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Tagged as burger, Cuba, Fritas, Miami

February 23, 2015 · 8:44 AM

Guide to Old-School beverages at Lisbon’s Quiosques de Refresco

portugal We previously wrote a post about Quiosques, small cafe kiosks located in city squares, and their awesome prevalence throughout Lisbon. Today, we are going to give you a guide to a special breed of quiosque – the Quiosque de Refresco (refreshment kiosk). The quiosque de refrecos is the brainchild of Catarina Portas, proprietor of the store A Vida Portuguesa, who wanted the revive the quiosques in Lisbon, and their old school drinks. The project was extremely successful, and the Quiosque de Refresco is something of a chain now with five locations throughout Lisbon. We were shocked to learn that there was no quiosque (in the recent past) in the bustling Praça Luís de Camões (below) until the Quiosque de Refresco appeared in 2009. Doesn’t it seem like it had been there forever?

Praça Luís de Camões

What makes these quiosques so unique, despite being cool places to while away the time, is that they sell old-school drinks that originated in the mid-20th century or earlier. So what kinds of drinks can you get at a refreshment quiosque? The drink options are written on a little hanging chalkboard, pictured below, and include both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Seem confusing? Never fear, I will walk you through all of the options on the menu pictured below.

QuiosqueMenu

Leite Perfumado – I ordered what I thought was a Spanish horchata, turns out it was actually a leite perfumado. This drink, which translates to “perfumed milk,” is milk steeped with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon, which gave it a chai-like flavor. Even though it is made with UHT (boxed) milk, which I normally do not like – I thought it was great! This drink is served cold.

Leite Perfumado

Mazargan – This is a classic drink made from coffee, sugar and lemon. The Portuguese are big coffee experts, and this storied coffee drink has quite an interesting history, and bears the name of a town in Algeria. Served cold, this drink is sweet and refreshing and good for a midday caffeine boost.

Limonada/oranjada– Perhaps the most familiar option, these are fizzy lemon or orange drinks, much like a San Pellegrino fizzy beverage. These crisp drinks are definitely great for a warm day, or for kids.

Capilé, pre-mixing

Xarope (Syrup) drinks – These drinks came in a variety flavors, and are served with a small amount of sugar syrup in a cup, and you then mix in a small bottle of still water. Two of the most iconic and unique syrups are the groselha and the capilé. These drinks were somewhere between a juice and Kool-Aid in taste, but not super sweet. The flavor Groselha is within my realm of knowledge – red currant. However, capilé was something else entirely – not that it doesn’t even have a translation on the menu – fern! We really enjoyed the Capilé, which had a sweet grassy flavor similar to green tea. Other syrups available included: chá verde/green tea, erva principe/lemongrass, tonilho-limão/thyme-lemon and the simple limão/lemon.

A mixed Groselha syrup drink

Alcoholic:

Vino quente– We were there during the winter, this drink was basically flying out of the quiosque. Vino quente is literally translated as”hot wine,” and is basically a mulled wine (usually Madeira or Port) with spices. Perfect for a cold night.

Grogue – For some reason we had this drink mixed up in our head with the Swedish drink glögg, which is actually more akin to the vino quente above. However, we did find a description of what makes us a grogue from the Quiosque site:

O nosso Grogue mistura aguardente velha, água, sumo de limão e mel, é servido bem quente e deve ser bebido de um trago. Sem medos! Which translates to: Our Grog mixes old brandy, water, lemon juice and honey, is served hot and should be drunk in one gulp. No fear!

Quiosque in Praça do Príncipe Real

So there you have it! Now you know exactly how to decipher the menu, and find your new favorite Portuguese drink. We also suspect these drinks may change with the season…mulled wine may not be suitable for a hot summer day. If you are in Lisbon, the quiosque de refresco is a great slice of history, and it fun to seek out all of the different quiosques across town. If you go, let us know what you order!

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Tagged as capilé, drinks, groselha, Leite Perfumada, Lisbon, Mazargan, Portugal, quiosque, Quiosque de Refresco, Refrescos

February 19, 2015 · 11:15 AM

Cheap NYC Chinatown eats at Vanessa’s Dumpling House

We were in NYC right before Chinese New Year and found ourselves hankering for some good, cheap Chinese food. Vanessa’s Dumpling House (118A Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002) came highly recommended by my cousin, who is always in the know. When we arrived on a bone-chillingly cold day, there was already a very large line, and huge trays of Beijing-style dumplings basically flying out the door. We knew we were in the right place.

Dumpling prep at Vanessa’s Dumpling House

The specialties of Vanessa’s are dumplings – obviously – but also an intriguing Northern-Chinese style dish – the sesame pancake. The sesame pancake was a must-have according to my cousin, and it was a completely intriguing dish to us, cooked in a giant round pan, and cut into manageable triangles. Despite the name “pancake,” this was basically a Chinese riff on focaccia bread. It had a light bread-y texture, coated with oil and topped with sesame seeds – a little greasy maybe, but totally delicious. And a slice is only $1! Yes, this place is crazy cheap. Vanessa’s takes the sesame pancake concept one further by even making sandwiches out of the sesame pancakes with fillings like beef and Peking duck ($2-3).

Fried dumplings

Onto the dumplings – we ordered a mix of fried and boiled. We got the four fried pork and chive dumplings for only $1.25, eight boiled veggie dumplings, and eight boiled chicken and basil ($4 for 8). The dumplings were perfectly formed and cooked to perfection, though we slightly preferred the slightly crispy skin of the pan-fried dumplings. We also appreciated the soy and chili dipping sauces that came with each order. It was a real treat to watch the production at Vanessa’s – talk about a well oiled machine. You can also pick up some 50-packs of frozen dumplings to enjoy in the comfort of your own home ($7-14). We took our goodies to go and heartily enjoyed our little taste of Chinatown. We can’t think of a better place to get a cheap dumpling fix – and you absolutely have to try the sesame pancake.

