Pie Lady wrote:What's your preference with steak tartare? I had it once with fine ground meat, and another with larger pieces...I like the larger better.

I like it all, but prefer the texture of meat that's been minced or finely diced by hand vs. put through a grinder. The texture of the one at the Paramount Room, served topped with a raw egg yolk, is a good example of what I like. (I just love the taste of raw/runny egg yolk and raw/rare beef). Whenever I go there, it's hard for me to eat anything else. It's a perfect bar snack, and I wish more drinking establishments would offer it.

SMT wrote:Then again, steak tartare served with a raw egg on top makes me a supremely happy girl!

that sounds disgusting. May as well just go take a bite out of a cow, and crack an egg in your mouth

Chitown B wrote:that sounds disgusting. May as well just go take a bite out of a cow, and crack an egg in your mouth

Am I the only one who just thought, "Mmmmmm" ?

Chitown B wrote:

SMT wrote:Then again, steak tartare served with a raw egg on top makes me a supremely happy girl!

that sounds disgusting. May as well just go take a bite out of a cow, and crack an egg in your mouth

Hmm, good idea, but I prefer my food dead upon consumption. I want to eat it, not fight it.

Chitown B wrote:

SMT wrote:Then again, steak tartare served with a raw egg on top makes me a supremely happy girl!

that sounds disgusting. May as well just go take a bite out of a cow, and crack an egg in your mouth

It's actually quite delicious. But I guess you have to be into that sort of thing. You'd probably freak to know that whenever I get a good cut of beef--whether it be a steak or stewing beef--I always cut myself a few thin slices to snack on raw while I'm prepping the meal.

Binko wrote:

Chitown B wrote:

SMT wrote:Then again, steak tartare served with a raw egg on top makes me a supremely happy girl!

that sounds disgusting. May as well just go take a bite out of a cow, and crack an egg in your mouth

It's actually quite delicious. But I guess you have to be into that sort of thing. You'd probably freak to know that whenever I get a good cut of beef--whether it be a steak or stewing beef--I always cut myself a few thin slices to snack on raw while I'm prepping the meal.

My favorite memory of "helping" my mom cook when I was little included waiting until she'd turn to do something, then sneaking a pinch of hamburger meat (my parents bought a full side of beef and had it prepped by the butcher so no crappy supermarket stuff here), rolling it in a bit of salt and eating it before she could see me. She later shared that she knew I did it and thought it was funny. Especially since I absolutely REFUSED to eat rare meat. Once it hit the grill, it had to be cooked thru or I wouldn't eat it.

As for steak tartare--mom made it for me regularly--I loved it even as a little kid.

Binko wrote:

Chitown B wrote:

SMT wrote:Then again, steak tartare served with a raw egg on top makes me a supremely happy girl!

that sounds disgusting. May as well just go take a bite out of a cow, and crack an egg in your mouth

It's actually quite delicious. But I guess you have to be into that sort of thing. You'd probably freak to know that whenever I get a good cut of beef--whether it be a steak or stewing beef--I always cut myself a few thin slices to snack on raw while I'm prepping the meal.

Whenever I trim some good beef, I also make sure that nothing good goes to waste...and often make sure the triming is just a bit more than neccesary

Getting a bit off topic here, but:

Growing up in the '60's, I would go with my mom to the butchers every week or so to pick up vittles for a family of seven. There was always a pile of (hopefully) freshly ground beef sitting in a pan on the counter. One of my favorite snacks was a small meatball sized taste of the beef. The fact that there was the occasional fly strafing the pile didn't bother me. Nor can I remember becoming ill.

wow i used to eat and still eat raw beef from time to time... i feel less funny about it now that i see others have also partaken in this delicious habit

wow i used to eat and still eat raw beef from time to time... i feel less funny about it now that i see others have also partaken in this delicious habit

i discovered steak tartare years ago in amsterdam. but much as i love raw beef, i can't even stand the thought, much less the taste, of raw egg. so i came up with mayo as a substitute and it's delicious. i like to mix hand minced ground sirloin, mayo, dijon, capers, scallions, salt and pepper. mayo has the unctousness of a raw egg, but it doesn't make me gag. justjoan

i can't even stand the thought, much less the taste, of raw egg. so i came up with mayo as a substitute and it's delicious.

