Frunchroom

-Grubbing in Chicago

New to the 'Scene'

Portage Park wasn't a spot I expected to find one of my favorite openings in 2018. Logan Square? West Loop? Sure. But Portage Park would never have been a guess. Well things change and ever so slowly this neighborhood is becoming somewhat of a dining destination. Frunchroom is at the forefront of this. Opened in the beginning of the year by Chef/owner Matt Saccaro this is his ode to both Italian and Jewish Deli's of yesteryear. That said the only traditions they really harp on are that of making damn bear everything in house. While the menu has classics most all of them are amped up.

 Newly Opened in Portage Park 

One of the most buzzed about practices at Frunchroom is the charcuterie program. It features a menu with both fish and meats, and there's a board with fresh local cheeses too. These are a good way to start a meal. So far we've tried a handful of the offerings and none have disappointed. I would say the chicken liver mousse is a must. We also loved the finocchiona and the trout salad. If you see the pimento cheese it's perfect for being North of the Mason Dixon line. When I say damn near everything is homemade look no further than the assortment of pickled veggies and grilled sourdough.

Charcuterie Boards at frunchroom 

Frunchroom does breakfast, lunch, brunch, and pizza nights (Thursday). Many of the items overlap such as the house made bagels which are always available. They make an everything bagel as well as a sesame seed one and offer your choice of bagel and any of the fish selections on the chalkboard for  $10. On my most recent visit I tried the bagel with some housemade lox which absolutely rocked. I don't recall any lox I've ever had being as firm and flavorful as Frunchroom's. While I would've preferred the bagel come un-toasted it was the lox that was front and center and delicious either way.

Bagel and Lox at the Frunchroom 

There's a nice healthy selection of sandwich classics such as grilled cheese, chicken schnitzels, and BLT's. The last of which was really good this past summer. All of the sandwiches include the option to add fries and the answer is an enthusiastic YES! After a few visits I put these in my Top 5 in the city.

BLT Sandwich at Frunchroom 

Since everything at Frunchroom is delicious I feel like the namesake burger has flown under the radar of many. Locally sourced beef with pickles, onions, special sauce, and cheese on a sesame seed bun. Along with the fries I thought this was the type of meal I'd be satisfied with if it was my last meal in America or even my first meal back after being gone for a long time. It definitely scratches that itch. The only thing I haven't been able to try is Pizza Night which is Thursday's. I'm hoping to put the BYOB option to use one of these upcoming Thursday's. I already know the pizza will be money.

Cheeseburger at Frunchroom 

Frunchroom
4042 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 853-2160
Website

Fry the Coop

-The Sammy's of Chi (land)

About four or five years ago hip American cities were flooded with Nashville style Hot Chicken options. About three years later that trend made it's way into the suburbs. Which is where we find Fry the Coop. Located on 95th street in Oak Lawn they recently opened a second location in Elmhurst.

Locals Favorite in Oak Lawn 

Fry the Coop has taken one thing, the chicken sandwich, and made it their specialty. You don't have a choice of a 1/4 chicken or half bc the only thing you'll be asked is how hot you want your sandwich. That's where the Nashville Hot Chicken comes in. I believe they offer five different levels of heat and from what I've heard the hot ones are legitimately hot just like it should be. I opted for a chicken and cheese sandwich with just the second level of heat. I'm not the biggest Nashville hot fan out there. I like it but only when it's just hot enough to tingle your tongue for a few seconds. Fry the Coop uses breast meat for both the sandwiches and it's tenders. While I prefer thigh meat nine times out of ten I actually like breast meat in my fried chicken sandwiches. I have to say while I'd heard good things about this spot I was still surprised how much I liked it. The fries were really good too. I could see this place having a handful of Suburban locations soon. Chicken sandwiches aren't the most exciting thing out there but they can really hit the spot when done properly. Props to Fry the Coop for doing so.

