JeonJu

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)  
Korean Comfort Food in Morton Grove 

The Northwest suburbs are flooded with little Korean spots. These old school eateries can be slightly intimidating to any non Korean speakers since there's typically very little English used as far as their facades go. JeonJu in Morton Grove is a good example of the type of spot that I'm talking about. 

Locals Favorite in Morton Grove 

First things first this is not a Korean barbecue shop. They do home cooked food with an emphasis on soups, this is another common thread that these old school mom and pop Korean shops have. But I'd come to JeonJu for something specific that was not soup. That said the goat soup is one of the most common online mentions. So is the seafood pancake. I haven't had a ton of these savory treats but I tend to like them when I do try them and JeonJu makes a virtually greaseless option which made it as crisp of a version as I've tried. Lots of charred scallions and big chunks of seafood too. 

Seafood Pancake at JeonJu

My reason for visiting was for another one of their specialties - the dolsot bibimbap. Korean comfort food on a cold winter night. The combination of all the common ingredients used in a bowl of bibimbap is always good but the use of a stone bowl takes the dish to another level. The dolsot is a cooking device that retains heat extremely well. One of it's most popular uses is for Bibimbap. The idea is you get the stone pot extra hot and throw a bunch of white rice into it which crisps up at the bottom as you eat. JeonJu was said to prepare a really good version that gets golden on the bottom and that I can confirm. I needed a go-to spot for dolsot bibimbap and it looks like I've now got that place. 

Dolsot Bibimbap at JeonJu

JeonJu

5707 Dempster St
Morton Grove, IL 60053
(847) 470-0066

S.K.Y

-Grubbing in Chicago

New to the 'Scene'

Unfortunately for the folks at S.K.Y they were in the news before they even had a chance to open. The restaurant is part of the ongoing transformation of Pilsen's 18th street. So some people from California took exception to what they called gentrification. Without getting too caught up into the debate of gentrification let me just say that 1.) It's very real. and 2.) But the agitators from California are wrong. Sorry but you dont even live in the neighborhood which has hosted a ton of different immigrant communities over the years. The opening of a restaurant in a formerly unused building shouldn't be cause for uproar. Though let me say the displacement of people probably should. But I'm here for the food which has gotten glowing reviews from the likes of Chicago's food media. Shall we?

Newly Opened in Pilsen 

S.K.Y is run by Chef Chef Stephen Gillanders formerly of Intro. The food can be described as Pan-Asian though you'll find plenty of other flavors in the dishes too. The space itself is large and dimly lit though luckily for me it's not so dark that the pictures come out like crap. After all just looking at them will give you a much better idea of the food than my words will. We started with a wonderful amuse bouche and moved right on to the lobster dumplings, what?! Two of my favorite things come together for a pretty memorable dish. I will say that pork works best as a filling in dumplings as sometimes seafood doesn't have the softest texture though this dish was sensationally rich. I'd heard they tested some 30+ dumpling wrappers before finding the right ones to hold lobster meat inside. The yellow sauce the dumplings are floating in is fueled by tons of butter. I knew I'd be liking this.

Lobster Dumplings at S.K.Y

Moving on to the next dish we were sold on the Roasted Pork Belly which we were told comes crispy on the outside and juicy inside. Just how we like it. Paired with red chile vinegar, cabbage, and coriander this was a perfectly cooked plate of food. Lots of pork belly is featured on menus these days but only a select few do really good things with it and S.K.Y is right up there with the best. 

Pork Belly - red chili vinegar |cabbage |  coriander

Last but not least is a dish that will most certainly be making it into my final post of the year aka the best stuff I ate in 2018. The reason this place shot way up on my radar was this dish. The foie gras bibimbop pairs two things I adore in the food world and it works so well you have to wonder why it's only happening now. You get a nicely seared piece of goose liver atop a bowl of dolsat bibimbop. Dolsat referring to the Korean stone bowl that's always served piping hot which makes for crispy rice at the bottom. It's a real treat and the reason why you should always pay the upgrade for the dolsat bibimbop when given the option. At S.K.Y it's standard and atop the rice and below the foie gras are a handful of sauteed vegetables including mushrooms, green onions, and more. It was decadent. With all of this we enjoyed a really nice white from Baja California and had some excellent service from a guy who grew up and still lives in the neighborhood. S.K.Y is one of 2018's best new restaurants. 

