Mr. Allison's

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)  
A Ham Hotspot in Arlington Heights 

It's going to be a while before the Bears become full time suburbanites but when they do I got a pre-game breakfast spot for you. I've said before somewhere on here that Arlington Heights and the surrounding Northwest suburbs have some really good food options. Particularly when it comes to Asian and especially when it comes to Japanese. The international food scene in this area is strong. So when ever I'm up this way it's usually something Asian as far as food goes. But sometimes I'm out here before any of those spots open which is how I found Mr. Allison's. A popular early morning spot. 

Locals Favorite in Arlington Heights 

Mr. Allison's sits in a busy strip mall that houses a couple handful of businesses. It's the busiest of the bunch especially during breakfast hours. They're open daily from 6a-3p and feature all the classics as far as an American diner goes. But check the common mentions online and it's the ham that gets love in the majority of reviews. They serve cut from the bone ham in a variety of ways which means split pea soup is an every day offering. I suggest ordering a cup anywhere where ham is the focus.

Split Pea Soup at Mr. Allison's

I went in with the intent of getting a ham sandwich and that's what I ordered, add a side of fries. First off the fresh cut fries here are a contender for some of the best in all of Chicagoland. Fried to perfect golden hue they're crisp on the outside and fluffy within. I was not expecting them to be that good. The ham sandwich is three thickly cut slices of tender ham dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Pick your bread which was toasted white for me. This was a two hander meaning you needed both of them in order to not make a mess. It's a typical simple ham sandwich but also an exceptional one. 

Ham Sandwich at Mr. Allison's

Perhaps the best part about this place is the fact you can buy an entire ham bone for something like $5. That's right, what's typically the most coveted part of a big ass ham roast is yours for the price of a bag of beans to cook with it. As opposed to having to buy an entire ham and what not. It wasn't until somebody online told me that this place was in Roselle and not Arlington Heights that I put two and two together and realized there must be some sort of connection between Mr. Allison's and Mr. A's. The latter of which is in fact in Roselle and has been featured on HERE before. It's a HAM WAR!

Ham Bone from Mr. Allison's 

Mr. Allison's 

1711 Central Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 
(847) 228-5870
Website

Lula Cafe

-Grubbing in Chicago  
A local legend in Logan Square

So you'd think that with all the Chicago restaurant experiences I've shared on here I would have posted about my favorite neighborhood place by now. By which I mean my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood where I stay. Lula Cafe is by extension one of my favorite spots in the city. The type of place I consider lucky to have around despite a large collection of other spots more than worth their own weight. But Lula Cafe is special in that it's the type of spot I can recommend for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Aside from full fledged diners that serve the purpose of lots of food for a low cost there's just not many chef driven restaurants where they're doing a high level cooking for all three meals.

Locals Favorite in Logan Square

As of this post Lula Cafe has indoor dining (with proof of vaccination) for both brunch and dinner as well as a takeout window (with a slightly different menu) that's open from 9-3 Thursday-Monday. Today's post comes from a collection of visits. Lula Cafe has called their Kedzie location home since 1999. They're not just one of Logan Squares best restaurants but it's one of it's oldest too in terms of fine dining, although I wouldn't let that moniker scare you away as Lula Cafe is a chill, comfortable place to eat food that's prepared with the same love and care as you'd find at some of the city's Michelin star holding spots. My favorite time of the day to visit might actually be the morning bc their breakfast offerings are as strong as anywhere in town. Always on the menu items like the breakfast burrito and buttermilk pancakes are excellent examples from their respective parties. Another reason I love Lula Cafe is the menu is always switching up and it's fun seeing what's new with each visit. 

