it was average at best, so I think you should check out their other menu items. So if you’re a beer lover or are looking for a more upscale, solid but not spectacular bar and eatery than the dive on the corner, then check out Beer Market.

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Posted in Alcoholic, American Cuisine, Beer, Beverages, European Cuisine, German, German and tagged Beer, Bolingbrook, bratwurst, Burger, Chicagoland, cole slaw, craft, Food, market, mustard, onions, review. Bookmark the permalink.

Toronto (Day 3): 10,000 Leagues Over the Jenga Sea

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Mark T

Welcome to another Mastication Monologues and part three in my Canadian food adventures. Day one consisted of a mouthful of Dirty South cookin’ while day two was a yin and yang of cool waters and fiery dinners. Day three was interesting in its own respect. We started off the day nice and early at the Ripley’s aquarium which was pretty entertaining with lots of interesting exhibits and marine specimens. While the Shedd in Chicago has a lot more of the big animals like belugas and dolphins, the Toronto had bested our hometown museum with a larger variety of strange creatures. For example, the giant sawfish that was chilling on the aqua tube we walked through as tons of other fish, sharks, and even turtles swam around us. Oh, boy, I would not want to see that stuff from my kayak seat. The jellyfish exhibit was probably my favorite part since the cool blacklit chambers really made the little guys look like aliens. Janice, however, was going bananas over the puffer fish and even crawled into the middle that was intended for the children school groups. I captured her passion with this pretty cool picture.

In heaven

Then there were the petting areas where we had some hands-on action with the sea-beasties. Janice was freaking out with the horseshoe crabs, and I finally overcame my fear of petting stingrays…by petting one as big as me.

They can smell my fear

Unfortunately, none of the small, petable sharks were feeling calm enough to be friendly with the guests. Overall, we highly recommend a visit while you’re here, but try to go in the morning since there will be less hordes of shrieking children. We proceeded to walk to the nearby turntable that turned out to also be the Steamwhistle brewery. If you’re into beer and/or classic trains, this is your paradise.