Batch of dumplings being cooked at Vanessa’s Dumpling House

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Tagged as China, dumplings, NYC, sesame pancake

February 12, 2015 · 9:29 AM

Chocolataria Equador: Portuguese chocolates with style

We are going to NYC this weekend, home of one of our favorite chocolate purveyors, Mast Brothers (shop located at 111 N 3rd St, Brooklyn, NY, though you can get the bars elsewhere). Along with having superlative chocolate, we appreciate Mast Brothers’ attention to detail with the clean, simple packaging with interesting papers. While in Lisbon, we came across a store that reminded us a lot of the Mast Brothers’ aesthetic, Chocolataria Equador (Rua da Misericórdia 72, Lisboa). Located in the Chiado district in central Lisbon (with another location in Porto), this elegant and minimalist Portuguese store sells dark, milk and white chocolate bars with flavors including sea salt, port wine, crispy rice and hazelnut, as well as pure bars without any add-ins. The the chocolate is from around the world, but the bars are handmade in Portugal, with beautiful packaging. Though a little pricey, the chocolate bars came in a variety of sizes for appetites big and small. We sampled an 80% single origin bar – which was phenomenal – perfect for those who like their chocolate to be intense. Inside the shop, there is also a counter with beautifully-decorated truffles and other tidbits for a sweet tooth, including a riff on the iconic-in-Portugal chocolate umbrella. Chocolataria Equador is definitely a must-visit for any chocolate (or design) lover in Lisbon.

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Tagged as Chocolataria Equador, chocolate, Lisbon, Mast Brothers, Portugal

February 5, 2015 · 8:26 AM

Portuguese Pastry Post-doc: Bola de Berlim

Berlim Ich bin ein bola de Berlim. Yep, this is an offshoot of the Berliner, the classic German jelly donut. The Bola de Berlim is popular throughout Lisbon, and is a basically a fried donut split and filled with yellow egg yolk-based cream found in many Portuguese pastries, creme pasteleiro. However, we have also seen them filled with chocolate cream, occasionally. The regular and mini-sized classic BdB above are from the Padaria Portuguesa bakery chain, though you can get them pretty much anywhere pastries are sold in Lisbon. M liked these as a Portuguese replacement fix for his beloved American donut (though we saw some bizarre prepackaged versions of “American donuts” in the supermarket as well). You can even make Bola de Berlim of your own at home.

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Tagged as Berliner, bola de Berlim, donut, doughnut, Lisbon, Portugal

February 2, 2015 · 8:24 AM

Comida de Santo: A taste of Bahia in Lisbon

brazil We often complain that we can’t find a good moqueca outside the Brazilian state of Bahia. This Northeastern Brazilian coconut milk and palm oil stew is one of our all-time favorite dishes. So when we learned there was a restaurant in Lisbon specializing in Bahian specialties, Comida de Santo (Calçada Engenheiro Miguel Pais 39, 1200 Lisboa, Portugal) we thought we would give a foreign moqueca one last try. Thanks this visit, we were also introduced to the elegant Principe Real neighborhood, where we really enjoyed meandering around the architecturally-interesting streets full of boutiques and antique shops. The restaurant’s name means “food of the saints,” and had an extensive menu featuring food from Bahia and other parts of the Brazilian Northeast, a region of the county whose culture and cuisine has a heavy African influence, and is hard to get outside of Brazil.

The decor of the cozy restaurant is very cute, we immediately liked the colorful green mural with the armadillo (above), and the classic “namoradeira” woman statue in the window (below). Anyone who has been to Brazil will recognize this statue immediately, since she pops up everywhere. We stared with the standard couvert of bread and olives (€2 – bread and butter is not free with a meal in Portugal), as we perused the menu. We noticed that there were also a smattering dishes from the Minas Gerais region of Brazil, including Mineiran couve (collard greens), we were a little disappointed that there was no pão de queijo available, an essential Minas staple. We waffled among a few of the entrees, including pichanha steak (€18), Carne do Sol (€18) and the requisite bean and meat stew, feijoada (€16.50). However, we knew we had to try at least one moqueca, which came in fish, shrimp and vegetarian varieties. As is our tradition, we went with the shrimp (€20). M was also pleased to find one of his favorite dishes, Xin Xim da galinha (€16), a stew made with shredded chicken. The service, meanwhile, was friendly and efficient

We were pleased that the moqueca came out in a traditional stone dish and was bubbling: a very good sign. Moquecas typically come out with fixings; this one came with the classic farofa, rice, and malagueta sauce. We might have a likes a few more accompaniments like beans and vatapá. The moqueca itself was good, and had a generous amount of palm oil, but maybe needed a little more coconut milk. The xin xim was a hearty portion of shredded chicken with a smoky spiced flavor, and was a welcome and familiar dish we had not found much outside Brazil. The portions were extremely generous, which left us thinking that perhaps one portion was meant for two. Were we not so stuffed we might have made room for the quindim, a egg yolk pudding (€5). While our moqueca experience was perhaps not as transcendent as Axego in Salvador, Comida de Santo gave us heart that there can be hope for an international moqueca. Though we still need to find somewhere to get acaraje abroad! MoquecaLisbon

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Tagged as Bahia, Brazil, Libon, Moqueca, Salvador

January 30, 2015 · 9:42 AM

The best roast chicken in Lisbon: Frangasqueira Nacional

Our noses led us to the Frangasqueira Nacional (Rua da Imprensa Nacional 117, Lisbon, Portugal). We were on our way to another restaurant in the area when we smelled the delicious roast chicken and spotted the tiny shop down the travessa. We knew we absolutely had to return, so we stopped in a few days later. Though the name is a tongue twister, don’t be intimidated – it just means “national chicken shop.” True to form, all they sell are ribs, sausage and the piece de resistance: roast chickens! Though everything looks great, obviously you are here for the chicken.

