Dined al fresco at Maria's last evening. Ordered at Pleasant House and then went next door for beers on the patio. Food happily delivered shortly thereafter. Great meal, with three dishes sating two diners.

Seasonal green salad. As stated upthread, absolutely fantastic.



Steak and Ale Pie. I'm not a huge pie fan, but this is a good dish. Rich, but not overwhelming.



Bangers and Mash. Wednesday special. The onions gave the dish a nice bite.



Three Floyds Gumballhead and Lagunitas Lucky 13.



Beer, food, and weather were all superlative.

I stopped and picked up a cold pork pie this afternoon, for later consumption. That consumption now passed, I am less pleased with this one that I was with my pie upthread. I've had some nice wedges of pork pie at Publican and Three Floyds lately--this did not quite live up to those. The minced pork could've used more oomph, more seasoning. The crust was perfectly good, but eating it cold doesn't match up to the warm, fresh-from-the-oven pies. Plenty of pork jelly if you're into that thing. Overall, it tasted okay, and if you're into these, I'm sure it'll scratch the itch. However, this was ten bucks--going forward, I'll opt for the other options, most likely. If I remember to upload my crappy cell phone pick later, I will.

I don't know what's in the crust, but eating any lard or fat-based crust cold filled with anything savory is going to set the eater up for disappointment on so many levels. Mouthfeel, graininess, gumminess. I would never eat an empanada from El Mercado cold even though the insides are full of juicy, fun things. (Cold these would be kind of well, gross and congeal-y/greasy.) Ditto for a cold pasty. (A pasty that was hot then went room temp to still warm is a different story -- maybe.) I would bet the same on something from Pleasant House. I have only been once but I can only imagine that their pastry and savory fillings would not shine being eaten cold. Oomph I can't speak to, that is a different story.

bjt

bjt wrote:I don't know what's in the crust, but eating any lard or fat-based crust cold filled with anything savory is going to set the eater up for disappointment on so many levels. Mouthfeel, graininess, gumminess. I would never eat an empanada from El Mercado cold even though the insides are full of juicy, fun things. (Cold these would be kind of well, gross and congeal-y/greasy.) Ditto for a cold pasty. (A pasty that was hot then went room temp to still warm is a different story -- maybe.) I would bet the same on something from Pleasant House. I have only been once but I can only imagine that their pastry and savory fillings would not shine being eaten cold. Oomph I can't speak to, that is a different story.

bjt

I would generally agree, but two mushroom and kale pies we've had from Pleasant have been quite nice cold. That said, romanticizing as I have been, this has sprung to mind both times, so I may have been predisposed from childhood to this particular kind of pie cold:

Roald Dahl wrote:"Very carefully, I now began to unwrap the greaseproof paper from around the doctor's present, and when I had finished, I saw before me the most enormous and beautiful pie in the world. It was covered all over, top, sides, and bottom, with a rich golden pastry. I took a knife from beside the sink and cut out a wedge. I started to eat it in my fingers, standing up. It was a cold meat pie. The meat was pink and tender with no fat or gristle in it, and there were hard-boiled eggs buried like treasures in several different places. The taste was absolutely fabulous. When I had finished the first slice, I cut another and ate that too. God bless Doctor Spencer, I thought. And God bless Mrs. Spencer as well."

Danny, the Champion of the World

Why, why. why is this place so far south (even hard to reach with public transit from work downtown, let alone home)?? I am planning a trip there this saturday, the reviews and pictures are making me hungry even though I am still full from dinner. How is parking there?

theskinnyduck wrote:Why, why. why is this place so far south (even hard to reach with public transit from work downtown, let alone home)?? I am planning a trip there this saturday, the reviews and pictures are making me hungry even though I am still full from dinner. How is parking there?

Absolutely no problem with parking in the area. I'm in at least once a week, either for Maria's or PHB or the 1-2 punch and, even after Sox games, parking has never been an issue.

