The Boiler Shrimp & Crawfish

-Grubbing in Chicago (land)
New to the 'Scene'

The early running favorite for biggest Chicago food trend in 2015 is Cajun food. There's been a handful of restaurants with a New Orleans and or Cajun connection to have opened of late. There's even a genre within the trend in Cajun Seafood spots. The Angry Crab opened this past Spring to lines of people and they're still lining up for it. Out in Skokie a place called 'The Boiler' has recently opened and they too have been packed. I decided to check them out.

Newly Opened Cajun Seafood Spot in Skokie 

Our visit would happen just a few days after they opened, yet the place was already packed. Its tucked away in a strip mall and they don't open until 4p and at this point I imagine they have lines waiting to be seated when the door opens. The setup was a bit odd as they have two cash registers right there when you walk in but you wait to order with a waitress and then pay her when you're done. It made the situation longer than it had to be. If people paid upon walking in and then sat down with a number I don't see why it wouldn't speed up the process. But they're learning.

Menu / Boiled Crawfish

I'll be honest. These places are all pretty much the same to me. I've been to popular ones in New Orleans and now I've tried a few in Chicago. Biggest difference in them all is whats available with the boiled seafood. Here they have a few sides including the standards of sausage, mushrooms, corn. A side of rice was dry. They supply a bunch of limes and salt to make a sauce with to dip your seafood into but I thought it was just fine with the sauce they tossed the seafood in. In this case we tried the combo that included all three flavors. It was good. But the problem was the crawfish were cooked too long. The crab legs were just fine and certainly hit the spot. I'll be back for them.

Crab Legs

The Boiler Shrimp & Crawfish
3445 Dempster St
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 779-3150
Website

Eating BIG in Nashville Pt. 2

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- More Southern Eats and Drink in the Music City

Took a ride down to Nashville this past Memorial Day weekend and had a good time. This was my second trip and I will admit that the atmospheres of each trip were very different, the first one being a bachelor party and this most recent one being a trip with the lady. Still the same as far as activities go but aside from a quick stroll down Broadway one afternoon and then a quick drink at a live music venue the next night, we stayed away from the drunken festivities. Nashville is the the bachelorette capitol of the country or at least it seems that way once you get there. There's also tons of construction going on in the building of apartments and hotels. Some people compare it to Austin but other than the live music and fast urban development similarities I never really felt it. I want to go back to Austin but I don't need to go back to Nashville. Unfortunately we didn't get in until Friday afternoon and because Monday was Memorial Day, Arnold's was closed when we pulled up. Major buzzkill yo. I was looking forward to a return visit but it just wasn't meant to be. Check Part One HERE.

What happens in Nashvegas, stays in Nashvegas

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Hattie B's Hot Chicken

First stop was going to have to be the hugely popular Hattie B's. I've heard about it on here and elsewhere and she was told by a work colleague that it was a must and we're both fans of fried chicken so we rolled over upon arrival. Line was out the door but it was a Friday and seeing as how there was only a few people outside we figured this might be the shortest it got that weekend.
Speaking for me and me only, the best hot chicken I've had remains that from Rocky's. Hattie's was a bit of letdown. The wait wasn't worth it and the service came with I don't give a sh!t attitude. By no means was the final product bad but it just didn't have that oomph that places like Rocky's and some other spots I tried this trip did. If this was my first introduction into hot chicken I might be a little bit more enthusiastic about it but I just didn't think it was all that it's been cracked up to be. Definitely social media driven. Good but not great and the sides were the same way. Still, don't stay away, decide for yourself, maybe it was an off day.

Hot Chicken at Hattie B's

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400 Degrees Hot Chicken

Getting right into the question most readers are asking "what was better than Hattie B's" we head over to a random food court that houses a few generic chain restaurants like Quizno's and J. Gumbo's. So looking in from the outside it doesn't seem like there's a damn thing worth your time until you step inside and spy a stand sporting Hot Chicken on it's menu. I heard good things about 400 Degrees and it's owner and neither disappointed. Owner Aqui Hines works most of the magic with the help of another employee in their small space with just two fryers so make sure to order ahead if you're in a hurry. If not you can enjoy the company of Nashville's Hot Chicken Queen.

The Frying Station

As followers of his thread know, when it comes to hot chicken mild is hot and hot is hell. I like heat but I don't want it to hurt anymore than a few seconds afterward nor to takeover the entire flavor profile of a dish. This versions spicing was perfect. The heat may have lasted 10-15 seconds but much like Rocky's I found the flavors to be finger licking good. They do a double spicing technique that includes both the seasoning of the bird before frying and the dipping of it into hot sauce once it comes out of the fryer. The sauce glues itself to the crust and forms magic. The reason I know I liked this one the most was because I wanted it again the next day but unfortunately they're closed on Sunday's.

