Eating BIG in Dallas Pt. 2

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties

-Another go around in the Big D

It's time for another go around down in Dallas. Believe it or not the DFW area is a place I get very excited about when it comes to the local food scene. It's also the home of my in-laws but that doesn't make me a homer for the city by any means. I mean I could care less about the Cowboys. Go Bears. I'm just a regular dude who likes to explore through food. Well if you know what's up you'd know that Dallas and it's surrounding suburbs are an exciting place to eat right now. The reason for this is a variety of things but none more obvious than the fact it's a very vibrant area that attracts people from all over. Some say that Texas is the new California and that's not hard to believe if you've been to any of their urban areas lately. Houston, Austin, and even San Antonio of late have been getting lots of love from the food media world. But don't sleep on Dallas folks. It's very exciting right now.

Mural in Deep Ellum (Muhahahaha)

One thing of note when it comes to Dallas and it's local food scene is they have fantastic resources in quite a few of the locals. Ever since I first traveled to Dallas to meet my then future in-laws I've been in the know on what to eat thanks to a few must follows in the food world. The first of whom is José R. Ralat who goes by @TacoTrail on twitter and Instagram. José is currently writing a book on tacos in America and Dallas is lucky enough to have him call it his home. Bc of José and his depth of knowledge regarding tacos in Dallas I consider the city to be one of the country's best taco towns. More on that below. Another must follow is Daniel Vaughn aka @BBQsnob who's Texas Monthly job title is BBQ expert. He canvasses Texas in search of the states best BBQ and Dallas is his home. Last and certainly not least is Brian Reinhart from the Dallas Observer. He's been the food critic there since 2016 and by my count is one of the country's best at digging up local gems. Take a look at this list for the 'Best 100 Restaurants in Dallas' and tell me it doesn't get you intrigued. I dare you. As evidenced in that list there's a ton of jewels in the area and these guys help them shine. Let's ride.

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Cattleack Barbeque (Dallas)

I'm always down for some BBQ my first stop in Texas. It's better here than anywhere else at the very least when it comes to beef and sausage. Beef brisket is probably the most popular menu item on most every bbq spot that serves it these days. That's bc so many of the newer spots to have opened across America specialize in Central Texas style bbq. Well most of the ones worth waiting in line for are found in Austin and the rest of Texas. Yes even in Dallas which for a while was deemed too far north to have the good stuff. Aside from some classic establishments there's some new spots that have taken off and Cattlelack BBQ is one of the better ones. We waited in line for about 45 minutes.

BBQ Spread at Cattleack Barbeque

Here's the thing about Texas style BBQ. If it's done right there's not a huge difference in the meats from spot to spot. Especially in Austin. As far as Dallas goes this was on par with the best of the best that the city offers. We tried the ribs which were classic Texas style - big, chewy, and meaty bones. The sausage is always extra crispy due to the snappy casing down there. That and extremely well seasoned. I love it. The brisket is what it is. Melt in your mouth type meat. It's almost like it comes down to the sides or even the condiments. The pickled onion trend is a good one and I love the spots that also offer them raw and with jalapenos. Pickles are a must. They just need to switch from bread to tortillas and offer sides of salsa with bbq sauce. This practice should become standard across Texas as this mash up of wonderful is about as Tex-Mex as it gets. Texas Forever type stuff. 

Brisket Closeupat Cattleack BBQ

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Revolver Taco Lounge (Dallas)

The aforementioned José R. Ralat currently holds a post at Cowboys & Indians Magazine where he's the food and spirits editor. José has done great work making sure the people of DFW know where to go for the good stuff while also sharing the stories of the people behind that food. Revolver Taco Lounge is one of the spots he put me onto through articles like this. I just recently had my first chance to try the spot that holds the #1 ranking in that list of the Top 100 Restaurants in Dallas that I linked to. Yep it's a taco shop but holy shit it's so much more than that. Revolver Taco Lounge is owned by a local named Geno originally from Michoacán. Geno is a well trained chef who along with his family and restaurant team has changed the game on what the term "chef driven tacos" can mean. By which I mean there's nothing trendy about the recipes here. Many are long time family secrets going back to Mexico. But when every little detail is focused on they shine in a way few do.

Salbute (front) - Baja Fish Taco (back)

Their octopus carnitas taco is said to be the stuff of legend but it wasn’t quite ready. Not a problem bc the daily special Yucatán style Salbute with cochinita pibil was perfect. As described on the board it’s “the original puffy taco”. Man I gotta get to Merida. A Baja Fish taco also rocked in a way that it would've been a showstopper most anywhere else. But the lengua stole some of it's thunder. They take a thinly sliced piece that's as tender as a shot of jello and lay it flat on a tortilla that's hand pressed and cooked in front of you by one of Geno's family members. I last had a taco with lasting impact like this when I was in Mexico City. So believe me when I say this place is a strong contender for the best taqueria in America. I haven't even had the chance to check out the fine dining in back.

Lengua Taco at Revolver Taco Lounge

All that goodness and I haven't even shared with you the house special.My gosh. This place rocks! Pictured below is cabrito aka baby goat and it’s one of those tacos that if you closed your eyes while eating it you’d think you were in Mexico. Monterrey to be exact. The tender pieces of meat were bathed in some sort of tomato-chile sauce that paired so perfectly with the fresh tortillas. Then there's the high end mezcal / raicilla selection. Wow. All females in the kitchen one of whom was raking out fresh corn tortillas nonstop. If you’re in Dallas and don’t stop here you didn’t do Dallas right.

