Finom Coffee

-Grubbing in Chicago

New to the 'Scene'

There were alot of great low key neighborhood openings in 2018. I'm using January of 2019 to share all the spots I didn't get to post about last year. Finom Coffee opened towards the end of 2018. They did so in what was a vacant building that had historic status attached to it. The building was built in 1889 and for a while was a popular tavern called the Whistle Stop Inn. Finom has turned the building into a neighborhood coffee shop that doubles as a bookstore and also serves food. The cuisine of choice is Hungarian. Something that until now was pretty much extinct in these parts. Let's roll.

Newly Opened in Old Irving Park 

Walking into Finom feels like you're transporting yourself overseas. I could easily see this place in Budapest which I traveled to a couple years ago. They did a great job with the interior. It's a place you want to sit back and relax at. It almost has the feel of a nice hunting cabin with the taxidermy on the walls. I'd read in the Tribune that quite a few local businesses such as Marz Brewing and Kimski helped with some of the interior design. Finom is off to a hot start. Aside from being featured in the Trib they were also the second newest restaurant in the Fooditor 99. Hungry Hound also stopped by.

 a peek inside 

You probably don't recall any round-ups on coffee shops featured over here. That's bc I don't drink coffee. What you see below is the Choco spice which is a hot chocolate drink with a very floral taste.

 Choco Spice at Finom Coffee

What got me interested in Finom was the food. As I read in the Trib 'Finom' means delicious in the native Hungarian language. The menu is small with maybe 5 or 6 items making it up. I haven't had all of them but I've really enjoyed everything I've tried thus far. Particularly the Lecso which is a thick medley of tomatoes, gypsy peppers, paprika mixed with Hungarian sausage and topped with a fried egg with a soft yolk. It's served in a cute little Le Creuset pan with some slices of bread on the side. Though it's described as a stew this is more like a ratatouille. It was as if a recipe for gumbo stopped right after the andouille goes into the pot with the Holy Trinity and spices. I really liked this dish.

Lecso at Finom Coffee 

Another great snack if you're in there doing work is the Pick salami sandwich. This is made with some fantastic ciabatta bread, Hungarian Pick salami (a brand), housemade cultured butter, sliced gypsy pepper and Hungarian Swiss cheese. This one really hit the spot. I think it was the butter.

Pick Salami Sandwich 

Last of the dishes I've tried is the classic known as Goulash. Or Hungarian Goulash if you're located outside of Hungary. Except on the menu it's called Gulyásleves. Nonetheless when you read the description it's exactly what goulash is described as. The dominant flavor in this is paprika which is where the red color comes from. Tender pieces of beef are joined by parsnips, carrot, potatoes, gypsy peppers, onion, and dumplings. It's a pretty soupy rendition to the point where it almost tastes like a perfectly made beef and vegetable soup. I actually had this just recently during that mini cold streak and it was just what I wanted as far as lunch on a cold winter day. Count me amongst the early fans!

 Gulyásleves at Finom Coffee

Finom Coffee
4200 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60641
(312) 620-5010
Website

Eastern European Food in NE Ohio

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties

- Exploring NE Ohio's Eastern European Culture

Today's report is quite a few years in the making. It's spans over at least three different trips to the NE Ohio area during the last five or so years. During these trips there's been something that's always stood out as far as Eastern European food goes. Cuisines from countries like Poland, Hungary, and Serbia can be found in NE Ohio towns like Toledo, Parma, and Cleveland. It's quite interesting if you ask me. These restaurants and bakeries are holdovers from when Northeast Ohio was a hotbed for immigrants looking for work. Most of them found it in the areas steel mills, canals, and other forms of blue collar jobs. As always with immigrants come their recipes. Many of which live on today.

