Lao Der

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Lao Food in Irving Park

Chicago's food scene lost another person in it's ever shrinking food media collection as Steve Dolinsky has called it quits at NBC5 Chicago where he spent the last four years after switching over from ABC7 where he reported as 'The Hungry Hound' from 2003 to 2021. During his time as a "food reporter" for both news stations Dolinsky would often shed light on the city's smaller mom and pop operations, often of the international variety, as well as new up and coming businesses ran by younger up and coming chefs. I joined Steve for many a meals and consider him a friend so take my words for what you will but his absence will be missed. Especially by the crowd of Chicagoan's who might not be plugged into social media but do watch the news and like to try new restaurants when they learn of them. Steve taught many Chicagoan's how to dig deep into our world class food scene whether it was a hip and happening place like Siam Thai in the South Loop which was one of his last stories (we ate there together) or a mom and pop operation like today's stop. Lao Der recently became the only Lao restaurant in the city proper when it opened in April. This a place I'm positive Steve would've done a story on and deservedly so as Lao is a cuisine we were lacking in Chicago.

Recently Opened in Irving Park 

Considering that there's a nice sized Lao population in the Midwest it's rather surprising that Lao Der is the city's first true Lao restaurant. We have had pop-ups and ghost kitchens but not a brick and mortar such as this. There's a good number of Lao restaurants in Wisconsin and Minnesota but there's not a ton of them in Illinois. In fact there's only one in the immediate Chicagoland area out in Burbank but Spicy Thai Lao only has a few Lao dishes from a non-pork eating chef. So before Lao Der opened you basically had to drive all the way out to Elgin to get Lao food in the form of 'Sai Kok' or 'Laab Moo Lao'. It took a minute but the "Lao Food Movement" has reached the city proper. The "Lao Food Movement" was popularized by Seng Luangrath, the chef and co-owner of Washington D.C's Thip Khao, she's considered to be the "Godmother of Laotian Cuisine in America" as she was a pioneer in showcasing the flavors of Laos in the U.S. I still remember the first time I had Lao food as a college kid in Madison and then again at Thip Khao in D.C. I've been a big fan since then, so this is pretty exciting getting a Lao restaurant, and LAO SAUSAGE, so close to home.

Lao Sausage aka Sai Oua at Lao Der

Much like Northern Thai cuisine (and Isan too) Lao food is known for its bold and flavorful dishes that often feature a mix of sweet and sour and spicy and salty flavors. Much like Vietnamese cuisine it's known for a strong emphasis on a bounty of fresh herbs. Though considered simpler than it's Southeast Asian counterparts Lao food is often less toned down in terms of spicing. Whenever I go to a Lao restaurant it's a must to start with the Lao Sausage which goes by Sai Kok. Lao food is already underrated as it is so most people out there don't know the deliciousness that a piece of Sai Kok can bring. If you've had Thai sausage in the form of 'Sai Ua' or 'Sai Krok Isan' than you've had something similar but Lao sausage often features turmeric and almost always comes served the same way which is slitted, fried, and served alongside sticky rice and jeow som (sour dipping sauce). Lao sausage is excellent as is - it's herbaceous and often has a bit of funk. It should have heavy hints of lime leaf, galangal, lemongrass, cilantro, and shallots and it's typically less coarsely ground than most other encased meat but it really comes together with Jeow sauce which commonly consists of fresh garlic, chiles, lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce all ground together with a mortar and pestle. The Lao sausage at Lao Der, who's owners come from the hub of Vientiane, is served with 'Jeow Mak Len' which is a roasted tomato based jeow sauce with a thicker texture and it’s fantastic paired with a slice of sausage and some sticky rice. They also serve Esan sausage which are little balls of sausage full of garlic and black pepper flavor served with cabbage and peanuts and is also very good. 