Cabrito Tacos at Revolver Taco Lounge

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Resident Taqueria (Dallas)

It would take the hands of 100's of people to count the number of "chef driven" taco shops across the country. If I said 9 out of 10 are trash that would probably be under the ratio of what the real number is. That said there's a spot in Dallas called Resident Taqueria that's easily one of the best taquerias anywhere that's doing elevated tacos so to say. I cant get enough of the tacos from here and that's bc the options for good ones are almost endless. Pictured below are two tacos that will give you an idea of how they do things at Resident Taqueria. All tacos are served on handmade tortillas. On the left is their famous caramelized cauliflower taco. Lots of spots are doing cauliflower tacos these days and for the most they're all pretty bad. This one with a perfectly crispy piece of cauliflower paired with crispy epazote is an exception. On the right is a chorizo with grilled cheese and shishito peppers.

Tacos at Resident Taqueria

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El Come Taco (Dallas)

The lady picked this CDMX mixed with Texas type taco place. Campechano (brisket/chorizo) on top. Texas style with al pastor from the trompo, with avocado, jalapeño, cheese on left. And my favorite the suadero de la casa style which comes with sautéed nopales, potato, onion on the right - the beef was ok but the toppings took me straight back to Mexico City. The frozen margaritas are also solid.

Tacos at El Come Taco

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La Sultana Antojitos Mexicanos (Dallas)

Out in Oak Cliff I came across this place while waiting for my wife to finish up at a hair salon one day. It was early but not to early for tacos dorados. La Sultana was clearly a spot worth trying based on their menu of antojitos. They had alot of different Mexican dishes on offer as well as crispy tacos which are one of my favorites. Here they lightly fry the shells while filled with your choice of meat. Both the barbacoa and the deshebrada tasted fresh. These tacos were simple so the meats shined.

Tacos at La Sultana Antojitos Mexicanos

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Taquero (Dallas)

Like the rest of the country Dallas saw a ton of trendy taco spots open up over the last handful of years. Back in 2017 they were gifted this hip little stand in an up and coming part of town. Bc there is no indoor dining it has the feel of a street food though most street food isn't cared for in this way. The chef hails from San Luis Potosi and uses a local tortilleria to make his family recipe tortillas. We received a complimentary bowl of beans that was somehow meat free. They were full of wonderful flavor that usually comes from some sort of pork. No pics but the ceviche was killer. I really liked a brisket taco with tons of melted cheese inside. For those unaware the brisket taco is big in Dallas.

Tacos at Taquero

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Trompo (Dallas)

In the hip neighborhood of Oak Cliff you'll find this unassuming spot boasting tacos. Those in the know, and there are many, know those tacos are tacos de trompo. A style very similar to tacos al pastor in terms of prep and cooking bur a little different in seasoning. Trompo is the name of this taco shop that serves a few tacos but most notably the namesake taco de trompo. This is a style popular in Monterrey (Northern Mexico) which is different from al pastor in that it's heavily seasoned with smoked paprika if little else. The DFW area has a large Hispanic population with roots in Monterey so tacos de trompo are more standard around town than tacos al pastor. Trompo makes a fantastic that helped them get named one of the best new restaurants in America by Bon Appetit back in 2016.

Tacos de Trompo at Trompo

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Hamburguesas Del Rio (Dallas)

Both Whataburger and In-N-Out are found all around DFW. But I wasn't interested in either of them. That's bc these Hamburguesas estilo Monterey (Desde 1988) are so much more exciting. The Norteño comes with sausage, ham, white cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, and avocado. Normally I dont like meat (exception for bacon) on top of my beef when it comes to a burger. So instead of eating this with the slices of hot dogs I took them off and ate them as an appetizer. The ham was left on bc in the end it's not much different from bacon as far as it's place as a condiment on a burger. I've said it before somewhere - the burgers Mexico produces are mad underrated. For real.

Monterey Burgers at Hamburguesas Sabor Unico

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Herrera's Cafe (Dallas)

Yes I do love me some Texas BBQ. Specifically the brisket. But it's not a satisfying trip to Texas unless I get an order of cheese enchiladas covered in chili con carne from a local spot that’s older than me. Last trip in I did this by going to a place called Herrera's Cafe. They've had a presence in Dallas' Tex-Mex scene since the early 70's. I came here on a Monday at like 11a and it was packed. Holy crap. Texans eat out all damn day. I'm convinced most of them dont cook. Haha. Nah but lots of people on work lunch packed what's the current location of the original Herrera's Cafe. They have tons of lunch special combos on offer including a two piece enchiladas covered in chili con carne with rice and beans for something like $7. It's even cheaper on Thursday's when it's $5. I love this stuff. 

