Night in Cincinnati

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Passing thru Cincy

Another post from the drafts to unload. I figured now was the best time for this since the 2015 MLB All Star game is taking place in Cincinnati this week. We spent a night there on the rebound of a roadtrip down to Asheville at the end of last summer. You can check out more spots in Cincy from a previous trip I took by clicking HERE. We didn't have much time as we got into town later in the evening right on time for a reservation at Sotto.

Modern Traditional Italian Downtown

I know this spot has gotten some mentions on here and elsewhere including my roundup of 2014's Favorite Meals, Bites and Sips. The restaurant is from the same people who own the hugely popular Boca which is located next door. I guess the building Sotto is in stood vacant for close to eight years, don't expect the place to be up for lease anytime soon.

A participant in the modern day woodfire grill rage

If theres a trendy thing happening in the kitchens across America, these guys are on-board. Handmade Pastas, House Cured Salami, Wood Grilled Steaks and so on. I just checked the menu and both of the items we ordered are still on there and this is a very good thing for anyone who might consider stopping in.

short rib cappellacci – shallot, amish butter & thyme

The picture up above doesn't do this pasta plate justice but f-ck it I wanted to post it anyway. This was one of the richest dishes I've ever had. I couldn't even finish all of it opting to eat the leftovers in the hotel room as soon as we got back as they occupied my mind the entire car ride. So good that they basically made this perfectly breaded pork loin with a dazzling lemon sauce an afterthought. I'd consider a trip to Cincinnati just to eat here again.

breaded pork loin w/ capers & lemon

Next morning I got up early and decided it was time to eat Cincinnati style chili in Cincinnati, never mind the fact it was the morning and the temperature was rising, you gotta get it in while the chance is there. I decided to take the drive to Price Hill Chili which has been a locals favorite since 1962.

Popular Diner on the West Side

This place has served multiple generations of people from the city and also folks from Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. There were a few regulars drinking coffee upon my entry. It's got the textbook looks of most chili parlors and or Greek owned diners. Like most of them it started out small and grew as the neighbors became regulars. They're loved for their breakfast plates, Coneys, double decker sandwiches, and of course chili. For those that remember it I actually enjoyed the spicy chili at the long gone Chili Mac's here in Chicago and always ordered it with pasta. So I'm pretty much impartial to the use of chili and pasta together. Thus I went with a plate of the five way chili.

Preparing a plate of five way chili

Five way means everything which is a plate of spaghetti topped with beans topped with chili topped with onions topped with cheese. It's basically something most people find repulsive except for those that grew up on it. I look at it a little bit differently in that it's not chili in of itself but something entirely different. A regional eat so to say. This isnt Texas style chili, it's entirely its own thing.

A Plate of Five Way Chili

Other than the extreme overload of cheese which I removed at least half of, I pretty much dug into this plate leaving a few noodles and little else left. Was it the family recipe that experts say has a distinct meaty taste to it? Or was it the fact I coincidentally grew up eating this style of chili albeit I always ordered the spicy Texas version when at Chili Mac's? Who knows but I enjoyed the bowl and would go back for another. That's what I did when I ordered a side of goetta to go. The other Cincinnati specialty is an old school German-American snack made mostly with ground pork, oats and spicing. I liked this popular breakfast snack the first time around and made sure to get some on this trip too.

An order of goetta for the road

After that it was back to the hotel before it was time to hit the road back to Chicago but not before a stop at a place that had long been on my list. My mom used to hype Jungle Jim's up as my sister went to college not too far from there and my mom would shop there picking me up cool things each time in. That and the talk about them on here always made me want to check them out and I'm glad I did but it is what it is. They got alot but its mostly stuff you can find elsewhere although you would need to make a few stops here and there to do so, which I would guess makes it great for locals. The amusement park atmosphere wasn't something I need when shopping but it's strengths of regional bottled pop and also the hot sauce selection, both American and international, was what stood out as the best things about the place.

Browsing the aisles at Jungle Jim's

Well if you know me by now you know that while en route to to JJ's I was searching around the area for a local roadfood type spot to add to the database. I found one in a place called Red's said to be pushing old school 1930's style burgers and other greasy goods. Even better was the fact there was little online about it. Allow me to introduce them.

