Fogo2go

The wife is currently in rehearsals for a show, so I've found myself on my own for dinner quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. When this happens I like to try all sorts of new places that she wouldn't really appreciate playing guinea pig for.

One of the places on my list to try this time around was Fogo2go, which bills itself as a Brazilian pizza place. Not having any idea what Brazilian pizza is I was more than a little intrigued. At the northeastern edge of Lincoln Park it's always good to be on the lookout for new stuff.

I've had two pizzas from Fogo2go in the last couple of weeks and I enjoyed both of them. The style of pizza is probably closest to NY style but that's not even really a good way to describe it. Pieces are somewhat fold-able, but certainly aren't cracker crust. The cheese tends to vary by pizza, but most use a not great brand of mozzarella. The first pizza I had was brie and prosciutto and it was quite good. The second was mozzarella, spicy sausage, and rapini. The sausage and rapini were good but the cheese brought the overall quality of pizza down a couple of notches.

They also have cheesebread balls, which are strangely good. A cheesebread ball (as presented by Fogo2go) is basically a giant, sort-of-trashy version of a gougere. I'm strangely attracted to these, especially when they're just a little overcooked and crispy on the outside.

I don't think Fogo2go is going to create any sort of South American pizza fad in Chicago, but if you're looking for pizza in the neighborhood it provides a nice change of pace.

Fogo 2 Go
http://www.fogo2go.com
926 W. Diversey
(773) 880-8052

I've had Fogo2go pizza a couple of times at the neighbor's, and I agree with you. It's pretty good.

They also charbroil half and whole chickens in a way that reminds me (when I look through the window at them) of the ones I used to get from The Chicken Hut on Broadway and Belmont when I lived in that neighborhood. I keep meaning to try the chicken from Fogo, because if I liked The Chicken Hut's, chances are I'm going to like Fogo's at least as much, maybe more.

jesteinf wrote:They also have cheesebread balls, which are strangely good. A cheesebread ball (as presented by Fogo2go) is basically a giant, sort-of-trashy version of a gougere. I'm strangely attracted to these, especially when they're just a little overcooked and crispy on the outside.

Pão de queijo, right? These used to be available at Hippo House in Mitsuwa, for some strange reason.

No idea. They're just listed on the menu as cheesebread balls.

There's another report (w/pics) on Fogo 2 Go here. I haven't been back but I've been meaning to try it again.

jesteinf wrote:The cheese tends to vary by pizza, but most use a not great brand of mozzarella. The first pizza I had was brie and prosciutto and it was quite good. The second was mozzarella, spicy sausage, and rapini. The sausage and rapini were good but the cheese brought the overall quality of pizza down a couple of notches.

Do they still offer their homemade catupiry cheese as an option? I wanted to try it but, as I only needed a slice, was limited to the pizzas already prepared. Some of the toppings sound very interesting. How about a catupiry, codfish and egg pizza?

From a quick look at the menu they do offer homemade catupiry cheese. I think there's at least 1 pizza with egg but I don't think I've seen codfish.

jesteinf wrote:From a quick look at the menu they do offer homemade catupiry cheese. I think there's at least 1 pizza with egg but I don't think I've seen codfish.

I'm talking about The Lisboeta, #3 under Seafood Pizzas: Camilo's sauce, homemade catupiry cheese, codfish, eggs, green peppers, red onions. I know I'd give it a try.

Rene G wrote:

jesteinf wrote:From a quick look at the menu they do offer homemade catupiry cheese. I think there's at least 1 pizza with egg but I don't think I've seen codfish.

I'm talking about The Lisboeta, #3 under Seafood Pizzas: Camilo's sauce, homemade catupiry cheese, codfish, eggs, green peppers, red onions. I know I'd give it a try.

I must have missed that. Sounds good to me too.

riddlemay wrote:I keep meaning to try the chicken from Fogo.

