Category Archives: Reviews

December 27, 2008 · 10:45 AM

Brazil: Texas de Brazil

Texas de Brazil
Woodfield Shopping Center
Schaumburg, IL

Holy crap this is a lot of food. And a lot of buffet centerpiece. No seriously, check it out… Though you might not be able to tell, this centerpiece is probably at least 6 feet tall. The whole Texas de Brazil experience is about opulence and excess, from the giant funeral pyres out front (or giant torches of some sort) to the high ceilings covered in red leather (?!?) to the dozens of gauchos and the shiny glass bar. So its no wonder then that this place will put a dent in your wallet ($45 per person for all-you-can-eat dinner, $30 for just the salad bar). We recently attended a family dinner here, and this is definitely different than M and my usual dining repertoire.
tdbbuffetTexas de Brazil is like most Brazilian steakhouses in the US, in that the main shtick is that gauchos come around to the table with giant skewers of meat. At Texas de Brazil you are given a token that is red on one side and green on the other. If you want more meat you flip the token to green and a gaucho will promptly arrive with a giant skewer and serve some more food. Now at our table of 15, it was kind of a tight squeeze, so oftentimes the skewers and giant knife blades were literally only inches from you. A little disconcerting but you got your food, I guess. There was filet mignon, shrimp, lamb chops, pork medallions in bacon, along with a dozen or more other meat varieties. Sides including mashed potatoes and plantains were placed on the table.

However, aside from the never ending parade of meats there were some interesting items in the salad bar, including some that were more or less Brazilian. Though mainly comprised of soups, salads, cheeses and bread, the buffet itself boasted Farofa (toasted manioc flour – used as a condiment) and Feijoda (Black bean stew). Trying to keep it as “Brazilian” as possible we ordered the popular cola drink Guarana, as well as Brazilian Cokes, which came in tiny glass bottles. But feijoda and farofa do not a meal make. We ended up ordering a lovely crème brûlée (not included in the price), but by that time we were pretty stuffed. So, go with voracious carnivores or don’t go at all. And maybe don’t eat lunch beforehand…
guarana

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December 23, 2008 · 11:48 AM

Southern US: Smoque

Smoque
3800 N. Pulaski
Chicago, IL

So obviously, the ‘south’ is not a country, but it does have a rich culinary tradition of its own, so we’re comfortable including it on ETW. Well, mostly because it’s a darn tasty cuisine. Our latest adventure into Southern Foodways is Smoque Barbecue. Smoque has gotten a lot of press, so we went in with some skepticism. Could it really be as good as all this hype? Short answer = yes. We arrived at 11 AM on a Saturday, right when Smoque was opening. We could tell that they did a brisk takeout service, from the fact that there was already a line, and someone had called in an order of 20+ sandwiches to go.

smoquebrisket

The menu itself is probably what you would expect from a BBQ place – the choices of meat are Pulled Pork, Brisket, Chicken and Texas sausage (which they began to make this Summer). They also have 2 types of ribs: Baby back and St. Louis. What was interesting though was that you could order small side orders or some of the meats – so if you felt like sampling something, but didn’t want a whole sandwich or a platter you can do it for $3. A ‘taste’ 1/4 slab of ribs is $4.

For lunch we opted for a Pulled Pork Sandwich platter ($8.95) and Sliced Brisket sandwich platter ($8.95). Each of these came with one side as well as homemade cole slaw. Interestingly, even for a take-in order, though there is some sauce on the sandwich, it isn’t slathered, and the order comes with a cup of the BBQ sauce came on the side. At first we were skeptical, but it makes a lot of sense since then you can add as much as you want and the roll doesn’t fall to mush. In the end we ended up using most of the cup anyway, since Smoque’s stock in trade is its peppery, vinegary, yet semi-sweet BBQ sauce. Delicious – not too too sweet, but not to vinegary either, I don’t know what they do, but they’re doing it right.

smoquepork

Onto the sandwiches – both were amazing. As you can see, the portions were generous. One of our sides was baked beans – which were excellent – turns out that they cook them in with the meat and BBQ scraps – so they have some nice smoky flavor. The mac and cheese was also delightfully creamy and decadent, and we would definitely recommend it to Mac and Cheese aficionados. The one disappointment was the small peach cobbler, which was only so-so ($1.95). The brisket, which you can get either sliced or chopped is uber-tender and comes with a nice smoky, crusty exterior. My sister, who doesn’t even like BBQ, loved it. the pulled pork sandwich though, was my favorite. The pork itself is light pink from the smoking and practically melts in your mouth. We were raving about our food for days.

Truth be told though, the location is pretty random – it’s right off of the Kennedy expressway, and tucked into an unassuming building in a mostly residential area. However, a few weeks after our maiden voyage, we made the venture again to get takeout. Now I understand why they do such a brisk takeout business – it tastes good even after an hour car ride! So if you can make the trip over – you should try to do it – this is some good BBQ.