Cheese Enchiladas with Chile con Carne at Herrera's Cafe

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 Billy Can Can (Dallas)

The wife has friends that still live in Dallas so it's nice to get a chance to see them when we go down there. Usually we'll meet others out for a dinner at least once or twice each trip in. Last time we met up with some friends at Billy Can Can which we chose for the downtown location. This is right by the AA Arena where the Mavs and Stars play. It's probably not going to be the best restaurant you eat at in Dallas but it's solid for the location. We had our eye on the plate of Nashville style Hot Fried Quail. Both me and her have a thing for fried quail as little fried quail legs were on our wedding day menu as a greeting bite. I never did get one, nobody saved me one while I was taking pictures. I only got to try them at the tasting and I've been on the prowl for something as good since. I liked the fried quail at Billy Can Can but it wasn't touching the legs from Royal Fig in Austin. The house sausage was ok.

Food at Billy Can Can

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BigDash Ice Cream & Pastries (Richardson)

Located in what's a very warehouse heavy area of Richardson is this awesome little Middle Eastern ice cream shop. I'd read about it online and it seemed to be the perfect place to grab a treat and beat the Texas heat. Owned by an immigrant couple from Syria they specialize in Arabic style ice cream. Their unique recipe dates back to the late 1800's in Syria. There's a world famous place in Damascus called Bakdash Ice Cream parlor and they make a big public display out of beating barrels-full of its frozen treats with big wooden mallets which in turn gives the ice cream it's signature stretchy texture. I tried the rose water with pistachios on top and it rocked. So smooth. Notice the choco kebab below. I asked the son and he said they make crepes out of it. Haha. That's awesome. Next time maybe.

Syrian Ice Cream at BigDash Ice Cream

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Khao Noodle Shop (Dallas)

Man I consider myself extremely lucky to have gotten to eat here. Reason being is they just opened a couple months ago and while we were in town for Thanksgiving they had a couple days of a surprise soft opening that I just so happened to catch online. Mark my words when I say this noodle house with roots in Laos will be on many national 'Best New Restaurants of 2019' lists. Khao Noodle Shop is the product of Chef Donny Sirisaveth who’s a self taught cook. Or rather a chef who didn’t go to culinary school but learned alot from his Laotian mother. The atmosphere here is casual.

Thai Boat Noodle Soup at Khao Noodle Shop

While the menu and the feel is casual this isnt ShopHouse Kitchen. It's one of the best Lao restaurants in the States. Heck it's one of the best noodle shops around. Here they're doing portion sizes closer to what you see in SE Asia than you do in other regions. The idea is this allows the consumer to taste at least a couple different noodle soups which are the star of the show. I appreciate them deciding to go with the small bowls ($5 each) bc it gave us the chance to try all of them.

Khao Soi at Khao Noodle Shop

First up was an order of Boat Noodles as inspired by the Chefs trips to Boat Noodle Alley in Bangkok. Wow! This was very much similar except it had a little piece of tender brisket on top of the usual suspects. A s a nod to his homestate Texas so to say. It’s the pork blood that makes this soup special. Moving along the Lao style Khao Soi was killer! Slightly different from the version so popular in Chiang Mai in that the further north you go the less coconut milk is used in the making of it. For those that love the taste of fermented foods this is a must. It's still in my thoughts months after. 

Khao Poon at Khao Noodle Shop

Also amazing was the Khao Poon which pairs vermicelli noodles with curry and chicken broth. Every single one of these bowls was cold blooded killer. Death row meal type stuff. We didn't even have the chance to indulge in the appetizers which I've seen others raving about on social media. I can’t imagine coming back to Dallas and not stopping here. Honestly I could’ve eaten a few more bowls  even though I was full. They were each that good. What a treat the people of DFW have been given.

Stack of bowls at Khao Noodle Shop

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Sucre Cafe (Plano)

Friday is Brisket day at this newly opened Lao street food inspired spot in the Dallas suburb of Plano. Over the last decade the Dallas area has become the nations center for Laotian food and culture. What gives? By my estimate the kids. While there’s been Lao people here longer than a decade as far as Laotian food goes it was mostly found in homes made with ingredients acquired at the local Lao grocery stores. But now that their kids are grown up and the food world has opened up to all people they want to bring the flavors of their youth to friends and neighbors. This place was filled with young employees and most of the customers were also young. All of them Lao-Americans. I’m not sure if brisket is common in Lao kitchens but if not there’s no doubt it is in Lao kitchens in Texas. Makes sense bc the meat holds that fresh and funky dipping sauce so well. Sides of Lao papaya salad and sticky rice rounded out a fantastic lunch. Another reason for Texans to love Friday's.

Laotian Beef Brisket 

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Wu Wei Din Chinese Cuisine (Plano)

Tucked away in a Plano strip mall is an excellent little Taiwanese restaurant. Wu Wei Din is the type of place that when they opened became very popular with local Chinese people. Soon after the gringos followed and now it's a popular spot for all. They have a large menu but the stars of the show are their noodles and wontons. Both of which I love. I got their house version wontons and they were delicious. It's rare I meet a dumpling I don't like especially with the wontons. They're all good.

House Wontons at Wu Wei Din Chinese Cuisine

For my entree I had a tough time deciding between the beef noodle soup and the Dan Dan noodles. The former is more of a classic Taiwanese dish but I guess the latter can also be found around the country. I couldn't figure out if Taiwan has it's own style of Dan Dan noodles of if this version is similar to a famous place in Taiwan. Either way this came out as described online. It had a very peanut-y broth and thus was more sweet than spicy. I will say the noodles were as close as I've found them be compared a to a bowl of dan dan I had while in Hong Kong. I'd like to further explore the menu. 

