Hamburger Dan's

-Got beef?
The Burgers of IL

We continue with our virtual road trip this July, that is taking us to many of the must stop food spots located near popular day and weekend getaways within a short road trip from Chicago. So since the Illinois State Fair is around the corner (8/13-8/22-2010) I wanted to share some of my finds from on a recent trip down to the capitol before it starts and people head there from all over the state. So today I am going to sing my praises to the Sunrise Cafe in Springfield, IL aka Hamburger Dan's aka a locals favorite aka the place that serves one of the best burgers I have ever had and one of my favorite finds on my lifelong roadfood journey. In case you missed my historic report from last year on Springfield, you can CHECK IT OUT HERE and you'll see there's some great burgers in the Illinois capitol. Today's stop might be the best burger you've ever had. Its one of them for me.


a locals favorite in Springfield, IL

I was hanging out with a chef and butler from the Governors mansion all night one night when I was down there and we eventually got to talking about food. I asked where their favorite joints were etc...and then what their favorite burger was in the area. They told me Hamburger Dan's was the spot for Springfield's best burger. They also told me Krekels (seen HERE) was the second best but they loved how at Sunrise Cafe aka Hamburger Dan's they only put grilled onions and pickles on their burgers. It sounded like my type of spot and a place I had to visit. I happened to drive by while cruising around the next day and had to stop on in. Sunrise Cafe seems to be Springfield's main breakfast spots. I spied some police in the parking lot and quite a few people at the counter and at the tables. I placed my order of a double cheeseburger with the super nice waitress and spied the flattop to see how they were done. You can see this procedure in the video below.


Grillman at work smashing balls of beef into burgers

How were they done? to perfection. The grillman took two balls of beef and threw them on and followed it with this slick procedure with his spatula that turned the balls of beef into as thin of patties as possible without piercing thru. He then threw a whole sliced onion on top of each patty and let them cook a couple minutes followed by flipping them over. The cheap bun was put on the flattop for a few minutes and then the pickles and cheese went on and I couldn't wait to see and try this highly rec'd burger. I am all about the smashed super thin patty, old school style of burgers and Hamburger Dan's met these requirements to perfection.


Double Cheeseburger from Sunrise Cafe

I took my burger to go to eat at a table outside and was given a couple packets of mustard (no ketchup, I'm fine by that) and some napkins. I don't really have to explain how good it was after seeing that photo do I? it was the best burger I have had in a while maybe my new favorite ever. It reminded of of a long gone place called Glenn's on Fullerton off Ashland here in Chicago. So simple and so good. Seek this out, I had one for breakfast today on the way out of town the next day. I'm planning on heading back to Springfield when the state fair starts later in August and Dan's will be my first stop upon arriving in town.


Hamburger Dan's perfectly crisped edges

Sunrise Cafe aka Hamburger Dan's
1201 South 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62704-3008
(217) 753-1311

Romano's Pizza Drive In

-Exploring NW Indiana

On we go, this time across the border back to Northwest Indiana. I've been to a few places around Highland, IN and they're all old school spots where not much has changed and the visitors keep coming back. I had been meaning to get to Romano's Pizza drive-In in Highland since I drove by it a few summers ago. Its got the classic Drive In look and pizza is one of the big hits. I've never been to a pizza Drive In. But since it opens at 4:30 I never had the chance to try it since I was never in the area after they open. But my time finally came last Fall when I remembered about it while in the area and so we took a cruise on over.


Since the 50's in Highland, IN


The building in the Drive In lot


always gotta try whatever a place is the home of...


a little history lesson for ya (click pic to enlarge)


The Drive In Menu (click pic to enlarge)

The Drive In is no longer in operation and you go inside to place orders and so we did just that. I talked to the 20 something kid working and asked about the pizza and he said its a 30-40 minute wait and I didn't feel like waiting. I asked him whats popular and he told me they sell more of the ham hoagies then anything on the menu including pizza. I also saw the sign about it being the "Home of the Hoagie" and you can tell from the menu that they are the signature items b/c they are on top of the list listing the rest of the offerings. Luckily I was with my friends and we decided to go with a Ham hoagie and also a Romano burger. This burger consisted of two hand made patty's served on a bun with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sauce. I was pleasantly surprised with both the quality and taste. The red sauce gave t a Italian meatball like hamburger. It could of been even better if they didn't use American cheese and had provolone on there instead.


