October 7, 2015 · 12:33 PM

Lunch in the Loop: 5411 Empanadas

Argentina_flag5411 Empanadas (175 N. Franklin, Chicago) started out as a food truck in Chicago, but now they are a mini empire, with locations in Wicker Park, Lakeview and now the Loop. 5411 is a perfect example of a place that does only one thing, but they do it really well: in this case, empanadas. 5411 serves up Argentine-style empanadas (the name comes from the international dialing code for Buenos Aires, Argentina), with a variety of meat and vegetarian fillings. I was actually pretty impressed by the amount of different vegetarian fillings they had, which made it a perfect place to go with Veggie co-workers! The Loop store itself is pretty tiny, and many people were taking their orders to go. In the summer, the patio is pretty nice, too.

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The empanadas at 5411 are baked, not fried, and for me, three is enough to make a meal.  I have had the cheese and spinach, chorizo and patatas bravas (Spanish-style potatoes with spicy sauce), caramelized onion and Parmesan cheese, mushroom and blue cheese, and the BBQ chicken, and all have been excellent. My favorites are probably the varieties that include cheese, which I consider essential to the empanada experience. It is also essential to get a side of chimichurri sauce on the side! The empanadas at 5411 are not greasy at all, which is so great, especially to munch on the go. For those who want empanadas at another time than lunch, there are also breakfast options with egg and even a sweet Nutella option. 5411 Empanadas is a great new option for lunch in the loop, but be ready for a line out the door (see below!).

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October 6, 2015 · 12:11 PM

Cake Zoetrope by Alexandre Dubosc

We are completely enthralled by the latest creation by French artist Alexandre Dubosc, “Melting Pop.” In this video, he creates a zoetrope out of a spinning cake – a “caketrope” – decorated with popcorn and chocolate. You really have to watch the video to believe it. You can also check out more of Dubosc’s animated food videos on his Vimeo page.

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October 5, 2015 · 2:04 PM

Puerto Rican specialties at Campus Grille in Berea

Flag of Puerto RicoPretty much the last place we expected to find awesome mofongo was in a small town outside of Cleveland, named “Campus Grille,” but we did! Campus Grille (10 Seminary St, Berea, OH 44017)  is hiding in plain site with a nondescript name and facade in the small town of Berea, near the campus of Baldwin Wallace University. We came here specifically for one of our favorite Puerto-Rican dishes, mofongo, but were pleased to find a varied Caribbean menu. Campus Grille is a casual place, which seemed to be popular with college kids and families alike. You place orders at the counter and then they are delivered to your table.

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We knew we had to order the mofongo since we had heard so much about it, and once we saw the pilón (wooden mortar and pestle) for making mofongo we knew it was going to be good! We ordered a roast pork mofongo ($11.50 – other options include plain, chicken, beef or shrimp), and the house special, coco tropical ($9.50), which is roast chicken over a bed of coconut rice and spicy pineapple chutney, and a side orders tostones – fried plantains ($3.69). Also on the menu are beef stew (carne guisada), a cubano sandwich, rotisserie chicken, and even a vegetarian plate. If you are there for lunch, the specials seemed like an amazing deal at $6.

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With our Jarritos fruit sodas in hand we waited only a short while for the food to arrive (there were a few tables outside, too). Both dishes were excellent, and the proportions were huge. The mofongo was excellent, and the pork was tender and well spiced, the plantain portion was flavorful and garlicky, and not mushy, which is how we like our mofongo. The coco tropical was delicious, the rotisserie chicken was tender and flavorful, and it would be perfect for those with something a bit more sweet in mind. I think Campus Grille knows that you probably aren’t going to finish your entrée, because they serve everything in round foil to-go containers from the start, and if you don’t finish you can get the plastic lid at the counter. I can see how some people would not like that, but we thought it was kind of genius.CampusGrille3

Unfortunately, we were not up for dessert, but the flan and tres leches cake looked pretty good, too. We really enjoyed our meal at Campus Grille, it had a lot going for it: great pork, Goya products for sale by the counter and Prince Royce on the radio! Most importantly, this was some of the best mofongo we have had outside of Puerto Rico. We were so happy to have found Campus Grille, and are excited to explore more Puerto Rican food in Cleveland. Do you have any recommendations for us?

