Would that be where Mullen's is now?

Don't know, it's been forever since I've been in that neighborhood.

Thanks Midas, I thought that might be where it was.
I think the dry rub was why he loved the place!

midas wrote:

raydle wrote:Does anyone remember a BBQ place that I believe was called Talbots? It was on the north side and it was one of my dad's favorite places for ribs. I've always wondered if they ever opened another place.

Talbots was on Western Ave., east side of the street between Touhy and Howard. I don't know that I'd really call it a BBQ place but the did sell ribs. And they were odd for Chicago in that they were a dry rub rather than drowning in sauce.

Talbott's was originally on the 7600 block of Paulina.

Artie wrote:Talbott's was originally on the 7600 block of Paulina.

How long ago was that? I remember them on Western as early as late 60's - early 70's.

midas wrote:

Artie wrote:Talbott's was originally on the 7600 block of Paulina.

How long ago was that? I remember them on Western as early as late 60's - early 70's.

Maybe that was a second location,but they were definitely on Paulina in 1966,maybe longer.

Artie wrote:Maybe that was a second location,but they were definitely on Paulina in 1966,maybe longer.

I seem to remember talk of it, but I was never there. The Western location seemed like a fairly new building the one time I was there. It was tough to compete then being stuck in the middle of Millers and The Black Angus. And they survived for a pretty long time from what I remember.

Both Miller's and the Black Angus, from what I've heard, were hangouts for the North Side Outfit, Lenny Patrick's crew.

I was only a little kid but remember the great neon sign of the Black Angus when my parents would drive by there at night, also the Armanetti's sign (on Ridge?)

Snowing like crazy outside, so I thought I'd contribute a few various and sundry recollections of the past---mostly neighborhood places near where I'd be in school.

Hyde Park: My very first taste of Thai food happened in the old Thai 55, on 55th just east of lake park. Their garlic chicken was simple yet amazing; I've never since found another like it. It radically changed for the worst in the 90's. There were 2 other Thai places on that same stretch, Tipsudo [which we referred to as tipshithole] and some multiroom joint next to Thai 55. None could compare.

University Gardens was my other HP fave, next to Rib'sN'Bib's on 53rd/Dorchester. Very low prices, very great hummos. There was also a Greek diner on 57th near the Universty where I'd go have pastichio or a Greek burger on a cold night stufy break. What was that called? Vastly superior to the Salonika down the street, which yet lives on.

Up by Loyola, I remember a pretty decent pizza/pasta place called Geppeto's. Very good salads and entrees. Much better than Carmen's. In the spot where LU has the big hi-rise now. There was next door perhaps the scariest diner I ate at regularly. Man was this place sketchy, but cheap. Decent meatloaf, comfort-food. One day I asked for a glass of water and they said they didn't have any. I saw they were washing dishes in what looked like a big barrel. Anyone recall the name?

I am sure everyone remembers the hot dog stand under/next to the Loyola El stop, Papa D's. Very colorful establishment. Very suspicious extra-culinary activities going on in the back of the very small already-sketchy premises. It was like the Cheek-and Chong version of Demon Dogs. I do seem to recall the dogs being that plain style with the freshcut fries.

In Lincoln Park/Lakeview, several old perhaps obscure places that left an impression. The Urban Chicken was on Diversey/Clark about where Noodles & Co. is today. Outstanding roto chicken that had some sort of crispiness to it. And very good sides that were years ahead of the Whole Foods type trend. Was just longing for that yesterday when I ended up at Chicken Hut, whose sides are so sucky, whose chicken has gotten so small, and whose prices just continue to go up.

Another fondly remembered place was Not Just Pasta, a small unpretentious cafe On Lincoln near Diversey. Very decent prices on pasta and italian entrees, nice garlic bread and salads. Back in the day when the trend was high carb, low fat. Up the street on Lincoln was the beloved Fazzio's, previously mentioned. They also had fantastic Chicken subs with bbq sauce, and yes those fries were best in class, maybe even better than that Beef place that opened up next to Susie's. Across from there, near the Powell's was a wonderful small upscale takeout place. Also good meatloaf and comfort food. What was it called! Across from -that- was a breakfast diner that later became a thai place. Possibly called Cozy Cafe. And up the street holding court was the one and only Muskies, back when they were tremendous and a tremendous value.

