November 21, 2008 · 2:56 PM

Friday Foodie Links

MicroReviews. I really like this new concept – Twittering micro food reviews. Tweatingout does 140-character reviews of Chicago restaurants. Sometimes brevity works.

Big in Japan. McDonald’s has introduced a new unbranded concept restaurant in Japan that serves…only quarter pounders. The stores were accompanied by a huge viral campaign that is apparently making the restaurant concept into a big deal in Japan.

Recipes from Famous Folks. Cookstr provides a clean searchable website with recipes from some pretty famous chefs including James Beard,  Charlie Trotter, etc.

Two Lovely Food Blogs. I recently stumbled across these two food blogs and they are great: Ezra Pound Cake and CakeSpy.

Eating the Map. Using GoogleMaps’ API, someone has created a handy map of all of the locations visited on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

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November 20, 2008 · 1:28 AM

Feliz Cumpleaños, ETW!

RecordBDay

Happy 1st Birthday, Eating the World!

Yes, this blog is one year old today. It’s been a good first year. We have thus far eaten 54 out of the 194 nations recognized by the US Department of State (27.8%). In the upcoming year we hope to knock off a few more countries (we’re coming for you, Ecuador…). Thanks for following us on our adventures!

P.S. Contrary to the above picture, if Eating the World had a birthday cake, it would definitely be chocolate.

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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 14, 2008 · 5:51 PM

Friday Foodie Link: Yes We Cake!

Because carving an Obama pumpkin is not enough – how about making a cake, or a cupcake (or 100)? Yes we cake showcases the awesome work of some politically conscious citizen bakers. Makes me want to make a cake myself!

yeswecakeCards from CakeSpy.

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November 12, 2008 · 7:55 PM

FTC: Galeux d’ Eysines Squash

The culinary harbingers of fall are squash and pumpkins. I admit to getting a little overloaded on pumpkins around Halloween time (though I do like to carve them) since they get incorporated into every type of food, from ravioli to lattes. However, I have noticed this unusual squash at several farmers markets recently, and it really caught my eye. It’s called a Galeux d’ Eysines – in French Galeux translates to warty or scabby, so that’s pretty appropriate. Apparently this French heirloom variety is quite tasty and the ‘warts’ are merely cosmetic. You can even grow your own!

FrenchPumpkin

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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 17, 2008 · 9:33 AM

Friday Foodie Link: Iced Coffee today?

Iced Coffee Today

We like this site because of its simplicity. Is it iced or coffee weather today tells you if the weather in your zip code dictates hot or cold beverages. Sadly, it seems like our Iced Coffee days will be over until next year. Fans of this site might also enjoy the non-food related Umbrella Today?

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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 11, 2008 · 11:03 AM

FTC: Korean Red Ginseng Candy

koreaA colleague of mine is from South Korea, and she always brings in the most interesting candies to share after she takes trips to South Korea. Her latest treat was red ginseng candies. Red ginseng is a popular ingredient in Korea – and is found in everything from tea to candy to jelly. Red ginseng is a special preparation of ginseng where it is heated to create a brittle texture.

I know ginseng is supposed to be good for you – and has been shown to have some anti-carcinogenic effects, but I’ve never had it like this. The little candies looked suspiciously like lozenges – and at first sample – they tasted like them too. Gradually the little maroon-colored candies tasted sweeter, but with a bitter, medicinal tinge. All in all, not bad – and pretty good for you (for a sweet). I’ve seen red ginseng candies in Asian supermarkets in the Chicago area, however you can get them from several online shops as well.

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October 10, 2008 · 11:31 AM

Friday Foodie Link: The future of food

In this edition of Friday Foodie Links, I will post a couple of stories about the future of food.

Esquire recently had an interesting short piece, “What the 21st Century Will Taste Like” on how our eating habits will likely change in the next century. One of the more obvious changes predicted by the article is that our meat-loving ways will not be able to be sustained. Interestingly the piece is written by chef David Chang of Momofuku – an exclusive NYC restaurant known for its meat-focus dishes and inhospitably to Vegetarians.

The second story is about a small grocery in Chicago that is running on a business model usually used for free software products. It’s called Open Produce (1635 E. 55th St.), and they are working on an open source model making all of their data from finances to wholesaling prices available to the public. You can follow their progress on the Open Produce blog.

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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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October 7, 2008 · 1:53 PM

World Eats: Québécois Bagels

I’ve heard from various native Québécois and visitors about Québéc’s long and storied Bagel Tradition. Being from Chicago, a city with no great claim to bagels like New York, I am less dubious of this claim as some New Yorkers are. However, when thinking of Francophone Québéc I don’t think of Bagels. However, Montreal-style bagels have a long history – brought by Eastern European immigrants in the early 20th century. Though they are like New York-style bagels, they differ in a few important ways: They are baked in Wood-fire ovens, have no added salt, and have added honey.

Some of Montreal’s favorite bagels are St. Viateur Bagels (1127 Av. Mont-Royal est) which has been turning out doughy goodness since 1957, and Fairmount Bagel (74 Fairmount West). A Canadian astronaut even requested that his favorite bagel be transported into space with him. So maybe the idea of the Québécois bagel is not so unusual.

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October 3, 2008 · 9:24 AM

Friday Foodie Link: From Copenhagen to India

denmark_flagIndia FlagGaper’s Block: Drive-Thru had an interesting feature last week detailing a vegan foodie’s culinary adventures around the world – from Copenhagen to Delhi (and back to Chicago).

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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 26, 2008 · 11:22 AM

Recipe Friday: Inter-Continental Risotto

M and I love making Risotto, because though it the actual prep takes a little while, the end result is well worth it. Plus, we both love carbs and cheese (no health-food diet for us). We came upon this recipe for Mexican Corn Risotto from Bon Appetit magazine after perusing the web for a recipe that would use garlic, cumin, and cilantro. In our rendition of the dish we used the chipotle cheddar from Brennan’s which added a great kick – that and we doubled the amount of cumin called for. We also omitted the whipping cream, and the dish was plenty rich enough without it!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup medium-grain white rice
2 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
1 10-ounce package frozen sweet corn
1/4 cup whipping cream or half and half
1 cup (packed) grated Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeños
Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cumin; sauté 1 minute. Mix in rice. Add broth and frozen corn and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until rice is tender and mixture is slightly thick and creamy, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add cream and cheese and stir until mixture is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

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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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