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October 2, 2015 · 3:37 PM

10 Tips to Make the Most of Chicago Gourmet

After having attended the Chicago Gourmet food and wine festival for several years, I’ve picked up a few strategies for making it through the day with the maximum amount of food and fun. So how do you successfully navigate the gamut of unlimited food and free-flowing booze and plan the optimal experience?

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October 1, 2015 · 1:37 PM

Eating the World at Chicago Gourmet

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Where else but Chicago Gourmet can you attend a BBQ demo while sipping on Chilean wine and munching tiny lobster rolls? This always-anticipated food and wine event, spanning a weekend in September, is a veritable culinary wonderland. This is my third year attending, and despite the crowds, I still think it is one of my favorite, (and most gluttonous) annual experiences.ChicagoGourmetAfter

Chicago Gourmet takes place inside the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park in downtown Chicago. The main stage hosts talks and demos by big-name chefs, while the perimeter is ringed with tasting tents where 3 or 4 Chicago-area chefs serve small bites or drinks from their restaurants. Smaller tents scattered around the pavilion host other food and beverage exhibitors, chef demos and beer and wine tastings. Another wildly popular part of the festival (the MOST popular part of the festival?) are the two rows of wine and spirits exhibitors in the center of the great lawn (below).

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September 30, 2015 · 2:29 PM

A blog we love: Paper Plates

LoseHerWe have to share an awesome blog we came across recently, Paper Plates, which features two of our favorite things: food and books. Written by Chicago-based journalist, Amina Elahi, Paper Pates features recipes inspired by literature (new and old). We are impressed by the breadth of the books featured, the thoughtful reviews and – of course – the sumptuous recipes. We are looking forward to making the stuffed bread inspired by Junot Díaz’ “This is How You Lose Her.”

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September 28, 2015 · 12:57 PM

Chicago Gourmet Post Coming Soon!

I spent the weekend in Chicago catching up with family and friends, and going to Chicago Gourmet on Millennium Park! This was my third time at Chicago Gourmet, and each year is better than the last! Stay tuned for some delicious photos and recaps.

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September 23, 2015 · 11:33 AM

Superior Pho in Cleveland lives up to its name

vietnamThe first time we attempted to go to Superior Pho (3030 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH), we couldn’t find it! Superior Pho is located in a tiny mall with other Asian restaurants and businesses. However, we didn’t know that, so when we walked into the front entrance of what we thought was the right address, we promptly turned around when we arrived in the lobby of another restaurant. However, stay heartened, just park in the back when you turn off of east 30th street and Superior Pho will be the first restaurant you encounter from the back entrance.

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Superior Pho is a simple place with a few tables and tvs in the corners. We arrived for dinner at about 6 pm, and the place was packed – it closes at 8, so keep that in mind. To start off, we ordered mango bubble tea and Vietnamese coffee, cà phê đá, which was served with an individual drip filter (cà phê phin) – the first time we had ever seen it served this way – though it is apparently the authentic way to do things. Thankfully, the menu at Superior Pho was not as enormous at other Vietnamese restaurants, which made it easier to actually settle on a dish. Along with pho and vermicelli dihes, there was a single banh mi sandwich and a well-curated selection of house specialties including Bò lúc lắc (beef salad) and Bò bía (rice paper rolls with Chinese sausage).SPho3

The main thing to order at Superior Pho is obviously pho, the iconic Vietnamese soup. There were 14 pho permutations you could order by number including: brisket, flank steak, meatball, chicken or even veggie (Large: $8.95 / Small: $7.95). We ordered a classic Beef Pho with flank steak. We always want to try a second dish at the restaurant, so I went for one of my favorite Bún noodle dishes Bún thịt nướng ($9.50) vermicelli with grilled pork. Our entrees were brought out in short order – and we were instantly impressed, everything was fresh and tasty. The pho broth was flavorful and heavily spiced with scallion, basil and cinnamon, and the beef was of very high quality. The large size was more than enough to share, and for only a dollar more than the small, why not? The vermicelli dish was of similar high quality, with the perfect mix of fresh veggies, spice and fish sauce.

