Kool Ranch Kale Chips from Rhythm Superfoods tasted like crunchy dirt. It's a raw vegan product so I think the effort to come up with a version of ranch dressing flavor without chemicals was doomed to fail. But everyone who tried it agreed the underlying kale chip was just about as bad.

A "Malbec Beef" empanada from the 5411 truck yesterday. The filling tasted like a dried pot roast without much seasoning.

The bacon, date, and goat cheese, however, was quite good.

I'm casting around for a 'go-to' place in my new 'hood [east Morton Grove]. A place I can go for a good beer and decent entree when I've had a bumpy day and need a treat. I was auditioning Glenview House for this purpose. At first glance, all looks good. Lots of beers on tap, some interesting looking sandwiches. The web site promises food that's "...fresh, locally sourced, organic and delicious. Our menu features beautifully presented, upscale American comfort food with French, Italian, and Asian influences."

Sounds great, right? My first visit had an adequate burger ["Three Beef Burger - braised short rib, prime rib, ground chuck, black truffle mayo, fontina cheese, forest mushrooms, choice of side, brioche" - lots of beef flavor, not much else going on].

The food on my second visit is what headed me to this thread. What I ordered: "Grilled Vegetable Wrap - seasonal vegetables, roasted pepper goat cheese, spinach tortilla" and choice of side. I was feeling like some comfort food, so I asked for the sweet onion mashed potato side. What I got: A green tortilla, with a smear of some tasteless dairy product, enclosing pre-grated carrots, and steamed or slightly sauteed pre-cut onions and red peppers. Nothing seasonal, or local, or roasted. No flavor or texture beyond 'under-cooked'. The mashed potatoes were out of a box, with at least 3 visible bits of sauteed onion /snark. So horrible I sent it back. I almost NEVER send food back. But I don't think I have ever been served food so at variance with what was advertised.

The portion of the 'mashed potatoes' was quite large, though.

Giovanna

[If there's a place in Evanston or Glenview or Skokie that fits the bill of a place with good beer choices & reasonable entrees, feel free to let me know! I'm still exploring.]

Giovanna wrote:[If there's a place in Evanston or Glenview or Skokie that fits the bill of a place with good beer choices & reasonable entrees, feel free to let me know! I'm still exploring.]

For Evanston, good food and good beer list, it's Prairie Moon or the (new) Farmhouse [nice views from the second floor]. If you're in the area, I'm always up for a beer or three at either.

Prairie Moon
1502 Sherman Ave
Evanston, Illinois 60201
(847) 864-8328

Farmhouse Evanston
703 Church Street
Evanston, IL 60201
847.492.9700

Second Prairie Moon. Haven't been to Farmhouse.

Or The Celtic Knot. Great burgers.

Celtic Knot Public House
626 Church St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 864-1679

Yeah, the food's good at Celtic Knot, but the beer list pales in comparison to Prairie Moon and Farmhouse. Of course, if you want a long, throw-everything-against-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks beer list, there's also World of Beer, but I don't think you'd fit in unless you're a fratboy.

Real Urban BBQ Vernon Hills.
I'll learn someday.
So, for the area, for lunch, if you don't mind paying, their bbq is just ok.
I needed quick today, and they are quick if nothing else. at high noon, I didn't wanna wait, and I didn't mind paying for that convenience.

The fries. O Lawd, the fries.

Dirty, gritty, like REAL grit in every bite. I had forgotten about places not cleaning their spuds. I remember gritty taters being a little bit "common" in my younger days. But haven't come across this in a while. This is one of the most "F You, Pay me!" experiences I've had in a long while. The fries were so gritty, that the container of sauce I was using to dunk them in was filled with grit after the the first five fries. After the third fry, I was like "no way can they ALL be this gritty!" if you're wondering why I had five. So, after I gave up on the fries, I started dipping corners of burnt ends into the sauce, and those bites were gritty too. The sauce became a grit pool. Luckily I got two sides of sauce with my 14.00 quasi smoked meat chunks and french fried grit stix.

