Sharpies Pizza + Cocktails

-Grubbing in Chicago
Detroit Style Pizza on the Elston Corridor

Sharpies Pizza & Cocktails was one of the first restaurants to open along the Elston Corridor following the arrival of the Salt Shed, an indoor concert venue now looking to build an outdoor venue too. More spots will follow, but for now, Sharpies is one of the few places nearby to meet and eat before a show.

Recently Opened near The Salt Shed

Like so many pizza spots across the country, Sharpies was born out of the pandemic (remember people got bored and started making pizza). Owners Ryan Bair and Scott Koehl previously worked together at Ada Street, and the concept grew out of Bair experimenting with Detroit-style pizza, building on Ada Street’s popular focaccia. The playful, outer-space aesthetic includes a UFO above the bar, vintage arcade games and a three-eyed alien dog named Sharpie. There are also batch-style cocktails built around a house-made fruity mixture called Atomic Juice. It’s a fun spot that checks a couple of boxes, particularly if you need parking and or somewhere to eat near the Salt Shed.

Kale Caesar Salad at Sharpies

I’d had Sharpies on my radar since it opened back in March 2025, but it’s the kind of place best suited for a group, so it took a while to make it happen. Recently though we needed somewhere to accommodate eight people with parking, and Sharpies fit the bill. We secured a corner table and ordered a little bit of everything. First up was a Caesar with curly kale, creamy dressing and cheddar cracker crunch. I’m pretty sure those were Goldfish crackers, but either way, the salty crunch worked. Next came fresh-cut fries served with garlic butter aioli. Both the spuds and the sauce were solid. 

Fresh Cut Fries at Sharpies

I’ve been on record predicting that the spice bag is the next big time food trend, and it’s been fun watching this Irish-Chinese takeaway staple pop up on menus across the city. Originating in Dublin’s Chinese takeaway scene, the dish typically combines crispy chicken, fries, peppers and onions tossed in a savory spice blend, with curry sauce for dipping. Sharpies’ version follows that formula, and it was a big hit with the table. This might have been my personal favorite bite of the night. 

The Spice Bag at Sharpies

Outback Steakhouse’s Bloomin’ Onion is an American icon, but due to trademark laws Sharpies calls its version the “Burning Star.” The concept is the same: an onion cut to open like a flower, battered and deep-fried until crisp. It comes with house ranch and makes for a fun group appetizer. I thought the batter was a bit oversalted, but the ranch helped balance things out. It was also a crowd-pleaser. 

The "Burning Star" (Bloomin' Onion) at Sharpies

After all those appetizers, we still had two pizzas coming out. Sharpies puts an emphasis on its dough, using a three-day fermentation and a blend of Wisconsin brick cheese and mozzarella to produce an airy, chewy square pie with deeply browned cheese around the edges. We ordered the “Sausage Singularity,” topped with house-made fennel sausage, tomato sauce, Calabrian chiles and ricotta. I liked it, though I thought the toppings were a bit heavy and the dough was a tad undercooked in the middle. I also remain unconvinced by ricotta on pizza. It always feels so out of place to me. 

Sausage Singularity at Sharpies

The “Onion Eclipse” is topped with caramelized onions, cheese fondue and garlic breadcrumbs. Think French onion soup morphed into a Detroit-style pizza. It’s a clever combination that takes advantage of the cheesy edges, but the pie was so sweet I could only manage to eat one piece. We finished with a tasty banana pudding but I forgot to snap a pic. Overall, I enjoyed the apps more than the pizza, but Sharpies is worth considering if you need a place to eat with a group before a Salt Shed show. The location is convenient, the menu is playful, and there’s enough variety to keep everyone happy.

"Onion Eclipse"

Sharpies Pizza + Cocktails
1721 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 772-2368
Website

Roadfood in Tennessee

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Passing thru Nashville (again)  

I’m always going to be backed up on posts, but I’m determined to get a few more of my beyond Chicagoland adventures published before the new year. Plus, it’s that time of year when snowbirds start heading south, so I wanted to share five spots in Tennessee we stopped at on our drive down to South Florida last December. We decided to make Nashville our first stop, as it’s about eight hours from Chicago and that’s roughly as long as I want to drive in a single day. With a few new spots on my radar, it made more sense to spend the night there than push on to somewhere like Asheville, which would’ve been an 11 hour drive. We spent just one night in Nashville before continuing south to Savannah, which I’ll cover next month. But here’s how our drive through Tennessee went down.