Hot Chicken (200 Degrees)

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Pepperfire Hot Chicken

This little walk-up shack with a few tables is another locals favorite I wanted to check out. Known for their hot chicken and a signature dish called the 'Royale with Cheese' which is deep fried grilled cheese topped with three hot chicken tenders. I was tempted by the sandwich but a bird with bones will always win out. And win it did. Another excellent option with heavy hits of cumin coming after the heat. I thought it was good enough for second place on this trip.

Hot Chicken at Pepperfire

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Helen's Hot Chicken

Last place finisher of the four was this spot hiding in a strip mall located in a residential area away from the other spots. I guess they have or had a foodstand because I originally went to the address for that location but the lot was empty. The inside of the restaurant would be empty when I stopped in though they were just closing as I was the last customer of the day. The wings were just ok, a little bit greasy and not as crispy as they could have been. They were touting this homemade drink mixing mango juice with sweet tea and it was pretty damn good but must of been filled with sugar.

Hot Chicken and a bottle of Hella Mango from Helen's

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Saint Anejo

We took a walk around an area with lots of buildings going up and came across a stretch where there were quite a few new school bars and restaurants. The outdoor patio and bar at Saint Anejo were packed so we stopped in for a drink which also turned into a bite to eat. I couldn't resist the hot chicken tacos which made for great fusion food. The warm fluffy tortillas were made on site and the crispy hot chicken inside of them was cooked just right. I also enjoyed my Mezcal Old Fashioned and the friendly service of a nice lady from the Quad Cities region.

Hot Chicken Tacos

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Acme Feed & Seed

Good food options on Broadway aren't all that abundant but theres a new place at the end of it called Acme Feed & Seed and they've got some love for bringing the street some food you don't have to be hammered to enjoy. The guy behind it is a well known restauranteur in the area and is making his mark with this spacy three story restaurant with a huge music stage on the first floor and a large deck on top. The hot chicken sandwich was excellent. Butter toasted white bread paired with a crispy and tender hot chicken breast and plenty of pickles. If you have to eat on Broadway street and don't want a fried bologna sandwich I'd head here. It's not life changing but it is comforting.

Hot Chicken Sandwich

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Party Fowl - We stopped in here for a drink and I had already put down a couple orders of hot chicken so I just didn't have it in me to try theirs but a snack of boudin balls were good. Drinks sounded just ok but most places were that way so I stuck with beer half the time. I'm becoming a cocktail snob. Haha.

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City House

This relatively new Germantown restaurant provided our best overall experience as far as everything goes. Drinks, food, and the service, were all wonderful. We sat at one of the bars and chatted it up with one of the guys behind it. This was a late nite stop for some cocktails that turned into a pizza eating session as well. The Belly Ham pizza was one of the best wood fired pies I've ate. They even cut it in squares, not that it needed to be. I'd for sure go back here if I ever make it back into town.

Belly Ham Pizza with an Egg added on

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Hermitage Cafe

This diner is an institution that's been feeding Nashville's late night hunger going on 25 years. Its just off Broadway and very popular with the late night crowd as they open for breakfast and lunch on normal diner hours than close and reopen again at 10pm. Foodwise its about what you'd expect. Good greasy stuff to soak up the booze. The burger was fine but the fried bologna sandwich was better.

Cheeseburger and Fried Bologna Sandwich

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Pinewood Social

I liked the looks of this place and really liked what I saw on their site so it was in the books. We stopped in Sunday morning during brunch hours but they have this weird thing where theres a different menu for the outside area. So we just sat at the main bar. The place is located in what seems to be an old warehouse district so the size of the space is huge. They got a coffee shop, a bar, a bowling alley, tons of tables as well as lounge areas and the aforementioned outdoor patios. Both the food and drinks did not disappoint. I really liked the breakfast tacos made with bacon and green chile stew with pork and thought the drinks were good enough to go back to if they were in Chicago, a city loaded with worthy options. The service and overall attitude of the bartenders was also excellent.

 

Breakfast Tacos

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Epice

Taking a quick break from Southern Eats we went to this popular bistro sporting a modern Lebanese menu. Located in a very nice part of the city it's lined up with all sorts of other little bars, restaurants and boutique shops. The lunch menu sported a variety of sandwiches and we tried the 'Samak' which was a fresh grilled fish filet and also the 'Makanik' which was made with spiced ground sirloin sausage mixed with a pomegranate molasses. I'm usually not a big fan of most fruit mixed meat but this was an addictive sandwich. The fish was also pleasant and both came with a side of salad and cilantro roasted potatoes. Good spot.