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Much like Chicago (and anywhere else) there is a bit of a turf war between restaurants and fans on who has the best Pho in town. And while we haven’t sampled enough places to make a definitive decision about the best pho in Cleveland, we are definitely fans of Superior Pho. This was some of the best pho we ever had, and could certainly hold its own against any we had tried in Chicago. We look forward to enjoying more Superior Pho in the future, especially as a tonic for the impending cold weather.

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September 22, 2015 · 10:35 AM

Authentic taste of Garifuna culture at Garifuna Flava

Belize garifuna-flagGarifuna Flava (2518 W 63rd St, Chicago, IL) had been on “our to-eat” list for such a long time! there was another Belizean restaurant on Howard (Tickie’s – now Redz) but it did not feature the unique cuisine of the Garifuna coastal culture of Belize. Garifuna culture, centered on the Caribbean coast of Belize, is a blend of African and Indigenous Caribbean influences, which manifests itself in a totally unique cuisine. When we dined in, the place was doing a brisk takeout service, and it also seemed the place was a favorite of cops, which tends to be a good sign, since they know all the local food options.

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For appetizers we got Panades, corn fritters stuffed with curried fish, which was definitely unusual, and spoke to the West Indian influence in Garifuna food. We also heard good things about the guacamole with plantain chips, so we had to give them a try (how could we resist). Also on offer were conch fritters, which we had sampled at other Caribbean joints. For mains, there were a variety of stews (beer, chicken and oxtail) and jerk dishes. Unique fish dishes rounded out the selection, including conch soup and Hudut Baruru with Falumou, a king fish soup with coconut milk and a side of hudut, a plantain mash that is used like fufu in African cuisines. Another feature we were fans of, was the lunch special for less than $7 you got a main, a side (choice of pigeon peas, plantains, rice and beans or cabbage) soup and salad. We selected the jerk chicken and the chicken stew from the lunch specials.

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There was such an insane amount of food with the lunch specials, that the pleasant server brought it over on a cart, nay, a 2-level cart. Chicken soup, salad, a huge cup of rice – along with a generous helping of stewed chicken and jerk chicken. Everything was delicious and made from scratch, and we were surprised by the mild and nuanced flavors. For dessert we had to have the sweet potato cake – even though we were already pretty stuffed, and it was worth it – the cake was moist and spicy!

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We washed down the meal with a spicy ginger soda and a passion fruit smoothie. It definitely felt like we were in the tropics, especially given the 90 degree weather outside. Garifuna Flava is an excellent place to get a taste of an underrepresented cuisine – we’ll definitely be back to try more of the menu.

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September 21, 2015 · 11:04 AM

Keren Restaurant: Eritrean in Washington D.C.