Foie Gras Bibimbap at S.K.Y

S.K.Y
1239 W 18th St
Chicago, IL 60608                                  
(312) 846-1077
Website

Rice N Bread

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Korean Diner Food in Wrigleyville

Baseball is back! My Cubs are once again looking like contenders (I dont care about the slow start). What's looking a bit different these days is Wrigleyville. Lots of new buildings and with them new businesses. If you watched any type of local news this past week I'm sure you saw all the change. It's not the end of the world for me as money is what you need to win and the Ricketts family seems to be stacking cash these days. As long as they stay winning then who the hell cares if people from Iowa like to make a vacation of a weekend at Wrigley. The change started happening long before the Ricketts arrived anyways. Long gone is Yum Yum Donuts and Hamburger King is only a shell of it's former self. But at least in the case of HK you can still get a little piece of it at Rice N Bread.

Locals Favorite in Wrigleyville 

For those unaware Hamburger King was the name of the business where Rice N Bread now exists. The owners of Rice N Bread bought the business from Hamburger King's owner Sonia a couple years ago. Part of the deal was that Sonia would stay on for about six months and help the family ease into their new venture. With that they kept a few of the classics that made HK a legend in the area. I still go here mainly for those items. Stuff like Akutagawa as well as rice and gravy. But when the family took over they added an almost entirely new menu with a bunch of Korean favorites. To learn more about the dishes from Hamburger King that they kept on the menu click HERE. Today's post features a few of the new dishes that I've enjoyed since they took over. Items like Dolsat Bi Bim Bop below.

Dolsot Bi Bim Bop at Rice N Bread 

To get a gauge on any Korean restaurants food start with the bi bim bop. Extra points for places cooking it in a Dolsot aka stone bowl. This allows the rice on the bottom to get nice and crispy and that to me is the deal breaker between a good and great bi bim bop. Other items I've liked include the spicy don galbi which are marinated pork ribs with a similar eating style to Italian neckbone gravy.

 Spoicy DonGalbi (pork ribs) at Rice N Bread 

On Thursday they have a bacon kimchi fried rice special. It's the inspiration for one of my signature dishes that I've kind of created over the last couple years. The first time I tried this dish at Rice N Bread it was about as good as any fried rice I'd ever tried. Unfortunately a second visit for it wasn't nearly as good. From my own experiences in coming up with the perfect recipe it tasted like they cooked the kimchi too long on the second try. Hopefully that was just a one off. In the end this is one of the only places I would recommend going for food before or after the game as most of the bars and newer spots push nothing but inflated prices on average goods. If you want a taste of Old Wrigley stop at Rice n Bread for Akutagawa and then go sip Old Style at Nisei Lounge a few doors down.

Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice at Rice N Bread

Rice N Bread
3435 N Sheffield Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 281-4452
Website

Evanston Grill

-Grubbing in Chicago (land)
Korean Diner Food in Evanston

There's a cool article on Al's Deli in Evanston that's been floating around my Social Media feed this week. I've featured Al's before but that Takeout article reminded me I've never given my thoughts on Evanston Grill. Another one of the city's most beloved spots. A place that generations have ate at.

Locals Favorite in Evanston, IL

I have pretty much zero affiliation with Evanston. I didn't go to Northwestern but I did go to Loyola Academy for a couple years and it brought me through Evanston often. As the purple line was my way home. I remember when I first learned of Bi Bim Bop after seeing the ad on Evanston Grill's window announcing they served it. Evanston Grill is a Korean owned diner where the mother and son are always in-house. It's the last of a dying breed. To my knowledge there's only three Korean owned diners left in the Chicago area as well as one Vietnamese owned spot. Evanston Grill caters to a city that's mostly vanilla so you can expect all the breakfast classics as well as a few Korean favorites.

a peek inside 

I can't say I'm a regular here but I can proclaim my love for it. Every time I stop by which is maybe every other year I'm reminded just how classic of an establishment this is. It just wreaks of old school feels. I'm sure that pretty much everyone that lives in Evanston or went to school at Northwestern has an opinion on this place and I'm sure most of them are good. Personally I love the bi bim bop here as much as anywhere. They make a pretty traditional style with a handful of different thinly sliced veggies resting on the bottom with a big scoop of rice on top as well as a fried egg and lots of sliced beef. It doesn't come in a dolsat bowl which is it's biggest weakness but the beef is it's strength. I love how they chop it down really finely and season it just right. Kimchi is free upon request. Bc the son runs this spot with his mother it may have a couple decades left but you never know for sure.

