I had 2 good things this week.......

Marie's thin crust pizza...simple yet so delish!!!

Empanadas from La Humita......they are big and juicy and literally stuffed w/ goodness!!

Anne

G Wiv wrote:LTH,

Not the best thing you've eaten in your life, or even in the past ten years, but lately, as in the last month or two. Me, it's chickpea gnocchi with venison ragu and nicoise olives, a recent special at Avec. Lightly scented with rosemary, meltingly tender venison, gnocchi that were concurrently feathery light and chewy, poetry on a plate.

Enjoy,
Gary

Avec
615 W Randolph
Chicago, IL 60606
312-377-2002

The best thing I have eaten in the last few weeks is the smoked meat sandwich I ate in Montreal, Quebec.

The best thing I have eaten in a long time is the chicken curry buns at La Patisserie P. I really just can't get over these things, I think they are absolutely perfect for what they are, and they are a great food for while you are driving or walking. I'm thinking of moving to Chicago so I can be closer to them.

La Patisserie P
1050-52 W. Argyle Street
Chicago, IL 60640
773 878-3226
http://www.lapatisseriep.com/

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Escargots and Wild Boar Bacon at Tullalah.

I did a tasting menu at the Park Grill about 2 weeks ago and had two really great courses:

Chocolate Mouse served with blue cheese crumbles and raspberry zabaoine and a brittle made of sugar snap cereal and fresh berries

and

A Foie gras terrine served with meyer lemon jelly

Both where unexpected marvels!

Best thing I've eaten lately:

Jumbo Hot Dog with mustard and onion from Wrigley Field

Washed down with Old Style beer poured from a can into a plastic cup by a licensed professional.

Pros: Opening Day, Zambrano throws 6 shutout innings, the new kid from Japan can seriously hit the ball

Cons: Rain, 45 minute wait for the men's room, Cubs lost.

All in all, a great afternoon at the park

"A dog at the park beats roast beef at the Ritz"

Spinach Empanadas from Tango Sur

I just had a delicious Vietnamese mid-morning snack/breakfast from Ba Le Bakery. The "Che Dau Trang" is available in their take-out coolers and its a cup filled with black-eyed peas, sweet rice, sugar, and potato starch. Also has a pleasant sweet taste of coconut cream.

Best thing I ate yesterday was a stuffed pizza from Nancy's in Niles. Buttery crust that held all the melty cheese and heart stopping sausage and pepperoni was wonderful.[/img]

Best thing I've had very recently was a steak burrito, chorizo tostada with cilantro onions, & guacamole from Taco Burrito King on Harlem/Higgins.

I love TBK. The steak is not overcooked, everything is so fresh, the people are nice & it's a good value.

I get it for take out, but you could eat there, and they just installed a tv, too.

www.tacoburritoking.com

Harlem & Montrose Location
4427 N Harlem
Norridge, IL 60706
T: (708) 457-0457

This weekend, I made a recipe I found at Foodsville.com -- along with variations.

The basic recipe ingredients are 1/2 cup light brown sugar and 3/4 lb. sliced bacon.

Lay the bacon out in a single layer in on a cooking sheet that is lined with something "slippery" -- nonstick sheet, parchment coated in nonstick spray, lightly oiled foil, or similar. Coat both sides of the bacon with the brown sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp. Let cool slightly and enjoy.

As for the variations, I tried a couple of strips with cayenne pepper, which added heat but no interest, and a couple with curry powder, which was simply fabulous. Plan was good, too, but I will definitely be repeating the curry powder version. Next time, I might also try garlic.

One of the things that was interesting to note is that there was no bacon grease in the pan. Sugar that wasn't actually attached to bacon seemed to have absorbed the grease, forming a kind of smoky, chewy caramel. (In places where there was no grease, one just got burnt-sugar hard candy, but not chewy, caramelly stuff.)

A major yum.

That and the mattar methi malai I had at Bombay Grill in Farmington Hills were the weekend's highlights. (Anyone have a recipe for mattar methi malai?)

I have made something similar before, with cracked black pepper added to the sugar. Very good!

An Allagash white ale, Iron Maiden burger, and the carmelized onion,prosciutto mac and cheese from Kuma's . Plus no wait!!

An exquisite morning bun at Tartine Bakery, San Francisco, before a long day of adventure.

600 Guerrero St
San Francisco, CA

Pad Woon Sen from Thai Aroma. It was very, very good. I got the lunch special that comes with an appetizer (I got three crab rangoon) for $5.99. I'd definitely recommend them.

