Carl's Drive In

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Mizzou

Hello Hamburger Friends. We hope you're enjoying our ode to National Hamburger Month this May as we share burgers all month long. We're about to start seven state burger march thru the Midwest as we take a look at places in IL, IN, IA, WI, MN, MI & MO slinging their takes on America's classic most well known signature food item. We took a classic roadtrip from Chicago down the Mississippi Delta then into New Orleans this past Fall. In fact looking back, we were on the road eating for five days and only had one burger the entire time. Easily a record low for me as far as Foodventures go. You can almost always find a good burger place no matter where you're at in America. The first stop on this trip down South was St. Louis where we had to pick up a good friend who was coming along. One of the OG's from the foodventure crew. We only had time for a quick lunch and this was a no brainer for the three of us on the trip. I say this because one of the best burgers in all of America and a "Top Five All Time" of mine is found in da 'lou. Carl's Drive In is located right on Route 66. Classic Americana.


Carl's Drive In on Route 66

The old longtime sign at Carl's, not seen up above, was blown down in a storm over the summer of 2011 so they were getting that fixed when we were there (It's since been fixed). Other than that, there was nothing that changed between my two year absence or for that matter since Carl's came about in 1959. A 16 stool burger place for people driving 'The Mother Road' Carl's became thee place to grab a smashed burger, a style that was the norm then, and a root beer to go with it. Despite the demise of Route 66, Carl's still stands today. It was a quiet day when we arrived which was fine for me since the wait can be out the door during warm months. As you can see in the pic below they still do their root beer in the glass and that was a nice change of pace since many of the homemade root beer stops I've been too of late served their RB in paper cups. Knock it off numb nuts. IBC's root beer comes from Carl's recipe. It's the real deal and the perfect non alcoholic pair to a hamburger.

View from my seat

For those unfamiliar with Carl's they do the "30's style" griddled burger to perfection, nobody does it better. It had been a minute since my last visit so I forgot that they too, like Schoop's, pile on the toppings. Everything includes ketchup, mustard, chopped raw onions (grilled avail.), lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo. It wouldn't be this popular style without the cheap old regular bun too. I ended up with a double cheese (a must, perfect beef to bun ratio) with everything but ketchup to eat there and took a double with grilled onions, mustard and pickles to go.


Hamburger Heaven found on Route 66 in St. Louis

My buddy who's the mayor down there is a regular and knows everyone in there so I was introduced to each and they're all one big family. I forget her name but the grillmaster in training that day was working the grill, the "heir apparent " as my buddy called her and the burgers were as good as ever. I've had alot of great crispy edged burgers but none had crunch like Carl's, Hamburger Dan's in Springfield IL came close on my visit there, but Carl's kept the crown this trip around.

Classically dressed with mustard, onions and pickles

If you don't know about the crunch you need to taste/hear it. The best bites on these burgers are around the end, the beef crunches like the crust on a tavern thin pizza. My friend insisted we get a "Seth special" as it's called, not on the menu but ask them and they'll know. Named after his buddy, also a regular, it's a hamburger with one of their 'curly q' hot dogs on top with chili smothered over all of it. The dogs are just Hormel foot longs, but they're slithered in a way which makes them curl up when fried. This is so that they fit on the hamburger buns. Not exactly something you want to eat if you have a long trip down Old Route 66 ahead and more like one of those things that a die hard Cardinals fan created outside his trailer. But nonetheless genius in a mulleted man with a Tony LaRussa cut-off T-Shirt kind of way. Great stop, as good as it ever was and that's 'cause nothing's changed.


"Seth's Special" from the secret menu

On the ride down south we enjoyed a Gooey butter cake, another STL specialty, from Gooey Louie's. I've had random acts of fiendness for some ever since. It's a shame I haven't been able to further document (eat) St, Louis but now that I realize this you should stay tuned because I just I'm headed down soon and a report will come not too long after. Please put your computer screens in their upright position and keep them away from your mouth as we continue the ride.

Also found along Route 66 near Carl's and Ted Drewes

Carl's Drive In
9033 Manchester Road
St. Louis, MO 63144
(314) 961-9652



Gooey Louie
6483 Chippewa St
St Louis, MO 63109
(314) 352-2253
Website

Grant's Wonderburger

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Chi

The further away you go from the North over to the southside of Chicago the more old school the city becomes. Many of the old time hamburger favorites of people who grew up in now popular northside neighborhoods are long gone. The old buildings they were in have been torn down or their longtime owners who were always there cooking, have passed. So with them went their places. Lucky for those on the southside some of the longtime burger favorites remain. One of these is Grants Wonderburger over on Kedzie and 111th in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood.