__________________________________________________

Sho Pizza Bar (Nashville)

We left Chicago around 6 a.m., putting us in Nashville around 2 p.m. Our first stop was Sho Pizza Bar, from well-known chef and Nashville resident Sean Brock. Combining Neapolitan-style pizza-making with Japanese technique and a few Southern touches, Sho takes its name from shokunin, a Japanese term associated with dedication to mastering a craft. The dough undergoes a 72-hour fermentation before being cooked in a handmade Stefano Ferrara oven fueled by local oak and hickory. We were seated at the counter overlooking the operation and started with a Caesar salad.

Caesar Salad at Sho Pizza Bar

I feel like a great salad is usually a good sign that the rest of the meal will also be on point, and the Caesar Salad at Sho was fantastic. Made with romaine, radicchio, croutons, lemon, Parmesan, and bonito, it puts a Japanese spin on a familiar classic. The bonito, or katsuobushi, is smoked, dried skipjack tuna shaved into delicate flakes. It brings a savory, umami-rich quality that makes for a clever alternative to the anchovies typically associated with Caesar dressing. One of the best I've had.

a peek inside

Being seated at the counter, gave us a great view of Sho's pizza-making operation. I figured we'd try the Margherita since this was our first visit, but our waiter recommended the smoked mushroom, explaining that it was one of the restaurant's most popular pies and a more unique expression of what Sho does. The toppings showcase the kitchen's approach to layering flavor through smoked mozzarella, mushroom cream, and wood-fired mushrooms. That said, it's the dough that really makes Sho stand out in a crowded field. It has a chewy texture, an airy interior, and a crisp exterior, with plenty of char from the wood-fired oven. Sho also employs a distinctive finishing technique called the salt punch, scattering salt across the oven floor to caramelize during baking. I thought this pizza was fantastic and seriously considered ordering another, but there was another spot directly across the street that I really wanted to try. Next time I'm in Nashville, though, I'll be right back at Sho.

Smoked Mushroom Pizza at Sho Pizza Bar
__________________________________________________

Curry Boys BBQ (Nashville)

After finishing up at Sho, I walked across the street to Curry Boys BBQ, a San Antonio import combining Thai-style curries with Texas-style smoked meats. Now you understand why I didn't go overboard at Sho! I was here specifically for the oak-smoked brisket with Thai green curry, so I quickly placed my order and headed to the back porch, where heat lamps and blankets kept customers warm. The brisket was tender with a nice touch of smoke, while the curry was soul-soothing and packed with Southeast Asian flavors. Pickles brought a familiar Texas BBQ touch, while fried onions and garlic added crunch and a Southeast Asian accent. A bed of tender white rice served as the perfect delivery vehicle, soaking up the curry while letting the brisket shine. Despite this being a combination of flavors I'd never experienced together, this was the definition of comfort food. So good.

Oak Smoked Brisket with Thai Green Curry at Curry Boys BBQ
__________________________________________________

Turkey and the Wolf Icehouse (Nashville)

Next stop on my mini food crawl upon arrival was the Nashville outpost of Turkey and the Wolf. The original opened in New Orleans in 2016 and was named Bon Appétit’s Best New Restaurant in 2017. I visited the original in its early days, and it lived up to the hype, so I made a point of checking out the Nashville location, which wasn’t around the last time I was in town. T&W is known for its fried baloney sandwich and a collard green melt, but having tried both before, and with this being my third stop of the day, I was pretty full. But I had just enough stomach space left for a Chicken Pot Pie Empanada, a signature item at the Nashville outpost. The rich, creamy chicken filling had a pronounced herbal flavor from the tarragon and buttermilk, all wrapped in a crisp, flaky empanada shell. It made for a nice pairing with an ice-cold beer on a cool but not-too-cold December day. I liked the setup here, too, with the restaurant tucked into a largely residential area and a ton of outdoor space to spread out.

Pot Pie Empanada at Turkey and the Wolf
__________________________________________________

SS Gai at The Wash (Nashville)

After checking into our hotel and having a few drinks on the rooftop, Erica went to meet an old work colleague, which left me free to choose where to go for dinner. Last time I was in town, I loved the Southern Thai-style fried chicken (Gai Tod) at S.S. Gai, so I decided to return and try the grilled chicken, aka Gai Yang, this time around. S.S. Gai operates out of The Wash, a small, entirely outdoor food hall built inside a former car wash. It’s a cool stepping stone for independent restaurants, providing six compact, equipped commercial kitchens with individual service windows and shared outdoor seating. The charcoal grilled chicken ended up being just as good as the fried chicken. I love Thai food, and the flavors here are on point. Each order comes with sticky rice, fried shallots and garlic, tamarind-chile fish sauce, and an aromatic chile vinegar alongside plenty of fresh herbs. I’ve sent a few people here since my first visit, and everybody loved it. S.S Gai is in the process of opening their own location too which is cool as the mission of The Wash seems to be working.

