Eating BIG in the Treasure Coast

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Exploring Southeast Florida's Less Visited Region  

In all of my years of visiting South Florida I'd never ventured north into the Treasure Coast until just recently. The Treasure Coast being the coastal region north of South Florida. When you leave Palm Beach County going north you enter the Treasure Coast which consists of Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie counties. Popular towns include Port St. Lucie (the largest), Fort Pierce, Hutchinson Island, Jensen Beach, Stuart and Vero Beach. I got as far north as Fort Pierce on my two visits, both of which really surprised me. I loved the laid back lifestyle and all the colorful buildings that feel like Old Florida. It's way underdeveloped compared to it's neighbor to the south. The area is home to over 96,000 acres of parks and conservation land as well as the most biodiverse lagoon ecosystem in the nation. It's an outdoor paradise that extends beyond the beautiful beaches giving way to world class biking and kayaking backdrops. Each of the towns has a bit of a different feel to them. I really took a liking to Jensen Beach which is a colorful little community with character. I could totally see myself spending more time around here whether that's visiting the area or living there. Color me impressed. 

Florida's Colorful Treasure Coast 
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Chuck's Seafood Restaurant (Fort Pierce) 

Our first stop is a local landmark for fried shrimp. Chuck's is a prototypical Florida seafood shack. It's got the dimly lit mahogany bar, a carpeted dining room and outdoor seating on the water. I stopped here specifically for the shrimp with a beer and some sun. There's plenty of seafood options on the menu but the fried shrimp are by far the most popular menu item and rightfully so. I got the appetizer which comes with five large pieces of fresh shrimp split down the middle giving them an usual shape. It works well as it splits into three perfect bites. I really liked these with the cocktail sauce while a couple of gratis hush puppies were better than many I've tried. I imagine I'll be back for that shrimp. 

Fried Shrimp at Chuck's Seafood Restaurant 
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Sonora Eats (Fort Pierce)

I came across a couple places in Fort Pierce that helped restore my faith with Mexican food in South Florida. Then again this isn't quite South Florida so maybe I shouldn't be hopeful. But Sonora Eats gave me reason to further explore the Mexican spots in the Treasure Coast. The name of this place caught my eye as Sonoran style Mexican food is typically found out west. The menu features quite a few intriguing options including Sonoran style hot dogs plus made on site flour tortillas. As much as I would've liked to try the hot dog I couldn't pass on the burritos which come four to an order with your choice of meat (or mashed potatoes) and refried beans. I got them with machaca which is a dried and rehydrated beef commonly consumed in Sonora and I also got a Sonoran style taco with steak and cabbage and pico on flour. The steak could've been better but everything else was awesome. 

Sonoran Style Mexican Food at Sonora Eats
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Super Taquerias (Fort Pierce) 

I was intrigued with this place because ribs were commonly mentioned in the google reviews. Super Taquerias has a handful of locations scattered across the Treasure Coast and one in South Florida (Jupiter). I think this Fort Pierce location is the original and also the most popular due to the bbq they smoke on the side of the building. I watched as locals shuffled in and out of here with the majority of them there for the ribs and or chicken. I decided to try a lunch special with ribs which comes with two extra meaty well smoked ribs. They had just enough chew to them to where they weren't fall off the bone tender but they were far from tough. Ribs come served with a handful of made on site corn tortillas, rice and beans, grilled onions, salsa and lime. I wish we had a spot like this in Chicago. 

Mexican Barbecue at Super Taquerias 
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Shakra's Deli (Jensen Beach)

I always research the local sandwich scene when looking up restaurants in unfamiliar places. That's how I found Shakra's Deli. They've been slinging sandwiches to the people of Jensen Beach for more than 50 years. The Roast Beef Supreme or RBS for short is their most popular. They put thinly sliced made on site roast beef in a sub roll and top it off with a homemade Burgundy wine gravy and melted provolone cheese. This was a sandwich worthy of it's status as one of the best of the Treasure Coast.