Samak Sandwich

Makanik Sandwich

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Nashville Farmers Market - I must say the Farmers Market was below average at best, they just switched to growers only but the best thing going was the peaches from the popular Georgia Peach Truck. Maybe it's all downhill when you're a frequent summertime shopper at the Dane County Farmers Market because I've been to the supposedly good ones in farm friendly cities like Austin, Asheville, San Francisco and none have matched Madison.

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I should mention a few things about the drinks, it's one of the main reasons people visit the town. If you want more than a Budweiser in a plastic cup you don't have to look to far. The best Happy Hour as far as beer goes can be found at The Sutler Saloon. It's everyday and drafts are just $2.50 and they have all the good local micro-brewed stuff for you to choose from. They got cocktails too. I liked the beers I was trying around town from Jackalope Brewing enough to visit the brewery for a cold one, it's right next door to Party Fowl. Nice 1-2 punch.

Jackalope Brewing Company

This time around I much preferred the drinks at Patterson House to Holland House, the former being one of the better bars in the country. We also went to the popular cocktail bar called Bar No. 308 and enjoyed it although it was packed and the bartenders were stressed because of it. Embers Ski Lodge was recently opened and it's supposed to be a Northwest style cocktail bar that focuses on Asian eats. We didn't eat but the cocktails on the patio were pretty good but nothing to get extremely excited about. Then again we all have the type of drinks we like so it's best to see for yourself.

Embers Ski Lodge

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Thunderbird

I stopped into Craft Brewed Bottle Shop and Tasting Room to buy some six packs to take home and came across this food truck slanging smoked chicken wings outside. It was a welcome break from the hot chicken. Perfect with an ice cold beer.

Smoked Wings

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Dino's Bar

Dino's touts itself as "Nashville's Oldest Dive Bar" and I can verify the dive bar part. Located next door to Bar No. 308 I was intrigued by the sign and then when I saw the interior and the flattop grill sitting right there I knew where I was eating before we headed back to the hotel. They're loved for their cheap ice cold beer, delicious burgers and also some live music. It's a dump in every sense of the definition but the hipsters made those cool so it's all good in the hood. That said the hipsters know a good burger because this one was every bit as good as any I've had of late. It was simple, but it was fresh beef cooked until just juicy and it hit really the spot right then and there.

Cheeseburger

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Biscuit Love

We wanted to stop into here on Sunday but the line was too long to wait it out. Expect one should you go because we went back Monday before leaving town and there was still a line. However there is a first come first serve policy at the bar and we went on in and waited for all of 1 minute before two seats became available. I'd be doing the guy behind the bar from Alabama a favor by not calling him out. Apparently he thought it was still 1942 or something and while not saying anything directly he made it clear he didn't want us there. Nice as could be to the everyone else sitting there but nothing except one word here or there to us. However the rest of the house was pleasant and he was tipped accordingly. It took quite a bit of restraint to keep my mouth shut.

Bonuts Deep Fried Biscuit Dough filled with Blueberry Compote

The bonuts were good but I wasn't ecstatic over them, then again I'm not a big morning sweets guy. But I thought they'd be both a little hotter and also softer. I got the Biscuits with Country Ham and Sausage Gravy and it was satisfying although I'm not sure I'd say the same if I waited an hour for it.

Biscuits with Country Ham and Sausage Gravy

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Husk

Had to do a dinner at Husk as thats the spot she wanted to try, and I certainly wasn't opposed. Good thing because otherwise I would've missed out on an excellent meal and maybe my two favorite bites of this trip, along with the hot chicken from 400 Degrees anyway. The patio was an option and it was beautiful outside so we rolled with that. The cocktails here were almost as good as the food, as was the service.I;d heard mixed reviews before going in, but we were off to a good start.

Country Ham Sliders

I don't have to say anything about the sliders featuring Cheerwine Glazed Belly Ham, Pickled Onion, Cucumber, Smoked Duke's Mayo, and a House Fried Rind on a Homemade Parker House Roll except that you cant get much more Southern than that. I've never been to Charleston but the shrimp and grits here were so good we had to order another round, fitting since Husk has a location there. The waiter explained the grits are made by some local guy and they're the best in the business. When mixed with mushrooms, a runny egg and whatever other magic they put into this dish it was an item that just might make into my 'best of' list at years end. See ya next time.