Dan Dan Noodles at Wu Wei Din Chinese Cuisine

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Pullman Bakery & Shigepan (Inside Mitsuwa Market)

There's not a ton of Japanese people in the DFW area. But you wouldn't know this by driving thru certain parts of Plano. It's packed with Japanese businesses including a fresh new Mitsuwa Market. The Japanese grocery store has locations across the country in areas heavily populated by Japanese people and also Plano. The reason is as you may know Toyota is moving it's US headquarters to Plano and places like Mitsuwa were brought in to make those moving to Plano from Japan more comfortable. I scoured around the grocery store for a bit and thought it was much better than the  Chicago based one in Arlington Heights. The food-courts weren't much different but the Plano location has a Japanese bakery chain specializing in curry bread which are little pockets of dough stuffed with Japanese curry inside. They're a delightful on the go snack. I wish we had one here.

Curry Bread(s) at Mitsuwa Market

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Hakka Express (Plano)

I came across this food court in Plano’s Asia Town and there was a handful of Chinese stalls (and a few other cuisines) specializing in this and that. This is my type of place I thought as I began scouting out each stall. My first choice would end up being this little family owned shop called Hakka Express. They specialize in Taiwanese food and some beef stir fried handmade noodles sounded on point. They were. It's hard to find spots that can get close to that same level of wok hei found at restaurants around Asia. But HE is one of the few that do come close. This was as expertly prepared a plate of stir fried noodles as I've had in the States. Don't laugh. Legit stir fried noodles are an art.

Stir Fried Handcut Noodles at Hakka Express

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Morefan (Plano)

Next stall up is a spot that recently got it's first shout-out from the Dallas food media. Before Brian Reinhart's Dallas Observer team released it's 100 Best Restaurants in Dallas list he teased of a spot that was basically unheard among the city's food community. Back in Chicago I was curious what it was. Turns out it was this stall inside the food court that I returned to try the day after Hakka Express. Morefan Noodles is a Shaanxi spot specializing in Biang Biang noodles among other things. I love me some Biang Biang Noodles ever since having them in Beijing. This relatively simple noodle dish is another one of those recipes that takes skill to make. That's bc the noodles should be hand stretched which of course they are at Morefan. I watched as the guy took my order and then shouted it to a noodle maker in back. One bowl of youpo chemian (different pronunciation) later I was stuffed. Hand pulled noodles are placed in a bowl with a puddle of hot oil. On top goes tender cubes of beef, carrots, peas, and some greens. Mix it all up and you got an amazing meal for under $10.

Biang Biang Noodles at Morefan 

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BlackBall Dessert (Plano)

One strip mall over from the foodcourt you'll find this Taiwanese dessert import with a pretty funny name. BlackBall refers to the little boba balls popular in Taiwanese desserts I would assume. This place was packed with families and despite there being a couple new Taiwanese dessert shops in Chicago I had not been to them yet so this was my first dive into the insanely popular dessert culture of Taiwan. I decided to go with what I know I like shaved ice. Taiwanese style is much different than Hawaiian style shave ice and most other types of crushed ice desserts too. These can be considered a meal in and of themselves. Pictured below is a Taiwanese shaved ice dish called Jiufen taro. This dish is named after a famous dessert town outside of Taipei. It's made with a mound of ice red kidney beans, taro balls, and little sweet potato balls. It's a massive amount of stuff that starts to melt and then mold into one. This would end up being my first foray of many into Taiwanese desserts.

Jiufen Taro at BlackBall

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Beard Papa's (Plano)

Even though I didn't get to the now closed Chicago location of this franchise often, I still miss it. The only reason I only got to go a few times was bc it's downtown location wasn't convenient for me. Had they been anywhere near where I lived I'd have been there often and that's probably not a good thing. This Japanese import is a cream puff chain with roots in Osaka. These days they have locations across Japan and 100 in the US but none in Illinois anymore. So I was psyched to see one out here in Plano. What you see below is a Matcha green tea monthly special and the signature vanilla. Yum.

Japanese Cream Puffs at Beard Papa's

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Mango Mango (Plano)

I fell in love with the mango smoothie while in Thailand. They were truly the most refreshing drinks I've ever drank that weren't water. So when I saw this chain called Mango Mango I knew I was pulling over for a smoothie. This is a chain with a few Texas locations as well as the other regular regions that get lots of Asian chains - NYC, Cali etc. Mango Mango is a dessert shop dedicated to what's probably the most popular fruit outside of North America. The almighty mango. The menu here is flooded with different mango concoctions. Had I been dining in I would've gotten one of the many mango bowls on offer. I just needed a drink for the ride so I enjoyed a refreshing mango smoothie. See y'all next time.

Mango Smoothie from Mango Mango

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Note: To find the locations of all the spots featured in this post, as well as places I still plan on checking out, please click HERE for my google maps guide to DFW. Click HERE for Part One.

Hackney's on Harms

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Chi (land)

It's a flash back to the past with this weekends post. Hackney's on Harm's has been a part of the Northern suburb communities since 1939. The little restaurant and bar in Glenview is one of a handful of old school taverns found up that way that are still going strong. It's location across the street from a Forest Preserve and in between some houses reminds me of an old Northwoods establishment.

