The best thing I've eaten lately is the polenta pound cake with peach marmalade and a dollop of whipped creme at Campagnola.

I'm not even a fan of polenta, but had to try it because it was the most unusual dessert offering on the menu, and our server was most enthusiastic about it. I shared this dessert with my parents, and simultaneously, our eyebrows went as high as they go and we all said "MMMMMM!" The cake was moist, the texture not too gritty (which is what I usually find objectionable about polenta), very buttery (in a good way) and the marmalade and whipped creme together made a wonderful combination in our happy mouths.

I told our server that it must have at least 18 sticks of butter, and he said, "Oh, easy!" Sinful deliciousness.

Our dinner was fabulous too, but the dessert was a delightful ending to a very nice meal.

asami

The best thing I've eaten recently was "Warm Corn-on-the-Cob Soup, Grilled Duck Tenderloin, Sautéed Purple Scallions, Corn Kernels" from North Pond. the three duck nuggets were peppered and charred and the corn soup was poured around them. when I filled the spoon correctly, the bite would end with a barely-cooked kernel of pure corn-y essence.

delicious and, to me, perfectly seasonal.

My single favorite food item since I was ten years old: Kow Kow egg roll.

Second runner up: the Kuma's burger with chili and pepper jack cheese on it, what is it, the Yngwie J. Malmsteen, the John "Stumpy" Pepys... (quickly searches for menu online)... no, it's the Black Sabbath. The pepper jack just kicks the standard chili burger paradigm up to a new Olympian level of volcanic ass-kicking. For some reason I had a salad with this. What was I thinking?

First runner up: the corn pudding at Feed. Yesterday was a comfort food day. I had the catfish sandwich, the corn pudding, and the last and best part of Trilogy of Terror with Karen Black (the part with the murderous kachina doll), which I remembered practically shot for shot from the last time I saw it. Which would be its network premiere in 1975.

Winner: Calvados duck sausage with blood orange sauce and honey-drizzled blue cheese at Hot Doug's. I've missed the Sauternes-foie gras duck sausage at Doug's, this is the first thing I've had in a long time there that seemed to pack as much flavor punch without the foie gras.

I haven't checked the posts on this but I will assume there must be a near consensus regarding New York Bagel and Biali. Since I don't live near the Green Onion any longer and I don't frequent Mannys too often I had gone a few months without a good bagel.

The wife and I popped in to New York Bagel after we could not stomach the the wait at Patty's (or rather our stomachs could not wait).

As always I asked for what ever bagel is warm and we got a bag of piping hot sesame seed bagels along with the chive cream cheese and lox.

Oh man... usually chewy is not the appropriate word for a great bagel but fresh these things are almost gooey in the middle. The warm sesame seeds had a slightly sweet nutty flavor which was enough to make the bagels perfect as is.
Add some cream cheese and lox and I was feeling a little guilty by my third bagel in like ten minutes.
But what am I to do when the bagels are only fresh for such a short time.

I am usually a salt and poppy bagel guy with the lox but fresh is best.

A near second was about 10 separate things at the Wynn Casino Buffet in Vegas two weeks ago. I always have to adjust my food expectations for the buffet experience because I assume it will be slightly below a quality restaurant but at Wynn I had to re-adjust after the first fifteen minutes. Buffet or no the venison short ribs, the fried sea bass (sorry endangered sea bass), the pineapple sorbet and the rest were outstanding. I can't think of a comparable $40 feast. It is the best buffet without a doubt I had in Vegas.

After maintaining pretty health conscious eating habits for a few months so that my tux could look just right at my mom's wedding (it was a sacrifice, but how many times does a guy get to walk his mother down the aisle?), I returned home to Chicago with only one thing on my mind: the bread pudding at Rose Angelis. I can't say if it's the "best" thing I've eatenly recently, but I don't think I've ever craved one specific thing from one specific place as accutely.

third coast foodie wrote:As always I asked for what ever bagel is warm.

I always do the same, and I often get the stink-eye, as if they think that I'm implying that some of their bagels aren't good.

Of course, that is far from the truth, but like you, I know that the warm bagels are a lot more than just good -- they're amazing!