Bi Bim Bop at Evanston Grill

Evanston Grill
1047 Chicago Ave # B
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 328-3339

The Bento Box

-Grubbing in Chicago  
New to the 'Scene'

It took me a while to get over to Bento Box but it wont take me all that long to get back. The cute little BYOB sits in a small space on Armitage in Bucktown. Originally (and still) a catering company, the husband and wife team behind it decided to start a small little restaurant where people could get a taste of their popular dishes with Asian influence. It only seats about 15 people total but reservations are accepted.

Cool neighborhood spot in Bucktown

The menu at Bento Box reflects the rest of the space. Small. It's updated weekly but can still change daily. Many items make return appearances but whats being served is pretty much always decided by whats fresh at the Green City Market that week. Important to note that Bento Box is not open on Mon or Tues. Their week starts Wednesday which happens to be the weekday slot of the GCM.

Sample Menu

I had the good fortune of dining with a few others on my visit. This allowed for a nice sample of that days menu to be tasted. It started out with an absolute bang. The Mussels in lime leaf curry were sensational. I eat alot of mussels and this was the best bowl in a while. Not just the perfect plump pieces of meat inside each shell but the lime leaf curry was something special. We were told people ask to take the leftover juice from in a jar to go home with. I could totally see why, unfortunately there was none left. We got extra garlic bread and soaked it all up into it. Fantastic start.

Mussels in Lime Leaf Curry

I decided to order last and get something no on else ordered in order to make for more variety of samplings. I've always liked bi bim bop which is a traditional Korean comfort food dish. Their offering included BBQ Pork. I was expecting sliced pork Chinese style but the top notch ingredients they use made this one a winner, I just wish they served it dolsat style since we were dining in.

BBQ Pork Bi Bim Bop

One of the popular rotating menu items is Singapore Noodles. Most times it can come with chicken or pork and there are also times they can make it even if it's not on the menu. Due to the rotating menu you may want to call later in the afternoon and ask whats being made. When I did that they told me the Singapore noodles were also available if someone wanted those. I figured they must be popular if people are calling asking when it's going to be on the menu. Easy to taste why. I really liked this homestyle dish which featured a big heaping plate of highly seasoned noodles with some beautiful chunks of pork and Thai basil to boot. I've had craving for this a few times since my visit.

Singapore Noodles with Pork

So far we've had an appetizer with Thai influence, a comfort favorite of many in Korea and a noodle dish named after a peoples republic in Southeast Asia. Next up we try a favorite comfort food favorite from Japan that's taken America by storm. When you hear ramen noodles you no longer think of the cheap plastic stuff that kept you stuffed through college. Ramen is an art and the good stuff of it isn't made in a microwave. Bento Box made a take on it featuring beef short rib in a mushroom miso broth. I'm more of a pork guy when it comes to my ramen preference but this had all the makings of a perfect bowl of beef stew with a heavy Japanese influence. Despite being made with no meat bones, the broths flavor was deep. Add in the short ribs and you didn't need a rich beef broth because those in themselves were potent and full of flavor.

Short Rib Ramen

The final thing to try from that days menu was the Korean Fried Chicken. Served with chili whipped potatoes and a kim chee cabbage I thought this was an excellent dish. The chicken was a boneless thigh that came fried to perfection. The use of thigh meat made the insides juicy and the chili whipped potatoes were a perfect compliment to it. Everything went together really well. I look forward to a return visit to see what else they got going on inside that small two man kitchen putting out some really great Asian flavors.