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December 18, 2008 · 10:38 PM

[Road Trip Eats] Cambodia: Kolap

cambodiaKolap
601 N Dale St
St. Paul

We take every opportunity we can to eat cuisine that is not available in Chicago – and one cuisine that is not available at all in Illinois is Cambodian. The twin cities has a high Hmong immigrant population, many of whom were most recently from Cambodia. Kolap is a bit off the beaten track, in a nondescript storefront. The room was simply decorated and at 1pm on on a Sunday, was buzzing with a huge party in full swing – a Hmong family of 20+ digging into an elaborate lunch.

Though the restaurant itself was stark white and simple we noticed a disco ball and some pretty serious speakers. Perhaps Kolap turns into a dance club after hours? We were also struck by the interesting array of pan-Asian sauces on the table, as seen below.

sauce

Though the menu does in fact include some pretty esoteric dishes like pig intestines, stomach and ears (Pak Lou –  $8.50) and Octopus with green peppers ($10.50), we started out slow. L ordered the chicken Lot Chaa ($7.50), a typical Cambodian dish. Lot Chaa (seen below) reminded L somewhat of the Thai dish Pad See Eiw, but with small fat rice noodles. M ordered Chicken with Green Peppers (Cha Kroueng Sach-Mouen, $8.50). However, this dish was lost in translation. M was thinking of green bell peppers, when in reality the dish came chock-a-block with spicy green Thai chilies. Even the normally heat-resistant M was breathing fire. K ordered the classic standby Pad Thai ($8.50), which was a nice rendition with a huge portion. The Cambodian rendition of this Thai dish packed an extra green pepper punch, though. The menu at Kolap is truly huge, and we are sad we won’t be able to sample some more options, but for anyone in MSP who is a Thai food fan, Kolap is a great introduction to Cambodian.

latcha

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December 4, 2008 · 12:05 AM

Mexico: Taquería El Milagro

Taquería El Milagro
1923 S Blue Island Ave
Chicago, IL

It’s an annual tradition for the Eaters to spend a day in December wandering around Chicago’s Pilsen district. We stop by the National Museum of Mexican Art to catch their annual Día de los Muertos exhibit, do some Christmas shopping at the museum’s Mercado Navideño (Christmas Market), and then have an afternoon meal at one of Pilsen’s great Mexican restaurants. For the past few years, this has meant ordering the mole enchiladas (for L) and the fajitas (for M) at Restaurante Nuevo León (1515 W. 18th Street). But this year we decided to try something new, so we walked an extra few blocks to Taquería El Milagro.

MilagroInterior

El Milagro’s relatively unadorned exterior wouldn’t be very noticeable from the street – if it weren’t bright magenta/pink, that is. The interior is inviting – Spanish colonial tiles adorn the walls around the entrance, and large Mexican paintings hang from the other walls. But this is by no means a fancy restaurant – the cafeteria-style setup is quick and simple. You wait in line, order your food, pick a seat, and a few minutes later it is brought out to you. It being a cold day, L and I took the opportunity to each try a champurrado, ($1.75) a Mexican hot chocolate drink, thickened with cornmeal and with cinnamon and other spices. If you are thirsty, this is not the drink to try – think of it more as a liquid dessert. Perfect for a cold day, though. Champurrados are normally served with churros, and while I didn’t order any, I really should have bought some from the man who came in the restaurant to sell them.

We had anticipated finishing our warm drinks by the time the food arrived, but no such luck. Both L and I had ordered chicken burritos ($4.95), which to our shock were entirely made to order. Neither of us care much for refried beans, but we decided to go with it because asking for our burritos sin frijoles just seemed like such a gringo thing to do. Otherwise, there were no other order options. No qualifications for what toppings or sides we wanted, no tortilla specifications, nothing. Just straight chicken burritos – and they took care of the rest.BurritoMilagro

We can use this to contrast with Chipotle, the fast-food joint that bills itself as Mexican. When you order a chicken burrito at Chipotle, the chicken is sliced into little cubes that get put inside a watery, thin flour tortilla, all for $7. They ask you each and every ingredient you want, holding up the line and using all the questions to overcharge you for prepping. Not so at El Milagro – when we ordered chicken, two fresh raw chicken breasts were plopped down on the grill, just for us. When the burritos came, they had lettuce, rice, two halves of a tomato slice, and some cheese all bean-sealed inside a thick, warm, grilled flour tortilla. Five bucks. And so very excellent – you could tell all the ingredients were fresh and filling without being unhealthy. L and I had purposefully not eaten all day in anticipation of our meal, but suffice to say between the champurrados and the burritos, we both had a hard time finishing.