Fried Chicken Sandwich and Fries at Fry the Coop

Fry the Coop
5128 95th St
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
(708) 576-8645
Website

Cafe Istanbul

-Grubbing in Chicago

Turkish Grilled Meats + Doner in Lakeview

You can pretty much get any type of food you want in Chicago. That said there's thing's we're better at than others and one of the things what makes traveling so much fun is getting to try new foods. So while I've noticed a steady increase in Turkish restaurants opening up in Chicago it will probably never be on the level of Istanbul or Berlin when it comes to good Turkish food. Both of those spots are places high on my travel bucketlist in big part do to the food. But in the meantime I'm happy to have Cafe Istanbul as a Chicago option. It opened this past summer on Clark in a space that's been bad for previous tenants both of which I visited. So far it looks like they've been welcomed by their neighbors.

Newly Opened in Lakeview

I read somewhere that this is the brainchild of a few Chicago area Turkish people with experience in the restaurant industry. They're planning on turning Cafe Istanbul into a brand and there's already a second location coming to the strip mall at Division and Damen. Turkish cuisine is one of the more interesting ones out there. It's both rich and diverse. There is no set dish that makes for the signature of the cuisine. In fact one of the most popular Turkish dishes - Doner - became big in Berlin which is where you'll find the largest population of Turkish people outside of Turkey. For me the thing that makes Turkish cuisine so appealing is their love of grilling. Whether be it by a vertical spit roasting stacked meat or over hot beds of coal for kebabs and vegetables. The Turkish are masters of cooking with fire. I'd read Cafe Istanbul was using charcoal but that wasn't the case when I entered. So instead of getting some fire roasted kebabs I went with Doner. The large cones of meat are evident.

Carrot Dip and Bread

The Doner plate will set you back close to $20 which seems a bit excessive however it's easily enough to feed two people so it's more like $10/serving you just have to order two servings worth. Though you could also get a sandwich which would save you $5 but wont be nearly as much food. I dined in and was given a starter of what I think was a carrot dip called Yoğurtlu Havuç and also some fresh baked bread. Both were really good. The Turkish are masters at baking bread. They're also masters of spit roasted meats and you have a choice of either lamb and veal or chicken. The cones of doner meat tend to be about twice the size of the normal gyro cones Chicagoan's are used to seeing. That's the case here where they're at least a few feet tall. The meat is sliced to order from the cone.

Doner (lamb/veal) Plate at Cafe Istanbul 

As you can see in the picture above there's a small mound of sliced spit roasted meat on that plate alongside a few scoops of rice, raw onion, and charred pepper and tomatoes. Beneath the meat is a flat bread pita that soaks up all the juices of the lamb and veal. It's a heaping plate of food that will get your taste buds tingling as soon as you smell it. I liked it alot. One of the benefits of having that tall spit of meat is lots of it gets nicely browned while it circles around and cooks. Each piece of doner was really well crisped which is just the way I like it. Some pieces were dryer than others but that was about the only complaint I had. Maybe a couple more tomatoes and house made hot sauces would be nice. Also the piece of Kazandibi (Caramelized Milk Pudding) I received from the sweet lady running the tables was delicious. I'm not sure if that's included or it was a nice gesture by her.

Kazandibi at Cafe Istanbul 

Cafe Istanbul
3037 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 698-6995
Website

Tikkawala

-Grubbing in Chicago

New to the 'Scene'

Let's face it. The Indian cuisine in Chicago could get much better. Well with the opening of Tikkawala it has. Owned by a couple buddies that first made their mark in Chicago at a spot called Veerasway. It was an old upscale Indian restaurant that closed about five years ago. Tikkawala is everything but upscale. You walk to the counter and order your food which will be served in plastic containers. But it's what's in those containers that counts. The food here is different than the rest. Let's check it out.