Frangasqueira Nacional

This is a take-out-only shop and 2/3rds of the store is given over to a giant charcoal grill with an expert griller manning it. When we popped in on a rainy night, the entire grill was full of spatchcocked chickens with various stages of char, and a small line of hungry Lisboetas. Everything in the shop is sold by weight (chicken is €16 a kilo), along with a small selection of extras including fries, rice, tomato salad, chocolate cake, and a refrigerator of cold drinks and beer. You can get your chicken plain, or with spicy piri piri sauce, which was billed to us as only a little hot (don’t worry it isn’t too hot at all). They are crazy about piri piri in Portugal, a sauce made from malagueta peppers, citrus, lemon and garlic. The non piri piri chicken baste was also flavorful, with a hearty helping of salt and garlic.

Grillmaster at Frangasqueira Nacional

A blackboard informed us that a chicken was usually about 3/4th of a kilo, so over 1.5 pounds, which we figured was more than plenty for the two of us. As you can see, unlike in the US, these chickens appeared to be of a normal size. With a side of rice, our whole meal clocked in at less than €12. Don’t worry about having to cart home an unwieldy bird: the grillmaster had a huge pair of scissors with which he cut the chicken into about 8 pieces expertly and efficiently. This seemed like the perfect size for us, but if you would prefer a sampler, there are a variety of deals where you can get a combination of meats for well less than €10.

Chicken’s ready!

There is no place to sit inside the shop, but if the weather is nice, a perfect place in would be in the elegant Príncipe Real garden, which is only a few block away and has an awesome quiosque. We opted to take ours home, where it fed us for 2 meals! Even after a half hour subway ride home: the chicken was delicious, juicy with a crispy skin. It was amazing and certainly one of the best roast chickens we have ever had! We are so happy we found the Franguesqueira, it has become one of our go-to Lisbon places. If you are in the mood for a good, cheap and comforting meal, we can’t think of a better deal in the city.

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Tagged as Chicken, Frangasqueira Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal

January 22, 2015 · 8:10 AM

Mozambique in Lisbon: Cantinho do Aziz

Restaurante Cantinho do Aziz
Rua das Fontaínhas de São Lourenço 5
Lisbon, Portugal

Mozambique

If you’re looking for fantastic Portuguese food, Lisbon is the place. But Lisbon is also an excellent one-stop option if you are looking from food from other Portuguese-speaking countries. In previous visits to Lisbon we have sampled Cape Verdean, Angolan, and Goan (Indian) cuisine, but Cantinho do Aziz was our first experience with Mozambican food. We had heard nothing but good things about Cantinho do Aziz, so were excited to check it out. Be forewarned: the place is a little hard to find, located on a narrow street in the old, labyrinthine Mouraria district of Lisbon, up flights of stairs from the Martim Moniz Largo, a hotbed of Indian and African shops and culture. You have found your destination

In the middle of winter, Cantinho do Aziz, seems to be a small restaurant. Tucked away in the building shown above, Aziz, the amiable and gregarious owner, would later assure us that during the warmer months hundreds of people dine here each evening, in the huge outdoor seating area that was currently closed, listening to Mozambican and Cape Verdean music while they enjoyed their meals. Indeed, if we ever come back we will surely eat outside; but even so, the Aziz’s menu had a ton of delicious-sounding options, many of which were totally new to us. Aziz was more than happy to guide us through the menu and tell us about the restaurant, which had been on the same site for decades. Aziz recommened the charmussas (€1) to start, a word related to the Indian samosa – a cognate that should already clue in diners to the fascinating history of cultural exchange in the Indian Ocean that infuses Mozambican cuisine. Indeed, we ordered two charmussas, one vegetarian and one beef, and in biting into his, M stated that it “tastes like the Indian Ocean.” Being a fire-breather, he was also a huge fan of the potent and flavorful habanero pepper sauce that accompanied the charmussas.

For entrees, we went with the Zambezi chicken (named for the river that flows to the Indian Ocean through central Mozambique) and the makoufe. The Zambezi chicken (€5) was similar to the roast chicken we had at the Angolan restaurant Moamba and featured a charred, flavorful skin. The makoufe (€9), voted the best dish in Lisbon by Time Out magazine in 2013, was the more complex option and definitely lived up to its billing. Reminding us of a Brazilian moqueca, makoufe stews generous portions of crab, shrimp and greens together with palm oil and coconut milk. Both dishes were delicious and heavily spiced (but not spicy). We were also impressed by the number of vegetarian dishes and appetizers on offer. The Cantinho drew a diverse crowd, and Aziz noted that it was even a popular lunch spot for workers from the American embassy. We can easily see why – we ate like kings for less than €20!

Though we were pretty full, we could not resist getting some dessert – cashew fruit mousse. We first encountered the cashew fruit (yep, where the nut comes from) in Brazil, and were perplexed by its sweet cross of citrus, papaya and nut flavors. It stood up pretty well in mousse, too!

