kl5 wrote:For what it's worth, the letter can be read here.

Hammond, you're such a hack.

Did she mention fresh? Does the use of "fresh" to modify nearly (but not quite all) of the ingredients mean that those not described specifically as "fresh" are, in fact, not "fresh"?

I'm also confused by the suggestion that the poblanos and corn are unfresh, while the cotija (a/k/a queso anejado) is fresh. Mmmm, fresh cotija.

Why, just yesterday I enjoyed a delighfully fresh 1985 rioja, some super-fresh five-year-old-cheddar, freshly dry-aged steak and a freshly rolled pre-embargo Cuban cigar. Fresh.

Hammond, you must take them up on the invite. If they don't grill up a freshly butchered yardbird for the soup, as opposed to the freshly fully depreciated chix from earlier in the day/week, they'll eat your hat.

stevez wrote:

kl5 wrote:For what it's worth, the letter can be read here.

Hammond, you're such a hack.

Tell me something I don't know.

Basically, my take on this is that the Director, Communications for El Pollo Loco is just doing her job. I've worked with people in similar positions at McDonald's, Burger King and other QSR corporate headquarters, and their number one job is to protect the brand and the way its communicated to the public. When my review (even in its edited form; the first draft was, as my editor pointed out, "too damn damning" with frequent references to Dante, specifically The Inferno) hit her desk, it would have been irresponsible of her to have simply let it go. Though her response has the feel of holy corporate writ (language is stilted, and the word "fresh" is incessantly reiterated), she's just doing what EPL is paying her to do.

No hard feelings, but no chance I'd ever enter this inner ring of culinary hell again,

David "Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'intrate" Hammond

Actually, she was pretty gentle. This is the stuff of which libel suits are made.

I know of a paper and critic who were sued after the critic damned something as "microwaved pap." The restaurant could prove it had never had a microwave oven on the premises. The paper settled out of court. The critic retired shortly thereafter.

Then, of course, there was this case. Not to mention this.

Gentle, maybe, but still guilty of violating the first rule of PR, don't spread the thing you don't like to many more people than would have ever seen it in the first place.

There's a great story about Edward Bernays or some PR biggie being consulted by Ford what to do after the debacle of the Edsel. They pay the guy $25,000 and he goes off to think about it... sponsor a symphony on radio, send an all-girl logrolling team across the country, what should Ford do to get its image back? Finally he arrives and says he has his answer what Ford should do.

"Nothing," the guy says.

"Nothing?" Ford shrieks.

"Yeah, screw it, you're Ford, you'll make other cars, why keep calling attention to one mistake?"

"We paid you $25,000 for that?"

"Exactly. If you'd paid someone else $10,000 it would have cost you a lot more."

I loved the headline over the letter ... "missed that metaphor" - wasn't the whole point that this isn't someone's grandmother's recipe, but a rigidly enforced, corporately-determined formula, likely developed with much market research to appeal to the broadest possible audience?

nr706 wrote:I loved the headline over the letter ... "missed that metaphor" - wasn't the whole point that this isn't someone's grandmother's recipe, but a rigidly enforced, corporately-determined formula, likely eveloped with much market research to appeal to the broadest possible audience?

What's the name of the mexicoid place in Ogilve/Northwestern train station? Whatever it is, it's a chain of some sort - and I really like their chicken soup! It's spicy, lime-y, cilantro-y with char-grilled chicken - and much better than my mom's version when I have a cold. I find myself craving it often, and haven't found any other chicken soup that rivals it. So maybe this stuff isn't grandma's, but it's really good! It tastes fresh, like it's been made on site. And maybe they do use leftovers from yesterday's chicken, but that's OK. Soup is often the best use of leftovers.

(I used to teach, part of our salary was lunch - and they made soup out of whatever yesterday's lunch was. So we had steak sandwich soup, and yes, on Monday, we frequently had cream of fish stick soup. Which isn't nearly as bad as it sounds if you start with a good base).

leek wrote:What's the name of the mexicoid place in Ogilve/Northwestern train station?

Burrito Beach

More love for Dom.

LTH,

Happy to see Sol de Mexico got a mention in Chicago Magazine's Dish newsletter this week as did LAZ for her suburban hot dog stand write up in the Daily Herald.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:LTH,

Happy to see Sol de Mexico got a mention in Chicago Magazine's Dish newsletter this week as did LAZ for her suburban hot dog stand write up in the Daily Herald.