Korean Fried Chicken with Chili Whipped Potatoes

The Bento Box
2246 W Armitage Ave 
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 278-3932
Website

Smalls Smoke Shack

-Grubbing in Chicago  
New to the 'Scene'

One of the hottest restaurant openings in the past six months has been a little BBQ place that integrates Asian flavors called Smalls. You may remember the Brown Bag Lunch truck which was ran Joaquin Soler, he's one of the men behind Smalls Smoke Shack. This is a place that lives up to it's name over in the Irving Park neighborhood. Why? It's small. There's maybe space for four to eat inside but that hasn't stopped the masses from stopping by to try some of their smoked meats and fried chicken, both of which come with plenty of heavy praise these days. Important to note that all food can be brought over to Lizards Lounge on the corner.

Smoke Shack in Irving Park Neighborhood

From the second this place opened up shop it's been getting lots of love. Whether over at LTHforum, on my twitter timeline or in articles written by the cities top food writers, everyone seems to lust for it. Well I've been a handful of times and am confident in saying it is indeed pretty damn good. I've gone thru the menu and the only thing that didn't do it for me was the ribs. I really like the pulled pork, especially when its on. My first batch of it from here was some of the best of its kind I ever had. Another trip for it wasn't quite as satisfying but this is how it is for most all BBQ spots. Consistency is tough to master.

Pulled Pork Platter

The oddest thing about Smalls for me, is my love for their sides. Rarely is this the case at a barbecue place. I wont call Smalls the best BBQ in the city, although it's very, very good, but I will say they take their sides more serious than most and boy can you taste it. They offer a grilled veggie of the day (always great) and also have some seriously good elotes that come with the perfect kiss of char in each order. Their garlic rice is flat out addictive. The fries are love/hate with their 5 spice powder. I actually kind of like them, surprising since I usually like no seasoning but salt on my fries. Having just come from Texas, I now compare all brisket with the stuff I ate in the Lone Star state. 

Brisket Dinner

Smalls had good brisket. My only problem with theirs is the same problem I have from everyone else outside of Tejas. Whats up with the small ass slices? I know everything is supposed to be bigger in Texas but at least make the slices more than a few inches long. The garlic spread Texas toast with the brisket meat in between makes an excellent sandwich offering. But my favorite thing here so far has been their Bi Bim Bop. They use brisket and a maple based sauce that makes for some of the most amazing BBB I've ever ate.

Brisket Bi Bim Bop

Then there's the chicken. This is what many have gone ahead and proclaimed to be the best not just in the city but the best they "ever had". I cant go as far as to say the fried chicken here is the best ever but it really is some of the best in the city. Its well seasoned and cooked to a perfect crisp. I dont know how they make the breast stay so moist but amen for figuring it out. In a city where fantastic fried chicken isnt something you can find everywhere, Smalls is one of a few trying to switch that notion. So all in all...I like Smalls too!

Fried Chicken

Smalls, Smoke Shack and More
4009 N. Albany
Chicago, IL 60618
(312) 857-4221
Website

Woori Village

-Asian in Chicago
Korean BBQ in Niles

It's been a while since we stopped in at a real deal Asian restaurant so today I thought we would over to Niles and visit Woori Village for lunch. Located in a strip mall, Woori is a large place and it gets packed on the weekends. We visited on a weekday and there were still plenty of Koreans in there enjoying lunch.


a locals favorite in Niles, IL

I was brought here by a friend who was recommended it by her good friend when she asked where we could find me some good bi bim bop. Korean food is varies. There's noodle dishes, rice dishes, rice cake dishes, seafood, meat, vegetarian, soup, stew, stir-fry, barbecue... all kinds of things. As always the lunch started out with the tray of small bowls of a little bit of everything aka pan chans. With kimchee and all that other good stuff, it's hard not to get a little filled up even before the main dishes come when eating at a Korean place.

Compliments of the house

My friend wanted to eat here because she loves the soup which she gets whenever she dines at Woori with her best friend. We went here overt he summer so I cant totally remember what soup she got that I snapped this picture of but I believe it was a jang choong dong which has a spicy beef based red broth. It was very good and would be even better in the winter months now. If anyone knows more, please feel free to comment.


Spicy Korean Soup

Woori is a buffet and does do Korean BBQ but we were only there for an easy lunch but a light Korean lunch is still bigger than most. We also got a order of Korean scallion pancakes, which she loves and I started to love. I always liked them but this version at Woori won me over.