We were so hungry in fact that we neglected to take our usual context photo. Instead we present the remains of our burritos, after I remembered we had forgotten to record them for our readers. This is a fairly common problem for the eaters – accordingly we have no photos of Jim’s cheeseteaks or any of our breakfasts in Puerto Rico. Overall impression? Take Chipotle – subtract the lines, the fat, the questions; add fresher ingredients, better prices, and more food – and you get El Milagro. Also, if you’re jonesing for some more tortillas, the El Milagro Tortilleria is right next door! We’ll be back.

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December 1, 2008 · 8:32 PM

Germany and Austria: Adventskalender und Weihnachtsmärkte (Holiday markets)

Austria It’s December 1st! And that means a new year of Advent calendars. Advent calendars (Adventskalender) date back to Lutherans in 19th Century Germany, where they were (and are) used to count down the days until Christmas. In our case, December 1st means chocolate advent calendars. There are some enticing looking varieties out there. But I’m going to opt for something a bit more low-key. Cost Plus World Market sells some good varieties from Deutschland for less than 5 bucks.

Kindl

December 1st is also the traditional start date for Weihnachtsmärkte, Austrian and German outdoor holiday markets. According to Wikipedia, Vienna’s market is the oldest and dates back to 1294. This past weekend we had the fortune to go to Chicago’s very own Weihnachtsmärkte, the Christkindlmarket. The long-running market takes place at Daley Plaza in the heart of Chicago’s Loop and contains a giant Christmas Tree and tons of booths chock full of German handicrafts and food (like the Bavarian steins above). The Market runs through the 24th so there is still plenty of time to get festive.

Christmas tree

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November 28, 2008 · 3:46 PM

Ethiopia: Addis Abeba Restaurant in Evanston [closed]

Addis Abeba [closed]
1322 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL

A few weeks ago, I headed out on a rainy night for a group dinner at Ethiopian Diamond. I think perhaps Ethiopian food is tailor-made for group dinners, since it is designed to share! The restaurant itself was unfortunately barren except for our big table, owning to the freezing-rain downpour. As our group was evenly split between vegetarians and omnivores, we decided to order a range of meat and non-meat dishes to share. Like most Ethiopian restaurants, the food is served communally on a large, round mesob platter on a large piece of thin injera bread. ethiocoffee

On the vegetarian plate we selected a variety of chickpea-based dishes. We ordered Yeater Kik Wot ($10.25)  – yellow split peas sauteed with garlic, cloves and cinnamon; Mitin Shiro ($10.25) Roasted, chick peas in cinnamon-clove spiced butter with cinnamon and cloves; and Azifa ($8.50) a cold dish of lentils, tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. In truth, being seated in front of the veg platter, and being an omnivore myself, all of the chickpea fare started to blend together. It was good, but not distinctive. Maybe not so many beans next time.

On the meat-eater platter we ordered Chicken Shish Kebabs ($14.75) with a spicy yogurt sauce; Yebeg alitcha ($14.75) a spicy lamb dish with onions, garlic and turmeric; Minchet abish ($14.00) ground beef served with a berbere sauce, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and garlic. The chicken kebabs were nice and spicy, however the pieces were much too big to grab daintily with the injera. Had to use the hands here. The Yebeg Alitcha was deliciously garlic and tender. However, the combination of sweet and savory (ground beef and cinnamon) was bit too much for me, where the minchet abish was concerned.

To finish of the meal we shared a pot of flavorful Ethiopian coffee ($2.50) served in a traditional style. This coffee is potent, and accordingly served in tiny cups, but, with impending research papers in mind, we kept the refills coming. Though Ethiopian Diamond is definitely still our Chicago favorite, AA is pretty good for an Ethio fix in Evanston, especially if you bring a few friends along.

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November 19, 2008 · 10:04 AM

Sicily: Sfogliatelle

SicilyWe returned to Pasticceria Natalina, and as always, came away as happy campers. Our snack of choice on this trip was the tongue-twisting southern Italian favorite sfogliatelle which translates to ‘many layers’. That pretty much sums up the dish, it’s multi-layered fried sweet puff pastry filled with ricotta cream. Pasticceria Natalina’s version ($4.95) was flaky and delicious and the ricotta filing was spiked with almonds and tangy Sicilian orange peel. In a word – heavenly (though good thing it didn’t come with nutritional facts).

sfo

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November 18, 2008 · 2:46 PM

Japan: Giant Bluefin Tuna at Mitsuwa

I had heard that Mitsuwa Market in Arlington Heights was staging a public sale of some giant bluefin tuna this past weekend. The tuna was flown in fresh, and weighed upwards of 300 pounds. Mike Sula at the Chicago Reader’s Food Chain provides a nice recap of the event, which seemed like quite the experience. On non Tuna-carving days, Mitsuwa market is still worth the trip for an extensive grocery, bakery, bookstore and tasty food court with Sushi and Udon shops.

