jimwdavis wrote:A dense piece of dark pumpernickel, spread with schmaltz and covered with a mixture of gribenes, chopped radishes and onions, salt and pepper. That’s the best thing I’ve eaten lately – and sixty years ago, in my Bubbe’s kitchen!

By the sweet light of Carol Channing's ghost does that sound wonderful, goose gribenes! Onion, both caramelized and raw is a standard schmaltz (chicken) accompaniment, but the addition of chopped radish is a really terrific idea.

Goose gribenes, sounds like just the ticket for my first heart attack!

Gary! I'm not dead yet! And I like that Michael Morowitz boy better anyway. Tootles!

ribs at honey 1

inspired by the thread "the best reuben in town", I had to have what I consider to be the best around, one from my kitchen. Dark rye(allows long grilling times), grilled with unsalted butter, topped with homemade Russian Dressing(so easy to make not making it yourself it is a sin), shave corned beef, baby swiss, and kraut..

Served with homemade chicken noodle soup(made with a broth I made all day yesterday that turned to gelatin overnight) which was also brilliantly simple but great.

one of the best lunches I have eaten.

Fannie's Killer Fried Egg Sandwich at M. Henry this morning:

Fresh ichigo daifuku at Hippo House in Mitsuwa. Whoa.

Tourta de bléa, Nissa (tourte de blette, Nice)

Antonius

Wonton & Chicken caserole @ Chinese Kitchen in Westmont.

Rich broth, loads of chicken, and really nice, supple wontons.

Sweetbreads omelette at Lula's.

Sausage and mushroom 'za at Coalfire.
Aw snap, this was probably the best pizza of its class that I have had. Granted I haven't been to Grimaldi's or any of the joints in New Haven, or Great Lake, but my personal benchmark of DiFara's in Brooklyn was trumped last night. Coalfire is in my regular rotation- just down the street. I always have loved their pizza, but last night's was transcendent. We were the last table at 10:30 in an emptying restaurant. Maybe this time of night had something to do with the perfection of this pie or its that they are just 100% on their game these days. The crust, of course, made it- ethereally light and crisp, charred bubbles, moments of chew, and best of all, crispy-as-could-be and blackened right into the center. The toppings were in perfect balance, amazing.

Family Christmas party tonight in Naperville, shrimp toast made by niece Emily qualifies as best thing I've eaten lately.

For the past week I've been munching on a lemon meringue pie from Hoosier Mama. Oooo boy is (was) it good!

Finally made it to Exsenators in Markham for some rib tips. Order a large tip, no fries and hot sauce on the side.
They were VERY good and had great flavor and GOOD deep smoke to them.
The hot sauce on the side was a big hit and they give you a big bowl of it to go and it was hot in temp. and went smooth with the tips. The thing I liked best about this place was the heavy smoke, wood, flavor and taste to them. Tips were nice and hot in temp. even when i got them home and dug in. The tips had a good fat to meat ratio. Was chatting up a lady waiting for some tips and I asked her...I wunder how they came up with the name Exsenators? So when she picked up her order she asked the lady how did this place get its name? She replied thats his name....for real.... yeah thats what his mama named him! Not sure if its his first or last or if its really true, but thats what i heard. Will B back for a full slab some time soon!
Exsenator's Bar-B-Que
3349 W 159th ST
Markham,IL 60428
708-333-1211

Burger King Funnel Cake Sticks.

Santander wrote:Burger King Funnel Cake Sticks.

OK, you listed this on both the Best and Worst thing you've eaten lately.

Do you need more variety in your dining?

JoelF wrote:

Santander wrote:Burger King Funnel Cake Sticks.

OK, you listed this on both the Best and Worst thing you've eaten lately.

Do you need more variety in your dining?

This magical item is a superposition; it simultaneously exists as the worst and best possible food, from quality, nutrition, fact-of-existence, and marketability perspectives. I have never been so compelled nor revolted by anything I've eaten.

Santander wrote:

JoelF wrote:
This magical item is a superposition; it simultaneously exists as the worst and best possible food, from quality, nutrition, fact-of-existence, and marketability perspectives. I have never been so compelled nor revolted by anything I've eaten.

This sounds like my love/hate relationship with the one or two times a year I find myself staring down into a brown, grease stained, paper bag with a pizza puff in it.

So many potlucks at work this time of year and inevitably someone will bring GFS meatballs drowning in some jarred BBQ sauce. So to put an end to that I cooked up a batch of homemade meatballs (pork, veal, and ground chuck) and marinara. SO GOOD!! Mrs. Jaholbrook even said they were the best batch to date.

