lindygal's Profile
New Orleans cookbook
Go with what the locals cherish most. The Times-Picayune tracked the three most purchased cookbooks when the people of New Orleans needed to rebuild and replenish their kitchens after Katrina. They were: The New Orleans Cookbook by Rima and Richard Collin, The River Road Cookbook by the Junior League of Baton Rouge, and The Plantation Cookbook by the Junior League of New Orleans. And I myself, all the way up in Chicago, have owned and used the Collins' book ever since its first print run nearly 35 years ago. It is, along with Julia Child's French cookery books, the cook book I treasure and use the most. 'Nuff said.
Where do you take visitors to Chicago?
I'm shocked -- shocked and amazed -- that NOBODY mentioned either Fluky's or the Vienna hot dog factory store/deli as the place to get a properly made Chicago style hot dog. Yes, we argue quite a bit here about who makes the best dogs, but those two spots are definitely in the top 5, if not top 3. Hot Doug's gets mentioned often mostly because of the duck fat fries and the other hot sausage servings, but real Chicago dogs require a trip elsewhere.
That said, we also argue about who makes the best Chicago style pan pizza. Giordano's is a few decades behind the originals -- Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Due, Gino's East, and Lou Malnati's -- and not all the franchise locations are the same. I always thought Uno chopped up the ingredients too much into tiny bits and preferred Gino's East and Due, in that order; never did like Malnati's much, but there are people who swear by it. The original Giordano's, which used to be on California just off 63rd street when I was college age, has long been gone but was by far the best of the lot; other Giordano's locations vary somewhat in their results -- but seriously, who can/wants to eat that much dough these days? I focus more on excellent neighborhood thin crust now (no pizza chains!!!!!).
Italian beef is another Chicago original. And it *must* be made with fresh Gonella bread to soak up the gravy without falling apart. The big debate there used to be between Mr. Beef on Orleans and Al's No. 1 on Taylor Street, but neither is quite what it used to be. Still, on a nice warm, sunny day, I'd give Al's on Taylor the edge, if only because the excellent Mario's Italian lemonade is right across the street.
For Italian, yeah, you have a lot of places that serve the kind of food you could easily get in your own home town, but there are some that are a step above. Of two local Italian chains, the Rosebud group and Francesca's, the original locations again rate the highest -- Rosebud on Taylor Street, and Mia Francesca on Clark Street -- and are also among the noisiest restaurants you'll ever dine in. However, there are more interesting Italian places, too: Pizzeria DOC on Lawrence, which serves plenty more than just pizza, and at the haute cuisine end, Spiaggia (still one of my favorites after more than three decades!). Spiaggia also has a sister spot next door, Cafe Spiaggia, which is easier to get into and often serves some of the same dishes.
Another Chicago staple: ribs and barbecue. The north side has its offerings -- Smoque, Fat Willy's, Sun Wah Bar-B-Que for Chinese style, lots of Korean barbecue places, and of course Carson's for baby back ribs -- but the south side can compete with places like Wing Chan (great duck! take-out shop only), Honky Tonk BBQ in Pilsen, Uncle John's BBQ in South Shore (more or less), Ribs 'N' Bibs in Hyde Park, Lem's in Grand Crossing, and the little-known Park Ribs way the heck out near Archer and Harlem, at the very SW edges of the city. However, my current fave is on 79th Street in SW suburban Burbank: Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe and Voodoo Lounge. THE BEST, dammit! Real wood smokers. And Chuck knows his stuff and serves much more than barbecue: plenty of southern and haute Mexican specialties, which is what you'd expect from a guy who worked for Rick Bayless at Frontera Grill/Topolobampo for years. Those two would be at the top of a long list of excellent real Mexican restaurants, BTW (so far from the usual taco and burrito stand that it's not funny; truth: you've never eaten Mexican this good unless you ate at some miracle-making cook's house in Mexico). Yes!!
And that's just scratching the surface. Haven't even mentioned the wealth and breadth of other ethnic places all over town. Many nationalities here, many great meals. Seriously, there's some damn fine eating here. You can tell by the distinct lack of Hollywood-style anorexics and bulimics on the street. We like our food in Chicago, and it's usually better priced than in New York or San Francisco. The only thing we don't have is Creole to match New Orleans, but that just gives us a reason to hit Mardi Gras in NOLA and skip the parades ...
Enjoy your trip to Chicago! May you eat your way from one end of town to the other, from the lake to Oak Park, and never have a bad meal. It's doable.