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Tony Packo's

Toledo, OH

Here we have the most famous restaurant in Toledo. Tony Packo's and their Hungarian sausages are synonymous with the city. What started out as a small hot dog shop during the Great Depression in 1932 has spawned into a mini empire with multiple locations including a spot at the city's popular minor league baseball stadium. You can even buy Tony Packo's signature sausages at grocery stores in this region. The famous "Hungarian Hot Dog" as they're called are a Tony Packo original recipe. There's no Hungarian Hot Dog Tour to embark on in this region. The inside of the original is part tavern and part sit-down. As you might imagine they're a popular place for the family on Sunday's.

a peek inside at the bar

This being my first visit I was required to try the signature Packo Dog and I found it to be quite tasty. The spicy sliced sausage is stellar and so is the spicy meat sauce on top. The latter of which I thought was good enough to warrant buying a DIY jar of it to take home. When I opened it one winter I followed the directions precisely and added two pounds of beef and some tomatoes and ended up with a huge bowl of sweet slop. I guess they're not giving that secret recipe out to everyone after all.

Hungarian Hot Dog at Packo's

The menu boasts other Hungarian favorites and I decided to take an order stuffed cabbage to go. Beef and pork combined with rice and seasonings, hand-rolled in cabbage, thats simmered in sour cream and tomato sauce. Served with their tender paprika dumplings and gravy it made for a pretty good meal spread out over two days. After just one visit it was easy to see why this place is loved locally.

Stuffed Cabbage

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 Little Polish Diner 

Parma, OH

Our next stop takes us the Cleveland suburb of Parma. It's the city's largest suburb and a great place to go get a taste of Old Ohio. There's both a Ukrainian Village and a Polish Village too. The Little Polish Diner is exactly what it's name implies. It's a spot I got tipped off on by the fine folks at Roadfood. The type of place I love exploring while on the road. They say this is the place to go in Parma for a taste of Poland and after one trip in I can back this fact up. I tried a plate of Pyzy which consisted of six fluffy potato dumplings filled with meat and sauteed in bacon and onion. Yum! Served on the side was a creamy cucumber salad that I didn't think I'd like but I loved. Great little place.

Pyzy at Little Polish Diner 

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Belgrade Gardens

Barberton, OH

In my opinion one of the country's most interesting regional eats can be found in the town of Barberton which is about 15 minutes southwest of Akron. In this little town of 25,000+ the fried chicken is king. It's called Barberton style fried chicken or Serbian fried chicken and it can be found at a handful of old school spots in town. Belgrade Gardens is where it all began. Started by two Serbian immigrants forced to sell their farm during the Great Depression they then opened Belgrade Gardens and began serving their now famous fried chicken. It's a distinct style that I think is best described as Shake & Bake style as far as the thick unseasoned crust goes. Though this isn't baked but rather fried in lard. The meat is really juicy as they've perfected the fry job over the years. Also distinct is the fact they serve the chicken back (top piece in the pic) in your order. Dinners come with a vinegar-based cole slaw as well as a unique rice and tomato sauce side that's seasoned with hot peppers called "hot sauce" and fresh cut french fries. I really enjoyed both the atmosphere and food.

Fried Chicken Dinner at Belgrade Gardens

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Kuhar's Carryout

Mentor, OH

Out in the Cleveland area there's a couple places that remind me of old school spots in Madison, WI that I used to frequent. Places where they run a catering operation that doubles as a takeout joint with the menu switching up daily. Kuhar's is in a suburb called Mentor which is about20 minutes north up the lake. You wouldn't guess it was a restaurant without the carryouts in it's name. This place has been a part of the area for more than 40 years. If you grew up around here you probably went to a party catered by Kuhar's at some point. They have a menu that changes each day and it features popular Hungarian-American dishes like goulash over buttered noodles. it's the prettiest looking dish but comfort food rarely photographs well so whatever. I wish I had a place to carry this out in Chicago.

