‘illinois’

Hustling Bricks

August 31st, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

I prefer my bricks customized. Also my mortar.

Given that you are taking the time to read this food post on this meat blog, I’m going to assume that you enjoy eating delicious meals with great company. We all have friends and family members with whom it is an absolute pleasure to share great meals and last night I had the special opportunity to do just that.

My friend Raffi and I bond greatly over very important things like food and football. Last night, he, his co-worker, and I went to a pizza restaurant in Chicago called Bricks. Bricks is located on a stretch on Lincoln Ave. with few other businesses and, as opposed to having a window-front, simply has an arched red awning over a staircase that leads down to the restaurant. Raffi and I are firm believers that you can judge a restaurant by its cover and even though the outside of Bricks is inconspicuous, it calls out at you and makes you think and/or say, “DAMN, this place is going to be GREAT!” Continue Reading»

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A Massive T-Boner at Smith & Wollensky

August 25th, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Smells like bread.

We all cherish those moments in life where we have the privilege of basking in luxury and feeling like we are rich. Last night, I was extraordinarily lucky to eat with one of my best friends at Smith & Wollensky in Chicago and got to enjoy luxury without any of the drawbacks because, well, he has the hook up.

With seats outside overlooking the Chicago River and downtown skyline on a beautiful night, we were ready to indulge. Immediately after sitting down, our drink orders were taken (I ordered a Diet Coke because I prefer soda paired with food to alcohol), and we were brought a plate of warm, fresh bread. The bread was outstanding, seasoned with salt and garlic, and it took every ounce of our willpower to turn down a second round when we finished the plate. We were voraciously hungry and there for a feast but this would be a marathon, not a sprint. More bread now would come at the expense of stomach room for steak later, so we begrudgingly delayed gratification. Continue Reading»

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A Trip for Taste Buds at DMK Burger Bar

August 12th, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Burger or mac and cheese? Can't it be both?

Thanks to @waldocent for the guest post.  Check out his website here.

The last time I was in Chicago, about three years ago, the only thing on my mind was pizza, pizza, and more pizza. However, on my most recent visit it was all about the beef. Burgers, of course.

I arrived in Chicago from Los Angeles at 7 in the morning after no sleep, because this wasn’t some ordinary red-eye. You see, I had a four hour layover in Las Vegas, where I left the airport, watched the fountain show at the Bellagio, placed $20 on black and WON while slurping down a few cocktails before returning to the airport, only to realize that I forgot to do one of the most essential things: EAT. So upon my arrival to Chicago, I declared to the only person listening — my cousin Jesica — that this wasn’t just a trip for me, but also my taste-buds and, to that, Jesica and many others directed me to a burger joint called DMK Burger Bar. Continue Reading»

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OK Burger at Oak Street Beach Cafe

July 27th, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Veggies on the side means some sad fish tacos.

Once again, here’s a guest blog courtesy of @RGSpiegel.

This week, one of my good friends is on a week-long staycation as she transitions in between jobs. Knowing that I set my own hours, she asked me if I wanted to go to the beach. Given that it was 85 and sunny with a slight breeze, she didn’t have to twist my arm too hard to take some time off from blogging late on a Monday morning. Continue Reading»

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It’s Not Digiorno, It’s Sarpino’s Delivery

July 19th, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Gross, mushrooms on a box?!

This guest blog comes courtesy of @RGSpiegel.  He blogs sports too.

Perhaps one of the most uniquely puzzling marketing campaigns of the last year has been that of Domino’s Pizza. In extolling the virtues of their “new recipe” pizza and remarking on how much it has improved, Domino’s is tacitly admitting that their old pizza was not, for lack of better words, particularly good. Given that we were marketed to relentlessly by Domino’s back when their pizza was “not particularly good,” why should we give our valuable pizza dollars to them now? Even with their new recipe, Domino’s is only marginally better than upper tier oven pizzas. The answer, though, lies in their prices. Their special of three medium pizzas for $5.99 each is unmatched, right? Not so fast. Continue Reading»

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Brunching at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba

October 5th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

So many good things in one bowl.

For my second meal in the Windy City, we went to a tapas place called Cafe Ba Ba Reeba.  It’s a part of the Lettuce Entertain You group, which despite having a suspect name, runs some pretty swanky restaurants.  Although this was a tapas place, it also had a special brunch menu that started at 11 when the place actually opened up.  Arriving at opening time, we took our seats in the back, since the outdoor area couldn’t seat such a big group, then took a look at the menu. Continue Reading»

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Splitting Crepes at La Creperie

September 27th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Put some curry in my crepe.

After a couple of days in Michigan, it was off to Chicago for a wedding, but I wasn’t going to let the wedding get in the way of my feeding.  My sister, a Chicagoan for the past few years, recommended we head to La Creperie, so La Creperie we went.  Having been to La Creperie a few times in the past, I was pretty excited to grab some lunch there.  The place has a great outdoor courtyard that is perfect for those Chicago summers.  If only they could last for more than 3 months. Continue Reading»

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A Bacon Donut Brunch at Nightwood

May 24th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Drool.

Another great unvegan guest blog from @RGSpiegel.

A few weeks ago, I was watching a Cubs game on WGN and, being too lazy and preoccupied with whatever the internet had to offer to change the channel after the game (presumably, the Cubs lost), a special about the best places to eat brunch in Chicago came on. Featured first on this special was Nightwood, a restaurant in the Pilsen neighborhood on the South side of Chicago that served up brunch on Sundays. Although I am not one to typically seek out special places to eat breakfast or brunch (which is really just breakfast eaten later in the day because of being too hungover to move any earlier), I knew I had to try Nightwood when I saw that they served up a special unvegan treat: the bacon butterscotch doughnut. When I saw that this creation even existed, I immediately channeled my inner Homer Simpson. Continue Reading»

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Following the Rules at Kuma’s Corner

May 10th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

That burger sounds loud.

The following guest blog is courtesy of Ryan Glasspiegel.  Check him out on Twitter:  @RGSpiegel

After living the unvegan lifestyle in Chicago for the better part of a year, I am extremely ashamed to admit that I had never eaten at Kuma’s Corner until just recently. Located off the beaten path on Belmont Avenue near the corner of Belmont, California, and Elston, Kuma’s Corner is not easily accessible to me by either walking or public transportation. Further, there is a perpetual wait time of over two hours so in addition to knowing someone who has a car, you have to be willing to stake out the significant portion of a day in order to indulge in their renowned hamburgers. Continue Reading»

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Beer Me Some Breckenridge Agave Wheat

The taste of skiing?

Colorado is definitely a beer state, and not just because Coors comes from the Rocky Mountain State.  No, it is also home to New Belgium (of Fat Tire fame) and seemingly countless other micro and craft breweries.  While in Breckenridge for a ski weekend, I decided I had to at least try one of these, and because it turned out to be the only one available at dinner, my choice happened to come from the creatively named Breckenridge Brewery.  The brewery, by the way, is actually no longer in Breckenridge, having expanded and moved to Denver in 1992.

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