Thai Style Grilled Chicken at SS Gai
__________________________________________________

Weigel's (Eastern Tennessee)

Our last stop in Tennessee takes us to the eastern part of the state, near Chattanooga. We needed gas after leaving Nashville, and I’d strategically planned this stop so I could try the sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits at Weigel’s, a regional convenience-store chain based outside Knoxville. Finding spots known for great biscuits along this stretch of the drive proved harder than you might think, but I’d read Weigel’s makes a good one and was determined to find out whether it was a legit or just another overhyped gas-station bite like the brisket sandwich at Buc-ee’s or the hoagies at Wawa.

a peek inside

I’m happy to report these were better than those mentioned above. In fact, I thought they were awesome. Weigel’s makes a distinctive biscuit with the sausage baked right inside the dough rather than sandwiched between two halves. The chain’s rolled biscuits are a signature breakfast item, made with sausage from Swaggerty’s Farm, another East Tennessee family business. I’m surprised they haven’t developed a bigger cult following like some other gas-station foods. In the future, I’ll never drive past a Weigel’s without stopping for a sausage biscuit. That’s how much I liked these.

Sausage, Egg, Cheese at Weigel's
__________________________________________________

Previous Nashville Posts You Might Like:

Eating BIG in Nashville (2012)
Eating BIG in Nashville Pt. 2 (2015)
Roadfood in Nashville (2025)

See ya next time @chibbqking

Garuda

-Grubbing in Chicago
Indonesian Food in Uptown

Chicago landed a full-fledged Indonesian restaurant when Garuda opened on Argyle in June. The restaurant is named after a mythological figure in Southeast Asia that's part giant eagle, part human, and represents strength, freedom, protection, and divine power. Indonesian food has always been difficult to find in Chicago compared to other Southeast Asian cuisines. So with its grand opening Garuda adds another dimension to the city's Southeast Asian dining scene and the Argyle corridor. 

Recently Opened in Uptown

Garuda isn’t the first place serving food from Indonesia but it has the broadest selection of Indonesian dishes in Chicago to date. It’s a neighborhood operation but word seems to have spread beyond the neighborhood with some people mentioning they came from other states in online reviews. There's even a picture on the wall of a former president of Indonesia standing in front of the restaurant with staff and no it's not AI. The dining room is minimal in design and there’s limited seating so you may need to share a table when it's busy. Garuda is ran by a local Indonesian family that also owns a sushi spot so it’s a bit of a dream project as far as being able to serve the food they eat at home. The menu isn't massive but it's filled with specific Indonesian dishes, some of which are regional. Chicken sate is one of the more well known Indonesian foods but there’s different levels to it and the version served at Garuda is a saucy style. Chunks of chicken are skewered and covered in a flavorful peanut sauce. These were grilled ahead of ordering so the texture suffered a bit but the flavor was on point. 

Chicken Sate at Garuda

The most interesting section of the menu might be the sambals, which can be added to any order for $2 each. There are six to choose from, and I've tried three so far. Each packed plenty of heat and was deeply satisfying. One of the best ways to sample these is with an order of bakwan sayur, Indonesian vegetable fritters. They're made in the traditional style with shredded vegetables mixed into a light batter and fried until crisp. I particularly liked the sambal ijo, a green chili sauce associated with West Sumatra that's fresh, spicy, and aromatic. Similar to Nam Prik Noom, a Northern Thai chili sauce.

Bakwan Sayur at Garuda

Nasi Rames is a Javanese dish with a central scoop of steamed white rice surrounded by smaller portions of various dishes on the same plate. It makes for a great introduction to Indonesian cuisine. You start by choosing a main, and for me, the choice is easy when beef rendang is an option. Originating with the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, rendang isn't a curry but a rich, dry-braised beef dish. The meat is simmered in spiced coconut milk until the liquid evaporates and the beef fries in its own rendered fat. You round out the plate with a variety of sides, almost like a Southeast Asian mezze. Pictured below are rendang, stir-fried green beans, peanuts and anchovies, shrimp crackers, a hard-boiled egg, and sambal. Together, they offer a mix of sweet, savory, spicy, and crunchy elements that make nasi rames such a satisfying way to explore Indonesian food.

