Speaking of world cuisines, a type of fusion that we had never seen before – Asian-influenced tacos – is making its way across the nation. Originating in California, the New York Times describes the arrival of Korean-Style Tacos across the nation. One restaurant, Taco Chino, is even located in Chicago. LTH Forum describes the Taco Chino experience here.
Korean Tacos sweep the nation
Filed under World Eats
The Rise and Fall of French Cuisine
The London Review of Books has a great review of a new book, Au Revoir to All That: The Rise and Fall of French Cuisine by Michael Steinberger about the role of French Cuisine in tastemaking over time. The book argues that in the past few decades French cuisine has lost its grip on the culinary imagination – but why? Simply put – failure to innovate. While France does its version of haute cuisine well, it does not do innovation as well as the US or Spain (among other locations). This, coupled with changing attitudes about food both inside and outside of France were the death-knell to France’s hold on world cuisine. I’d definitely be interested in this read.
Filed under Books
Dosa paradise on Devon: Udupi Palace
Udupi Palace
2543 W. Devon Avenue
Chicago, IL
Forget the decor, forget the service (both of which were fine) this place is all about dosa. Outrageous, gigantic, gut-busting dosas. We knew we were in the right place when we walked into a restaurant on a Wednesday night and it was absolutely packed. Udupi Palace is a vegetarian restaurant, but there were enough options to please us carnivores just fine. The menu offers a wide range of South Indian dishes including dosas (giant crepes stuffed with filling).
To start out with we had the Udupi Special Assortment with medhu vada (Fried lentil donuts), vegetable samosa, aloo bonda (potato dumplings), chilly pakora (deep fried chili peppers) (all this for $7). L ordered the Paper Masala Dosai, filled with potatoes and onions ($6.50). Always on the hunt for spicy foods M ordered the Mysore Masala Dosai ($7.50) filled with hot chutney, potato and onion.
Upon arrival, our outrageous dosai that completely dwarfed the plate. Both wre delicious, though M could have handled a little more spice. But that was quickly fixed with the addition of the array of sauces provided on the table including hot pepper and Matt’s favorite – raita. Though M and I were wolfing down on dosai, one of our party even veered from the dosai and got some mattar paneer, which also got the thumbs up.
Udupi Palace provided a huge amount of the food for the price – which lasted us 2 meals apiece – and they even packed the sauces to bring home with us. You’ll never look at the simple crepe the same way again.
Thailand: Enjoying Chaa Yen in Bangkok
We love Thai iced teas stateside and were pleased to learn that they actually are popular in Thailand as well (unlike some other of our favorite Thai dishes). Thai Iced teas are called “Chaa Yen” in Thai which literally means “Tea Iced.” Haphazardly we found out that by ordering a cha yen flavored smoothie at an Au Bon Pain outside the Grand Palace (not our finest culinary moment).
A typical Chaa Yen is an uber-sweet, red, spiced Thai tea with condensed milk. The best Thai iced tea we had was in Chinatown in Bangkok from a mobile coffee stand called Coffee Cop on Rachawongse. The proprietor could not be nicer and the Chaa Yen was amazing! Back home, we have tried to recreate the recipe, with varying success. Thai tea is somewhat difficult to get in the US, so we have had some luck using Vanilla-flavored Rooibos instead.
Filed under Tea, World Eats
Australia via NYC: Tuck Shop
Tuck Shop
115 St. Marks Place
New York
We thought we would never get a restaurant from Australia, until we went there, that is. Suffice to say that when M and I learned about Tuck Shop, an Australian restaurant in Manhattan, we had to go. Lest we question the authenticity of the joint, it was full of Australian tourists to New York and an Australian server manning the counter. The restaurant itself was tiny, with only room for about 8 to sit, and some counter space, with just enough room for an Australian flag.