Esan Sausage at Lao Der

I've visited Lao Der twice now and have enjoyed everything I've tried. It's a pretty standard menu as far as the Lao dishes go but they seem to do all the classics really well. The crispy fried Lao Wings further solidified my feelings of Asian fried wings being far better than their American counterparts. Perfectly sized wings (not too big) are tossed in a mix of fish sauce, sugar and tamarind and topped with crispy garlic. These are some of my new favorite wings in town right now. Both times I visited they had a couple specials which on one visit was a spicy Lao style beef jerky which was crisp from a trip to the fryer and pungent from the lemongrass, garlic and chili powder it was rubbed with before it was fried. It also comes served with their delicious roasted tomato based jeow sauce. With summer seemingly near I'm glad to have easy access to Lao style Larb - also spelled laab, laap, larp, and lahb. Larb is traditional minced meat salad that's considered the national dish of Laos. It's known for its bold and botanical flavors and can be made with a variety of proteins including beef, pork, duck and chicken tossed with lime juice, fermented fish sauce, ground rice, and lots of fresh herbs. The 'Lab Gai' at Lao Der will be a go-to of mine in those dog days of summer as it taste even better cold out of the fridge the next day. You can't go wrong with any of these appetizers. 

Lao Wings

Lao Der Jerky

Lab Gai (diced chicken) at Lao Der

I consider Southeast Asia to be one of the worlds great soup regions as every country there has some fantastic noodle soups, including Laos. While Vietnam is the birthplace of Pho it's not the only spot where it's enjoyed. Laos has it's own adapted version due to the close proximity of the two countries. Pho gained popularity in Laos due to an influx of Vietnamese people combined with the fact Vietnam and Laos share cultural influences including food. Lao-style Pho adds sugar and a unique set of toppings including lime juice, chili peppers in oil, fried garlic, and a roasted peanut sauce. I thought the 'Lao Pho Beef' at Lao Der was decent as is but it really improved with the addition of the condiments it came with including the aforementioned peanut sauce. The broth was subtle without the extra stuff but it improved greatly with it. They use a combo of medium rare sliced beef and meatballs neither of which stood out plus they seemed to have forgotten the roasted tomatoes listed with it. 

'Lao Pho Beef' at Lao Der

The Lao style chicken noodle soup is the better pick of the soups. It's listed as 'Khao Piek Sen' on the and described as "homemade rice noodle, onion and cilantro, fried shallots, black pepper, homemade chicken meatball served in flavorful chicken broth" - flavorful is an understatement. That broth is some of the richest I've come across in Chicago. It's clearly home made with the sliced skin on chicken it comes with cooked in it. It tastes like Khao Man Gai in soup form. Khao Man Gai being the Thai version of Hainanese chicken rice (poached chicken served with a rice cooked in the broth). There were two other standouts in this fantastic bowl of soup: the meatballs and the noodles themselves. You could tell the meatballs were homemade from their delicate shape and the noodles are also made in-house which is easily distinguishable thanks to a terrifically chewy texture. This might be the best chicken noodle soup in town but don't wait until you're feeling under the weather to try it. We need more Lao food in Chicago but we may not get it if Lao Der isn’t welcomed with open arms.

Khao Piek Sen at Lao Der

Lao Der
3922 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(872) 241-4879
Website

Roadfood in Kentucky

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Pit Stops for Roadfood in Kentucky

Kentucky has always been an interesting place to me. So much so that I have a huge google maps guide of Roadfood to seek out throughout the state. I've always wanted to take a road trip through there and explore the region. I've never been able to do one solely focused on the Bluegrass State but I have driven through there more than a few times over the years and whenever I do I always find interesting spots to stop at. Here's five from two separate trips I took to North Carolina and Florida. 

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150 Quick Stop (Bardstown)

This gas station / convenience store is home to some of the best breakfast sausage in the world. You'll find it in Bardstown which is in the heart of the states bourbon producing territory (about an hour southeast of Louisville). I was turned onto to this top sausage by Chef Newman Miller, a friend of mine who lives in the area. Actually he and the sausage at 150 Quick Stop made an appearance in an article at Food & Wine Magazine which you can see HERE. The recipe to this sausage might've been won in a local poker game, or lost depending on how you look at it. So the story goes the owners of the truck stop beat a local butcher in a poker game and won his breakfast sausage recipe in doing so. It's a spicy sage forward blend with plenty of red pepper flakes found throughout. If you show up early enough you can try it in a biscuit - they make up to 600 a day. I arrived around 11a on my visit and it was already too late to score a sausage biscuit but they also sell it raw in two sizes and since we were on our way to Carolina for a week of outdoor stuff I made sure to grab some for the AirBNB. It really is the best damn sausage I've ever had as far as the breakfast variety goes. Oh so f'ing good. 

