GNR dinner at Wiener and still Champion Oct. 21 @ 5:30

Join Sparky and the Hays family this Sunday at what probably will be the most kid-friendly GNR dinner ever! Please post if you plan to attend so we can get a headcount (we have a limit of 20 people)and also note if you will want the off-menu flatiron steak sandwich, so Gus can prep them the required 24hrs in advance. Family-friendly date and time suggestions welcome.

GNR Award Dinner
10.21.07 @ 5:30pm

Wiener and Still Champion
802 Dempster
Evanston, IL
847-869-0100

A definite maybe - that day is still in flux. However, if we come, it will be for the Flatiron, by golly. 24 hours notice, you say?

Definite for the Flatiron steak sandwich and his incredible fries!

Where will this be held at?

Count me in, and throw a Flatiron on for me. I will be in Evanston seeing Gilbert and Sullivan's "Princess Ida" at 3 PM and can't imagine it will run later than 5:15.

Oh, man! I would have loved to have been there to congratulate Gus and have another helping of WASC goodness! Sadly, a prior family commitment means 10/21 is a no-go for me.... Tell Sparky to have an extra "dip-in" dog for me.

I may be able to make it Saturday but I'm going to be coming back from WI so I can't guarantee that I can make it. I can make it for sure on Wed and I could probably skip out of work for a short period of time on another week day. On the other hand, a week from this Sat is no problem!

Sorry, Cookie Monster!

Wiener & Still Champion
802 Dempster St
(between Elmwood Ave & Sherman Ave)
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 869-0100

So - thus far we have 5 definites (including ourselves) and 1 maybe...

I just noticed that the time is part of the thread title. We can make 5:30, no problem.

And we will be having at least one Flatiron. Usually we order two different things so we can sample more stuff, but I'll double-check to see if that will be our strategy.

I'll be there, just a few minutes late. I have a commitment in Evanston until 5:30, but I'll be coming from a short ways away. Is it terrible that I don't want a Flatiron?

Thanks for organizing!

Definitely going to try to be there. will know for certain by the 20th.

HI,

I plan to attend. Put me down for a flatiron steak sandwich, too.

Regards,

My sweetest and I shall be in attendace. Could you please mark us for two flatirons?

- "Tim"

eggplant+1 will be there. We'd like 1 flatiron Want to try a few other things as well.

I'll try hard to attend, and if I make it I'll order off the regular menu. Thanks!

OK, I have this so far - please post changes/additions/subtractions as necessary:

Mhays: 3, 2 flatirons
Nr706: 1, 1 flatiron
Santander: 1, 1 flatiron
Suzy Creamcheese: 2 2flatirons
happy_stomach: 1
Octarine: ?
Cathy2: 1, 1flatiron
"Tim": 2, 2flatirons
eggplant: 2, 1flatiron
Bill: ?

So, if everybody makes it, we're at 15 people - room for 5 more! We'll say last call for flatirons is by 10pm today. [edited to include updates]

My assumption re: our game plan was incorrect, it seems. Two Flatirons for us, please

FYI: since the flatirons are off-menu, following theofficial GNR positionof no freebies (and of course we want to support our winners!) a flatiron combo is $8. In the event that anybody needs to back out gracefully, it won't be a problem - you can PM me. Hey, I remember when times were tight...like last month, right?

Gus is planning to offer willing guinea pigs the chance to test out other off-menu treats (a little bird mentioned onion strings) for a reasonable price, of course. We still have room for a couple more, but please let us know as space is limited!

I'm but no flatiron for me.

I'm still in, for ordering off of the regular menu, and hopefully some of the surprises. One person, just one person.

might be a lil late but you can park on the street and since it's Sunday, do not have to feed the meters. There is a small lot just south of Sherman around the corner from Second Hand Tunes if the metered spots are taken.

Great time ... I can summarize in three words ...

Deep Fried Bacon! with country gravy

HI,

I didn't take one picture this evening, though I did make a few video clips now uploaded on youtube.com

- Dipping Dog from start to finish

- Presentation of GNR by Mhays to Gus of Wiener and Still Champion

A very pleasant way to spend 3 hours!

Regards,

Thanks to Mhays for organizing this successful event. It's always enjoyable to spend time with fellow LTHers, particularly learning the faces behind the names of the ones you've not met before.

I sampled the corn dog (dipping dog, sorry!) and liked it - particularly so when applying the various sauces/dipping "stuff". I particularly liked the Argentine garlic sauce and used it not only on the dog but on other things as well. And I sampled a Chicago-style hot dog and the falafel burger with fries.

The Chicago dog was nothing less than I expected - an excellent product. The large falafel burger was a bit of a pleasant surprise, nicely spiced and it held together well, complimented by an excellent bun. The fresh-cut fries were great, also. nr706 kindly offered me a sample of his flatiron steak sandwich the meat of which was flavorful and obviously of good quality, and something probably not often seen in such an establishment.

Sampling the complimentary deep-fried bacon isn’t something I was interested in, but I did try the onion strings and though the taste was good the item didn’t hold together well and it’s not something – in its current form – I’d order; they (the onion strings) may be too thinly cut. The Argentine garlic sauce was a nice compliment to the onions.

Again, thanks for organizing the event – the owners of the place seemed genuinely excited about having the group for dinner – maybe its first “private party” and hopefully not the last.

Man... sorry I missed this one Gus. I'll get by today or tomorrow... How can someone not be interested in deep fried bacon. That defines everything good in this world!

Thanks, everyone, for such a lovely evening last night - always good to share good food with good friends!

I have a few of the 'spouses pix (he's making me post the ones of myself...)

Gus in his natural habitat:


The stars of the show:
the off-menu onion straws, deep fried bacon with country gravy (to the right of the straws)

and the famous flatiron sandwich revealed:



Nr706, Octarine, Bill and Suzy Creamcheese explore the menu


Sparky and I offer Gus his just rewards


Thanks, all, for coming out, and thank you, Gus, for continuing to offer such great food!

Sorry I missed it - I still need to come up and check the place out. Such a longgggg way from Naperville.

Thanks also, M, for showing that the GNR dinner does not preclude another GNR dinner as some feared.

As one of the fearing, I was especially thrilled to be a part of the steak, chicken-fried bacon, and frystravaganza. There is nothing more satisfying than meeting good people on both sides of the counter at these places.

After sampling the deep-fried bacon, I pronounced it transcendent while my husband found it merely tasty. Perhaps our relationship is not meant to be after all

Thanks to everyone - we had lots of fun!

Gus, great food! I loved both the dipping dog and the flatiron, but the fries were even better!

Mhays, thank you for organizing! It was fun to meet everyone and enjoy the food and the conversation.