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A Small Stretch of 18th Street
A Small Stretch of 18th Street
Chicago has no shortage of great food and ethnic flavor. The Pilsen neighborhood on Chicago’s near Southwest Side is famous for authentic Mexican food and traditions. On a small stretch of 18th Street in Pilsen, three gems stand out among the rest – Café Jumping Bean, the Nuevo Leon Restaurant and panaderia BomBon.
My perfect day in Pilsen would start with a visit to the Jumping Bean Café, a small, quirky coffee shop and café on 18th & Bishop. The Jumping Bean is small but offers limited seating and free wi-fi. Familiar beverages like café Americano and lattes are very good, but the Mexican hot, called chocochino chocolate rocks! The food is good too, especially the black bean burger. For under $10.00, you can get a fresh-made sandwich and a drink and feel good about it. The Jumping Bean supports local artists by displaying and selling some of their original art.
Hands down, the best restaurant on 18th Street is Nuevo Leon. The food is so good, that on weekends, there is a line that sometime spills out the door onto the street to get a table. The prices can’t be beat, with $12.00 for a Filete al Nuevo Leon entrée that includes a strip steak, guacamole, frijoles and potatoes. Alambres is a skirt steak Shish-Ke-Bob, served with bacon, large slices of green pepper, onion and tomato, guacamole, rice and beans. Patrons span the generations and ethnicities. Street parking is sketchy and be sure to feed the meters. Nuevo Leon is cash only, but there is an ATM is located on-site.
BomBon is a boutique bakery opened by Laura Cid, a pastry chef famous for her work at Rick Bayless’ restaurant, Topolobampo. BomBon makes arguably the best tres letches cakes in the City. Tarts, cakes, desserts are available in single serving potions. There is no stopping in Pilsen without a stop at the BomBon.
Keep in mind, this is one short stretch of street in a neighborhood that has a lot more to offer that what is posted here. My recommendation? Plan a day the National Museum of Mexican Art, especially during the Dias de Los Muertos exhibits, grab a chocochino at the Café Jumping Bean, have lunch/dinner at Nuevo Leon and grab some desserts to go at BomBon.
Café Jumping Bean
1439 W 18th Street
Chicago, Il 60608
(312)455-0019
Neuvo Leon Restaurant
1518 W 18th Street
Chicago, Il 60608
(312)421-1517
BomBon
1508 W 18th Street
Chicago, Il 60608
(312)733-7788
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 W 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608
(312)738-1503
www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org
15th annual Christkindlmarket
It’s time for the 15th annual Christkindlmarket. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, Christkindlmarket takes place from November 24th thru December 24th. Vendors come from Europe, South America and Asia bringing authentic foods, crafts and wares. This is a wonderful event for family and friends, kids and adults. Whether you stop by for a quick lunch or make a day out of it, this is one of Chicago’s must-do winter events.
The tradition of the Christkindlmarket in Chicago is based the annual Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany. The scene is set under the municipal Christmas tree near the Picasso in the Daley Center. Santa takes free photos in his house courtesy of Underwriters Laboratory. Other special events include the ceremonial tree lighting, performances by local carolers and a visit from the Christkind herself. The holiday shops are a mix of indoor and outdoor, all decorated in cheerful holiday style. Items available for purchase vary from year to year, but always include food, glass-blown ornaments, woodcrafts, knitted items and many other one-of-a-kind and specialty items.
Authentic German and Austrian foods are plentiful and do not fail to delight. If you only eat one thing at Christkindlmarket, it may very well be the bratwurst. Even with express lines, the wait can be 30 people deep. Don’t worry, it is all in fun, the sandwich is good and you will get there eventually. Potato pancakes are also a high-demand food, as they are made fresh and served piping hot with sour cream or applesauce on the side. Do not miss the goulash soup, it is amazing. For those that do not want to delve into the traditional German fare, the Schnitzel House includes chicken sandwiches and fries on their menu. New this year was a booth from Hamburg, Germany, offering baked filled rolls, similar to a wheat pizza puff.
If desserts and pastries are your thing, this is the fest to get them. Dinkel’s Bakery on Lincoln Ave serves up stollen, a traditional German pastry. Sweet Christmas Delights is a new vendor this year, offering fried apples in dough. Helmut’s Original Austrian Strudel has packaged baked strudel in apple, cherry and cheese. Other traditional European treats are available, including warm nuts, Bavarian pretzels, marzipan pigs, gingerbread and chocolates.
For beverages, Gluhwein, will keep you warm while you shop. Gluhwein is a traditional German holiday spiced red wine, served warm. It is very mild and flavorful. The collectible mug adds a dollar to the cost but you get that back when you order a refill. German beer is also available. For non-alcoholic beverages, stop at Dinkel’s, for a yummy hot chocolate with whipped cream. If you buy the mug, refills are just $1.00.
