bernard wrote:There were many "wow i'm going to remember this for a long time" moments during the recent #lthindysupereats roadtrip, but my top 3 were:

1. lamb chops and paan from Bombay Bazaar
2. chili chicken and chive pockets from Asian Snacks
3. one particularly porky bite of the pork tenderloin sandwich from Pawn Shop Pub

It was a trip to remember, thanks for coming along! Asian Snack has possibly moved up from best Chinese food I have eaten outside of China, to favorite restaurant. I have always maintained that I do not pick favorite bands or songs, dishes or restaurants, etc, but I am damn close to declaring Asian Snack just that. Here is the instagram #lthindysupereats pics for the trip, https://instagram.com/explore/tags/lthindysupereats/. I'm sure one or all of us will post a full report soon!

laikom wrote:

bernard wrote:There were many "wow i'm going to remember this for a long time" moments during the recent #lthindysupereats roadtrip, but my top 3 were:

1. lamb chops and paan from Bombay Bazaar
2. chili chicken and chive pockets from Asian Snacks
3. one particularly porky bite of the pork tenderloin sandwich from Pawn Shop Pub

It was a trip to remember, thanks for coming along! Asian Snack has possibly moved up from best Chinese food I have eaten outside of China, to favorite restaurant. I have always maintained that I do not pick favorite bands or songs, dishes or restaurants, etc, but I am damn close to declaring Asian Snack just that. Here is the instagram #lthindysupereats pics for the trip, https://instagram.com/explore/tags/lthindysupereats/. I'm sure one or all of us will post a full report soon!

WOW! Looks like it was an awesome trip!

bernard wrote:There were many "wow i'm going to remember this for a long time" moments during the recent #lthindysupereats roadtrip, but my top 3 were:

1. lamb chops and paan from Bombay Bazaar
2. chili chicken and chive pockets from Asian Snacks
3. one particularly porky bite of the pork tenderloin sandwich from Pawn Shop Pub

That paan was one of the best things you've eaten? I tried that thing and I think the urinal cake flavor is still stuck in the deep recesses of my taste buds.

Jefe wrote:

bernard wrote:There were many "wow i'm going to remember this for a long time" moments during the recent #lthindysupereats roadtrip, but my top 3 were:

1. lamb chops and paan from Bombay Bazaar
2. chili chicken and chive pockets from Asian Snacks
3. one particularly porky bite of the pork tenderloin sandwich from Pawn Shop Pub

That paan was one of the best things you've eaten? I tried that thing and I think the urinal cake flavor is still stuck in the deep recesses of my taste buds.

Jefe, I'm most intrigued by the fact that you've eaten a urinal cake.

Jefe wrote:That paan was one of the best things you've eaten? I tried that thing and I think the urinal cake flavor is still stuck in the deep recesses of my taste buds.

I can see how it's polarizing. The association of the lavender/rose/etc smells with bathroom products can be quite strong depending on the person. For me though, the contrasting texture was as much what made it awesome as the flavor.

Tonight, hot pastrami sandwich at Max & Benny's in Northbrook. Perfect.

Cynthia wrote:Tonight, hot pastrami sandwich at Max & Benny's in Northbrook. Perfect.

Well, that's a relief, since the one I had a week ago was awful.

Oxtail and marrow rice at Blue Ribbon sushi in NY/ Columbus Circle. The omelette stuffed with marrow on top is the kicker. This dish is on a lot of people's lists but damn if it didn't work at 1:00 after the inevitable ORD<-->LGA delays. Not a healthy late night snack, mind you.

JeffB wrote:...omelette stuffed with marrow on top is the kicker....

Your bona fides as a trencherman was never in question, still this demands the superlative of "lucullan", doesn't it?

I'm saving lucullan for later experiences. This felt more like a graveyard shift factory worker tucking into liverwurst and a beer after the whistle blew. It was a bit odd, being the extremely sober guy eating top-quality, high end drunkard food in the midst of showbiz types who started rolling into the bar as I was finishing. It went from completely empty - just me and the staff at 1:00 am - to almost standing room only at 2:00 on a Tuesday. Then again, it's a tiny bar and one of a handful of solid late night options thereabouts.

Bacalao Tamale at Sink Swim. A noticeable hit in a meal full of very good dishes.

JoelF wrote:

Cynthia wrote:Tonight, hot pastrami sandwich at Max & Benny's in Northbrook. Perfect.

Well, that's a relief, since the one I had a week ago was awful.