Roast Beef Supreme at Shakra's Deli 
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The Magic Oyster Bar (Jensen Beach) 

Life took me to the Treasure Coast like Black Sam Bellamy on the hunt for silver and gold. Except I was on the prowl for a different type of treasure - the quintessential Fish Shacks of Florida. They can be found throughout the Sunshine State but mostly along the 1,350 plus miles of coastline. While some of these Florida Style Fish Shacks are found right on the water most of them are often hidden within the strip malls that line the streets. They’re real local type spots in a state flooded with tourists. The further south you go the more “Floribbean” the food gets, drawing influence from the diversity of the regions population, produce and seafood. You can most always find a signature dish made with locally caught fish. At The Magic Oyster Bar that’s a heaping plate of panko and horseradish crusted grouper with garlic smashed potatoes topped with Myers’s Rum butter sauce and frizzled leeks. Another major component of Florida Fish Shacks is Happy Hour which is served daily here. We drank locally brewed Treasure Kolsch while popping Bam Bam Shrimp and slurping buck a shuck oysters from up the ocean in Virginia - all served with sunshine. Magic Oyster is an ideal Florida fish shack. 

Seafood at The Magic Oyster Bar 
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Burny Pit Stop (Jensen Beach)

You can spot French Canadiens throughout South Florida during the winter and apparently they flock north to the Treasure Coast too. Burny Pit Stop is a Quebec style Casse-Croute or a French Canadian style fast food joint. They make hot dogs, burgers, and poutine. I could tell from the pictures that the poutine was the real deal from the thick fresh cut potatoes that they use so I stopped in for an order. I appreciated the fact they had a few different sizes including a mini which was enough for a taste. I enjoy poutine but it's not something I want to eat a ton of when I have it so a mini was perfect. 

Poutine at Burney Pit Stop 
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Ian & Kye's Pizza (Jensen Beach)

Chicago style pizza is having it's moment right now. I'm not talking about deep dish but what's become known as "tavern thin" or square cut pizza. It's the preferred pizza of most Chicagoans and many parts of Florida too including Jensen Beach. That's where you'll find Ian & Kye's which opened in 2020. They make a pretty good Chicago style thin crust and there's a fun open air bar across the street with cheap drinks where you can wait while they make your pizza. It scratches the itch.  

Sausage Pizza at Ian & Kye's
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Fantini's New Haven Style Apizza (Stuart)

If you're an East Coaster that prefers their pizza cooked in a coal fired oven and and cut into triangles you might want to check out Fantini's New Haven Style Apizza in Stuart. The owner of this place learned his craft at the legendary Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven. When he moved to South Florida he brought his New Haven pizza making skills with him and opened his own place which seems to stay busy. I got a small sausage with banana peppers and thought it was pretty good though it's similar to the previous stop in terms of it being more of a replica than the real thing. 

New Haven Apizza at Fantini's 
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Twistee Treat (Stuart)

If this place looks familiar that's because it's part of a franchised chain of ice cream restaurants, founded in 1983 in North Fort Myers, Florida. Twistee Treat restaurants are characterized by buildings shaped in the form of  ice cream cones. The original company went into bankruptcy in the early-1990s and started selling off the buildings which soon made their way across the country (there's one in Peoria). In 1996 a new Twistee Treat company was formed and today they have more than 30 locations across Florida. This one in Stuart was a good stop on a rather hot and humid day. 

Pineapple Dole Soft Serve at Twistee Treat 
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Frank 'n Stein (Stuart)

With so many East Coasters living in Florida there's some good hot dog stands down there too. Frank 'n Stein in Stuart is an old Roadfood favorite that's been serving the area for more than 40 years. You can feel the age of the place inside. Step up to the U-Shaped counter and place your order for grilled natural casing Sabrett frankfurters served up with ice cold beer. The description of the chili dog specifically mentions no beans so that was my pick over the classic New York style red onion sauce.

Chili Cheese Dog at Frank 'n Stein 
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Tausha's Seafood (Stuart)

There's tons of fishmongers throughout Florida and some of them sell prepared food too. Tausha's Seafood Market is a family owned place that felt like a general store with seafood being the focal point. Huge coolers labeled with the fresh catch they hold line the walls and they have a large selection of beer and wine too. You can also get fried seafood and soups and sandwiches here. The fresh fried shrimp was plump and lightly breaded with a really nice bite. It was clearly made with care. 