Pan Jun aka Korean pancake

Then there's the bi bim bap, one of my favorites. At first I was being a little bit of a food snob when I saw that theirs came with ground beef. I'm not sure if you can upgrade to steak but I didn't and got ground beef. At first I was like WTF but after a couple bites I was like hot damn! It came served in a stone bowl and the rice was crispy and browned on the bottom, just the way I like it. All in all this was a very good version and I should of known from the get go since my friends good friend is Korean and knows whats good. Make a day of it and stop in at the King Spa and Sauna which is located in the same complex.


Bi Bim Bop from Woori Village

Woori Village
8526 West Golf Road
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 966-8990

Del Seoul

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where those in with the trend eat at.

Anyone who reads my site knows that I like to stay away from what everyone else is talking and writing about in the food world. I try and explore the less known joints you wont find in Timeout or Metromix, the places that locals have been eating at long before whoever writes the stories about the trendy spots moved here into the city. However I don't have a problem with new places or spots that are going with the trend, just as long as they do what they're doing right. So when Del Seoul opened up in my (born and raised) neighborhood I was intrigued since it was basically the first Korean taco joint in Chicago, a trend that has swept thru LA and other parts of the country. I was even invited to come in for a special sneak peak but I didn't feel that was fair since no one else ever knows who I am at these places I go too. So even though I declined on the special guest invite, I have been over there to eat on a few occasions since it. They didn't know it was me.


a new on the scene and hot spot in Lincoln Park

Del Seoul is a Korean joint with some fusion added in. Since our people in politics are too stupid to allow street food and trucks etc, Korean tacos were relatively unknown in the area until Del Seoul brought them to it when they opened. Aside from the ever so popular tacos, they also do a traditional Korean bi bim bop as well as grilled Korean bbq plates and a few other things. The menu is actually small but getting bigger as they get settled in. It's been busy from out the gate so I respect what they've been doing the last 8-10 months since they've been open. Lets take a look at some of the menu items offered. All of these are inspired by the popular street foods of Korea and California.


Rockin' kimchi

^Many of the menus items are made using the owners grandmas old recipes. In fact both he mom and grandma can be found in the back kitchen doing up their specialties, I've seen it firsthand. The kimchi was one of the best versions I've had and I have bought some just to have in the fridge and play around with in dishes I make before. I thought it was really good and I hope they get a kimchi burger onto the menu board sometime soon. Also great but not pictured are the market picklz, which are Kirby cucumbers with toasted sesame seeds and chili. God stuff ma'aan.


Seoul Style Street Dumplings

^The dumplings are my favorite menu item at Del Seoul. In fact they are some of my favorite dumplings in the entire city. This is one of those old time family recipes they use and I always get an order when I go to eat here. So they say the recipe is a 100 year old all in the family kept secret. The dumplings are handmade and the skin is thin like I like it. They're perfectly steamed with the just right texture and strong taste of ground pork with seasonings inside.


Kimchi Fries

^These are one of those fusion creations we talked about up above. They take fresh cut fries and fry them to perfection and then they are topped with sauteed kimchi, onions and pork belly, on top of all that goes melted cheddar jack cheese and sour cream. Some people I've talked to and read from did not like these, I thought they were great. I'll get them again.


beef bi bim bop

^This is a traditional Korean dish and one of my favorites dishes out there. I always order bi bim bop if a place that intrigues me has it. Now many spots offer this favorite in a stone bowl which makes the rice crispy at the bottom and I think better. They have the stone bowls at Del Seoul but I have not tried one with the bi bim bop. The only time I ever tried it I took it to go. It was pretty good. I've had better versions but this might of been a just opened still working out the kinks type thing. The beef wasn't that great and not merely as good as the other dishes it had it in and the sauce was just ok. I still ate the whole thing so it wasn't disgusting or anything like that.