Hamilton, OH

This was definitely a blue collar suburb driving thru and that's the feel I got from the customers and employees inside of here. As mentioned there isn't much online but you could tell the place was least a few decades old if not more. I don't know what it is but some of the longest waits I've had at these roadfood type spots have come from the places pushing sliders or in this case a true 30's style burger. This is usually due to the grill.

View of the grill from the counter

As you can see they got the authentic small grill in place and because there was a large family before me it took a longtime to get my cheeseburgers for takeout. They would end up being good but not worth the wait. As you can see in the pic above they don't start out with fresh balls of beef but rather fresh patties. This can be the difference in good and great. The little bits of onions thrown on top of the beef while cooking were potent but it was missing some of that key grease released when smashing the ball of beef down and thus the bun was a little bit dry. See ya next time.

Cheeseburger from Red's Hamburgers

Sotto
118 E 6th St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 977-6886

Price Hill Chili
4920 Glenway Ave #2
Cincinnati, OH 45238
(513) 471-9507

Jungle Jim's
5440 Dixie Hwy
Fairfield, OH 45014
(513) 674-6000

Red's Hamburgers
103 S Riverside Dr
Hamilton, OH 45011
(513) 863-9210

The Smashed Crispy Burgers of Central Illinois

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Introducing Illinois' Regional Burger

It's time for the next chapter in my Burger Americana posts. We all know about Schoop's in Northwest Indiana and many of us are familiar with Carl's Drive-in down in St. Louis. Less of us are familiar with Workingman's Friend in Indianapolis. Up until last year I was pretty sure those spots were the main purveyors of the ultra smashed burger. But as it turns out there's an entire region of purveyors located in-between Schoop's and Carl's. What is a smashed crispy burger? Well in laymen terms its exactly that. A smashed ball of beef that turns into a patty with a glistening crust due to an extra hot flattop and a little extra attention to detail when smashing. The edges get so crisp that the good ones produce meat chips, little pieces of crispy beef that fall off the patty when unwrapping.

What it's not is a smashed burger which is a style common in the Midwest and now elsewhere due to places like Smash Burger and Shake Shack, the latter of which was inspired by Steak 'n Shake which was founded in Normal Illinois in 1934. It actually started out as a gas station where they served fried chicken but the founding father knew that chicken shacks were a dime a dozen while good hamburgers weren't nearly as common. Staying on topic of the smashed crispy burger. I believe these places below, which make this style, are inspired by each other and it all goes back to Steak 'n Shake who probably served something similar back when it had just one location. Or was Steak n' Shake inspired by another unknown place in the area? I don't know if anyone has the correct answer as this is the first round-up of it's kind to go online.
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Just Hamburgers

Paxton, IL

This little nondescript spot is found about an hour and 45 minutes south of Chicago off I-57. I'd had them on my list for a long time. I found an article from 2011 in the 'Paxton Dealer' which says they were celebrating their 40th year of biz. So now they're nearing 45 years. Before its birth as a hamburger stand the building was a meat locker. To this day all the meat used in their burgers is cut by hand and ground on site. The product is, in my opinion, one of the best burgers you'll ever eat at the $3 price point they seek for each one. Not having a huge menu allows for the specialty of the house to shine. They're only open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4-7 p.m and you should expect a line when you go. However because they're rightfully expecting everyone to order a burger they stay smashing them before your order is placed. They say that most weekend days they serve more customers than minutes they're open. I'd put their product in the top half of the spots featured.

Double Cheeseburger

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Butcher Boy Burgers

Rantoul, IL

Just a short 10 mile ride down from Paxton you'll find Butcher Boy Burgers in the town of Rantoul. According to something I read online they're located in a former Just Hamburgers location. The menu features a few things with the burgers and homemade pie being the popular things to eat. As can be expected some places do the smashed crispy burger better than others. Butcher Boy serves a burger thats better than it has to be but it also isn't as good as it could be. Aside from being greasier than most upon unwrapping I was also somewhat weary of it based on how fast it came out after being ordered. The smash job was average thus all in all it was a bottom halfer as far as rating.