Nope, I won't complain. Nope, I don't want a free order of fries next time. Stop assuming I want to go back. Just because you have a restaurant doesn't mean I have to care. I'll probably go back tho. Even for the prices, in the area, I'll get the hankerin for lunch, or get pulled into a group lunch. The burnt ends really ain't that bad if you know not to expect a decent smoke punch.

I wanted bagels. I knew there were such things as thin bagels, and I found 'em—Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel Thins. Oh boy, was I disappointed. These are not bagels in any sense of the word. It's like ol' Tom made a round loaf of whole wheat bread, sheared off the crust, and punched a hole in it. Not only that, they were so unsubstantial that if you put anything on them at all and picked them up, they immediately bent in half, sending any non-sticky toppings back onto your plate. They were the equivalent of the flabby, weak, uncoordinated kids in gym class (:oops:) that couldn't catch a ball if you handed it to them.

I hate to say it but I had a bad meal or dish at Fabulous Noodles in Lisle. The Ginger Beef was never delivered to our table as the waitress was a bit confused but she was very nice. The shredded pork noodles were inedible to me. Bland pork pieces mixed with noodles and a few vegetables that had little taste. (We asked for spice) The crowning touch was the two pieces of fat I found in the noodles...a rare occurance in a Chinese restaurant. This was not fatty meat but pure pieces of fat...they kind of blended in with the pork pieces so I did not see them. The potstickers and the eggrolls were okay. Nothing to write home about. I've been here twice now and I can't see what people rave about but maybe I am ordering the wrong thing.

Wait, was the fat a bad or a good thing? It can go either way on this site

toria wrote:I've been here twice now and I can't see what people rave about but maybe I am ordering the wrong thing.

Recent reports haven't been so favorable. Well, actually, it was one account but since no one else at that meal posted a word, I'm guessing everyone there felt pretty much the same way about it:

viewtopic.php?p=455469#p455469

=R=

"Sounds great, right? My first visit had an adequate burger ["Three Beef Burger - braised short rib, prime rib, ground chuck, black truffle mayo, fontina cheese, forest mushrooms, choice of side, brioche" - lots of beef flavor, not much else going on]."

I feel for you, Giovanna. The new owners seemingly made a huge investment remodeling the old Glenview House. And though it's lovely, the food ain't. Your success with the burger was lost on me. I got a dry, overcooked ball of meat that I sent back. I declined a re-order. How come Hackney's always gets the temp right? If you can't get a $15 burger cooked right the first time well, I just get kind of depressed and sulky over missed opportunities. My husband had fish tacos and he said they were bland. We don't plan on going back, although I'd love to support a local place.

I've lived in Glenview on and off for three decades. I don't think Glenview House will make it, sadly. There aren't a whole lot of choices in the immediate vicinity, but for a very decent burger and a cocktail, Johnny's on Milwaukee and Euclid can scratch an itch. So can Meier's Tavern on Lake. On the rare occasion when I dine solo, I very much like having a civilized meal in the bar at Café Lucci on Milwaukee near Central. I think the bartender's name is Lynn and she will take care of you very well. No burgers, but really nice food and wine. I don't know how far east you are, but Valley Lodge on Waukegan (between Lake and Willow) also has a decent burger and makes a stiff drink in a cozy atmosphere with a fireplace, although I'd prefer a booth to the bar. Wildfire on Lake, west of Waukegan, is also an option and though it gets busy and loud they are always dependable and eager to please. With the weather still warm, you could eat on the patio and watch the cars stream by. Hope this helps a little.

Everything (except the chips) from Uncle Julio's. My god, that place is an abomination.

seebee wrote:Real Urban BBQ Vernon Hills.

I was there once, sometime last year. We were actually at BEER (? I think that was the name of the bar) you sit there and order carry out from all the restaurants in the strip mall. My memory isn't so fresh but I ordered from Real Urban BBQ. They brought over the food to the bar and I remember having a pulled pork sandwich and my friend and I shared ribs. It was awesome then. Perhaps you encountered a bad visit? I haven't been there in a year so who knows... I know there are multiple RU BBQ's around Chicago. Haven't been to the other locations, but I'm willing to try it out.

Real Urban BBQ Highland Park location.