The fact that "mayo" has in its very definition come to mean a product that can be a substitute for raw egg is an interesting commentary on the evolotion of both food and language in this country.

Kennyz wrote:

justjoan wrote: i can't even stand the thought, much less the taste, of raw egg.

The fact that "mayo" has in its very definition come to mean a product that can be a substitute for raw egg is an interesting commentary on the evolotion of both food and language in this country.

Well homemade mayo is uncooked/raw egg with oil added right? I've only made it once, to accompany CI's Spanish Tortilla, but Oh My Goodness! I thought it was the most delicious condiment I'd ever had. I also had to put on my food adventurer cap because I can't (yet) do soft eggs.

I've managed to eat a bit of a poached egg with a well set center a few weeks ago. Then again, even as a kid at Easter I would toss the yolk and just eat the egg white.

When I met my Brit husband, nothing pleased him more than a burger with an over easy egg and fries. He would dip the fries in the gushing yolk and it was all I could do not to exit the restaurant.

So Joan, was the mayo made from scratch?

Based on the above discourse, I assume it's only a matter of time before Kuma's burger of the month is just a bowl of raw meat and a spoon: the GWAR!

Kennyz wrote:

i can't even stand the thought, much less the taste, of raw egg. so i came up with mayo as a substitute and it's delicious.

The fact that "mayo" has in its very definition come to mean a product that can be a substitute for raw egg is an interesting commentary on the evolotion of both food and language in this country.

sorry kennyz, i have no idea what you're talking about.

So Joan, was the mayo made from scratch?

sometimes, pairs4life, i make homemade mayonnaise, but i'm really fine with hellman's most of the time.

justjoan wrote:

wow i used to eat and still eat raw beef from time to time... i feel less funny about it now that i see others have also partaken in this delicious habit

i discovered steak tartare years ago in amsterdam. but much as i love raw beef, i can't even stand the thought, much less the taste, of raw egg. so i came up with mayo as a substitute and it's delicious. i like to mix hand minced ground sirloin, mayo, dijon, capers, scallions, salt and pepper. mayo has the unctousness of a raw egg, but it doesn't make me gag. justjoan

I'm glad this works for you, but yikes.

justjoan wrote:

Kennyz wrote:

i can't even stand the thought, much less the taste, of raw egg. so i came up with mayo as a substitute and it's delicious.

The fact that "mayo" has in its very definition come to mean a product that can be a substitute for raw egg is an interesting commentary on the evolotion of both food and language in this country.

sorry kennyz, i have no idea what you're talking about.

I meant that since what many would consider "real" mayo has raw egg as a core ingredient, it seemed ironic for it to be used in your context.

sorry kennyz, i have no idea what you're talking about.

I meant that since what many would consider "real" mayo has raw egg as a core ingredient, it seemed ironic for it to be used in your context.[

i don't see it as ironic, but rather a logical direction to go. mayonnaise tastes different from an actual raw egg but serves the same purpose here. joan

Anyone know the December burger of the month?

UniAddict wrote:Anyone know the December burger of the month?

Per the Kuma's Myspace

The Absu is a 10 oz. Burger consisting of a spicy Tomatillo Salsa , Avocado and red onion relish, melted pepperjack cheese, fresh queso fresco and deep fried chiles (jalapeno, habanero, red fresnos).

The Absu is a 10 oz. Burger consisting of...fresh queso fresco ...

I am looking forward to the next one, which I hear will have old ropa vieja

I was excited to visit Kuma's after all the buzz, both from here as well as my friends. Maybe my expectations were too high but after the meal (very good beer list, especially the Belgians, which I love), I thought the burger ok but nothing special. Also a bit too big and heavy. No big complaints, but nothing all that special either, IMHO. Different strokes, I suppose.

