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Kuma’s Corner
Kuma’s Corner
Kuma’s Corner. An unassuming, small storefront restaurant on Chicago’s North Side is perhaps my most talked about restaurant experience this year. The food is great. The music is even better. The no-nonsense colorfully inked staff is on the job at all times. The small kitchen works as fast as size allows and turns out great food.
There is usually a wait for a table. You can give your name at the front and wait for a table or the bar is first come first serve. There is a limited patio area in back in summer which provides additional seating. We were told the wait was at least 30 minutes for a table, but as luck would have it, we found a spot at the bar in 5 minutes. I am pretty good finding spots at bars.
What to eat? The burgers! Each burger is a massive 10 oz of meaty, cheesy, topping laden goodness served on a pretzel bun. The burgers are named after metal bands. I the Kaijo, served medium rare topped with bacon, blue cheese and onion frizzles. My husband had the Led Zepplin burger is topped with pulled pork, bacon, cheddar and pickles. We both opted for the very wonderful waffle fries, though we had a choice of waffle fries, chips or salad. I had to pack half my burger to go, but I was forgiven by my server, she simply explained that I had priorities – beer before food was the better way to be!
This is not a vegetarian’s paradise. The painting behind the bar of the happy bear covered in blood saying “Eat Meat” should be a clue. That being said, there are a couple salad options, the burgers can be garden burgers and Kuma’s serves up the best looking mac and cheese this side of the Mason-Dixon Line.
The beer options were impressive. I was happy to see locally produced craft beers available on tap. I started with the Two Bros Brewing Company’s French Country Ale. It was very good, light and fresh. I then moved on to Three Floyd’s Gumballhead Wheat. I love that beer. It was so very fresh. I finished with a bottle of Delerium, a tasty Belgian beer that is 9% alcohol by volume. If that’s not your speed, never fear, PBR is available and at a bargain price.
Bottom line – Kuma’s Corner is a burger and metal paradise. Street parking is sketchy but available. The CTA will drop you off right in front. Kids are welcome before 10:00pm and you should expect to wait if you want a table, but it is so worth it.
Kuma’s Corner
2900 W Belmont Ave
Chicago Il
(773)604-8769
www.kumascorner.com
Chi Tung Addicts
Chi Tung Addicts
An addiction? Really? Isn’t that a bit strong? Are we completely helpless against the power of Chi Tung? Not according to the Chi Tung Addicts on Facebook. The loyal group boasts 400 members and is growing.
Chi Tung’s humble beginnings sprung from a small storefront on 95th street in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Flash forward, Chi Tung has grown up to a three-kitchen Asian food emporium, with a massive parking lot that fills up on the weekends and a carryout board that never stops.
So what could cause this addiction? Maybe it is because the drinks are only $6.00. Really – the Zen saketini is $6.00. Zombies – $6.00! Maybe we are addicted because all of the food is just that good. It is served hot and fresh. The portions are quite generous. The offerings can be simple, like, orange chicken, or they can be complex and exotic. Whatever the case may be, I am in Heaven when my heaping hot plate of awesome Asian food is placed on the table.
There are three separate kitchens preparing the food from the three menu sections. They specialize in Chinese, Thai and Japanese foods. In addition, Chi Tung has a newly built Hibachi Steak Room and a Sushi Bar. On weekdays, Chi Tung has a nice clean lunch buffet with good offerings at a bargain price.
Special events are great at Chi Tung. Last New Year’s Eve, diners were treated to $20.00 gift certificates to use in the New Year as well as yummy boxes of tea to take home. On Chinese New Year, Chi Tung celebrated by having a Dragon Dancing in the parking lot, complete with Chinese drums. Very exciting!
Warning! The large parking lot gets packed on weekends, as does the bar and waiting areas. Reservations are accepted. Call ahead to minimize wait times on weekends and holidays.
