Chicago - Part 1

The only good thing about friends moving away from you is the opportunity to visit new places. A few months ago I had that opportunity, and I headed to Chicago to visit my old roommate Carrie and see what the city had to offer. I have to say I’m not a fan of the humidity — it might be worse than Houston — but the food was amazing! I had lots of “Chicago-style” everything and came home a few pounds heavier after only 3 days.

I arrived Friday night and immediately headed to Lakeview to drop my stuff and grab some grub. We went to Rocks, a local bar with a great patio area. While I’m not usually one to order dinner at a bar, I trusted Miss Carrie and followed her lead. I changed my outlook though when we got there after 9pm and saw this dinner crowd still lingering over their meals. It is usually a good sign to see that people aren’t just eating to head out but instead actually enjoy the food and atmosphere.

bit of Texas in Chi-town 

We both ordered familiar and trusted Shiner beer and something new to me — Buffalo Tator Tots. Having spent years in Oklahoma City (headquarters of Sonic) I know my way around a good tot, but I had never been given the option to add buffalo sauce. Boy have I been missing out! Carrie ordered them and I think I ate half of hers they were so good. The tangy, spiciness of a buffalo wing with the crispness and starch of a tot made these the perfect munching food. Expect these at my next Super Bowl party because they were great! B

After indulging in a few more beverages, we hit the hay and woke up the next morning to check out the town. We stayed in Lakeview for brunch and headed to Ann Sather’s Diner. It was featured on Rachel Ray and while I’m not a huge fan of hers, the woman knows her stuff. This was the perfect, homey diner that makes you love the community aspect of a neighborhood like Lakeview. We got lucky and were there early enough to wait only a few minutes for a table. This must be the place to go because by the time we left, the line outside was at least 20 people deep. But with food this good, I can understand why. You walk in and are immediately met with the smell of cinnamon and baked goods. With brightly painted murals, small tables right next to one another, and an open bakery counter in the back, I felt like I was a part of the family there. We even struck up a great conversation with the two older men eating next to us as we borrowed their salt in exchange for a taste of our cinnamon rolls. The feeling of community was as heavy in the air as the humidity that day.

Line outside Ann Sather's as we left

Having smelled the heavenly cinnamon I knew I had to start with a cinnamon roll. I prefer savory to sweet for my morning meals, but couldn’t help myself with that aroma wrapping around you like a towel fresh out of the dryer. Two cinnamon rolls were quickly brought to the table and each was tall, round, gooey and the size of a grapefruit. They were perfect! Cooked just enough to be airy with melted cinnamon butter and icing that stuck to your fork. They were so delicious they made the world seem happy. I quickly devoured mine while Carrie got about halfway through hers. I don’t even want to think about the number of calories, but trust me they were worth it.

Half of one cinnamon roll!

After that decadence and knowing I was about to step out into 80% humidity outside, I decided to stick to the lighter side of breakfast with scrambled egg whites, fruit and orange juice. The fruit was good — your average melon, grapes, strawberries — but the eggs were doused in butter and had to be practically over-salted before I could eat them. But they sure do look pretty in the picture. I ate maybe a third before giving up and stealing more of Carrie’s fruit.

These weren't delicious, but made for a pretty picture

Carrie had the eggs benedict. Apparently Chicagoans do not add tomato or spinach to their benedict, something that they are obviously missing out on. I didn’t try them, but Carrie said they were stingy on the hollandaise and after the richness of the cinnamon roll she didn’t get too far before calling it quits. Based solely on the cinnamon rolls, service and atmosphere I want to give this place an A but to be fair and truthful I will have to go with a B.

After our hearty meal we headed around town and got a chance to visit Millenium Park, the “Bean” where I photo bombed other people like crazy, and the aquarium. I’m amazed at the number of parks in Chicago. For such a busy area it utilizes the space well. If you’re looking for some indoor fun I would recommend their aquarium. It’s not as good as Dallas’s due to our awesome rainforest exhibit, but seeing the new baby beluga and the jellyfish exhibit was fun. Considering the line was close to 100 people long to get in it must be the thing to do. After much sight seeing and walking around we decided to head home and rest our tired feet for the day. Being a car-friendly Texan I forgot what walking a city can do to your energy levels. Come back next week for more when I tackle Chicago style hot dogs, beer and deep-dish pizza!