Looking for Advice on Shaoxing rice wine
I searched using wine-searcher.com and found the wine at Brian's Wine & Liquor Emporium in Piscataway, NJ for $6.99 a bottle, plus tax and shipping. It can be ordered online and shipped to most states.
However, the search function at the store's web site is in a dumb place (bottom center of the web page) and is stupid -- you have to input the name just so, or it won't come up. Use this exact phrase for your search term:
Pagoda Shao xing rice wine
Now you just have to hope that they're not out of it when you try to order it! But it's a beginning ...
Where to buy chinese rice wine
I searched using wine-searcher.com and found the wine at Brian's Wine & Liquor Emporium in Piscataway, NJ for $6.99 a bottle, plus tax and shipping.
However, the search function at the store's web site is in a dumb place (bottom center of the web page) and is stupid -- you have to input the name just so, or it won't come up. Use this exact phrase for your search term:
Pagoda Shao xing rice wine
Now you just have to hope that they're not out of it when you try to order it! But it's a beginning ...
Favorite Diet Sodas?
ps -- here's a treat if you don't mind a bit of sugar: you can get really good fruit syrups from Poland or Hungary at ethnic delis. I've found that the best sour-cherry syrup comes from Hungary, tho some Polish syrups come close (look for sour cherry, not Morello, Bing or black cherry). Also, Italian syrup made from amarena cherries or true maraschino syrup is great. Just pour a tablespoon or two into your favorite plain or lime-flavored seltzer, over ice, and garnish with a twig of fresh spearmint, sweet basil, or lemon or lime thyme. Also: Swiss, German, French or Polish black currant syrup and/or Swedish lingonberry syrup are great in seltzers and iced teas.
Finally, for something different, pour a bit of sugar-free hazelnut syrup into your diet cream soda -- tasty!!
Favorite Diet Sodas?
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned it, but pink grapefruit soda usually isn't as sweet as regular soda, and I'll sometimes drink that instead of diet. Fizz makes a very nice one. When I was a kid, Squirt and Canfield's 50-50 were my favorites -- grapefruit, lemons, and limes: no surprise there -- but the diet versions have too much fake sweetener in them to taste good -- so instead I'll cut the regular version with a bit of lime-flavored seltzer and a wedge of fresh lime. That usually does the trick while reducing the sugar intake to almost nothing.
Favorite Diet Sodas?
I find that saccharine and Equal both bother me in drinks; Splenda less so, but only if they don't overdo the amount -- and commercial soda makers usually do overdo it. At home, when I make fresh iced tea or soda of my own, I find that a mix of equal parts Splenda and superfine (bar) sugar works well, or else equal parts of Truvia (stevia), Splenda and superfine sugar or simple syrup. Even then, I use a light hand and typically even out the flavor with a squeeze of fresh lime. I even put fresh lime in Stewart's key lime soda over ice and in Dr. Brown's cream soda, not to mention my favorite brunch drink: blood orange juice and Pellegrino with a lime and a splash of Rose's grenadine, over ice. Yum!!
Favorite Diet Sodas?
Heck, YES!!!! Doc Brown's diet creme is the best. Diet Vernor's Ale is great, but I can rarely find it in Chicago. Vernor's Ale of either kind used to be very easy to find; go figure. Also agree on the diet IBC root beer -- no off-taste like may others.
Foodie needs recs on cocktails and brunch
Yeah, the Peninsula folks still think they're in Hong Kong before the handover. Nobody here spends that much on brunch unless it's on an expense account or they don't know where else to eat. I don't doubt it's tasty at the Peninsula, but for that price you could walk a few blocks north and get as good a brunch for less at Seasons at the Four Seasons in the Bloomie's building.
That said, Walker Brothers and Lou Mitchell's are the local standards for best brunch at the best price -- but Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe on 95th in Burbank comes very close in price and is their equal in quality; besides, Chuck's brunch is New Orleans style, complete with coffee and chicory, Eggs Benedict and variations, and Bananas Foster French toast. Yummy!!
Chicago Cheap Eats Comfort Food
I LOVE Walker Brothers for breakfast!!! Particularly the Green Bay Road location in Wilmette. Too bad they don't have a South Side location, or I'd be there every weekend.