The Seminary by Lincoln/fullerton was already mentioned, but there was another 24 hour diner just east on Fullerton. I can still remember its pink neon sign. Seemed sketchier inside but quite colorful. There ws a 24 drug store, the SuperPlus,or was that a grocery store? Farther south on Lincoln was a cafe with the first of what I recall as big panini type items. Equinox, perhaps? I also liked a very small deli farther up north on Lincoln where you could get this incredibly green tuna salad, and then have an out of body experience in the floatation place upstairs. And then there was Cafe Periwinkle, which for some reason I associate with good middle eastern fare.

Bagel Nosh on Rush street. Damn good mac and cheese. The *old* Andies, when it was a small storefront shwarma place. That unique spinach-bulghur-mint soup. Excellent half pound $4 burger. Veg combos like you'd get now at Taste of Lebanon, $4. The korean breakfast diner near the Swedish bakery. Augie's, just newly departed this past year. And up by the Morse El stop, a diner type place called Angelo's, which by the time I ate there was on its last legs, and I suspect this might have been the space that was once the Ashkenaz Deli [circa 1987 or so]. The Glenwood INN, Glenwood and Devon. Fine broasted chicken in a homey, dark atmosphere, not unlike the Candlelite.

toria wrote:And what was the name of the pizza place serving deep dish in the sixties way in the back of Piper's Alley in Old Town?

It's a question that has often come up but I've yet to see it answered (some examples: from 1999, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2008, 2008). While looking for information on the Pickle Barrel in Old Town, I stumbled on some mentions of pizzerias in Piper's Alley. I think La Piazza was the first but Brothers Two was probably better known. Does that ring a bell?

Brothers Two! Yes! I remember being in high school and feeling slightly naughty for going down to the hippie haven that Old Town was back then, and having pizza at Brothers Two. My somewhat foggy memory recalls it as being a relatively bready thin crust version.

nr706 wrote:Brothers Two! Yes! I remember being in high school and feeling slightly naughty for going down to the hippie haven that Old Town was back then, and having pizza at Brothers Two. My somewhat foggy memory recalls it as being a relatively bready thin crust version.

I've been stumped for ages by that place too, but Brothers Two doesn't sound familiar at all. I remember the place serving pretty good pan pizza,not what you've described.

Artie wrote:

nr706 wrote:Brothers Two! Yes! I remember being in high school and feeling slightly naughty for going down to the hippie haven that Old Town was back then, and having pizza at Brothers Two. My somewhat foggy memory recalls it as being a relatively bready thin crust version.

I've been stumped for ages by that place too, but Brothers Two doesn't sound familiar at all. I remember the place serving pretty good pan pizza,not what you've described.

A contemporary report highlighted "popular deep dish pizza" as the specialty at Brothers Two. It also mentioned the restaurant was in the back of Piper's Alley.

Marco wrote:In Lincoln Park/Lakeview...Up the street on Lincoln was the beloved Fazzio's, previously mentioned. They also had fantastic Chicken subs with bbq sauce, and yes those fries were best in class, maybe even better than that Beef place that opened up next to Susie's. Across from there, near the Powell's was a wonderful small upscale takeout place. Also good meatloaf and comfort food. What was it called! Across from -that- was a breakfast diner that later became a thai place. Possibly called Cozy Cafe. And up the street holding court was the one and only Muskies, back when they were tremendous and a tremendous value.

The Seminary by Lincoln/fullerton was already mentioned, but there was another 24 hour diner just east on Fullerton. I can still remember its pink neon sign. Seemed sketchier inside but quite colorful. There ws a 24 drug store, the SuperPlus,or was that a grocery store? Farther south on Lincoln was a cafe with the first of what I recall as big panini type items. Equinox, perhaps? I also liked a very small deli farther up north on Lincoln where you could get this incredibly green tuna salad, and then have an out of body experience in the floatation place upstairs. And then there was Cafe Periwinkle, which for some reason I associate with good middle eastern fare.

Bagel Nosh on Rush street. Damn good mac and cheese. The *old* Andies, when it was a small storefront shwarma place. That unique spinach-bulghur-mint soup. Excellent half pound $4 burger. Veg combos like you'd get now at Taste of Lebanon, $4. The korean breakfast diner near the Swedish bakery. Augie's, just newly departed this past year. And up by the Morse El stop, a diner type place called Angelo's, which by the time I ate there was on its last legs, and I suspect this might have been the space that was once the Ashkenaz Deli [circa 1987 or so]. The Glenwood INN, Glenwood and Devon. Fine broasted chicken in a homey, dark atmosphere, not unlike the Candlelite.