Also, I am surprised to hear about the cold pies - I typically have a 15-20 minute wait for my food to ensure that it is piping hot, whether I tell them I'm eating next door or if I tell them I'm carrying to back to the North Side.

The pork pies are supposed to be eaten cold, methinks. The second one I purchased yesterday wound up in the stomach of a friend who'd studied in England, and it passed muster (mustard?) with him, though he lamented its relative lack of pork jelly. Still, strong praise from someone who's quite familiar with the authentic article.

And yes, parking's a cinch. And if 31st is too far south, you'll be missing many treasured LTH gems

mtgl wrote:
And yes, parking's a cinch. And if 31st is too far south, you'll be missing many treasured LTH gems

You are right. We dont mind exploring for dinner, It is harder for lunch stops. I need to find a coworker that "will travel for good food"!

The pork pie is served cold, and meant to be eaten cold. It's kind of like a pâté en croute. It's very rich, best for splitting.


Photo by aschie30, on Flickr

Ha, whoops! I wasn't paying careful attention to which pie we were discussing. I think the pork pie and the (Wednesday?) hamburger special are the only two things I haven't tried.

My wife and I made our first visit yesterday, and got to meet Art and talk with him briefly. I opted for the steak and ale pie, which was fantastic. The crust lived up to the numerous complimentary posts here, and the filling was nice and flavorful. Side of mash was a bit bland, even for someone like me who prefers no-frills mashed potatoes. My wife fell in love with the mushroom and kale pie instantly, making the immediate decision after the first bite that she was going to get a chicken balti pie to bring back home for dinner while I hung with the Oak Park He Man Woman Haters Club

I'm told the chicken balti pie was excellent as well, and their instructions for re-heating in the oven at home were spot on. While there for lunch she opted for a side of the buttered peas with mint, which she found wonderfully reminiscent of the way her parents used to prepare peas.

Ginger soda had a nice flavor without the extra kick of a ginger beer. Hibiscus tea wasn't my cup of, but my wife enjoyed it quite a bit. I believe it's made with hibiscus, mint and a non-caffeinated African tea of some sort, and definitely played to my wife's tastes.

With one side each we both found the pies to be perfectly filling and a great lunch. They're a bit out of the way for us, but there's no doubt we'll be back soon.

Wow, an intentionally cold pork pie. Well, don't knock it 'till you try it, I guess.

And man, that is the sluttiest looking serving of Bangers & Mash I've ever seen. In a really good way.

And serious, parking there isn't an issue after a Sox game? I've nixed two visits because it was a Sox game and I thought 31st would be a parking lot.

bjt

I finally made it here today. Parking was super easy, as mentioned in other posts. The pies were absolutely delicious, with the perfect golden brown flaky crust and amazing flavorful goodness inside. I loved both the steak ale and chicken pie, but the steak ale was my favorite. I also got the peas because I love peas, they have been my favorite vegetable since I was a little kid. I loved, loved, loved the minty buttery peas at PHB. The housemade gingerale was good but a little too sweet for me. Definitely worth the trip. This has all the chances of becoming a favorite stop on cold chicago days... The pies were very comforting and fulfilling, next time I am going to go with an emptier stomach!

Wednesday's Bridgeport-to-Niles carry-out lunch from Pleasant House was (possibly) even better than the previous one (about which I posted upthread). Even though I was stuck at my desk for most of the day, my mouth started watering when a co-worker mentioned he had to make a quick trip down to the south side and was thinking about stopping in at PHB to pick up lunch. As a group, we ordered somewhere in the neighborhood of 16 pies and a gaggle of sides. As much as I enjoyed them all, my favorite at this meal was the Mushroom and Kale pie, in which the filling possessed a richness and depth of flavor that completely belied its meatlessness. Other sharing portions of the chicken balti, steak & ale and premium pasty all satisfied immensely too.

