Potstickers in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where to find Potstickers 

Even though we said we wouldn't be back until March I have a special post to kick off both Year #14 of the site and also Chinese New Year which falls on Friday February 12th this year. There's quite a few traditional foods that are ate during the Chinese New Year. Each one having their own symbolic meaning. One of the most customary dishes enjoyed during this time of celebration are dumplings. So the legend goes the more dumplings you eat during this time the more wealth you will gather in the coming new year. If you were to ask me what the Chicago food scene is lacking in - dumplings would've been my answer a few years back. We have some damn good Chinese food in town but not enough spots focusing solely on dumplings. That said there's been quite a few new openings in the last few years. Soon we'll no longer be able to count the number of dumpling specialists on one hand. Today's post will focus in on some of the best places to get potstickers - pan fried dumplings.

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Qing Xiang Yuan

Search "best dumplings in Chicago" and this place will appear near the top and often after that. Qing Xiang Yuan, or QXY if your Chinese isn't great, might have been the city's first dumpling specialist. They opened around 2015 as a small stall in the Richland Center's food court basement. They got so big that they eventually moved upstairs in the building and are now one of Chinatowns most popular spots. They added the option to get their dumplings pan fried when they moved into their new digs. You have some really good choices when it comes to fillings. I like the classic of pork and cabbage the most as far as potsticker fillings go but dont sleep on the lamb or beef with cumin from here. They also run a spot called Jiao on Wabash downtown about a half mile walk from The Bean.

Fried Dumplings at Qing Xiang Yuan

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A Family in the Northeast

Speaking of the Richland Center basement there's a new stall selling open ended potstickers called “A family in the Northeast." This stall has hosted a few places over the years with this newest tenant specializing in open ended potstickers, bing, and bao. They offer a handful of fillings and the traditional pork and leek were pretty good. Some people arent fans of the open ended wrap bc of the juices from inside that they can lose. That said these were still pretty juicy but suffered slightly from a packaged trip from the mall to my car. They steamed a bit and lost some of that would be crunch. 

Potstickers from A Family in the Northeast 

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Hing Kee

Hing Kee is located in the Square. They get your attention by putting the dumpling ladies in the front window. From there they pretty much roll and fold dumplings all day. Lot's of people like their Xiao Long Bao aka soup dumplings but they have other styles on offer. An order of potstickers from here will always come out nice and crisp. It's one of the better spots in Chinatown to enjoy dumplings.

Potstickers at Hing Kee

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Ed's Potsticker House

Any time a place puts potstickers in it's name it's getting a visit from me. That said for whatever reason it took me a long time to try this place in Bridgeport out. Probably due to mixed reviews. Ed's makes cigar style potstickers and for that reason alone they're worth visiting. These dumplings are long and thin and come filled with a traditional pork and chive filling. I believe these are a Beijing thing as I visited a very famous spot there that does this style which they call dalian huoshao. 

Potstickers at Ed's Potsticker House

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Taipei Cafe 

Taipei Cafe sits in a strip mall on Halsted in Bridgeport. The neighborhood that's home to the White Sox is quickly becoming home to more and more Chinese restaurants up and down the block. As you might expect from the name the food from Taiwan is on feature here. There's some good dishes to be found up and down the menu with the potstickers being one of them. Their stuffed with pork in a small rectangle shape before being cooked in a pan which gives each order a half circle of crispy lattice coating. This is achieved by adding something like corn starch to the water used to cook them. As the water evaporates the starch turns into a brittle webbing that crisps up on the edging of them. 

Potstickers at Taipei Cafe 

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Northern City 

This place has been one of the Bridgeport Chinatown anchors for a while now. I'm not saying they were the first spot on the block but they've been there since this area around Halsted started to host a majority of businesses which are Chinese restaurants. As the name suggests they make lots of dishes enjoyed in Northern China. The aforementioned dalian huoshao are really good here. They're called "beef potstickers" on the menu and they're well seasoned with a nice golden hue from the pan frying. 