Double Cheeseburger

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Krekel's

Decatur, IL

Krekel's is perhaps the most successful Steak 'n Shake spawn. Bill Krekel opened his first location in Decatur during the summer of 1953. Today they have seven locations with four of them in Decatur. The other outlets are located in Springfield, Pawnee, and Mt. Zion. The eldest location seen here is said to be the best due to the old age of the flattop. I've been to the location in Springfield and judging from my visit along with other pictures and peoples undying love for them I think they're very consistent from spot to spot. Krekel's and most other spots featured on here tend to use raw diced onion as the standard. I'm impartial as to diced or grilled, on this style they're both worthy. Krekel's makes one of the best burgers in the state and because I love this style I'd call it one of my favorites in the States. Cheap eats don't get much better.

Double Cheeseburger

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Green Gables

Hudson, IL

Green Gables has a history that traces back to 1929. It was opened as a gas station and later they added a small grocery. When it was purchased in 1952 the new owner turned the gas stations into a bar/restaurant. According to the website this would be the reason Green Gables is what it is today. The old time feel is there waiting in the air.

Sitting at the bar

As you can see the flattop is tiny but it's responsible for large flavors producing one of most popular cheeseburgers in the region. In classic tavern tradition it's made by the bartender. The lady behind it wasn't new to the job but at first it seemed like she might've been, hacking away at the ball of beef with no rhythm whatsoever. Or was chaos her secret weapon? This one would be a beauty by the time it was fully dressed and the addition of grilled onion most certainly didn't hurt. The salty melted cheese oozing into a crispy beef patty was mouth watering upon arrival and had me in love upon finishing it. A meat treat indeed.

Double Cheeseburger

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Sunrise Cafe

Springfield, IL

AKA Hamburger Dan's I've posted about this place before. It's a pretty lowkey spot that's gotten little press compared to some other restaurants in town but it's not to be missed by those in search of the smashed crispy burger. While the menu boasts most everything you'll find at a breakfast/lunch diner the clue is in the name. After all they don't call it Dan's Biscuits and Gravy. Look at that smash job!

Double Cheeseburger

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Dewey's Drive-In

Farmer City, IL

I think you need to be from around the area or visiting someone in the area to know about this place. Reason being this summertime only operation is located away from the well traveled highways. I took a 45 minute detour on the way back from St. Louis to stop here. According to an article online it's a mimic of an old favorite. Opened in 2011 it's an homage to an old town favorite that had a 51 year run before closing its doors. The remake seems so well done and thats because it sits in the same building the original did, originally a Swirly Top Dairy Bar. The recipes are said to be handed down and aside from the hand pressed burger the lemon ice cream is also a big seller.

Signature Lemon Ice Cream in a Cheery Dipped Cone

While it's possible this one stands out most due to the fact it's the most recent place of all these I ate at, the picture makes me think otherwise. It was a dandy and at just a little over $4 one of the more expensive ones if you can even call it that. The smash job was second to none with meat chips flying off upon opening. On this day it would be well worth the detour.

Double Cheeseburger

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The Shack

Clinton, IL

I cant seem to find much online about this popular burger stand but the sign outside said they've been around since 1920. I snapped some pics of a pic of the old building but I cant seem to pinpoint around what year it was when they started serving burgers. If it was in 1920 then its quite possible this place started the trend. The smash job was that of a skilled grillman and the burger was a dandy. They had tenderloins, horseshoes, and other regional favorites listed on the menu too. Anyone know anything interesting about Clinton's oldest restaurant? Lemme know.

Double Cheeseburger

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Gross' Burgers

Danville, IL

Another longtime spot on my list. When I was informed by the bosses that I'd making the rounds in and out of Vermilion County the first thing to reach my mind was the fact I'd finally be able to try Gross'. They've been at it since 1982 when they opened with the name Grunts. The current owner has a US Marines background and thus the inside is decked out in pictures and memorabilia. Don't let the name fool you. You know the drill by now. The beef is ground fresh on-site and formed into little balls that are smashed crispy on the flattop. I thought this burger was a little bit bigger than the rest, though the price didn't reflect that much. The bun was thicker too but the burger was on point. I've seen others pics of the product here where the burger looks more smashed than mine but I wasn't dissatisfied at all with what I got. I happily gobbled it down.