Fried Shrimp at Tausha's Seafood Market 
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King Neptune Restaurant (Stuart)

Last up we enjoyed a very Florida forward lunch at this very Floridian seafood shack in Port Salerno. King Neptune is a small old school spot with extra fresh seafood. It has a bit of an old Florida diner feel to it with the regulars and the waitress on a first name basis. First up was a really flavorful bowl of seafood bisque followed up with a plate of the Buffalo fried shrimp and a 1/2 a pound of the cracked conch. Aside from a Cuban sandwich there's perhaps no other sandwich more associated with Florida than the Grouper Rueben. It's a spinoff that replaces corned beef with grouper and it works really well. King Neptune makes a textbook version although the fish is fried whereas I prefer it blackened. Not pictured: $4 drafts of Yuenling. Like I said in the beginning of this post - I love old school Florida style fish shacks and this was one of the best I've come across. Since 1968. That's it for this trip!

Seafood at King Neptune Restaurant 
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Also of Interest: Eating BIG in South Florida

See ya next time @chibbqking 

BarTucci

-Grubbing in Chicago  
An Italian-American BYOB on Harlem

With freezing cold temps come craves for foods that will warm you up. Soup being the most obvious when it comes to a specific type of dish but what are the best cuisines for cold weather food? There’s way more than just one but Italian-American is a cuisine I crave when the first burst of cold comes upon the city. I’m on record saying I’m not a big fan of red sauce Italian but I only mean that from a commonly consumed standpoint. I don't eat it often as it’s not a cuisine I crave throughout the calendar year. But come winter I’m ready for a big bowl of pasta or massive plate of Chicken Parm to warm up with. This is how we ended up at BarTucci when that first blow of cold wind came howling. 

Locals Favorite on Harlem  

I’d always been meaning to try this place that sits in a strip mall on Harlem in Chicago’s other “Little Italy” neighborhood which stretches along Harlem from North to Lawrence. It's BYOB which means it gets busy on weekends with large groups out to celebrate. Like most Italian restaurants it’s popular for big portions of pasta and rightfully so as it all comes from the family’s fresh pasta shop next door called Pasta Fresh. I always like to start a hearty meal like this with a fresh salad of sorts. We opted for the Insalata Italiana which is made with romaine lettuce, cremini mushrooms, black olives, tomatoes, bell peppers, oregano, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil. It’s a fairly standard offering as far as the ingredients go but each of them was crisp and fresh making it a good start to dinner.  

Vodka Rigatoni con Salsiccia at BarTucci 

The pasta portion of the menu is solid in size with 12 options to choose from. Each one of them is a substantial amount of food for a reasonable price as the majority are under $20 a plate. An order of Vodka Rigatoni con Salsiccia was my pick and it hit the spot in all the right ways. I don’t think that it’s a distinctly Chicago dish but it’s one that most spots in the city do right thanks in part to the abundance of quality Italian sausage available in Chicago. This was loaded with chunks of Italian sausage mixed into a flavorful vodka cream sauce clinging to fresh al dente pasta with peas. I had plans to bring some home but none of it made it back. We also tried Linguine Nere all'Aragosta which is squid ink linguine with a tomato cream sauce, brandy, and shallots with a lobster tail on top. I'll typically avoid lobster tail but it’s what the wife wanted and it was actually pretty good but the lobster tail was a bit tough as expected. Frozen warm water lobster tail isn’t that flavorful and never as tender as the fresh stuff but it’s not bad as part of a pasta. If you’re looking for a byob further west this is your spot. From the warm service to the comforting food it's your prototypical neighborhood Italian joint.

Linguine Nere all'Aragosta 

BarTucci 
3426 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60634
(773) 887-4416
Website

'atta girl

-Grubbing in Chicago
French-Canadian Favorites reappear in Logan Square

As some of you may remember I declared Logan Square the best food neighborhood in the city last year and that remains true here today. While restaurant closings have hit the neighborhood pretty hard over the last six months there’s no sign that the openings are slowing down. When Dos Urban Cantina (RIP) closed last June, ‘atta girl was open in the same space by the beginning of December. 