Mozambican cuisine was definitely a unique combination of global influences we had never tasted before, and Cantinho do Aziz was the perfect place to try it. We were blown away by the tastiness, quality and low prices at Cantinho do Aziz. It is the perfect, friendly local option for fans of any cuisine. We hope to go back someday in nice weather to eat outside!

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Tagged as Lisbon, Mozambique

January 21, 2015 · 9:54 AM

Cheap Eats in Istanbul

turkey We had heard from an acquaintance that there was no good cheap food in Istanbul. That could not be less true! Much like Rome, there are a lot of tourist trap places with overpriced low-quality menus, aiming to make a buck on tired tourists by providing sub-par food. However, on the whole, we probably had better luck finding good, cheap food in Istanbul than Rome. One such example of the good options available is Melekler (113 Ipek Sok, off Küçük Parmakkapi Sok). Located in the bustling Taksim district of Istanbul, this place is blink-and-you’ll miss it small. However, the enticing menu of BBQed meats keeps it pretty packed.
MelekerIstanbul
M ordered a plate of Spicy Urfa kebabs, delicious grilled pita and roasted tomatoes. As you can see above, the portions were more than generous. L had a broiled chicken durum wrap that was even cheaper! Durum flatbread wraps are the specialty of the house here, and are definitely worth a try. Dinner was less than 12 Lira, and the tasty BBQ spread certainly fed the two of us. Melekler is open for lunch and dinner – cash only (though you won’t need to bring much). If you are looking for another quick place for a cheap eats even closer to the touristic center, we also recommend Sultanahmet Köftecisi (Divanyolu Caddesi 12A, Sultanahmet) for amazing, cheap quick kebabs right in the heart of town.

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Tagged as BBQ, Istanbul, Turkey

January 7, 2015 · 9:35 AM

Our Favorite Tacos Al Pastor in Chicago: Taqueria Los Barrilitos

Mexico Flag After our trip to Mexico City, we became obsessed with finding the best tacos al pastor in Chicago. We found some excellent tacos al pastor at Xoco – but there were some downsides – it is only available once a week, and was a little pricey. We wanted somewhere we could get a cheaper tacos every day of the week to satisfy our true al pastor cravings. One name that kept coming up on our radar was Taqueria Los Barrilitos (3518 West 25th Street, Chicago, IL), so we knew we had to visit.

Los Barrilitos

We rolled up to Los Barrilitos on a cold night just before Christmas, and before we committed to dining, M peeked in the window to make sure there was a trompo piled high with marinated pork. There was! We had been burned before by places that were rumored to have a trompo, but did not in reality. Score a point for Los Barrilitos! We were excited the place was festooned up brightly for Christmas, lights, decorated tree and all (even the cactus had bows for Christmas). There was no menu: you just chose from a small selection of tacos including steak, al pastor and tripe. The trompo looked pretty amazing, so we went with only the al pastor tacos ($1.75) each and a horchata rice drink.

Al Pastor at Los Barrilitos

The tacos were brought out pretty quickly by a kind waitress, along with pickled habaneros and two salsas. The tacos were bigger than we expected, and came on warm corn tortillas with the traditional onion and cilantro toppings. The al pastor was a standout, with a great color, flavor and a nice char. It definitely reminded me of some of our favorites from Mexico City. Our only knock against them was that there was no pineapple, part of the intrinsic al pastor experience.

Trompo at Los Barrilitos

We polished off our tacos pretty quickly and the cook even let us take a few pictures of the trompo on our way out. He actually seemed kind of humored that we took such an interest in the trompo. We left Los Barrilitos in a better mood than after most meals of 2014. These tacos al pastor are the real deal, and for the right price! Please visit Los Barrilitos ASAP (for both the al pastor and for the festive cactus).

Cactus with bows at Los Barrilitos, our spirit plant

Filed under Reviews, World Eats

Tagged as al pastor, Mexico, Tacos

January 5, 2015 · 9:24 AM

Dinner at Sobremesa Supper Club

Happy 2015! We’re back from “break,” and we wanted to kick off the year with a review of one of the top dining experiences we had in 2014: Sobremesa Supper Club. Have you ever wanted to have an amazing Michelin-caliber dinner in the record-filled dining room of a house in Pilsen with an assortment of uber-cool friends you haven’t met yet? Well, now you do! Sobremesa gives you that experience and more. We had been meaning to try Sobremesa for months and in November we finally got our chance.

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Sobremesa, the brainchild of Chef Gabriel Moya and husband and wife team Efren Candelaria and Mayra Estrella, is a pop up supper club that has dinners every few weeks (more in summer, less in winter), driven by creativity and local produce. Beyond amazing food, it is definitely the little touches that put this dinner into a whole other realm. For one, each dinner has its own original limited edition mini-poster and handwritten menu – each tucked in a 45 record sleeve. The musical theme carries into the rest of dinner, and diners are welcomed to rifle through the extensive record collection which included the likes of Jorge Ben (our favorite), Ray Barretto and Fela Kuti.

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The dinner was BYOB in the front room of a cool Pilsen house, and the long table seated a maximum of 12 people. There were a couple of groups of friends there and one other “lone” couple, who we talked to. I am not usually one for the whole communal table experience, but it was nice to chat with like-minded food lovers. Efren also was great about talking to everyone and explaining the mission and concept behind Sobremesa. After some mixing and mingling, we took our places at the table. We each received a handwritten menu with the dishes of the day, though the descriptions were cryptic enough to make you wonder about the true shape of the dish.

*We started off with plantain chips and aji amarillo, served family style (below). We love anything with Peruvian aji amarillo, so we totally gobbled this all up.