Goulash (Saturday special) at Kuhar's Carry-Out's

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Kiedrowski's Bakery

Amherst, OH

Approaching their 30th year in business this small polish bakery in a strip mall in a Cleveland suburb is a popular spot with the locals. It was named "best Bakery in America" in a poll conducted by Baking Buyer Magazine back in 2011. That might not mean much but I can vouch for the place. They pack alot of house baked goods on site. Most of which looked like something I would like. The most popular of which is the Snoogle. "Accidents can be disastrous in a bakery, but the 'snoogle accident' was a welcome one for Kiedrowski's! Late one evening at the bakery, Tim was preparing ladylocks and Terri was working on a batch of cheese danish. With leftover ingredients, these two happy bakers set out to create something new. A little bit of this, a little of that, and voila, the Snoogle was born! These sweet cream-filled confections have become Kiedrowski's biggest seller. It is not unusual for the bakery to sell 40 dozen Snoogles daily, and upwards of 100 dozen every weekend."

Snoogles (Signature Dish) at Kiedrowski's Bakery

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Lydia's Hungarian Strudel Shop 

Parma Heights, OH

There's a handful of bakeries in the Parma area and a couple of them feature Hungarian strudels. I tried to go to two of them but one was randomly closed. Good thing Lydia's was not other wise I would never know I have a love for Hungarian style strudel. The original location of Lydia's opened in 1938 in an area that had a predominately Hungarian and Romanian population. Today they;re a fifth generation family business that hasn't changed a thing as far as recipes. I got a half dozen of their hand stretched made from scratch strudels. I got different flavors like cherry, apricot, and even prune but it was the cheese which she recommended that blew me away. If I'm ever near here again it's a must I stop and get a bakers dozen. These are the treats I never knew I needed so much.

Hungarian Strudels at Lydia's Bakery

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Tony Packo's
1902 Front St
Toledo, OH 43605
(419) 691-1953

Little Polish Diner
5772 Ridge Rd
Parma, OH 44129
(440) 842-8212

Belgrade Gardens
401 E State St
Barberton, OH 44203
(330) 745-0113

Kuhar's Carryouts
8030 Broadmoor Rd
Mentor, OH 44060 Hours:
(440) 951-1000

Kiedrowski's Bakery
2267 E. Cooper Foster Park Road
Amherst, OH 44001
(440) 282-2700

Lydia's Hungarian Strudel Shop
6230 Stumph Rd
Parma Heights, OH 44130
(440) 885-2600

Eating BIG in Budapest

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties

- Food + Wine Tour of Hungary's Main Metropolis

The wife and I recently ended up having a week to do something fun and it just so happened to be our first anniversary. Before getting married I made a pact to my wife that we would travel on our 1st, 5th, 10th, and 20th anniversary's should we make it that far. Well we got to one! To celebrate we decided to go to Europe on what was kind of a whim. After plenty of research and then the crossing out of spots that cost too much to get to we ended up doing Budapest paired with Amsterdam. Why Budapest? Why not! Aside from the fact the prices matched up I had heard from more than a few people it was a place worth checking out. After doing so you can add me to it's chorus of fans.

Sights from Budapest

Budapest is one of those cities that mixes old and new. It's a beautiful city to walk and it's a great city to see at night. There's all sorts of old buildings and some nice parks but also plenty of bars and restaurants and lots of shopping and all that other stuff. Of course the food is what drew me in. After plenty of research it seemed like late Fall and early Winter was the perfect time to go. The food after all is by no means light. I found myself unable to push fwd at times due to the hearty meals we ate. Because we only had three days I didn't get to do nearly as much as I wanted to do but still felt like I got to experience a good chunk of the culinary offerings that Budapest has to offer. But it was filling.

More Sights from Budapest

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Töltő

This gourmet sausage stand was right around the corner from our AirBNB so we headed over after checking in. It's a small space with just one large table and some counter space to stand and eat. So you can go so far as to say it's basically street food. Lots of good looking sausages on the menu here including a wild goose that we unfortunately never made it back for. Too bad bc the Wild Boar we had was wonderful. The sausage itself packed as much flavor as any tubed meat I can remember. The combo of toppings seemed interesting when reading them but they worked great. Must stop.