Mitsuwa Market
100 E. Algonquin Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL

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November 17, 2008 · 12:02 AM

Lebanon: Taste of Lebanon

Taste of Lebanon
1509 W Foster Ave
Chicago, IL

Don’t think of this tiny cult-following Andersonville eatery as a restaurant – more as an indoor food cart. Sparse decor and simple tables and chairs line the path to the back wall where a hand-lettered signboard advertises an adequate menu of Middle Eastern favorites like baba ghanouj, shewarma, and falafel.

Anyone who reads reviews of Taste of Lebanon will immediately encounter reviews of the lentil soup declaring it one of the best soups in the city. It being a cold night when the Eaters arrived, of course we decided to give it a shot. We don’t have enough soups under our belt to judge it in reference to the rest of Chicago, but its rich, creamy texture with a potent peppery kick was delicious and surprising in a very good way. It was definitely the highlight of the meal.

Hummus

M had the chicken shewarma, which was good – but not great. The chicken was a little on the dry side, and for a dish like shewarma its pretty important that the chicken’s natural flavors come out to interact with the other ingredients. Given how good the soup was, and that shewarma is such a standard dish for Middle Eastern restaurants, he was pretty surprised that it wasn’t a few notches higher on the tasty scale. L stuck with the falafel wrap and a hummus plate to share, two of her old favorites. Our table enjoyed the hummus, which was creamy and with plenty of tahini. The falafel wrap was also good, and the falafel freshly fried – it was advertised on the door as ‘world famous’ though I’m not sure I would go that far with the praise.

The only downside was that the pitas were anything but fresh (or good, for that matter). They came to the table in the package, and were bit dry and stale. Going a little dry on the chicken is acceptable, but it’s a bit of a sin not to have good pitas. Those non-withstanding, you can’t really go wrong at Taste of Lebanon. Overall, the food is delicious and your wallet won’t take a hit (a definite plus for us grad students). If you’re still hungry for more after dinner, for some dessert head across the street to Middle Eastern Pastry and Bakery (1512 West Foster Avenue).

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November 1, 2008 · 12:17 AM

Thailand: Sala Thai

Sala Thai
36 S Fair Oaks Ave
Madison, WI 53714

L and I had long meant to head to Madison’s east side and sample some of the famous curries at The Corner Store on Willy Street, but never had the opportunity. But when I found out that the shop’s owners had opened a full-service Thai restaurant, we had to give it a shot.

Sala Thai is located in an unsuspecting location, a remodeled building tucked between a 50s-style diner and a residential street. Still, the restaurant manages a fine ambiance with intricate Thai wood decorations and carvings, plenty of artwork, and a large, well-lit dining room. From reviews we read previously, service was supposedly notoriously slow, but we found the exact opposite. This may have been because the waitstaff was really on its game, or they had little to care about at 4PM on a Friday. We’ll never know unless we make a return trip, but our small meal was definitely enough to bring us back if we ever again find ourselves in the area.

L had a bowl of the delicious Tom Yum soup. The unsuspecting dish packed a great deal of flavor (provided mostly by lemongrass and ginger), mushrooms, and a good amount of heat. The soup’s broth was thin enough to really put the focus on the big ingredients (although it would have helped if it had a “don’t eat the ginger” sign). For $5.95, it was a great afternoon snack, one we wish we had the recipe for to try to make it at home.

I (M) had one of my classic favorites, Panang Curry. I’ve been frustrated recently by a number of Thai restaurants that pass off glorified soups as curries, sacrificing the hearty thickness of the curry in favor of thinner, more “healthy” curries. But just as advertised, Sala Thai did not disappoint. Thick and full of coconut cream, the curry mixed together carrots and other vegetables with well-prepared chicken (another recent sticking point of Thai restaurants with me) in a sauce that, thick and tasty as it was, could have used a few more peanuts (though I do like peanuts far more than most). At $7.95, the curry was comparably priced in comparison to other Thai restaurants in the city, and didn’t hurt itself with the free large rice.

Final verdict: good food, excellent curries, quick service, good decor, and apparently a brisk takeout business. We wish them well, and will be back should the opportunity present itself.

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October 25, 2008 · 12:00 PM

St. Martin: Beach Food

Some of the main draws on St. Martin are the beautiful beaches (no surprise there), but what did surprise me was there are excellent food options to be had at many of the more well-trafficked beaches. Not just your typical concession stands, these beach-front restaurants churn out reasonably-priced and well-executed food ranging from simple sandwiches to extravagant seafood dishes.