Enjoy,
Gary

Yeah, Dish mentioned some major buzz surrounding SdM. Wonder where that came from?!

G Wiv wrote:...as did LAZ for her suburban hot dog stand write up in the Daily Herald.

LAZ wrote:Beginning with a list of more than 100 places, we visited nearly 50 spots across five counties. We sampled a dog "with everything" and fries at more than half...

But what did you do at the other half that you visited? Were they too scary once you saw them to even risk ordering?

Pick up the new issue of The Reader for David Hammond's review of Sol de Mexico.

If you haven't been there yet and you're waiting for that final bit of convincing, this article should put it over the top.

Best,
Michael

HI,

The link directly to David's Sol de Mexico article.

Regards,

Thanks for the link C2. It's nice, after, what how many years of the world wide web, that the Reader has put their contents online.

almost forogt: crrush's "write-up" on that charcoal thing on TOC last week.

Cathy2 wrote:The link directly to David's Sol de Mexico article.

David,

Did I mention how enjoyable I found your Sol de Mexico article? No, well then I was remiss.

Very nice.

Enjoy,
Gary

almost forogt: crrush's "write-up" on that charcoal thing on TOC last week.

What does this mean?

I know Crrush is a poster here, and I know TOC is Time Out, but what's the charcoal thing and why is it write-up in quotes?

crrush's berger bros. review in TOC

Mike G wrote:

almost forogt: crrush's "write-up" on that charcoal thing on TOC last week.

What does this mean?

I know Crrush is a poster here, and I know TOC is Time Out, but what's the charcoal thing and why is it write-up in quotes?

There's a pic of one of the charcoal dust-covered Berger boys (the one who looks like Bowser from Sha-Na-Na), and blurb about the place. By "blurb" I mean "write-up."

Hammond

i used quotes because... i just didn't know what exactly to call it. blurb seemed a slight? ccrush said blurb or write-up. so i quoted.

Hot off of Morsels:

A Yummy Thing Happened on the Way to LTHForum
LTHForum.com, Chicago’s band of tireless culinary foragers, has announced its 21 latest selections for Great Neighborhood Restaurants. The list (lthforum.com) includes Burt’s Place (8541 N. Ferris St., Morton Grove; 847-965-7997) for pizza, Hai Woon Dae (6240 N. California Ave.; 773-764-8018) for Korean barbecue, and La Casa de Samuel (2834 W. Cermak Rd.; 773-376-7474) for Mexican.

Today's Chicago Tribune At Play section includes a piece by Monica Eng inspired by LTHer germuska.

germuska suggested that she compare Sticky Rice to Thai Room, as they are both very near each other. While I do take great exception with her conclusion, it is an interesting piece that gives some credit to an LTHer.

Best,
Michael

And, of course, the GNR program again made Chicago Magazine's Dish e-mail. Thanks, dropkickjeffy!

eatchicago wrote:Today's Chicago Tribune At Play section includes a piece by Monica Eng inspired by LTHer germuska.

germuska suggested that she compare Sticky Rice to Thai Room, as they are both very near each other. While I do take great exception with her conclusion, it is an interesting piece that gives some credit to an LTHer.

Best,
Michael

Wow. I hadn't guessed I'd be participating in total media domination!

It's too late to change my "handle", but y'all can call me Joe, by the way I added it to my signature, which is currently awaiting some snappy food quote to go with it...

The Toronto Star mentions LTHForum and even publishes one of our pictures.

Wow.

Best,
Michael

a link to and quote about Lthforum.com on Ruth Ratney's Reelchicago.com, a webzine for the movie/film industry (though i wouldn't agree with the vicious foodies reference):

http://www.reelchicago.com/story.cfm?storyID=1343

KEEP IT GOING:

DO IT: LTHforum.com If you are uncertain of where to eat, hop online and check out all the hidden places that locals are raving about. Careful what you post, though, these extreme foodies can be vicious.

leesh

That particular article was written by MST/Misty Tosh

And vicious might be right sometimes Certainly I might prefer, uh... passionate.

eatchicago wrote:The Toronto Star mentions LTHForum and even publishes one of our pictures.

Wow.l

Michael,

Wow is right! Hammond is now International, very cool.

Nice picture of Hammond as well.

Enjoy,
Gary

In the Tribune's Restaurant Notes today, Phil Vittel mentioned some of the Great Neighborhood Restaurants' picks.

Read the sixth paragraph