Breakfast (tamal + breakfast sandwich) at Lula Cafe

I'm not sure how long the takeout window will last but they already brought it back once after shutting it down earlier this year. It may be weather pending. But for now we've had a very mild Fall and I always find myself tempted to stop whenever I'm passing by on a walk or whatever. I did this recently for their turkey sandwich which I had been eyeing all summer. I don't order out a ton of turkey sandwiches but I had a feeling that Lula would do a really good one with turkey that was roasted and sliced in-house as opposed to Boars head brand or whatever. They call it the Lula '99 Turkey Sandwich in an ode to it's place on the menu during their opening year. It comes with avocado, tomato, lettuce, red onion, sprouts, and chile aioli with the option to add cheddar and/or bacon for $1 each. I'm not sure where they get their bread but every component of this sandwich is super strong. Their commitment to market fresh and in-season ingredients is showing in this one. 

Lula '99 Turkey Sandwich 

I credit Lula for helping me understand entrees without meat can be as satisfying as those with. On a recent visit we tried a pappardelle with a walnut bolognese off the ever changing menu and it was as good if not better than any meat based bolgognese sauce I can remember. One menu item most always available is their signature spaghetti made with pancetta, queso fresco, and sweet and spicy chile ‘salsa rosa’ as they call it. I've ordered this for pickup a couple times since pandemic began. Lula is a spot I've come to appreciate more than ever with all that's happened in the restaurant world. 

Spaghetti at Lula Cafe

Lula Cafe

2537 N Kedzie Blvd
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 489-9554
Website

Eating BIG in Charlotte

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- A Quick Trip to the Hornets Nest 

As our trip in Asheville came to end we made a last second decision to head over to Charlotte. I'd never been and would like to see the world in it's entirety so I'm always down to check out somewhere that's new to me. She had been but it was years ago. Charlotte is the states largest city and also it's fastest growing so there's plenty to see and do. I went in knowing very little and I left knowing nearly as little as we only stayed for a couple nights. But we did it right in that we tried to visit as many neighborhoods and restaurants within them. I also got the chance to hit up a few local breweries and they were impressive in both beer and atmosphere. I liked Charlotte even if it's not as exciting as some other spots. Food wise it's a part of the South and the city has deep African American roots so there's def some gems to be found. In fact according to an article I read right before we visited Charlotte might be home to the Souths hottest food scene at the moment. Let's check it out. 

Sights from Charlotte
_______________________________________________ 

Red Bridges Barbecue (Shelby, NC)

Our last minute decision to head to Charlotte meant a stop in Shelby at Red Bridges Barbecue was easily in reach. They do the popular Piedmont style that you usually find north of Charlotte up in Lexington. Piedmont style means finely chopped pit cooked pork shoulder with a tomato vinegar sauce aka ‘dip’ plus red slaw (made with the vinegar dip), and hush puppies. Red Bridges has been smoking over hickory directly since 1946. It's said that Red Bridges was the first woman owned bbq shack in North Carolina. The late owner Lyttle Bridges was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame this past year. The chopped pork here had great smoke flavor and it was super fresh as they only make enough for the day. I read the sauce here is a bit thicker (and more red) than other spots serving this style but it’s by no means overpowering. The hickory smoked pork is the main flavor. I loved the slaw and the hush puppies too. This was a great first impression of NC barbecue.

Chopped Pork Plate at Red Bridges Barbecue
_______________________________________________ 

Brooks Sandwich House

Here's another roadfood legend I was happy to finally check out. Brooks Sandwich House sits in an area that was clearly gentrified judging by the big colorful brand new apartment building sitting across the street. The little hut that houses Brooks seems out of place these days. But they've been here since 1973. It's a walkup window with a little yard and some tables over to the side. They're known for their chili which is popular on both burgers and hot dogs. I went with a cheeseburger ordered "all the way" meaning mustard, onion, and chili. Down south chili is more of a topping than a meal and both of the Carolinas can make a case that their states are ground zero for the best chili dogs and burgers. 

