Eater Chicago has recently posted a list of the 2012 Michelin Chicago Bib Gourmands, a designation reserved for cheaper Michelin-selected places to get a meal. Like many, I surprised to see Girl and Goat on this list due to its cost. Nevertheless there are some great ETW-esque suggestions on there for world eats – like Jin Thai, Smak Tak, Cumin, Xni-Pec and Taste of Peru.
No Souvlaki on the bus!
Lucky’s Souvlaki
Main Street, Thira, Santorini 848
Santorini is a rather expensive island, no surprise given the huge tourist crowd. However, hidden in the corners are a few places where you can still get cheap, tasty eats. One such place is Lucky’s Souvlaki, where you can get a pita full of grilled meat for less than 3 euros. Lucky’s Souvlaki is just north of the bus station in Thira, where we had to make many transfers to Ia/Oia and other parts of the island. Lucky’s is a tiny storefront, but is extremely crowded with both tourists and locals alike hoping for a souvlaki fix.
We each ordered a chicken souvlaki to go, from a rather large menu of souvlaki, falafel, gyros and other pita sandwiches. Souvlaki itself refers to meat that has been cooked on a kebab in Greek cuisine, and Lucky’s had a small mountain of meat ready to roast. Our souvlaki was cooked fresh to order and served with a healthy helping of tzatziki and tomatoes. Moreover, there were fries IN the pita – we also saw this preparation in Chania – who knew this is an apparently native style of pita preparation?
Though we were huge fans, unfortunately not everyone in Santorini is pro-Souvlaki. In fact, while attempting to board the bus after purchasing our Souvlaki we got kicked off the bus with a curt “No Souvlaki on the bus!”
Hawaii: The mixed plate lunch
Hawaiian food is pretty much unknown in the Midwest – not much of a Hawaiian population I guess. The mixed plate lunch is a staple of Hawaiian cuisine. It usually consists of macaroni salad, scoops of white rice and an assorted meat primary dish – anything from BBQ pork to fresh fish. One of L’s favorite places to get an excellent mixed plate lunch is Aloha Mixed plate (1285 Front Street, Lahaina, HI), though there are many fine options. Anyone know of a mixed plate place in Chicago?
Filed under World Eats
Eating Oaxaca
Totally jealous of Mexico Cooks’ recent food journey to Oaxaca. It is definitely high on our to-go list (even though lucky M has already been there).
Filed under Links
Pepitas for Dia de Los Muertos
Petaluma Dia de los Muertos by Fred Davis
Happy Halloween & Dia de los muertos! Having a crazy busy weekend M & I did not begin to prepare anything until yesterday afternoon in terms of festive decorations, but within the span of hour we managed to construct an ofrenda, carve a pumpkin and make pepitas – pumpkin seeds! We were pretty proud of our accomplishments, and our pepita recipe turned out pretty well – but word of warning – if you are going to substitute chili powder for anything spicier – these can actually be surprisingly spicy (we used ancho powder). This is probably an obvious point, but our pepitas came out really spicy!
Adapted from A Recipe from Food.com
Ingredients
2 cups pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg white, beaten until frothy
1 tablespoon chili powder (or 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder for the spice inclined)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Mix all ingredients and spread in single layer on baking sheet.
Bake until pepitas are golden and dry, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and separate pepitas with fork while still warm; cool completely.
Southern US: Hominy Grill in Charleston
Hominy Grill
207 Rutledge Avenue
Charleston, SC
We absolutely love Southern foodways and Chicago actually has some pretty good options. But since we were in the Southern foodie haven Charleston earlier this year we figured we would find some excellent southern food that would blow our Chicago options out of the water. The only problem was there were so many options! In our research, we found a few names that always came out on top, including Hominy Grill.
Hominy Grill is located in old red house, covered in vintage sign paintings including one that proclaimed “Grits are Good for You.” Now that is a health message we like. The inside of the house/restaurant was charming, with simple wooden tables, a whitewashed tin ceiling and ever-spinning ceiling fans. Between the two of us we ordered she crab soup ($4.50 for a cup) and fried green tomatoes with ranch dip ($4.25). Though fried green tomatoes seems to be a one of those dishes that always graces a Southern menu, neither M nor I had ever actually had it before. Both the soup and grits came out piping hot. The soup was decadently creamy and the fried green tomatoes were pleasantly tart. Though both of our appetizers were very good, we were most looking forward to the entree.