Hashing It Out

A few weekends ago, a friend and I were craving some Sunday brunch and headed over to Smoke to try the smoked brisket cornbread hash. While I wasn’t quite sure this was what I wanted when looking at the deliciousness of the Smoke breakfast menu, being true to The List, I ordered and sipped my mimosa hoping I wouldn’t end up wishing I had chosen the blueberry pancakes instead.

Smoked Brisket Cornbread Hash

Thank goodness for The List! The hash came beautifully presented in layers with a sweet and tangy aroma that made waiting to take a picture almost unbearable. A soft and creamy poached egg was perched on a disc of lusciously seared brisket with perfectly bite-sized pieces of potato and cornbread creating the foundation on the plate. The whole thing was lightly drizzled in a chile/mole sauce making the food glisten, and whetting my appetite all the more. If that wasn’t enough, the first bite left me dancing in my chair – literally, I dance in my seat when food is spectacular – yep, I’m cool like that. I ended up eating to the point of being stuffed and luckily got to head home for a nap. If you are planning on being any kind of productive in the hour after eating, do not get this heavenly dish. I’m not sure if it was the overly large mimosas they like to pour – which I am NOT complaining about – the warmth and heaviness of the hash, or the lack of sleep from the past weekend but the next few hours of my Sunday were spent in a lovely state of sleep I can only compare to a Thanksgiving nap. Yep, it was that good. A+

Steak & Fries

I went to Company Cafe last night for dinner to knock two items off The List--sweet potato fries and chicken-fried steak.  If you plan on going there for dinner on a weeknight, go around 7pm.  We went on a Wednesday and there was barely anyone there.  It started getting packed once we were leaving, proving that it is a young crowd favorite.

The other great thing about early timing is the speed of the kitchen.  We had just received our drinks by the time our appetizer arrived.  #46 on The List is the loaded sweet potato fries.  Warning: the orders of this dish are HUGE.  We got a half order to split between two people and still barely finished half of it.  I guess they need a quarter option as well :).  I am extremely picky when it comes to my sweet potato fries.  I want a little bit of soft on the inside with a good crunch and not too much seasoning.  These were perfect.  Whatever salt they put on them is GREAT!  Even the pieces of straight fry were awesome.  The loaded fries come with cheese, bacon, green onion and jalapeno with a side each of ranch and ketchup.  The cheese was perfectly melted with a good mix of bacon, onion and jalapeno.  Also, the jalapenos were big enough that if you wanted to eat around them it wasn’t any trouble.  I only ate a few with jalapenos because they left all of the seeds, and to quote my dinner partner, “I want to be able to taste my main course”.

After almost filling up on fries, we ordered our main courses.  List #31 is the chicken-fried steak and luckily I brought someone willing to order it because I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it off.  Unfortunately, I was rather unimpressed with it.  The chicken fried steak tasted no different than a steak finger you could get at Dairy Queen.  And while I do love DQ they at least have better gravy.  Company Cafe’s gravy was billed as honey-jalapeno, but unfortunately I couldn’t find the kick.  There was a bit of honey taste, but it seemed not to add anything other than wetness to the fried steak.  The mashed sweet potatoes also had an odd texture.  They reminded me of the half-whipped version put into my grandmother’s sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving but without the brown sugar and pecans.  After the masterpiece of the sweet potato fries I was expecting much from the second sweet potato option.

My main course was phenomenal!  I went with the seared scallops and they were delicious.  Each scallop had perfect buttery goodness with a tenderness that barely left me needing a knife before they melted in my mouth.  The roasted brussel sprouts and diced vegetables had a great vinegary compliment, almost like a good collard green.  The broccolini florets were roasted well so that they cut cleanly but were not overly crunchy to chew on.