Had a whole chicken carry out dinner, opened it up...hmmm no real BBQ smell this time. No real BBQ taste or flavor, either. What's up? Skin not smoky or crispy. Meat itself not nearly as moist as it used to be, and no BBQ flavor whatsoever. We can argue about if pellet style smokers constitute authentic BBQ or not, but this is unacceptable. Incredibly "off" and lame. I'm going back tomorrow with the rest of it and my receipt, and am done with this place. I've honestly had better whole chickens to go from Jewel or Dominicks!

Update: no joy or customer satisfaction for me to be found at this establishment. No owner or manager available to help, worker offered no apology or real concern. Stated that store policy is no refunds, offered $10 credit, take it or leave it. I have no desire to ever eat here again.

sandman wrote:Real Urban BBQ Highland Park location.

I'm going back tomorrow with the rest of it and my receipt, and am done with this place.

Returning food with receipt next day. THAT is hardcore. LOVE IT!!!!

I can't remember ever having to return an order or complain about a meal in over 50 years, but I don't see this at all as "hard core". I had no agenda or attitude. If I was a food business owner, I'd want to know personally about an obvious problem or drop in quality and standards so that I could find out the reason why as soon as possible. I didn't get what I paid for, and was very disappointed as soon as I tasted the food. If you don't get immediate and honest feedback, and customers just let it slide, how else are you going to be able to address the problem? Sadly, the response was just apathy.

Pie Lady wrote:I wanted bagels. I knew there were such things as thin bagels, and I found 'em—Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel Thins. Oh boy, was I disappointed. These are not bagels in any sense of the word. It's like ol' Tom made a round loaf of whole wheat bread, sheared off the crust, and punched a hole in it. Not only that, they were so unsubstantial that if you put anything on them at all and picked them up, they immediately bent in half, sending any non-sticky toppings back onto your plate. They were the equivalent of the flabby, weak, uncoordinated kids in gym class (:oops:) that couldn't catch a ball if you handed it to them.

My friend likes them for burgers, so I had to deal with them once. I refuse to ever eat them again. Just plain awful.

Giovanna wrote: If there's a place in Evanston or Glenview or Skokie that fits the bill of a place with good beer choices & reasonable entrees, feel free to let me know! I'm still exploring.

I'm still a fan of Yard House in The Glen.

Tamale in a Tub at Odge's



It actually wouldn't have been so bad if they used real cheese (or left it off entirely), but the fact is they ruined a completely good bunch tamale with that yellow goo, and their bean-heavy chili didn't help much, either. TIP: If you're at Odge's, stick to the burgers and if you must have a tamale, get it au naturel. It's hard enough to find bunch tamales these days, and Odge's does serve them.

Odge's
730 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 666-7335

Gino's East frozen pizza

I know, I know- I shouldn't have fallen for a "name" in this category, but you'd think there'd be some credibility here.

You'd think wrong.

Sausage and pepperoni frozen 'za...absolutely the worst I've had in years. I apologize, but the stereotypical phrase cardboard crust immediately came to mind. That's exactly what the texture and flavor was. The meat toppings had a not appetizing off flavor- not good at all. The whole thing was really bottom shelf.

Shame on Gino's for selling out their name for such a dreadful product. Shame on me for buying a frozen pizza. Don't they even taste this stuff themselves, or just not care?

The pizza I had about a year and a half ago at the [now gone] Rolling Meadows Gino's East was probably the worst pizza I'd ever had. The crust was dry and chalky, like someone forgot to put in butter or something. Awful.

The most awful meal I ever had in a restaurant I think was at a place near O'Hare. I don't even know if it's still there. It was called Bistro 19 or 10 or some number. I worried for two days after that I might get food poisoning.

This really may be the worst thing I've ever voluntarily ordered:

Blackened. Lake. Erie. Whitefish. at. Riva. on. Navy. Pier.

It gets worse with every word.

Fishy fish apparently filleted with a Spork, steam-gunked (rather than sear-crusted) with a flavorless paste, served on a slumping mound of skin-on mashed sour root vegetables, topped with a knot of old grease-laden onion rings, and - here's the kicker - served in a cauldron of warm ketchup. Like, a centimeter deep, and not the promised chili reduction, but ketchup. You could smell this dish 30 feet away coming in from the kitchen, like a Burger King sink trap at 2 AM on a Saturday. I would have sent it back but was eating with unfamiliar company and figured I could exorcise it here. Each component of the dish was executed on the most unforgivably poor level, and the overall concept was reprehensible to start with. Nowhere in the effort did the dish approach palatability. I shudder while typing this.