The menu was rather limited and the majority of the entrees were savory pies (with a small assortment of soups and salads). Being assured that it was the traditional Aussie way to go, we decided to try a range of pies: from Macaroni and cheese ($6) to Green Thai curry ($5.50) and Vegetarian chili ($5.50). Perhaps the carb-bomb that is a Mac N cheese pie would be lost on most people, but L loved it. The Thai curry pie was more well balanced, and the vegetarian chili had us asking if he was sure it was vegetarian. It was that convincing.
For dessert, we tried to order the famous Aussie cookies, Tim Tams, but they had run out. Even without the added sugar rush of the Tim Tams, dinner at the Tuck Shop was a hearty carb-bomb that filled us right up, though it probably speaks to the mixed culinary legacy left by the Brits.
Filed under Reviews
Southeast Asia: The Mighty Durian
Until this trip we had never tasted Durian before. Its reputation as a horrendously stinky yet somehow delectable fruit, along with its spiky appearance, intrigued us. I mean, Durians are banned on the subway in Singapore, how could we not be intrigued?
Our first real experience with a Durian was at a hawker market in Singapore’s Chinatown. The whole bottom floor of the hawker market was dedicated to produce. At one stall there was a woman carefully cutting and slicing bits of a Durian, with its signature spiky skin and yellow fruit. Curiously, there was no smell as we approached. We steeled ourselves and bought a small section of Durian for a few cents. The flavor itself was nutty, creamy and papaya-like (almost). We were surprised to say we pretty much liked Durian!
Our second experience with a Durian was in Malaysia – we were at a big glossy mall in Kuala Lumpur and Durian gelato was for sale at a stand. However, we did not have the same experience as in Singapore – and this second Durian product had a knock-out aftertaste and a garlicky flavor. So our experience with the Durian was mixed, don’t know if we’ll be up for a third round – maybe the next time we are in SE Asia.
Filed under World Eats
The Gaztrowagon hits the streets
Food trucks are finally becoming a reality in Chicago, after a long period of waiting (and petitioning). In fact, today is the first day the Gaztrowagon food truck – formerly only a brick and mortar store located on North Clark – hits the street. Hopefully this means a food cart explosion is headed Chicago’s way.
We visited the brick and mortar Gaztrowagon about a month ago and we were very impressed with their naan-whiches (what it sounds like, sandwiches on Indian naan flatbread), especially the pork shoulder with radish, cilantro and queso fresco ($7.00).
Food Cart Eatin’ by VeryBadLady
In November we are going to cart mecca San Francisco, and are pretty stoked to have carts in our own city, too! Hopefully, in the meantime, we’ll be able to track down the Gaztrowagon – you can find out about its location by checking out wherezthewagon on Twitter.
Filed under Reviews
Peru: Taste of Peru
Happy Peruvian Independence Day! Thankfully, Chicago is home to an assortment of Peruvian restaurants where you can celebrate culinarily. One of our favorite places to get Peruvian in Chicago is Taste of Peru. ToP is located in an unassuming stripmall storefront on North Clark and despite the small size of the restaurant, the menu is quite extensive. The restaurant has an expensive selection of seafood, including a few varieties of M’s favorite citrusy seafood salad – ceviche. For entrees- The aji de gallina ($11) – shredded chicken in walnut sauce and Lomo Saltado – Peruvian rib-eye ($11) are both excellent, and there is even live music on weekends.
Taste of Peru
6545 N Clark St.
Chicago
Filed under Reviews
Classic Singaporean Food: Kaya Toast
In a nation obsessed with food – one of the more iconic Singaporean dishes is Kaya Toast. Kaya Toast, coconut jam (kaya) on bread is peddled in most coffee shops, and make an awesome pick-me-up or a classic Singaporean breakfast. Kaya has a creamy consistency and is typically made with coconut milk, eggs and pandan leaves. Chain specializing in Kaya Toast have even sprung up over the years, the most famous being Ya Kun Kaya Toast, founded in the 1940s.