Burger "All The Way" at Brooks sandwich House 
_______________________________________________

Leah & Louise 

As someone that’s always on the prowl for new spots to check out I’m a sucker for best new restaurant lists, especially ones covering the entire country. Leah & Louise was entered in at No. 2 on Esquire’s most recent list. It’s the project of a James Beard nominated chef and his wife who call their place a modern juke joint in restaurant form. The menu pays homage to the Foodways of the south and the Mississippi River Valley in particular (Memphis, Jackson, NOLA). So I was excited to check this spot out even if there aren’t any hot tamales on offer. We had a very enjoyable meal and the signature cabbage dish was as good as advertised (one of my favorites plates of food on this trip). 

Rich Boys- Fried Oyster Sliders with Brown Roux Aioli, Dill Pickled Celery

Dirty Grits - Smoked Turkey Neck, Slow Roasted Corn Grits

On My Way Home- Mussels, Lemon, Butter, Smoked wine, Worcestershire Sauce, Cornmeal Brioche

Leah’s Cabbage and Roll Up - Braised Cabbage, pepper honey, smoked sausage, pork neck bisque

Arthur Lou - Tang Custard, Oat Crust, Floral Meringue, Fresh Berries

_______________________________________________

Stable Hand 

I always check Eater for any current lists they may have as far as any cities I'm visiting. If they cover the area they'll usually have an updated list of  'where to eat now' type spots. Newer places creating buzz within the restaurant community. So that's how I came across Stable Hand which is a community driven coffee shop, bakery, and daytime wine bar / cafe. We stopped in for breakfast and I zeroed in on their rice porridge offerings opting for the savory version. The recipe gets switched up regularly but on this day I enjoyed a warm bowl of congee dressed with mushrooms, greens, chicken sausage and cheese. She had a strawberry biscuit concoction that was awesome. A nice neighborhood spot. 

Rice Porridge at Stable Hand 

_______________________________________________

What The Fries

What The Fries is a Black owned business that's creating buzz around town. My wife found them on social media and insisted we check them out. They started as a food truck and now have a brick & mortar too. We used google maps to figure out which one was closer to us and the food truck won. So we rode over to a business campus type setting for an early lunch one day. What The Fries is a family and friends owned place that started out as the idea of some Johnson & Whales culinary students. They call it an "elevated fries experience" and I know some people don't like to use the word elevated anymore but in this case they are elevated in that they serve fresh cut fries dressed up a variety of ways. More than just ketchup or cheese. They also make their own tater tots so we had to try those too. Truffle fries were tasty but if we're being real I'm more of a minimal guy when it comes to my fries. So no surprise I loved the hand cut tots which were like little pieces of perfectly fried hash browns. 

Truffle Fries and Hand Cut Tots at What The Fries 

_______________________________________________

Angie's Diner 

Charlotte has a really nice collection of soul food restaurants making it one of the city's strong points when it comes to food. I happened to find this one while searching through them online and I decided to grab lunch here based off the fact it was around the corner from our AirBNB. I ordered the meatballs with rice and gravy off the daily specials board and got a side of pinto beans too (a popular side in the south). As I type this here today I'd go get this for dinner later today if I could. 

Meatballs with Rice and Gravy at Angie's Diner 

_______________________________________________

Vana 

Here's another Eater type hot spot. Vana is the second project of a local hospitality tag team. The food is rustic American comfort wit an emphasis on wood grilled. I didn't get a pic but they have the cutest little open air grill setup where much of the cooking is done. We stopped in for drinks but also got a small plate to share, one that came highly rec'd by our knowledgeable waiter. He led us right with a really well made dish consisting of wood grilled butternut squash, brown butter, shrimp, capers, and pepitas. Had we had another day we'd have given strong consideration to returning. 

Wood Roasted Butternut Squash at Vana 

_______________________________________________

Bar-B-Q King 

I stopped for some Charlotte style Drive-In Barbecue Fried Chicken as approved by Guy Fieri. Sadly I couldn’t make a trip to Keaton’s in Cleveland work out but I happened to be riding by this DDD featured spot so I decided to pull in for some of their famous bbq fried chicken. Fried chicken is tossed in a vinegar heavy sauce reminiscent of saucy fried chicken from Uncle Remus on Chicago’s West Side. I liked the sauce but the chicken was clearly pre-cooked based on temp. Since 1959.