Overall, I would definitely come back for the fries and a beer but would stick with the lighter main courses for a meal.  B+

the Burger Journey

As much as work requires me to be a planner, sometimes the best thing on a random night is a spontaneous adventure.  After a long week a friend and I decided that it had been way too long since we had crossed something off The List.  We weren’t willing to get dressed up to go out so we decided to try the to-go places.  After a little Google mapping we headed out for our Burger Adventure (insert dramatic music).  Before you go thinking I ate four burgers in one sitting, you should know we ordered one of each item, split what we could and tossed the rest in order to get through it all.  While some places had us wishing we could eat multiples, we knew this was a marathon and we had to plan accordingly.

The first stop of the night was number #54 on The List, the good old-fashioned cheeseburger at Dairyette.  We ordered ours plain and dry with cheese and were not disappointed.  The place itself is an old-school grease joint, filled with regulars and everything you would think of when coming to an old time drive-in diner.  Reminiscent of an older generation, there were no TVs on the walls, no fancy décor and only 10 booths where families sat and enjoyed spending time chatting together.  Dairyette’s focal point was a large cask filled with their homemade root beer.  Most reviews mentioned how yummy their floats are, so I will be heading back again for another nostalgic treat.  Unfortunately, this was one of five -- we were on a mission and could not be distracted from our quest.  While patrons could tell we were newbies, the cashier was obviously accustomed to people showing up to try them out.  They didn’t bat an eye when we asked to split one burger and went above and beyond as they cut and separately wrapped our two halves of burger.  The cheese was perfectly melted, the bun was buttery and warm without begin distractingly thick and the meat held that homemade fresh grilled taste.  Stop one was certainly setting high expectations for the night. A

Stop two was the second drive-in of the night at Keller’s Burgers.  If you have ever watched Happy Days or Friday Night Lights the movie, this is that drive-in, figuratively speaking.  Filled with cars three-deep by 6:30pm, this is the place to be for the locals.  The old timers had their lawn chairs and koozies out, taking it in as the local high school girls hung out of their boyfriends’ trucks to flirt.  I felt like I had stepped back in time watching small town nostalgia at its finest -- smack dab in the middle of Big D.  We again ordered our burger plain and dry, but we just couldn’t pass up the great tater tots, at least according to the 80-year-old man with the eye patch.  He and the sweet man in the throwback Rangers cap complimented my convertible and asked if I was a newbie.  Not that they really needed to ask as I knew I stuck out like a sore thumb.  But the welcoming attitude was appreciated and I must agree with Mr. Eye Patch that the tater tots were worth the added fullness.  While I appreciate Keller’s atmosphere, the best thing I can say about the burger is that I need a do-over.  We should have gotten a double patty, but the poppyseed bun was perfectly toasted, the cheese was great and while the meat had a great seasoning I needed more of it to counter the toastiness of the bun.  But the atmosphere more than made up for it when the gin & cigs-voiced waitress called me “hon” and helped me back out of my spot to head to my next destination.  A-

If Keller’s defined nostalgia, then Village Burger Bar defines West Village.  The popular burger joint in the heart of West Village is the place to see and be seen.  With a patio that wraps the full corner and a crowded bar, this is no place for a low-key night.  Luckily, we had already placed our order to go, so were good with our laid-back attire.  This #93 cheeseburger was a little fancier with bacon, lettuce, tomato and a spicy aioli.  An order of fries was also included as my partner in taste buds raved about them.  I’m glad I trusted him.  The fries were thin, curly and had a nice crunch.  They did cool quickly due to the styrofoam and moisture (another post on the terrible idea to store fries in styrofoam later).  The burger was good but not my favorite.  I may need to go back and get something fancier when my stomach isn’t so overwhelmed. B+

Our final stop for the night was a shift from the burger to the dog.  The Stand is touted as a perfect late night location, and with the fun trailer-like decor and ideal location on the corner of Allen & McKinney, I can understand why.  The woman taking our order looked pretty shocked to have someone come in around 7:30pm.  We ordered one #96 Mac Daddy Dog and headed to my friend’s house to consume our final meal.  This dog was.... interesting.  With chili, mac & cheese and liquid cheese on top of a rather thick piece of meat, it was a bit overwhelming.  I liked it more than I thought I would, but am not sure I would order it twice.  I will however try mixing some chili into a thicker mac & cheese because that part was an unexpected surprise.  This feast of a hot dog would be a great outside dish or fun tailgate appetizer.  Maybe it would adapt well into hili/mac & cheese baked cups? B-

If you are looking for a fun night on the town, I would highly recommend a comparative test of your favorites.  It was great Dallas perspective and a fun drive in the new ride!