Korean Tacos (shrimp, pork and beef)

Now these are what everyone was rushing over there for when they first opened. Business is still busy too because every time I have been in there it was packed, mostly with hip young Asians. Korean tacos are the new trend in food. They're a simple fusion that when done right turns into a chow kings pleasure. They take common Korean grilled meats and throw them into a tortilla and they are topped at Del Seoul with a cilantro and onion relish, chili garlic salsa and a secret slaw. Served on corn tortillas they can come with kalbi aka grilled short rib, spicy bbq pork and chicken as well as sesame chili shrimp which are hand battered panko crusted shrimp. At first they needed to get the recipe down pat but since then these bad boys are a great snack at under $3 each. They also offer bahn mi sandwiches and have BBQ mixed plates. I hate the tredy spots but that because most are just that, this is a trend that will live on and I'm happy to have them in the neighborhood.


Korean tacos are the hot food trend

Del Seoul
2568 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 248-4227
Website

Bibimbap & Baseball

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where the real Cubs fans eat.

Last week I pointed out where the Sox fans eat so now its the home teams turn. The past 25 years Wrigley Field and its neighborhood of Wrigleyville has turned into a tourist trap zone and is now filled with nothing but fashionable bars and shops carrying Cubs gear with ticket outlets inside. If your going to the game with family/friends you have already spent a couple hundred bucks before you get inside and pay for food and beer by the time your done and go home you've spent five hundred bucks. Gone are the days when kids could sneak under the metal turnstile and get into a game for free and watch some bad daytime baseball and eat for free for entertaining the drunken bleacher bums. As a real Cubs fan knows you have to make some sacrifices if you want the ultimate goal of a good baseball team. The neighborhood may of lost most of its character and along with it many locally owned businesses like restaurants and bars but the Northside now puts out a consistently good team that people expect to make the playoffs and win now. While most of the neighborhood is nothing like what it was in the 70's and '80's having gone the way the corporation there are a few things that remain the same. There are better eating options than Harey Carey's and I'm here to tell you where.


a real locals type spot in Wrigley is rare these days

Hamburger King aka Chester's has been serving the people of Wrigleyville with affordable tasty breakfast/greasy spoon comfort food for over 25 years. This is a place that everyone goes too on any given day you can be dining with one of 100's of regulars, Cubs fans, cops, crooks, students, anyone that works for the city, yuppies, hippies, musicians, industry people, artists, families, day laborers, seniors and there's always someone who still comes back despite moving out of the neighborhood to the suburbs 15 years ago. Located at the corner of Clark and Sheffield it blends in with a liquor store and barber shop and if not for the neon Chicken teriyaki noodles sign it would be virtually unrecognizable. Hamburger King has already been mentioned here as the ultimate spot to kill a hangover and its a great place for the yuppie drunks of Wrigleyville to have. As mentioned in the previous post the burgers are a tasty rendition of the '30's style burger and the breakfast is great for a pregame meal and people love the comfort food like the chopped steak, pork chops, roast beef and gravy and meatloaf but the star of the show is the Oriental lovers part of the menu.


an early morning at Hamburger King before an early season Cubs game

Hamburger King was once called Chester's when Chester himself manned the grill and from the stories I have heard no one treated his customers and employees better. No matter who they were, or what they did in this world, Chester always gave a great amount of respect to his customers. Just like the customers the times have not changed either despite the passing of Chester years ago. His wife Sonia stays up to par with everything and it is one of Chicago's most treasured eateries and a real character in the dining world. Its the type of place you would expect to find on a corner in Hawaii in an old WW2 vet neighborhood. The Asian part of the menu is the good stuff and the rest of breakfast is good as are the burgers but its all about the Asian grease fare. I would really appreciate it of all you people that go to the game to get drunk and be scene and "get a little sun" would at least fill your belly up at Hamburger King before the game. This way I don't have to see and smell your vomit when you puke in the third inning after too many Mai Tai's because you didn't eat anything and cant handle liquor to begin with. Eat here before the game and it will absorb the liquor for you.

Im talking to the people at the game who didn't know who Lou Pinniella was before he was the Cubs manager and couldn't tell you who the "Hawk" is or where Carlos Zambrano is from or what the score is. You just sit there in your Mark Prior jersey t-shirt, watch the game and try keep your iphone in your pocket, you don't need pictures, no one cares your at the game. Try and act like you've been here before, even if you cant remember it due the fact you blacked out on too many soco limes. Just behave properly or else you gotta deal with me. Got it? Good. Now onto the food. Let me introduce you to a few of my favorites.