Since 1954 in Chicago's Mount Greenwood Neighborhood

Grant's has been a part of this area of the southside since the day they opened. Aside from the fact they've changed buildings a few times, within a block radius each time, everything else remains the same. You can see that when you read THIS old Tribune article from 1994 about Grant's. Everything they talk about still stands pat today. From the outside you can see the grill in the window as you pass by and inside theres a handful of tables as well as a counter with old school stools which still spin today or at least did the last time I was there a year or so back.

View from the stools

Grant's has been all in the family since it's beginning and despite a few additions to the menu for the health conscious, the namesake Wonderburger and their signature curly fries remain the favorites and I'd imagine much like the place itself they also have remained the same. They take a small patty of fresh-ground beef and cook that on a griddle. They come served on a toasted bun with cheese, shredded lettuce, onions and Wonder Sauce. The sauce itself is a sweet and spicy concoction and nothing similar to your normal mayo based thousand island sauce or stuff like that. The curly fries arent to be missed either. Unlike most places that sell them, these come fresh cut skin on and always cooked to perfection. There's no doubt that if I grew up on Grant's I would have a taste for it a few times a month no matter where I was at in life. Check them out.


Double Cheeseburger & Curly Fries from Grant's Grill

Grant's Wonderburger
11045 S Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60655
(773) 238-7200

Paradise Pup

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Chi

We continue on this May with the celebration of "National Hamburger Month". Today we head over to a place that, surprisingly so, hasn't been featured on S'C'&C since the site first went up back in 2008. That however doesn't mean it hasn't been featured in all sorts of other articles, blog posts and TV shows alike. Paradise Pup on River Road in Des Plaines is a Chicagoland institution. They've been filling the air with whiffs of smoke from their charcoal grill since the two brothers opened the tiny shack about 25 years back.


a longtime Chicagoland favorite in Des Plaines

These days the tiny hut is anything but under the radar. Even before Guy Fieri came rolling thru spitting one word adjectives about the small menus offerings, there was almost always a line out the door. Then again only about 10 people can fit inside the place anyway so it's not as if that means your going to wait forever. However I've seen times when the line is three times the length of the building itself. It's not far from O'Hare airport so this is a nice option for some food if you're ever flying in or going out from there.

The view from the parking lot with the smoke rising

Even though it's called 'Paradise Pup' and there's a hot dog on the sign which they do serve, it's all about the burgers here and that's what 90% of the people that are in line are going to get. On top of the dogs which you can get grilled, they also offer a homemade Italian beef sandwich and a few different variations of a grilled chicken. I have yet to get a beef but the grilled chicken's are the real deal and worth getting now and then. They offer them marinated a few ways, I like the teriyaki version which you can dress yourself with any of the topping options they have for hot dogs and hamburgers. Not to be under looked these are definitely one of the better chicken sandwiches of any variety from around town in my book.


Grilled Chicken Sandwich from Paradise Pup

As good as the chicken sandwiches are, if I'm gonna get one, it's going to be with one of their charcoal grilled cheddar burgers as well. It's the burgers that made this place so well known and create the sometimes 20+ minute waits, especially on nice days during the lunch rush. They're only open until 5p and closed on Sundays so you gotta get your fix in that time span and plenty of people do. They always move quick due to the fact the menu is simple and the grill can hold quite a few of the 1/3 pound fresh never frozen pre-formed patties of beef they use. You get to watch it all happen as you stand over the counter after you pay, waiting for your food to be prepared. If you had never heard of nor been to PP until you randomly drove by one day, you'd have a pretty hard time not stopping in. It would be hard to assume the place be anything but great due to the smell of grilled beef flooding the air and the long line of people waiting to get themselves a taste of it.

Men at Work

Then when you see the big heaping pile of grilled onions and said beef patties cooking away it's already a wrap before you've had a taste. "Everything" on it means lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, ketchup and mayonnaise. It's an odd "everything" but you can have whatever you want and I go with the Chicago style stand favorite cheddar spread (a must in my book) along with grilled onions, pickles, mustard and tomatoes. Each and everytime it hits the spot and the fresh challah bun always does a great job of holding it all together. So as the warm weather nears I know I'll find myself here at least a few times this summer. Waiting in line on a nice sunny day and knowing a char cheddar burger isn't far away has been a part of my summers since I first stopped in here way back in high school. I've been a big fan of their burgers ever since.