The pièce de résistance was without a doubt the shrimp & grits ($16.95), for which Hominy Grill is justifiably famous. These shrimp and grits were gussied up with mushrooms, scallions and bacon, as well as a little garlic. They didn’t skimp on the shrimp and when they said cheesy – they meant it. The shrimp and grits were phenomenal – we have never had better! We regretted slightly not ordering two orders of shrimp-and-grits, but despite the sign on the outside we are not sure that would have been the healthiest thing to do. Had we been in Charleston for longer I can guarantee we would give Hominy another visit. We found a recipe for their grits in Southern Living Magazine, but I suspect they will not quite be the same.
Filed under Reviews
Pizza by the Slice in Rome: Pizzarium
Pizzarium
Via della Meloria, 43
Rome, Italia
So one of the things we were most looking forward to in Italy was getting some good pizza (cliché we know). When scanning through the blogosphere for delicious places to eat on the cheap in Rome, we came across many glowing reviews of Pizzarium, so when knew we absolutely had to get there. Pizzarium is helmed by Gabriele Bonci, who is known for his bread and pizza know-how (and who was recently featured in the Atlantic). Pizzarium itself is a tiny, bright store, with nothing in the way of seating or much counter space (we ended up eating our pizza on the curb). However, this tight space is only a minor inconvenience.
When we arrived at the tiny Pizzarium we were stunned by the sheer variety crammed into a single tiny glass counter. On that day, there were about 15 varieties of pizza to choose from. Instead of getting pizza by the slice in the way Americans conceive of it, at Pizzarium they serve Pizza al taglio which refers to large, rectangular pizzas that are literally cut with shears/scissors and sold by the kilogram.
We tried 3 varieties of pizza: a classical Margherita Pizza (see above), Potato and Ricotta, and spicy Red Pepper Basil. For four slices we spent roughly 15 Euros – which is a pretty good deal for Rome. The crust was phenomenal, and really set the pizza apart from any we had previously. The crust, while not as thick as Sicilian sfincione (more on that later), had a nice thick crust like foccacia bread. We also appreciated the inventive flavor combos and the amazingly fresh ingredients. Pizzarium was the best pizza we sampled in Italy, and is a must do for anyone after (or before) a trip to the Vatican.
Filed under Reviews
50 Breakfasts from Around the world
When we traveled we were completely in love with all of the awesome breakfasts we had every day, so we were delighted to see this list of 50 representative breakfasts from around the world. Anything with coffee and some delicious carbs has my vote….
Filed under Links, World Eats
Finding Turkish Helva in Chicago
One of the things that we most loved about Turkey were the extraordinary breakfasts we had everyday: yogurt with fresh honeycomb, fresh fruit, cheese and olives, Turkish pastries, the whole works. At one such breakfast we were also introduced to the enigmatic helva, a sweet treat made with sesame seed paste. I have a lot of trouble trying to describe helva since its texture is so unusual – it’s sugary and crumbly, but with the creaminess of peanut butter. The specific variety of helva we had in Istanbul was Tahin Helvası (as in tahini), and we enjoyed varieties with chocolate swirls and pistachio. Helva or helva-like products are widespread throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East, but it was the first time we had ever tried any other nut butter candies like this. Fortunately, we found Turkish helva in a few middle eastern grocery stores in Chicago.
Where to get your Helva Fix in Chicago:
Pita Inn Market & Bakery (Next to Pita Inn Restaurant)
3924 Dempster
Skokie, IL
Middle East Bakery and Grocery
1512 W. Foster
Chicago, IL
Filed under Quest, World Eats
The best gelato in Rome: Giolitti
Giolitti
Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40
Rome, Italy
Who knew that something that only cost 2.50 Euros could be so wonderful. We had our fair share of gelato in Sicily, but nothing could compare to the amazing gelato we got at Giolitti in Rome. Tourists and locals alike fill this place every morning until 1:30 AM, and probably have since its opening in 1900. It became a Roman ritual of ours to get a scoop (or 3) of Giolitti and walk over to the Pantheon, which was a few mere blocks away. Though both of these places were constantly packed to the brim, we never seemed to mind.
The ordering process at Giolitti is a little bit different than most shops. You pay at the front cashier and get a receipt with your order. You then take your ticket to the ice cream counter and elbow your way to the front. You tell the scooper what flavors you want – and fast! No time for pondering!