Chi Tung
9560 S Kedzie
Evergreen Park, Illinois
(708)636-8380
Gluten-free Taste of Chicago
When we invited our downstate friends to join us at the Taste of Chicago this year, we were a bit nervous to find out that one of our friends maintains a gluten free diet. Not knowing if the Taste of Chicago could accommodate wheat and gluten restrictions, we headed down.
Beverages were the east part. Although there are some gluten-free beers in the market, they were not available at the Taste. No worries, because bottled water, wine and vodka-lemonade were all readily available, are gluten-free and easy to locate.
Entrees and taste portions were around but not always apparent. Being on a gluten-free diet eliminates anything with bread and dough, which takes all sandwiches, pizza and everything breaded out of the game. This means no toasted ravioli, no breaded steak sandwich or fried veggies in sauce. We ate corn from the Abbey, amazing chicken tacos on corn tortillas from Carbon and steak with plantains from Las Tablas. I can’t believe I have not been to Las Tablas or Carbon before the Taste, but they are on my go-to list now!
Desserts were sparse but the ones we found were worthwhile. Reggio’s Italian Ice was tasty and refreshing on such a hot day. Dominick’s offered watermelon, fresh cherries and grapes. I would have liked to see more gluten-free desserts.
Can someone with dietary restrictions attend and enjoy the Taste of Chicago? The answer is Yes! But there is room for improvement. More labeling of gluten-free offerings would be helpful. And I sincerely hope someone engineers gluten-free fried dough, beginets and churros for next year.
Super-sizing at Wrigley Field
Super-sizing at Wrigley Field
I was watching Adam Richman from Travel Channel’s Man v Food take on “The Unit”, a 22 inch, full- pound Vienna hot dog served on a baguette at Alice Cooperstown in Phoenix, AZ and it occurred to me that the Friendly Confines have some super-size offerings worth noting. The offerings have changed, but have included Chicago classics in sizes made for sharing.
Two years ago Wrigley offered a true Chicago classic, the Italian Beef, a two-foot sandwich served in a party box with a convenient carrying handle. The beef was served on a large French bread with lots of topping options, including one of my favorite condiments, tangy giardinere. The beef sandwiches are still available but only in a single-serving size.
It’s not hard to start a conversation inside the Ivy, but if you are at a loss, try walking to your seats with the four pound pretzel. Yes, I said 4 POUND PRETZEL!!! It is a tasty Bavarian-style pretzel that’s served hot and fresh in a pizza box with three dipping sauces. Who doesn’t love dipping sauces? It took four of us to almost finish one. I think that means we each ate a pound of pretzel. And everyone around you will want to at least take a look if not ask where on Earth you found it.
This year the Friendly Confines is offering helmet nachos. Literally, a baseball helmet filled with nachos. I’m talking, ooey, gooey nacho chips slathered in yellow cheese sauce, optional jalapeños, chili, olives and sour cream. Beer, nachos, a sunny day and baseball…..does it get any better?
It’s my hope that the Ricketts will keep up the tradition of sharing in years to come. Brontosaurus burgers, anyone?
Eat Green Live Well
Gluten-free options? Yes
Organic options? Yes
Vegan options? Yes
Vegetarian options? Yes
Locavore -friendly? Yes
We can feel good about eating in the western suburbs! In Greek, Prasino translates to Green. In downtown La Grange Park, IL Prasino is green to the highest power, offering tasty fresh food with organic, vegetarian, vegan and gluten- free options.
Prasino looks swanky but has no pretense about itself. In fact, many of the fixtures and furnishings were crafted from salvaged and recycled materials!
The menu options change with the seasons, but there are some fantastic standbys. My favorite starter is the edamame. Drinking? You can’t go wrong with a LaGrange Manhattan. My favorite entree is the gluten-free Amish chicken.
And even better, the St. Charles location is opening soon!
Prasino
93 S. LaGrange Ave.
LaGrange, IL 6052
(708)469-7058
www.eatgreenlivewell.com
Chowin’ downstate
Chowin’ downstate in Bloomington, Normal
Not sure what it is, but Bloomington/Normal has a great vibe. Maybe it because it is both a college town and a magnet for corporate headquarters like State Farm Insurance, whatever the case, I never run out of places to eat when I am down.