Nasi Rames with Beef Rendang

Garuda
1046 1/2 W Argyle St
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 564-9100
Website

Eating in Aurora

-Grubbing in Chicagoland
Five of a Kind: Aurora Food Stops

My bad on the slow posting cycle of late - I was out of town for a couple weeks and then I had a couple busy weeks upon my return. So I did some digging into my folder and I'm throwing up a 'Five of a Kind' post that just kind of came together based on previous visits out to Aurora. I’ve posted from Aurora before but it’s been quite a while so today is as good of a time as ever to head out west and check out some spots. Aurora is Illinois’ Second City with a population of over 180,000. I’ve been exploring the area for years now as it's only around 45 miles west of Chicago. It has a different footprint now than it did a decade ago. Back in the day it was mostly Mexican worth trying but these days Aurora is more diverse with an interesting mix of options. Here's five more spots worth a stop. 

Pics from Aurora, Illinois
__________________________________________________



Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple (Aurora)

The Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple is a beautiful, 20-acre sanctuary in Aurora. It was built in 1986 and it's modeled after traditional South Indian architectural principles and stands as a major cultural hub for the Midwest's Hindu community. But beyond its stunning marble floors and beautifully adorned deities, the temple is widely known for its vibrant, volunteer run basement canteen. This cafeteria serves fresh and remarkably affordable vegetarian Southern Indian cuisine. This past summer I was joined by two friends directly from Southern India for what ended up being one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in quite some time. We arrived around 10:00am and just beat the rush which started flowing around 11a. You walk up to a dedicated counter where there’s a token kiosk used for payment. You order your food and receive tokens that you exchange for your food in the cafeteria. 

Menu at the canteen

I let my friends do the ordering and we ended up with a feast. First up was a Pongal-Vada combo ($7). The former is a comforting, porridge like South Indian dish made from rice and yellow moong lentils. It’s heavily seasoned with clarified butter (ghee), black peppercorns, cumin, ginger, and crunchy cashews and similar in texture to Dominican Mangu. Pongal a staple comfort food in Southern India and at Aurora Balaji Temple canteen where it’s served steaming hot alongside a spicy lentil stew (sambar) and a cool coconut chutney. The latter (Vada) is a South Indian fried snack that resembles a small, crispy donut. It’s crunchy outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Vada is a breakfast staple across Southern India. The Pongol didn’t look like much but it's great dunked into the sambar which is a vegetable soup with lentils. Sambar reminded me of minestrone soup but with a heavy hand of South Asian seasoning. There’s also a cup of tamarind rice on the trey pictured below and it too is a must try. The rice is tangy and savory and really flavorful from the use of tamarind oil. 

Pongal-Vada Combo with Sambar and Tamarind Rice

Next up was the Masala Dosa ($9). This is probably the most well known Southern Indian dish from an international standpoint. Dosa refers to a large and incredibly crisp South Indian crepe made from a fermented batter of rice and black lentils. The batter is spread thin on a hot flattop grill and drizzled with oil or ghee until the bottom turns golden brown and gets paper thin and crispy like a cracker. Masala is a savory potato stuffing (aloo masala) consisting of boiled and lightly mashed potatoes commonly sautéed with onions though all the food served at the temple comes without onions and garlic entirely so there’s turmeric, mustard seeds, green chilies, fresh curry leaves and more mixed into the mashed potatoes. The dosa acts as the texturally pleasing part of the dish while the masala holds the flavor which is upped another level with cups of Sambar ($3) and a yogurt sauce served on the side. This was an incredibly satisfying meal and a very cool experience to boot. There are some dress code rules including no shorts but they do have garments guests can use. But easier to just wear pants. Food is served daily, although it’s a limited menu during the week and full menu on weekends. 

Masala Dosa at Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple
__________________________________________________



Alice's Corner (Aurora)

Did you know Aurora is home to the only Bolivian restaurant in all of Illinois? Well now you do. Bolivian food is actually pretty rare as a whole in the States. Of course you can find spots serving food from the heart of South America in New York City and there’s a few spots in South Florida but that’s about it save for a few random places like Alice’s Corner in Aurora. Bolivia is referred as the heart of South America due to its location in the middle of the continent. Alice’s Corner is ran by Alicia Button, a welcoming Bolivian chef who owns and runs the restaurant with her husband, Oscar, and son, Carlos. Before opening her restaurant in a beautiful downtown storefront, Alicia spent nearly 10 years cooking and selling her home baked Bolivian empanadas and salteñas at local indoor markets plus outdoor markets like the Aurora Farmers Market and the Geneva French Market. 

