Chicago Eats: August Edition

When I first started this blog, I did so because I wanted to keep track of all the new places we ate at in Boston. Then, I started baking and stopped keeping track of where we ate. Then, I had kids and started running so the baking and eating out when down. Now that we are in Chicago and in full exploration mode, I'm going back to the roots of this blog: talking about the places I've eaten in the new city. Funny enough, my girls have gotten to the point that they know they have to wait to eat until I've taken a picture of their food. I am, however, not going to write full blown reviews of places. Instead, I'm just going to highlight the best things I've eaten in the month. With that said, here are my August favorites:

Cheesie's

Lunchtime in Lincoln Park. Cranky, hungry kids. I walked into the first place I could find that had no wait and that place was Cheesie's. I knew it was going to be a winner because everyone in the family loves grilled cheese. What I didn't know was how cheesy the sandwiches were going to be. I ordered "The Melt," a grilled cheese sandwich with chicken, bacon, Thousand Island dressing, American cheese and Chihuaha cheese. All this on Texas toast. This was so good, but oh so bad. It was delicious, but it felt like the ultimate cheat meal for me. (Cheesie's is located at 958 West Belmont Ave.)

Hoosier Mama Pie Company

A friend recommend Hoosier Mama Pie Company and told me it was the best pie on the planet. Curious, I went on a trip with the girls and we ordered their apple pie and chocolate chess pie. The pies were delicious! I loved the apple pie and the girls tore up the chocolate pie. The apple pie had apple chunks in it and the crust was so buttery. The chocolate chess pie was creamy and had a cookie-like crust. After eating these two slices and leaving, I felt guilty for not grabbing a pie to go. I have been plotting a return trip ever since I swallowed the last bit of apple pie. (Hoosier Mama Pie Company is located at 1618 1/2 Chicago Avenue).

The Pub at Mayne Stage

The Pub at Mayne Stage is another place we just happened to dine at after an afternoon of walking around a local art show. They were still on the brunch menu and I indulged just a little and ordered their Steak and Eggs. This dish came with skirt steak, onion strings, black beans, potatoes, and two eggs. Everything about this dish was amazing. The beans surprised me a bit because I have never seen beans served with steak and eggs but I was pleasantly surprised. The steak was tender and almost made me wish I eat steak more often. I think, however, that my favorite part of this restaurant was the $2 mimosas. (The Pub at Mayne Stage is located at 1330 West Morse Ave).

Mekato's Colombian Bakery

Mekato's is a bakery that a colleague recommended to Alex. Being Colombian myself and having a deep love for Colombian food, I was anxious to get out to this bakery. We went on a Sunday (free parking) and basically ordered everything they sold. What you see in the picture below are traditional Colombian foods like empanadas (turnovers), arepa de choclo con queso (corn cake topped with cheese), papa rellena ("stuffed potatoe" or fried pastry filled with meat and potatoes), and bunuelos (fried cheese balls). I was basically in love after the first bite. We cleared the table! This is another place that I can't wait to go back to so I can pig out again. (Mekato's is located at 5423 N. Lincoln Avenue).

It's the beginning of the month and I'm already eager to get out and eat. I have a list of restaurants I want to try but I love the ability to go out with no plan and just stumble on something new. If you have any recommendations please let me know!

For more on my move to Chicago and my food-finding adventures, follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner 

Weighing In on the Chicago Deep Dish Battle

I've been in Chicago for three weeks now (!!!) and I did not waste any time in finding out which deep dish pizza was my favorite. Before moving up here I had heard about Gino's East and Giordano's, but in the past two weeks I had heard a lot about Lou Malnati's. After much negotiation (I'm lying) and hair pulling (I'm really lying), I was able to convince (super lying) Alex to go with me to Giordano's and Lou Malnati's. We had already tried Gino's back in April so the goal in the past two weeks that Alex has been here has been to get to Giordano's and Lou Malnati's and survive a meal there with the girls. I say "survive" because deep dish pizzas can take up to an hour to get to your table and our girls usually max out their good behavior reserves at around the hour mark. The goal was also to try pizzas that were similar so that we could make a semi-fair comparison. So, without further ado, here are my thoughts in order of when I tried each pizza:

Gino's East
This was the first deep dish pizza I tried in the city. My first thought was "What the hell? I need to wait 45-minutes for pizza? There is no way we are ever going to a restaurant to eat deep dish with the girls." It actually wasn't 45-minutes and ordering an appetizer was a must to help us get through the time.  We ordered a small pepperoni deep dish pizza and I was, unfortunately, disappointed. The crust tasted like yeast to me and the pepperoni tasted like salami. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I had. (Note: I have since gone back and it was better, but still not my favorite. Their thin crust pizza was better than deep dish).

