Bizarre Foods coming to Chicago

Hi,
I'm a researcher with Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. We are looking into shooting a show in Chicago this summer. I'd love any suggestions for the show. We like to find unique, authentic relevant foods, cool locations and great characters where ever we go. We're looking for:
-Ethnic foods, eateries and markets (Polish, Korean, Mexican etc.)
-Unique, bizarre dives and street foods
-Interesting neighborhood restaurants
-Food producers (butchers, factories, artisanal producers etc.)
-Stores, markets, and vendors
-Signature foods and dishes
-Any unusual places, foods, restaurants, events or people you think we should know about.

I'd love any and all ideas.

Thanks for your help.

Tammy Bloom
Tremendous Entertainment for the Travel Channel.

just go to Hot Doug's, it's the only TV-worthy place we have here in Chicago.

Hi, Tammy - thanks for your up-front post. We often suggest new members start with the GNR (Great Neighborhood Restaurant) list, which - while they are kind of "favorites" of the board, do contain some off-the-beaten-path stuff; it's a good place to get a broad overview.

I'd suggest looking into montalayo at Maxwell Street Market(does anybody know if that stand has come back?) and look over this thread on Sticky Rice.

I hate to send you off-board, but you might also want to approach Culinary Historians of Chicago(there is cross-membership)

Mhays wrote:I'd suggest looking into montalayo at Maxwell Street Market(does anybody know if that stand has come back?) [/url]

Yes, when I was there weekend before last, Arroyo's was open and the menu still listed buche (esophagus) and montalayo (which seems only rarely available).

My vote is for the eyeball taco, which seems most...bizarre.

[/quote]

Some random thoughts that I could see segmented on that show (I am familiar with the show, moderate fan here:)

Maxwell Street Market for "street food." Perhaps an eyeball taco if they are available?

Joong Boo Market (Also known as Chicago Food Corp) - especially the tiny little cafeteria inside, and the food bar - I guess it would be a panchan bar? The market is tiny, but bustling, and packed to the gills with product.

Super H Mart in Niles, or Mitsuwa in Arlington Heights (although both are national / international chains) if segments have not already be done on them.

A segment on Carnitas, and the many Carnitas shops we have. (It's NOT baked pork!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Ditto for Birria

CHICAGO BBQ. NOT Texas, or Carolina bbq. And definitely not the baked baby back rib stuff that is somewhat synonymous with Chicago. I'm talking about smoked rib tips and hot links.

Little India up on Devon Avenue.

THIN CRUST PIZZA!!!!

The tourist places and food have been done to death here. How about a show about the REAL Chicago!!!!! The Nitty Gritty joints with EXCELLENT foods, and unusual stuff!!

I'd be happy to further discuss, and throw my name into the ring as a guide. Not to be famous or anything, but to set the record straight about the great places that this city has that the rest of the world doesn't know about since they are too busy eating the stuffed pizza, and hot dogs that they've seen on every other show about food in Chicago.

While second nature to many Chicago-ans, the Jibarito (from Papa’s Cache Sabroso) would likely be considered something novel, if not as much so after the Double Down.


Photo not mine.

David Hammond wrote:

Mhays wrote:I'd suggest looking into montalayo at Maxwell Street Market(does anybody know if that stand has come back?) [/url]

Yes, when I was there weekend before last, Arroyo's was open and the menu still listed buche (esophagus) and montalayo (which seems only rarely available).

Yay! I never knew the name of the stand; I always just happened on it. Thanks, David!

Tagging on to seebeee - I suppose the gist is that "traditional" Chicago foods aren't what most people think - they represent the wide range of cultures that have settled here for generations - hot dogs (German, Austrian, etc.) and pizza (Italian) are a very, very old part of that tradition, but we've got all sorts of other places in the world - and their unique take on Chicago - represented here that don't tend to get as much press. When my son was little, we'd take out the globe, spin it, and try to find a restaurant for whatever country his finger landed on - and we were able to more often than not.

seebee wrote:CHICAGO BBQ. NOT Texas, or Carolina bbq. And definitely not the baked baby back rib stuff that is somewhat synonymous with Chicago. I'm talking about smoked rib tips and hot links.

If a style is synonymous with the city, then isn’t it fair to say it’s the “style” of the city.

Mhays wrote:When my son was little, we'd take out the globe, spin it, and try to find a restaurant for whatever country his finger landed on - and we were able to more often than not.

That is cool.

Some good ideas and some a little too many mainstream to fit in with the bizarre foods theme. As for birria, i know Zaragoza offers up some bizzare worthy parts and would make excellent TV material.

Giant apple fritter at Old Fashioned Donut definitely a thing of beauty, and those dudes would love the attention, I'm sure.

$7 for a cannolo is about as bizarre as it gets.

AlekH wrote:Some good ideas and some a little too many mainstream to fit in with the bizarre foods theme. As for birria, i know Zaragoza offers up some bizzare worthy parts and would make excellent TV material.

Fully agree, and though goat is one of the main food groups for some of us, the meat would certainly qualify as “bizarre” for most civilians. If "Bizarre" makes a trip to Zaragoza, it might be visually fun to try a "pistola," which has some backstory as a macho man meal.

AlekH wrote:As for birria, i know Zaragoza offers up some bizzare worthy parts and would make excellent TV material.

Zaragoza, along with the aforementioned eyeball tacos, were my first thought as well.

--> Link to Zaraagoza thread on LTHForum

Critters at Sticky Rice ?