We got this Kaya Toast at Nanyang Old Coffee in Singapore’s Chinatown, along with an iced coffee and an iced milo (a chocolate malt milk drink – M’s favorite). The coffee shop also boasted a little museum dedicated to the history of coffee in Singapore. Kaya is even easy to make at home: check out these recipes from Susan Feniger and Chubby Hubby.
Filed under World Eats
Around the world in 80 Dishes
A blog worth visiting for global food inspiration is Epicurious’ Around the world in 80 dishes, which feature the history of the dish as well as a video and a recipe. They feature recipes from Egypt, Jamaica, The Philippines, Hungary – everywhere! The latest recipes is Doro Watt – an Ethiopian favorite.
Filed under Links
Baguettes in Cambodia
It’s Bastille Day today – and that means ETW is going to be featuring some French food. But this year how about something a bit different in terms of Gallic cuisine? When we were in Cambodia a few weeks ago we were struck by the sheer amount a baguettes for sale. Yeah, French baguettes piled precariously high on nearly every food cart! Cambodia, along with Vietnam, was part of French Indochina until the 1950s, and the French seem to have left behind a culinary legacy – at least in terms of omnipresent baguettes.
Filed under World Eats
Back in the Saddle Again
We’ve been gone a shameful amount of time – shameful. Really, this has been probably the busiest 2 months ever – with moving, graduation and a 2+ week long trip. We’re back now and have a lot of food adventures to report on from our trip to Southeast Asia. Stay tuned!
Filed under Note
Eating our way around NYC
Eating the World is wrapping up a great weekend trip to NYC currently, where we added three countries to our map: Haiti, Venezuela and, wait for it, AUSTRALIA! As you know Australia has been one of our most sought-after counties. We also hit up some Turkish and Greek restaurants, Momofuku Milk Bar and our favorite multi-national falafel chain, Maoz. Stay tuned for the reviews.
Filed under Note
Why doesn’t Chicago have food trucks?
Seriously!!! Going to Philly, New York , LA and San Fran, the sidewalks are chockablock with awesome food carts. It’s not just tacos and burgers anymore either, check out the creme brulee cart (which like many other food trucks, Twitters its news and location), a must do for when we go to San Fran. Sure, in Chicago there is the erstwhile paleta cart, but I’m talking about the full out Food-Truck experience. Check out Chicagofoodtrucks.com a site with more info about how food trucks might come to the Windy City.
Filed under Links
Delicious French Crêperie in Madison: Bradbury’s
Bradbury’s
127 North Hamilton Street
Madison, WI
Madison has an impressive number of homegrown coffee shops, though it definitely had less of a “crepe” presence. However, now both aspects of the Mad-town dining scene get a boost with Bradbury’s which specializes in both. Bradbury’s is primarily a breakfast and lunch space, located right off of the square. It is a cozy space (on the smallish side), swimming in windows and packed with tiny tables. The menu is written on the walls above the windows on one side of the cafe and consists of mostly coffee drinks a some sweet and savory crepe selections.
M, a particular oddity for grad students, doesn’t like coffee, so he enjoyed a generous bowl of hot chocolate. L got her caffeine fix through a macchiato. Also on the menus are more “advanced” coffee options like the Japanese Siphon coffee, which seemed to come with a neat cadre of serving implements. No seriously, it looks like a chemistry set of a mad scientist.
For our breakfast proper, we indulged in 2 chocolaty crepes (could it really be anything else?) L opted for the almond and nutella crepe ($4.5), which also came with bananas, but she opted for the non-fruit route, while M went for the dark chocolate and marmalade crepe ($5.5). After sampling each, L prefered the classic hazelnut/chocolate nutella crepe, while M, the chocolate purist, thought his crepe had a richer taste. For both crepes, the pancake itself was perfectly uniform and thin, something crepe carts often get wrong.
Bradbury’s a great place for a crepe and some coffee, and were were definitely tantalized by the range of savory options, like the spinach potato and cheddar ($6.5) or the chorizo and chevre ($7.5). We think a lunch may be in our future.
Filed under Reviews
Celebrate Easter with Pysanky – intricate Ukrainian Easter eggs!