Locals Favorite in Glenview

My relationship with Hackney's goes back as far as the 80's with my mom. I remember stopping there once or twice when up North on errands with her. Then it reappeared in my life in late 90's. Back when I was a young Rambler at Loyola Academy. I remember going to their second location on Lake a handful of times during my two year tenure in Wilmette. That space is much larger than the original and bc of it's close proximity to LA it's always been popular for school banquets and such. For those who were previously unaware of Hackney's they have a complete menu of typical bar food favorites but there's two things they bank on. Most every table will have a brick onion loaf as an appetizer.

Hackney's Onion Loaf (1/4)

Props to Hackney's for offering their famous fried onion loaf in full, 1/2, and 1/4 sizes. Hackney's basically takes a ton of battered shoestring onions and drops them in the fryer and leaves it to fry as is. This creates what's basically a fried onion brick. A large one can feed a family of 6 so for those that arent dining in with an army by their side I suggest going with the 1/2 for four people and the 1/4 portion if there's just two of you. That said this isnt some life changing recipe. But it is good bar grub.

The Famous Hackneyburger on Hackney's House Rye 

But the real reason that Hackney's on Harms has lasted all these years are the burgers. They have whats unique enough of a recipe that stands out among others due to the use of rye bread as the bun. I don't know if they bake it in house anymore, I doubt they do, but it's still made for them somewhere. Same goes for their ground beef patties which are supplied fresh using a recipe blend that goes back more than 75 years. I like to get mine with cheddar cheese and grilled onions while lettuce, tomato, fries are standard on the side. This is a satisfying hamburger sandwich, it's on bread isn't it? So it's a sandwich. But I wish they would toast the slices of rye slightly so that it held up to the juicy beef a little better. Plus it's a better texture when toasted. You don't have to have your burger on bread but without the rye it's a pretty standard burger in terms of it's appeal. I'm not attached to this place in the same way as those that grew up with it are but I could see why they like it so much.

 The insides

Hackney's on Harms
1241 Harms Rd
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 724-5577
Website

Le Sud

-Grubbing in Chicago

New to the 'Scene'

If you still need Valentine's Day ideas how about a legit French restaurant? Something of a rarity in Chicago these days. Even a bigger rarity is the fact it's located in Roscoe Village which might be one of the least exciting dining neighborhoods in the city. Though that may change with the recent arrival of Le Sud. They call themselves French-Mediterranean and they opened in the last quarter of 2018.

Newly Opened in Roscoe Village 

My meal at Le Sud was actually my last meal of 2018. I suggested it for Valentine's Day bc we were able to make a NYE reservation only a few days ahead of the festivities. The space is large taking up almost half of a block and going up with two stories of dining. Travels through the South of France inspired the owner to open up. It's a casual spot with a very appealing menu of offerings. For those that love them some wine it's no surprise to find a very French dominated list. The menu isn't large but there's plenty of items that sounded like they'd be worth trying. A starter bowl of split pea soup was really interesting in that it was unlike most other split pea soups prepared the classic way. The peas were still split but the taste was different than I'm used to. Nice big pieces of pork in there too.

Split Pea Soup - pork belly, sage & garlic bread crumbs

Moving on I always like to try grilled octopus when it's on the menu. Though the gap in quality can vary quite differently from spot to spot. Some places can make the most tender of tails while others serve rubbery pieces that seem more like elastic. Le Sud was somewhere in between. I've had more tender bites but I've also had chewier ones too. This wasn't a complete miss but you can pass on it.

Seared Octopus - pommes purée, winter radish, bordelaise

The sunchoke is having a moment in restaurants right now. They're a big knobby root vegetable so no surprise to see them popular here in the middle of winter. We went with Le Sud's offering on the rec of our waiter. Well he led us in the right direction bc we loved the roasted flavors these released.

Roasted Sunchokes - pickled blueberry, trumpet mushrooms, whipped feta, rosemary

My favorite dish of the night was a bowl of baby clams paired with pork. This is more times than not a winning combo which it was at Le Sud. I appreciated the fact the baby clams were extra fresh and cooked perfectly. They were mixed with little chunks of pork and garlic in a slurp worthy broth.

Little Neck Clams - pork sausage, collard greens, roasted turnips, white wine

Lastly was a special on offer that very much caught my eye. It was shredded lamb meat mixed with beans and black truffles. It wasnt exactly as I had envisioned when it came out but nonetheless it was a delicious dish on a cold winter night. I pretty much love any type of casserole with beans in it. This rounded out what was a fantastic dining year for yours truly as well as my plus one. Au revoir.

Shredded Lamb - beans, black truffles

Le Sud
2301 W Roscoe St
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 857-1985
Website

Luella's Gospel Bird

-Grubbing in Chicago

Southern Flavors in Bucktown

In case you missed the announcement this week is 'Black Restaurant Week' in Chicago (Feb. 10-17). According to the CBRW website - "In 1926, Dr Carter G. Woodson founded ``Negro History Week``, which fell on the second week of February. In 1976, February became Black History Month. While our Designer was busy creating Chicago Black Restaurant Week, she decided to honor Dr. Woodson's initial legacy by placing CBRW during the second week of Black History Month" Let's check one out in celebration of all the African-American men and woman who contribute to Chicago's hospitality industry in major ways.