Newly Opened on Jackson 

What makes the food at Tikkawala different from the other spots in town? Nick K. at the Trib did a good job of explaining this. The food is brighter and fresher than the rest. No making enough curry for the week here. It's a small batch establishment. We've been a couple times now and have pretty much liked everything off the small but mighty menu. One of the dishes that sticks out is the Saag Potatoes (and paneer). As you can see in the pic below it's much brighter than most representations of this dish. Full of deep curry flavor that you can definitely tell is extra fresh. Get it with garlic naan.

Saag Potatoes at Tikkawala

The best section on the menu may not be around anymore. Which really sucks. The charcoal grilled skewers were what first got me excited to try this place. On our first visit I tried a ground beef kabab which was awesome. But one of the owners told me I have to try the lamb chops next time. He said they were a much better deal and that they were. Three live fire grilled lamb chops are topped with a vibrant green chutney and placed over a pond of potato puree. Holy shit. These were legit one of the best thing's I ate all year. We ordered a second plate and I couldn't believe they were just $7. Please be aware I've been told the skewers are no longer on the menu but I'm not sure if that's permanent.

Skewers grilled over real fire at Tikkawala

The curry selections are limited to about 3/4 though every single one has been delicious. The chicken tikka masala is a classic rendition that again tastes fresh and not old. I haven't even had a chance to attack the specials board which is filled with really interesting sounding stuff. While it might be a minimalist operation as far as the looks and service go the food here is anything but regular. I have a feeling if all Indian spots were like this, or at least if more were, the cuisine would gain popularity here in Chicago. Lets hope that the guys at Tikkawala will inspire other spots to open up shop.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Tikkawala
1258 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 455-1258
Website

It's Greek 2 U Grill

-Grubbing in Chicago

More Greek Street Food

With casual Greek food being one of the year's hottest food trends let's get another in. It's Greek 2 U Grill opened on Clark this past calendar year. It sits in the old Sunshine Cafe (RIP) location. It will always hurt to have lost Sunshine Cafe so I wanted to see if this place could soften the sting.

Newly Opened in Andersonville

Greek casual is a good trend in my mind. As long as you're doing one of two things or even better both the making of gyros in-house and or the use of a charcoal grill. Well It's Greek 2 U got one of two as they don use meat cones. I'm not sure if all these new spots make the spits of meat in-house or if there's a company out there making pork belly cones of gyro but I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. It seems like it started appearing often around the same time. Well who knows but I will say the gyro meat served here is much better than you're going to get at the other spots using the beef/lamb/and who knows what meats. The gyro sandwich can be had in either pork or chicken and both are under $10 though fries aren't included. It makes for a very nice lunch especially when paired with the hospitality from the lady that runs the place. This spot is a nice option for Andersonville.

Pork Belly Gyros at It's Greek 2 U Grill 

It's Greek 2 U Grill
5449 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640
(872) 806-2293

Xocome Antojeria

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

This past summer I set out to find some new immigrant owned spots and today's stop is the prize of the bunch. I first visited Xocome Antojeria after spying it while driving by this past July. They had just opened a couple weeks prior. Located in a small strip mall on Archer in the Archer Heights 'hood.

Newly Opened in Archer Heights 

At this point any place that's new is going to catch my attention. But just bc it's new doesn't mean I'm going to stop in. There has to be something on the menu that catches my eye. The fact they called themselves an Antojeria was enough for me. Antojitos being Mexican snacks. Which are abundant at Xocome. After a few visits I observed that the tamales are probably the most popular item on the menu. The super friendly lady who runs the place told me that a woman comes in early each morning to make them. It's not long after they're ready that customers start stopping by for bags to bring to work etc. There's a certain way I like my tamales and the best way to describe that would be slick. When they're slick they're extra fresh. Well these were some of the slickest in a hot minute. 

Tamales at Xocome Antojeria

Moving onto the tacos they offer real deal Mexican style breakfast tacos. Yes they eat breakfast tacos in Mexico. They're just called tacos though. Xocome makes their tortillas in-house and gives you the choice between traditional yellow corn tortillas or those made with blue corn. Always go for the blue if it's an option if only bc odds are they're an option bc they're homemade. The breakfast tacos feature a mostly meat free lineup but they still pack a punch load of flavors. The huevos with onion / pepper had basically the same tastes of a Texas style Migas taco minus the crunch. I believe a picture I tweeted of these are what triggered a visit from the Trib's Nick Kindelsperger. Link HERE.