Paul SL wrote:My single favorite food item since I was ten years old: Kow Kow egg roll.

Looks good! Where do you get that?

Katie wrote:Looks good! Where do you get that?

It's not good, it's great!

And you can get it at Kow Kow

Best,
Michael

Dunno, although I've had the Kow Kow egg roll, and it's great...


...that garish picture still looks like the mothership after a crash landing.

And isn't that a Saint Hello Kitty apparition in the sweet and sour sauce? Somebody call Antonio Mora!

...that garish picture still looks like the mothership after a crash landing.

Kow Kow eggrolls do seem to prompt science fiction visions.

Yes, I know Eatchicago already linked that.

Perchance, does Kow Kow have a vegetarian version of their heavenly egg roll?

(...asked the egg-roll-loving vegetarian)

What: Taco de Pescado
Where: Taqueria Carlos, Downtown Cabo San Lucas
Cost: 23 pesos

yum

Ok, I know it's not the most authentic Thai restaurant in the world but I've had comparable offerings at the nearby Sun Wah and Thai Avenue, and for my money (and I've ordered it 4x in the last year--3x take-out), the Roast Duck special at Thai Pastry is still the best of its kind in the area, and certainly a noble takeout option.

4925 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 784-5399


-

The mammoth apple fritters at Old Fashioned Donut on way South Michigan Avenue.



Enormous and delicious, with high quality chunks of apple, not that poor "straight from a pie filling can" stuff that some places use. They sell out of them quite early, especially on Fridays, but thankfully the place is a short detour on my way to work.

Old Fashioned Donut
11248 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 995-7420

I regret only having this for the first time last weekend, but the huitalacoche tacos at the Maxwell Street Market (aka Mexican Wrench Festival) were amazing!

The smoky, earthen, fungus flavors complemented with the sweet-corn kernels were amazing! It had a bit of heat to it, as well, which was pleasant. The giant tortillas, made seconds before serving, were thicker than what I am used to, but delicious!

I can't wait for Sunday to come! Is there a better breakfast than a couple huitalacoche tacos? (The answer is: yes, a couple pastor tacos ALONGSIDE the huitalacoche tacos w/ a Mexican Coke.)

Arriba!

AbeFroman wrote:Perchance, does Kow Kow have a vegetarian version of their heavenly egg roll?

(...asked the egg-roll-loving vegetarian)

Sorry to quote myself, but I thought it might be relevant. I got two VEGETARIAN egg rolls from Kow Kow earlier tonight, and I'm pretty sure I saw a few shiny happy LTH folk breaking bread together in the dining room.

But I digress. Back to the egg rolls. My wife took a bite and said that it was bitter and astringent. So much so that she actually spit it out (not in the restaurant. at home. I got it carry-out)! Given all the effusive praise for Kow Kow's egg rolls at this site, I couldn't believe it. I took a bite of mine, and after biting through the groin-grabbingly crispy crunchy outside, I thought it tasted OK. Not great, but not horrible.

Then I took a second bite. And after a moment or two, my taste buds were assaulted by a strong, almost chemical taste. It was terrible. I also had to spit it out.

Just to be thorough, I took a 3rd bite. Not horrible, but worse than the first. Then the 4th bite was as bad as that brutal second one.

So what the heck happened to the "Best Egg Roll in Chicago"?

Was it the fact that they put so much care and attention to the porktacular version that vegetarian one is a mere afterthought?

Just an off night?

What?

Cuz I'm stumped.

EDIT: I realize that this is a negative post in a positive thread, so please let me know if I should have posted this in the Kow Kow thread instead. I really was ready for this to be the best thing I've eaten lately. It just didn't work out that way.

The best thing I've eaten lately is, not surprisingly, at Avec:

Mustard-braised veal breast with cabbage, fingerling potatoes, and sweet onion mostarda.

It's only $11.50 on the menu as a small plate, but it's a pretty healthy portion. For around $20, you can have this dish and a very nice beer or wine as a nice small meal. This is probably one of the best deals in town at the moment.

(Started the meal with a heck of a nice chicory, fennel, and mushroom salad too).