The Key
Islet Pinel (Orange Umbrellas)
St. Martin

Pinel island is a beach eats mecca. On the beach there are three different colors of umbrellas  – orange, yellow and blue – each corresponding to a different restaurant. If you are feeling so inclined, you can have your food delivered right to your umbrella on the beach! On our visit we ate at the Key – the place with orange umbrellas. The platters at the Key (ranging from €16-18) include classic fare like hamburgers, BBQ Chicken and fresh grilled fish. Though simple, the food was excellent. We all ordered burgers, which were generously proportioned and charcoal-grilled. Alongside the entrees there were fries and a rather impressive salad of carrots, grapes, sprouts and carrots with a sesame vinaigrette, which was cool and refreshing in the hot weather.

pinelfood

Tropical Wave
Le Galion Beach
St. Martin

Tropical Wave, on the beautiful Galion Beach was this was the first outdoor dining experience we had in St. Martin. There is an open air dining area, with long wooden picnic tables under a canopy. The menu is classic fare like sandwiches, sodas and ice cream, along with an array of cold beverages (most important). We ordered the grilled chicken (€7.50) and a shrimp salad (€13.50). This was definitely a casual place, and was mostly full of beach-bound families grabbing a quick bite.

Do Brazil
Shell Beach
St. Barths

In keeping with the upscale feel of St. Barths, this restaurant is more expensive than any of the others we had been to. More than a simple grill with a few benches and an awning, Do Brazil is a full-fledged, multi-story restaurant with a bar, with a more casual al fresco seating area right on the beach. We were impressed by the extensive interantionally-flavored menu (sashimi, Brazilian pomelo salad and foie gras were among the offerings).We ordered a Lobster Club Salad (€22) and a Thai Chicken sandwich (€19). Though expensive, it turned out the food was quite good, and more sophisticated than a typical beachside lolo.

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October 14, 2008 · 2:21 PM

Penang, Malaysian Cuisine in Chicagoland

Penang
1720 W Algonquin Rd
Arlington Heights, IL

With an outpost in Chicago’s Chinatown, the Penang empire is spreading Westward with a new location in Arlington Heights.  M and me, along with our Junior food editor A, are all big fans of Asian foods, so we were excited to try something new. Malay food itself is bit of fusion between Malay, Thai, Chinese, and Indian cuisines, so we were excited to sample this variety. Though Penang’s building formerly housed a burger joint, We were impressed by the sophisticated, modern decor at Penang and the airy space. In the nooks and crannies of the restaurant there were little personal touches everywhere – including a series of gold Buddhas standing watch.

The menu at Penang is wide and varied featuring curries, noddles and meat dishes. I ordered Curry Mee ($7.95) – chicken and shrimp with rice noodles in a coconut broth. The curry came in a bowl with tons of tasty broth and round rice noodles and was rich and delicious. A ordered Malaysian sweet and sour chicken ($11.95). Much like the common Chinese dish – it consisted of lightly breaded chicken, Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, bell peppers, sweet and sour sauce. However, the sauce in Penang’s rendition was tangier and not as cloyingly sweet as S&S chicken usually is. M ordered the Ayam Rendang ($11.95) – onion, lemongrass and red chili paste in a coconut gravy. The dish was pleasantly sweet, but with some kick to it. Of all of the dishes, this one had the most Indian influence.

The service at Penang was very attentive and always arrived with a smile (at least out kind waiter did). To M’s delight, the waiters at Penang were quick at refilling our water glasses. Everything was delicious and unique, and A enjoyed her first foray into Malaysian food. We were tempted by the mango smoothie ($3.50) on the menu, but our entrees left us full. Maybe next time.

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October 8, 2008 · 3:51 PM

[Road Trip Eats] Mexico: Tulum

Tulum
17 W. Morton St.
Bethlehem, PA

We were jonesing for some cheap but tasty eats in Bethlehem, PA on a hectic weeknight, so we scoured the web for suggestions. We heard Tulum was a local favorite for casual Mexican food, so we decided it was worth a shot. Tulum (self-proclaimed “Beth-Mex”) is located on the campus of Lehigh, and is obviously a student hangout (though class wasn’t yet in session). The storefront was unassuming with a counter on one wall and a few rickety tables on the other. It being a nice day outside – several other tables were enjoying dinner on the patio out back.

The menu at Tulum consists of TexMex favorites like burritos, chips and guacamole, quesadillas, and the speciality of the house – various styles of burritos in ‘regular’ and ‘mini’ sizes. The burritos came on a flour tortilla and were filled with rice, cheese and a house-made crema (mixed with lime and poblano peppers) and fresh, mild pico de gallo. M opted for a Chicken Verde Burrito ($6.84) with medium green tomatillo salsa. L picked the Chicken Mole Minirrito ($5.35), which was more than filling enough. Tulum turned out a delicious rich mole, though the burrito could have used a bit more of the delicious sauce itself.

We were impressed by the quality and freshness of the burritos, which were certainly many cuts above Chipotle-style chains. Another fun surprise was that next to the counter there was an assortment of homemade sauces in Corona bottles. Our favorites were the sweet but super-spicy Mango/Habanero sauce and the smoky Chipotle sauce. Though its unlikely we will ever find ourselves back in Bethlehem, we’ll now know where to get a good burrito.