Hamburger Aktagawa

As explained a few months ago this dish is the ultimate hangover cure. Hamburger King is a great place to go when one is high on life and or other things and this dish is the king for them. It was created by a regular who's last name happens to have been Aktagawa and is a huge plate full of chopped hamburger meat, eggs, green pepper, onions, bean sprouts and I add in mushrooms served with a side of rice and gravy and two pieces of white or wheat toast. I top off my ultimate hangover cure with the spice dust available at every table, plenty of tabasco sauce and a spray of soy sauce. Sure to soak up the shots from last night and to soak in the shots after a day of binge drinking in Wrigleyville.


Shichimi Togarashi

The seven flavored chili pepper spice dust which is popular in Japan works well with everything. The burgers and fries are great with a dash of dust added and its a must to sprinkle some spice on/in every dish. It takes everything up another level. I use it very liberally and put spoonfuls in my soup.


Chicken Yat Ca Mein

This is my go to dish during the winter months and the perfect pre-game food on opening day at the ballpark, which is always cold. The broth is Sonia's homemade special blend and the deepness in flavor makes it one of the best bowls of soup on a cold day. I'm not sure but I think the liquid mixture consists of a trio of homemade chicken, beef and pork broths. Inside the amazing broth are noodles, chopped green onions and your choice of chicken, steak or pork with a hard boiled egg. I always go with a chicken and load it with the shichimi spice mix. What a meal and what a steal at under six bucks. I learned that yat ca mein even has a history in New Orleans.


Chicken Teriyaki over fried rice

Hamburger king does a great rendition of the greasy teriyaki found at many diner/grills in Hawaii and Los Angeles. If you don't like ordering any of the items which names you cant pronounce and are totally unfamiliar with then I suggest you try some teriyaki. Its just what the doctor ordered after a long night of drinking or right before a long day of drinking at the game.


beef bibimbap

When it comes to finding a good bowl of bibimbap in Chicago than look no further than the King. I've been around town and tried many different places version of this popular Korean dish. None of them do it like HK. For those that dont know what they are missing bibimbap is a bowl of warm rice topped with sauteed veggies and gochujang (chili pepper paste) and thin sliced bulgogi all topped with a fried egg. The combination of the veggies, steak, rice and chili sauce is an amazing flavor and when you want it you just need it. It can get real fiendish and Hamburger King is the place to feed your need. Whenever I hear and read the hype and comments from people that comes when a place like Five Guy's or another Potbelly's is opening up I cant help but explain to them that its not another Panera bread that your neighborhood needs but rather a spot to dine at like Chester's. Its the places like Hamburger King that are the heart and soul of Chicago neighborhoods and at a time there were many that made up Chicago. These days its as hard to find place a like these as it is easy to find a Noodles and Company or Subway.

The 2009 Cubs

My 2009 outlook for the Cubs will be short and sweet, like I said I'm a real fan and at this point I know better than to expect a world series ring but I do like the teams chances in '09. The trade of Mark Derosa made sense at the time for one reason and one reason only and that was acquiring more young pitching to land the best pitcher in baseball. The Cubs never pulled off the deal for Jake Peavy due to the teams pending sale and now we lost one of best clutch hitters and got some players that mean nothing now for him in Derosa who was also a key part of the team off of the field. The addition of Milton Bradley is nice as long as he stays healthy (he's already aching) and the lineup is going to be the same team that lead the NL in Runs and a bunch of other hitting categories last year. The reason Jake Peavy would of been so huge on top of the fact we would have one of the best pitching staffs ever is it would allow Zambrano to start game 3 on the road away from Wrigley Field. The lineup is stacked and if it can finally hit in the playoffs it could only help to have a staff that is literally un-hittable. Jake Peavy would start game 1, Rich Harden game 2 (both at home) and Zambrano would get to pitch away from Wrigley which I think would make the Cubs the clear favorite to win it all. Cubs will and better win the division this year but without Peavy I'm not sure we can win the World Series. We will however win a playoff series this year...if not there's always next year.

Hamburger King
3435 N Sheffield Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 281-4452
Note: Open for breakfast/lunch only
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