Sunday, March 10, 2013

Humboldt Park, Gold Coast, Andersonville - A little tour.


My friends I’ve had some really good food over the past few weeks.  Nothing over the top or as some people would say, “fancy”.  No, just some really good, simple, delicious food.  Now, I really don’t like everything I eat, like some, but I want to stray away from the negative and focus on the positive.  Although some of my writing will give a good mix, because as you all know, some restaurants can serve complete bombs, while at the same time give you something memorable and delicious.  For example, I visited a small neighborhood that’s surrounded by the Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen, the Heart of Italy.  This is still a small hold out for Italians, but is slowly being swallowed up by Pilsen because the younger generation just doesn’t want to stick around.The restaurant that I visited was Il Vicinato.  Now, from what I’ve been told, this place used to be out of this world, before it was sold within the last few years.  The atmosphere was great!  The smells were amazing!!  The bolognese sucked!  If there is one thing that an Italian restaurant should have mastered, its the bolognese.  There was not any amount of cheese that could have salvaged that plate of pasta.  However, the Pasta Arrabiata(Angry Pasta), was great, as was the Antipasto salad.  I took photos, but deleted them because I was simply uninspired by the whole experience.  Personally, I don’t think posting negative reviews are a good way of selling the culinary experiences of Chicago, but it’s also not fair for me to not get my opinion out there so you don’t make the same mistake I made.  Now, let’s get on with some good food!!


The first stop on this blog is a place that I learned about from Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.  Cemitas Pueblahttp://www.cemitaspuebla.com is in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago.  Now, Humboldt Park has a predominantly Puerto Rican population, however on a busy stretch of North Avenue sits a little gem of a Mexican dining spot called Cemitas Puebla.     The restaurants website states that this restaurant brings the best of Poblano food to Chicago, and it certainly delivers because I don’t know anywhere else in Chicago, this sandwich is served. 
A cemita is a sandwich, originating in Puebla, Mexico.  The world cemita refers to both the sandwich as well as the bun it is served on, being covered in sesame seeds and looking similar to brioche.  There are many toppings offered here, but their most famous and popular is the Cemita Atomica, so naturally that is what I went with. 
 

The Cemita Atomica is an amazing sandwich on a sesame seed bun, then layered with avocado, Pork Milanesa(breaded, boneless butterfly pork), Jamon(ham), and Carne enchilada(chile guajillo marinated butterfly pork chop).  This pork orgy is then followed by adobo chipotle peppers, fresh Oaxacan cheese, and papalo(An herb that resembles cilantro).  This was truly one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in my life!!!  I would do some damage for this sandwich.  Also, the Cemita Atomica also made Chicago magazines 50 best sandwiches list.  Go there now, don’t be intimidated by the hood, because once you cross the thresh hold of the restaurant you are warmly welcomed by those who dine there.  By the way, get the Sindral Mundet to drink, you won’t be disappointed!  
Cemita Atomica and all of it's delicious layers!!

How could you not want to put your face in this?

And wash it down with this great apple flavored drink.

Behind this counter is where the magic happens.



On our second stop, a Valentine’s Day dinner at my favorite Italian place, just off of Michigan Ave., Bar Tomahttp://www.bartomachicago.com.  Bar Toma is a pizzeria and bar owned by Chef Tony Mantuano.  Chef Mantuano is a force to be reckoned with, as having the only 4 star Italian restaurant in Chicago, Spiaggia.  He also was one of the Champions on season two of Top Chef Masters, as well as been awarded a 2005 James Beard award for Best Chef Midwest.  Chef Mantuano also has a restaurant in the modern wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, called Terzo Piano, as well as a trattoria in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin.


Dinner this night of Valentine’s Day was simple, salad and pizza.  The salad, such a simple piece of work, but full of flavor and texture.  The salad was their Kale salad which had young kale(also called Lacinato Kale or Dinosaur Kale, which also grows over the Winter), soft boiled egg, garlic bread crumbs, and anchovy vinaigrette.  Now, before you eww and blah about the anchovy vinaigrette, I will say this over and over.  Fresh anchovies have a much different flavor than what you know as anchovies.  They do not sit in a brine, so they are not little bits of salt.  You can even take that fishy, salty taste away from jarred anchovies by simply soaking them in some milk.  The anchovies added a bit of zing to the dressing, nothing to turn your nose up at.  In fact, I’d guarantee that anyone would like it, I’d stake a paycheck on it.
Kale Salad



La pizza that we had was not your traditional pizza.  No, instead, we went with the Pizza Caprino(goat).  Bar Toma serves traditional Neapolitan pizza, baked in a wood burning oven that sits in the middle of the restaurant.  The Caprino consisted of goat cheese, hazelnuts, leeks, Acetaia San Giacomo balsamico(a traditional Balsamic vinegar of Reggio Emilia), dates, and thyme.  The flavor of this pizza would surprise you with a blend of sweet(goat cheese) and savory(thyme), and everything in between.  The hazelnuts toasted quickly, adding some texture with an awesome flavor that you can only get by roasting a nut.  The leeks quickly caramelized in the hotter than hell oven and the balsamico brought it all together.  Ya know, sometimes you just have to step out of the norm, leave your comfort zone and try something new.  If you come and visit me here, we will go to Bar Toma and you will love it, and that is that.
Pizza Caprino