Romano Burger

As I sat waiting for my order I was wondering if maybe the hoagie and this burger are maybe West Virginia regional eats b/c I know that they have alot of old school Italian places like Romano's in West Virginia. The menu also had pizza bread and sauceless spicy pizza which may or may not be a WV connection as well. It was off to a good start when he put two fresh beef patties on the griddle and then it continued with a nice burger and ended with a bang.


Romano's #1 seller-the Ham Hoagie

I thought this was a damn fine sandwich and can see why its the best seller. I don't know what type of cheese they use but they basically take a brick of it and wrap a piece of ham around it and cook it up on the flattop until the ham is crisp and cheese melts a little. They then add lettuce, tomato and mayo and press the bun down to toast it. While it would of been nice if they used a little more ham it was a great hoagie. If it was near me Id get here at least once a month for one. Romano's is a spot I'll be back to soon one day to try theur pizza and some other offerings. It fit the description of an old school roadfood joint loved by locals and the food was pretty darn good. just another spot lost in time in Northwest Indiana.


so much cheese that this sandwich would be a #1 seller in WI too

Romano's Pizza Drive In
3808 Ridge Rd
Highland, IN 46322
219-838-1731
opens @ 430p

Rip's Chicken

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
-Fried Chicken Kings in the Illinois River Valley

It's been talked about here on S'C&C countless times, every little county, big city and region in America has a food specialty that's loved by locals and travelers alike. So today were checking one of these food favorites out. If you head south from Chicago down I-55 you'll eventually end up in Lasalle County located in upper Central Illinois which is home to many farmers and some fun little towns such as historic Ottawa, IL. The summer is a great time to head down there because it's also the home to Starved Rock State Park in Utica, IL which is a great place to camp or spend the day exploring the natural beauty of the area. As soon as you enter Starved Rock your covered by large trees and surrounded by waterfalls and trails with rivers for boating and fishing and all other sorts of natural wonders. Its easily one of the best if not thee best state parks in Illinois. Luckily I got you covered when it comes to the good eats of Lasalle County and where to get the best fried chicken, the regions food specialty.


Since 1936 (Ladd, IL)

Pretty much every restaurant and bar in the area does up fresh fried chicken made to order with a special recipe they've been using in the family forever. I am going to explore this area more as the weeks go by but I finally had a chance to try a much talked about and pretty damn well known place called Rip's in Ladd, IL. I had to share my experience right away since its the perfect time to head down to Starved Rock for the day and make sure you get to Rip's which opens at 5p Wed-Sun. I had been tipped on Rip's by my boy Jim and other food loving friends about their amazing fried chicken which is truly their specialty and expertise since it pretty much makes up the entire menu at this popular county tavern that gets packed with people from all over that are there to get some of Rip's world famous fried chicken. How good is it? Well it makes up the menu. You can get order it by a 1/4 half or 1/4 dark and its served on a paper plate with fries and a slice of bread and butter. Rip's almost always has a wait (that's well worth it) and has benches and seats outside and a waiting area inside with a bar that's bigger than the seating area. Also available with your fried chicken are fried mushroom's and the standard appetizer at Rip's which is a basket of drippings and some dill pickles.


Dill pickles and fried slurry pieces are the norm for an app.

When I first saw some foodie friends photos of Rip's chicken it was one of those times I didn't even have to try the food to know how good it was. The skin on the chicken made my mouth drool and I know right then and there it was the real deal and only tasted it with my eyes. It became a place high on my list of places to visit and we finally went after the US blew their chance in the Cup vs. Ghana we took off from Chicago around 7p and we were headed to Rip's for some of their world famous fried chicken and drippings and the 210 mile round trip is well worth the drive. They don't lie when they say "We're worth the drive". I was surprised to see that Rip's has its own sign on the state highway exits listing food, lodging etc...We finally got there about 8:30 and the dining room was still packed with large and small parties and there were even a group of kids in their mid 20's smoking outside who had told one of my friends they drove from over an hour and a half from down south to make their visit. Rip's has been around since 1936 and has regular customers from every Midwest state. People come from all over for the chicken and experience of the place. We decided to just sit at the bar which had a few spots open and order some drinks and eat there.