Potstickers at Northern City 

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Four Seasons Dumplings 

The city's newest dumpling shop sits on Halsted in Bridgeport across from the police station parking lot. I'd read that the people that opened Four Seasons Dumplings are some former employees of Ed's Potsticker House down the block. Aside from the dumplings in their name they also specialize in house made lo mein which is pretty good if you like subtle flavors paired with chewy noodles (try the green bean version). But don't miss out on the dumplings which potsticker wise are probably my favorite in town right now. I haven't tried the steamed options bc I think those would be much better dining in but the style of fried dumpling they do here aren't the type to get all stuck together when taken to go. They say they're handmade and the wrapping is a bit on the thick side but it has good bite and the fillings include juice. I've only tried the pork and cabbage but I've tried them three times now as I've been in  area fairly regularly. Pay with cash and all orders are 20% off (grand opening special) from now until end of March. Extra points for really good chile oil packed to-go with these. 

Fried Dumplings at Four Seasons Dumplings

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Mr. Dumpling 

Lincoln Park continues to be a spot that sees some interesting Chinese restaurant openings. One of the more recent is Mr. Dumpling on Clark. While the menu boasts a selection of both traditional and American Chinese entrees the namesake dumplings are what brought me in. They offer a nice selection of fillings and you can try them steamed or pan fried. They're on the smaller side being two bites at most but they're tasty and would serve me well if just out of college and living in the area. 

Potstickers at Mr. Dumpling 

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New China Station

As regular followers of my food endeavors know this is one of my most visited spots in the city. I always order the same thing these days which is their outstanding (though semi inconsistent) dry chili fish filet. It's very likely my most ordered dish in all of Chicago. Partly bc it's delicious chunks of spicy fried fish which pairs perfectly with white rice and partly bc it's only a 5 min drive from my house to it's North avenue location. It wouldn't be as good ordered delivery bc it suffers the longer it sits and steams. That said it's still really good and if you want to enjoy an appetizer I rec the potstickers. They make the thick and chewy ones associated with the old school American style Chinese restaurants of my youth. They're full of juicy pork with garlic and ginger and are an excellent example of that style. 

Potstickers at New China Station 

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China Chef (Morton Grove)

China Chef in Morton Grove is a destination for many Filipino families from around both the city and North Suburbs. It's a Filipino owned Chinese restaurant so items like pancit guisado are as popular as stuff like Mongolian beef and such. I wrote them up on here years ago. As I said then the pork filled potstickers here are a bit different in the way they wrap them. The skin on these is thinner than you'd normally get at a Chinese restaurant. I always enjoy these flute shaped dumplings bc of that. 

Potstickers at China Chef 

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Dangela's Dumplings (Libertyville) 

Our final stop takes us all the way out to Lake County. As the name suggests this is a dumpling house. Meaning that's pretty much all they do. Dangela being a middle aged Chinese lady who lives in the area and opened this spiffy clean ready for franchising restaurant towards the end of 2019. I visited around the start of 2020. I haven't been back but enjoyed my visit to this straight forward shop. Not just the menu which consists of both steamed and fried dumplings but also the friendly owner. We asked if she considered opening around Chinatown and she told us she had no interest dealing with constant critique from locals. They offer a handful of fillings that tell you the "exact" portioning of each filler (ex. Pork and Celery - 80% Pork, 20% Celery). We tried the shrimp (45%), Sweet Corn (40%), and Chinese Chives (15%) in boiled form and they were legit. I liked the fried pork and celery version even more as she ordered a couple machines from Asia specifically made for cooking dumplings. They're rectangular in shape so you can put in ten dumplings per machine then add water with starch and close the lid until they're cooked. They make them with the lattice laced edges here which isnt something you regularly find in the Chicago area. 

Potstickers at Dangela's Dumplings 

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See ya next time @chibbqking

A Place By Damao

-Grubbing in Chicago

Chengdu Street Food in Bridgeport

One of the more buzzed about restaurants in 2017 was a Place By Damao. It's located on Halsted in Bridgeport in a strip mall that's all Chinese businesses including a few restaurants. I'd thought about doing a post showcasing all three spots worth dining but then I went to Damao and realized it deserves it's own post. Chicago's Chinatown is the only in the country to be still growing and not with gentrification but rather with new Chinese restaurants and businesses. It's seeing more new restaurants than ever before. In fact it's kind of spreading into Bridgeport where Halsted street is seeing a steady uptick in Chinese restaurants opening. A Place By Damao is the cream of the crop.