Keren Restaurant & Coffee Shop
1780 Florida Ave NW
Washington, DC 20009
EritreanFlagWe are huge fans of Ethiopian food, and we heard that Washington D.C. had a thriving Ethiopian food scene, we were extremely excited. There were so many restaurants to choose from, and we were excited to see Eritrean options as well. We had tried Eritrean food previously in Philadelphia, and we were happy to revisit it. Since Ethiopia and Eritrea were the same country until the early 1990s, the cuisines are very similar, though there are some subtle differences, especially the greater prevalence of seafood on the menu because Eritrea is coastal. Keren Restaurant (named after the 2nd largest city in Eritrea) is located in the bustling D.C. neighborhood of Adams Morgan, which has a wide variety of restaurants of all cuisines. We arrived at Keren on a Saturday night, and when we arrived there was a good mix of college kids and families. The atmosphere was convivial and cozy, and the restaurant was simply decorated with murals of Eritrea (plus a surprising number of TVs). Keren2
The menu at Keren is very small in terms of traditional dishes, there are only a handful of either meat or veggie options. We also noticed a sizable Italian selection, including pasta and breaded chicken cotoletta, which makes sense since Eritrea is a former Italian colony. We were also excited the Keren delved into some more unusual options. For example, there were a wide selection of breakfast options featuring Ful (mashed fava beans) and Silsi (a traditional tomato-based sauce). We ordered the beef tibs and the veggie sampler (lentils, chickpeas, cabbage, spinach and potato dishes) to share among ourselves. We were pleasantly surprised that each entree was less than $10, which is far lower than most comparable restaurants. In addition to the injera, we got an order of traditional Eritrean unleavened wheat flat bread called Kitcha, which we had not seen on any other menus. Kitcha was definitely denser and more pita-like than injera and we have to admit it was much easier to eat with the injera since it was much more flexible.
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We enjoyed all of the choices we sampled: the sauces were rich and flavorful (not too spicy), and there was definitely something to satisfy both meat-lovers and vegetarians.  We finished up the night with an Eritrean coffee (it was billed as a coffee shop after all), which was very similar to the Ethiopian coffees we had tried previously. We highly recommend Keren as an awesome place to get delicious, low-key Eritrean food, with no pretense, and at great prices.

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September 17, 2015 · 8:43 AM

Falafel’s many flavors

A single word may have many meanings, and that is especially true when it comes to food! To me, the word “falafel” conjures up an image of fried chickpea croquette; but the flavors, shapes and contents of the simple falafel may vary widely by country. Community Radio of Northern Colorado has a very interesting piece about what falafel is to a variety of cultures in the Bay Area, from Sudanese to Israeli.

Palestinian falafel from the former Chickpea Restaurant in Chicago

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September 14, 2015 · 11:28 AM

Babka for Rosh Hashanah

L’shanah tovah! Happy Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)! A traditional dessert for this holiday is honey cake, representing the sweetness of the new year. While anything related to honey is never a bad idea, another dessert fit for the holiday table is babka, a braided, sweet bread filled with layers of chocolate or cinnamon. We have been seeing a lot of babka recipes pop up on our social media feeds recently and we can’t think of a better holiday dessert. For the purists, here is a kosher chocolate version from the Kitchn and a dairy version from Smitten Kitchen. A more unusual take is Brown Eyed Baker’s cream cheese and apricot babka, and you can really fill a babka with whatever you like. And of course, no post about babka is complete without a reference to the iconic Seinfeld episode, “The Dinner Party.”

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September 11, 2015 · 8:39 AM

Delcious Pizza in São Paulo: Speranza

brazilSão Paulo is a mecca of pizza. In our relatively short stay in São Paulo we tried to sample as much pizza as possible, and we definitely found some of the most consistently good pizza outside of Italy. Many will vouch that the pizza in São Paulo is even BETTER than that found in Italy. One of our friends particularly recommended Speranza (R. 13 de Maio, 1004, São Paulo), a family restaurant that has been churning out pizzas since 1958. Speranza is quieter and less of a production than Braz, with which it vies for favorite pizza in the city. The menu at Speranza consists of pizzas and other Italian dishes including meats and pastas, as well as a tempting burrata appetizer.

