Hey guys.
First chow posting in a while, so be gentle. I'm coming to Chicago for the first time in mid-November. We'll be around for a weekend, and I'm hoping to work as much good chow into our time there as possible. We've budgeted for one big blowout (probably Alinea, if we can get a reservation), but other than that, we're pretty open-minded, both price and style-wise. What are your suggestions for a Chicago first-timer? (I've been led to believe there are some pretty outstanding soulfood and mexican options in town, which there aren't tonnes of here in Toronto, where I'm from).
Cheers,
tuqueboy

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Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Hey folks.
It's my wife's 30th on Tuesday, and I'm trying to think of a nice, romantic place with good food to take her. Normally we'd go to Southern Accent, but our friend's ex works there, and we just don't want that kind of drama on a special night. Food's important, but so is atmosphere.
Suggestions?
--tuqueboy

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Southern Accent
595 Markham St, Toronto, ON M6G2L7, CA

Hey folks.
Looking at a Napoleon Propane grill (PT 450RB or PT 450RBI), and I'm trying to figure out how much of a performance difference there is if we get the 450 RBI, which has the Infrared as a main burner, or the 450 RB, where you can get the infrared as an add-on as a side burner (i.e. not in the part of the BBQ where you close the lid). Doing the add-on method is about 400 bucks cheaper, because that model doesn't come with the rotisserie (which is something i really don't see myself using all that much). Dealer (who's someone I've known for a long time) says it may be slightly cooler without the lid on (i.e. as a side burner), but i figure if i'm only using it to sear, i probably won't care if it's 1650 degrees vs. 1800. Thoughts? Suggestions?
--tuqueboy

Hey folks.
Looking at a Kitchenaid dual fuel 30-inch range (gas range, electric convection oven; convection can be switched off). Personally, I'm not certain if the extra $$ are worth it just for the electric oven. Does it really make that big a difference to baking?
--tuqueboy

if you can find it, pannepot gran riserva (by de struisse) is pretty damned interesting. has a lot of the dried dark fruit flavour of a good dubbel or quad, but a slightly tart finish, like a flemish sour. intriguing stuff.

Hey chowpatty.
The Orval and Ommegang are what is known as bottle conditioned; that is, there's still potentially-active yeast in the bottle. Depending upon the condition the bottles were stored in, they could actually be in pretty good shape, because the yeast counteracts any potential infection, and helps ward off the ``bad'' kind of aging. Think of them as wines; bottle-conditioned beers evolve over time. Often, it's for the better, at least for a while. The Ommegang should be lovely. The Orval might be an aquired taste. It already has a tart edge when fresh. After five years, any residual sugars left in it will have been fermented right out, and it will be bone dry. It could be quite interesting. The lambic could be hit or miss, though it probably won't be as good as the other two.
All the things I've said, however, are contingent upon the beers being stored well. Too hot, and the yeast could have died. Too cool, and it would have gone dormant. Let us know how it all turns out!

haven't been in a while, but the tandoor stuff always seemed better than average. i remember quite enjoying some salmon and prawns done in the tandoor.

hey there.
might help folks point you in the right direction if you explain what it is...
--tuqueboy

grace meats (college and grace) has fabulous dry-aged ribeye that you don't have to break the bank for. used to live nearby, and was never disappointed.

personally, i'd just drizzle it on some pita bread. always my favourite way to showcase nice oils.

a dunkel doppelbock would be good. a bit of sweetness goes nicely with pork. paulaner salvator's probably easiest to find.
could also try aventinus, a wheat doppelbock by schneider. lots of clove flavours going on, which also could go nicely.

you can do it either with some kitchen dishes or without. there's a difference in price, but i can't recall what it is.

try calling these places, if you haven't already:
spuyten duyvil (brooklyn)
mugg's alehouse (brooklyn)
waterfront alehouse (brooklyn and manhattan)
dba (manhattan -- east village)

loved the red and white. really didn't care for the worldwide stout. tastes like a really cheap, crappy port.

2) chilean sea bass is a completely different fish, which isn't even a bass. that probably didn't have anything to do with cutting the skin, however -- just need your knife to be super sharp.

Try Southern Tier IPA. They're from Lakewood, N.Y. If you're in the mood for something a little more interesting, their Unearthly (a double IPA) is out-freakin-standing.

dude, get used to it. that's what the hop shortage is gonna mean. get ready for maltier, less hoppy beers.

southern accent's quite romantic, especially the upstairs dining room. ask for the table by the window.

definitely wouldn't pre-sear. only prep i'd do in advance is portioning it out, then lightly scoring the top and bottom of each piece. then put em back into the fridge. as someone else suggested, just use two pans when you do it so you can get all the portions seared at the same time. it'll take a minute (30 secs on each side)

melted unsalted butter.

meating is gone from yonge/eg, but it was moving to somewhere on front street.

pretty sure i've seen it at mike's seafood in the st. lawrence market...

i'd hazard a guess that it's a malted wheat extract.

hey there.
check out ratebeer.com's listings of japanese beer places:
http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/Countr...
cheers,
tuqueboy

I'd say start posting about it now. You seem to have a balanced assessment of the place anyway, judging by ``the food was still excellent.''

in a word? yes. why don't you try cutting it while it's frozen?

I understand your objection in principle, but I think the whole point of this tasting is to see whether these beers deserve the high price-tag, and the hype. which i think isn't vulgar at all. i think it's a fair question.

dude, don't bother with the spuyten duyvil shop. great bottle selection, but have you felt the temperature in there? it's been about 85 degrees the last few times i've been in. i don't mind dropping some serious coin on a few bottles, but damned if i'll do it if they've been stored in a sauna.

don't drink it at all for at least 3-4 years. just too damned rough at first. kinda like someone dropped cheap vodka and a bucket of maple syrup into a bottle of flat barley wine. might get better with age.

spuytenduyvil in brooklyn has one of the best bottle selections i've ever seen. akkurat in stockholm is also outstanding (everything from rare belgians to loads of u.s. micros and oddball english stuff). in toronto, beerbistro has A: an outstanding bottle selection and some well-chosen taps, and a damned good beer-focussed kitchen. they also do their own charcuterie, have their own smoker, and the chef/owner has competed in the bocuse d'or. beerbistro.com, if you're ever in town.