A chain standout is Destihl. Destihl is a great place to bring a date, meet a friend or hang with co-workers. Food is good, décor attractive, bar is inviting and the staff is really on the ball. And, Destihl has probably the best restrooms in town.
A Renees Wine Bar is a great place for a date or a for a girls’ night. The wine bar is an add-on from the wine shop that has been there for a while. You can order from the menu or buy a bottle in the attached wine shop and pay a corkage fee in the cafe. The décor is super-cool, Neighborhood Thrift down the street helped them furnish the place!
Reality Bites near the college has a great selection of draft beers and some really good table bread. Everyone seems to like the fish tacos. Parking is rough right now due to construction but that will change.
Schooner’s is totally local but worth a stop. The beer garden is as laid back as can be. Cash only is an inconvenience, but the onion rings are so worth it.
Swingers Grille is the standby. Located in the lower level of the All Seasons Entertainment Center, Swingers has ample parking, isn’t far off the expressway, has live entertainment on the weekends and offers a menu for most tastes. It is definitely the place to go after graduation.
Destihl, 318 S Towanda Ave., Normal, IL 61761 (309)862-2337 www.destihl.com
A Renee’s, 306 N Center St, Bloomington, IL (309)827-3524 www.arenee.com
Reality Bites, 414 N Main St., Bloomington, IL (309) 828-1300 www.realitybitesinc.com
Schooner’s, 810 E Grove St., Bloomington, IL (309)829-6841
Swinger’s Grille, 1304 Cross creek Drive, Normal, IL (309)829-5777 www.swingersgrille.com
Sushi in the Southwest Suburbs
Yes, there is Sushi in the Southwest Suburbs! You might not know driving by, but Big Tuna Japanese Restaurant in Orland Park Illinois is an upscale hip, hot spot for sushi. Located in a strip mall on the corner of 131st & LaGrange Road, the inside of Big Tuna looks every bit of a downtown restaurant, with modern mosaic glass tile, impressive lighting and intimate seating.
While many restaurants give bread to occupy diners, Big Tuna provides diners with bowls of edamame. The edamame was flawless and a great way to start a meal. The drinks were well made. The Zen saketini was not sweet which made me happy and the Long Island Iced Tea was perfect.
The menu has a lot of sushi options, ranging from regular rolls to more carefully crafted chef specials and assorted platters. The Chef Special Roll, which was spicy tuna, crunch top with salmon, avocado and mango salsa with seaweed wraps served on a large platter. The flavors were outstanding! The presentation was artfully crafted. For those are not sushi fans, the choices are limited but Big Tuna has about a dozen teriyaki and tempura entrées on the menu.
There is plenty of parking in the lot with entrances on both LaGrange Road & 131st Street.
Big Tuna Japanese Restaurant
13137 S. LaGrange Road
Orland Park, IL
708-671-1716
A Brew Pub in Northwest Indiana
You may ask yourself, “Where can I find great beer, freshly prepared tasty food, an eclectic Indie atmosphere with hip music and campy zombie movies all at once?” Why, Three Floyd’s Brew Pub in Munster, Indiana of course!
Three Floyd’s is a Brew Pub a bit off the beaten track – I would not have found it myself without someone to show me the way. That said, 3 Floyds make some great beers, some of have made to the top twenty worldwide on ratebeer.com. The offerings on tap are fantastic and change often. Some beer is available seasonally; others are available year ‘round.
The menu changes daily, with some items that stand-by, including burgers and pizza. I have had both. My personal preference would be the burger (you had me at pretzel roll). The fish and chips come so large you need two people to finish it. And, the Mac and cheese ROCKS! It is a one page menu but had a good variety that should fit a lot of tastes.
By the way, the beer here tends to pack a punch – meaning a slightly higher the normal percentage alcohol by volume. A word to the wise should suffice.
Julie O
3 Floyds Brew Pub.
9750 Indiana Parkway
Munster, IN 46321