Breakfast Tacos on Blue Corn Tortillas 

Perhaps the main attraction here though is the Tlacoyo. A relatively unknown outside of Mexico but not so here in Chicago though they aren't as prevalent as say tamales. The matriarch of Xocome is a lady named Bertha and she grew up outside of Mexico City. During her youth she would help her aunt sell Tlacoyos on the street. So she'll will be the one to make your tlacoyo should you order it. Think of these as a masa (blue corn) shaped boat that holds the toppings. They can be made a few different ways but that's how Xocome's version can best be described. It's a knife and fork bite as the size of one is similar to that of a stuffed burrito though they aren't as easy to lift. The first meat mentioned amongst your options is the house special filet mignon. The big chunks of tender cubed steak work great with the blue masa, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese. Both of the salsas are awesome. So we can and add Xocome to the list of top notch Mexican owned spots in Chicago. Go pay them a visit.

Tlacoyo at Xocome Antojeria

Xocome Antojeria
5200 S Archer Ave
Chicago, IL 60632
(773) 498-6679
Website

Layover in Seoul

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties

- Layover in Korea's largest city 

I was holding out hope I would have more to add to today's post. Alas a trip back to Seoul isn't in the books for anytime soon. I had a chance to get a sneak peek of Seoul so to say. It happened on our return from Thailand this last winter. We had a layover in Seoul that was long enough that we were able to leave the airport and go into the city for a few hours. It was actually very easy navigating the subway but unfortunately time was against us no matter what. Still we were able to take in enough of it that we vowed to return some time soon. We still plan to do so one day but it isn't in the cards for the immediate future. We only got a glimpse of life in Korea's largest city but it was enough to see it's a special place. Today's post is a summary of our layover in this bustling city of close to 10 million.

Exploring Seoul

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Bukchon Sonmandu

First things first. Dumplings. We took the train to the exit closest to Bukchon Sonmandu. It's a dumpling focused spot found in some random back alley. You'll know you're near when you see steam in the air. The space is so small that the dumplings are steamed outside in front of the restaurant. Slide open the door and find a seat though you may have to wait for someone to finish. The menu is is a what's what in Korean dumplings. I was tempted to try them all alas I settled on a bowl of dumpling soup and an order of their signature kimchi (and pork) mandu which are Korean style fried dumplings. Whoa baby! Both the soup which featured a variety of dumplings in a heavy pork broth and also the mandu were out of this world good. Right then and there I decided I needed to come back so I could explore more places like this. This was the type of spot I'll always remember.

Dumpling Soup and Kimchi Mandu at Bukchon Sonmandu

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 Moon Bird Only Thinks of the Moon 

The wifey found a fantastic little teahouse. As fun as that was the walk there was my favorite part. We squeezed through little holes and climbed stairs here and there to get here. Pretty sure a car could only take you so far. Moon Bird Only Thinks of the Moon is a nontraditional name for a very traditional teahouse. This was my first ever trip to one of these. I'm not the biggest tea drinker but I do like it more and more with age. Kind of like wine. Seoul has some amazing tea shops and this would be one of them. No idea what I had but you can see the set in the picture below. It's located in the Insa-Dong neighborhood and I'm still kicking myself for not trying one of the many little restaurants we passed in finding this place. While many teahouses are modern this one remains old school.

Tea Set at Moon Bird only thinks of the Moon

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Maple Tree Korean Barbecue 

Since we were working with time constraints we weren't able to be too picky with our food choices. They had to be within easy reach. My wife's friend who's family still lives in Seoul recommended this popular spot for Korean barbecue which is something we were after. Maple Tree met my request for a place using real charcoal. I have no idea how common that is in Seoul I just don't like going to spots that use electric burners and such. I wanted the real thing while in Korea and I happily got it.