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September 29, 2008 · 11:22 PM

Grüezi, Cheese Days!

switzerland.pngGreen County Cheese Days
Monroe, WI
September 19-21, 2008

It seems like Wisconsin has some of the most random and wonderful festivals. The latest one we perused was Monroe, Wisconsin’s bi-annual Green County Cheese Days. M and I love attending food themed festivals but more often than not, the festival in question turns out to be a more general carnival/fair, paying no more than passing lip service to the food in question (We’re talking about you Harvard Milk Days). Cheese days did not disappoint, though. When we arrived in Monroe, Wisconsin we were heartened to see jolly old folks in Swiss garb and signs advertising the copious amounts of cheese-related activities.

There was a cheese tent, clearly the highlight of the day. The perimeter of the tent was loaded with vendors and the inner ring was an absolute chaos of cheese-hungry visitors. Though there was no real order to the sampling, there was a crush of people who insisted in standing in a single-file line, requiring M and I to swoop in for samples. We tried limburger, a slew of emmenthals, flavored cheese curds, goudas, muensters and many more. All varieties we available for purchase and some of the more industrious visitors even brought along portable coolers to house their purchases. Next to the cheese tent was a cheesemaking demonstration where a master cheesemaker was making a giant wheel of Emmenthaler. It was actually pretty impressive to see the 200-pound wheel of cheese forming in the copper kettle. The whole process took around 4 hours. Above is a picture of the cheese-in-process being hoisted from the copper kettle to the cheese mold.

As with any good themed festival, there were plenty of cheesy (ha ha!) activities. For example – we attended the first round of a cow milking contest, which was about what you’d expect. Turner Hall (above) had a craft fair with traditional Swiss wares, as well as history exhibits featuring the town. There was also a Swiss culture tent from the Swiss consulate which ironically featured Ricola cough drops and free bumper stickers incorporating the Swiss flag’s iconic cross. I got an all-red bumper sticker with “Neu+ral” written on it in white. I thought it was pretty clever. To cap off the experience, at the main stage there were polka lessons. M and I learned quickly that polka-ing is not difficult and with his Alpine roots M naturally excelled at the dance.

For lunch there was a variety of choices, most being heavy Swiss fare or cheese-related dishes. We opted for Apple Jack cheese sandwiches, being grilled up fresh by cheery volunteers on electric griddles. As the helpful cheese griller informed us – no apples were indeed involved – the cheese was named after Apple River, IL, where it was created. We had our grilled cheese on pumpernickel with a secret sauce that tasted something like thick french onion soup. Three dollars well spent. We probably had a pound of cheese each that day – so it goes without saying we will be back in 2 years!

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September 25, 2008 · 9:19 PM

Trying Uzbek food at Chaihanna [ Closed]

Chaihanna
19 E. Dundee Road
Buffalo Grove, IL

Central Asia always seemed like one of the most interesting culinary places to us – since it’s at the crossroads of so many cultures – yet there are very few restaurants in the area (or America, for that matter) offering its cuisine. So when the Eaters heard about Chaihanna, the first Uzbek restaurant in the Chicago area, we were pretty excited. Chaihanna (which means ‘teahouse’ in Uzbek) itself is tucked into an unassuming strip mall off a busy street. However – there is no way you can miss the red neon sign in a font meant to mimic the Cyrillic alphabet. Though pretty non-descript from the outside, when we entered the small restaurant we were surprised to find it covered with murals and tapestries.

The menu features a range of unique dishes from Central Asia like samsa (dough pockets with meat filling), plov (pickled watermelon!?!?) and the dessert chak-chak (fried dough with honey). To start with, we ordered some Lepeshki, a type of round leavened bread, which was hot and fluffy, and dotted with fork pinpricks. It came highly recommended by our waitress, and the bread is apparently made in-house. Our server was attentive throughout, and helpful with recommendations, as we were clearly fish out of water. At dinner on a weeknight, several tables were full of regulars speaking Uzbek and Russian.

For our entrees, I ordered the Chicken Tabaka ($7.95), which was a 1/2 chicken rubbed with spices. The dish was perfectly spiced (but not spicy) and the chicken itself was excellent. The plate also came with a dill and cumin oil sauce, which was perfect for dipping the Lepeshki. M ordered the Lamb Kebab ($12.99), which was a classic rendition, and came on a bed of rice with pickled peppers. For the price, the chicken was definitely the better value of the two, though M enjoyed the kebab. We were also impressed by the elegant blue and white china place settings- which are definitely uncommon for a place at that price point. We enjoyed our time at Chaihanna, and hopefully next time we’ll be able to sample some of the more esoteric dishes.