Giordano's
Second deep dish pizza I tried in the city and we went all the way with a true meat lover's pizza: bacon, salami, sausage, and pepperoni. Giordano's calls their pizza a "stuffed" pizza and I honestly can't think of a better descriptor. The pizza was loaded with cheese and the meats. The pizza seemed almost upside down with the order of ingredients being crust, meats, cheese, and sauce. I made it through a slice and half of this pizza and had the leftovers for lunch the next day. We waited about 35 minutes for the pizza to come out and, because we went during lunch time during the week, there was no wait for a table. The girls had a thin crust cheese pizza, but our pizza looked and tasted better than their pizza.

Lou Malnati's 
Last but certainly not least was the sausage and pepperoni pizza we ordered from Lou Malnati's. This pizza was, by far, the freshest and healthiest tasting pizza of all the pizzas. The pepperoni was so good that the girls were eating it and they haven't wanted to eat pepperoni in a very long time (they also devoured their thin crust cheese pizza). There are two things that I really liked about Lou Malnati's that the other two restaurants don't offer: (1) personal-sized pizzas and (2) the ability to order your food while you wait for a table so that your deep dish pizza gets to you soon after you sit down. The only thing neither of us were fans of was the sausage as it was a sausage patty (too breakfast-y) and not sausage chunks like in the Giordano's pizza.

Which was my favorite? It's almost a toss up between Giordano's and Lou Malnati's. If it's just Alex and me (or just me), I would go to Giordano's because the level of cheese is out of this world and makes my heart happy. I also liked the way their pizza tasted the next day the best. If we are going with the girls, I would go to Lou Malnati's because I've never seen them eat pizza they way they did there (the left only three pieces of their small pizza) and because you can order your food while you wait saving time at the table.

There are still other pizza places in the city I want to try, but I'm happy I was able to make it out to these three when I did after hearing so many recommendations for them. If you live in Chicago or have been here before and have been to these restaurants, which was your favorite?

For more on my Chicago adventures, follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner 

Reviewed: Novecento

My birthday feels like it was so long ago. Alex and I went out for an adult- and couple-only dinner the day after my birthday. It was so nice having a dinner just the two of us and even nicer not having to share my meal with anyone! We walked around Coral Gables until we found the perfect restaurant and ended up eating at Novecento. I had heard a lot of good things about the restaurant and was excited about giving it a try. The food was beyond delicious and the servings were more than generous. The price on dinner was an the pricier end, but once you consider we had six alcoholic drinks (we really got down!) the price was more than reasonable.

We started our meal with an order of Beef Empanadas. In Alex's words these were "damn good." The meat, which was actual steak chunks and not ground beef, was well seasoned. The filling to shell ratio was perfect for tasting and savoring the tomato-based steak; sometimes you get empanadas that have too much pastry and not enough filling.

Alex ordered the Carnitas de Puerco and was in heaven. The pork was crispy yet tender: crispy and crunchy like a chicharon (fried pork rinds) on the outside and fork-breaking tender on the inside. The pork was served with your basic mashed potatoes, but with the added twist of satueed onions. Again, Alex's words for this dish were "Masitas? More like masotas and you can quote me on that."

I ordered the Entraña con Chimichuri with Arroz Moros as the side. The entraña, or skirt steak, had the most fantastic smokey, grilled taste to it. You could literally eat this steak on its own but what really made the steak spectacular was the chimichuri; such a great blend of herbs, vinegar, and oil. The Arroz Moros was just as good as the kind you'd find in any Cuban kitchen.

For dessert we shared the Panqueque de Dulce de Leche. This is basically a crepe stuffed with dulce de leche and honestly you can't go wrong with a dessert as simple as this. 

 

Novecento is located at 121 Alhambra Plaza, Miami, Florida 33134. I definitely recommend going there. Even if you don't eat, the restaurant has such a great outdoor area that is perfect for enjoying a nice Miami night while drinking a few cocktails. 