Banchan 

Banchan is the Korean name for small plates. It's almost like bread in that most every Korean restaurant will serve it before the main course. The banchan lineup at Maple Tree was strong. The items tend to be pickled stuff such as kimchi. Not everything is pickled though. The dolsat cooked omelette seen front and center was awesome. Of course the main event here is the meat. We got a couple kinds of pork and a plate of kalbi beef too. Fantastic. Easily the best Korean barbecue I've ever had granted I'm by no means experienced in the practice. Not cheap but the quality was evident.

Korean BBQ at Maple Tree

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Saboten 

Do to an random closing I wasn't able to get to my final stop. A place serving kimchi cheesesteaks that were supposed to be fantastic. Damnit. That said we still got to eat at the airport, and eat well at that. Airports in big Asian cities tend to have fantastic food courts. Seoul's in no exception. Among a handful of choices was Saboten which is a local chain specializing in Donkatsu which is what Koreans call Tonkatsu (the Japanese pronunciation). Donkatsu is the classic dish made of a breaded pork cutlet. Originally a Japanese classic it's now found in Korean restaurants everywhere. Saboten might be a chain but chains are different in Asia. Much better than they are over here. As you can see this was a perfectly fried pork cutlet. Perfection in it's simplicity. We need one of these here!

Donkatsu at Saboten

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See ya next time @chibbqking 

Goldyburgers

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Chi (land)

Believe it or not I haven't been everywhere. At least not all the classic Chicagoland spots. The places that are getting smaller in number with each passing year. The type of spots I love to focus on here at S'C'&C. For whatever reason I flat out forgot about Goldyburgers in Forest Park. Like forgot as in totally never thought about it once the last decade or so. I remember it being one of the spots that first intrigued me when I started doing this some 11 years ago. This being exploring the Chicagoland area through food. Goldy owns the distinction of being one of the oldest burger spots in Chicagoland.

Locals Favorite in Forest Park 

Goldyburgers has a history that can be traced all the way back to 1926. It was a speakeasy during the prohibition. It was post prohibition that the then owners tore down an adjacent house making way for the bar that's pretty much the same today. As soon as you walk in you're greeted with that smell that only a bar open since forever can give off. If you're not big on bars or dive bars as that's what this is you can enjoy beers and or burgers in a really green outdoor patio space. Burgers are 1/3 lb of fresh broiled beef. They have many options as far as toppings but I had to go with the namesake as that's what made them what they are. Wow. This one was a surprise. Much better than I thought it would be. Not that I thought it would be bad but it came out looking like a classic backyard burger and it was. It just so happened to be near flawless. The beef was packed loosely and had a really nice flavor. I've been on a bit of a burger binge and this was the one that started it. The fries are frozen but that burger hit the spot. At a time when everyone is doing doubles it was a nice change of pace.

The Goldy Burger at Goldyburgers 

Goldyburgers
7316 Circle Ave
Forest Park, IL 60130
(708) 366-0750
Website

Karam Grill

-Grubbing in Chicago

More Middle Eastern in Albany Park

I had mentioned in a previous post how I set out on a lunch special-special. A round-up of the best lunch specials in the city. During research on where to find the answer I came upon a newly opened Middle Eastern restaurant in Albany Park. Like the other popular kebab spots in the area it's on Kedzie. Except Karam Grill sits in the strip mall just N. of Lawrence. They opened three months ago.

 Newly Opened in Albany Park 

I was instantly intrigued when I saw this place. Kebabs have to be one of the best semi healthy meals out there. Just good old fashioned grilled meats with lots of rice. Nothing fried unless of course you want some falafel. Karam Grill offers what they call a Middle Eastern menu. I asked the young lady working the register where she was from and she told me Jordan although you'll notice a few maps of Palestine hanging as well. The fact of the matter is the food served in these countries can be very similar from spot to spot hence the cuisine being called Middle Eastern. Where Karam Grill stands out above the other spots in the area is in the shawarma department. Get the lunch special featuring both beef and chicken and you'll be rewarded with a heaping plate of freshly cut shawarma for $6.99!