BBQ Chicken at Bar-B-Q-King 

_______________________________________________

Cajun Queen 

We both decided that the pictures (and reviews) were good enough to give the Cajun Queen a try. It's a local landmark popular for their New Orleans food and feel. It sits in a 100+ year old house so the atmosphere is pretty good. But the food wasn't quite what we had hoped for. An order of barbecue shrimp, crawfish etoufee, and crawfish Diane was decent but definitely not smack your mama good. 

NOLA Food at the Cajun Queen 
_______________________________________________

Yosties Bakery (Faith, NC)

My first pepperoni roll! Along with a hot dog all the way (chili, mustard, onion) seen below. Not in West Virginia (never been) but about 40 mins north of Charlotte in Faith, NC (found en route to Lexington). Pepperoni Rolls are found all over WV and their story goes back to the Italians that came to work the mines. Historians trace them to Giuseppe "Joseph" Argiro at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia circa 1927. It’s a simple dish consisting of bread baked with pepperoni strips inside. These were easily brought into the mines and proved to be a popular snack when first introduced. Over time it’s kind of become the signature regional eat of West Virginia where the owners of Yosties come from. I got tried one plain (just pepperoni) and one with cheese (baked to order) and they were both awesome. I was tempted to try one with chili but settled on a hot dog as the delivery vehicle for that. The south and both Carolinas in particular has great chili dog chili but the hot dogs are most always a sad skinless variety. I guess this lets the chili sit front and center? I enjoy them but miss the snap you get from a quality natural casing hot dog. Fun stop, they always are down south.

Chili Dog and Pepperoni Roll at Yosties 

_______________________________________________

Lexington Barbecue (Lexington, NC)

I wont even front. The main reason I said yes to going to Charlotte was bc the legend that is Lexington Barbecue would finally be within reach of me. When it comes to Piedmont style North Carolina bbq this spot is perhaps the pinnacle. Known to locals as “the honeymonk” or just ‘Monk’s’ after it’s founder Wayne Monk who opened the place in 1962. Despite its national fame not much has changed save for the size of the smokehouse. Oak and hickory are used exclusively to smoke pork shoulder which can be ordered a variety of ways. My plate pictured is chopped with some crinkle cut fries and the areas signature side - red slaw which is made with the same red vinegar sauce that comes standard on all smoked meat served in the region. Plus some hush puppies and I can now understand their appeal. They’re so good down there! I was tempted to check out some other spots as there’s lots of options around town but I couldn’t imagine any of them offering a better experience than this. Bomb ass bbq and extra wholesome hospitality. Cross another one off the bucketlist!

Chopped Pork Plate at Lexington Barbecue 
_______________________________________________

See ya next time @chibbqking 

Talard Thai Market

-Grubbing in Chicago  
A Thai Supermarket in Uptown  

As I've mentioned before 2021 has been a big year for Thai restaurant openings. While the city's Thai restaurant scene is by no means new it keeps getting better. I feel like today's stop is a big part of the recent boom. Talard Thai Market is new but not brand new. It opened on Broadway in Uptown in Nov. of 2019. It was opened by a couple of Bangkok natives that met in Chicago. Mike Sula was on it early and you can check out his story for the Reader HERE. As noted Chicago has had a good number of Thai restaurants for a while now but this is the areas first newly opened Thai market in over a decade.

Locals Favorite in Uptown 

From a market standpoint Talard is the first spot you should check when in need of Thai ingredients of any sort. If it's common in Thai cooking or a product from Thailand they're more likely to have it here than anywhere else around town. Local cookbook author Leela Punyaratabandhu is mentioned in Sula's piece as she's written two of the best Thai cookbooks you can find in English and is also the person behind the blog SheSimmers where she shares with the world some of her favorite Thai recipes. If you're looking to get into Thai cooking her work is the first stuff you should look at as far as research. After that you can head over to Talard bc you're going to want to try and make it all.