Seasons 52 Tres Leches

In the fall Seasons 52 contacted me about their Pumpkin Pie Mini Indulgence dessert. They sent me the recipe and I gave it try, making adaptations that made the recipe easier for to me. They contacted me again this past winter, but this time they passed along a recipe that was beyond seasonal; it was a Miami staple. You really don't get more Miami flavoring than Tres Leches. I have tried a few Tres Leches recipes (here and here) and my biggest complaint with all those recipes was the level of dryness.

Tres Leches is a cake traditionally made with three milks: whole milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk. In some cases, you'll have restaurants offering you Quatro Leches (dulce de leche is added), but your staple is the sponge cake drenched in the three milks and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. What Seasons 52 has done with their recipe is substituting heavy cream for whole milk and adding rum to the milks. They also top their cake with white cake frosting instead of whipped cream. The recipe you see below is my adaptations, but if you want the original Seasons 52 recipe head over to my Examiner page.

Before we get to the recipe, let me just tell you this is the BEST Tres Leches recipe I have made. It could have used a little more liquid, but at this point, it's just personal preference. This cake actually tasted like the Tres Leches we've had at the restaurants and I think it's in part due to the richness of the heavy cream and the addition of rum. You get a perfect symphony of milk flavors that is deepened by the rum. Note: My method of adding the milk is a little messy so if you think of a better way of doing it, let me know!

Tres Leches
Source: adapted from Seasons 52
Makes about 15 cupcakes

The cake
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs, white and yolks separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole milk

The milks
5 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 can (7 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp dark rum

Frosting
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp milk mixture

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cavity cupcake pan with liners.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the sugar and beat to form
stiff peaks. Turn mixer to a slower speed and add yolks one at a time. Add vanilla extract, one-third
of the flour and one-third of the milk. Repeat three times until all the flour and milk are incorporated.

Fill each cavity 3/4 of the way full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before removing. Make the rest of the cupcakes. Cool cupcakes to room temperature.

Meanwhile, Combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream, and rum in a bowl.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, cut out the center of the cupcakes like you would if you were filling them. DO NOT discard the cut out part as you will be putting it back in. Fill each cupcake with the milk mixture and let it soak into the cake. Use a toothpick to poke the cupcake so that the liquid is absorbed all over. Once the liquid has been absorbed, pour more liquid and repeat until all the liquid is used. Place cut out part back on.

In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks. Add the milk mixture and continue to beat until it holds stiff peaks. Using a knife or a spoon, top the cupcakes with whipped cream.

Serve and enjoy!

Seasons 52 Preview

There's been a lot of talk about the new restaurant that opened up today in the Gables. I have walked by it multiple times and have vowed to go and have drinks there to celebrate the end of my pumping days. The restaurant is beautiful and has a very casual yet classy feel. Luckily, I won't have to wait long to get a taste of Seasons 52 because I was contacted by the restaurant and sent a few of their recipes to try out at home. Here's a little bit about the restaurant (copied from email):

Seasons 52, with locations throughout South Florida, is a fresh grill & wine bar that features a seasonally inspired menu created by Executive Chef Cliff Pleau. Seasons promises their guests the freedom to indulge while simultaneously eating well and feeling good about themselves. The restaurant serves wonderful-tasting, highly-satisfying meals prepared using rustic cooking techniques such as grilling or roasting over open fires to enhance the natural flavors of each dish. Using natural cooking techniques such as live wood-fire grilling, brick-oven cooking and caramelizing vegetables, they pride themselves on allowing the natural flavors shine through and, believe it or not – everything is under 475 calories! The restaurant also boosts an award-winning wine list carefully chosen by Master Sommelier, George Miliotes.

And now, here's a preview of the dishes and recipes I will be sharing with you: (Note: these are not my pictures)

Bourbon Duck Breast 

 Mushroom & Grilled Polenta Skillet

 Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust Mini Indulgence

 Red Pepper Pistachio Dip

 Grilled Turkey Skewers with Maple Bourbon Glaze

Quick Review: Smoke't

Fridays are reserved for lunch with my mother-in-law. I love that I have such a great relationship with her (all is balanced in the world: I don't get along with my mom but I get along fabulously with Alex's) and that I get to enjoy a meal uninterrupted because she can't keep her hands off Cati. Perfect example of this was when we had lunch with Alex's family recently at Smoke't and she had to promise Alex's dad and grandmother that she would keep her hands off the baby for the entire meal. The woman had to sit on her hands and muster every ounce of restraint to make it through the meal. She still carried the baby but not enough to satisfy the craving.