Cheddar Burger from Paradise Pup

Paradise Pup
1724 South River Road
Des Plaines, IL 60018
(847) 699-8590

Burger de Mayo

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

I don't need Cinco de Mayo as a reason to eat my favorite type of cuisine and drink tequila but I must admit, whenever it comes around, that's all I wanna do as far as food and drink. Maybe its all the articles online, in magazines/newspapers and shows on TV etc... For some reason these media outlets think the beginning of May is the only time people want to eat tacos. Well I was at Tony's Foods on Elston yesterday with plans to make something Mexican for dinner since that's what I was feeling like. So I decided to improv my own little Cinco de Mayo/National Hamburger Month creation as I shopped. This is the result.

A Burger with some Mexican Flair Good for all Months of the Year

Bolillo Rolls and fresh ground sirloin from the butcher counter

What Else You'll Need

- Chorizo of your choice (pork or beef)
- Mexican Crema
- Guacamole
- Pickled Red Onions (I used this recipe)
- Refried Beans
- Queso Rancherito (crumbling cheese)
- Cilantro & Limes

Preparation

I used an old martini mixer to form the fresh ground sirloin into patties for the grill. The pickled red onions are best made ahead or at the very least a few hours before so take note of that. Other than that the guacamole was Tony's fresh made stuff and the refried beans I bought on the way home. I amped up the crema by adding some fresh chopped cilantro, lime and chili powder and cooked the chorizo in a skillet with chopped onions and jalapenos and set aside. After all that you can pop the buns in the oven and warm them up while grilling the burgers. Once ready start by layering the bottom part of each bun with the crema followed by some guacamole and then the pickled red onions. Place some of the hot refried beans on the top part of the bun and then shred some of the rancherito on top of that so it melts.

Assembled Buns

Once ready for the meat, place the burger patty on the bottom bun and then add the chorizo to the top part and pat it into the refried beans so it all holds together.


My own Mexican inspired Burger Creation

Serve it with whatever you want alongside it and drink anything you want while you eat it. Just don't forget to wear a bib.


Happy Grilling Y'all!
________________________________________

Bonus Recipe!

Hard Shell Hamburger Tacos

I came across a thing on SE about a place in LA that serves hard shell ground beef tacos with pickles mixed in and I was surprised I hadn't thought of that myself. So instead I took it a step further and decided to whip up some hard shell tacos with the characteristics of a hamburger. They're real easy and tasty too if I may say. These are very easy as long as you've ever made "white people tacos" before. All I mean by that is your usual ground beef mixed with spices and maybe some chopped onions and jalapenos addd into the mix which is what I do when I make it.

Ingredients

- Ground Beef
- Taco Seasoning (Optional)
- Corn Tortillas
- Deli Pickles (diced up)
- Lettuce, Tomato, Onion (diced up)
- Shredded Cheddar
- Taco Sauce
- Mustard
- Veggie Oil

Directions

In this case the taco sauce replaces the ketchup on a burger so you mix that in once the ground beef is browned, season it and add in some yellow mustard to the mixture. Let it cool down a little and then add the diced deli pickles and make sure to be generous. Take the mixture and place it in a corn tortilla which you can then fry on each side until done. Add lettuce, tomato, onions and cheese and you got a hard shell hamburger.


Hard Shell Hamburger Taco
________________________________________

See ya next time @chibbqking

Inovasi

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Chi

In case you haven't seen it in Yahoos useless news feed yet, May is National Hamburger Month. Last year we decided to honor thy beef patties in buns by having hamburgers featured all month long during it's celebrated month. We'll do the same this time around and get the party started at a place not really known for parties or anything else except some really nice homes near or right on Lake Michigan. We head North up US41 to check out 'Burger Night' at Inovasi which is every Tuesday at the casual complementary restaurant/bar which features upscale American cuisine made with local ingredients.


a popular new spot in Lake Bluff

Inovasi just received one of the more "self rewarding" awards an eating establishment can get when they received a "Great Neighborhood Restaurant" award from the folks at LTHforum. I say self rewarding because for the most part the places that receive these awards are lesser known and well less money goes into the place. Inovasi is one of a few of Chef John DesRosiers' projects that have popped up around Chicagoland. Even before it was nominated, when I ate here in the bar area I thought to myself "If any place that gets lots of press already and has become trendy deserves a GNR, Inovasi might be it"

View of the bar area inside

Reason being is the prices are right, better than they have to be to be considered "cheap" in the Northshore and also it's a great place to have in your neighborhood to be able to walk on over to and have some really well executed dishes and maybe some drinks (great selection) and chat with your neighbors and many there were doing that each time I've visited. I could see most people in there knew each other, and many were just hanging watching TV at bar having a beer and some food. I'd like to have this place and it's food and drink menus as one of my local options. The cocktails were real nice when I tried them and the beer selection is great with cans and cows as options alongside an assortment of micro bottles and taps too including a few from Lake Bluff Brewery down the street. Appetizers are exactly what you want from your local "casual contemporary" tavern.