Shrimp and Grits

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Hattie B's Hot Chicken
112 19th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 678-4794

400 Degrees Hot Chicken
319 Peabody St
Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 244-4467

Pepperfire Hot Chicken
2821 Gallatin Pike
Nashville, TN 37216
(615) 582-4824

Helen's Hot Chicken
1222 Rosa L Parks Blvd
Nashville, TN 37208
(615) 484-7460

Saint Anejo
1120 McGavock St
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 736-5301

Acme Feed & Seed
101 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 915-0888

Party Fowl
719 8th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 624-8255

City House
1222 4th Ave N
Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 736-5838

Hermitage Cafe
71 Hermitage Ave
Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 254-8871

Pinewood Social
33 Peabody St
Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 751-8111

Epice
2902 12th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 720-6765

Nashville Farmers Market
900 Rosa L Parks Blvd
Nashville, TN 37208
(615) 880-2001

Jackalope Brewing Company
701 8th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 873-4313

Embers Ski Lodge
2410 12th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 866-5652

Thunderbird
2502 Franklin Pike
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 601-2750

Dino's Bar
411 Gallatin Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 226-3566

Biscuit Love
316 11th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 490-9584

Husk
37 Rutledge St
Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 256-6565

Reno Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where the hipsters eat.

In the last five years Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood has transformed itself into one of the best areas in the country to eat and drink. There's no shortage whatsoever. Man could never leave the neighborhood for a year and be satisfied with the options it presents. Today we check out a place located right on the Square. Reno bills itself as a little bit of everything. Let's roll.

Locals favorite in Logan Square

The slogan Reno likes to go by is 'Morning, Noon, Night' and that reflects both the time of the day they're open and also the menu. Reno bakes their own bagels and offers them as an early morning option. You can go normal and enjoy one with just cream cheese or you can order one of their custom sandwiches. I like 'The Hook' featuring a sesame seeded bagel that gets dressed with togarashi lox, sliced cucumber, avocado, artichoke cream cheese, and red onion. Good way to start the day.

The Hook Sandwich

Then there's the lunch menu which also features a handful of sandwiches. One of which the Tribune's Kevin pang called the best fried chicken sandwich in Chicago. While I don't agree with that assessment. Labeled the 'Pine' on the menu this is a chicken thigh fried that gets topped with white cheddar, dill pickles and hot honey. My biggest problem is the cheese turns to rubber pretty damn quickly. Its not a bad sandwich but it's also not the best chicken sandwich in the city.

The Pine Sandwich

In the evenings Reno has pizza on the menu and on Tuesday's they go for 2 for $20 so try and visit them then to get a taste of more than one offering. Although I will say that my favorite by far is the 'The Hog' made with pork carnitas as the main topping. It also includes salsa verde, mozzarella, rajas, and cotija cheese. One of the better non-traditional pizza pies that I've tried. Reno, I'm a fan.

The Hog Pizza

Reno Chicago
2607 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 697-4234
Website

Drive-In Burgers of Wisconsin

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Wisconsin

Wisconsin has almost as big of a Drive-In culture as they do burgers and beer. Whether we're talking theaters or food the state has a high concentration of them. Oh and don't forget about the booze thru's too. There's previous posts dedicated to the Drive-Ins of Kenosha. Today I have five more to add to the statewide round-up. We'll start south and move north as we check out the scene.
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Nite Owl Drive-In

Milwaukee, WI

This place near the airport has been on my radar since the start of this thread but I've never been able to squeeze them in until this past Spring. A locals favorite approaching their 70th year in business past patrons range from Elvis Presley to Bud Selig and more. Because of the name I decided to include them in this report but they also fit the bill of an upcoming one which will document the spots around Milwaukee famous for both their custard and jumbo burgers.

Ordering Window

This is a seasonal operation and most folks ordering from the window (they no longer offer car hop service) will eat their burgers right there in the car. I must say that for $4 this is quite the bang for your buck burger. I don't know who eats doubles of these things ($7) but I've seen some of the folks walking around town in their Packers gear and have little doubt that they couldnt finish a triple if they tried. Seriously a single here is bigger than some spots doubles. You're asked if you want grilled or raw onions and I recommend going grilled as they give a little bit of juiciness to the overall consumption. The larger than normal bun was just average at best which is a rarity in these parts and I think there were three pieces of cheese on the thing. In all honesty I couldn't even finish it as I was coming from a fish fry elsewhere. Not a bad burger by any means but I wouldn't list it in the Top 10 in-state. I'd guess it'd finish middle of the road if they all got ranked.