Breakfast Sausage from 150 Quick Stop 
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Wilson's Pool Room (Versailles) 

Ever had Pool Hall Grub in Kentucky? Oh that's a thing. Handfuls of pool halls are hanging on around the Bluegrass State and each one serves up some form of locally loved grub be it chili dogs, burgers, or both. Below is the Willie Burger from an old pool hall in Bourbon Country. Nothing special as far as the prep or dressing of it (fresh ball of beef lightly smashed with lettuce, tomato, mayo, onion) but it was one of the best burgers I had that year. I had to pass on the country ham sandwich bc this was a second lunch so I limited myself to just one choice for the sake of this massive food database that I continue to build. I hope to visit a few more Kentucky pool halls at some point before they all close. 

Willie Burger at Wilson's Pool Room 
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Tortilleria Y Taqueria Ramirez (Lexington)

If you ever find yourself in or passing through Lexington (aka Mexington) you got to stop at Taqueria Ramirez. There's a sizeable Mexican population in both Lexington and Louisville and lots of taco spots too. If you only have time for one of them I suggest this family owned taqueria that serves up the best tacos in the U.S. I've ever had outside of California, Texas, or Illinois. Upon entry you're greeted by a big assembly line production of corn tortillas made with Weisenberger Mills corn from Midway Kentucky - a place famous for its grits. The fillings include options like cabeza, lengua and barbacoa with each of them being as good as the last. This is a real blue blood type of taqueria.  

Tacos at Tortilleria Y Taqueria Ramirez 
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G&E Burgers (Williamsburg)

As regular readers know I'm a big fan of regional food and an even bigger fan of hyper local dishes like the Eastern Kentucky Chili Bun. A chili bun is simply a chili dog without the wiener. It's said that these first started to appear at pool halls in the area around the 1950's. They made for a cheap and tasty snack for the local miners and others who hung out at these pool halls after work and what not. I had plans to stop at a different spot but it was suddenly closed due to the passing of the owner. Luckily G&E Burgers was just down the block which gives you an idea of the chili buns prevalence in these parts. If you grew up or lived anywhere near Appalachia you likely have a favorite spot for one and or an old family recipe. The bun is dressed with mustard and onions before the sauce goes on. The chili here is a well spiced meat forward blend with minimal tomato detected. It wasn't spicy but had plenty of buzz. Also of note was a side of "soup beans" that come with the chili bun meal. Pintos are a big part of the Appalachian diet and soup beans as they're called are commonly served with cornbread, greens, and potatoes and are considered both a main course and also a side dish.

Chili Bun at G&E Burgers
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Dovie's (Tompkinsville)

Our final stop is one of the most interesting stops you can make on the Roadfood circuit - but it's a bit out of the way from any major highway so it's also somewhat elusive. Dovie's is home to some killer burgers (literally). They've been frying up balls of beef since 1940. When I first found this place searching through food stops in random Kentucky towns I thought I came across a relatively unknown place but then I checked the Insta check-ins and saw that a few fellow burger connoisseurs had already been here (@motzburger, @burgerbeast, @jcstrutz). So I knew it would be a fun one and it was. Particularly made so by the handful of local ladies who run the place. It's quite a riot inside as far as the atmosphere goes and quite the heart stopper on the burger and baloney front. I ordered mine "unsqueezed" which means they don't release any of the oil that the beef soaks up while frying. It wasn't the best burger I've ever had but it was one of the best roadfood experiences I've partaken in. 

Cheeseburger at Dovie's

Baloney Sandwich at Dovie's 
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Roadfood in Kentucky (2015)

Stopping in at Three Paducah Favorites (2019)

Eating BIG in Louisville (over the years)

See ya next time @chibbqking 

Pierogi Kitchen

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Polish American Food in Wicker Park

Pierogi Kitchen opened near the beginning of the year. The new school Polish spot is from the owners of the short lived Firewood BBQ, the previous tenant at the corner of North and Wolcott. They also own Ella’s BBQ in Lincoln Park, Earls BBQ in Jefferson Park, and Mas Tacos in Irving Park. 