The only ‘problem’ is choosing between a dizzying array of flavors of ice creams and sorbets. There are common flavors like chocolate, hazelnut and strawberry, but also other more esoteric offerings like Indian Fig, Baba al Rhum and Champagne. The chocolate fondente flavor was the darkest richest chocolate gelato we had ever tasted, so we were pretty much hooked from first bite. But since there were 3 flavors per scoop we felt we had to try a few of the myriad options. Here are the optimal flavor combinations we arrived upon after days of deliberation:
- L: Chocolate fondente, Oreo & Raspberry
- M: Chocolate fondente, Oreo & Coconut
If you wanted any evidence of the gluttony present, this is an example of a single scoop. Yes, a single scoop at Giolitti is in fact a triple scoop with a huge dollop of whipped cream on the top. Heaven! We will never forget our daily trip to Giolitti, and we would be hard pressed to find a better gelato anywhere.
Filed under Finer Things Club, Reviews
Finer things Club: A Tavola
A Tavola
2148 w. Chicago Ave.
Chicago IL, 60622
A Tavola is quite a lovely little restaurant. It is perfect for a date night out with your special someone, but despite the ambiance or any other fine menu offerings, there is only one reason – one very important reason – to go to A Tavola – the gnocchi! This remains our gold standard of gnocchi, even after going to Italy (where we coincidentally had terrible gnocchi :-( ). The A Tavola gnocchi are impossibly light and pillowy, so much so that one serving is hardly enough. They come served with a sage and brown butter sauce, definitely a classic preparation that compliment the gnocchi well. The sauce is quite good on its own as well, and we found ourselves scraping up the remainder with pieces of bread. What are the secret behind these gnocchi? We don’t know, but they certain put most of the other leaden gnocchi we have sampled to shame.
Filed under Finer Things Club, Reviews
Olive Oil Tour 2K11
We tend to like to organize our trips around themes (BBQ Tour 2K11, for one) and this upcoming trip is no exception. We will be leaving soon on our honeymoon around the Mediterranean, which we have dubbed Olive Oil Tour 2k11. Our itinerary is Istanbul –> Santorini –> Crete –> Athens –> Siracusa –> Palermo –> Rome. We are definitely looking forward to some awesome food.
Filed under Note
Eating the Thailand Menu at Next
NEXT
953 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL
Our vain efforts at reading the Thai newspaper on our table were interrupted by our server: “Have you ever heard Thai hip-hop?” The music moving through the spare dining room was far from our usual interests, but our server’s first question seemed to set the tone for our evening at NEXT: unabashedly sophisticated delights, innovative presentations, and informed, efficient, and unpretentious service.
We entered the restaurant at 5:15, fifteen minutes ahead of our ticket time. As such, we were the first ones to sit down, and so we stayed a course ahead of everyone else in the place for the night, so we were first to find out the next surprise. What followed were nine courses spread over 2 1/2 hours, and easily one of the great meals of our lives. Each flavor, bold and distinct, melded together with a carefully orchestrated set of sensory stimuli Grant Achatz threw at us: the smell of flowers worked subtly into dishes; the flash of color changes of napkins and place settings; the tactility of piles of chopped cocount shells; and the flavors, monotonously recited by our waiters until the explosion of that first bite. What follows is less of a review than a memory recap, and sincere apologies to all of you who were not able to get tickets. Enjoy:
Course 1: “Thai street food.” Utensils: a Thai newspaper, a banana leaf; paper plates, and plastic knives and forks. Dishes: Roasted bananas topped with pickled garlic, fried shallots, tiny Thai chilis, cilantro flowers and leaves; Fried Prawn cake with white pepper, lime zest, and coriander; Sweet shrimp with raw garlic and bird chilis, wrapped in a mint leaf; Fermented Thai sausage topped with peanuts, galangal, and and grilled scallions.
Cleanser 1: Juice of guava, mango, and papaya.
Course 2: Thai street finished with two steamed buns, filled with mushrooms and spicy green curry.
Cleanser 2: Juice of chrysanthemum, lemongrass, and lychee.
Course 3: A riff on Tom Yum Soup: hot and sour broth with pork belly, tomato, and kaffir lime.