Tex-Mex and Tequila

A new restaurant opened last week in Preston Center that may become one of my regulars.  Labeled as “Tex-Mex with a Santa Fe flair,” Ocho has a great bar, creative food, and a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to come back again and again.

A foodie friend of mine mentioned that something had finally taken the place of the dark, dreary steakhouse next to California Pizza Kitchen in Preston Center. She also mentioned tequila so I knew I had to try it out.  Heading south on Preston off Northwest Hwy, I easily slipped into the valet line and was quickly greeted with a smile and welcome.  Even the hosts were overfriendly, asking if I would like to eat in the family friendly downstairs or if I wanted to head up to 8bar.  My fellow diner had already positioned herself at the bar so I headed upstairs.  The giant Warhol-esque portrait of one of the owner’s dogs let me know that this place doesn’t take itself too seriously.

After passing the snakeskin couches and open seating I sidled up to the bar and ordered something tequila-based but not sweet.  The Hatch Chile Smoke did not disappoint.  With green chile powder, lemon and El Jimador Reposado Tequila, I knew I could drink these all night and be a happy camper.  The bartenders were low-key and extremely helpful in telling us all about the restaurant. Being in a town full of snooty mixologists, it is nice to have an easygoing barman who is willing to turn on the baseball game.  We also tried the Tijuana Mule, nice but not a ton of flavor, and the Berry Woodie Smash, which was good if you like bourbon or a sweet drink.  As someone still paying off my credit card debt due to Restaurant Week, having the drink menu organized by cost made things easy on my wallet.  Combined with the late hours — per the website the bar is open “3:00pm to late” — Ocho will certainly attract a younger crowd.

John, our bartender, talked us into the BBQ Duck Quesadillas and the Nachos “Totopos”.  The nachos are made in a cleaned-out coffee can that is quickly removed to create a “stacked” nacho.  It sounded like a great idea, but by the time the bowl arrived at the table everything had collapsed making it look like a normal plate of nachos.  Well, normal if you are used to gourmet nachos.  These are not your normal bar food.  The nachos include spicy braised pork, serranos, whiskey cheddar and a smooth avocado salsa.  The chips are round and sturdy enough to handle the braised pork without having an overbearing corn taste.  The pork, black beans and cheese were evenly mixed and could have been eaten with a fork they were so flavorful.

Even better than the nachos, the BBQ duck quesadillas stole the show.  Thin, naan-like tortillas were stuffed with jack cheese, poblano chiles and plenty of juicy duck.  They were lightly drizzled with crema & lime greens and were so brightly flavored I didn’t even touch the side of pico de gallo.  One of the biggest issues I have with restaurant quesadillas is the amount of grease used during the grilling process.  The last thing I want is an orange line of grease running down my arms while I try to eat.  The quesadillas were lightly toasted with no sign of greasy overcooking in sight.

I will warn you that the portions here are large.  We ordered two appetizers with the plan to try multiple courses and were so full we didn’t get to a main course.  Luckily, no one was quick to rush us out and we finished watching the Rangers game and sipping on our tequila.  While I won’t choose Ocho as my new sports bar, it is great for a mixed group wanting to eat good food, have great conversation and still know what’s going on in Dallas sports.  I can’t wait to go back and see how they fare the next few weeks. That area can be hard on restaurants due to the plethora of options and the high rent, but for everyone’s sake I want Ocho to stick around.  A

Sandwiches

Taking a break from new restaurants to talk about something a bit simpler -- the sandwich.  A well made sandwich is one of my favorite things.  Pulling out bread, meat, cheese and whatever else you can find in the fridge as you veg out on the couch and catch up on bad reality TV ranks pretty high up there on my list.  However, when the major lazy’s strike, finding someone else to make you a sandwich is that much better. 