Luckily, our meal at Smoke't was particularly delicious and the food was almost a perfect distraction for someone needing a Cati fix. The calamari was crispy and fresh but what really made this appetizer was the roasted red pepper dipping sauce. The sauce was smooth and made your taste buds jump for joy once the spicy hit.

Their portions are large enough to share. Exhibit A is their fried chicken and mashed potatoes. You get a thigh, wing, drumstick, and breast plus a huge dollop of mashed potatoes and gravy. The chicken was so crispy and comforting; it was Southern food at it's best. And the potatoes? Well, you can't go wrong with them and they will literally make you muse over the greatness of a gravy that isn't brown.

Want your inner child to come out and play? Then you must order the s'mores dessert. Two delectable marshmallow chocolate sandwiches might just make you forget how to share.

If food isn't really your thing (!?!?) Smoke't has a great beer selection and they are proud to show it off in the form of samples.

Smoke't is located at 1450 South Dixie Highway in Coral Gables. Their lunch menu is reasonable priced with the most expensive food item capping at $14.

Quick Review: Berries

I'm normally a breakfast purist and order pancakes with eggs (sunny side up, of course!), home fries, and a big ol' slab of ham. Recently, however, my carnivorous side got the better of me and I ordered steak, eggs, and home fries for breakfast at Berries in the Grove restaurant.  I have never done this and, the truth is, I didn't even know if I could handle this type of meal. I can eat two big, fluffy pancakes, two buttery eggs, crunchy home fries, and crispy ham with no problem. But a slab of steak AND eggs AND home fries? For breakfast? Am I crazy? The answer is yes, I could eat it. In fact, I complained that my steak was too small. The steak was beyond tender and I love how a good piece of steak needs nothing more than salt and pepper. The eggs were just how I like them: crispy edges and free flowing yolk. The home fries lacked the crunch I'm used to because I think these were baked instead of cooked in a skillet. They were still good and perfectly seasoned.

Berries in the Grove is located at 2884 SW 27th Avenue in Coconut Grove.

Daily Bread Marketplace

We went to Daily Bread Marketplace on the recommendation of one of Alex's friends. This place is half market/half fast food restaurant. The location we went to was a little obscure from where we came from and, if it weren't for a staff member that messed up our order because she thought Alex had ordered when he didn't, we would have enjoyed our dinner. There's nothing like confusion and accusations from staff regarding what you ordered to make you feel good about your dining experience. We both ordered the Beef Shawarma platter. The platter came with a pita, hummus, marinated beef, and tabouli. Neither of us touched the tabouli because I don't like tomatoes and Alex doesn't like vegetables. The hummus had a very prominent lemon flavoring to it and the beef was soft and tender with a hint of vinegar. The food was good, but as I said in THIS post it's not just about the food when you go out; it's about the whole experience. I doubt we'll be going back because it's never a good thing when the people behind the counter think they know what you want better than you do.

Daily Bread Marketplace is located at 2400 SW 27 Street.

Reviewed: Beer and Burger Joint {Brickell}

Have you ever been to a restaurant and knew that no matter how good the food was you'd never go back? This happened to us this past weekend. We went to Burger & Beer Joint (Brickell location) to have lunch with another couple (Hi Jon & Shera!). Alex was excited about trying this restaurant because we are on a constant hunt for the ultimate burger. As soon as we arrived, we checked in with someone at the hostess desk. We were about to be seated when this other employee walked up and told us we couldn't eat in the restaurant with the stroller. We were told that it was a fire hazard and that Cati had to sit on a high chair. Our options were to put the stroller back in the car, have them store the stroller (heck no), or sit outside. Sitting outside is not an option when the temperatures are in the 90s. If it was just us adults, I wouldn't mind being outside but I'm not about to make Cati endure Miami's horrid heat. So Alex took the stroller back to the car and Cati sat in a high chair. Problem solved, right? WRONG.