Best,
Michael

Avec
615 W Randolph
http://www.avecrestaurant.com/

Abe Froeman, I think you took one for the team on a vegetarian eggroll at Kow Kow. And I can't say I'm surprised at how it turned out compared to the other.

Creamy Egg Sandwich with Bacon on Toasted Ciabatta at Toscanini's Ice Cream and Coffee in Cambridge, MA. I'd say akin in a Chicago pepper and egg sandwich but with chives and garlic scrambled in with some cream. Like everything else here it's expensive (house-made ice creams like eary grey, Belgian chocolate, tiramisu, and "golden wort" -- a beer-flavored ice cream -- are $3.50 for a small scoop) at $5.25 w/out bacon; $8.50 with. But it's a delicious extravagance.

Toscanini's - Central Square
899 Main Street
Cambridge, MA
617-491-5877

cjk

Wagyu Beef Involtini, stuffed w/ golden chantrelles, asparagus and carmelized shallots.

Amore Mio, Hoffman Estates

There Pumpkin ravioli is to die for.

My best recent restaurant meal? It would have to be the jambalaya at the Maple Tree Inn in Blue Island. Absolutely superb, and it completely exorcised the ghost of a nasty March 2006 NW Indiana jambalaya experience (which made me quite sick).

Maple Tree's jambalaya was just the right level of spicy, and the ingredients were perfectly prepared. My only (minor) criticism would be that I would have liked a little more of the andouille sausage.

So far, I'm 2-for-2 at Maple Tree Inn - I had an excellent shrimp creole there this summer.

Salmon hot dog at fRedhots in Glenview. Firm, flavorful salmon magically formed into a sausage, served with chopped tomatoes, horseradish creme fraiche that was just precisely the right level of spiciness, and a generous dose of diced onion and capers. Served on a standard hot dog bun, which may have been the only (minor) strike against this marvel; I somehow imagined it served on something more like a bagel, maybe a pretzel roll. But that's just being petty. This was definitely one of the best things I've eaten lately.

My secret vice: I've been plotting this maneuver - last night, I served a roast turkey hindquarter for dinner. Today, just before lunch, I stopped by Wiener and Still Champion for ingredients...

My mise en place - My leftover homemade turkey gravy, WASC fries, and fried pickle chips for sustenance while I prep...


Here it is, my death row meal: french fries and turkey gravy. The hot dog was an afterthought, but it was damn good, too.


I usually indulge in this vice completely privately, frying my own fries - but Gus does it so darn much better!
(Quick aside- pickle chips were superb: just the right salt/sour hit; Sparky actually eschewed fries in their favor! He came around after finishing them off, though)

So... fries with gravy? Beth is a big fan.

Add some cheese curds before you put the gravy on next time, and you've got poutine.

gleam wrote:So... fries with gravy? Beth is a big fan.

Add some cheese curds before you put the gravy on next time, and you've got poutine.

I believe beef gravy is more traditional, though

A conversation between an Indian friend's college-age cousin and his thirtysomething uncle over the uncle's first poutine (all Hindu):

Young Cousin: It's poutine. It's awesome.
Uncle: Yeah, this is really good. Hey, what's in this gravy?
*long pause*
Young Cousin: Uh... I think it's, like... salt... and stuff.

Well, she grew up preferring KFC's fries with gravy, because of both the superior fries and the superior chicken-based gravy. So turkey isn't too far off.

Though if I understand correctly, poutine is made with some kind of dehydrated reconstituted gravy, yes? It would do, in a pinch - I began this vice as a server in my college cafeteria with the electric yellow "chicken gravy." I'm not a french-fries-and-gravy snob (except for the french fry part.) But homemade turkey gravy...especially good homemade turkey gravy (in this case turkey drippings, flour, pot liqor from collards, homemade chicken stock in which I'd poached a lemon, and salt) over perfect fries. Moment of reverent silence, please...

Yes. When they finally come to get me, that's what I'm asking for.

Ed, your wife and I obviously need to get together for lunch!

Mhays: she's a big fan of fried pickles, too!

As for the gravy, I don't know that reconstituted is required, I just think most people selling poutine are too lazy to make their own from scratch.