Oak Lawn location
photo courtesy of eatzi's.com

Not having a beau to make a sandwich for me, the next step is choosing out of the many sandwich shop options in Big D, which brings us to eatZi’s. Having spent plenty of time at Eatzi’s in the past 3 years, I don’t know how I never made it to the sandwich bar until this week. I usually don’t make it past the half-price sushi after 9pm, the orzo pasta salad and the great cartons of gelato by the checkout line.  And technically I still haven’t made it there yet. 

But I did get a chance to try the Build Your Own Sandwich the other day. Got a call from my Dad while headed home one night with the offer to pick up dinner if I want -- free meal = YES PLEASE!! He asked what kind of sandwich I wanted from eatZi’s and was not exactly pleased at my lack of response.  Side note – my taste buds are about as fickle as a hormone-filled teen romance.  I very rarely have a “favorite” anything and this includes sandwiches, making the idea of ordering from a new place over the phone nearly impossible – I’ll go ahead and claim my high maintenance tiara now. Luckily my father recognizes my sandwich commitment issues and walked me through the breads, spreads, meats, cheeses and fixins’ for my creation with the patience of a saint – they say anxiety is genetic, so I think he recognizes my inability to order a sandwich is at least partially his fault. 

I went roasted vegetables on wheat with provolone and pesto sauce.  OH MY GOODNESS!!  No wonder this has been my sister’s go-to sandwich spot for years.  It was amazing!! The bread was hearty enough to hold the massive amounts of veggies without soaking in too much pesto to become soggy.  The veggies included grilled mushrooms, peppers, squash, carrots and a few more veggies – I got a little busy tearing into the sandwich like I’d just finished a weeklong cleanse and forgot to remember the rest.  It was warm but not toasted or over-cooked.  Even the leftovers cold the next day were incredible!!  I was in heaven and HIGHLY recommend this as a go-to prior to any picnic or brown bag lunch adventure you have planned.  Grab a sandwich, some cheese and crackers and your favorite adult beverage at Eatzi’s, then spend a perfect Thursday night at one of the many fun activities offered around town.  I would highly recommend Dallas Guide Live to find out what’s going on around town.  I really can’t think of a better Dallas night! A+ Eatzi’s.

the List

Thank goodness for good friends willing to share good food!  A few months ago a friend of mine passed along what I have grown to call "the List."  It is Oh Hey Dallas' list of the top 100 things to consume in Dallas.  As a fun summer adventure, I decided to try as many of the places and foods as possible. With a full stomach and an empty wallet, I bring you: the List.