 Lunch Special With Chicken and Beef Shawarma 

I could tell the shawarma was cut fresh and never saw a flattop. It was near perfect in texture. It was so good I made sure to return a week or so later for some kebabs. They offer all the usual suspects. The best way to get a taste of as many as possible is the Mixed Grill combo platter offering Kufta (ground beef/lamb), sirloin, and chicken kebab. It too is a heaping plate of food but not quite as big of a bargain as the lunch specials. Everything was grilled perfectly and I liked the Kufta the most. No surprise as this is my go-to item at the other spots in the area such as NOK and Kabobi. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if Karam Grill has some sort of relation to one of the other spots. That said there's some things here such as garlic sauce that made me wonder is there a connection to Michigan? Dearborn to be exact. Which for those who didn't know is the country's center for Middle Eastern food/culture. One of the things you'll find at every shawarma shop there is white garlic sauce.

Mixed Grill Platter at Karam Grill 

Karam Grill
4849 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 942-6300
Website

Ina Mae Tavern

-Grubbing in Chicago

New to the 'Scene'

It took some time but the space that used to house an old dive called The Beechwood Inn has come back to life. This time in the form of a shiny new New Orleans inspired tavern. We had a chance to check out Ina Mae's one hot day this past summer. I like what they did. I did feel a bit of Nola vibe via the design of the place. Though it was empty on our visit it was also opening time on a weekday.

Newly Opened in Wicker Park 

Ina Mae's is the second spot from the chef behind Frontier. Chef Brian Jupiter has developed a name for himself at Frontier doing things like exotic game, and crawfish boils and such. The fried chicken is considered by many to be the best in the city. It makes an appearance on the Ina Mae menu. It's an ode to New Orleans with most all of the classics making appearances. You know the drill. Gumbo, Po Boys, Fried Shrimp, and more. Maybe not as much more as I'd like. I was hoping to see a few hyper local favorites on the menu. Something like Ya Ka Mein which I suppose could still make an appearance this winter. Nonetheless the area gained itself a great place for fried seafood. The 1/2 lb plate of fried catfish was as good as I've had here in the North. I'm confident the rest is just as good.

Fried Catfish at Ina Mae's Tavern 

I had to make a tough choice between the gumbo and the shrimp Po Boy and ultimately settled on the Po Boy. To go along with it I also got a side of dirty rice. One of my favorites. The rice wouldn't live up to the stuff at the long gone Analogue but it still hit the spot in the way that New Orleans style food most always does. The Po Boy had strengths and weaknesses. The strength was in the fried shrimp. They were just about perfect. But I felt like the bread could've been better. D'Amato's maybe? Still though we aren't in Nola. It was damn good for Chicago. It just needed some crisper bread.

Shrimp Po Boy at Ina Mae Tavern 

There is one hyper local Nola dish that they recreated. The famous SnowBalls found all over town. The mounds of shaved ice flavored with sweet syrups and evaporated milk and such. It's a Nola tradition that goes back to the 1930's. I did a little SnowBall tour once and loved doing so. Many of the spots down there are classic old school joints that have been around forever. I couldn't resist one from Ina Mae so I went ahead and got Tiger's Blood which is a popular (fruity) flavor down there. I loved that they serve them from Chinese takeout containers which is what the famous Plum St. Snowballs does. Only problem was the containers weren't secure enough and mine started leaking after a minute or so in the 90+ degree heat. It's a problem that's easily fixed and thus I'm sure I'll be back next summer for another. In fact this is the type of spot I'll probably get back to a few times.

SnowBall at Ina Mae Tavern

Ina Mae Tavern
1415 N Wood St
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 360-8320
Website