Fried Chicken Wings

Take for example the wings which come from a local farm and are fried to perfection and served with a tasty Asian inspired dipping sauce. The price is right and they taste great too, some of the better bar wings I've had from anywhere. I'm looking forward to being able to further explore the menu here but so far both visits of mine have been on a Tuesday which is burger night. The menu offers burgers which come from Q7 Ranch in Marengo, IL which makes its ground beef from natural free range grass fed sustainable beef. Not only is the beef quality top of the line but the way they're offered is too. You can get them char grilled or the old fashioned way of flattened until seared and then griddled. Aside from Edzo's down the lake, no other place I know of does them both ways. I for one really enjoy having the option since sometimes you feel like one, other times you feel like the other.


Dave's Burger (Offered Tues. nights)

I like the char grilled ones here because the burger is cooked to order and the beef is full of flavor. So far I've been able to sample three different offerings from the burger menu and enjoyed both of the char grilled ones to the old fashioned but Serious Eats loves the bacon loaded offering served griddled and seared, that will be tried on my next visit. Shout out to Daniel Zemans who's article about burger night at Inovasi was what brought it to my attention. My favorite thus far is 'Dave's' which is a char grilled offering topped with artisan Wisconsin cheddar, emmentaler cheese, horseradish creme fraiche and raw local sweet onion. It came cooked to a perfect medium rare and while I love grilled onions on a burger, I love when they have a fresh sliced of raw onion almost as much and Dave's burger shined because it paired with the beef was a magnificent taste that brought me back to the burger everyone ate as a kid at family bbq's or parties and camp trips. Except this was Chef DesRosiers' take on that, not your average uncle's.

The insides

The beef is what its about with these burgers and it's a blend of brisket, chuck, flank, and short rib which is aged for 25 days and then ground and delivered to Inovasi. They don't stop there though, the fries are wonderful and some of the best you can get alongside your burger. They cut them a little thinner than most places that make fresh cut fries do and I like that because this makes most every cut spud a crispy one. They use organic Kennebec potatoes which I've had before and loved, this time around was no different. The buns come from Labriola Baking Company. Not sure if the fries are on the everyday menu but if not I suggest they be served alongside some fancy melted cheddar spread for patrons of the bar.

Fried Kennebec Potatoes

Another offering I really loved from the char grilled options was 'The Chicago Italian Burger' which came with hot giardiniera, grilled onion, celery salt and mozzarella cheese. A fantastic homage to the city that many people who live in, don't have an idea of where Lake Bluff is.


The Chicago Style Italian Burger at Inovasi

On my last visit I went in expecting to try the old fashioned burger loaded with bacon but was tempted away when I saw a burger being offered that wasn't on the menu the first time I came in. I forget the name and exactly what was on it. I tried tweeting the chef to see if he could remind me but he's been busy with another opening of his in Highland Park. I look forward to trying Moderno one day. But anyway, this was an Asian inspired burger that came with not only the Q7 griddled patty but some pork atop it and also crispy chicken skin and little pieces of duck confit? I forget exactly what but there was a whole lot of stuff going on.


Burger Special on Burger Night (Tuesdays)

I didn't like this one as much as the others because the beef was lost in the shuffle. I think this one might of been made when someone ordered 'the hobo' which is described as "made with whatever we have laying around" It wasn't bad and I ate the whole thing as fast as I do anything else I like, but it tasted more like a pork sandwich than a hamburger. Again, not a bad thing.

Get in me belly!

Since each of my visits have been with others, I've been able to try a few of the offerings from their regular menu. I haven't had any complaints and the only thing that's gone remotely wrong on my visits was when the automatic hand dryer wasn't working so I was forced to use paper towels to dry my hands #WhitePeopleProblems. I've enjoyed an excellent salad as well as their Rhode Island Calamari which comes stuffed with Spanish chorizo and then grilled. I also took a taste of their organic grilled Irish trout with local grown pea shoots, red organic quinoa and shaved celery salad. All those were great, especially the fish as are the Klug Apple Donuts, fried to order, what a great bar snack.