Marco, did you go to fazzio's when it was on the corner of Racine and Lincoln where the Geno's east sits now? If so perhaps you could help me in remembering the name of the pizza place that sat on the corner of Racine and George opposite the laundry mat that was behind Fazzio's? It closed before Fazzio's moved down the block and I remember it being a real old school pizza joint with great pie but cant remember the name for the life of me and no one else in the neighborhood can seem to either but we all remember it being there with great pizza.

the closest I have found to the taste of those Fazzio's fries are the fries from Chickie's, very close in taste to my best memory.

Hi,

I never went to Planet Hollywood. Today I get an e-mail promising a secret restaurant recipe. I'm a sucker for that and followed the link to 'PLANET HOLLYWOOD CAPTAIN CRUNCH CHICKEN.' Did such a thing exist? Was it good?

Regards,

it was ok...on the sweet side. afaicr, it was just chicken tenders that were breaded with cap'n crunch instead of panko or bread crumbs. no big secret.

I never went to Planet Hollywood. Today I get an e-mail promising a secret restaurant recipe. I'm a sucker for that and followed the link to 'PLANET HOLLYWOOD CAPTAIN CRUNCH CHICKEN.' Did such a thing exist? Was it good?

I remember waiting hours for a table at Planet Hollywood in Chicago shortly after it first opened when I was in my late teens, and will never forget the fact that Danny Bonaduce was "famous" enough to walk in and be seated right away. While that never sat well with me, the only other recollection I have was the Cap'n Crunch Chicken. It was really good at the time, but not sure my more mature palate would agree. I did try to replicate it at home a while back however and was quite successful in making a tasty fried treat.

did you go to fazzio's when it was on the corner of Racine and Lincoln where the Geno's east sits now?

if i'm remembering correctly the guy who owned the dearly-departed fazzio's at that location later went on to open (and close) the dearly-departed Rocco's Italian Sandwiches at 4900 N. Western (at Lincoln), which did a fabulous beef/combo and had great handcut fries.

it closed years ago, but i still get sad everytime i drive by there and see the insurance agency or whatever's there now. really a shame.

Marco wrote:University Gardens was my other HP fave, next to Rib'sN'Bib's on 53rd/Dorchester. Very low prices, very great hummos. There was also a Greek diner on 57th near the Universty where I'd go have pastichio or a Greek burger on a cold night stufy break. What was that called? Vastly superior to the Salonika down the street, which yet lives on.

Was it The Agora? In the spot that later became Ann Sather, and is now split between Medici Bakery and Noodles, Etc?

elakin wrote:if i'm remembering correctly the guy who owned the dearly-departed fazzio's at that location later went on to open (and close) the dearly-departed Rocco's Italian Sandwiches at 4900 N. Western (at Lincoln), which did a fabulous beef/combo and had great handcut fries.

The guy that owned Rocco's also hustled shoes at The Maxwell St. market on Sunday mornings.

mailsf wrote:

Marco wrote:University Gardens was my other HP fave, next to Rib'sN'Bib's on 53rd/Dorchester. Very low prices, very great hummos. There was also a Greek diner on 57th near the Universty where I'd go have pastichio or a Greek burger on a cold night stufy break. What was that called? Vastly superior to the Salonika down the street, which yet lives on.

Was it The Agora? In the spot that later became Ann Sather, and is now split between Medici Bakery and Noodles, Etc?

It may well have been the Agora. And before the Ann Sather, it was some sort of truly awful trendy-style retro-diner. The Agora was really very good for what it was---a Greek coffee shop with Greektown-quality entress, burgers, breakfast. The retro-diner was nauseating--- they once served me their take on a basic burger that was the size, shape and texture of a golf ball on a bun.

Sometimes you have to leave well enough alone.

elakin wrote:

did you go to fazzio's when it was on the corner of Racine and Lincoln where the Geno's east sits now?

if i'm remembering correctly the guy who owned the dearly-departed fazzio's at that location later went on to open (and close) the dearly-departed Rocco's Italian Sandwiches at 4900 N. Western (at Lincoln), which did a fabulous beef/combo and had great handcut fries.

it closed years ago, but i still get sad everytime i drive by there and see the insurance agency or whatever's there now. really a shame.