Recently Opened in Wicker Park

Pierogi Kitchen came about when owners Artur Wnorowski and Gosia Pieniazek did a complete revamp of Firewood BBQ. They wanted to try something a bit different than barbecue so they tapped into their Polish-American heritage with Pierogi Kitchen. The menu features a large chunk of Polish classics such as Bigos aka Hunters Stew or a unique tasting bowl of dill pickle soup made of a smoky broth, sour rye, kielbasa, boiled eggs, onions, and marjoram. The stuffed cabbage made with pork shoulder and chuck roll sitting in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce is as good as I’ve had outside of the Northeast Ohio region though my overall experience with Polish food is somewhat limited. 

Stuffed Cabbage Roll at Pierogi Kitchen 

Can you even be a real deal Polish restaurant if you don’t have pierogi on the menu? Artur and Gosia spent countless hours perfecting their recipe which is a boiled version with some really smooth skins. When they made the switch from barbecue joint to Polish kitchen they decided to keep the smoker and use it at Pierogi Kitchen resulting in menu items like the brisket pierogi. These had a divine smell when they arrived in front of me and really hit the spot on a day where I was craving smoked meat. 

Brisket Pierogi at Pierogi Kitchen 

I was never a big fan of traditional Polish sausage, at least not in the way I'm a fan of Italian sausage. Now I’ve always liked the Vienna Beef Maxwell Style Polish Sausage (natural casing of course) but that’s kind of its own thing compared to Kielbasa. That said I was tempted by the fact that they make their own kielbasa at Pierogi Kitchen and smoke it on site too. The Kielbasa Platter comes with three pieces of potato and cheese pierogi, sauerkraut, mustard, and cwikla which is a beet and horseradish relish. The smoked sausage was great both in terms of flavor and texture and it paired really well with the sides while the potato and cheese pierogi was every bit as satisfying as your typical bbq sides such as mac and cheese. I ate every last piece of food on my plate and decided right then and there that I liked Polish food more than I thought I did. Pierogi Kitchen has a full fledged bar with Zywiec on tap and happy hour specials to boot. Overall I think they made the right call switching over from traditional bbq to Polish American comfort food. Chicago needed a new school Polish spot like this.

Kielbasa Platter at Pierogi Kitchen 

Pierogi Kitchen
1856 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 799-8273
Website

Balkan Food in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)  
A Balkan Food Tour

Today’s post is a special one because it’s unlike any I’ve done before. In fact the Balkan restaurants in Chicagoland have gone largely overlooked by not just me but everybody. This is despite the fact that the Chicagoland area is home to the largest Serbian and Bulgarian communities in the country and along with St. Louis we also have the largest Bosnian population in the country (and the largest outside of Bosnia at that). There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement on exactly what countries make up the Balkans but Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia are typically included. Each of these countries has its own cuisine but their proximity to each other means it’s similar from one to the next. Many dishes across the region are referred to using a similar vocabulary but with national variations. If you had to focus in on one thing they do particularly well in the Balkans that would probably be grilled meat in all its various proteins which is also why this post is at least a few years in the making - as much as I like Balkan cuisine it’s not one I want to eat every day. But over the last few years I’ve really started to seek it out thanks to places like Balkan Treat Box in St. Louis popping up. Or then there was Kiosk Balkan Street Food which was a great ghost kitchen setup in Avondale that I hope one day returns as it’s only a matter of time until Balkan food takes that next step as more and more places follow in the footsteps of a restaurant like Rose Mary on Randolph. Just for the record I've featured a handful of Chicagoland Balkan establishments over the years but never in a special blow out post like this one. 