417 W North Ave
312.664.3400

the best thing i've eaten (discovered) lately is Ciao Bella's blackberry/cabernet sorbetto. this is so much more interesting/complex than any single flavor sorbet i've ever had. amazing stuff. i buy it by the pint at either whole foods or olivia's market in wicker park.

I'm so going to get slaughtered for this, but the chicken pomodoro sandwich at corner bakery. i let mine cool to room temp and it was SO good today.

wadman wrote:

G Wiv wrote:LTH,

Not the best thing you've eaten in your life, or even in the past ten years, but lately, as in the last month or two. Me, it's chickpea gnocchi with venison ragu and nicoise olives, a recent special at Avec. Lightly scented with rosemary, meltingly tender venison, gnocchi that were concurrently feathery light and chewy, poetry on a plate.

Enjoy,
Gary

Avec
615 W Randolph
Chicago, IL 60606
312-377-2002

The best thing I have eaten in the last few weeks is the smoked meat sandwich I ate in Montreal, Quebec.

Was this at Schwartz?
http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/

That is also the best pastrami (smoked meat) that I've ever had in my life.

Me- The Shredded Papaya salad I had today at Tank as a late afternoon snack.

Tank Noodel - Pho Xe Tang
4953 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640 773-878-2253

Braised Chicken & Mushrooms in Bamboo, Tea Smoked Duck & The Mushroom Hot Pot at Spring World, my new favorite!! Yum Yum

Half a duck at Le Bouchon, with frites, not rice. They cooked it perfectly this time, the skin just seemed extra crispy.

Both @ Sun Wah BBQ

BBQ Pig Hong Kong Style - some of the best pork I have ever eaten

BBQ Pork & Duck on Rice. Typically not a fan of duck, but this was flavorfull with a crisp skin.

the best thing i've eaten (discovered) lately is Ciao Bella's blackberry/cabernet sorbetto. this is so much more interesting/complex than any single flavor sorbet i've ever had. amazing stuff. i buy it by the pint at either whole foods or olivia's market in wicker park.

Frozen crack. They also have it at the revamped Hyde Park Produce Mart. Their coconut sorbetto is also off the charts. One other item of joy related to the Produce Mart: red peppers for 59 cents per pound last week (up to a heady .98 this week). They must have received the order of the century. They were selling 11 pound crates for $5.

Normal red pepper price at Dominick's in the city on Roosevelt or on Lake in Oak Park: $3.99 per pound.

Sun Wah for me, too, Monday night I had barbecued pork and the pepper shrimp with the shell on. Very tasty and low carb. I still have a little of the pork in the fridge to heat up later today. Their GNR award is hanging right by the cash register.

Finally made it to Carniceria Leon. Nuff Said!

Marshall K wrote:Finally made it to Carniceria Leon. Nuff Said!

So what did you like? Curious minds want to know!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

Marshall K wrote:Finally made it to Carniceria Leon. Nuff Said!

So what did you like? Curious minds want to know!

Regards,

Cathy
Arrived around 3:00 on Friday, the Al Pastor cone was almost gone but what was left was outstanding. Contrary to G Wiv's experience there was a fresh batch of the Carne Asada on the Grill, again some of the best I have ever eaten. Chille Relleno has always been one of my favorite dishes and I can't remember having better.

Also I did in fact take the bounty home ( snacking on Grilled and Salted Jalapenos as I drove) the food traveled extemely well and was still hot when I arrived in Elmwood Park. The best part was watching my better half roll her eyes as she sampled the various tacos. The worst part is I didn't order nearly enough.

The best part was watching my better half roll her eyes as she sampled the various tacos. The worst part is I didn't order nearly enough.

An incentive to go once more and really soon. Thank you for the details!

Regards,

Braised Chicken & Mushrooms in Bamboo, Tea Smoked Duck & The Mushroom Hot Pot at Spring World, my new favorite!! Yum Yum

Right on, Figbrother. I had the revered $3.95 lunch special today at Spring World and all three components were (gasp) superior to Lao Sze Chuan's respective versions. And I know, and love, and throw money at, LSC. I'll post details in the Spring World thread, but the Best Things I've Eaten Today were the Szechuan Tofu, Twice-Cooked Pork Belly, and Hot and Sour Soup, for under $4. Ri-damn-diculous.

Frontier Chicken at Flaming Wok N' Grill, twice.