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*The next dish was simply titled: Pear, hibiscus and onions, and was a delightfully composed, simple plate. The sweetness contrast between the pears and onions was delightful.

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*Next was something a bit more substantial: Cauliflower soup with a quail egg and fried leeks. Really, this was fried leek roots; it was here the chef made a point of discussing how chefs often ignore or discard potentially wonderful parts of plants, in this case, the roots. This soup was super creamy and delicious, and the use of the fried leeks was truly inspired. L also enjoyed the Lilliputian quail egg.

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*The fried Brussels spouts (inspired by Momofuku) with radishes made us believer in Brussels sprouts for once.

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*Next up was the unusual textures of roasted pumpkin and crema with coffee with ground cherries and puffed rice. This took on a smoky and almost mole-like flavor, and was super-complex. An appropriate dish for a November dinner, Chef Moya referred to this as something of a statement on the potential of pumpkin to stand on its own without the use of sugar, as many chefs (and palates) seem to insist on using pumpkin as a sweet / dessert dish. Here, the natural flavors of the pumpkin shined through, and worked beautifully with the coffee and crema.

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*Between the next 2 courses, there was a palate cleanser of pickled beets and carrots, an elevated version of what you may find in a little dish on a taqueria table.

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*Next was one of our favorite dishes of the night: chicken of the woods mushroom tacos with corn tortillas and cotija cheese. We were totally surprised by the umami taste of the mushrooms- so meaty! (cue Soup clip). This was a course we could eat on a daily basis.

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*The dessert of the night was billed modestly as “Apple and Yogurt and Coriander” but this turned out to be one of the most complex and surprising dishes. Originally this plate came out as smoked coriander cake topped with pickled mustard seeds and apples. After a minute, Chef Moya came out with the whey left over from the previous dish’s queso fresco, and used it as a sauce for the dish. Beautiful.

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*The final dish was oats, figs and queso fresco cheese topped with chamomile honey. The texture was Oatmeal-like and perfectly complemented by the savory/sweet figs and cheese.

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One of the stated goals of Sobremesa is to be veggie-forward and accessible, and they definitely succeeded. Though $55 (not including tips) isn’t pocket change, it is a great price for the amount of food you get. All of the dishes were tasty and creative, and the flow of each dish into the next was perfect. Dinner at Sobremesa has to be one of our top meals of 2014, and it was certainly our most unique dining experience. We are looking forward to trying Sobremesa in a different season – we know they will have something creative in store!

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Tagged as Sobremesa Supper Club

December 29, 2014 · 9:31 AM

Your New Wednesday Plans: Tacos al Pastor at Xoco

Mexico Flag So you don’t have plans for Wednesday night? Ok, now you do. You plan is to go get tacos al pastor at Xoco (449 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL)! Every Wednesday after 5 PM, Xoco’s main draw is the al pastor, made from layers of seasoned pork, topped with pineapple carved right off of a trompo (a giant meat cone – much like the one used to make gyros) Mexico City style. When we went to al pastor day at Xoco, Rick Bayless was even there to monitor and maintain the trompo. Nice – that’s quality assured!

Al Pastor Trompo (partially in hiding) at Xoco

It is $11 for 3 tacos on corn tortillas, which come in a basket with a small side of a spicy chipotle salsa. We thought the price was a little steep, but we figured we were paying for quality – and we were – everything was delicious! The al pastor meat was flavorful and had a deep red color with a nice crispy crust, just how we like it. Each taco was also topped with a crispy slaw (non-traditional) and slices of pineapple (traditional). Xoco’s was probably the best rendition of al pastor we had in the city so far, though it made us mostly want to go to Mexico City. The corn tortillas were a little cold, which was our only knock against the dish.

Tacos Al Pastor at Xoco

We plan on making a visit to Xoco’s Tacos al pastor a Wednesday night tradition. A trompo is the key to delicious tacos al pastor, and they are relatively rare, so finding one is a great thing. We have word that the al pastor tacos will be available at Xoco until March, so make a visit while you still can.

Tacos Al Pastor 3 for $11

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Tagged as al pastor, Rick Bayless, Tacos, Xoco

December 22, 2014 · 9:54 AM

Superb Cuban Lechon at Señor Pan

Señor Pan
4612 West Fullerton Avenue
Chicago, IL

cuba If there’s one thing you know about M it is that he loves pig: bacon, pork, lechon. You name it, he loves it. We especially love whole roast pig prepared Caribbean style, or as lechon. We have been on the hunt for our favorite lechon in the city for the past year or so, and we have come up with some pretty great options, though the hunt continues. We were going to an event at the excellent SRBCC, and we wanted someplace quick and casual to eat, and came upon Señor Pan. When we learned they had lechon we were sold.

Senor Pan Interior

Señor Pan is located in a strip mall in the West side, in the Hermosa neighborhood. There is not much to see on the outside, but the inside is much nicer than you would think! It is decorated like a Cuban house, with an indoor trellis and murals. It was impeccably clean and super lively -filled with families, couples and groups of friends. There was also a full bar, but most people seemed to be enjoying the food. The menu is fairly large, with a selection of sandwiches and platters, including the popular Cubano and Medianoche sandwiches. For entrees there were a variety of steaks, chicken, and even salmon and some veggie entrees.