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Stefan Grill (Hodgkins)

We’ll start in the Southwest Suburbs with a Serbian breakfast at a restaurant hidden in the bowels of Hodgkins. Stefan Grill sits in the middle of an industrial park where 18 wheelers are commonly parked and picked up but they have a serene outdoor setting that puts you in a much nicer place. Its location is a strategic one though in that a large chunk of Balkan immigrants are truckers and many of them stop in Stefan Grill upon completing their jobs for the day. The breakfast plate at Stefan Grill comes with two eggs and two slices of extra thick and chewy bacon plus feta, kajmak (fresh, unripened cheese), ajvar (red pepper spread), toasted bread and fresh vegetables - nice way to start the day.

Serbian Breakfast at Stefan Grill 
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Coffee Slasticarna Drina (Chicago)

Head to this strip mall find on Lawrence in Lincoln Square for freshly baked burek (25 min) by a Bosnian grandmother type. If it’s not the best in town let me know what is because ‘tis the season for these savory flaky pastries found throughout the Balkans - best enjoyed on a cold and grey day. The fillings can vary but I've always preferred the beef and potato mix. I don’t know how she gets it so crisp on the outside and so soft and fluffy within but I bet lots of time and practice has been put into it.

Burek at Coffee Slasticarna Drina
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Toscana Grill (Chicago)

About a mile south of our last stop in Lincoln Square is where you’ll find this next one. Toscana Grill might low key serve one of the best grilled chicken sandwiches in town. One thing I love about food culture is you’re always learning something new and the last few years I’ve come to learn that when it comes to good bread for making tip notch sandwiches, the Balkan baked stuff is outstanding. Nothing about the fillings in this sandwich are special - the chicken is cooked well and the toppings are fresh but it’s the bread that sets this chicken sandwich apart from so many of the others around town.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich at Toscana Grill 
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D-4 Cafe & Bar (Chicago)

It’s possible that the best cevapi outside of the Balkans are found in the Chicagoland area - where the largest Bosnian community outside of Bosnia itself resides (if not here then maybe St. Louis where there’s also a big Bosnian community). So with that it’s also possible that the cevap at this nonchalant Bosnian bar next to an auto repair shop in Arcadia Terrace is the best cevap not just here but anywhere outside of the Balkans. D-4 Cafe is way up north on Western and has no menu nor a geotag but their skinless sausages are some of the best I’ve had thanks to the matriarchs family recipe which the patriarch told me is made with mostly beef and “just a little lamb.” But it’s the texture that sets these apart from many others I’ve tried. It’s said the combination of sparkling water (or beer) plus baking soda on top of a lot of kneading is what results in the most texturally pleasing cevapi but I bet there’s more to these than just that. The Lepinja bread is also made on site and along with raw onions and kajmak it all makes for a great snack paired with a beer and some Bosnian banter.

Cevapi at D-4 Cafe & Bar 
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Rosewood Tavern (Chicago)

Next stop is only about 500 feet from the last one. Rosewood Tavern is a low key bar with a bomb ass burger. At some point smashed burgers joined hot chicken, quesabirria, and poke among the trendiest foods of all time which means they’re no longer distinct as so many of them are all the same. I had thought I was done with smashed burgers outside of the classics but the Balkan Smashburger at Rosewood Tavern pulled me back in. It’s not smashed crispy but it's dressed in a unique way that works really well - spicy red pepper sauce (ajvar), feta, and grilled onions are a fantastic match with high quality organic beef. This is a chill bar ran by a mother and son team with Montenegro roots.

Balkan Smashburger at Rosewood Tavern
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Zimi's Pizza & Grill (Chicago)

We’ll continue along Western Avenue to our next stop - Zimi’s Pizza and Grill is an Albanian owned pizzeria in West Ridge. It’s not a one off as pizza is very popular in the Balkans resulting in lots of Balkan born people in the States that run pizzerias. Zimi’s serves up NYC style pies and grilled meats like Qebapa and Qofte. The former is how Albanians spell Cevapi and the latter is how they spell and pronounce Kofte which is a type of meatball or meatloaf dish popular in a variety of cuisines including those in the Balkans. The Qofte at Zimi’s are well charred and dripping with flavor. They come five pieces to an order with cabbage, tomatoes, raw onions, kajmak, ajvar, and fresh baked bread.