Pieces of fried slurry droppings from the chicken

We ordered some drinks as we waited for the chicken. Even when people are dining at the tables you order your chicken upon reserving your spot. It comes freshly fried in an expert fashion and you will without a doubt want to order a couple orders of dark or white or a combo of both. We chatted up with some of the charming small town farm girl waitresses and the bartender who's uncle owns the place and his grandmas recipe is what they use, so its all in the family. The couple next to us had ridden a motorcycle up from Peoria and brought an article they ripped out from a magazine that had just featured Rip's to show the owner who was in back frying the chickens with his staff. I had to get a couple orders of dark and got plenty of drippings and pickles which make a great combo when eaten together. A cold can of High Life, some chitter chatter with the other patrons around you and some drippings and pickles is a fine way to spend your evening.


Pickle with drippings

So after a few drinks and some conversation about 20 minutes had passed and then our chicken had arrived. Just upon first glance I got a little more excited than I probably should of been but there isn't a line out the door and around the corner by 6p on Fridays and Saturdays for nothing. The chicken has a slightly oily (in a good way) and deliciously light and very crispy coating. You can expect plenty of napkins to be brought out with your plate. Since it comes out fried fresh its hard to do but you gotta wait a few minutes so you don't burn the roof of your mouth and I did that by having a beer before I dove in. They have hot sauce available and I put some on the side for my fries and grabbed the leg and prepared to devour it. My oh my, the skin was magnificent and the meat cooked to a juicy perfection, as soon as I finished the leg I had to place an order for a 1/4 dark to go. The skin on the chicken I took home for leftovers was almost as crispy the next morning. This place has perfected the art of frying chicken and would be a legend in the south.


1/4 dark fried chicken dinner from Rip's

By the end of the night it started to clear out in the dining room but fill up in the bar with the yocal youngin's all starting the night at Rips for some food and fun. I'd be there every weekend if it was in my neck of the woods. Only thing I forgot was the mushrooms but there will for sure be a next time. I was very, very impressed and didn't mind the fact we weren't back in the city 'til Midnight. It was all worth it. Especially when you consider a dinner is like $3.50 "Everyone comes back" we were told by one of the waitresses and we for sure will be back. Sooner than later. I want some right now. But I'll have to wait for the weekend. Rip's is closed Mon & Tues.


Fried chicken from the high heavens

Rip's Tavern
311 N. Main
Ladd, IL 61329
815-894-3051
Closed Mon. & Tues.
Website

4th of July Special: Pig Roastin'

--Tailgatin' and how to make mofos start playa hatin' (Recipes)

It's that time of the year, my favorite holiday which would mean Happy 4th of July to all. Is there a better celebration? I don't think so. Not when its all about being outdoors, grilling, smokin' BBQ and drinking drinks and lighting fireworks and the only thing your supposed to do is have a good time, which isn't ever hard. There's going to be tons of smoke in the air this Sunday when people take to their parks and backyards and celebrate America's Independence day. I'm just starting to figure out whats going to be done for my festivities and so in the meantime I wanted to share the results of a recent pig roast party I went to down in Lasalle County thrown by my buddy Jim who is an avid smoker. There arent too many weekends that pass where Jim isn't smokin' some meats of some sort out in his backyard and having a High Life. Check out his adventures in the wide world of food right HERE.


Where the pig was made...a great one indeed

Jim got a 94 lb pig from a local butcher down in his county. It came head on, trotters removed, and butterflied. He roasted it whole using a La Caja China which is a specialty from down south in Miami used for roasting pigs and other meats of choice. You can see it pictured above and the pig goes in the box and is covered with the top which is layered with charcoal and it cooks for hours on end until the meat is ready. You can learn all about them from their website and might even want one in your collection. The night before Jim injected the whole pig with mojo and rubbed it with pineapple juice. it was then put it on ice until the party with some 70+ guests started the next Saturday morning. Even though this party was back in June it's what the fourth of July is all about and that's having a good old time. We had people from all over and all walks of life and a buffet and drinks bar that was as good as it gets. On top of the star of the show the roasted pig, we had everything from ABT's to grilled lobster to fresh made rum punch and it was a blast.


We had two types of ABT's, both were tailgate champion worthy

After the piggy went on at about 7a it was taken off around 2p and looked just perfect. I don't know if there's anything better than perfect but the pig was it.


Ready to roll


Looking good


Eat up

Great company and some glorious food made for a grand time and make sure that's how you spend your upcoming fourth of July holiday. Holiday. Check out my guy Jim's site right HERE.

Uncle John's Barbecue

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where the locals eat.