They specialize in the regional street food of Chengdu, China. Aside from maybe Mexican there's no food that's more regional than Chinese. Of late the spicy delights from Chengdu have been gaining popularity in the States. But why? My guess is kids are now getting into the restaurant business instead of avoiding it all completely. It used to be you worked at your parents restaurant in Chinatown excited for the day you finally got to switch careers after college. But what I'm seeing now is younger people in the Chinese community opening restaurants. Damao is one of them. We were greeted with enthusiastic hello's by the young staff who was excited to have us. There's very good energy here.

Spicy Potatoes, Handmade Bell Dumplings, Handmade Spicy Noodles with Peanuts 

The menu has a section of exotic stuff such as roasted pig feet and also duck neck. But I'm not big on gelatinous foods. So I'll save those for if Mark Wiens ever calls me asking me to show him Chicago's food scene. We kind of stuck with stuff we knew and were pretty much blown away by the fantastic flavors and the heat that came with them. The spicy potatoes with secret seasoning are said to be a favorite on the streets in Chengdu and man were they addictive. They just need to learn the art of the double fry. Those will be some of the best fries anywhere when they do. Handmade dumplings were so soft and tender yet amazingly sturdy not breaking apart when picked up. The noodle dish is served cold with lots of spicy oil sitting underneath with chopped peanuts. It's one of those dishes that's perfect on a hot summer night. Crispy fried rib bits were lip smacking good. But also lip licking spicy. Still I couldn't stop eating them popping one after the other like I was enjoying popcorn at the movies. All in all it was one of my favorite meals this year. I plan on putting them in my regular rotation. Check out the Fooditor Southside Food Tour for a chance to eat here amongst other spots.

Spicy Rib Bits at A Place By Damao

A Place By Damao
2621 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 929-2088

Min's Noodle House

-Grubbing in Chicago 
Body numbing Soup in Bridgeport

Is it time to start differentiating between Chicago's two Chinatown's? We all know about the original one at Cermak and Wentworth but over the last five years the neighborhood of Bridgeport has transformed into Chinatown 2. Specifically Halsted street where handfuls of businesses have been opening up with the bulk of them being restaurants. I've driven by a few times this summer and all of the spots seem intriguing but anytime a place uses noodles (or dumplings) in it's name it's going to get my attention. So when I saw that Min's Noodle House had opened I decided to make it my dinner.

Newly Opened in Bridgeport 

The menu at Min's is relatively small for a Chinese restaurant. Before you open it it talks about getting back to the basics. It then goes on to describe three different things, all of which we tried. First up is bao aka Baozi. These are mainstream enough these days that most anyone who takes interest in food knows what they are. Steamed buns stuffed with vegetables and or meat. They can be enjoyed any time of the day and Min's will explain how for those of you who've never baoed. I'm not the biggest bao guy but still found the pork option from here to be a decent way to start the meal.

Pork Bao at Min's Noodle House 

Moving on the menu's front page then goes on to explain what bing is. This Chinese sandwich is less common than bao and not to be confused with the trendy jianbing that's pooping up around the US. Or at least I dont think it is as the bing on the menu at Min's is described as a baked flatbread, though it does also say pancake but this bing sandwich is different than the jianbing I've tried elsewhere. This comes offered in pork or beef and comes spread with a plum sauce on top of the room temp meat. This was like a Chinese version of a roast beef sandwich. Not bad. I liked the bread.

Beef Bing Sandwich 

The last item described on the front page is Chungking Noodles. They're described as a popular spice numbing noodle dish that's popular in the Chungking (sp?) province of China. There's an overload of Szecuhan restaurants opening up and with that the food is kind of getting dumbed down so it's nice to see a place specializing in something regional and not just the usual suspects. For those of you that love the body and mind numbing wonders of the sichuan peppercorn you will no doubt catch a trip with this one. I opted for it with braised beef and basically started feeling weird after my first bite. Yet I couldn't stop after my first sip either. It was addicting. I couldn't tell if noodles were made in-house but they're there to enhance the broth which seems to be the focal point of this dish. That shit is gnarly.

Chungking Noodle Soup at Min's Noodle House

Min's Noodle House
3235 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 465-2999

Kevin's Hamburger Heaven

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Chi

Kevin's Hamburger Heaven is a longtime favorite of Chicago's blue collar community amongst other walks of life. There's a few things that make this so. First off is the geographical location. The southside business has multiple locations including this one on Pershing. Next is the food, it's home cooked, with the menu of a typical diner. Lastly that food is available 24/7. All of these things along with their featured burgers makes this a big time blue collar place. That and the fact if not for the cars parked in the lot it looks like it could be a abandoned restaurant on the outside while sporting bulletproof glass on the inside. During daylight hours that glass has a few openings. You'll be fine.