Wild Boar Sausage (black onion seed, wakame salad, chinkiang sauce, spirulina spong) at Töltő

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Bors Gasztrobar

It didn't take long to start loving the food scene in Budapest as our second stop also qualifies as "must stop". Bors was rec'd by my brother in-law as well as what seemed to be pretty much everyone that's eaten there. The online reviews are nothing but raves and rightfully so. These guys are making stuffed sandwiches that are then pressed until everything inside is hot and melted. They also make some really creative soups and would also qualify as street food as there's nowhere to eat inside. They make a handful of these torpedo like sandwiches and I fully endorse the option with mangalitsa bacon, red onions, and cheese. The soups weren't in English but the owner was super nice in explaining them. We tried a pumpkin with toasted seeds that was wonderful. So good we went twice.

Sandwich at Bors Gasztrobar 

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M. Restaurant

I found this tiny two floor eatery while browsing around endlessly. Both the reviews and the pics as well as the menu made me make a reservation. Seemed like the perfect little spot for our first night.

Trio of Appetizers at M. Restaurant

It might not have been perfect but it was still enjoyable. The feel of the place leans towards French bistro but there's plenty of Hungarian flavors on the menu. So basically it's a Hungarian bistro. For starters we had a well seasoned pork curry soup that really hit the spot on what was a cool fall night. It was my goal to get as much foie gras as I could since Hungary is said to have the worlds best while being the number two producer of it in the world. The waiter said their foie gras creme caramel was one of their most popular dishes so we got that as well. It was pretty damn good but it was a terrine and I was hoping for the good stuff grilled whole. Lastly was a Hungarian Charcuterie platter featuring different stuff from around the country. There was horse included but it tasted similar to pig.

Pork Belly with Grilled Quince and Pearl Barley

Our entrees were probably the weak link of this meal. I wanted to love them but they both had flaws. The pork belly more so than the beef cheek goulash. The pork was just too tough in some places and thus not really edible. The beef cheek itself in the stew was cooked until extra tender and it itself tasted great but the broth was just too weak. No explosions of flavor which was a letdown.

Beef Cheek Goulash Stew

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 Karavan

Located in the middle of the Jewish Quarter (where most of the nighttime stuff is) is a permanent (food) trailer park. I'd say there were about 8-10 carts total with most of them being new school. I was very tempted by a burger place using the local food langos as buns but I passed on that for another iconic Budapest bite. The Chimney Cake is extra popular during Christmas time but this stand at the front entrance is popular all the time. Chimney cake is made wrapping sweet dough on a wooden stick and cooking it over embers. When cooked they're rolled in sugar and other stuff like cinnamon. This guy had a line and seemed to be the favorite of many Budapest residents. It was so good.

Chimney Cake Stand at Karavan

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Szimpla Kert

One of the main attractions for Budapest's younger crowds both tourists and locals are the ruin pubs. They sound older than they are as this spot called Szimpla Kert was the one to start the trend not so long ago. The ruin name comes from the fact that these bars take over spots that were previously empty for an extended period of time. Szimpla Kert is a huge space with multiple bars both inside and outside with all sorts of random things throughout the place. It's pretty awesome actually. We went to some other ruin bars but none were as vibrant as this place. Budapest has legit nightlife.

a peek inside Szimpla Kert

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Zona

Budapest is actually two cities within one. Pest is where most of the action happens. Across the river in Buda it's a bit more quiet which is probably the result of it being a bit more green. Some of the city's main attractions are on the Buda side which overlooks all of Pest. After some sightseeing Zona down on the bottom along the river is a good place to unwind. It's a beautiful well designed space with lots of light which is what I like. They do a wonderful lunch special that can be 2 or 3 courses for the ridiculous price of like $12 usd. It includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert if you want it.

Smoked Fish Salad at Zona

I'm bad at remembering to take pics of the menu which in turn makes me bad at remembering exactly what the dishes were described as. Nonetheless I can always remember whether or not I enjoyed the food and I most certainly did so here. The salad was actually the highlight as it was balanced just right. The duck breast was no slouch either. I just dont find myself to be the biggest fan of duck.

