PRETZEL KICK

NAV MAN is on a huge PK right now and scourin the city for the TOP TWISTS. Turnin over every stone on a mission tryin grip some of that sweetass intertwined baked dough normally salted. Everybody knows that the NAV MAN is a DIP HEAD and needs some recs that are dip-centric. Might I suggest to the group:

Floyd's Soft Pretzel
1944 North Oakley Avenue
Chicago, IL

Order comes with a two soft pretzels and two dips, standard. A watery ranch deal that tastes just like heaven and a cheese deal thats gonna make you sweat. $6 bucks. Easily blows away any hummus plate offering in the city and the NAV MAN went on an off-forum HUMMUS HUNT over the winter. But the suns out and NAV MAN's guns are out and eating like im headed to the chair, baby.

Keep the recs to the best that the cityland area has to offer. Be mindful that the pretzel is onyl as strong as its weakest dip and this forum has its share of contributors (Santander, SteveZ et al) who lack dip chops. Not everybody is a dip guy and stop acting like you are if you arent.

Lets Eat Pretzels!

Brah, please.

Santander wrote:Brah, please.

Check back, Sant. If you think for a second that the NAV MAN hasnt been creepin on Auntie Anne's since they slapped one down in the food court of yorktown mall back in the mid 90s youre out of your tree. NAV MAN's got more carb-fat than carter's got pills.

Recs?

I quite like the pretzel with welsh rarebit at Longman & Eagle. If you're eagerly collecting samples, you could get it at the bar with a beer and not have to do a whole meal.

annak wrote:Longman & Eagle.

Websites lookin a little too Bravo for the NAV MAN but may need to check this Pretzel & Brewcat combo.

The giant pretzels at Laschett's are, of course, wonderful. Your dip option is awesome german mustard or awesome german mustard. Hope that's OK.

gleam wrote:Hope that's OK.

The NAV MAN says yes!

Speak of da pretzel. Da Beef just had one at Gaslight last night. He liked. Served piping hot with jalapeno cheese oozing out from within, dipping sauces were honey mustard and more cheese...yes please. Regular salteds are available too. Not bad for $3 paired with an ice cold beer and the talent that abounds on a sunny evening in the LP/Depaul area. Is it a great pretzel? Not Mader's in Milwaukee like, but its gotta be an overall better experience than being with Aunt Annie surrounded by a bunch of teenagers from Glenbard East. Well technically these are those same girls, just older now, they've moved outta mommy and daddy's place and into the city (Insert Smilie guy here).

Gaslight Bar & Grille
2426 North Racine Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 929-7759

If you get up north, I saw a German soft pretzel as wide as my forearm for $13 (with 24 hour advance notice) from Larry's Brown Deer market
http://www.larrysmarket.com/

Otherwise in Milwaukee, the German Beer Hall, or Harry's has decent pretzels.

gleam wrote:The giant pretzels at Laschett's are, of course, wonderful. Your dip option is awesome german mustard or awesome german mustard. Hope that's OK.

Just one more reason to head to Laschett's, as if you needed another. If you're just looking to pick one up at a non-restaurant, also consider Gene's in Lincoln Square . . . they make a pretty damn good pretzel too.

Sable - Soft Pretzels w/ smoked cheddar cheese dip.

Pair with an Eli Wallach (Milagro Reposado, Angostura, Green Chartreuse).

Sable Kitchen & Bar
505 N State St
Chicago, IL 60654
312.755.9704

NAV MAN should try the pretzel at Leopold.

Hot Chocolate's pretzel appears to still grace its menu:

Hot Chocolate's Menu wrote:PRETZEL house-crafted soft pretzel, Carr Valley smoked pepperjack cheese sauce 12

Despite the singular description, I believe you actually get two warm, buttery, salty delights.

Owen and Engine hides the pretzel as a line item in the actual beer list (sort of a reverse of this clever oatmeal post). The standard salt and when they do it as a dessert are both very nice.

Actually went to Owen and Engine twice but ended up continuing on to Fat Willy's both times. NAV MAN has a weakness portion sizes.

NAV MAN wrote:Actually went to Owen and Engine twice but ended up continuing on to Fat Willy's both times. NAV MAN has a weakness portion sizes.

Ouch...you missed out on the best burger in town. I see no reason to ever continue past Owen & Engine.

From Scratch Bakery
26 Calendar Ave
La Grange, IL 60525

Their fresh baked pretzels with tahini mustard - show stopping. I am not really a fan of this bakery otherwise but the pretzels are very good and if the dipping sauce is understated I thought it surprisingly well conceived and something i have made at home.

I love soft pretzels immensely, so I was excited to see a purveyor not far from home. Sadly, the pretzels - filled with, I think, jalapeno cheese, pizza style, or cinnamon - are microwaved from frozen and have all the flavor and texture of their packaging. So don't go here. I hear their churros are OK, though.

Mimi's Churros
2520 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60608

third coast foodie wrote:From Scratch Bakery
26 Calendar Ave
La Grange, IL 60525

Their fresh baked pretzels with tahini mustard - show stopping. I am not really a fan of this bakery otherwise but the pretzels are very good and if the dipping sauce is understated I thought it surprisingly well conceived and something i have made at home.

Just had two pretzels last weekend at the Riverside Arts Fair - the vendor was Gnarly Knots and they said that they also sell their pretzels at From Scratch Bakery in LaGrange. Just want to give credit where credit is due - haven't been to From Scratch, perhaps they offer pretzels from other makers as well, but Gnarly Knots cheddar pretzels with a mustard dipping sauce were buttery, warm and delicious. I really didn't think a pretzel could be that good. Not sure if I had the "tahini mustard", but whatever it was worked very well. Nice people, too.

http://gnarlyknots.com/Page_3.html

Further investigation (googling) revealed it's actually called "From Scratch Marketplace" in La Grange and that the Gnarly folks provide the pretzels.

http://www.fromscratchmarketplace.com/about.html

Up-post link to their website indicates the days Gnarly Knots is there and elsewhere. If Gnarly means "this is a pretzel like no other", these are appropriately named.

I recall from my strange childhood in the early 70's looking forward to going to Sears with my dad (who went often to buy tools), because they had soft pretzels there. I loved the "fresh baked" smell when you opened the door to the store after the long walk from the parking lot. Brushing off 3/4 of the hard salt onto the floor turned them into perfection. Dad is now gone - I still enjoy eating that standard variety of soft pretzel just for the memories.

I associate soft pretzels with the rare treat of a trip to San Francisco's science museum, the Exploratorium. My parents were always chintzy about buying snacks (one of those things I grew to understand as I got older - they are so often a ripoff) but always consented to pretzels. I looked forward to the day when I could have my very own instead of sharing with my brother, and even now a pretzel of my very own is a pleasure I do not deny myself.

Courtesy of my better half (disclosure: she works @ Dinkel's, I solicited info):

They sell to:

The Stretch Bar and Grill
3485 N. Clark St
http://www.thestretchchicago.com/HOME.html
"Dinkels Bavarian Pretzels (2) served with a Fat Tire Ale Cheddar cheese dipping sauce. 9.00"


Cortland’s Garage
1645 W. Cortland St.
http://www.cortlandsgarage.com
"Classic Pretzels. 9.00"

Cortland garage is walkable for the nav man. Gonna check this pretzel out ASAP.