Next up on my list is Orange Gardenhttp://www.orangegardenchicago.com, the oldest Chinese restaurant in Chicago.  The sign speaks for itself and that is what first caught my attention.  There is something soothing about a cook neon sign.  It says to me, this place is a landmark and should be explored!  From the moment you walk in and get that kind of throw back feeling to the time you sit, look around and think to your self, “a group of servers are going to come out, bring a duck, chop the head off, and start singing christmas carols”, you know that what’s going to be placed in front of you will be Americanized Chinese food, but great quality food.  When I see large numbers of Chinese people sitting in a Chinese restaurant, I know I’ve made the right decision, especially a Chinese restaurant so far from Chinatown.  A brief history, as I said, Orange Garden is the oldest Chinese restaurant in Chicago.  It opened in 1924, making it a quarter of a centruy older than the People’s Republic of China.  The neon sign that attracted me here, is the oldest neon sign in Chicago and the clock on the wall has hung there since 1932.  And the owners live by the simple rule of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and that’s pretty refreshing.  The current owner is only the second owner and was friends with the original owner.  Have I sold you on this yet?  Our server, dressed finely in a white button down shirt and black bow tie was certainly to the point, but was not rude.  Service was prompt and warm.  This will be my go to for Chinese, unless I want to submerse myself in the Chinese culture.  



Dinner that night was Sesame Chicken and Szechuan Beef.  Most of us are used to incredibly over breaded and over sauced sesame chicken, but this was a perfect coating.  This is what I’d love to have coating my fried chicken.  I don’t know if they do a simple corn starch coating, but this was amazing!  It was crunchy and sweet and complimented by a protective broccoli fort.  I could’ve eaten the entire plate, however I was also very interested in the Szechuan beef.  Once again, I’ve always had the experience with americanized Chinese food as being over cooked and over sauced.  The beef was tender and full of flavor and the veggies had crunch and you could actually taste what the vegetable was!  I was amazed!  And it certainly has changed my mind on this type of Chinese food.  I still want to try authentic Chinese though.  Sesame Chicken is traditional in most English speaking countries, I can’t find anything to show that it is an authentic Chinese entree.  Sichuan beef on the other hand is very common, however the recipe seems to have been changed to fit the American palate.   Once again, go to Orange Garden for a great experience!!  And call me when you do, I’ll meet you there!!
Sesame Chicken, after breaking through the walls of the broccoli.  

Szechuan Beef



Finally!!  A short talk about The Pecking Orderhttp://www.peckingorderchicago.com, which is a Chickencentric restaurant in Andersonville.  Once again, Time Out Chicago brought me here with one of the 100 best things eaten in 2012, with the City Bird sandwich being highlighted.  All of the chicken, regardless of how it’s prepared, marinades in a sugar, tamari, vinegar marinade that gives the chicken a crispy, juicy, salty, flavorful chicken, which can be sometimes really difficult to pull off.  For those of you that would like to know, the birds used here are free range, antibiotic free.  


First on the list, the Country Bird.  One bite and you are looking for your Grandmother that always made the best fried chicken, but this is on bread and not just any old fried chicken.  It’s a fried boneless breast, complimented with gouda cheese, pimento mayo, tomato, cilantro, shaved onion salad, dressed with calamansi vinaigrette(a calamansi is a Philippine lime).  The sandwich is served on grilled pandesal bread(a Philippine yeast bread).  This was a mouthful!  Crunchy, full of flavor, juicy.  I’ve never had chicken with this flavor before.  Definitely nothing that came from your favorite Southern kitchen, but man was this tasty.  I can easily see why this made the list.  But, you also have to try the City Bird, because it’s always a competition.
The Country Bird



The City Bird is a juicy, grilled Chicken breast, with pate, Mom’s pickles, and fried egg, served on grilled pandesal bread.  This is similar to a vietnamese bahn mi.  I think with the mere mention of a fried egg, I can stop because you know it’s going to be a kick ass sandwich.  You could eat this for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner, and then you have experienced life.  As to whom was the winner, City or Country?  In my opinion, it’s the best of both world’s and a tie.  So, decide for yourself.  What I’m saying is go there, soon!!!!  Or Now!!!
The City Bird



More good eats to come my people!!  Thanks for reading and until next time!

Ciao, ciao!!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Still here.

Been in kind of a Winter is almost over funk.  But it certainly hasn't stopped me from eating.  I've had some adventures and I will be writing about them.  Between blogging and working on my Italian, Italian has been winning.  And I've had a few furloughs, so I've been a busy beaver.  But I've got photos and criticisms and I'm ready to write.  In the last few weeks, I visited Italy, Mexico, and China(not literally, culinarily-is that a word?).  So be prepared, it's coming!

See you soon!

Ciao, ciao!!

This old sign, it should tell you everything you need to know about this awesome restaurant!