Recently Opened in Logan Square 

At first it was a joint project between the Table, Donkey and Stick team and a chef that calls themself “Bunny.” Chef Bunny was a chef at Cafe Marie Jean in Humboldt Park which closed in 2020 after a five year run in which they drew a cult like following for delicious French-Canadian-ish comfort food. The good news is many of the dishes on the menu at Cafe Marie Jean are now being served at ‘atta girl but the chef that calls themself Bunny has already left after an unknown dispute. According to the TDS team the kitchen is still being ran by many of the same cooks from Cafe Marie Jean who also worked under Bunny during their short collabo at 'atta girl. I’ve dined there a few times since it’s a short walk from my spot. The most recent of those visits was after they announced Chef Bunny was no longer a part of the operation and I didn’t notice a difference in anything. It was the exact same staff as when they were there as far as I could tell. I didn’t notice anything different about the beloved ham, butter and pickle sandwich that starred at Cafe Marie Jean either. It was as luscious as it’s always been with every ingredient of it coming from the top shelf of the respective food groups. 

Ham, Butter, Pickle at 'atta girl 

On my previous visit in they were out of that ham and butter sandwich due to a busy weekend but that ended up being a good thing as it forced me to try the burger. It wasn’t really on my radar but after trying one it’s become one of my favorite burgers in the city. It’s a single smashed patty with smoked tomato jam, butterkase, thin sliced onion and housemade pickle on an everything bun. The smoked tomato jam plays so well off the beef as do the onion and pickle. It’s the most surprised I’ve been with a burger in some time in that I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. Chef driven burgers often fail to hit the way this one did. It was both beefy and smoky and it was greasy in a good way. 

Cheeseburger Marie-Jeanne at 'atta girl 

When I first heard there was a connection between ‘atta girl and Cafe Marie Jean I had my fingers crossed that the meat and frites dishes from CMJ would be included on the menu at ‘atta girl and of course they were as creations like the duck frites were one of the biggest draws to CMJ. So far I’ve had the chance to try both the smoked duck and the smoked chicken. I slightly preferred the chicken as it was a bit juicer and more substantial although the duck does come with a few pieces of foie gras pate sitting atop a plate of perfectly cooked fries. It’s all drenched in a semi sweet French style gastrique sauce which at it's core is caramelized sugar mixed with honey, wine and or vinegar. The sauce is outstanding and takes everything up a notch. It’s warm you up comfort food on the coldest of winter days so now’s the time to go. Although do be aware that the service seems to be a mixed bag, ours was fine on my three visits if not a little bit nonchalant but at the end of the day the food that I’ve had from here is reminiscent of Cafe Marie Jean and maybe the service is too. They also do brunch Sat.- Mon. and you can get the frites or more morning forward options like a breakfast sandwich. 

Smoked Chicken and Frites 

'atta girl
2829 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
Website

Five of a Kind: Tacos de Cabeza

- The 'Chicago Taco Tour'

Welcome back! Year number seventeen of Smokin' Chokin' & Chowing starts now and we're jumping on the Chicago Taco Tour to kick it off. I really despise the word authentic. It's overused and often times it's misused. Especially when it comes to Mexican food and tacos in particular. What's authentic to you might not be to me and more than that food is regional (especially Mexican) so it's useless to argue which Cuban sandwich is "more authentic" as that's usually going to be the one you know better. But what do you know about tacos de cabeza? You may know of them and you may even love them and if so you more than likely got introduced to them in Mexico. Tacos de Cabeza are tortillas filled with steamed beef head. The head meat can be anything from the lips to the tongue or cheeks and sometimes even the eyes. Cabeza meat is typically a mix of different parts of the head. I refuse to use the word authentic so I won't but I will say tacos de cabeza remind me of Mexico in that they taste like Mexico. Some of the best tacos I've had down there were from the cabeza carts you'll find scattered across cities and small towns. I still think about a plate of tacos de cabeza I ate while being dwarfed by a historic church at Tacos Santo Goyote in Guadalajara. It was a holy experience. You can find tacos de cabeza carts in Chicago but today we're going to hone in on five taquerias where you can find it in different forms. If you're unsure about trying cabeza it's basically a beefier barbacoa. 