SperanzaPizzaThere is a section of the menu dedicated to  authentic Neapolitan pizza, which for about 40R apiece (about $20) was a pretty good deal. It is worth noting that this restaurant was the first in Latin America to receive recognition from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. We were highly recommended to get the classic margherita pizza, which was 56R for a large, and an extra 3R for buffalo mozzarella, which we felt was well worth the slight added expense. The pizza was fabulous. We loved the dense crust, the light sauce, and the generous hand with the buffalo mozzarella. While it may not have the fancy ambiance of Braz, we think we liked this little spot better.SperanzaInterior

We were completely stuffed from the pizza and bread, though we have to mention the restaurant’s very well-photographed menu of desserts. If you go there you will see what we mean. There was lemon tart and tiramisu, as well as something we’d never seen on a pizzeria menu before: Pastiera (Neapolitan Easter pie). This was definitely one of our top pizzas in Brazil, and we recommend Speranza to everyone looking for legit pizza in Sampa.

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September 10, 2015 · 8:35 AM

A trip to Romania with Ovy Transylvanian Bakery

romanianflagAs you can tell from our blog, we are big on sweets so we decided to keep the momentum going with a Chicago-area Romanian find. Ovy Bakery (3455A W Dempster, Skokie, IL) is so unassuming, if you blink you’ll miss it for two reasons: 1. it is located in a completely nondescript strip mall and 2. there is a big sign reading “La Patisserie” outside from the bakery’s former incarnation. I only noticed Ovy because I was intrigued by the “Transylvanian” sign in the window – not a common sight. Ovy Bakery is small, and when we visited it was pretty crowded! There were 2 sections of pastries in the glass case: traditional Romanian and more modern French-inspired creations. Chef Ovidiu Pop, the eponymous “Ovy,” who is of Romanian extraction, honed his pastry skills by working at Blackbird and the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago, which explains the mashup of Romanian and other European styles.

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We were bringing dessert to a friend’s house for dinner so we decided to sample five different pastries from both categories (clockwise from top right):

  • Amandine – This is one for the rum lovers – a chocolate covered chocolate cake that had been soaked in rum. beware – it is very strong.
  • Dobos Torte – This is a classic Eastern European cake that is composed of thin layers of chocolate buttercream and yellow sponge cake. Ovy’s was a perfect rendition that equally blended both varieties, which complemented each other perfectly, with neither flavor dominating. A creative new twist was the crunchy, caramelized top
  • Honey Cake (seen at the bottom of the page) – This was similar to the Dobos torte in appearance, and featured delicate layers of honey cake, pastry cream and apricot jam. It had a faint graham cracker flavor, which was both delicious.
  • Creme – This dessert looked simple, but had a very unique taste – it was puff pastry filled with a vanilla cream that tasted more like a gelatinous zabaglione than pastry cream. Though the texture was a bit unusual, it was still very good!
  • From the modern side we sampled a Passion Fruit Mousse on a cookie base, which was exquisitely presented, and tasted even better.

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I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of Ovy Bakery. They even offer catering for savory Romanian dishes, and other tidbits like breads (the most popular seemed to be the sweet bread Cozonac) and doughnuts. If you are in the mood for something a little different to bring to a dinner party, these pan-European treats from Ovy will definitely impress your guests

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September 9, 2015 · 8:52 AM

The best ice cream in Cleveland

Before moving here, we had no idea that Cleveland was such a big ice cream town. There are more ice cream places in Cleveland than there are doughnut shops in Chicago (at least it seems like it). We ate at a variety of ice cream places around town to find our favorite, and of course “best” is subjective, but we think we have landed on a winner: Mitchell’s. We fell in love with Mitchell’s due to their wide variety of flavors, consistently creamy texture and fresh ingredients. They even make the waffle cones right in front of you!

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On the face of it Mitchell’s looks like a typical ice cream store with a wide selection. Along with scoops in a cup or cone, you can also make special sundaes, shakes, malts and floats (plus pints and other treats to take home). However, the major difference is the taste. We were blown away by the first two flavors we tried: Salted Caramel and Mint chocolate chip. First off, the mint chocolate chip was NOT green, and it tasted like fresh mint leaves, the caramel was creamy and salty, and not at all overpowering. Other flavors like Key Lime Pie perfectly replicated their real life inspirations. There are even vegan ice creams and frozen yogurts if you are so inclined. Personally, I see a Mitchell’s ice cream cake in our future birthday plans.