Santander wrote:This really may be the worst thing I've ever voluntarily ordered:

Blackened. Lake. Erie. Whitefish. at. Riva. on. Navy. Pier.

It gets worse with every word.

Fishy fish apparently filleted with a Spork, steam-gunked (rather than sear-crusted) with a flavorless paste, served on a slumping mound of skin-on mashed sour root vegetables, topped with a knot of old grease-laden onion rings, and - here's the kicker - served in a cauldron of warm ketchup. Like, a centimeter deep, and not the promised chili reduction, but ketchup. You could smell this dish 30 feet away coming in from the kitchen, like a Burger King sink trap at 2 AM on a Saturday. I would have sent it back but was eating with unfamiliar company and figured I could exorcise it here. Each component of the dish was executed on the most unforgivably poor level, and the overall concept was reprehensible to start with. Nowhere in the effort did the dish approach palatability. I shudder while typing this.

You win, Santander! We can close this thread down now. I cannot imagine anything worse than this. Oh, wait - they forgot the mayo. But still. Thanks for the laugh.

Costco's BBQ Brisket Sandwich

It looked good. In fact, it looked more like the menu wall photo than most advertising ever does, due to the fact that they build the sandwich in a cardboard ring that keeps it all upright: a large soft bun with three slashes in the top, a scoop of creamy cole slaw, a big scoop of shredded brisket, pre-sauced. $4.99.

About the only fully positive thing I can say is that it's filling. From here on down, it gets more negative:
It's a good price for a brisket sandwich.
The creamy slaw is pretty good, but could use more tang.
The texture of the meat is reasonably good for fine-shredded beef.
The bun holds up to the sauciness of the meat and slaw (toasting would help with textures, though).
The pre-sauced meat tastes like candy.

I mean, this is sweet. Even KC Masterpiece-type sauces aren't this sweet. This is more like chicken-nugget-bbq-sauce sweet. And barely a hint of spice. With a couple shots of hot sauce, this might have been acceptable -- not repeatable, but passable. I almost ran back into the store to buy their half-gallon package of Tabasco. The creaminess of the slaw didn't help to cut the sweetness at all (a vinegar one would have worked better).

Santander wrote:This really may be the worst thing I've ever voluntarily ordered:

Blackened. Lake. Erie. Whitefish. at. Riva. on. Navy. Pier.

It gets worse with every word.

Fishy fish apparently filleted with a Spork, steam-gunked (rather than sear-crusted) with a flavorless paste, served on a slumping mound of skin-on mashed sour root vegetables, topped with a knot of old grease-laden onion rings, and - here's the kicker - served in a cauldron of warm ketchup. Like, a centimeter deep, and not the promised chili reduction, but ketchup. You could smell this dish 30 feet away coming in from the kitchen, like a Burger King sink trap at 2 AM on a Saturday. I would have sent it back but was eating with unfamiliar company and figured I could exorcise it here. Each component of the dish was executed on the most unforgivably poor level, and the overall concept was reprehensible to start with. Nowhere in the effort did the dish approach palatability. I shudder while typing this.

For reals.
Best thing to get for a meal at Navy Pier?
A cab.

It makes sense in every way. Even if you need multiple cabs for the group. I've been stuck with out of towners who didn't comprehend the whole concept, but it is SO worth putting your foot down unless you're willing to settle for a Quarter Pounder and a bag of Chicago Mix. The twelve dollar "Italian Beef" from one of those joints cemented my stance on this.

Salted cooked duck egg from Fresh Farms in Wheeling. Salty beyond belief. Now I have five more that I don't know what to do with.

imsscott wrote:Salted cooked duck egg from Fresh Farms in Wheeling. Salty beyond belief. Now I have five more that I don't know what to do with.

Between those and 'thousand year eggs,' I could never understand the appeal. One is straight salt, the other straight ammonia. Cool looking, though.