Steam Table at Talard Thai Market 

If you're more interested in leaving the Thai food to the Thai cooks around town don't fret bc Talard also boasts a cafeteria type setup in the back of the store. In Thailand this setup is called a khao rad gang and it's similar to a meat and three cafeteria of the American south. If you visit on the weekend they have more than 20 home cooked Thai dishes ranging from morning glory curry to rotating specials like Khao Kha Moo aka stewed pork leg. This is a dish I immensely enjoyed in Chiang Mai at the world famous "Cowboy Hat Lady" stand. I have vivid memories of a meal there which I partook in with a bunch of Chinese businessmen. Though we didn't speak the same language we communicated through our enjoyment of the food we were eating. Those memories were triggered when eating this.

Khao Kha Moo at Talard Thai Market 

On the same visit I got the stewed pork leg they were also making Khanom Tokyo (Thai style Dorayaki) to order. These too brought back memories of our trip to Thailand as there's a famous stand in Bangkok called Mr. Tokio that sells this popular street snack that's enjoyed by all. It's a made to order thin flat pancake that's wrapped around either a sweet or savory filling. A Thai adaptation of Japanese Doriyaki. I enjoyed the sweet custard cream and the savory sliced hot dog equally. The opening of Talard Thai Market has brought easier access to hard to find Thai ingredients and with that it's taken the city's Thai food scene up a notch into the echelon of the likes of LA and Las Vegas. 

Khanom Tokyo at Talard Thai Market 

Talard Thai Market

5353 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 942-6566
Website

La Nonna

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Argentine-Italian in Avondale 

While I haven't been to every single restaurant in Chicago there's not many restaurants that I at least don't know of. This may sound like an exaggeration to some but after more than 15 years of exploring the city and it's suburbs through food I've driven past or browsed online just about every spot in town. When a new place opens up I recognize it as new right away no matter which neighborhood I'm driving through. Ok so this isn't 100% true in that I'm sure there's a few restaurants around town that not even I have researched but I'm confident I'm as familiar with the city's dining scene as anyone. So I was quite surprised when I stumbled upon La Nonna while looking up something else online. 

Locals Favorite in Avondale

When I first came across La Nonna (likely on google or yelp) I figured it was new, I hadn't heard of or seen it after all. But then I saw they had 100's of reviews and I couldn't believe I had zero recollection of this popular Argentinean-Italian restaurant in my noggin. A couple weeks later my mom, niece and myself needed a spot to get lunch and La Nonna was the perfect spot. According to an old DNAinfo article I found online La Nonna opened in 2017. The business partners behind it are both Argentinean and many of the recipes used come from one of their grandmothers. We had plans to visit Buenos Aires in March of 2020 but you know how that went. Chicago has a handful of Argentinean food options but for the most part they're steak type spots. La Nonna offers up a classic Argentine milenesa which is sometimes referred to as the country's unofficial dish. It's a humble meal of sliced and breaded beef that has roots in Italy. A popular way to enjoy milenesa is "a la napolitana" where it comes served topped with marinara, ham, and mozzarella cheese. It's a massive plate of food.

Milenesa a la Napolitana at La Nonna

While I enjoyed the milenesa I was really impressed with the choripan sandwich. You can find these all over Buenos Aires and debates over which spot serves up the best are often had. Even though the ingredients used are basically the same everywhere (chorizo sausage, bread, chimichurri) every porteño has a favorite place to eat them. La Nonna serves a split grilled sausage which is called a mariposa (butterfly) inside a well paired toasted roll with a slather of housemade chimichurri and lettuce, tomato, onion. It comes with fresh cut fries on the side. The end result is the best choripan sandwich I've had. Granted I haven't had a ton but it was an excellent sandwich overall. Perhaps the main reason La Nonna had evaded me for so long is the fact it sits in a very residential part of town.

Choripan Sandwich at La Nonna 

La Nonna
3400 N Lawndale Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 253-4741