Rocco's! I never knew or realized the connection between Rocco's and Fazzio's! Wow, makes total sense now. The same fries. Slightly less healthy/yuppie atmosphere in Rocco's. But I remember they had the very best meatball sub--that's what I'd go there for.

As for the mystery pizza place across from Fazzio's, I would hazard a very tenative speculation, just a barely remembered thought that it might have been an early precursor to the Art of Pizza. So that pizza joint would have moved over to Ashland where AoP now sits in all its expanded glory. Likely a disprovable theory though.

Still trying to recollect the name of the upscale, comfort-food style takeout shop on that same side of the street. A similar deli is still there, but...the one from 20 years ago had some truly amazing "blackened" potatoes. Back during the "blackened" everything era. But wow were those potato wedges great. Intriguing how one suddenly can recall some side dish from decades past...

The recent turn in this thread brings to mind another defunct Italian place on Lincoln Avenue: Johnny C's Pizza, located on Lincoln between Warner and Berteau in the mid-80s. It later moved to a shoebox size location on Broadway between Belmont and Addison, where it was outlasted by the graffiti-style spray-paint advisory "NO PARKING FOR JOHHNY C'S" on the side of the building, which seemed to remain well into the '90s--long after the restaurant was history. In their day, they served a fine thin-crust pizza with a uniquely sweet sauce that I have never found anywhere else since.

I didn't have a chance to read through all of the replies, so I apologize if these are repeats:

1) The original Slicker Sam's in Melrose Park. I can still smell the garlic in the air as you approached the restaurant from a block or 2 away. And Mary the waitress.... stopping dead in her tracks & dancing her way through the restaurant anytime 'Proud Mary' or 'She Works Hard for the Money' played on the jukebox.

2) Dumpling Villa in Villa Park. Our favorite west suburban bohemian restaurant. Many great memories with my parents there. It's now a cigar store

3) Pepe's in Lombard (on the sw corner of Main & Parkside) across from the old DuPage Theatre. It was like no other Pepe's. Small, family-owned.... last I heard, they owned a Pepe's or other Mexican restaurant in Aurora or North Aurora somewhere. If anyone happens to remember them and know where they're at, please post!!

4) My Pie on Roosevelt Road in Glen Ellyn.... cozy, warm, the best pizza around in high school. It's now the Golden Wok. Have tried the My Pie on Clark and it's pretty close to this one.

Burger stand on the northwest corner of Southport and Irving Park road circa '84-'87. Had very unusual burgers that I wish someone could explain to me.

I grew up with the guys who owned fazzios and roccos. interestingly fazzios was the first restaurant adventure of jerry kliener of vivo,marche,etc. fame. and indeed the owner of roccos sold all sorts of shoes and other things at maxwell street.

Marco wrote:The Seminary by Lincoln/fullerton was already mentioned, but there was another 24 hour diner just east on Fullerton. I can still remember its pink neon sign. Seemed sketchier inside but quite colorful.

Was that Peter's Broasted Chicken?

Not mentioned yet:

Florence's
New Wilson Village
Junius

riddlemay wrote:

Marco wrote:The Seminary by Lincoln/fullerton was already mentioned, but there was another 24 hour diner just east on Fullerton. I can still remember its pink neon sign. Seemed sketchier inside but quite colorful.

Was that Peter's Broasted Chicken?

Yeah, that was it, Peter's. I don't recall any broasted there, though--truthfully, I think I avoided the place, possibly due to the overwhelming lack of non-smoking seating. The Seminary was better in that regard; I think an entire room was dedicated n/s. The Belden Deli on Clark was the 3rd member of the holy trinity of all nite choices in LP, mid-80's.

I remember the restaurant next to Eric Salm's in Lincoln Village to be "The Cup and Saucer."

I can't recall the restaurant across Lincoln Avenue on the west side. My Mom loved the sweet and sour cabbage soup. Can anyone help?

Does anyone remember a restaurant on the southeast corner of Lawrence and Pulaski that had a train running around the permeter of the restaurant? The Corner Hut perhaps?

Snowball