Senor Pan

We of course went with the lechon. L got a regular lechon sandwich (only $4.95) and M got the lechon platter with black beans and platanos maduros (grilled sweet plantains) for $9.95. However, the star of the show was definitely the lechon – it was juicy, well-seasoned and tender and perfectly complemented by the caramelized onions. The sandwich size was also excellent for the price – we couldn’t believe we got so much food for so little (and the Cuban bread was darn tasty, too). M ordered a banana batido/milkshake ($3.50); other varieties included mamey, mango and strawberry. L also got a traditional Cuban cortadito to finish the meal ($1.50) – a small cup of strong, sweetened espresso. The cortadito was excellent – no bitterness at all!

Senor Pan

There was also a small selection of Cuban coffee and snacks to take home with you. It also bears noting that Señor Pan has a mascot, who is too funny not to include in this post. Señor Pan was definitely a great, and surprisingly-atmospheric, place for a bite. Go for the lechon and stay for the coffee.

Senor Pan

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Tagged as Cuba, lechon

December 19, 2014 · 12:20 PM

Maltese cuisine in London at Parparellu

malta

We often talk about how finding food from small island nations can be difficult. However, we finally pinned one down- Malta. When we were in London, we actually found a Maltese restaurant with a lot of good press, Parparellu (93, Fulham Palace Road, W6 8JA London). Parparellu is located near Hammersmith, in Southwest London, and is a bright, cheerful and modern restaurant. We knew we were in the right place because there was even a Maltese Cross-shaped cake displayed proudly in the window! Upon entering the store, we were immediately greeted by the friendly Maltese proprietor, Joseph Pace, who helped explain all of the items for sale.

Maltese goods for sale at Parparellu

Along with a large glass deli counter of prepared foods, there were soda, wine and snacks from Malta for sale, as well as a freezer full of take-and-bake goods. Joe assured us that everything is made fresh in the store, except for the pastizzi – which are made in Malta and shipped over frozen. We were really impressed by the large variety of pastries and prepared dishes for sale, and though some seemed similar to Italian or Greek food – all being Mediterranean neighbors- others were completely unique and new to us. It is worth noting that Parparellu also serves Illy coffee, so we took the chance to get a quick pick-me-up.

Our favorite treat was the pouch-like qassatat pastry (£0.85), filled with either tuna, spinach or ricotta. We went with the ricotta. Another traditional Maltese pastry on offer was the pastizzi (£0.95), a lobster-tail-like delicate pastry filled with mushy peas and ricotta – and we thought mushy peas were just a fish and chips thing. For some more substantial mains, we got a takeaway box filled with feta and cucumber salad and couscous with golden raisins (pay by weight). We were completely impressed by how nice and fresh everything looked, and were also tempted by the baked macaroni-and-bolognese timpana. To finish up, we selected from among the vast array of Maltese cookies, including a Maltese take on the cannoli – spelled with a “k”. We were a bit overwhelmed by all the cookies, but Joe suggested that we try the Kwalezimar: chewy almond paste cookies flavored with orange blossom water.

Our Maltese Picnic Lunch (l-r): Pastizzi, feta salad and couscous in box, qassatat, and kwalezimar

After picking everything up we went to a park that was somewhat near to our AirB&B – the Kyoto garden of Holland Park. We dug into our food, and managed to attract the attention of squirrels and some peacocks while doing so. Everything was fresh and delicious, and not too much worse for wear after a tube ride. The pastries were definitely standouts, with tender, flaky crust, and flavorful fillings. The mushy peas even had a hint of curry flavor, which we were not expecting, but appreciated. We are so glad we visited Parparellu to finally get a taste Maltese food. Now if only we could find some stateside….

Filed under Reviews

Tagged as London, Malta

December 18, 2014 · 11:19 AM

The Best Thing We’ve Eaten Recently: Cinnamon Roll at Baker Miller

Everyone has been buzzing about Baker Miller (4610 N. Western Ave.), and the fact that they mill their own flour, adding yet another layer of artisan to the artisanal bakery. Everyone is especially buzzing about their bread and toast bar – there are even toasters available at every table to toast it up yourself. So when we visited on Saturday, we were a little disappointed to see the power was out (and therefore the toasters, too) – not their fault – it affected the whole block. But luckily for us that meant they were having a fire sale on cinnamon rolls – 2 for 1 at (normal price $3.50). The cinnamon rolls were huge – so this is a really good bargain. We decided to split one in the store and take one home for later. On appearance alone, we were delighted – but the taste was even better – this was a darned good cinnamon roll! The roll, which was actually an earthy sourdough, had a good cinnamon flavor, and was not covered in a gross sticky glaze that I hate, like at some other venues. The “raw sugar” frosting was also particularly fresh, and not overpoweringly sweet. This was a restrained cinnamon roll – and we liked it. You can even take some rolls to bake at home yourself. After our excellent cinnamon roll experience, we can’t wait to visit Baker Miller again when they have power.

Cinnamon Roll at Baker Miller

Filed under Pastry Post-Poc, Reviews

Tagged as Bakery, Cinnamon Roll

December 17, 2014 · 10:24 AM

Into the south with Big Jones

We have been meaning to try Big Jones ( 5347 North Clark Street) for a long time, and when we took a look at their Big Southern menu with elevated takes on lowcountry, cajun and creole classics, we certainly weren’t disappointed! Big Jones itself is very simple and clean, with wrought iron chairs, damask wallpaper and cool marble tables. The dark restaurant that is much deeper than it looks with lots of room for tables – seriously – it just keeps going. Big Jones has a slightly retro vibe, but certainly no kitsch, and that definitely set the tone for the night.