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September 21, 2008 · 7:09 AM

Chinese, Peruvian and Cuban food in NYC: Flor De Mayo

Flor De Mayo
2651 Broadway
New York, NY

It’s a well-known fact that Chinese food is available in most countries around the world. However, I have not had many of these international Chinese permutations. Flor de Mayo, an NYC restaurant boasts one of the more interesting amalgamations I have heard of to date, Chinese-Peruvian-Cuban. M and I were intrigued by the Upper West Side restaurant, which at first appears to be a garden-variety Chinese restaurant, with an unassuming exterior and simple decor. However, the posted menu was indeed extraordinarily eclectic and was divided into three neat parts: “Peruvian Specials,” “Spanish Food” and “Hong Kong Specials.”

On the front door of the restaurant there is a sign advertising their rendition of pollo a la brasa as “the best Chicken in NYC.” I (L) ordered a lunch portion, a 1/2 a la brasa chicken ($7.55) with a side of plantains. The plate of food was absolutely enormous – the chicken itself had a spice rub and was fall-off-the-bone juicy and tender. While we cannot verify the “Best in NYC” claim – it was some pretty good chicken. M ordered Ceviche de pescado ($9.25) a Peruvian-style fish salad tossed with onions & fresh lime juice. Though tasty, the dish was a little short on the seafood and heavy on the onions. But he was just happy to get some Peruvian food, one of his favorite cuisines. Our Chicago dining buddy Anne, who is now an NYC resident ordered the Sweet and Sour Chicken lunch special (normally off the Hong Kong Specials section) with a side of plantains, definitely the most cross-cultural of our dishes. Though we were expecting more of a fusion of all three cuisines instead of selection from each, we enjoyed our food at Flor de Mayo. I couldn’t imagine a Chinese/Peruvian/Cuban restaurant anywhere but NYC!

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September 19, 2008 · 5:16 PM

[Road Trip Eats] Spain: Despaña

Despaña
408 Broome St.
New York, NY

Though Chicago boasts a wide variety of specialty grocery stores offering Mexican and Central American foods, there are no continental Spanish groceries. So we were excited to check out Despaña in SoHo, NYC. The store itself is small but uncluttered with a large deli case on one side and shelves of packaged goods on the other. We perused the selection of vinegars and olive oils, and many varieties had little sampling dishes to try all the different varieties. There is also a small selection of sweets to try, like Spanish nougat candy Turrón. We picked up a Crema Catalana boxed mix to take home with us (a steal at $2.50).

At the deli counter, there is an extensive case of Spanish cheeses and meats. While there were of course well-known Spanish cheeses like manchego, we were excited to see some more exotic cheeses like the unusual sheep’s milk Murcia al Vino (also called “Drunken Goat“), which is soaked in red wine. At the back wall of the store there is also a section with pre-made foods to eat at the small table area or take home. Featured sandwiches included: Chorizo with Mahon cheese and hot peppers ($8.50) and Nocilla (Spanish Hazlenut spread) on Cibatta for $5. There were also small tapas-style dishes, called pinxtos ($3-5), for snacking. We opted for the homemade blueberry cheesecake made with Afuega cow’s-milk cheese, which was excellent.

At Despaña, also M got his first taste of Spanish horchata, which is quite different than the rice-based Mexican horchata that is common in the US. Spanish horchata is made from tiger nuts and mixed with cinnamon, so it tastes kind of like a spicy almond milk. A liter bottle of Chufi brand horchata set us back only $5. Another particular we enjoyed about Despaña was their helpful staff, who couldn’t have been nicer. If you are in the area, you should definitely check out Despaña’s Iberic treats. It’s a whirlwind culinary tour of Spain your pocketbooks can handle!

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September 10, 2008 · 1:00 PM

St. Martin: Il Nettuno

Il Nettuno
70 Grand Case Boulevard
Grand Case

At one end of French St. Martin’s restaurant row, Grand Case, are the low-key lolos. At the other end, are a variety of higher-end restaurants ranging from nouveau French to Indian to Caribbean. In the mix is Il Nettuno, a hidden gem – which turned out to be one of the best Italian meals we have had in a long while. The restaurant is in the classic trattoria model, but boasts the unusual combination of an owner who spent 25 years in America, a Caribbean location and a French wait staff. Eating at an Italian restaurant smack dab in the middle of the Caribbean was definitely an interesting experience, but it didn’t take us long to be charmed. Our Maurice Chevalier-esque maître d’ notwithstanding, one of the biggest selling points were the gorgeous views of the ocean right of the shaded deck. We arrived just at sunset, and were treated to some amazing vistas

The menu at Il Nettuno boasted a variety of Italian classics, with an emphasis on seafood dishes. It’s definitely a bit pricier than the lolos, at about 16-25 euros for most main dishes. As we were perusing the menu, we were served a free plate of delicious bruschetta on crusty French bread.