Mark today's stop as one of my favorite spots in the city. When it comes to BBQ, Uncle John's over on Calumet and 69th and its pitmaster Mack are the holy grail of smoked meats in the Windy City. Its a spot I was first put onto by my man G Wiv thru one of his posts about it over at LTHforum. In case you didn't know G Wiv is also the godfather of Chicago 'que and has written a book on making real deal BBQ the real deal way, low and slow. If there was one book you needed to own in your BBQ collection, this would be it. Uncle John's is where the boss of BBQ in this city eats his smoked meats and it's damn easy to see why. It is one of the best barbecue joints in not just the city but the country. It's been around for about four years now since Mack opened it up after working at another famous Chicago 'que joint. It has been getting lots of press of late since it is G Wiv's spot for good Chicago BBQ. Recently its been in the Tribune, on WGN news and discussed on all sorts of food forums and boards and featured in other articles. Just a couple weeks ago Gary aka G Wiv took Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods there for the Chicago taping. So its already getting loads of people from all over with plenty more coming after the episode airs and I'm about to send more.


Andrew Zimmern with G Wiv outside Uncle John's (pic by PhilW)

Let me start off by letting everyone know that if you have any hesitation about going to the neighborhood because you've never been south of 18th street to have that fear no more. It was a safe place when the spot was relatively unknown by northsiders and now that there's people coming from all over its still just as safe. The people that work with Mack, family and friends, are as nice and helpful as you can get. What's funny is, its the places like Uncle John's where I experience the best and most warm receptions from its employees. Its when I go to some trendy ass bar or hipster restaurant where I get snobby ass looks and actions from employees that are mad that I'm ordering alot of food and drinks and asking questions. Mack would love to share his knowledge of BBQ with you and is happy to answer questions about his specialty and what they do with it. As G Wiv put it "It's great to have Mack back and cooking BBQ, there are only a few real Pitmasters left in Chicago."


To the right as you walk in


The aquarium style smoker used at Uncle John's to smoke the meats

As you can see from the picture above, the meats are smoked at UJ's using an aquarium style smoker which is a custom piece of equipment very popular to the Chicagoland area. If you go over HERE you check out a thread from LTH about the history of the aquarium style smoker. Once again I will quote the Godfather of Chicago Barbecue on them in which he said "The Aquarium cooker seems to be Chicago specific, and they can be found all over Chicago, unfortunately few places still use them for anything but show or holding meat. Turning out good BBQ on an Aquarium style smoker is a dying art." Which is why UJ's is such a treasure to have and it's all about the 'que. As you do or don't know, I always order my BBQ with the sauce on the side. Its a way of being able to taste the smokiness and not drown the meat in sauce and changing the texture. The sauce is however phenomenal. It comes in a hot or mild variety and the hot is HOT. I always go with that.


Mack's HOT sauce

So what about the BBQ? what is it at Uncle John's that makes them one of the best yet? Well its all about the tips and links and everyone will tell you this. Don't discount the full slabs of ribs either because those too are great but in Chicago we love our rib tips. We also LOVE Mack's housemade hot links which are some of the best links you will ever come across. When you the pair the two of those together in a combo, you got a little taste of heaven.


XL Tips and Links Combo

Rib tips are Chicago's BBQ specialty. Memphis has the ribs, KC the sauce, Texas the brisket, Carolina's got pulled pork and Chicago's got its rib tips. I've basically grown up on the meaty end part of a spare rib slab that is cut off and smoked and then chopped, bones and all before serving. Tips when done right are full of flavor and provide a perfect balance of succulent smokey meat and crisp charred edges or bark as the pitmasters call it. While we still have 100's of places in Chicago that do up rib tips there arent as many that do a perfect job with them each and every time, which is the case over at Uncle John's. I just cant get enough rib tips from Mack and his staff. They got the perfect amount of smoke, fat and gristle in each and every bite and manage to make the outside nice and chewy in a good way while the meat inside is tender and melts on your tongue.


Nice piece of bark from a batch of Rib Tips

But you cant go there and just get the tips, you need to get the combo. The housemade hot links are simply outstanding. Quite easily some of the best sausage anywhere on the earth and as addictive as crack and facebook. Mack takes a very well coarse link that's perfect in texture and is seasoned with fresh spices and peppers and then smokes it to precision and once you dip it in some hot BBQ sauce it's called sheer perfection. In fact if you call ahead, which I always suggest you do, to make sure they're open, you can order Mack's hot links by the case and half case. Give them a day or two's notice but these are a must have for any tailgate or backyard BBQ party your planning on having this summer. It's hard to come up with anything better, all you need is the links, some wood and a little bit of time along with an ice cold beer.