Just try not to get run over

We finally got in after a bit of waiting, and they didn’t even have any food for lunch. On the plus side, we got to see the inside of the brewery, get some taster beers, and find our next party bike. The brew that we had there tasted like a slightly hoppy IPA that was light and good for a hot day. So, instead of just sitting there and waiting for the food truck to come in, we moved onto the harborfront since we had a kayak lesson in the afternoon. After a moderate constitutional, we found ourselves looking out over Lake Ontario, a perfect backdrop for lunch. We stumbled upon, surprise surprise, another brewery. This one was called Amsterdam Brewery, and thankfully it wasn’t jazzed up like some sort of cheesy homage to the Dutch capital. We got a seat on the patio where there was thankfully some shade, but it seemed like they were training a lot of new staff. Thankfully, our waitress was very on the ball since we had a deadline to stuff our faces and make it to the lesson on time. First world problems. The meal started with da beers. Even though the flights looked tempting, they had to wait. Instead, I got their all natural blonde while Janice got their Big Wheel amber ale. These big glasses quickly came out, and we had different experiences. My blonde seemed quite bland and slightly sour, but Janice’s Big Wheel was a tasty balance of caramel undertones and a hoppy aftertaste. Moving on to food, their menu was a standard bar and grill mix of mostly sandwiches, pizza, and a few slightly ethnic items thrown in there for good measure. I enjoyed their code for pairing the food with the beer through a letter system next to each food option like C for a crisp beer next to the fish and chips. We picked a few things to share before going to burn them off on the water. First, there were the sweet chili rib ends ($11). These pork chunks were delectable minus the occasional bone chip we had to make sure not to swallow. Definitely not a plate for the little ones. However, the flavor was definitely grown and developed through a mix of sweet chili sauce and a braise of lemongrass, lime leaves, and ginger. It kind of was like an Asian sweet, spicy, yet tangy twist on an American favorite. I recommend them. Then we had to get the Canadian classic dish: poutine ($8). This melange of gravy, cheese curds, and French fries was born in rural Quebec in the 1950s, but the origin of the name is highly disputed. Some believe that it is a Frenchified version of the English word “pudding” while others conjecture it comes from the Quebecois French slang for “mess” or “leftovers”. There are even links back to France with regional dialects boasting cognates like the southern Provencal word, “poutité” or “hodgepodge” in English. Whatever you want to call it, it is a super rich comfort food that will make you want to check your cholesterol levels when you’re done. I’m not a huge fan of the soggy fries that soak up a lot of the gravy on the bottom, but the perfect forkful that combines the beefy with the salty fry and tangy cheese is without parallel. Speaking of the cheese, at Amsterdam they use Thornloe cheese that has been a Canadian institution since 1940. Plus, it was founded by a guy named Rene Laframboise or Rene The Raspberry. Now that’s a cheese company I want to patronize! To balance this heavy plate, we rounded out the main course with some of the hoisin chicken lettuce wraps ($12). These were the opposite of the poutine: light, sweet, and fresh. They were basically like make your own tacos, but instead of tortillas we had super verdant leaves of lettuce. The chicken and veggies were stir fried in a light teriyaki sauce, and we received the dark hoisin sauce and a pepper seed laden sauce on the side. All of these plates together were a great value for good food, and we still had a little bit of room to split a dessert. We got the flourless chocolate torte ($7) which was totally our jam, literally, given that the raspberry coulis (coo-LEE; from the Latin colare “to strain”) was the perfect compliment to the sinfully sweet slice. An added bonus was the whipped cream, fresh strawberry, and a mysterious gooseberry that made its way onto our plate. I had never even seen one of these fruits in real life, so I didn’t know what to expect from it. Our waitress warned us that some diners didn’t care for its “interesting” and super sour taste. So, I braced myself for the worst when I popped the small, bright yellow berry in my mouth and bit down. I was greeted with a more neutral, partially earthy flavor washing over my palate. It barely left an impression on me before it was gone. Guess the kayak gods were smiling on us as we got the check and were running to the kayak dock. It was a glorious day for a paddle, and before we knew it, we were in our dual kayak. Our task of getting to the channel islands was harder than expected since we had to try to not get run over by the numerous boats and water taxis that were creating giant waves as well. As if that wasn’t enough, there were airplanes zooming overhead because the landing strip was out by the islands. Definitely got the blood pumping. Eventually, we got to the islands and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon on the calm waters. It’s also a great experience if you want some fantastic photo ops for the Toronto skyline like we got. Going back to port was maybe that just much harder given the constant paddling we had done for the previous three hours. By the time we reached the dock, we were ready for a nap before going out with Aaron and Alyssa. Once we regroups, we were back at the harborfront with the gang, and funny enough they were going to bring us to Amsterdam Brewhouse! Instead we wandered about taking in the Friday night surroundings, including Janice climbing into this contraption that looked like Dr. Seuss’ pimp-mobile. Just par for the course. Eventually, we decided to go out to a bar or two for food and drinks. We hit up the Wellington first for food and then the Banknote. Unfortunately, I don’t have pics for the Wellington, but it had some great nachos. It’s a cozy bar/restaurant too. The Banknote, on the other hand, was a great bar for late night shenanigoats. It was there that I tried another one of the Canadian beers that was also offered at the Amsterdam brewhouse: the Boneshaker IPA. It was surprisingly palatable given that I’m not the biggest fan of the typically hop-heavy IPA style of beers. Luckily, my bones weren’t shaking too much given that we played over three hours of Jenga that they have at their main long table. Then again, when you’re having a good time with great company, it’s bound to happen. Talk about a wild Friday and penultimate night in TO!

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Posted in Alcoholic, Barbecue, Beer, Beverages, Canadian, Canadian Cuisine and tagged Beer, boneshaker, brewery, Canada, cheese, chicken, chocolate, flourless, gooseberry, gravy, IPA, kayak, ribs, spicy, sweet, Toronto, wraps. Bookmark the permalink.

Toronto (Day 1): Sleepless Nights in Hogtown

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Mark T

Welcome to another wonderful and interesting edition of Mastication Monologues! Today I’ll be relating the first day of four of our adventure to the Great White North a.k.a. Canada. There has always been a sort of brotherly love between the two North American nations compared to the more tension filled links with our southern neighbors like Cuba or Mexico. We Americans see them as hockey nuts that are also extremely polite while they view us as obese, war mongers,

but national stereotypes aside, we manage to get along just fine. Case and point: my friend Aaron and I. We met each other in South Korea of all places in the same teacher orientation group, and we struck up a friendship through long bus rides and making terrible puns together.

Canada (Aaron), America (Me), and France (Jean) just partying it up in Korea

After Aaron and his gf, Alyssa, visited Chicago, Janice and I decided to pay them a visit up in Toronto, a place neither of us had visited.