100. Fish & Chips from The Mucky Duck

99.  Grilled Avocado Salad from Snappy Salads

98.  Cotton Candy Martini from Four Lounge

97.  Chicken & Dumplings from Norma’s Cafe

96.  Mac Daddy Dog from The Stand

95.  Sushi Pizza from Dee Lincoln’s Bubble Bar

94.  Salted Caramel Gelato from Paciugo

93.  Cheeseburger from Village Burger Bar

92.  Ropa Vieja Tacos from People’s Last Stand

91.  Build Your Own Sandwich from Eatzi’s

90.  Dip Duo from R+D Kitchen

89.  Slap Your Mama Chocolate Cupcake from Trailercakes

88.  Thai Iced Tea from The Mint

87.  Ahi Poke Taco from Velvet Taco

86.  Kimchee Fries from Ssham BBQ

85.  Blue Crab Fried Rice from The Fish

84.  Black Bean Dip from Gloria’s

83.  The Evan from Taco Joint

82.  Smoked Brisket from Lockhart

81.  Chicken & Waffle from Big Mama’s

80.  “The Chaz” from Gandolfo’s NY Deli

79.  Rollo de Canela from Iron Cactus

78.  Larb Gai from Naga Thai

77.  Beef Bone Marrow from Meddlesome Moth

76.  Ahi Tacos from Del Frisco’s Grille

75.  Corndog from Fletcher’s (State Fair of TX)

74.  Duck Spring Rolls from Marquee Grill

73.  Smoked Salmon from TJ’s Seafood

72.  The Gamechanger from SoCal Tacos

71.  Good Karmel from Oh Brownie

70. Portobello Mushroom Sandwich from The Greenhouse Truck

69.  Martini Trio from Perry’s Steakhouse

68.  Fried Avocado Taco from Torchy’s Tacos

67.  Muffuletta from Jimmy’s Food Store

66.  Flatiron Steak with Chimichuri from Asador

65.  Roasted Beet & Blood Orange Salad from Hibiscus

64.  Chocolate Chip Cookie from Kessler’s

63.  Iltalchos from Terreli’s

62.  Basil Pesto Loaf from Breadwinner’s

61.  Deconstructed California Roll from Parigi

60.  Burger from The Grape

59. Lobster and Garlic Ravioli from Holy Ravioli

58.  Dumplings from Royal China

57.  S’mores Calzone from Cane Rosso

56.  Skittle Sangria from The Common Table

55.  Ligurian Caesar Salad from Oak

54.  Cheeseburger from Dairy-ette

53.  The Athenian from Pie Five

52.  Cleaver & Block Burger from Neighborhood Services

51.  Blackbird Julep from Tate’s

50. Onion Rings from The Cedar’s Social

49.  Dill Pickle popcorn from Uptown Popcorn

48.  Buffalo Mac Cups from Oddfellows

47. Chicken Biscuit from Hypnotic Donuts

46. Loaded Sweet Potato Fries from Company Cafe

45. Butterscotch Pot de Creme from Neighborhood Services

44.  Pimento Cheese Sandwich from Bolsa Mercado

43.  Fried Pickle Chips from Frankie’s

42.  Sticky Bun from Nick & Sam’s Grille

41.   Chicken & Jalapeno Dumplings from The Common Table

40.  Garden of Eatin’ Omlet from Lucky’s Cafe

39.  Coconut Cream Pie from Original Market Diner

38.  Fried Green Tomatoes from Hattie’s

37.  Bob Armstrong Queso from Mattito’s

36.  Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Chocolate Secrets

35.  Captain Crunch French Toast from Nick & Sam’s Grille

34.  Crawfish Pistolette from Cajun Tailgators

33.  Truffle Popcorn from Tillman’s Roadhouse

32.  Create Your Own Ice Cream Sandwich from Pokey O’s

31.  Chicken Fried Steak from Company Cafe

30.  Marshmallow Soup from Rise No 1

29.  Pearl Latte from The Pearl Cup

28.  Seared Ahi Tuna Wrap from Dive Coastal Cuisine

27.  Escargot from Toulouse

26.   “The King” from Trailercakes

25.  Herb Marinated Seared Scallops from Local

24.  Pad Kee Mow from Asian Mint

23.  Pretzel Bread from Prime Bar

22.  Italian Style Crab Claws from Campisi’s

21.  Peppermint Whoopie Pie from Society Bakery

20. Brisket Pie from Baker’s Ribs

19.  Miso Glazed Salmon from Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse

18.  Foie Gras Stuffed Prune from Lucia

17.  Biscuits and Honey from Babe’s

16.  Tableside S’mores from Tillman’s Roadhouse

15.  Wild Mushroom Soup from Palomino

14.  Szechuan Green Beans from FiveSixty

13.  Fried Chicken from Sissy’s Southern Kitchen

12.  Lobster Bisque from Ocean Prime

11.  Olive Oil Cake from Lucia

10.  Spanakopita from Stratos

9.  Cheeseburger from Keller’s Burgers

8.  Peanut Butter Pie from Avanti

7.  Smoked Brisket Cornbread Hash from Smoke

6.  French Fries from Off-Site Kitchen

5.  Lobster Shooters from Abacus

4.  Panko Brussel Sprouts from Oak

3.  Seattle Style Deviled Eggs from Neighborhood Services Grill

2.  ANY pizza from Cane Rosso

1.  Duck Breast with Beets and Blood Oranges from Lucia