Just Because We Don't Have It Doesn't Mean It's Any Good

I love the fact that we, as residents of a very cosmopolitan "world" city, have access to many, many very good representations of any number of foods. The range of ethnic and regional cuisines in Chicago (what I might call the horizontal axis of Chicago food) is hard to beat, as is the range of formality and innovation, from la Pasadita up to Alinea (the vertical). And many of us are lucky enough to travel for work or leisure and get to sample the bounty of other places, great or humble.

That said, a spate of recent requests for info on the local availability of certain things makes me wonder-- what else is there that Chicago lacks but should not want?

I will start with a couple of softballs -- Tim Horton's and St. Louis style pizza.

northern style pho

JeffB wrote:I will start with a couple of softballs -- Tim Horton's and St. Louis style pizza.

What is Tim Horton's, and what is St. Louis style pizza?

And what do you mean when you say "what else is there that Chicago lacks but should not want?"? Do you mean "want", in the sense of desire - things we lack but shouldn't desire because they aren't very good? Or do you mean "want", in the sense of lacking - things we lack but shouldn't lack because they are very good?

What about a decent farmers market? How can a city this size not support a large diverse market ala Santa Monica, San Francisco, Portland Oregon, NY, ect... I love the city but Chicago's are a joke in comparison.

What is Tim Horton's, and what is St. Louis style pizza?

St. Louis style pizza comes on a very thin often floppy crust and uses provel instead of real cheese. I haven't had it in some years and I'm quite OK with that.

nsxtasy wrote:

JeffB wrote:I will start with a couple of softballs -- Tim Horton's and St. Louis style pizza.

What is Tim Horton's, and what is St. Louis style pizza?

Tim Horton's is Canada's version of Dunkin Donuts. They happen to have one in my wife's home town of Owosso, MI. She makes a bee line every time we visit, personally, I make a bee line for the smoke filled, open 24/7, farmer hangout donut shop without a name. Different strokes, I suppose.

St. Louis pizza is pretty similar (in likability) to pizza found pretty much anywhere outside of Chicago or New York (with a few notable exceptions).

Jazzfood wrote:What about a decent farmers market? How can a city this size not support a large diverse market ala Santa Monica, San Francisco, Portland Oregon, NY, ect... I love the city but Chicago's are a joke in comparison.

Except we do -- and should -- want one.

Indian-chinese

Things we lack that aren't desirable.

Tim Horton's is a primarily canadian coffee and doughnut shop, like Dunkin' Donuts. Canadians and some Americans *love* it. It's not very good.

St. Louis-style pizza is notable for using provel cheese. Which is disgusting.

I see steve beat me by a few minutes. Oh well.

I don't think we have much in the way of Spanish restaurants and this is something I'd really like to see.

I would also love to see a restaurant that does rijsttafel.

Oh, and of course, In-N-Out Burger.

stevez wrote:St. Louis pizza is pretty similar (in likability) to pizza found pretty much anywhere outside of Chicago or New York (with a few notable exceptions).

i'm not exactly sure what that's supposed to mean... but ...st. louis pizza is unlike any pizza i've had anywhere else... but in st. louis. the crust is different (no yeast involved), the sauce is different, the cheese is different. it's not supposed to be floppy crust. if it's floppy crust they made it wrong and it's not st louis style.

i LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE st. louis style pizza.

and btw, you *can* get st. louis style pizza in chicago. at Feed the Beast, apparently... (not necessarily on the menu but they make it)

It appears that some of the replies are assuming one interpretation of the original question, and others assuming the other, almost opposite interpretation.

I'm not trying to take issue with the OP's words; I'm just trying to understand what we're supposed to be talking about.

nsxtasy wrote:It appears that some of the replies are assuming one interpretation of the original question, and others assuming the opposite interpretation.

Sure enough -- I ignored the "don't want" part and focused on what I do want.

let me try and take it back into the right direction by mentioning the same thing but for an opposite reason.

In and Out Burger.

I really don't want an In N Out Burger here. i'm very against having every chain in chicagoland. that's what makes traveling fun.