We -- vegetarians and omnivores -- sat around the table eating our fine lunch, discussing the fact that PHB is a truly unique thing in Chicago and admiring the premium quality of not only the ingredients we were eating but the talent and care that went into preparing them. I won't say that lunch itself isn't often the focus of the discussion at lunch (we do love our food) but this was a day on which everyone at the table seemed particularly engaged in discussing the wonderfulness of Pleasant House Bakery.

This place is a gem and I'm eager to finally visit it in person...someday soon, I hope.

=R=

Even though I was stuck at my desk for most of the day

You mean stuck in the car for most of the day, right? Bridgeport to Niles?! How long did that take you on a weekday?

Vitesse98 wrote:

Even though I was stuck at my desk for most of the day

You mean stuck in the car for most of the day, right? Bridgeport to Niles?! How long did that take you on a weekday?

As I posted, it was my co-worker who went to PHB, not me. He left the office at 10:45, stopped and took inventory at one of our warehouses (the actual purpose for his trip), left PHB at 12:30 with our order and was back at our office right around 1:00 pm.

Generally, the best time for a trip like this is the middle of the day.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Vitesse98 wrote:You mean stuck in the car for most of the day, right? Bridgeport to Niles?! How long did that take you on a weekday?

As I posted, it was my co-worker who went to PHB, not me. He left the office at 10:45, stopped and took inventory at one of our warehouses (the actual purpose for his trip), left PHB at 12:30 with our order and was back at our office right around 1:00 pm.

Generally, the best time for a trip like this is the middle of the day.
=R=

Yep, just about 11am or so (or, apparently, until 1pm or so) is the time to do these trips... on a weekday.

The *best* time to do it, though, is on a weekend morning Ive often done the run at approximately 8:30am-ish on a Saturday or Sunday morning... from Skokie to Hyde Park (sometimes including a 3-minute stop at Abundance Bakery to pick up an Apple Fritter) has often taken just under 30 minutes. (A detour and stop at Bari's takes a touch longer.. a slightly longer detour off the highway, and then a pickup of the hot-Italian-sammy...then back on the highway via Lake Street.. but even that is usually achieved in 35 minutes or less).

Most SouthSide places arent nearly as far away as people think, as long as the trip is scheduled right (Uncle John's, 69th and MLK and the best damn BBQ in the city, is just over 30-minutes at 8pm on a weeknight from the near-north burbs, for example).

c8w

HI,

I didn't realize Art Jackson of Pleasant House Bakery was the same Art Jackson who also forages:



When I met Art once, I immediately asked him about his tree scaling. I was absolutely sure it was something he did this as a child.

Regards,

It's only July but Kevin Pang has declared PHB his "favorite new restaurant of 2011."

at ChicagoTribune.com, Kevin Pang wrote:Enter the husband-and-wife team of Art and Chelsea Jackson, here to rescue us from cliches. Their 3-month-old restaurant, Pleasant House Bakery in Bridgeport, fills a void you didn't know needed to be filled, offering a classically trained chef's take on blue-collar British cooking. It is my favorite new restaurant of 2011.

Like all kitchen grunts, Art Jackson yearned to become his own boss. He worked at Les Nomades and ran the kitchen at Bijan's Bistro for eight years, but he was always working for someone else. Last year, Jackson and several partners purchased a vacant lot near 18th Street and Racine Avenue, transforming the space into an urban garden in the heart ofPilsen.

He called the garden The Pleasant House, named for a home in Northern England's Yorkshire County where his family once lived. The Pleasant House in Britain evoked only pleasant memories for Jackson, with the memories revolving around his grandmother's country orchard and the large wooden kitchen table where Sunday roasts were served.

For the Jacksons, opening their own restaurant, sourcing ingredients from their urban garden and reconnecting with Art's English roots — it all seemed so obvious. And no chef in Chicago had taken on the challenge of workaday British food.