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We aim to try every flavor they have, currently about 25 regular varieties. There are also seasonal flavors to enjoy, making use of Ohio’s local produce, so there will always be something new (current seasonal flavors include caramelized chocolate, fresh peach and coconut, among others). There are eight Mitchell’s stores now in Cleveland, but our favorite is in the Ohio City neighborhood (located at: 1867 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113), for three important reasons: 1. It is in a converted movie theater; 2. It is the factory where they make all of their ice cream (a process you can watch); 3. There is a miniature train running around the first floor. If you visit Cleveland, be sure to stop by!

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September 4, 2015 · 10:01 AM

ETW will be back after Labor Day

We have settled into the swing of things in Cleveland, and have sampled some great food here, from Vietnamese to Venezuelan, and are especially enjoying the West Side Market (below). Our Instagram feed has been updated regularly so you can check out our adventures there. We are taking a Labor Day trip back to Chicago, and after that we will start posting regularly again: covering both Cleveland and Chicago (and worldwide). Thanks for bearing with us during the break and see you soon!

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West Side Market by PBS Newshour

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July 23, 2015 · 8:55 AM

The Future Home of ETW

It has been a pretty crazy summer, and we think it’s about time we shared why we are even busier than usual – we are moving to Cleveland in a few weeks! It is a bittersweet move, Chicago has been our home for the past 9 years, but we are excited to try out a new, exciting food scene. We are already fans of the West Side market and Mitchell’s ice cream! Chances are we will be back in Chicago fairly frequently, too, so we will be trying to keep up with the food scene that was our home for so many years.

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Along with our new food adventures in Cleveland we will continue to keep you appraised of our intra and intercontinental excursions. While we get settled in our new surroundings we will be taking a little hiatus, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be diving right into the Cleveland food scene. Do you have any recommendations for us in our future home?

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July 17, 2015 · 11:10 AM

Kunefe, Baklava and other Turkish treats for the end of Ramadan

turkeyThe end of Ramadan is right around the corner, which means it is time for Eid-Al Fitr feasts! Every country has it fair share of festive foods, and Turkey pulls out all the stops when it comes to desserts for holidays. Ozlem’s Turkish Table has a variety of delicious Turkish desserts that would be perfect at any Eid Al-Fitr (known as Ramazan Bayramı in Turkey) celebration, including the well-known baklava as well as lesser-known but still delicious treats like Kunefe and Revani.

Ozlem's Baklava

Ozlem’s Baklava

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July 16, 2015 · 9:02 AM

Photo Tour of Borough Market in London


Borough

englandThere is nothing we love more than a good market, and London has them in spades. Borough Market is one of the largest and oldest markets in London, and the current iconic glass and metal structure was originally built in 1851, and after additions over the years it was refurbished at the beginning of the 21st century into its current form. Though it was originally a wholesale market, Borough Market today is a mishmash of food stalls selling everything from fresh fruit to meat pies to olive oil to tapas under one roof. Though we are always fans of food from all over the world, it was especially great to see all of the local British foodstuffs available for sale, especially the cheeses. We pieced together a light meal (very reasonably priced for London) from various stalls, after wandering around and taking in all the sights and smells.

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July 14, 2015 · 12:41 PM

How to Cook Like Toulouse-Lautrec

franceIn honor of Bastille Day, here is a fascinating French cookbook to explore, “The Art of Cuisine” by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (yes, the artist)! This is in fact a compendium of his recipes, published after his death, along with sketches and other notes. An avowed denizen of Parisian nightlife, Toulouse-Lautrec was also something of a gourmand. In his cookbook you will find recipes for such exotic fare as “baked kangaroo” (containing no kangaroo) and more simple recipes typical of his native Southern France.the-art-of-cuisine

 

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