Duck Breast at Zona

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Buja Disznók aka Lush Pig(s)

Budapest is hip so of course they have a food hall and of course there's some popular stalls in it. The Modern Market Hall also has a farmers market and plenty of butcher shops so many of the stalls gather their ingredients from neighbors. This place which in English is called 'Lush Pigs' was high on my list. They basically do one thing and that's fried pork cutlet aka Wiener Schnitzel. They serve massive slices that are cooked in a fryer about the size of a city garbage can. They come served with creamy/chunky potato salad and also a fried bone to gnaw on. Rarely will you find the food at places that specialize in one thing to be lacking in flavor. This was no exception. I found myself saying I was done more than a few times but I just kept going back. This was simple but perfect. Highly rec'd.

Wiener Schnitzel at Buja Disznók aka Lush Pig(s)

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The New York Cafe 

The New York Cafe is one of Budapest's most popular sights. It's also a restaurant though most people go there for drinks and most people have coffee. At the turn of the 20th century the New York Cafe was the most beautiful and the most beloved coffee house in Budapest. It was a popular spot for the city's writers which were once prevalent. After World War II it fell into disrepair and it served as a sporting goods shop. It then reopened in 1954 but it wasn't until 2006 that the New York Café was restored to its original splendor. Folks like Anthony Bourdain have made it a popular stop for tourists. It's a beautiful space but expect New York prices with lots of tourists by your side.

a peek inside 

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Kerkyra Gyros Greek Food Bar

Just like every other city in Europe you can find doner on pretty much every corner in Budapest. But unlike most other cities you'll also find lots of gyro spots in Budapest. I'm not talking about places using cones of meat made in a factory. I'm referring to Greek owned spots where they're stacking fresh meat on a spit each morning. I made sure to check one out. This spot called Kerkyra Gyros had near perfect reviews and was only a 10 minute walk from where we stayed. They use chicken meat (breast and thigh) and I have to say this was the best spit roasted chicken I've ever come across. I can say with certainty if I lived in Budapest I'd be here pretty often. Makes me want to go to Greece.

Gyros Dinner at Kerkyra Gyros Greek Food Bar

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Borkonyha Winekitchen

One of the main reasons we chose Budapest was due to the glowing rec it received from my sister and brother in-law. I must admit I had never really thought of it before and that was bc I was pretty unfamiliar with the food. But it's fantastic and that stretches from the street food to the Michelin starred dining. They had highly rec'd this one star spot which they said was so good they wanted to go back the following night. We made a reservation and arrived to some wonderful wines.

Crispy Duck Liver and Terrine with Poppy Seed and Basil Flavored Apple

We were more tempted by the ala carte items than the set menu so we decided to order a few of the things on it that looked good. For starters it was a no brainer. Foie Gras was worth a second plate. The grilled part was as smooth a piece as you'll ever eat. With big liver flavor. Hard to top that and while a well presented monkfish dish didn't do so it was still worth the stomach space.

Monkfish with Pinenut, Parsnip Ragout in Buttermilk Sauce

Our entrees were also wonderful but I couldn't convince her to skip the fish and go for the rabbit. She liked her plate of perch but I thought the rabbit sounded much better though I wanted the wild boar.

Fresh Fish with Lentil Salad and Tarragon Spiced Cabbage Sauce

My plate of wild boar was pretty much flawless. The meat was perfect. I wish we had regular access to that over here. It ate more like steak but had that flavor that only wild boar can give off. Service here came with a smile and plenty of knowledge but like most places in Europe you can expect to be there for a bit. One thing America has on all others when it come to the service industry is great service itself. Even at the Michelin Starred spots in Europe you tend to find yourself waiting.

Boar Tenderloin with Quince Cream and Mushroom

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 Stand 25 Bistro

This place is in the aforementioned Modern Market Hall. It was one of the must stop spots on my list. I made sure to make lunch reservations before our trip got started. The chef behind this place is one of Hungary's most well respected cooks. He's represented Hungary in the Bocuse d'Or competition on more than one occasion. Stand 25 features the flavors of Hungary using classic recipes with top notch ingredients obtained at the market the restaurant is in. You can get a two or three course meal.