British cooking gets its good name back

=R=

Hey, does this article articulate that Pleasant House Bakery (now being referred to as PHB here on LTH, land of acronyms) is not in Pilsen but in its Bridgeport location?

bjt

bjt wrote:Hey, does this article articulate that Pleasant House Bakery (now being referred to as PHB here on LTH, land of acronyms) is not in Pilsen but in its Bridgeport location?

bjt

From the article:

Pleasant House Bakery

964 W. 31st St.; 773-523-7437 pleasanthousebakery.com

Open: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday

=R=

bjt wrote:Hey, does this article articulate that Pleasant House Bakery (now being referred to as PHB here on LTH, land of acronyms) is not in Pilsen but in its Bridgeport location?

bjt

Yes. Pretty clearly.

kevin pang, chicago tribune wrote:Their 3-month-old restaurant, Pleasant House Bakery in Bridgeport, fills a void you didn't know needed to be filled, offering a classically trained chef's take on blue-collar British cooking.

Cabbagehead and I stopped in last night at Pleasant House and found it true to its name. We split a chicken balti pie with a lively, if mild, green chutney, a lovely green salad, and an order of fish and chips. The pie crust was flaky and delicious, and the filling tasty, especially with the addition of the chutney. The fish was a large piece (not sure what kind of white fish), perfectly fried, moist and delicious. The chips were more like small slices of potato than French fries and were nicely crisp. We also very much enjoyed the house-made ginger lemon soda, which was definitely needed in the rather hot and small eating space. We brought home a steak and ale pie to eat later, but I note this morning that our son has already consumed half of it! A charming place, lovely people, and excellent food.

Hi,

If the traffic hadn't been so slow moving, I would have seen you last night. Was there any wait to get in?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

If the traffic hadn't been so slow moving, I would have seen you last night. Was there any wait to get in?

Regards,

I was there last night as well. As I have moved to Bridgeport and live right around the corner, I got there around 5pm, no wait, and only two tables occupied. I ordered my food to be delivered to Maria's next door and had it about 15 minutes later (with some 3 Floyds Dreadnaught).

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

If the traffic hadn't been so slow moving, I would have seen you last night. Was there any wait to get in?

Regards,

Sorry, Cathy, didn't see this earlier -- we were eating our way through southeastern Wisconsin this weekend. There was no wait around 7:45-8:00 p.m. Friday when we arrived. The other tables were filled, but we got one. There was a short line while we ate, but things moved along fairly quickly. I don't know if the air conditioning was broken or if they never have it, but the place was hot. Perhaps people took their food out more than usual. We never got to try the steak and ale pie because our son ate it all .

HI,

I finally did get there on Sunday afternoon. Cold pork pie with mustard, pickled spring onions and cherries. Eggs prepared two ways: pickled and Scotch.

Also ordered the special of the day of Devil's on Horseback, which is being discussed in another thread. Mistook the almond as a date pit intially.

Their housemade ginger soda hit the spot on a warm day.

It was nice to see Chef Jackson again and meet his wife and brother-in-law. I learned he has three gardens in the area to support his restaurant. Unfortunately hail damage may affect their output this year.

Regards,

I have a little food crush on this place and each time I go I love their pies even more. I overheard last time I was there that they are going to have a food truck going around in the future. PHB hot pies on cold winter days without having to drive too long...just the thought of that makes me happier.

Picked up dinner for my wife and her graduate school friends on Saturday after a day long cram session. Food made it back to Oak Park in perfect condition despite the terrible traffic (and weather). FWIW, it was about 25 minutes to drive there and about 45 minutes to get back.

I ended up getting 5 pies and 2 salads for five people and we ended up having half a pie left over. Everyone was raving about everything, including myself. Mushroom and Kale was my favorite, but even typing that feels like Sophie's choice. Even though it's the Friday special, Fish and Chips were available again on Saturday. I called ahead and didn't want food getting cold while I waited, otherwise I would have ordered them.

This is easily going to be in our regular rotation of places to eat out and I can't wait to introduce more of our friends to this amazing food.

One of my fave trips is to hit Pleasant House to stock up on pies, then Chinatown to stock up on buns, then drive home to the OP smugly, knowing I will eat well for a week.