I love Zaragoza, but if you're going for bizarre effect, perhaps the birria con machito, tacos de guevera, and big cup of Tejuino from Birrieria La Barca might be a better fit.

Machito


-Dan

dansch wrote:I love Zaragoza, but if you're going for bizarre effect, perhaps the birria con machito, tacos de guevera, and big cup of Tejuino from Birrieria La Barca might be a better fit.

Machito


-Dan

This taco is a level 60 boss with over 800,000 hit points. Beware it.

Casa De Samuel for baby eels, alligator, rattlesnake, etc.

Ghareeb Nawaz or Shan for paya (trotter curry) - I'm not sure who else is doing paya these days. Ghareeb's version is goat while Shan's is beef.

Sabri Nihari for brain masala.

I'm sure one of the Assyrian joints still does Pacha on weekends. George's perhaps? Or maybe Ur? Give them a call and find out. Pacha is an Iraqi stew of assorted lamb parts, stuffed lamb stomach or intestines and usually a lamb head. Remember, only available on weekends.

Casa de Samuel
2834 West Cermak Road
Chicago, IL
(773) 376-7474

Ghareeb Nawaz
2032 West Devon Avenue
Chicago, IL 60659-2128

Shan Foods
5060 N Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 769-4961

Sabri Nehari
2502 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 743-6200

Ur Cafe
3222 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 478-3222

George's Grill Kabob
3216 W Lawrence Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 588-1800

My recent trip to Iyanze featured some bizarre foods. Goat skin, intestine curry/soup, cow leg and a big ball of pounded yam (fufu).

The mother-in-law sandwich, various locations.

Insects at Sticky Rice.

Raw crab panchan at Hae Woon Dae.

I've never been, but I think Kyrgystani food is pretty unusual, yes? We have that at Jibek Jolu.

Sticky Rice
4018 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 588-0133

Hae Woon Dae
6240 N California Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 764-8018

Jibek Jolu
5047 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 878-8494

Ann Fisher wrote:

JeffB wrote:
A great old post describes a particularly noteworthy meal at an African lunch truck, which I hope someone will link.

I do believe this is the great old post of which you speak CoolerbytheLake's "I give you a little penis for free"

It is indeed a great old post, a ground-breaking exploration of penis-eating in Chicago...now, unfortunately, no longer accessible at Chowhound. Still, there’s this.

THANK YOU CHICAGO!!! I can't believe the response I have gotten in less that 24 hours. Amazing! Keep 'em coming!

David Hammond wrote:

Ann Fisher wrote:

JeffB wrote:A great old post describes a particularly noteworthy meal at an African lunch truck, which I hope someone will link.

I do believe this is the great old post of which you speak CoolerbytheLake's "I give you a little penis for free"

It is indeed a great old post, a ground-breaking exploration of penis-eating in Chicago...now, unfortunately, no longer accessible at Chowhound. Still, there’s this.

Still there: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/113017

Rene G wrote:Still there: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/113017

Thanks Peter -- I clicked Ann's old link and got a "sorry, we can't find that page."

Think the Mother-in-Law is bizarre enough for Zimmern? Maybe if we knew what the tamale "meat" was made of...

I know you generally look for some real ethnic eateries (which there is no shortage of chicago) but it might be interesting to check out the Green City Market BBQ. It would be a chance to see a lot of the top chefs in Chicago (Rick Bayless, Paul Kahan, and more) showing off a bit while using local ingredients. Read more here:

http://www.chicagogreencitymarket.org/c ... yToView=16

Just to make sure we’re clear on what this guy considers sufficiently bizarre, in past episodes he’s eaten tarantula, fried bees, maggots, ants, silk worms, mosquito eggs, scorpions and bull’s rectum. Ethnicity is fine and goes with the territory, but I think what’s required here is stuff that would normally be considered virtually inedible by most North Americans.

David Hammond wrote:Just to make sure we’re clear on what this guy considers sufficiently bizarre, in past episodes he’s eaten tarantula, fried bees, maggots, ants, silk worms, mosquito eggs, scorpions and bull’s rectum. Ethnicity is fine and goes with the territory, but I think what’s required here is stuff that would normally be considered virtually inedible by most North Americans.

Perhaps he'd be interested in this thread

eatchicago wrote:

David Hammond wrote:Just to make sure we’re clear on what this guy considers sufficiently bizarre, in past episodes he’s eaten tarantula, fried bees, maggots, ants, silk worms, mosquito eggs, scorpions and bull’s rectum. Ethnicity is fine and goes with the territory, but I think what’s required here is stuff that would normally be considered virtually inedible by most North Americans.

Perhaps he'd be interested in this thread

I knew this was going to be the thread you linked to before i even opened it

David Hammond wrote:Just to make sure we’re clear on what this guy considers sufficiently bizarre, in past episodes he’s eaten tarantula, fried bees, maggots, ants, silk worms, mosquito eggs, scorpions and bull’s rectum. Ethnicity is fine and goes with the territory, but I think what’s required here is stuff that would normally be considered virtually inedible by most North Americans.

I could totally be mistaken, but I think for the most part, the REALLY funky stuff is usually in the shows shot abroad. I think the shows vary in levels of bizarre.

I would definitely put the eyeball taco in the category of tres bizarre.

No thick crust or stuffed pizza please. That stuff is for tourists.

Bizarre-wise, I think the neon relish enjoyed on our hot dogs is pretty bizarre.

If nobody mentioned it yet, Peoria Packers is pretty unbique. Essentially it is a giant meat locker where the customers don gloves to select there meat - nothing prepackaged.