So, our adventure started from Chicago super-early in the morning with driving through a whole lot of nothing until we reached Canada. Once we crossed the border, we stopped for a sweet piece of Canada in the form of Tim Hortons. Although there are now branches throughout the Northeastern USA, they haven’t arrived in Chitown. So, we wanted to see what all the hubbub was about. it looked like a fancier fast food diner, and I knew that this Canadian institution specialized in having great coffee and doughnuts. I got a Canadian maple, tres Canadien!, and Janice got the sour cream glazed. Janice was less than impressed due to the too sugary treat that didn’t match up to a similar, yet less diabetes inducing version in Chicago. As for mine, I found it to be enjoyable even though I’m not partial to cream filled pastries. Thankfully there was more fresh, fried dough than cream, and the maple icing was delectable. Once we finally reached the city and trying not to die with all of the crazy Canuck drivers. We got to our apartment with a sweet view that would make even Drake jealous, and then proceeded to meet up with Aaron and Alyssa. We walked all over the town as they showed us the sights that ranged from Korea Town that actually had a lot Aaron and I recognized from our time in the Land of the Morning Calm to the Kensington Market that seemed like a Caribbean island market in the middle of a modern metropolis.

Dude, it’s some herbage.

After traversing what seemed like half the city, we managed to get our final destination (no, not death like the movies), Insomnia Restaurant & Lounge. Unfortunately, it was super busy, so we had to wait for a table. We hit up the bar next door, and I tried a new Canadian beer I never heard of: Hockley dark. It was a traditional English ale that was full bodied with a clean, caramel aftertaste that my compatriots likened to a lighter Guinness, or as they say on their website, “a brunette with the body of a blonde”. We eventually got the call to head on over to Insomnia. It looked like any other gastropub with the addition of some Christmas lights overhead. However, our table was quite different mainly due to the super comfortable easy chairs that made the dining experience that much more enjoyable. The reason why we chose Insomnia over all of the restaurants in Toronto is that they were part of the Summerlicious food festival which was similar to Chicago’s restaurant week that Janice and I greatly took advantage of. Just like Chicago’s restaurant week, there was a set menu that consisted of a starter, entree, and dessert for $25. I started the meal with a Maudite Belgian Strong Ale. If you love lambics or dubbels or Belgian beer in general, I highly recommend this spicy yet fruity brew. Then looking over the menu, there was a ton of great picks for food which made it all the more difficult to choose just one item. I, along with everyone else I think, got the pork taco since it was the most interesting appetizer. It looked super fresh yet simple. All it consisted of was seasoned, tender, yet slightly spicy pork, pico de gallo, some cabbage, and a creamy, rich avocado spread. The cilantro sprigs made it all the better since I love the controversial herb. Then came the entrees. I was torn between the burger since I had a hankering for one, and the Dirty Dirty South fried chicken and waffles. However, I wanted something a bit different, so I went for the latter. Funny enough, Janice, Alyssa, and I all got the chicken while Aaron got the burger. He was greatly satisfied with the juicy Ontario ground chuck, milk bun, and classic lettuce, onion, pickle combo. Our chicken and waffles, on the other hand, were a different beast all together. When it came out, it looked like something inspired from the Spanish Inquisition or Vlad the Impaler. Our waffles were pre-cut into quarters and alternated with the boneless chicken thigh pieces in a large stack that was held together with a series of wooden skewers. Atop this unique creation was one of my most disliked foods: cole slaw. I love my cabbage products like kimchi or kapusta, but I dislike the cream picnic staple. I slowly took apart the tower o’ food with the precision of playing the popular game Kerplunk and sliced into my meal. It was a mouth-watering combo of thick, fluffy waffles and non-greasy but still flavorful pieces of all white meat. The honey maple butter and maple syrup made this plate the ideal mix of savory and sweet. I highly recommend this entree. As if you thought that would have been the end of the meal, there still was dessert! This was the toughest part of the night for me since I have a huge sweet tooth, but since everyone was going for the enticing s’more and creme brulee, I went for the sponge cake. Long story short, it was all good in the hood aside from a couple bumps in the road. First, there was my financier sponge cake. The name of the cake comes from either the traditional rectangular pan that made the cake resembling a bar of gold, or the cake became popular in Paris’ financial district. It was moist, light, and spongy in texture with a strong almond taste that was enhanced with the Coca Cola foam that was the right kind of funk I like in my meal and a classy caramel drizzle. The cherry on the side was a nice touch. Then the burnt marshmallow s’more ice cream was an interesting concoction. It was composed of the vanilla ice cream on top of a layer of burnt marshmallows that then topped a graham cracker cookie which was drenched with Lindt chocolate sauce. Diabetes? I haz it. Alyssa offered me a bit of hers, but I swear the cookie was made of hardtack since neither I nor Aaron could break it. Thankfully, Aaron’s was more normal, but it might prove to be too sweet for those of you who enjoy more savory plates. Finally, there was the creme brulee that Janice wasn’t digging too much, but I found it to be good, not great. As we sunk further into our chairs, food comas coming over us quickly, we ended the our first night in Toronto there, and it was a sign of greater times to come! I highly recommend Insomnia to those visiting Toronto if you’re looking for delicious comfort food with a twist.