 Mangalica Liver Pate and Baked Pork Belly (Her)

 Goulash Soup (Him)

For starters she went with a charcuterie plate made using the prized local Mangalica Pig for both pate and smoked pork belly. Hungary has some of the best butchers in the world and this plate was a great example of why. My goulash soup was everything I wanted in this dish which I was extra excited for upon our arrival. I'll be making goulash this winter and will try to replicate what I ate.

 Layered Potatoes with Cheese and Sausages (Her)

For our main courses she had the signature layered potatoes with cheese and sausage and I had a classic Hungarian dish called Bereg Chicken Stew with Dumplings. Both were classic comfort food dishes. The type of food that's so much better when the weather is a bit nippy outside. Great place.

Bereg Chicken Stew with Dumplings (Him)

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Great Market Hall 

The Great Market Hall is Budapest's biggest and most well known market. You can find all sorts of perishable goods on the first floor and lots of hand crafted clothes etc on the second floor. We took a quick stroll through the place and saw lots of paprika for sale. These places are always much cooler when you live near one and have access to it for grocery shopping. Worth a tour though. Hell if you have an AirBNB you can even put some of the wonderful meats available to use in your kitchen.  

a peek inside
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Halkakas

On our final night I was letdown when a spot high on my hit list was closed for remodeling. Halkakas screamed my name with it's concept. Hungary is a land locked country but that doesn't mean there isn't any fresh fish. It just comes from the lakes and rivers. Halkakas specializes in those fish and I really wanted to try their catfish gyros but it wasn't meant to be. Hopefully there's a next time.

No Catfish Gyros :(

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Cafe Intenzo

When we found out Halkakas was closed we rolled over to the spot we planned to visit afterwards. I read about Cafe Intenzo on TripAdvisor which made me weary of the place but it was rec'd by a local guide and we were near and hungry for foie gras so why not. This place is located in the heart of downtown so maybe it's for tourists, or locals who work in the area, I dont know. But when is grilled foie gras not good? The answer would be never. This was exactly what we wanted. They were generous with the meat and the creamy potatoes underneath were also enjoyed. I loved this dish

Grilled Goose Liver at Cafe Intenzo

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Tomi Langos

On our final night I wanted to make sure I tried the famous street food called Langos. It's fried bread and the most popular way of eating it is with sour cream and cheese. I went to this place which is one of the city's most popular stalls for it. I dont know if it's the best as what I got was already made but I will say I liked it more then I thought I would. It was a grease bomb no doubt but it was great drinking food and reminded me alot of the Native American frybread tacos you see out West. Just You can get your langos with all sorts of toppings inlc. meat. It's worth trying one after a few brews.

Langos at Tomi Langos

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Boutiq Bar 

Of course we did some good drinking as well. We went to quite a few spots in fact. For cocktails we checked out Boutiq Bar which holds a place on the World's 50  Cocktail Bars List. I liked it a bit more than her and that's ok sometimes stuff like that happens. Service was fantastic and the tiki like rum drink I got hit the spot. But truth be told it's hard to top our local cocktail bars in Chicago.

 doblo Wine Bar

We went to quite a few wine bars on this trip as Hungary is known for having some great wines. They didn't let us down. We are by no means wine experts but after trips to France and South Africa we've developed a real liking for it. So I heard the best Hungarian wines don't make it out of Hungary and that's too bad bc some of the bottles we had during our stay were fantastic. I need to do a better job of classifying them so that I can know for future reference. Maybe I'll download that tasting app.

 KOLLAZS Brasserie

For a fantastic atmosphere check out the bar/restaurant at the Four Seasons called KOLLAZS. Drinks are closer to American prices but the hotel is in one of the city's most historic buildings and the bar at KOLLAZS Brasserie is beautiful. The wines were wonderful too. All in all Budapest was a great place to visit and I'm happy we took the opportunity to do so. I would rec it to anyone that likes beautiful cities with live atmospheres and of course good food and drink, for cheap! I hope to return.

See ya next time!

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Notes: For the addresses to all these spots plus many others we didn't make it to please see my google maps guide by clicking HERE.