Double Cheeseburger

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Mike's Grill

Tilton, IL

Mike's was a spot where I could feel the nostalgia as I drove by. It wasn't on my radar but I spotted it while riding into Danville and wondered what all the craziness was about. Turn's out that then Governor nominee Bruce Rauner was making a stop on the campaign trail. So I ended up waiting for his entourage to leave this classic old school drive-in that's been in business since 1958. It would be here that I learned a couple things about this style of a burger. Everything at Mike's means the whole shebang. Lettuce, tomato etc. Both of which have no business on a crispy smashed burger. Its all about the mustard, onion, and pickles. Put ketchup on if you must.

Cheeseburger, everything

The other lesson learned is that it's always best to go double. The meat to bun ration is perfect when there's two smashed patties involved. Mike's Grill didn't seem to smash with as much skill as some of the other spots and the wetness from the veggies seemed to take away some of the crispness.

The insides

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Burger King

Mattoon, IL

If unfamiliar with the this spot please read this thread as you may be a little bit confused right now and thats ok. Before there was Burger King, there was Burger King. The behemoth tried to take this little guy to court and got served. Long story short no franchised BK's can open within town limits. You can read the original thread to get an idea although I did find this recently. The original family that opened it sold the business although the new owners plan on keeping it the same. This means one of the best burgers under $3 you will find should remain that way into the foreseeable future.

Double Cheeseburger

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Just Hamburgers
214 E Ottawa St
Paxton, IL 60957
(217) 379-4222

Butcher Boy Burgers
422 S Garrard St
Rantoul, IL 61866
(217) 215-0201

Krekel's
801 E Wood St
Decatur, IL 62521
(217) 429-1122

Green Gables
17485 E 2500 Rd N
Hudson, IL 61748
(309) 747-2496

Sunrise Cafe
1201 S 2nd St
Springfield, IL 62704
(217) 753-1311

Dewey's Drive-In
620 E Richardson St
Farmer City, IL 61842
(309) 928-3663

The Shack
506 S Grant St
Clinton, IL 61727
(217) 935-4646

Gross' Burgers
25 Henderson St
Danville, IL 61832
(217) 442-8848

Mike's Grill
2006 Georgetown Rd,
Tilton, IL 61833
(217) 446-6605

Burger King
1508 Charleston Avenue
Mattoon, IL 61938
(217) 234-8122

Wisconsin Eats

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Five More Wisconsin Style Eats

I apologize but there are no grilling and or Smokin' recipes this year. I recently moved and am still getting my yard sorted out. So instead I thought I'd share five more Wisconsin style eats figuring many a Chicagoan are in Wisconsin for the holiday. No one does Wisconsin stops better than me.
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Juice's Ghost Town Tavern

Grafton, WI

This 100+ year old tavern has gone through a few names and its current one comes from the fact this town was once a thriving place. Its where the first paved road in Wisconsin (from Ulao to Grafton) was built in 1849 and also where the man who shot & killed President James A. Garfield in July 1881 was from. The killers boyhood home still stands today.

Old Fashioned

"During the late 1800′s and early 1900′s a Tavern, Dance Hall, Grain Mill and Elevator, and a Railroad Station were built along side the Chicago & Northwestern railroad tracks" When coal replaced wood the town started dying down, though not during prohibition when this building the tavern sits in was rocking, eventually it became a ghost town. Cool vibe inside these days. I tried their popular "Prime Bites" aka deep fried pieces of prime rib. Pure Wisconsin.

Prime Rib Bites

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Brat Shack

Lomira, WI

I found this literal shack when pulling off of Interstate 41 to get some gas. It sits right near the Exxon station in the tiny town of Lomira. I'm not sure the brats were anything more than grocery store bought but the fact they're grilling them in a little shack on the side of the road made for a great snack. I forget what it was for but profits were going to a cause so I was happy to help.