Fresh Salad

Rhode Island Calamari


Organic Grilled Irish Trout


Fried Klug Apple Donuts

So as you can see, even me, the guy who loves the "old school, been around forever grease pits that serve some signature item" really likes a place like Inovasi. You can go there for a beer and and maybe steak & eggs (I gotta try that!) or plan to have a special persons birthday party while celebrating in the dining room. Either way your going to get great service and some damn good modern American cuisine off a menu created by one of Chicago's top chef's. Then on top of all this when you see the bill, it's not as if it needed to be that, when it could of been more and most around this way wouldn't complain. I've been to places with much less that cost more. It's not cheap but it's casual enough to where you can head on over one night you don't feel like cooking. Even if your from Chicago I suggest you do, you can make a day out of it and take the Metra and then spend some time on the beach before heading over to Inovasi for dinner.

Lake Bluff, IL

Inovasi
28 Center Avenue
Lake Bluff, IL 60044
847-295-1000
Website

Eating BIG in NOLA

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
-New Orleans Louisiana, where theres always more...

Last September after riding the Tamale Trail we made our way down the Mississippi River and slept in Natchez, MS and rode into New Orleans arriving around 11a Saturday morning. The reason for my visit was a bachelor party weekend with Da Bears. The food and most of the time spent in the Crescent City was marvelous, the game not so much. But if theres anyplace you could care less about a loss once the game has ended, it's Nawlins. First order of business Saturday was, of course, food. Since we had a car I had a few local loved spots picked out that were reachable with a vehicle although most of these stops are a short cab ride too.

First stop in the 504, Two Sisters Restaurant.


a diamond in the rough

Not to be confused with the tourist bait that is 'Court of Two Sisters' this is a somewhat DL spot for those of us not from around this way. But those in the know do know, so your likely to see people of all sorts. It's in a neighborhood that still has plenty of visual images of the damage Katrina did. There's a church next door and a few houses still occupied while the rest of the area is still boarded up. I found this spot thru Southern Foodway's 'Gumbo Trail' website and it didn't disappoint. Read more about them HERE. The gumbo is available as a special on Fri. and Sat. only, so this trip was my chance. What a way to start the day. Best bowl of anything I've had in a while, the broth was seasoned to perfection. I'll for sure be back even if I gotta cab it.


Beware before eating, this might make you move to NOLA

Two Sisters is what Pope Yes claims to be. The meat off the ham hock was sublime and along with that there was a bunch of other good stuff up in there. We saw a another Bears fan who's a state rep from the Southside in there enjoying what he said was "his favorite spot to eat at down here". Really great ultra friendly service too but even if that was awful and unfriendly I wouldn't be able to stay away from their gumbo. Fueled and filled we hit up Bourbon street to meet with some peops for a few hours before my dream meal which we had reservations for at 6:30.

2nd Stop on Day 1 was Mosca's


Avondale, LA

Mosca's has been on my must get too list for ages now. It's been in many publications and is loved and rec'd by people I know, know how to eat. We were supposed to go there when my family was all down there for my sisters college graduation pre-Katrina but I never was able to convince the rest to go. The hurricane took what was the entire 10 foot wide kitchen space but they, like so many others are back at it and that's important for the people. Both the longtime customers and staff. The unassuming roadhouse has been a part of the community/swamplands since 1946 when they moved down there from Chicago Heights, IL to open a restaurant. In a NOLA.com article it explains "He wanted to get out of Chicago Heights," Johnny said of his father. "It was too Mafioso. Then he wound up in New Orleans. Turns out it was the same thing." Haha.

The bar area and dining room

Now in it's 3rd generation, the gangsters are long gone but the food and wonderful aromas remain the same. The Sat. night we were there I'm almost positive we were the only non locals being the only people in there without a Louisiana accent. It's a small space and they're only open from 5:30-9:30 five days a week so reservations are a very good idea. It's a little trip (about 25 mins) from the heart of the city. It's also a spot to go to with a few folks, the menu is small but the dishes are large and very shareable so you need a few people. We had three people with us but as always, I had to order a little extra. It was so good, there were no leftovers.

Fresh baked bread comps of the house and a white bean soup

The bread was fresh hot out of the oven and a great little snack to go along with the cocktails but be sure not to eat but a piece or two if you must. Everything is prepared to order and you are asked to give at least 45 minutes for your dinner to be ready. Well worth the wait, all the food arrived one dish after the other and everyone just kind of jumped in when it did. First up the Oysters Mosca aka "Best Thing I've Eaten [Lately]"


Oysters Mosca, one of a few signature dishes

Fresh local oysters with the house seasoning and lots of garlic, topped with bread crumbs and baked. I forget the price (market) but there were 12 oysters in there and while the dish wasn't cheap you wont think twice about the price after you eat. You can taste the Chicago roots as this was similar to shrimp de jonghe but their special seasoning techniques here are as good as anywhere. You wont ever forget the taste and wont be at peace until the next time you try it. That goes for all the dishes we ordered including the shrimp Mosca.