Dutchmuse, which burger did you order? Also how do you order it cooked? I usually get medium, if I am in a bloody mood I'll get medium rare. It's the only burger I trust that way. Heavy is the point, but bursting with flavor - MEAT and STUFF lol. The lair of the minotaur is a great place to start as well as the kuma burger. I always say just order what sounds good to you. Imo nothing tastes wrong, it's a whole lot of right no matter what they figure out to conjure up on top of it.

Had the jalapeno poppers and the calamari recently. The poppers are not what I expected, they do not taste like your typical corner hotdog gyro place poppers. The calamari should be ordered with parties of 3 or more unless that's all you plan to eat! Freshed calamari I ever had in Chicago.

Mike

seriously their calamari is HUGE. and awesome

way to long between visits to Kuma's for me(the prospect of waiting in line to eat typically scares me away), however me and a buddy were in the neighborhood this past Thursday en route to a party, and decided to give Kumas a shot. No line @ 5:55 p.m. on this night, tables were full, but seats at the bar were available(id rather eat at the bar anyway). Place was packed by 6:15 though.

Service was as good as always, professional, friendly, etc. 3-Floyds Gumball Head Drafts for me as well as a shot of Jim Beam, and a shot of the Buffalo Trace on tap..

I went with what I consider my favorite $10 burger in Chicagoland. THe Kuma burger, straight forward, perfect balance, etc. Fried egg cooked perfectly, burger cooked perfectly rare(flavorfull beef, not underseasoned, not overseasoned, the taste of the beef shines through). The preztle roll somehow holds up to this burger. Went with the housemade chips this time, and they were better than the waffle fries as has been reported elsewhere on this thread.

Im a big fan of Kumas(the music, the food, the beer, the drinks, etc.).

kuma burger(sorry no pic of the assembled burger with that beautiful pretzle roll, or the internal temp that they hit, my hands were too covered in egg yolk and burger juice to pick up my camera... ):



Buffalo Trace tapper(a little blurry kind of like my vision at that point.. ):

I went to Kuma's Corner tonight and was surprised to see that Amalia Obermeier-Smith wasn't listed as the executive chef anymore. The new executive chef is R. Luke Tobias. I posted the question while pondering what could've happened to Amalia during our 45 minute wait for the table. I did eventually ask the waitress. Apparently Amalia is still there, she just switched to a more administrative position and her sous chef took over as head chef. Quality is still the same, the wait (groan*) is still the same.

Kuma's is always very good, and this is my favorite time of the year to visit as it can get very hot in there in the summer with all the people and no A/C. Was there a few weeks ago and had the "Thin Lizzy" for the first time. It's an open faced burger topped with mashed potatos and gravy....fantastic!

Just a random question, what type of beef do you think Kuma's uses for their burgers??

snap203 wrote:Quality is still the same, the wait (groan*) is still the same.

You just have to be smart about when you go If you are a person put off by the wait, go at 3 or 4 PM and have a late lunch / early dinner. No wait, I'm sure.

From R. Luke Tobias' twitter account @kumassous

New menu items at Kumas. The solace, the goatwhore, the Earthride, a few sliders and some other goodies. Fuck salads. Those are gone.

the wimperoo wrote:From R. Luke Tobias' twitter account @kumassous

New menu items at Kumas. The solace, the goatwhore, the Earthride, a few sliders and some other goodies. Fuck salads. Those are gone.

Yeah, the entree salads are gone, but you can still substitute a salad for fries/chips for $2.

snap203 wrote:

the wimperoo wrote:From R. Luke Tobias' twitter account @kumassous

New menu items at Kumas. The solace, the goatwhore, the Earthride, a few sliders and some other goodies. Fuck salads. Those are gone.

Yeah, the entree salads are gone, but you can still substitute a salad for fries/chips for $2.

that's good to know! would they do a burger w/o the pretzel roll? i can't have anything w/ gluten and wouldn't want 2 throw out such a fine roll... i know that special orders are (or were?) frowned upon...