Mack's housemade hot links on the Godfathers smoker

So if you were planning on taking a trip to Chicago this summer or taking a trip somewhere in your city for some good bbq, you now have your spot. The 'que even travels real well (make sure you get sauce on the side) so you can can make a call ahead order and take it over to Calumet Park and eat it along the lake or back home or at US Cell field for some tailgating eating or whatever the hell you want to do. Its all up to you, just know that all of us who have been, have done so a countless amount of times. Its one of those places that will be in your regular rotation, the rest of your life. Please note to call before your visit if you plan on making a trek to UJ's (which is well worth it) the hours can sometimes change and they, like the rest of us, like a vacation now and then too. Although every time I go by there, I feel like I'm on vacation eating the best bbq in the Midwest. If your planning on taking a food journey this summer, Uncle John's is your spot.


Inside of a hot link, a beautiful piece of art it is...

Uncle Johns
337 East 69th Street
Chicago, IL 60637-4638
(773) 892-1233

Koney King

-Exploring NW Indiana

With the one year anniversary of the King of Weird's death coming around your going to see quite a few news stories and such about it. I'm sure to go with that, you'll see a boatload of memorials and plenty more weird people crying that he's gone. So were going to try to go with the flow and so with that today we head to Michael Jackson's hometown of Gary, Indiana to a place I'm sure the Jackson's visited now and then, the Koney King. Like the rest of the town this little popular Coney dog shack is stuck in time back when it was an up and coming U.S city with its steel mills and other urban plants and plenty of work. As you can see according to its sign this particular place has been in operation since 1920 and I'm sure it has some stories to tell.


a locals favorite in Gary, IN

I had read about this place thru LThforum and since I find it very interesting to take a ride thru Gary I eventually passed by it one day while riding thru to Michigan. I had to have a stop in and see what was going on at this last of a dying breed Coney shop in Gary. There was a time when there were quite a few Coney dog shops in Gary much like there are in Detroit and other Midwestern blue collar cities. The inside is fairly simple with a counter and some stools, the menu is also fairly simple and the hot dogs sit on a flattop in the window. The service is very friendly and on our visit there was a group of regulars who had most likely been eating and chatting there for generations.


Koney Kings menu


regular old hot dogs roasting away

After some very friendly dialect between us and the reg's I decided I had to have a dog, burger and cup of chili. You just don't find too many places like this spot anymore and we were quite pleased with the visit. The chili came with onions and crackers and it was a hearty Midwest blend. It wasn't my all time favorite but you could see yourself indulging after a long day of work at the mill in the wintertime. I'm suspecting many people that have lived or still do reside in Gary have been here countless times, its a real neighborhood type spot. The chili cheeseburger tasted old school in that good way meaning it seems like they been making them like that for a long time now.


cup of Koney King's chili


chili cheeseburger

But hey its not called the Koney King for nothing so its all about the Coney dogs. I somewhat surprisingly very much enjoyed my dog and the sum of it as a whole. Sure the hot dog was your standard child's play version but when combined with the chili and cheese and some fresh diced onions it was real chart topper. In case you couldn't figure it out by now I'm not all that sad of the king of pop's death. Quite frankly I think he was straight weird but for those that haven't been to Gary, its a startling place and it's death is more saddening than Jacko's, to me anyway. Luckily there are a few things that remain from when it was a different world and the Koney King and their dogs are one of them.


Koney Dog from Koney King

Koney King
4601 Broadway
Gary, IN 46409-2425
(219) 887-1843

De Pasada

-Got Beef? taco's de carne asada

We're back on the steak taco tour. Ashland ave is home to many taquerias and has been for some time. That list includes De Pasada on the 1100 N. block of it in Ukrainian Village. Its been around for a while now and I hadn't been in a long time since La Pasadita is right down the street but I stopped in a month or so back to try some of their tacos de carne asada.


Located along Ashland ave

Its hard to get a good read on this place. The hours can vary greatly and sometimes there's no one in there other times there's a nice crowd. There had been times before when I was going to stop in and get a couple tacos but they weren't open at a time they usually were and seem to have late night hours but sometimes they arent open. I have been to their other location over on Taylor st. but I believe this to be the original. Aside from their steak tacos the breakfast burrittos also seem to be ordered by a few people on my last visit. I did make a mental note that maybe I should come back and try one but this visit was all about the steak tacos. I went with a steak taco dinner which included three steak tacos and some rice and beans. It was a pretty good deal but would it be any good?