A Tacos de Cabeza Stand in Chicago 
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Birrieria Estilo Jalisco (Logan Square)

Our first stop takes us to the border of Logan Square and Bucktown where Birrieria Estilo Jalisco remains a neighborhood fixture at the corner of Western and Lyndale. As the name of this place implies they make birria de chivo (goat) in the style of Jalisco. It's pretty damn good but it's the tacos de cabeza (beef) that draw me in on a weekly basis. The meat is so tender and so beefy and they really pack it in for around $5 a taco. They come served on warm El Popocatepetl tortillas. I've talked about this before but I do believe that certain Chicagoland corn tortillas work better with certain taco fillings and these two are a perfect pairing. You'll know you had a real deal taco de cabeza when your fingertips are a bit sticky like they are after eating one from here. All due respect to the popular taco spot next door but these are the best tacos on the block and my favorite taco in the neighborhood. 

Taco de Cabeza at Birrieria Estilo Jalisco
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Birriería y Taquería El Arandas (Back of the Yards)

This family run spot has been serving tacos on 47th street for at least a couple decades if not longer. Arandas is a municipality of the Altos Sur region of the state of Jalisco in Mexico and the area has a strong connection to tacos de cabeza and also to Chicagoland. So you can commonly find tacos de cabeza at taquerias with Arandas and or Jalisco in their name. El Arandas specializes in goat meat but I'm not sure I've ever had any and that's because they also make tacos al vapor (steamed tacos) including cabeza (beef). Specifically for tacos de cachete (cheek) and tacos de labio (lips). They have cabeza (beef head) too but I'll order the lips or cheeks if a place is making them. Pay the upcharge for the made to order corn tortilla and take note it's best to visit on the weekends.

Taco de Labio at Birriería y Taquería El Arandas
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Birrieria La Tapatia De Ocotlan (Little Village)

There's also quite a few taquerias that use Ocotlán in their names. It's also a city and municipality in Jalisco that has strong ties to steamed meat and Chicagoland. If you see a spot with Ocotlán in it's name you might find tacos de cabeza inside. This spot is on Cermak and they too specialize in birria de chivo (goat) but they also do barbacoa de res and have tacos de cachete (cheeks). The meat on these is almost like mush but in a good way as it's so well steamed and tender it basically turns into one big piece. The meat pairs perfectly with a warm corn tortilla and some nicely spiced salsa roja. 

Taco de Cachete at Birrieria La Tapatia De Ocotlan
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Taqueria Los Altos de Jalisco (Cicero)

I've sniffed out some good tacos in this area from time to time with this being one of the more recent ones. Taqueria Los Altos de Jalisco makes sure you know they specialize in tacos al vapor and cabeza specifically by telling you on their awning. The google reviews do too as cabeza is the most mentioned word in those reviews. I felt like I may have come here years ago and was underwhelmed but a recent visit resulted in a steamy and juicy taco de cabeza that warmed me up on a windy day. It also gave me flashbacks to Mexico which is always a major plus. Is "Jalis-go" a thing when referring to people in Chicagoland with connections to Jalisco? If not it could be. The connections run deep. 

Taco de Cabeza Taqueria Los Altos de Jalisco
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Birrieria y Taqueria Sebastian (Stone Park)

Our final stop takes us out to Stone Park. Birrieria y Taqueria Sebastian is connected to a grocery store. They attract locals with warm bowls of birria and also some phenomenal tacos de cachete y labio (beef cheek and lips). The Birria (goat) and cabeza (mixed head) are also good but I loved the lips and cheeks as each is extra tender with deep beef flavor. Very good salsas here too. These just might be the best tacos de cabeza in the Chicagoland area if you ever find yourself out by O'Hare. 

Tacos de Labio / Taco de Cachete at Birrieria y Taqueria Sebastian 
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See ya next time @chibbqking