Fresh local shrimp w/ shell sautéed with Italian seasonings and white wine

They didn't have the Cornish Hen on menu that night but it turned out ok because we already ordered a ton, also having to pass on the crab salad and Italian sausage with roasted potatoes. But what we got is what I think people that arent regulars need to try. The shrimp were indeed as good as they look. The recipe description might be simple but I bet not too many can duplicate what they do. Especially when it comes to their Chicken a la Grande. The flash pictures might not be pretty but these are the only ones I got in which you can see and this dish was a perfect 10. This I'd have to order everytime I ate there.


Mosca's Chicken a la Grande

Fresh chicken sautéed with rosemary and special seasoning, whole garlic cloves and white wine

Available in half ($18) or whole ($28) there's only one way to go. The chicken is cut up into pieces and cooked in a bath of garlic infused goodness. Eat this and you wont have any vampires near you for an eternity. Our waitress rec'd we also get an order of Spaghetti and Bordelaise and that was a great call which went well with the chicken. She took wonderful care of us and the other 3 or 4 tables she was working and kept stopping by to make sure we were good on drinks while clearing space and so on. Flip a coin, both the oysters and chicken were the best dishes I had on this trip. Dinner for three with drinks for me was $220 with tip. We splurged. Well, well worth it.


Dinner at a Louisiana Legend goes as planned...Legendary

I already know Mosca's will be a meal I'm fiending for on a cold winter day in Chicago. In fact sitting back here posting these pics has me thinking how I would bury a man if it meant a meal from here right now. After dinner it was back to the hotel, where I had to shower and brush my teeth twice to get all that garlic out and then it was off to Bourbon street. No more food for the night after that gut pusher but plenty of booze, sorry but no pics of boobs.

Sunday morning it was over to Cafe Du Monde to start the day.

Saturday evening was a wild one all around with the Bears fans invasion along with a UFC fight at the convention center and a rave with 7,000+ in the Warehouse district that went on until the crack of down. I heard them across the street from our spot at the Garden Inn when I retired. The neighborhood over there has quite a few places hopping. The beignets and some fresh squeezed orange juice did the trick for me before it was time to Bear Down but that only turned into a big WHO DAT nation chant from there on in.


The classic French Quarter breakfast

We did some drinking at a tailgate and the Saints fans were great. They got love for the Bears who they say along with the Cowboys come down to New Orleans with the biggest fan base each year they play there. Got to eat some great eats like a muffaletta and shrimp creole and of course they were doing Chicago style hot dogs for the game. Me and a few others said screw it as far as $250 for a decent seat pricetag wise to go to the game and instead went to a neighborhood place where my sister used to hang that I went too on my last visit.


New Orleans Uptown Neighborhood Bar

Milan Lounge was a local haunt for my sister and some of her Chicago college friends as well as many ex Chi City folk. It's decked out in Cubs gear and they show all the games. I guess I didn't take into account all the locals from there that are Bears fans would be at the game. It was all regular customers there to watch their beloved Saints. Nonetheless they were still nice about keeping the High Lifes and shots of Jameson coming though not too talkative to us. We watched the first half here and got out, the place was dark and as smokey as can be so we needed a breather. Cool spot though I could see myself here often if I lived down there. Every space that wasn't needed for sitting and walking room had cases of beer stacked into it.

The view from inside with Harry Carey watching

We watched the second half at the more comfortable Fat Harry's on Charles ave. While Milan Lounge was like an old corner bar you used to find in Lincoln Park, Fat Harry's was more like the current ones. They had plenty of TV's, lots of different fanbases and it was packed but we were still able to stand at the bar and watch the game and drink some good local brews. We left close to the end, I bought the local Saints ladies next to us some shots for their win and went looking for jambalaya at a spot one of them rec'd on Magazine street. The place was closed on Sunday's (lots of spots are) but we did stop at the Magazine snowball stand.