Newly Opened in Bucktown 

Luella's Gospel Bird is the second restaurant from Chef Darnell Reed. His first place is Luella's Southern Kitchen in Lincoln Square. I'm a fan of the home cookin' at Luella's Southern Kitchen so I was excited when I heard they were opening a second spot with it's own focus. That said the food at Luella's Gospel Bird is much like the stuff at Southern Kitchen. By which I mean delicious. On our fist visit it was brunch time so the menu is slightly switched up from the regular lunch and dinner. Don't fret bc the Georgia style Shrimp and Grits are fan-flipping-tastic. Every component of this dish rocks. From the super smooth and creamy grits infused with bacon to the plump Gulf shrimp. Money.

Shrimp & Grits at Luella's Gospel Bird

But the star of the show here is the namesake gospel bird. They have regular fried chicken too but they have a unique style that mixes a couple favorites. They take a classic fried chicken and slather it with a Creole barbecue sauce. It's pretty unique and that's something that isn't all that common amongst fried chicken recipes. Sure the crust can differ here and there but I'm not sure I can recall ever having fried chicken that was similar to this. It's pretty damn addicting. It's both sticky/crunchy.

Luella's Fried Gospel Bird

I read over at Eater that Chef Reed was inspired by Adrian Miller's 'The Soul Food Scholar' book which details how fried chicken was a special occasion meal for African Americans down South. The creole bbq sauce used on the gospel bird isn't from any region in particular. It's just an ode to the bold flavors you'll find in Southern cooking. Made with Crystal hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Creole seasoning it packs a wallop of flavors that coat the fried chicken like white on rice.

Luella's Gospel Bird 

As mentioned they also have a standard version of southern fried chicken. If fried chicken isn't your thing they also have a smoked jerk chicken on offer. I've heard everything is fantastic and that's not surprising bc everything I've had has been good. Even the sides are top notch. I feel like to get the ultimate beignet experience one must enjoy them in the courtyard at Cafe Du Monde but an order from here was good nonetheless. In a neighborhood that doesn't see many exciting openings this is most certainly one. Luckily for all the locals seem to have embraced the bird as it's looked busy.

Beignets at Luella's Gospel Bird 

Luella's Gospel Bird
2009 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 904-7704
Website

The Illinois Chili Trail

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties

- The Last of Illinois once popular chili parlors

The extinction of the American chili parlor is near. I'm guessing you can find less than 100 of them left. At one time chili was as American as apple pie. Of course aside from basically Native American cuisine all dishes deemed American have origins elsewhere. I remember reading as a youth that the Aztecs created the dish using the human flesh of their dead enemies as the base in a pot full of chiles. Of course that origin probably isn't true. What is true is that Mexicans, Texans, New Mexicans, and yes Midwesterner's have been chili obsessed for well over a century. What many might not know is chili is pretty big here in the Land of Lincoln. One of the country's biggest chili cook-off's happens yearly down in Springfield attracting competitors from all over. I don't have an exact number but there are still a few chili canning companies in state. Most of them down in Central IL where they not only have their own style of chili but their own spelling of it too. Chilli with two L's.

The canned chili (and chilli) aisle at a local Central Illinois grocery store

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Lindy's Chili (Chicago, IL)

Our first stop up is the only remaining chili parlor within the city of Chicago limits. That said there's multiple locations left. Lindy's Chili has been a part of Chicago's southside since 1924. The original is on 3600 block of Archer in McKinley Park. There's a second old school spot on the 6800 block that's both a chili parlor and a bar. It's the better of the two. Lindy's Chili is reminiscent of a couple long gone Chicago spots I can remember. It reminds me alot of the chili they had at Ramova Grill in Bridgeport and also the chili they served at Demon Dogs in Lincoln Park. I don't know if we should call this Chicago style but there was definitely a similarity in the recipe amongst popular places for chili. It's a smooth blend with little specks of finely ground meat and beans (available without). It's pretty mild but with the addition of some onion, cheese, and macaroni it's comforting on a cold day. In 1974 a local guy who owned Chicago made Gertie's Ice Cream (Since 1901) bought Lindy's and paired the two together. Anyone out there have any memories of going to a local Lindy's as a kid?

Chili Mac at Lindy's Chili

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Bishop's Famous Chili (Westmont, IL)

Out west in the suburb of Westmont rests Bishop's Chili. Currently owned by a fourth generation family member of the founder who opened it in 1925 at 18th and Damen Streets on Chicago's west side. According to the website Mary Bishop had been fired from her previous place of employment, a different chili parlor, for changing the recipe. The second generation of Bishop's moved the business out to Forest Park to be closer to home. The Westmont location opened in 1974 and at the time was the third location but today it's the only one left. Bc of it's original Chicago location you wont be surprised to find the chili here to be much like Lindy's and others that are long gone. It too is mild.

Chili at Bishop's Chili

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Dew Chilli Parlor (Springfield, IL)

Next stop up is Chilli Country aka Central Illinois. The center of commerce down there is found around the capitol. There was a time when one could find endless chilli parlors around town. Sadly only a few remain. One of them is the Dew Chilli Parlor which traces it's roots back to 1909. I read that they were responsible for implementing the two l's though it was already popular amongst the city's street-side vendors. I've always wished I could go back into time when chili and tamales were served on the streets of America. For a while the original Dew was as close as you could get. The first bowl of red from this now local franchise was served here but the location closed this past summer. I was lucky enough to visit around this time last year and got my fix which is good enough for a few years. More on Central IL style chilli below but let me say this to give you an idea of it. I took a cup of this stuff home and it turned rock solid overnight in the fridge. Hard enough to be used as a weapon in prison.