Locals favorite in Bridgeport

Kevin's has lots of options and many folks calling in orders are getting burgers or breakfast or both. Kevin's has all sorts of deals like 2 cheeseburgers for $7.99 for the early birds and 5 tacos for $5 and and so on. Tacos? Yep. They're everywhere in the States these days (Sorry Donald). Kevin's makes a decent taco but the salsa verde was a wreck. Staying in one piece as I released it from the plastic I was quick enough to make sure none of it got on the meat. It suffered without it as the taco was dry. But then again if it's 2am and I'm in these parts, well these tacos might be popular with me too.

Steak Tacos

Kevin's namesake is the burger. There's nothing fancy about it. If you asked if the meat was local the workers would probably answer something like yeah - "we buy it down the block" (at Restaurant Depot). But nonetheless it's a fresh ball of beef that's flattened and served in a cheap white bread bun. Everything includes lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo, grilled onion. How is it? Better than any fast food outlet and something you'd probably crave now and then if you lived in the neighborhood. In today's day and age it's nice to still have an option like this even if you have to drive to the southside to get it.

Cheeseburger 

Kevin's Hamburger Heaven
554 W Pershing Rd
Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 924-5771

Mr Taco

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

Its the freaking weekend baby I'm about to have me some fun! Today's stop is a weekend favorite of Cicero's heavy drinking crowd. It's also one of the few restaurants in town that Al Capone didn't frequent. At least not to my knowledge. Mr. Taco is old, but not that old. I don't have the exact date this place opened up on the corner of Ogden and Austin but it's been around for at least a couple decades. Open late this is the spot many local late night revelers find themselves post drinking.

Locals Favorite in Cicero 

First things first, as someone who's been to as many Chicagoland Mexican restaurants as anyone I know this isnt "real" Mexican food. Or is it? I mean it's owned and made by Mexicans. You can take up your idea of what authentic is with them. Today we're here for the food. The type that's great at soaking up lots of booze in the wee hours of the morning. Even though it's called Mr. Taco the tacos here aren't the most popular item however they are good in that American style Mexican food way.

Steak Taco 

Also good are the enchiladas which they sell by the single. Not many places do that so I'm not as well versed in enchiladas as I am tacos. They use a dark red sauce that might come from a can but I doubt thats whats on your mind when you've got a few whiskeys in you.

Beef Enchilada

You could say Mr. Taco has a cult following and the reason for that is the steak quesadilla. They make them a little bit different here. Using regular sized taco tortillas they take one and put it over a bunch of cheese melting on the flattop. The cheese then melts into the tortilla creating a cheesy, crispy outside. Steak and the toppings go on top and you basically eat the thing like a taco. This is one of my great guilty pleasures which I enjoy when out and about this way after 10:00pm. It might not be "authentic" but I'll be damned if its not good after you've had a few. See for yourself.

Steak Quesadilla

Mr Taco
5960 W Ogden Ave
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 652-3767

Soluri & Sons

-The Sammy's of Chi

A Bridgeport favorite from the 90's has returned and the residents around the area couldn't be happier. Well maybe if the White Sox won a series. But they cant seem to do that huh? Well at least they got a winner in Soluri & Sons Italian Deli now open again on Halsted.

a popular neighborhood spot in Bridgeport is back

You might not see their small storefront on the 3500 block of south Halsted if just cruising by but you're going to want to know where this place is. As you walk in you're greeted by those behind the counter with the menu painted on the right side of the wall. Sandwiches are what they do here and they take them seriously. Every last ounce of meat is weighted so their meat to bread ratio is spot on and your sandwich is sensational.

Classic Italian

My first trip thru I had to go classic so I went with the Italian of the seven poor boys (sandwiches) offered. Could this be the new king of the sub sandwich in Chicago? I'm not taking sides but it can certainly be mentioned when talking about who's is best. The bread comes from most folks favorite in D'Amato's. High end meats and cheese are topped with house dressing and dont skip option of their homemade giardiniera, its fantastic. They also sell D'Amato's pizza bread and make homemade Italian sausage for your grill. Good to have y'all back!