For those beverage connoisseurs, there was a huge selection of both American and imported Whiskey and Bourbon, and you can even join a Bourbon tasting club, where you can get a passport to stamp, and when you have gotten 46 stamps you earn the title of “Master Taster.” You are definitely spoiled for choice on other parts of the menu as well. M particularly liked the ability to build your own charcuterie plate. M sampled the Boudin Rouge ($6), a blood sausage he had tried on a visit to Baton Rouge, and tasso ($7), a heavily cured and spiced ham. The tasso came with a side of pimento cheese, made with our perennial favorite, Hook’s cheddar, which was fantastic.

Big Jones Cornbread

First off, we were depressed that there were no biscuits available for dinner, since we will eat biscuits at any opportunity available. The waitress implied that we should have known that, but who doesn’t want biscuits ALL the time (Suggestion to Big Jones: have biscuits available all the time). We tried to fill the biscuit shaped hole in our heart with other sides. First up: cornbread with honey butter ($6). This cornbread come out in its own cute mini cast iron skillet, and was served with shallots, whipped butter and local honey, which was a real complement to the light and crispy cornbread. For another starter, we tried the cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes ($8), tasty but not as memorable as the cornbread.

Big Jones Fried Chicken

We tried to get a sampling of dishes from the menu, and we heard especially glowing things about the fried chicken. The fried chicken, though a little expensive ($23 for a half) was an absolutely huge portion, enough for two: a breast, thigh, wing and drumstick. It also came with a side of chicken and dumplings and collard greens. The highlight of the fried chicken was the delicious buttermilk and cornmeal breading, and the crispy skin, which had been fried in fried in leaf lard, ham drippings, and clarified butter (not for the diet-minded). Though the chicken was not quite as moist as it could be, the juicy crust made up for this minor shortfall. Our other main entree was shrimp and grits ($17), made with heirloom grits dotted with cheese, mushrooms, tasso ham, and butter. The grits were extraordinarily velvety and creamy, but with a very strong tasso flavor, in case you are not feeling bacon-y.

Big Jones Shrimp and Grits

We finished up the meal with a decadent trio of homemade gelato: salted caramel, chocolate and the more unusual mamey fruit flavor. We really enjoyed our meal at Big Jones, it was an elevated southern experience that wouldn’t have been out of place in the restaurant scene of Savannah or Charleston. We appreciated the obvious care they put into the sourcing and preparation of their food, and their respect for Southern foodways. Especially on a cold night, it’s nice to be transported to the south.

Filed under Reviews

Tagged as cornbread, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, Southern US

December 4, 2014 · 10:00 AM

Speculoos at Maison Dandoy for St. Nicholas Day

Belgium St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) is right around the corner, and that means it is time for speculoos! These crispy brown sugar and spice cookies, popularized in the US by the brand Biscoff, are extremely popular in Belgium and the Netherlands at this time of year. Though you can get speculoos stateside, if you are Brussels, you can try a taste of the original old-style speculoos at Maison Dandoy, who has been baking them up since 1829. Speculoos are traditionally eaten with tea and are associated with advent time and especially St. Nicholas Day.

MaisonDandoy1
There are Maison Dandoy locations sprinkled throughout Brussels, and we went to the Tea Shop location (Rue Charles Buls 14) in the center of the old town. The tea shop has a restaurant upstairs (another post on this to follow) and a lovely store on the first floor filled with beautifully displayed and packaged Belgian cookies. The speculoos at Maison Dandoy are stamped with a windmill, shaped by traditional molds or even by special springerle rolling pins with designs imprinted on them. You can also get a vanilla or chocolate version of speculoos at Dandoy if you are so inclined, though we are purists and prefer the original. Though of course the original recipe is secret, you can try an imitation Dandoy recipe from Un déjeuner de soleil (in French – auto-translated here. Eat the Love has another speculoos recipe and even more history. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day than with cookies and tea!

MaisonDandoy2

Filed under Finer Things Club, Pastry Post-Poc, Reviews

Tagged as Belgium, Brussels., Bruxelles, Maison Dandoy, Speculoos, St. Nicholas Day

December 2, 2014 · 8:57 AM

The Best Thing We’ve Eaten Recently: Croissant at Beurrage [closed]

france We are always on the hunt for delicious baked goods, and other than the perfect macaron, one of our most elusive quests is for the perfect croissant. We have had many good croissants, but they all seem to lack the light flakiness we so desire. However, we may have just found one of our favorite croissants at a small bakery in Pilsen: Beurrage (1248 W 18th St). Beurrage is the brainchild of Jeffrey Hallenbeck, a self-taught baker, who developed the business out of a catering company. Beurrage has a variety of croissants available, from almond to chocolate to hazelnut banana to savory varieties. In a Chicago-y twist, there is even a pretzel croissant! For their generous size, we were also shocked at the reasonable prices ($3.50 for a pain au chocolat / chocolate croissant). We went with the chocolate croissant – and were completely delighted at how light and flaky it was. We’re talking shatter-into-a-million-flakes-upon-biting flaky. There was also a generous filling of dark chocolate, we hate when bakeries skimp on this, so we were in heaven. Of course, Beurrage also sells other things than croissants, like doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and danishes. However, with a croissant that good, who needs variety? We will be returning ASAP to stuff our faces with more croissant-y goodness.

Filed under Pastry Post-Poc, Reviews

Tagged as Beurrage, croissant, France, pain au chocolat

December 1, 2014 · 9:04 AM

Our favorite Tea Shop in London: Postcard Teas

PostcardTea united_kingdom Tea in London is serious business, as you may imagine. We went to the big name tea stores, but often felt they were more flash than substance. However, Postcard Teas (9 Dering St, London W1S 1AG) is the perfectly understated answer to the glitzy superstore. Postcard Teas’ stock in trade is in providing a curated variety of teas from small tea farms all over the world. Now these are really small farms, less than 15 acres. Postcard Teas is tucked away on a side street right off of the hustle and bustle of Oxford street. The store is truly an oasis of calm, and is very beautifully arranged with 60 tea varieties in cute tins alongside an assortment elegant handmade teapots from Japan. Taking up one wall of the store are all of the tea varieties available.