Dmnkly wrote:

Jazzfood wrote:What about a decent farmers market? How can a city this size not support a large diverse market ala Santa Monica, San Francisco, Portland Oregon, NY, ect... I love the city but Chicago's are a joke in comparison.

Except we do -- and should -- want one.

We definitely need a central, municipal market that embodies the diversity of cultures within our city and the strengths of the fertile Heartland that surrounds it.

And we could use some better deli, too. Why is there only one decent place in a city this size to get decent bagels?

As for the "not wanting," how about Jack in the Box and Sonic?

=R=

Once you get past an invisible barrier heading north into Wisconsin, there are signs that advertise "pasties" ad naseum. I've yet to see such creations down here, but since they are so prevalent, so close, I'm going to assume we don't want them. Yet it's possible that our neighbors from the north who have relocated here might really think that we lack a few pasty shops?

It seems clear that JeffB means we should not want these things to exist in Chicago, and not that we shouldn't have to want for these things. (I think.)

Chick-fil-A.

ronnie_suburban wrote:And we could use some better deli, too. Why is there only one decent place in a city this size to get decent bagels?

There are several - Kaufman's, New York Bagels and Bialys, etc.

And we have some decent eat-in delis, too. Manny's on December 15, anyone?

Yes, we could use more good ones. And from what I've heard, we're getting one in January.

ronnie_suburban wrote:As for the "not wanting," how about Jack in the Box and Sonic?

I'm sure each of us has places he/she doesn't like. Heck, I don't eat sushi. But I don't mind if there are good sushi places around for people who do...

nsxtasy wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:And we could use some better deli, too. Why is there only one decent place in a city this size to get decent bagels?

There are several - Kaufman's, New York Bagels and Bialys, etc.

And we have some decent delis, too. Manny's on December 15, anyone?

Yes, we could use more. And from what I've heard, we're getting one in January.

ronnie_suburban wrote:As for the "not wanting," how about Jack in the Box and Sonic?

I'm sure each of us has places he/she doesn't like. Heck, I don't eat sushi. But I don't mind if there are good sushi places around for people who do...

LOL! I don't agree about Kaufman's (which does turn out a bunch of other things I do like) but even if I did, since when does 2 constitute "several"?

As for Manny's, I'd call that a textbook case of a place being in a league of its own.

=R=

I love St. Louis style pizza, but like the band Phish, have long long ago given up trying to convince anyone of its merits.

Things that Chicago lacks and OUGHT to have:

1) Culver's inside city limits.
2) Decent Chinese food in the Loop (like Taza but Chinese).
3) Authentic Hunanese (as in from the old country, along the lines of what LSC is for Sichuan cooking).

Italo-Chinese:

http://www.ciaomein.com/Index.shtml

The Great Danton wrote:
3) Authentic Hunanese (as in from the old country, along the lines of what LSC is for Sichuan cooking).

Spring World! (and why would we not want that?

sazerac wrote:Indian-chinese

This we do not lack.

I, for one, do not care if nor do I need a place in Chicago that serves a Philly cheese steak "wiz wit".

Or an Oscar-Meyer based hot dog stand.

Trust me, Ronnie - I know you've never met a dog you didn't like - but if you ate one at Riverfront Stadium...well, I'd rather you not taste the feet of clay of the encased meat god.

Yunnan and Hunan are not the same.

stevez wrote:

The Great Danton wrote:
3) Authentic Hunanese (as in from the old country, along the lines of what LSC is for Sichuan cooking).

Spring World! (and why would we not want that?

Jazzfood wrote:What about a decent farmers market? How can a city this size not support a large diverse market ala Santa Monica, San Francisco, Portland Oregon, NY, ect... I love the city but Chicago's are a joke in comparison.

Agreed. Even Minneapolis (where I'm from) has a MUCH better Farmer's Market than anything in Chicago.

Let's talk pizza:

Japanese styleand thecampus chain Gumby's,

not in my Chicago. I so like to not want this!