Steak Taco Dinner from De Pasada

I'm afraid that really wasn't the case on my most recent visit. I've come to expect a good steak product when I'm getting steak tacos from a popular authentic place and that just wasn't the deal on my visit. The tortillas were barely warmed thru and the steak must of been cooked a while ahead. It had no juice and was basically dried out but not in a good taco cecina type way. I might get back one day for one of those breakfast burrittos they have on the chalkboard but I don't think I'll be back for tacos de carne asasda anytime soon.


Up Close of a steak taco from De Pasada

Rating Scale 5/5

steak: 3
cilantro/onions: 3
tortilla: 2
salsa: 3

Score: 11/20

De Pasada
1108 N. Ashland ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 278-4886

Little Frank's Pizza & Shaved Ice

-The other Chicago-style pizza: Tavern Style

Back in April I took a trip to Burbank to try out a longtime favorite pizza spot of the locals and also a BBQ buddy of mine. I was with two of my boys and we weren't starving since we hit up another place to be featured but wanted to try a pizza from here since that was the original plan. We made our way over and before getting in the parking lot I spied a Hawaiian shaved ice spot that I made a mental note of that was right around the corner from the pizzeria/bar/barber shop trio that's been around since the 70's. There also happens to be a model train shop next door to the trio so this place is indeed pretty damn old school.


Locals favorite in Burbank, IL

In the trio of the barber shop/bar/pizza place both the pizzeria and the bar are connected. The ordering area for Little franks has no seats and is used for pick-up, delivery and anybody who wants to eat a pizza at the bar next door. We went with a large thin sausage pizza and told the people at the SRO ordering area that we'd be eating the pie at the bar next door. So we hopped on in to watch a little baseball (it was early in the season, Cubs still had hope) while we waited. It already started right with the fact their special that night was a large pizza and pitcher of beer (the usual cheap ones from USA) for $12, still you cant beat that. It took about 20 minutes and then the bartender brought us out the pizza.


Large sausage pizza from Little Frank's

It came out piping hot so we gave it a good five minutes before we digged in. The pie wasn't as thin as Marie's or Pat's and other spots like that but still thin. It reminded me of Rosangela's on 95th in Evergreen Park more than anything. This was some really good bar food and they had some great specials like two for one pizza night etc...


Sideshot

Overall the pie was great for what its there for, bar patrons and neighborhood people. I thought the best part was the sausage. Like usual in Chicagoland it was very good and the best part of it. I also liked the sauce, nice and tangy. It's a good pizza to have if your at the bar next door and for anyone from the neighborhood to have as their go to pizza place. I enjoyed the trip and loved the leftovers I chowed down at room temp later on that night.


Piece of tavern style thin from little Frank's

Rating Scale 5/5

crust: 3
sauce: 4
toppings: 4
Crispness: 3

Score: 14/20

The best part of the meal wasnt even ordered and came from a stereotypical Harley riding Vet. He had the gut, beard and bikers outfit as your picturing in your head right now along with the Veteran baseball cap. He was a regular at the bar named Gordo who stopped by to tell a few jokes, that were pretty damn funny, and to offer us up some of his homemade super spicy peanut brittle. It was a wonderful treat that went from sweet to super hot and then back to sweet. He was a really nice and also funny dude and even gave us a bagful that he insisted we take upon leaving. All he asked was that we come on back. That I will next time I'm in the area.


Gordo's Spicy peanut Brittle

My mouth was feeling the heat from the brittle and I went around the corner to check out the Hawaiian shaved Ice spot and see what was up. It wasn't anything crazy authentic according to my buddy who goes to Hawaii every year, but it did the trick of cooling down my steaming mouth and I still quite enjoyed it since I have always loved shaved ice and its a great summertime treat, especially after some of Gordo's brittle.



around the corner from little Frank's in Burbank


The machines can be rented out for parties


cantaloupe/watermelon Ice
______________________________

Little Franks Pizzeria
6355 West 79th Street
Burbank, IL 60459-1149
(708) 598-8660

Tropical Sno
7905 Narragansett Avenue
Burbank, IL 60459-1807
(708) 430-8604