Salteñas at Alice's Corner

I enjoy Salteñas which are considered Bolivia’s national dish and the crown jewel of Bolivian street food culture, and maybe empanadas in general. They look similar to standard baked empanadas from outside, but they’re unique because the inside is filled with a piping hot, intensely savory beef and potato stew, instead of dry meat. The process of making Salteñas is similar to Chinese soup dumplings in that the filling (usually beef mixed with potatoes, peas, and raisins) is cooked the night before with gelatin. The stew is chilled until it completely solidifies into a firm jelly and scooped into the dough cold, and as the pastry bakes in a scorching hot oven, the filling melts back into a rich, steaming broth. The Salteñas at Alice’s come four to an order which means it’s best to go with a group so you can try some other things but I decided to get them because even though I was rolling solo they would be good for leftovers. The flavor on these leans slightly sweet due to the dough and there’s an art form to eating Salteñas so that you don’t end up with soup all over your shirt. Hold it upright and nibble a bite off one end and sip the broth out before finishing the rest of it. Good stuff. 

The insides of a Salteña
__________________________________________________

Chi Noodle (Aurora)

There was a time when if I was in Aurora I was getting tacos if not a South African meat pie but over the last five years there’s been a number of Chinese restaurants to open in the area. For example you can find ten different food stalls in the Park 2 Shop supermarket and while they’re not all Chinese, they’re all Asian in one way or the other. I tried Chi Noodle a while back due to glowing reviews of their wonton noodle soup and I was not disappointed. It wasn’t quite to the level of Mak’s (iykyk) but it was good enough to make me think of Hong Kong’s most famous wonton shop which is really all you can ask for in these parts. The noodles were bouncy and had some good chew while the wontons were plump and texturally pleasing with loads of shrimp and pork flavor. Even the broth was extra aromatic. I’m not telling you to drive to Aurora if you want wonton noodle soup but you might have to if you want some as good as this as I haven’t found any bowls within the city limits that can match it. 

Wonton Noodle Soup at Chi Noodle
__________________________________________________

La Jaivita (North Aurora)

For as many Indian and Asian restaurants that are opening in Aurora and Naperville, there’s still a ton of taco spots that continue to come and in some cases go. La Jaivita in North Aurora seems to be one of the more popular taco spots to open in the last few years or so. It was really busy on my visit with what seemed to be a steady stream of locals (close to 40% of Aurora’s population is Mexican). The menu has an emphasis on seafood blending taqueria staples with vibrant Mexican coastal seafood dishes in a dining room adorned by slot machines. I stopped in to try their signature dish - the Taco Mixto or the ‘Surf & Turf Taco’. It starts with a corn tortilla blanketed with melted cheese which is followed with diced skirt steak, crispy bacon, a scoop of guacamole and a couple of sautéed shrimps. This was a damn good taco further enhanced by lime and a fiery red salsa served on the side. 

Taco Mixto at La Jaivita
__________________________________________________



Afghani Box (Naperville)

Last stop is actually in Naperville at Afghani Box - a fun little family owned spot sitting in the River Valley Plaza near the border of Aurora. This halal restaurant puts out Afghan comfort food served in pizza boxes that make it perfect for takeout. It has a small interior with just a few tables but has gained a good local following for generous portions, warm hospitality, and its witty packaging. Being a first time visitor I tried the signature “Afghani Box” which is a good way to go on your first visit. It comes loaded with a bit of everything including Lubiya (a savory kidney bean curry), Mantū (steamed meat dumplings topped with yogurt, lentils, and dried mint), a minced beef Chapli Kabob (mixed with herbs), and a pile of sweet and fragrant Qabuli Palow rice with raisins and carrots. Plus fries, bread, and green chutney. You get a nice amount of food for under $20 and it’s all pretty good. The Mantu dumplings were my favorite and the beans and rice hit the spot. Chapli kebab was a tad dry but the chutney helped with that. I would happily go back and will do so next time I find myself out this way. 

The Afghani Box at Afghani Box
__________________________________________________

See ya next time @chibbqking