The warming tents are roomy and the atmosphere is friendly. Tall tables are available outside as well. No tickets are needed here, cash or card makes this easy to navigate and there is no entry fee. This is one of the most accessible festivals in the City. Almost all El trains pass through the Loop and it is a quick walk from Chicago’s Union Station.
Yes, the Christkindlmart can get crowded, but people would not be there if it was not worth it.
Location:
Daley Plaza, Chicago Loop
(Washington and Dearborn/Clark Streets)
Open daily 11:00am-9:00pm
Macy’s on State
Macys on State Street gets a pretty bad rap, largely because it is not Marshall Field’s anymore. I am not certain that all of it is deserved. When it comes to food, Macys has quite a bit to offer. Whether you want a casual lunch or a fancy dinner, the choice is yours.
Prepared food at Macy’s is found on the seventh floor and the lower level. The seventh floor has more options to linger a little longer, whereas the lower lever is more of a marketplace cafeteria/deli. The 7th floor had a food court, the Frango Café and the famous Walnut Room. The lower level has one sports themed, casual restaurant called Infield as well as a Starbucks, and Macy’s Marketplace.
The Walnut room is a throw-back to older days, when formal dining required collared shirts, dark wood and white tablecloths. Built in 1907, the Walnut Room has long-defined the quintessential dining experience for Christmastime in Chicago. The two story fully-lit Christmas tree attracts visitors from around the world. The wait can be extremely long during the holiday season but it is fun and the chicken pot pie is worth the wait.
The Frango café is also located on the 7th floor but maintains a more casual atmosphere. The cozy booths can lend a great view of the city if you are fortunate enough to snag a window seat. The food is consistently easygoing, tasty and priced right. It can be just the place to go to regroup and relax while shopping.
Frontera Fresco is truly the treasure of the 7th floor food court area. With a menu by James Beard Award winner Rick Bayless, the food is out-of-this-world good. The guacamole and tortas are enjoyable and the price is usually under $10.00 with a drink. Frontera Fresco has gluten-free offerings and can be prepared to-go.
On the lower level, the Marketplace is a good-quality food court with several stations, including sushi, made-to-order deli sandwiches, salads, a pastry counter and a burger bar. The deli counter has prepared foods and salads created by the Macy’s Culinary Council, including Emeril Lagasse’s potato salad. The pastry station is great for a treat to go. My favorite is the oversized Rice Krispie Treats.
Macy’s on State sponsors a few awesome foodie events every year, including cooking classes, demos and book signings. I have attended cooking demonstrations by local and notable chefs and was fortunate enough to try some really good samples cooked on-site. Past book signings at Macys on state include Gordon Ramsey, Rick Bayless, Tyler Florence, Elizabeth Brown and Marcus Samuelsson.
Macy’s on State
111 N State Street
Chicago, Illinois
312-781-4483
http://visitmacyschicago.com/index.cfm
Taste of Polonia
Taste of Polonia
Labor Day can signify the official end of summer, or it could mean that it’s time for the annual Taste of Polonia Festival! The Taste of Polonia, or Polish Fest as it is affectionately called by many, is held on the grounds of the Copernicus Center on Chicago’s Northwest Side. Touted as the largest Ethnic Festival in the US, the Taste of Polonia attracts over 30,000 people each year.
The food is heavy on old-world European favorites, such as cabbage rolls, kielbasa, pierogi, sauerkraut, and potato pancakes. The restaurants include the famous Kasia’s Deli, which offers a Polish Plate that gives you a little of everything on the menu, including Polish sausage and rye bread. Pierogi seem to be on most menus and have never let me down. Pierogi are stuffed dumplings served with your choice of sour cream or applesauce. New to me this year was hunters’ stew, a hearty and flavorful tomato beef stew. All of the Polish food is very good and served in generous portions.
Don’t want Polish food? That’s okay. Vince’s on Harlem serves up awesome pizza slices. Café Totu offers Chicken kebabs. There is a large area set up for diners to duck out of the sun and eat. The dining tents are standing room only, but the atmosphere is friendly. Every year brings new food vendors, all of which hail from the Chicago-land area.
The Taste of Polonia has many alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options. Soda and water are available, but it is best to try the fresh squeezed lemonade. Nick’s Bar inside the Copernicus Center has a full bar. Upstairs had a wine and mead tasting. Several tents were set up outside for Stawski beer. Cups were $5.00 and refillable plastic mugs were $7.00. Other offerings included a tasty Belgian porter.
Three stages offer a variety of musical entertainment through the day into night. A variety of amber jewelry, craft and heritage vendors are always on hand and there are carnival games for the kids. The fest stays open pretty late, until 11:00pm. Parking is premium when the festival is on. The best thing to do is take the Blue Line to Jefferson Park.
Until next year-
na zdrowie!
Taste of Polonia
Labor Day Weekend
5216 W Lawrence (Lawrence & Milwaukee)
Chicago IL 60686
http://tasteofpolonia.copernicusfdn.org
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