Course 4: A bamboo basket of steamed rice, paired with three sauces: a) A spicy mixture – the finest combination of flavor and capsaicin M has ever had – with chilis, shallots, and garlic; b) a sauce of salted duck egg with green mango and white radishes; and c) a sauce of pickled fruits and vegetables mixed with basil (pictured).
Course 5: Catfish braised in caramel sauce with celery, coriander root, a hibiscus flower, and the most amazing pearl onions we’ve ever had. No idea what he put in those things, but they were worth the price of admission.
Cleanser 3: Juice of carrot, ginger, and orange.
Course 6: Panang Curry remix: braised beef cheek in a curry of peanut, nutmeg, coconut, and lemongrass.
Cleanser 4: Juice of watermelon and lemongrass.
Course 7: A hollowed out coconut, served two ways. On the left: freeze-dried egg yolk, coconut, chili flakes, and licorice-infused tapioca balls. On the right: sweet coconut sorbet.
Cleanser 5: Juice of corn and pineapple.
Course 8: Half of a dragon fruit, served with a “smelling pairing” of a pink rose. We were instructed to eat half of the fruit, then smell the rose and eat the second half, taking note of the difference in flavor.
Course 9: Thai iced tea served in a to-go bag, as is common in Bangkok.
For the price we paid this was an unbelievable amount of food, and all of it executed to perfection. We have never been so full or satisfied with such a high-end meal in our lives. And we hear there is a Sicilian menu in the works….
Filed under Reviews
Brazilian Cuisine in NYC: Berimbau
Berimbau
43 Carmine Street
New York, NY
It is with a little irony that we went to a middle eastern restaurant on a street called “Little Brazil” in Midtown Manhattan. Up and down the street there were Brazilian restaurants and stores, but we were meeting a friend who suggested a Middle Eastern place, so we only could look wistfully at the signs advertising Açaí smoothies and the like. I took us a trip to Greenwich Village to get our fill of Brazilian food, when we ended up at Berimbau. We got a little turned around on our way to the restaurant (we went without the aid of smartphones at the time – can you believe it!), but we eventually found our way. The restaurant itself is tinier than tiny – with two rows of tables (probably seating for 20 or so) and exposed brick walls with a few Brazilian berimbaus on display.
The nicely edited menu contained many of our favorites as well as updated takes on some classics. We started out with one of our iconic favorite, Pão de Queijo ($6.95), little cassava flour rolls filled with Catipury cheese. We were the first diners there, by necessity of making an 8PM show that night. It was a tiny bit awkward, as the servers stared us down while we twiddled our thumbs waiting for our Pães, which turned out to be quite good.
For entrees, M ordered the Strogonoff de Frango ($17.95). The Stroganoff consisted of chicken breast in a mushroom cream sauce and came with rice and shoestring potatoes. The sauce itself was very flavorful with the aroma of mushrooms, but seemed like it was missing a little bit of a kick. L ordered the Bobo de Camarão (18.95) – a traditional Bahian fish stew with Shrimp and yucca. It came garnished with a heaping helping of cilantro, which is always a plus, and had a little bit of spice, which we found missing from M’s dish.
Berimbau filled something of an interesting void for us – an upscale Brazilian restaurant that was not an oversized steakhouse or a tiny mom and pop cafe. Of course, there is nothing wrong with either option, but definitely a Brazilian dining option we lack in Chicago. Berimbau, perhaps at a little bit of a later hour, would certainly be perfect for a date night out.
Filed under Reviews
Colombian Food Renaissance
This Atlantic article describes the revival of Colombian food culture, and how the combination of new chefs, local food & creativity put Colombia back on the foodie map. Sounds great to me.
Filed under Links
Hong Kong: Eggettes
There is nothing we love more than a sweet, sugar carb-y item. Just when we think we have the market cornered we always seem to find a new global combination of flour, butter and sugar. Our latest surprise was the Hong Kong Eggette. Literally named, Eggettes are little bubbly waffles (naturally in the shape of eggs), cooked on a special iron. They are typically a street food in Hong Kong and other Cantonese-speaking areas like Macau. However, if you cannot make it to Hong Kong eggette loving home-cook can try their hand with an egg waffle pan.
Eggettes in Hong Kong
Filed under World Eats
Freeze Frame
We haven’t been able to post photos with our restaurant posts due to some technical issues, but we promise we have them. We will update all of our older posts soon, along with a much-anticipated review of NEXT.
Filed under Note
Breakfast Interrupted
Filed under Links