The insides

Soluri & Sons Italian Deli
3549 S. Halsted St
Chicago, IL

(773) 247-8777

Website

Carbon

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

Hello folks and welcome back. It's fitting that I've been on a fish taco binge the last few weeks since it is lenten season. I have a friend who loves her some seafood and tacos are her favorite eat so we've been testing them all out as the days go by. One of the spots that often gets mentioned when discussing the best fish taco in Chicago is Carbon in Chinatown/Bridgeport. So today we're going to check them out, lets take a look.


On 26th street in between Chicago's Bridgeport/Chinatown neighborhoods

I remember when this place first opened and shot onto my radar. They describe themselves as a "live fire grill" and that's something that's always a plus in my book. However for whatever reason I just never made it inside until a trip a couple weeks back brought us in. The crowd was an eclectic mix with there being hipsters, blue collar locals and a few Mexicans from around the way, all inside enjoying lunch. I went with three tacos, one each of the fish, steak and chicken along with an order of elotes aka corn off the cob in mayo.


Taco Platter from Carbon

Elote stands are popular on the streets of Chicago

Not bad all in all. First up the chicken which was a breast cut up in larger chunks, this didn't look too appealing to me when I first saw it but I enjoyed it for what it was, a chicken taco. Which are never going to cause a culinary orgasms but this was tasty version nonetheless. The steak I thought to be just ok and better options available elsewhere but it was tender so credit to them for that. The fish taco which they get mad love for was indeed good. Maybe not the best but it was fried on site, served hot and I enjoyed how they use a tortilla crusting on the tilapia. If your a fish taco fan these should do the trick. I'd stop by again for a few. nice option to have in the neighborhood.

Up close of a fish taco

Carbon Live Fire Grill
300 W. 26th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 225-3200
Website

Pleasant House Bakery

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where everyone now eats.

Almost a year ago, Chicago, was blessed with yet another eating establishment that was sure to be in your regular rotation once you ate there. Even better than this was the fact 'The Pleasant House Bakery' didn't open up downtown, in River North or Lincoln Park but rather Bridgeport. A neighborhood that's known more so for being the home to the southsides pride and joy, the now Ozzie-less White Sox rather than hot food spots. Well the White Sox will suck this year as will baseball in Chicago. But that doesn't mean you cant get something good out of going to 35th and Shields when you go see the Sox play. You get to eat at Pleasant House.


Already a locals favorite at 31st and Keely

Actually you don't need a reason, like an invite to a White Sox game, to go to Bridgeport and try the pie place that's taking this neighborhood into the next millennium. Where it sits on 31st street at the corner is right next door to another great local stop, Maria's Community Bar. Here you can find some top notch American micro brews you wont find many other places and bring them in with you to Pleasant House. Better yet you can also order food from the Bakery and bring it with you into the bar at Maria's. There hasn't been a eat-drink side by side punch like this since Glascott's and the Athenian Room allowed one another customers to by the other.

Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar

Pleasant House is ran by a wonderful team including the owners, both husband and wife. This is their take "British blue collar food" However these are classically trained chefs so lets not assume this is how amazing it is at your average pub in the Borough of Brent. Everything is here is taken to another level and made with the love and passion to have for what it is you day that makes places like these so special. It's not just the food they take to that level but also the housemade sodas and the bath and body products like lip balm and salts. In fact the owner/chef and some friends have their own urban garden where many of the produce used for the dishes at the restaurant come from. Inside it's small but the tables turnover quick and as mentioned you can always order to eat at Maria's Bar next door.

The view waiting in line to order


The Sausage Rolls are BOMB!


Beauty Products

The main attraction at PHB are the 'Royal Pies' and they live up to the hype, all you gotta do is ask around. I don't remember a place that was agreed upon as great by as many people in a while. They make three different pies regularly and each is available until they run out that day. The first one we'll take a peak at is the Chicken Balti. This is a classic English take of a chicken pot pie in which they include curry powder. According to another article I read on PHB this particular type of curry is specific to Birmingham England and was brought over by Pakistani immigrants. Along with the chicken and curry it has additional spices including cumin and cardomon and also tomatoes added in. This English version of chicken pot pie does not include cream but the side of chutney that it comes with might be better than cream anyways.