Cheers!

With the pomegranate molasses talk recently, I had this forgotten pantry item on the brain. Along with dessert.

Result?

Pomegranate molasses and pine nut cookies (recipe and picture from Serious Eats)



These cookies are crunchy with roasted pine nut flavor bursts and an exotic not-taking-a-backseat tang courtesy of the pomegranate molasses. A refreshing cookie. Mine came out thicker and a fair bit darker (likely due to dark and stormy pomegranate molasses from the Spice House).

I'll try to post pics tomorrow if my coworkers leave me any.

Sauteed Peapod Shoots and several dishes with house-made noodles at Chef Ping. The former owners of Yu's Mandarin are hitting on all cylinders at their new venture, with top-quality ingredients that are well prepared. I will be back sooner rather than later.
Chef Ping
1755 Algonquin Rd.
Rolling Meadows
http://www.chefping.com

The guava-and-cheese empanadas today at El Cubanito on Pulaski.

Had dropped by Don Diablo, had a few tacos and shrimp empanadas, was quite full. Was driving past El Cubanito... and couldnt resist stopping in for a quick dessert. Picked up one guava-and-cheese empanada - just one single one, cost me all of 1 buck. Thats all I got, figured Id eat it later (being too full and all)... but on getting to the car suddenly realized it was still warm. So, despite being stuffed, decided a couple of quick bites were in order before driving away.

Damn. Slightly warm, fantastically flaky, perfect combination of not-too-sweet guava and a little cheese. Found I had inhaled the entire empanada before I had started my car (with gorgeous little flaky-bits all over my shirt and trousers)... and promptly went right back in and picked up 2 more empanadas for later (the lady at the counter laughed, and said I ought to try the Coconut one, that was good too.. I said "next time, this time just guava-and-cheese please").

And this time I did actually manage to start my car and drive off - but Iam sad to report that a second guava-and-cheese empanada met its untimely demise about 3 blocks away.

c8w

It would have to be the vegan chili from the 1st Vegetarain Small Household Exchange.

Dry Chili soft shell crabs, and the whole Dungeness Crab in preserved egg yolk from Double Li. Opposite ends of the heat spectrum, both were excellent.

Ever have one of those dishes that's just so darn delicious, you're still thinking about it weeks later, after eating at other excellent restaurants in the interim?

At Cooper's Hawk Winery, where you can try all their wines in the tasting room, then go into the restaurant to eat, I had dinner at the Wheeling location and I'm still wowing about:

"SWEET CHILI CALAMARI - Tender Rings of Calamari, Fried Tempura style, and Tossed in Mango Chili-Ponzu Sauce with a touch of Spicy Mayo"

They were just perfectly cooked, amazingly tender, and spicy and slightly sweet, all at the same time, just a wonderful dish!

Chocolate Earl Grey Cake. I baked it last night. Tea is really subtle this time round but I think that's because I've got a cold or sinus issues.
Recipe is here but I loathe confectioners' sugar as a dusting on anything.

Chicken with Rice Cake, from the Yunann Specials at Spring World. The perfect dish. The rice cakes texture was gorgeous, like mini scallops. All of it coated in a fine, spicy batter.

Saffron ice cream from Village Creamery. Beguiling.

gastro gnome wrote: Pomegranate molasses and pine nut cookies (recipe and picture from Serious Eats)

Note to self: self, pick up some pomegranate molasses and try that!

Lunch today: kimcheeze sandwiches made with D'amatos sliced italian bread, queso chihuahua and the foil-packed kimchi recommended by einberliner, dipped in the spouse's recipe tomato soup: one can home-canned tomato puree thinned with about 1.5 cans milk, heated gently. Divine.

S'more with house-made graham cracker and marshmallowed scallop at Bonsoiree. Each individual element was good, but when combined in a single bite they were transcendent. A surprise favorite dish of the night after another excellent meal for our anniversary.

Picture borrowed from Yelp:

My Saturday mornings usually consist of a few hours of Boxing and Weight training, which depletes my energy level immensely. Afterwards, I crave sugary brunches to replenish my body. For the past 3 years, I have been an avid patron of Bongo Room (South Loop location) for their sweet brunch dishes. Out of all the years (and many seasonal menus), the Pumpkin Zucchini Flapjacks is by far my favorite item. I ordered this dish probably 6 times in the last 3 months alone! The zucchini bread makes the pancake batter extra soft when compared to the other flapjacks on the menu. I always find the white chocolate crème with caramel swirls a perfect complement to the pumpkin taste.