WallofTeas

The 60 teas available at Postcard Teas range in type and price from tiny tea estates throughout Japan, China, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and Korea. Most of the teas are black, oolong and green, but there are also purh-eh and flavored teas. The choice is almost overwhelming, but the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Even for such specialized teas, the cost is pretty reasonable. We also appreciated the nice artwork on all of the tea ins, which each come with information about the provenance of the teas and brewing instructions. The amount of care that Postcard Teas puts into informing its customers about tea is very apparent – they even offer classes!

TeaPostcards

You can pay to sample any of the teas (£2), but the fee is waived if you end up purchasing the tea itself. This is not just dipping a teabag into some boiling water though. Each tea has a specified steeping time and temperature and the gentleman who helped us at the store prepared our tiny cups of tea with the precision of a surgeon. We sampled the rich English breakfast tea that is a mix of Indian, Japanese and Chinese teas. We also tried a delicate Darjeeling from the Mineral Spring Tea Farm in Darjeeling, India. We really liked both of our choices, and it was remarkable how different each was (Darjeeling is on the left, English breakfast on the right).

CupsofTea

The coolest aspect is that you can actually send a “tea postcard” (£8.95-12.50). You can select from one of their tea varieties and put it in a special envelope and mail it directly from a little red postbox right in the store, to pretty much any location. You pay the extra for postage and they take care of the rest for you. We sent ourselves the tea postcards and a few weeks later they arrived – what a nice souvenir! We would highly recommend Postcard Teas to any tea lover visiting London, they truly promote the very best of global tea culture.

PostBox

Filed under Finer Things Club, Reviews, Tea

Tagged as London, Postcard Teas, Tea

November 25, 2014 · 10:48 AM

Nuevo Peruvian comes to Chicago at Tanta

Tanta
118 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL

peru As interest in Peruvian food continues to grow in the US, and especially in Chicago, we’ve seen an increasing number of haute Peruvian restaurants open up – the surest sign a cuisine is taking on a big audience. Tanta, in River North, is one of the most recent high-end Peruvian restaurants to open in the city, and we were eager to give it a try. Its menu seemingly sets it apart from its competitors, with an emphasis on some highland dishes (most “Peruvian” food in the US is from central coastal Peru) as well as nikkei dishes inspired by Peru’s heritage of Japanese immigration. Overall a bit pricey for the fare, we were overall impressed by Tanta’s offerings and ambiance.

Our amiable and perfectly attentive waiter began our evening with fried choclos (large Peruvian corn kernels), a typical starter snack. We quickly paired these with the anticuchos – marinated and grilled beef hearts served with potatoes, corn, and huacatay ($9). We also got some plantain chips served with aji amarillo. This sauce gave us a clue for the evening: Tanta does not skimp on spice levels.

Anticuchos and choclos.

Given the bold flavors in the starters, M was particularly excited to try the ceviche. Sparking our interest was the leche del tigre flight ($15), which will definitely merit a try on a return visit. “Tiger Milk” is the name given to the mix of citrus marinades left at the bottom of a bowl when one finishes eating a ceviche. Typical protocol requires you to pour the remainder in a shot glass and drink it straight; Tanta does one better by offering a full flight. Still, M decided to go with a more traditional cebiche tasting menu ($28). While it typically includes three of Tanta’s best ceviches – clasico, mixto, and nikei, the kitchen made a small mistake so we actually received a fourth, the criollo. The mixto (“Mixed”) and clasico (“Classic”) are old standbys for any Peruvian restaurant; the former at Tanta showcasing mahi, squid, shrimp, and rocoto; while the latter always includes whitefish (in this case fluke) marinated in lime juice, red onions, and cilantro. Both impressed M with the powerfully authentic spice level, and showed that the kitchen was not willing to compromise on authenticity. The criollo was a small twist on the mixto – the same proteins, only this time marinated in the aji amarillo that was such a hit on our first course. The nikei, however, was the big hit of evening: tuna and avocado marinated in tamarind and garnished with cucumber, this was a great fusion ceviche that is worth a full plate at Tanta.

From left: cebiche clasico, nikei, and mixto.

Ceviches downed, tiger milk drank, we were already getting full. But on this night on the town, we still had our mains coming. We chose a selection from the “Del Chifa” section of the menu, which came with a blurb: “In the 1800s, people from Canton immigrated to Peru and brought their amazing culinary culture.” Representative of this, and recommended by the waiter, was the chaufa aeropuerto ($23). A hot stone dish was served to us containing pork fried rice, a shrimp tortilla, and accented with spicy garlic. Mixed all together this dish was a big hit, a marriage of bold and trans-Pacific flavors that are distinctly representative of the history of Peruvian cuisine, and rarely featured on other Peruvian menus. Tanta’s offerings include many other dishes in this vein, and we are eager to return to try more.

Chaufa aeropuerto

Overall, Tanta’s bold flavors and spices, crossed with its trans-Pacific emphasis, really impressed us. The trendy atmosphere was a bit much, and the prices perhaps a little high, but the quality and inventiveness was there, perhaps moreso than at any other Peruvian restaurant we have tried in the city. Great for adventurous clients, or a foodie date you want to impress, or someone who wants a great cross-section of Peruvian history through food.