SnoBall stand on Magazine Street

New Orleans and the rest of the south love their snowballs like Chicago does their Italian ice. They also serve Philadelphia water ice here and I got a mango one of those which was just like Annette's in LP. They were out of crawfish pies and hot tamales but did have another New Orleans locally loved eat - Ya Ka Mein. I've actually been enjoying this beef noodle soup with Chinese/Korean creole roots at Hamburger King on Sheffield in Wrigleyville for a while. In that thread New Orleans and the origin of Ya Ka Mein is discussed and the soup also made an appearance on Bourdain's 'No Reservations' "Cajun Country" episode last year.


Ya-Ka-Mein on Magazine street in New Orleans

Typically this dish is noodles, slow-roasted pork or beef, hardboiled eggs, and green onions served up in a rich heavy soy broth which the meat was simmered in but everyone's gotta recipe. It's hangover food and was great after the loss and lots of alcohol which it soaked right up. The beef was super tender and better than anything I was expecting. Totally unexpected this was a great unplanned stop since I was hoping to get to try some Ya Ke Mein while down there. Many popular spots are closed on Sundays but the famous Parkway Bakery & Tavern is not.


The famous New Orleans Po' Boy stop overlooking Bayou St. John

I love oyster Po' boys and had an alright one from Johnny's the night before but wanted to try more. Different variations like a roast beef tempt me too. The Parkway's been around for ages and claims to be NOLA's first po' boy shop and is said to have the citys best roast beef one. It was damaged by Katrina but reopened and the current owner is a great guy who obviously has alot of loyal customers, the place was packed with tons of Saints fans and a few of us Bears fans too. You wait in line to order (unless sitting at the bar) and your name is called when ready. There's seating inside and lots of picnic tables outside.

Waiting in line, View from the inside

Aside from the soup I didn't eat anything and needed to chow down so I decided in line I would order for all. The owner as I mentioned is really cool, perfect for his place as he talks on his microphone from the kitchen. Due to the long line, he announced to the bar people "no more phone orders, we gotta get these folks in line fed" and that brought a big cheer from the crowd. He also said "Chicago is good for one thing, we get our corned beef from Vienna Beef and always will" So then along with a roast beef, shrimp and also a gravy I added a corned beef po' boy. They had a framed set of pics of the old Vienna factory and a letter from the Company Prez hanging on the wall. The order took a little bit which was fine but the owner insisted we try some "surf and turf" as I waited. While they're known for their roast beef many locals will tell you their shrimp is best. You can get both as a po' boy filling and I will next time.

Top: Surf N' Turf, Roast Beef po' boy, Shrimp Po' Boy, Inside of a corned beef

There's two types of roast beef po' boys. One being the traditional way with slices of roast beef covered in gravy and the other is debris style. They serve them debris style at Parkway and that's when they let the beef cook until its fall apart tender and it does so in the gravy they cook the roasts in. I thought this was great and the bread was outstanding too, messy but it held up. The shrimp one was STUFFED. No way to eat it without munching on a few of the fresh lightly battered beauties from the Gulf they load on there before you dig into the sandwich. The owner told us they're from his cousin who's a fisherman in Biloxi. Corned beef was great too, they cook the Vienna Beef product until they're just about to fall apart. I wish we had a legit po' boy shop in Chicago. I also loved the gravy bread Po' boy if for anything nostalgia and the fact it finally filled me up. Good drunk food.


New Orleans style gravy bread sandwich

The gravy breads are the leftover gravy with plenty of bits and pieces of beef. Similar to a gravy bread here in Chicago. They give you a couple six inch rolls already with a little gravy in them and a cup of gravy on the side as well. He explained these are on there for the folks who need to feed 3 or 4 kids and cant spend $20 every time while doing so. A couple of large gravy breads can feed 4 maybe 5 kids. Dessert was a couple of homemade puddings. Bread pudding with rum sauce and banana pudding. Excellent and now time for a little nap before Sunday night begins.

Rum sauced bread pudding and Banana pudding

After a nice sleep and refreshing swim and shower at the Hilton Garden Inn and it was time to head out. We drank at a bar on Bourbon with the bachelor but it wasn't long before he was gone, in more ways than one. So seeing as how I was hungry and hadn't yet had any fresh oysters, Bourbon street wasn't a bad option for that. We rolled into Desire to catch the 4th quarter of Sunday Night Football and have some fresh shucked oysters with beers. It's connected to the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Good stuff, classic New Orleans.

Fresh shucked oysters

We sat right at the oyster bar and watched the guy get at it. They just throw some papers on the bar and let you make a mess. The horseradish was righteous and I could of slurped on these all night long. They went great with Abita Andygator from the tap and some NFL football. The bread pudding from here was dandy as well and the jambalaya good too. They have a full menu.