Living in the neighborhood, I've had it a number of times. It's good, but highly variable based on how fresh it is. Since most folks focus on the pizza, the chicken can sit warming (and drying out) on the grill for quite a while before someone orders it.

The pizza is passable but nothing to seek out. The cheese is indeed the weak point.

OT but I loved Chicken Hut when I was in the area.

I ordered from them recently. The crust was decent, not a great Neapolitan thin crust but a pretty good French-bready crust, in the ballpark of Apart, the late Ofame, etc. Toppings seemed of good quality-- I liked a pungent, thick-sliced "ham" (more like prosciutto) on one. All those things were definitely above average.

The cheese was the issue. The more or less plain cheese pizza used provolone, and I liked that. The other, though, used their "mussarella" which I did not care for, it had that gluey texture of cheap pizza cheese. It might not be a cheap cheese but it came off like one. The menu is unusual enough that I might try more things on it, but I wasn't inspired to add them to the regular rotation.

mhill95149 wrote:OT but I loved Chicken Hut when I was in the area.

Oh gosh, so did we...that was some great chicken!

Rene G wrote:

jesteinf wrote:From a quick look at the menu they do offer homemade catupiry cheese. I think there's at least 1 pizza with egg but I don't think I've seen codfish.

I'm talking about The Lisboeta, #3 under Seafood Pizzas: Camilo's sauce, homemade catupiry cheese, codfish, eggs, green peppers, red onions. I know I'd give it a try.

Had this pizza last night. It was ok, but very heavy. The cod was pretty mild, but there was A LOT of it (it was weighing down the ends of pieces when I picked them up). It was tough to get a read on the cheese through all of the cod.

We rode bikes past The Chicken Hut yesterday, and the intoxicating aroma of grilling chicken was detectible half a block away. Their door was open, which might be one of the smartest marketing moves they could make. Can't recall exactly right now if Fogo's door is usually open, but I don't think it is; maybe they should try it.

Ordered in from Fogo last night and was pleased overall. Whole grilled chicken with 2 sides (chose garlic rice and black beans w/bacon) and a Veggie Salad (lettuce, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, and grape tomatoes (I left off the roasted red peppers and cukes cuz I don't eat 'em) with a choice of cheese (I chose emmenthal).

Chicken was a bit on the dry side (some pieces more than others) but great flavor and with squeeze of lemon, very satisfying. Menu said it was a whole chicken and it must've been a large one b/c the container weighed a ton. Salad was fine as well. Nice mix of ingredients and an enormous portion for $6.50.

The highlight though were the sides. The garlic rice had the texture of sticky rice--and the garlic was pronounced. Both things that I liked that others might not. The beans with bacon were fantastic--hearty, delicious, bacony but not too salty. Not a dish I was expecting to love. Can't wait to order them again. And again, a large enough portion to have some for dinner last night, as well as breakfast and lunch today!

Two people had 5 meals out of this order. Total cost including tax and delivery: $22. I'll definitely be ordering again!

Been awhile since there was an update but Fogo2Go closed in early October according to Yelp. It had been awhile since I ordered but I noticed the sign was different when I passed by yesterday. Windows are papered over and Torta Haus is coming soon.

http://tortahaus.com/

I looked up some pictures and this place looks like some pizza I ate in Sao Paolo, the crust and the toppings and the awful catupiry cheese. Im surprised someone would even try bringing the stuff here. There is a place in Guarujá in Sao Paulo state that makes the craziest pizza toppings like car tires or six packs of beer and they get some internet exposure for it.

RobK wrote:Been awhile since there was an update but Fogo2Go closed in early October according to Yelp. It had been awhile since I ordered but I noticed the sign was different when I passed by yesterday. Windows are papered over and Torta Haus is coming soon.

Don't forget the umlaut over the "u."

tremas or umlauts have been taken out of the portuguese language to make spelling easier so in the old lexicon Torta Haüs would pronounce the ü sound but Torta Haus wouldn't.