Jumbo Cheeseburger

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Wayne's Drive-In

Cedarburg, WI

About 30 minutes north of Nite Owl this place is currently open for their 16th summer of business. Made to be a 50's style drive-in they don't have hop service here but they do get quite a large amount of antique car rocking folks and also bikers that stop by for a burger at the counter. Size-wise these are a little bit bigger than most though not quite a jumbo as the ones at Nite Owl are known. Wayne's uses locally made Sheboygan hard rolls as their buns and that's a good thing because the large burger patty can become pretty juicy with the big smear of butter that goes on top mixed in. I very much enjoyed this offering.

Cheeseburger

For Butter Lovers

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Chester's Drive-In

 Plymouth, WI

Continuing North we head about 45 miles up the highway into Plymouth where Chester's Drive-In has been locally owned for more than 40 years. This is the first deal deal Drive-In of the day as they have carhop service and make an excellent batch of old fashioned draft root beer that comes served in a chilled glass mug. The way it's supposed to be done. Burger wise we're only about 20 minutes inland from Sheboygan so it should be no surprise thats the style being slung. Classic toasted hard roll with a heaping amount of butter? Check. Freshly supplied patty from nearby butcher cooked over real charcoal? Check. Wisconsin Cheddar, Sliced Raw Onion, Slices of Pickles and Stone Ground Mustard? Check, Check, Check and Check. Great tasting burger? Check. Still one of the best I've had all summer. Well worth the stop.

Cheeseburger and Fresh Root Beer

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Ardy & Ed's Drive In

Oshkosh, WI

Here folks is one of a few full fledged drive-in's still up and running in the states. As you can see in the picture up above, the high school aged car hops are still on skates and as you'll see in the next pic down, the cooks are in the paper hats and the owner who's name appears on the sign is still spending summers there.

a peak inside

"A blast from the Past" is the motto here and it fits it perfectly. I pulled up and hopped out because I wanted to check the inside which as expected feels like a time warp. So the story goes it "began in 1948, shortly after World War II had ended. It was originally known as the Southside A & W Drive In, serving little more than A & W Root Beer, Hot Dogs and chips. In the late 40's it was one of only two or three Drive In Restaurants in Oshkosh. One of the early owners was Mr. Nate Rohr, who eventually owned a number of Root Beer Stands in the Fox Valley.

In 1953 the business was purchased by Robert and Elizabeth "Ollie" Albrecht of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The Albrechts operated the drive in for 7 1/2 years. On July 1, 1960 the business was sold to Mrs. Albrecht's son, Edward Timm, and his wife Ardythe.

The Timms operated the business as the Southside A & W Drive In until 1972. At that time the decision was made to operate as an independent drive in, and the business was renamed "Ardy & Ed's Drive In". They continued serving the same "Famous" draft root beer and great food as they had in the past.

After the death of Ed in 1979, Ardy continued to operate the business. Today, she runs the business with her partner and husband, Steve Davis, who began working at the restaurant in 1977. Steve was honored by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association as "Restaurateur of the Year" in 2008 for his service to the WRA and the foodservice industry. In 2010 the WRA Education Foundation honored Steve with their "Salute to Excellence" restaurateur award for his dedication to hospitality education in Wisconsin."

Ardy & Ed Burger

The namesake burger is the Drive-In's signature offering and like the Charcoal Inn of Sheboygan it features both a brat and a burger patty. The brat dominates but you can still get a taste of the burger every other bite inside your mouth. The soft locally baked bun gets toasted on both sides and the standard Sheboygan style toppings are included except they use diced raw onion instead of sliced and they add a piece of cheese on top of each meat. Excellent.

The insides

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JD's Drive-In

Appleton, WI

Also in the Fox Cities region, JD's was a bit of a letdown upon arriving. It's independently owned but has much of the same characteristics as your local Burger King. It's got a drive thru but no carhops and I believe they are the only spot amongst these five open year-round. There were alot of local HS kids hanging out here eating burgers and ice cream and I followed suit with a bacon cheeseburger and small cherry dipped cone. The burger tasted like the Burger King you'd rather it not resemble while the ice cream cone hit the spot. Having spent just over $3 on the total I had little complaints.

Bacon Cheeseburger and a Cherry Dipped Cone

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Nite Owl Drive-In
830 E Layton Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207
(414) 483-2524

Wayne's Drive-In
1331 Covered Bridge Rd
Cedarburg, WI 53012
(262) 375-9999

Chester's Drive-In
1504 Eastern Ave
Plymouth, WI 53073
(920) 892-7722

Ardy & Ed's Drive In
2413 S Main St
Oshkosh, WI 54902
(920) 231-5455

JD's Drive-In
1939 E John St
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 739-6935