Cathy2, perhaps we should create a Highwood thread (or is there one already?) to store some of these findings? I am going to check out the Curry Hut sometime soon; I've had a craving for Indian food ever since I drove past it, and the Pioneer Press carries ads with 15% off coupons. And I want to try out more of the Mee Jun's menu, and the items at Il Mulino's.

For old time's sake, I bought lunch at the Hoagie Hut last week, and the sandwich was as good as I remembered it, but the restaurant was every bit as grungy as I remembered it and more so. Indeed it didn't seem to me that the floor had probably been washed since I was in high school more than 25 years ago. Carry-out seemed to me the only safe option. When I was growing up in HP, we used to joke about how Stash's hot dog place was lucky to stay just this side of a health department violation, but I never thought Stash's came close to the benign neglect that reigns at the Hoagie Hut.

Nonetheless, aside from the sandwich, tasty as ever, there was another plus to stopping at HH: I learned that Tacos El Norte is right across the street.

Two other stops I mean to make soon: Poeta's food mart, in honor of a good friend who grew up in Highwood and never visits without stopping by Poeta's, and Prime Meat Markets, on Green Bay Road (but in HP, next to Inman's paint store, near the high school). Does anyone know this place? Is it in fact a good place to buy prime-grade cuts of meat?

Katie,

Several things:

- Prime Meats went out of business about a year ago.

- If you ever visit Bacio's, it closed last Friday. It will re-open in 1-2 months across the street from Fort Sheridan. I don't know if they meant one of those strip malls or in the small L-shaped shopping center across the railroad tracks.

- I did go to Mee Jun's last week. I shared the potstickers with a friend who also recognized they were homemade. We also ordered their lunch specials: shrimp fried rice and curry chicken with fried rice. The portions were huge with relatively low prices, which seemed to please their target clientelle. In a full sized carry-out container, half was fried rice and half was curried chicken swimming in sauce. You definitely hit on a good thing with the pot stickers. I suggesting ordering one main course item to assure yourself they make food to your liking.

- My friend Helen likes her sandwiches warm. We will go to Hoagie Hut every once in a while just about every time eating in. The whole place seems a bit frozen in amber. I don't like it too much, but it makes my friend happy.

- I never thought of Stash's as dirty, but maybe I wasn't really paying attention. I always liked their tiny brick building more than the Port Clinton location. Stash died last year, though he sold the business a few years earlier. The new guy has given it a shot in the arm plus added pasta. They have been experiementing with breakfast, I don't know how successful it has been.

- Do you go to La Union? They have some nice carryout prepared Mexican food there. Where else in the area can you get elotes and carnitas?

Regards,

Katie wrote:. . . and Prime Meat Markets, on Green Bay Road (but in HP, next to Inman's paint store, near the high school). Does anyone know this place? Is it in fact a good place to buy prime-grade cuts of meat?

That was Harper's Prime Meats, which closed sometime back. There's a bit of background about it here.

=R=

Just to clarify, I never thought Stash's was dirty either, I just know that there was some health department joking. I don't know if it's because they really did get ticketed once, or if it's just because it was a little hole in the wall. Like Cathy2, I loved that little hole in the wall and was sad to see it go. I particularly loved walking home with one of those little paper bags full of french fries. I have hardly ever been to the Port Clinton Stash's. I suppose a lot of the food's the same, but it's not the same experience.

Hoagie Hut frozen in amber - yeah, that's about right!

Cathy2:

You mentioned "a fry bread made from chickpea flour" on this thread (a few years back) which was a form of street food. Could this be Socca? I've read about this as sort of a fashionable fad on the French Riviera. It's supposed to be large, circular, very thin and crispy & made from chickpea flour (besan?). Anyone know anymore about this? Maybe a recipe? I've never seen it in this country. Anyone try this yet?

Artemesia wrote:Cathy2:

You mentioned "a fry bread made from chickpea flour" on this thread (a few years back) which was a form of street food. Could this be Socca? I've read about this as sort of a fashionable fad on the French Riviera. It's supposed to be large, circular, very thin and crispy & made from chickpea flour (besan?). Anyone know anymore about this? Maybe a recipe? I've never seen it in this country. Anyone try this yet?

Sounds like panelle. Fits the description. My family is big on them, they're good, I'm just not as big on them. The frying part doesn't agree with me (for afterwards, that's just a personal thing with me though). Usually served in bread as a sandwich, sometimes with lemon, or salt, pepper, whatever you want. I know Rex Italian Foods serves them. Some other Italian deli type places like that might have them.

Now, in terms of arancini, I love these, I am willing to bypass the 'frying' aspect because they're too damn good. Best I've had are the ones in Sicily, but that doesn't mean others can't come close.

First, in the NW burbs. A new place on Lake Street in Roselle (right by the corner of Roselle/Bloomingdale Road and Lake Street), Pizzeria Antiqua has them. From my 'contacts' by just eating around a lot, this guy appears to be the man in supplying the arancini to everyone else, including a lot of people who claim they make them themselves. The benefit of going to this place, they can fry them fresh for you (really can't compare this taste to heating it up later). It's right near me, so I really enjoy it. The location is kind of crappy, as it might be hard to miss, and you have to be going west on Lake Street to get in (after passing Roselle/Bloomingdale Road, or else you have to make a U-Turn if coming the other way). Looks kind of dinky, but the taste is worth it. I also like their Italian style pizzas and calzones.

One more place, Graziano's in Niles, with one exception. I had these here one night, and I thought they were amazing, closest I've had to Italy. They had like a creamy bechamel type sauce and cheese as the main ingredients, just like in Sicily (compared to the red sauce, peas, meat standard you'd normally find). Now, the exception, I got this is a 'nightly special' on the insert on the table. It's not a regular thing, it was listed as an appetizer (one order gets you about 4 small ones). I went on a Sat night a couple months ago, so just a heads up

Pasta Fresh on Harlem Avenue will fry up fresh arancini for you upon order. Their's are filled with peas and a meat ragu. They make a good cheap lunch on the run or if you like split an arancicni and a panzerotti among two people and have a little Harlem Avenue Italian feast on the tables in front of the store.

Socca (French) and farinata (It./Ligurian) are the same, and cooked on a flat-top griddle contraption. Panelle are similar, but deep fried. I don't think socca is a fashion or fad in Nice any more than hot dogs are such in Chicago. Pretty traditional, defining stuff.

PS, the Riviera-themed restaurant on Clark north of Belmont, Socca, serves socca.

Artemesia wrote:You mentioned "a fry bread made from chickpea flour" on this thread (a few years back) which was a form of street food. Could this be Socca? I've read about this as sort of a fashionable fad on the French Riviera. It's supposed to be large, circular, very thin and crispy & made from chickpea flour (besan?). Anyone know anymore about this? Maybe a recipe? I've never seen it in this country. Anyone try this yet?

Artemesia,

Antonius has posted about soca (socca, farinata) and Eatchicago mentions farinata (socca) in his inspiring photo laden post Two Weeks of Eating in Italy as a Tourist. Then, inspired by Michael M's (Eatchicago) post, I made farinata on my Weber kettle with lump charcoal and wood. Farinata turned out surprisingly well and is a recipe I have repeated both on the Weber and inside kitchen.

Enjoy,
Gary

The arancini at Whole Foods fresh food to go section and at L'Apetito (John Hancock building) are pretty good too. Does anyone have a good recipe?

didn't try 'em, but I saw a tray of fresh, piping hot arancini coming out as I was leaving D'amato's with some bread. Two kinds: spinach/ cheese and meat/peas.

D Amato's Bakery
1332 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 733-6219