For my dinner, I selected the special of the day: lobster ravioli in vodka sauce (€17). The menu claimed that seafood was a specialty of the house, and given the location, I didn’t doubt it. The lobster was fresh and sweet and the vodka sauce was a perfect blend of cream and tomatoes. We also ordered Rigatoni freschi con prosciutto, funghi, e rucola (€17): rigatoni with mushrooms, prosciutto, garlic and butter and Fusilli con melanzane alla Siciliana Fusilli (€17): fusilli pasta with eggplant, mozzarella and Sicilian tomatoes. Both pasta dishes were generously portioned, tasty and contained absolutely fresh produce (surprising given the location).

However, we all agreed that the best dish of the bunch was my mother’s pick – the Chicken Marsala (€19) with a delicious sweet potato mash, whipped potatoes and green beans. Since we eat a certain amount of Italian food at home, one of the best judgments of quality we have – is ‘could I have made this better myself?’ My mom makes a mean Chicken Marsala, but this one was even better. The chicken was not heavy or over-breaded (as often happens) and the Marsala sauce was rich and not too salty.

To finish off the meal, we let them know that there was a birthday in the group, so they brought out a free slice of tiramisu. It just happened to work out that the birthday girl’s favorite dessert was in fact tiramisu, and it didn’t hurt that Il Nettuno makes an excellent rendition. All in all we were extremely pleased with our dinner at Il Nettuno. The ocean-side atmosphere was charming, the food excellent and the service was great. We would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a slice of Italy with a little Caribbean touch.

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September 8, 2008 · 10:51 PM

[Road Trip Eats] The One Thing We Ate in Princeton, NJ: Mac and Cheese

Small World Cafe
 14 Witherspoon St.
Princeton, NJ

The mac and cheese at this place is phenomenal! Enough said.

Small World offers a wide variety of sandwiches and salads, but we did not try them. No need to, since the mac and cheese was the star attraction. The mac and cheese itself is a deceptively simple blend of curly cellentani pasta, mozzarella, gruyère and fontina cheese with a seasoned, crispy breadcrumb topping. We ended up eating two cups for lunch (one cup is $4.25/a larger bowl is $7.25). After we ordered our 2nd cup, there was only one cup left in the entire batch for the day (It was about 12:45 PM on a Wednesday at this point). As we were chowing down, we witnessed a lot of disappointed patrons who wandered in just moments too late. Sorry guys!

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September 4, 2008 · 4:44 PM

[Road Trip Eats] Greece: Omonia Cafe

Greece Omonia Cafe
3220 Broadway
Astoria, NY 11106

Astoria in Queens, NY is known for its Greek restaurants, and M and I were treated to a tour of the main drag by our New York friends Lauren and Ryan. Omonia Cafe is one of many Greek restaurants in Astoria and has been commanding a prominent corner there since 1977. There is no way you can miss this place, especially at night, as it is covered with colorful lights and neon signs. Snagging an outside spot also makes for some good people watching, and on nice nights, the outdoor area is overflowing. The menu is huge and varied, but concentrates on Greek (no surprise there), Italian and classic American favorites. There are also several pages dedicated to desserts, but I’ll get to that later.

For an appetizer we all ordered saganaki, one of M and my favorite Greek indulgences. How can you really go wrong with fried kasseri cheese, now? Omonia delivered on this one, though it does not come to the table with the “opa!” fanfare of the Chicago Greektown restaurants. I (L) ordered homemade spanikopita spinach pie stuffed with feta. The homemade version of the pie was on the menu along side with a cheaper spanikopita that was not billed as homemade. I’m glad I went with the homemade dish – since you could really taste that it was. M ordered the Penne a la Vodka, one of his favorites. Despite coming from a Greek restaurant, their rendition of the Italian dish was solid. Lauren sampled a dish I had never seen before – Strapatsada, which were a kind of Greek scrambled egg dish mixed with feta, tomatoes, olives and oregano, with pita triangles. This new dish was intriguing to me, and if I ever come back to Omonia, it would make an awesome brunch dish.

However, the real showstopper at the Omonia Cafe is the dessert case at the adjoining bakery. My sleuthing even tells me that this bakery created the flamboyant cake for the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. How cool is that? The desserts range from traditional Greek (Baklava and Yianniotiko – phyllo with nuts and shredded wheat) to Italian (Cannolis and Tiramisu) to plain American (Strawberry Shortcake and Jello). We tried a sampling of desserts including galactoboureko, which was a milk and honey custard baked on a phyllo crust. This unpronounceable dessert was very light, and pleasantly sweet. We also sampled a little chocolate and almond tart, which had a filling of chocolate cream and an indescribable liquor (orange? hazelnut? almond? all of the above? we have no idea). With all of the tantalizing desserts on display, hopefully we’ll be back someday to try out some more!

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