Ukrainian Easter Eggs by Vanberto
Happy Easter – enjoy these beautiful Pysanky eggs from the Ukraine! These types of eggs are made using a wax-resist method where the designs are drawn on with a wax stylus and then dye is applied. These Pysanky definitely make American-style food-colored eggs jealous. Though it may be a little late, Instructables and Design*Sponge have guides on how to make your own Pysanky.
Colombia: Las Tablas
Las Tablas
2942 N Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL
We had been warned that to really enjoy Las Tablas you have to prepare yourself for an epic onslaught of starch and meat. We were prepared. We entered Las Tablas’ Lincoln Avenue location (There is also a newer Irving Park Location) on a Saturday night, and the place was packed to the gills and the bar was lively. We had a reservation but even had to wait 20 minutes for the party to clear out a bit. The decor inside was nice, with cute Botero reproductions lining the walls.
Looking at the menu we saw a distinct emphasis on… well, meat. However, on the large menu there were ample non-meat options to serve as teasers for the main event. We started off the meal with an order of Las Tablas’ 2 cheese empanadas ($2.5 each) and a rather more unusual appetizer of Aborrajado ($8) which was a plantain stuffed with guava jelly and soft white cheese. They made a mistake with our empanadas by giving us a meat order – and quickly made amends by bringing our correct cheese order out in addition. Though the meat empanadas were good – we actually preferred the cheese empanadas, maybe it’s the Wisconsin influence.
The appetizer portion of the dinner concluded our meatless run, and we pulled out all the stops for the main course. M ordered the “Matrimonio” which was a combination platter of chicken breast and Entraña skirt steak – the specialty of the house ($20). L ordered another combination platter with steak and shrimp ($20). Alongside each dish came plantains, potatoes and some somewhat unappealing fibrous yuca. The steak was definitely the house favorite for a reason. The chicken and shrimp were good, but not as memorable since they had the same spice rub as the beef. The portions were so huge we ended up taking about 1/2 of each portion home each, which served us for another meal and a half.
We washed everything down with a Las Tablas Limonada, a homemade lime cordial, which reminded us of the Venezuelan drink Papelon con Limon. For dessert we chose the Brevas con Arequipe ($4.5) a simple dish of figs covered in a semi-soft caramel sauce, much like dulce de leche, but with a slight sour flavor. Though not as sweet as it’s cousin, dulce de leche, M gobbled up the figs.
We stumbled out of Las Tablas in a veritable food coma, one induced for less than $60 no less. Though we sometimes had to shout to make ourselves heard above the din, Las Tablas is a great place for carnivores to share a lively dinner.
Filed under Reviews
Eating…North Korea?
In honor of April fools day here’s something from our “strange but true” file. So as everyone knows North Korea is a totalitarian regime that is nearly closed to outsiders. So how can it be that there are North Korean restaurants dotted across Asia? It turns out these restaurants are in fact run by the government itself and used as a tool for North Korea to acquire foreign currencies. Seriously. Not a joke. The restaurants are called Pyongyang, after the North Korean capital city.
Pyongyang restaurant in Siem Reap by lecercle
Pyongyangs are staffed by North Korean waitresses and feature a variety of Korean foods, including some basics like bibimbop and kim chee and also some unique/bizarre North Korean dishes like noodles served in a block of ice. There is no overt propaganda, but there is also a song-and-dance-laden dinner show that accompanies some meals. When we are in SE Asia this June we just might have to go! There are locations in Siem Riep, Cambodia and in Kuala Lumpur.
Filed under World Eats
Historical Menus Collections Online
It’s pretty amazing to look at historical menus, both for the prices and the actual menu items (how times have changed!). The LA Public Library and the New York Public Library both an extensive selection of old menus. There are even a few from Chicago, including an intriguing ad for the Chicago Chop Suey Parlor from the 1940s and a menu for the (relatively) recently-closed Barney’s Market Club.
Filed under Links
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