Sorry to learn that they're uneven. As long as my mom stays in Michigan, I have access to the awesome Stage Deli, but once she moves back here, I'm going to need a consistently good place -- that isn't 38 miles away (as is the case with Manny's).

Cynthia wrote:

JoelF wrote:

Cynthia wrote:Tonight, hot pastrami sandwich at Max & Benny's in Northbrook. Perfect.

Well, that's a relief, since the one I had a week ago was awful.

Sorry to learn that they're uneven. As long as my mom stays in Michigan, I have access to the awesome Stage Deli, but once she moves back here, I'm going to need a consistently good place -- that isn't 38 miles away (as is the case with Manny's).

Kaufman's in Skokie should fit the bill.

The spicy BBQ pork fried rice at In-On Thai. 2nd time having it last night, and it hits all the right notes: Spicy, dirty, big chunks of meat, lots of wok-hei. Great stuff!

A bakery bite from Corner Bakery. It was one of their chocolate mini-bundt cake/muffin thingies. I am certain it was baked this morning. Had a slightly crispy exterior, with a moist interior. It helped make the pain of being at work before I usually get up easier.

After dropping my wife at the airport, a lunch time Merkts cheddar burger and cheddar fries from Paradise Pup on what might be the last 70-degree day for a long, long time. Perfect in every way.

The Uni and Nori at Ronin in Hong Kong. A dozen or so pieces of Uni covering soft nori with homemade panko flakes on the bottom. All mixed together was a great couple of spoonfuls. I'd happily eat this daily.

Grilled Amadai with a miso glaze covered in white Alba truffle at RyuGin in Hong Kong.

The spicy Chinese sausage salad (yam kun chiang) on the late night menu at Sala Bua in Chinatown (along with the special egg rolls, with basil leaves for wrapping, in background). I think this is a rarity on Chicago Thai menus and for me it is one of the apotheoses of drinking foods. Searing, sweet and sour, completely satisfying.



They could get away with dressing all of the after-hours bites the same, and they don't - each one has a different heat and bitterness and smoothness and bouquet of herbs and intensity of garlic and even the cut on the ginger varies.

Chawanmushi at Momotaro. Texture, flavor both sensational. Perhaps the best version I've ever tried.

Duck liver paté from Homestead Meats in Evanston. Rich but light at the same time, silky ... I was going to take a pic, but eating it was a higher priority. (Besides, everyone knows what a smooth paté looks like.)

I think the short rib taco at La Principal in Evanston (!) has been one of the better things I've eaten recently.

Cafe Tola Black Bean and Goat Cheese Empanada last Sunday was terrific! Can't wait to go back.

Had miso ramen with extra pork at Santouka this evening. Wonderful, as always. It struck me, as I sat there slurping noodles, just how remarkable a thing it is that I have splendidly delicious Japanese ramen available just 10 minutes from where I live.

That would be the Paramount burger at the Paramount Room on N. Milwaukee Ave. on Thursday.
It was really juicy, good, proper cooking and serving temperature.

The Stevie breakfast sandwich (bacon, egg, cheddar and fried chicken) at The Roost was so good. I don't know if it was the combination of saturated fats and the slight melancholy of a fading hangover, but that thing had me on biscuit heaven.

mdpilam wrote:The Stevie breakfast sandwich (bacon, egg, cheddar and fried chicken) at The Roost was so good. I don't know if it was the combination of saturated fats and the slight melancholy of a fading hangover, but that thing had me on biscuit heaven.

Wow. That sounds good. And to think they named it after me. I'm going to get over there and try one soon. I wonder if they'd make it with their Nashville hot fried chicken. That would be a sandwich I'd be glad to lend my name to.

Duck pastrami from Paulina Market. Fatty, dark-meaty, unctuous. Wanted no accompanying bread, cracker nor condiment. Pretty, pretty good, as Larry David would say...

Pulled pork and BBQ beans my wife kindly brought back in her suitcase from Joe's in Kansas City (nee Oklahoma Joe's). So smokey and delicious.

So if you know me, you know I'm not a 5 forks on the table kinda' guy...so my "bests" might be a tad lowbrow, but that's how I roll.

On a recent quick trip to visit #3 Son in your fair City, I really enjoyed my hashbrowns at Kitch'n, and the meatloaf at Chief Oneill's is still playing in my mind. I thought we served a mighty fine meatloaf at the Pub but nothing like the texture they put out.

Libertad in Skokie. The whole menu