Chilli at Dew Chilli Parlor

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Paul's Confectionery (Decatur, IL)

Over in Macon County in the town of Decatur you can find Paul's Confectionery. They've been a neighborhood fixture since they first opened their doors in 1924. They do quite a few things at Paul's but it's the chilli that made them a neighborhood stay. Like most of the chili parlors left Paul's was handed down by the generation. Over time they've added items like thick milkshakes and of course ice cream as the name suggests. I traveled down to Decatur a few years ago and really enjoyed my trip to Paul's. The most glaring characteristic of Central Illinois style "chilli" is the puddle of grease on top of each bowl. This is called oleo oil and as I learned in Robb Walsh's 'The Chili Cookbook' you're supposed to use the crackers served on the side to soak it up. The oil comes from beef tallow used.

Bowl of Chili at Paul's Confectionery 

So what else aside from the little puddle of oleo oil makes Illinois style chili it's own thing? Well there's a recipe for it in the aforementioned Chili Cookbook by Robb Walsh. Aside from the suet you need plenty of ground beef and also red kidney beans. Celery is popular in Midwest chili recipes and is used in this style as well as lots of onions. No canned tomatoes but instead tomato juice. It's a legit recipe for anyone looking and there's plenty of other regional variations in the book that make it worth a buy. The common toppings in Illinois tend to be cheese and onions, and of course crackers.

Close up of the chili at Paul's Confectionery

Another popular chili condiment throughout the Midwest is pasta. Be it in spaghetti or macaroni form. Bc this is most associated with Cincinnati style chili which many deem horrible it gets a bad rap. Chili goes great with spaghetti. Then again I'm in the camp that can appreciate Cincy style chili when in Cincy. Just make sure to go to one of the old school spots. Bc like Paul's they all have character that can only come with decades of service. I feel like the ambience is part of what makes the dying American chili parlor so appealing. Paul's makes a fine plate of the combo that is chili and spaghetti.

Chili Spaghetti at Paul's Confectionery

Because Paul's is located in Central Illinois I thought it would be good to also try a burger. Reason being is this is the region where the smashed crispy burger reigns supreme. You can read about the other Central Illinois food specialty HERE. Well this wasn't one of them so I suggest sticking to chili.

Cheeseburger at Paul's Confectionery 

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Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor (Carlinville, IL)

Here's a spot I couldn't wait to visit as soon as it appeared on my radar over at LTHforum years ago. The great Peter Engler aka Rene G had posted about his experience at an old school Mexican chili parlor in the middle of Illinois. To me it was fascinating stuff. What's the reason for it being here? It's not like we're anywhere near the Mexico border. Well according to Robb Walsh's book the founder of Taylor's Mexican Chili worked in the Mexican National Exhibition of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. It was at the previous World's Fair in Chicago that chili was said to have taken off in the States. Well one of the people who took a big liking was Charles Taylor who opened Taylor's that same year in 1904. Originally it was attached to the still running Taylor's Mexican Chili factory located a few blocks from the current location which they moved to in 1998. The chili made at the factory is supplied to the parlor. No it doesn't come from the can. It's supplied freshly made. But you can buy cans here too.

Mexican Chili at Taylor's

The first thing you notice about the chili at Taylor's (aside from the oleo oil) is it's red, real red. The only other noticeable ingredients are beef and beans. Though there's surely a recipe that's been followed forever. As red as this was I thought it was would taste intensely of chiles but it wasn't as hot as it looks. It was different from all the other spots up above but had some Central Illinois chili traits to it like the layer of oleo oil. Though chili is in the name you don't want to miss out on their butterbean soup which is also canned at the factory. They offer it as is or even better with a splash of chili on top. It's really good. Another popular way to eat the chili not just here but at all the previous spots mentioned is with tamales. Taylor's also makes those at the factory stuffing them with their chili. I imagine the popularity of tamales around the same time as chili also goes back to the World's Fair. Both were popular professions back in the early 20th century but are close to extinct in the 21st. 

Butterbean Soup (with meat aka chili) at Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor

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Lindy's Chili and Gertie's Ice Cream 

6544 W Archer Ave

Chicago, IL 60638

(773) 229-1512

Website

Bishop's Chili 

250 N Cass Ave # 1

Westmont, IL 60559

(630) 852-5974

Website

Dew Chilli Parlor

Multiple Locations

Website 

Paul's Confectionery 

999 N Water St

Decatur, IL 62523 

(217) 428-6665

Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor 

510 N Side Square

Carlinville, IL 62626

(217) 854-7516

Website

Gao's Kabob

-Grubbing in Chicago

Northern Chinese Skewers in Chinatown

I have an ongoing google maps guide for my trips to Dallas to visit the in-laws. There's a spot in Plano that's on it called Gao's Kabob. I hadn't gotten the chance to try it yet but I liked the idea of a Chinese sports bar. Then one day when riding around in Chinatown I noticed a sign for a new place opening up and the name immediately rang a bell. Gao's Kabob was coming to Chicago. This was exciting news. If for anything bc the neighborhood itself continues to grow and it has nothing to do with gentrification. According to research I did this is the third US location of Gao's. The other two are both in Texas (Plano and Houston). I cant quite pinpoint exactly where in China they're from but the menu is very Northern Chinese with the kabobs leading the way. Crawfish ala Ghost st. in Beijing is also big here.