Chicken Balti Pie

The Insides

Possibly my favorite thing on the menu is the "Pleasant Poutine" as I call it. Described on the menu board as "Deluxe Gravy Chips" this is a mighty bowl of many eats. The twice fried potato wedges get covered with real housemade gravy, chopped tender bits of skirt steak and then shreds of real cheddar are dropped on and allowed to melt which makes this one of the best potato based dishes anywhere. They don't do it like this in Canada, not when I was there anyway. What would piss the Canucks off more, not winning the gold in hockey or not having the best poutine in North America?


'Pleasant Poutine'

Not only wouldn't you expect to find a place like PHB in Bridgeport but you would think that if you did, they would be meat-centric based. Maybe a sausage shop in the mold of Hot Doug's? But that's not the case as they continue to push the norm. I haven't had the pleasure of trying one of their fresh green salads for the day but they get the same raves that the kale and mushroom pie (veggie friendly) does and some people, even the meat eaters, claim this one as their favorite. Let's just put it this way, if I ever became a Veg-Head, PHB would be an option. Let me just say this too, it always will be an option and those options will always include cold pork pot pie, Steak & Ale pies and sausage rolls too.


Inside the Kale-Mushroom Pie (Pic by: Ronnie_Suburban @LTHforum)

The regular menu pie for the beef lover is their Steak & Ale offering. Inside goes all natural beef, ale, carrots and herbs. As far as my favorite it just depends which one I feel like. The crust on all of the pies is as good as it gets when it comes to flaky greatness and as KennyZ from Fuckerberg on Food said over at LTH "Not much to add to what's already been written, but Pleasant House makes what is to me the platonic ideal of a pie crust. They make it difficult to eat pie from anywhere else." Thursday and Saturday of each week is 'Special Pie Day' where a pie filled with other great flavor combinations (not on the regular menu) is featured. I'm waiting for a classic American Chicken Pot Pie 'Pleasant House Style' to be offered on Pie Day (wink, wink).


Steak & Ale Pie with Buttered mint peas

The Insides

Oh yes it's the pies that shine especially when your an English 'bakery' serving dinner style pies but that's not all they do here folks. Each night they're open (Tues-Sun.) they have a specials night on the menu. Tuesday is burger day and as anyone who's a regular reader on here knows...I am the Burger King. It took me quite a few Tuesdays to pass by before I could finally get over there for what many people were calling "one of the cities best" When I did make it over to try the burger special it was excellent. One of the more desirable burgers over $10 I've had from anywhere and it was only a buck or so above that. House ground chuck is served on an English muffin with housemade bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg as well as greens from the garden.


Tuesday Burger Special

Then there's also the Scotch egg's which are magnificent. These too are the best variation of this dish that I have seen and that's due to their cooking process. They manage to make them so that the egg yolk inside the hard boiled egg with sausage wrapped around it is still runny. I've never had one served this way before but I now believe all places should make Scotch Eggs like these.

A Pleasant House Scotch Egg

I cant decide what night is my favorite specials night but I can tell you their Friday night fish fry is among the best in town. You see a trend here? I'm always on the prowl for a good offering of Fish n' Chips and when I heard about PHB and how good theirs was it was what finally got me in. I was there for the fry before I ate a pie and it was then and there I realized how good the rest of the menu must be. It took me back to Bayfield WI as I was surprised to find my expertly fried piece of fish, sitting atop a mound of potatoes for which you can say the same, was Lake Superior whitefish. Top it all off with homemade tarter sauce and it's a reason to go to every Friday night White Sox home game going on this year if your a season ticket holder. Just know the fish is as good as it will get. Yes I know, no need to comment, Cubs suck too. Agreed.

Friday Night Fish Fry Special

Where's the Pie truck? @PHbakery

Then there's Sunday's. 'Carvery day' starts at 3p right after high tea begins. That's served around 2p with reservations required for tea but not to eat the weeks house roasted meat selection which comes served alongside house sides. On a Sunday I stumbled in they happened to be doing a take on 'Porchetta' and it was phenomenal. The carvery dinner costs a almost double what most other menu items do but this was a huge piece of pork cooked until tender enough to not fall apart. Inside it was stuffed with herbs and seasonings but this was not boneless and came cut from the loin bone in. You can see it but cant taste. Cheers to Pleasant House and a long, long southside run.

Sunday Carvery Day (A take on Porchetta)

Pleasant House Bakery
964 West 31st St
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 523-7437 (PIES)
Website