Bread Pudding from Desire Oyster House

My buddy was seeking the cities best jambalaya like I was doing the gumbo but lots of the stops weren't open on Sunday. Coop's Place off the French Quarter stays open late all week and despite its location it's loved by locals and of course tourists too.


Famous stop on Decatur Street

The inside is like your neighborhood tavern, lots of wood, theres seating at the bar and tables too although it does get packed and the people working there can be snarky (Talking to you Packers fan from Wisco). It's still worth it in my eyes. Pricewise and taste we got alot out of this late nite dinner on our last night in town. The menu is loaded with Cajun goodies and we went with three entrees to share and were just able to finish everything up. Fried chicken over red beans and rice was classic stick to your ribs southern cooking and the crawfish and made in house tasso with pasta was exactly the same.

Red beans and rice with fried and Crawfish tasso pasta

The house specialty jambalaya made with Rabbit and Sausage was top notch and we made that a 'supreme' which includes with shrimp and housemade tasso too.


Rabbit & Sausage Jambalaya

That was all she wrote for Sunday night. I was feeling the heat by the time 1am rolled along. It was a long two days but looking back at it, damn I ate well! We didn't leave the city until about 12:30p Monday which made it 48 hours spent in NOLA. We also squeezed in two great spots on Monday that were closed on Sunday.


Warehouse District Butcher shop from the people of Cochon

I was happy to see that this place was right by our hotel when we arrived on scene and made a note of it to get back there Monday before skipping town. Thanks to Grub Seekers post on Butcher this spot was on my list and as everyone else seems to do, we loved it.

The inside: Butcher on top, Food and drink orders on bottom

Emeril hasn't been seen around town since then, I'm just saying

I wish I lived next door to this place

Breakfast was a muffaletta and Cuban sandwich before heading over to another place for lunch. We grabbed them to go and ate them on the hood of the car parked in front. All meats are cured in house and you could taste it in the quality of both sandwiches. Besides the meats being phenomenal the bread was just as good too. I didn't really like the chimichurri on the Cuban sammy but other than that both these were fantastic. I cant wait to get back, this will be a regular stop for me in NOLA.

The muffaletta sandwich people need to be taking back on the plane

Best tasting Cuban sandwich outside the Sunshine state I've had

So as sad it was it was, time to head out, but not before one more locally loved stop long on my list. Liuzza's By the Track is a neighborhood tavern by the New Orleans racetrack where Jazzfest takes place. They're famous for their food and regulars. I've been meaning to get here, this trip I did. It's a classic neighborhood tavern everyone wishes they had near where they live.


Popular locals spot in the Fairgrounds neighborhood

We stopped in here for lunch and I was happy to finally make it. Even on a Monday at 11:30a it had a couple reg's at the bar and by the time we were thru quite a few groups eating and drinking.

As we enter

Liuzza's was featured on the HBO series Treme. The shows creator David Simon tries to be authentic as possible in re-portraying the city and as Liuzza's describes themselves they are the "Quintessential neighborhood joint". It also turned out they too are featured on the Southern Foodways Gumbo Trail and of course that was what I went with to start. More on their recipe HERE.

The world renowned house gumbo at Liuzza's

Although alot of gumbos in New Orleans are thick, Liuzza's does a thin broth one. The recipe is the owners mothers and he calls it a Creole gumbo and its loaded with flavor. It's filled with andouille, chicken, shrimp, okra and the thirteen or so special spices that pack the punch that will make you wanna order another bowl right after your done with the first. The other house specialty is the BBQ shrimp Po' Boy. I had to have this since I hadn't had any BBQ shrimp on this trip yet. They stuff a French bread pistolette with shrimp sauteed in lakes of butter. This was outstanding, you cant ever get enough of the BBQ shrimp sauce but the bread too. I soaked up every last drop with each and every crumb.


BBQ Shrimp Po' Boy and we were off, headed back home

It's just never ending as far as great places to eat in NOLA go. That's why I'll forever be going back. It's my favorite US city to visit. See ya next time @chibbqking
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Two Sisters Restaurant
223 North Derbigny Street
New Orleans, LA
(504) 524-0056

Mosca's Restaurant
4137 Highway 90 West
Avondale, LA 70094
(504) 436-8950

Cafe Du Monde
800 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 525-4544

Milan Lounge
1312 Milan Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 895-1836

Parkway Bakery & Tavern
538 Hagan Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 482-3047

Desire Oyster Bar
300 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 586-0300

Coop's Place
1109 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 525-9053

Cochon Butcher
930 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA
(504) 588-7675

Liuzza's By the Track
1518 N Lopez St
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 218-7888