Grilled brats from the Brat Shack

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Hamburger Haus

Campbellsport, WI

I found myself in the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive area of Southeast Wisconsin last summer and rode by a cute little seasonal operation sitting alongside a riverstream right on the route. How do I not stop? With the handful of other great walk-up burger shacks previously featured I was excited to see how this place stacked up against the rest. We're not far from Sheboygan County so it was no surprise to see their style of burger on offer. I don't think the grill was a real charcoal apparatus but the patties were freshly supplied from a butcher as mentioned on the front of the hut. I went with a double cheeseburger everything. That means Wisconsin cheddar, sliced raw onion, pickles and in Hamburger Haus' case a horseradish mustard that worked wonderfully. Add in the toasted Sheboygan hard roll with a smear of melted butter and we got a real deal Wisconsin style hamburger. If you're out camping or biking in this beautiful area than this spot is your fuel stop.

Double Cheddar Burger

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Village Inn

New Holstein, WI

Also in the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive area is this popular pizza parlor specializing in a monster restaurant steak sandwich. The restaurant steak is a popular regional eat of Sheboygan county and the areas around it. In these parts a steak sandwich is more like a burger but not quite one thus almost a hybrid of the two. Popular in meat markets around town they're really good used for the likes of Swiss and Salisbury steak and can also make a great sandwich. Village Inn serves theirs with a similar meat to bun ratio as an Iowa breaded pork tenderloin. Also standard for a Sheboygan style steak sandwich is the hard roll boasting the same name, toasted with butter and also the fact it's grilled over charcoal. I'm not sure if they were using real charcoal here but this was a satisfying sandwich that had good taste to go with the substance. Another nice fuel stop in the area.

Restaurant Steak Sandwich

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Fitz's on the Lake 

Lodi, WI

Here's a stop that was grabbed from deep down in my food folder. I believe I stopped into Fitz's last summer but it might've been the summer before. Either way this old school bar and restaurant is still the same. Its the spot to go to for some food and drink during the summer months as it sits on a lake about an hour Northwest of Madison. 

Outdoor Dining 

Having stopped in on a Friday you know what that means in Wisconsin. It was Fish Fry day and they were offering up a nice selection of lake caught species. I would roll with the lesser seen blue gills and be very happy with my plate. Lightly dusted, well fried filets to go with beer and sun. That's a winner in my book. Happy Fourth of July to all. Don't go blowing your fingers off.

Bluegill Fish Fry

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Juice's Ghost Town
990 Ulao Rd.
Grafton, Wisconsin 53024
(262) 376-9003

Brat Shack
Exit for Lomira, WI on 41 North
Go towards Exxon station.

Hamburger Haus
N3059 Wisconsin 67
Campbellsport, WI 53010
(920) 533-5046

Village Inn
1706 Wisconsin Ave
New Holstein, WI 53061
(920) 898-4045

Fitz's on the Lake
W11602 Co Rd V
Lodi, WI 53555
(608) 592-3302

Mondo Meatball

-Grubbing in Chicago
New to the 'Scene'

Sticking on the topic of trends in food we take a visit to a new Wicker Park restaurant that specializes in meatballs. Mondo Meatball is at least the third meatball place I know to have opened in the past year. It's a casual eatery with sitdown service and even a bar to get comfortable at.

Newly Opened in Wicker Park

Speaking of trends, it seems like everyone wants to be the next Chipotle. While Mondo isn't exactly the same in terms of setup, the menu is setup in a similar way to where you pick from a certain category. It starts with the meatballs. Mondo offers six different varieties which include a traditional beef  recipe as well as a chicken, pork, turkey, vegetarian and even a flavor of the day. Once you pick your preferred filling you choose what type of sauce you want them in. Options for those are a classic marinara, a summertime blend, pesto and a handful of international options such as teriyaki sauce and chimichurri. But we're not done yet! Next up is what you want to enjoy your meatballs with. You can have them in a sandwich, regular sized or slider size. You can have them on top of your choice of pasta or even Polenta or mashed potatoes. I tried the classic meatballs with classic sauce in a bowl with polenta. I was very pleased with the product. Tender and flavorful meatballs were nowhere near dry and the creamy polenta paired perfectly. This is your spot when feeling too lazy make your own. Hell they're probably better than your version. See ya next time.

Classic Meatballs over Polenta

Mondo Meatball
1467 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 278-5959
Website