Qofte at Zimi's Pizza & Grill
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Lazic Deli (Chicago)

Up next we head west towards O’Hare to Norwood Park and the Serbian owned Lazic Deli. This place doubles as a butcher and a restaurant as most everything in the display case can be cooked to order.  They have a specialty gourmet Serbian burger called the 'Gurmanska Pljeskavica' which comes stuffed with cheese and bacon and spicy peppers and served on homemade lepinja (Serbian flatbread) with lettuce, tomato and cucumber and includes fries, raw onions and creamy kajmak.

Gurmanska Pljeskavica at Lazic Deli
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Sofia Grill (Des Plaines)

There’s two predominant forms of dining in the suburbs these days - one is franchised chains and the other is independent eateries serving some form of international cuisine to the diaspora it represents. You’re pretty much always going to eat better going with the mom and pop spots like Sofia Grill in Des Plaines. They serve a surplus of grilled meats to a mostly Bulgarian speaking clientele as there’s a big Bulgarian community in the Des Plaines area where there’s also a handful of Bulgarian dining options. Sofia Grill is a full fledged family run spot where they have a daily changing menu of home cooked Bulgarian comfort food and a surplus of Bulgarian grilled meats available daily. I recommend that all first time visitors try the Kebapche which is a must at any Bulgarian barbecue. Sofia serves one that’s a mixture of  pork with a little bit of beef and it has hints of cumin and black pepper with lots of juicy liquid released each time it’s cut or bitten into. Both the cabbage slaw and the potato salad are mixed with dill which along with a cup of spicy feta really freshens everything up. The Karnache Sausage is another item from the grill menu worth getting. Ground pork is seasoned with Bulgarian spices and encased and it goes great with a chargrilled chicken thigh, a big pile of fresh cut fries and an addictive red pepper spread called Lutenitsa. Sofia Grill is easily one of my favorite food stops out by O’Hare.

Grilled Meats at Sofia Grill
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Broosters & Babba Grill (Darien)

One of the things you might notice about the Balkan communities in Chicago is there is no set area where they settled. There's pockets like the strip along Western avenue we just hit but Balkan restaurants in Chicagoland no know bounds which is why our next stop is way out in DuPage County. Broosters & Babba Grill is a two for one restaurant by which I mean it’s two restaurants in one. Babba Grill and their unique Macedonian hamburger was previously featured on here but they’ve since moved into a new space that they seem to share with a Romanian grill. Lots of the online reviews of Broosters mention the shawarma which very much caught my eye. The Middle Eastern favorite is a favorite in many countries including Romania where they tweaked it to their own liking. The shawarma at Broosters comes with your choice of fries inside the wrap or on the side - I tried them inside but took them out after a few bites. I'm not sure what makes it Romanian other than the fact it’s served in a Romanian owned spot with a non spicy sauce but it was a filling lunch nonetheless. Click HERE for my complete review of the Macedonian hamburger at Babba Grill which I tried back in 2022.

Romanian Shawarma at Broosters 

Macedonian Hamburger at Babba Grill 
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Europe 22 Grill (Westmont)

Well I just learned that Europe 22 has closed. The Balkan food stall was running out of the International Mall Food Court which houses a handful of Asian restaurants and what used to be a single Serbian one. But I'm still posting it bc you may come across a dish called Leskovački Uštipci aka Beef Pillows and if you do you should try them. From what I can gather beef pillows are little balls of beef that are mixed with bacon and cheese and grilled until oozing. The order of "beef pillows" that I got at the now defunct Europe 22 in were more like sliders in size but similar to Pljeskavica in taste. I may attempt to make these one day as they seem like they would be a popular party appetizer.

Beef Pillows at Europe 22 Grill (RIP)
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Fresh Farms (Niles)

Last stop takes us back to the Northwest Suburbs and Fresh Farms on Touhy in Niles. I shop here semi regularly and when I do I often grab some Serbian Čupavci from the bakery display case. Čupavci is a soft moist cake dipped in a milk chocolate sauce and rolled in coconut flakes. They’re said to be a Euro version of the Australian Lamington. I guess the biggest difference between the two is in Australia they commonly have a filling in the middle while the Balkan version usually does not.

Homemade Čupavci at Fresh Farms
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See ya next time @chibbqking