Chicago Cheap Eats Comfort Food
I'm for smoked baby back ribs as the ultimate Chicago style, but I'll eat smoked spares, too -- and I have three favorites since Carson's diminished in stature:
Fat Willy's east of Logan Square, across from the City North movie theaters (they make a dynamite mac and cheese side dish, too);
Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe and BBQ, on 95th Street at Central Ave., for excellent, fully smoked ribs, brisket, and really fine pulled pork plus Chuck's own Chicago wings (ask for the honey BBQ sauce with the wings!); and
The Patio, on Harlem near 92nd Street in Bridgeview -- really good ribs, either eat in or takeout, but ask for the sauce on the side to fully appreciate the fine taste of the meat; they also have a location on 159th in Orland Park, but I like the Harlem location better.
But I still miss the ribs and the GREAT scalloped potatoes from the original Carson's in Skokie ...
Chicago Cheap Eats Comfort Food
Nah, gotta disagree there -- Ann Sather's still makes great breakfasts (I like the Swedish pancakes with a side of ham and eggs and *lots* of lingonberry preserves), and who doesn't LOVE those cinnamon rolls, especially when they come out warm from the oven?? I could live on those cinnamon rolls, but my butt and waist couldn't take it. Still, they're a worthwhile indulgence every once in a while ...
Absolute best burger in Chicago?
At last somebody mentioned Top Notch!!! It's like you guys never get south of Chinatown. Top Notch Beefburgers have been The Standard on the South Side and SW suburbs for decades. The Beverly location at 2116 W. 95th is the original, but there's also one in a strip mall on the NE corner of 95th and Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn and another on 159th St. in Orland Park. However, the Beverly location is still the best. Excellent homemade onion rings and fries, too (second-best onion rings in the city).
Hackney's in Glenview and in Palos Park still makes a good burger, ditto Charlie Beinlich's (which also makes great chili) and so does Moody's Pub on Broadway -- but I'll put up the burger at Fox's on 93rd and Cicero in Oak Lawn next to those any day -- and Fox's has THE BEST batter-fried onion rings in the metro area!
Now if only I could get a batch of Fox's rings with Top Notch's burger ...
Top 3 Hot Dogs
Hot Doug's is okay but more a specialty joint, not really what I have in mind when I want a real Chicago hot dog -- and how did this discussion about same get this far without mentioning either Fluky's on Western OR the deli at the Vienna Hot Dog Factory on Fullerton and Damen?? The factory deli makes the quintessential "garden on a bun" Chicago dog, and they'll even sell you the appropriate condiments on the spot -- including that typically radioactive green relish and a great big bottle of celery salt that is, thankfully, more celery than salt. I bought my jar of celery salt two years ago and despite almost daily use haven't finished it yet -- but I'm getting very close! It's the best on fresh tomatoes, which every true Chicago dog has.
As for Fluky's, it's a classic -- and that includes their hotdog-shaped bubble gum!
Best value food in chicago
Guys, this list is very out of date -- but having said that, I'd look at the reviews given on Check,please! on the WTTW.com website: they're more current. Metromix is okay but not my favorite for local reviews. Also try http://chicago.citysearch.com/ for the restaurant pages and overviews.
And I still like the deli at the Vienna Hot Dog factory at Fullerton and Damen for the best Chicago dog in town, second best being Fluky's on north Western Ave. As for good burgers, nothing beats Top Notch Beefburgers on 95th Street in the Beverly area -- great fries and onion rings, too -- but the best onion rings go with the second best burger at Fox's on 93rd and cicero in Oak Lawn. HUGE freshly made onion rings in a portion big enough for two!
Finally, a hidden gem in the SW suburbs: Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe and BBQ on 95th Street at Central Ave. in Burbank. He smokes the ribs, pork and brisket just right, over wood, and his other Louisiana/southern specialties are just right. Wonderful brunches on weekends, and terrific banana bread pudding Foster style, with glazed baked bananas between the bread/custard, caramel drizzle and vanilla ice cream. Chuck used to work for Rick Bayless at Frontera and Topolobampo but opened his own place at least five years ago, and the locals are glad he did. He'll be expanding to a larger location just a few blocks to the west on 95th in late spring (May? maybe).
The very BEST King Cake?
Yeah, the sweet brioche dough works for me. SAF makes a yeast specifically for sweet doughs, and that works very well for King cake. King Arthur flour online has a good dough recipe, though they offer a cream-cheese filling to go with it (I skip that). But I do add a touch of almond oil to the melted butter to help keep the baked dough moist. One good point about the King Arthur recipe is that it also uses a wonderful extract called Fiori di Sicilia to flavor the brioche (I make my own version of that by using equal parts Nielsen-Massey Tahitian vanilla extract, orange extract, and almond extract -- it adds the most delicious frangrance and the taste complements the buttery flavor of the dough beautifully). Fiori di Sicilia can be bought online from King Arthur flour.