Newly Opened in Chinatown

Gao's is tucked away on 22nd street. Thus it hasn't really taken off with the Anglo's. That said the younger locals have been all in since it's opening. Which had prevented me from trying it until a few weeks ago when we noticed they were almost empty. Well within a half hour of being seated the place was packed with large groups dining on large trays of kabobs. The menu is a full page front and back. It's broken down by kabobs and also some non-kabob menu items. On my first visit they were out of just about all the non kabob menu items. Bummer but as I later learned on more recent visits the kabobs are what you're there for. At least they're what everyone else is there for. Of late they've been giving tables edamame and boiled peanuts with hints of star anise in each bite, a delight.

Complimentary Edamame and Boiled Peanuts

I wasn’t sure what the "WangZhang" was on that first visit. But I ordered them bc they were listed first under the house specials. Turns out they’re fried hot dogs dusted with dry chiles. I liked these more than I care to admit. In fact I’ve already been back for more hot dogs. They slit the dogs in unison before putting them onto a skewer and dipping the skewer in spicy chiles before frying them. Some of the best junk food in the game right now. All US based fast food outlets should take note.

Fried Hot Dogs and Gao's Rib Skewers

The hot dogs in the picture up above are shown with the rib skewers. These are little bone-in bite size pieces that are also very nice. If not the hot dogs the best skewer there might be from a little specials menu at each table. They're called HongLiu lamb skewers and they're cooked on some sort of twig. The lamb itself is nice and fatty but also rendered just right. They have a little red spice shaker at each table and it’s full of lip smacking deliciousness. This is what makes the lamb skewers so good.

HongLiu Lamb Skewers (chicken Wings and Hot Dogs in back)

I liked the beef rubbed with fat skewers more than the small single bites of beef skewers that come 12 to an order and are cooked to an almost rare temperature. FYI that's intentional and the waiter warned us before putting the order down. The chicken wings are nothing special and not worth the stomach space over the aforementioned skewers. The king eggplant dish was interesting. It's not a skewer and is meant to share. It wasn’t easy to eat and some would probably find the texture unappealing but it did have some good flavors going on. I still haven't been through the menu and I'm pretty sure there's a few more gems waiting for me when I find them. Over on twitter (and instagram) @brian_eng is one of the city's best food follows for knowledge on spots like Gao's. He said he's zeroed in on the pork, lamb kidney, grilled oyster, pork feet, eggplant, chicken cartilage, small lamb.

 Eggplant, Mini Beef, Mini Lamb Skewers at Gao's Kabob

Gao's Kabob
232 W 22nd Pl
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 526-3836

Munno

-Grubbing in Chicago

New to the 'Scene'

The first time I'd heard of Munno was via a written piece at Fooditor. A tease to the story promised the reader the chance to learn about the best unknown restaurant in Chicago. Or something to the likes. There aren't too many spots I don't know about so I clicked and sure enough came to learn about a new to me Italian restaurant located on Clark street just across from the locally famous Carol's Pub.

Newly Opened on North Clark

Munno opened last May at the bottom of a newly built apartment complex. For whatever reason it squeaked through the cracks of local food media, well whatever is left of it anyway. That said Chicago is a big city so some places tend to slip through the cracks of Eater, Chicago Magazine, and others. Luckily we're blessed with hyper local coverage from the likes of Fooditor bc without that article I'm still not sure I'd have known about what's one of the best low key Italian restaurants in the city. From what I can can gather the biggest reason it hasn't lifted off to the likes of Eater's hottest restaurants in the city list is the location. But those who head over to what's basically the area of space in between Andersonville and Ravenswood will be rewarded with some fantastic pizza and pastas.

Sausage Americano Pizza at Munno

As the Fooditor story states they wanted to create something that felt like a neighborhood spot in Italy. So they make a handful of pizzas and offer a handful of pastas both of which were wonderful on a recent winter night. The pizzas are Neapolitan style but are made in an electric burning oven that reaches up to 850 degrees. This might piss some purists off but I thought the pizza we were served was one of the best pies I've had in a while. I couldn't believe how good it was. Not bc I didn't think this place was capable of making a delicious pizza but bc I really hadn't heard anything about it. Usually if a place in Chicago is making pizza this good it gets popular pretty quickly. Super legit.

Ravioli ai Funghi at Munno

The same type of care put into the pizzas is given to the pastas. An order of Ravioli ai Funghi was stellar. Little pockets of handmade ravioli are filled with a mushroom and Parmesan filling and cooked in a brown butter sauce with toasted walnuts. This dish felt like it was something I would eat at my local trattoria if I lived off in Italy somewhere. With it being the dead of winter an order of Maltagliati alla Genovese is a really strong play these days. Hand-Cut pasta is covered in a Neapolitan beef and onion stew sauce. This was something I could eat it every day the temperature dips below 40 degrees. I like the approach they took with the menu. It allows the handful of items on offer in each section to shine. If you pay attention to them on instagram you'll notice they have a pretty regular rotating list of specials. Don't sleep on Munno much longer. Food this good cant hide forever. 

Maltagliati alla Genovese at Munno

Munno
4656 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 942-7575
Website