You see, Cati had eaten prior to us getting to the restaurant so I knew she would want to nap at some point while we were having lunch. However, since we weren't allowed to take our stroller into the restaurant, Cati got fussy because she had no where to lay down. As a result, I wasn't able to finish my lunch; I was trying to get us out of the restaurant before Cati had a complete meltdown. The kicker? For all the concern over the fire marshall, the high chair Cati sat in blocked access to our table and the table next to ours. What's the difference between the high chair and the stroller? What if Cati wasn't strong enough to sit on her own? I would have had to carry her the entire meal. Either way, I didn't enjoy my lunch. Heck, I didn't even get to finish it.

Our waitress was really nice and the service was good. Our burgers, the Thunder Road Burger, was delicious. It was a big burger loaded with bacon, cheese, and a fried egg. Even the shoestring fries were good. The overall experience, though? Not so good. It's not just about food people! It's about everything from the moment you walk through the restaurant doors until the moment you walk out of them. Being told that I couldn't take my stroller inside the restaurant completely killed the restaurant for me. If it wasn't because Alex had been wanting to try this restaurant, I would have walked away the moment they told me no strollers were allowed in the restaurant.

I know it may seem exaggerated but I felt discriminated against. I was denied the opportunity to have a peaceful and enjoyable lunch because I couldn't have my stroller inside the restaurant. Instead of Cati quietly napping next to the table where the high chair was, Cati was crying and fussy. Alex asked what they did when a person in a wheelchair came to the restaurant and the response was, "The fire marshall would understand." Hmmm. Is that a sufficiently reasonable answer? I leave it up to you.

Reviewed: Hungry Bear

My first real job was working at Quiznos. I do not miss those days, especially the horrible way I smelled at the end of a shift, but that job was by far the funnest job I have ever had. The people I worked with were great, the customers in our area were extremely nice (generous tippers, too!), and the food was good (I'm still a Mesquite Chicken sandwich girl). I remember being told about a sub shop called Hungry Bear when I worked at Quiznos. I was told their subs were better than Quiznos because they had a "fresher" taste and a better price.

It took me 10 years to finally make it to Hungry Bear after I first heard about it and now I'm upset it took me so long! I've been there twice in the last month and now I have a new favorite sub shop and sub. I'm all about the Honey Mustard Chicken sandwich. The chicken is sauteed, chopped up, and drenched in a not-too-sweet honey mustard sauce. Add some provolone cheese and some soft sandwich bread and we're talking about sub heaven here. Going to Hungry Bear highlights one of my eating drawbacks though: I tend to stick to what I like and I order the same thing over and over again. I'm sure everything else on their menu is just as great but why risk something you know is great for something that might be just good?

Hungry Bear Sub Shop has two Miami locations, one at 10521 SW 109th Ct and the other at 3399 NW 72nd Ave.

Reviewed: Les Halles

Our first date night post baby coincided with my birthday. One of the things that changes once you have a baby is the nature of your date nights. We spent a good chunk of the dinner talking about the baby and looking at pictures of her. It got to the point where I asked Alex what we used to talk about at dinner before we had a baby. Neither of us knew the answer. Life before baby fades more and more with each passing day. Don't let that worry you though; life post baby is a whole new and amazing adventure.

Back to dinner. We went to Les Halles. I had been dying to go to this restaurant mainly because of its connection to Anthony Bourdain. Let me tell you, the restaurant did not disappoint. It was one of the best meals I've had in a really long time. Worth every penny. I can't wait to go back.

We started off the dinner with the baked potato appetizer (the Tartiflette?). Oh my wow. This dish combined two of my favorite things: baked potatoes and melted cheese. Alex and I literally fought over who would scrape the last bit of sauce off the dish. The cheese gave this dish a pungency that was so nicely balanced out by the sweetness of the onions and the potatoes and the saltiness of the ham.Alex ordered the Entrecote Beurre Persillé, which is the ribeye steak and fries. The steak was cooked to order and served with a parsley butter. While Alex liked his dish, he liked mine more because my steak was more tender and juicy than his. It was still a good steak and could have easily been eaten without the butter.
I ordered the Onglet à l’Echalotte, which is the hanger steak and fries. The steak was amazing. Incredibly soft and exceedingly juicy. The steak came with a sauce on the side but I didn't even bother with the sauce because the steak was so flavorful on its own.
I ordered the chocolate mousse dessert (sorry for the bad picture). The mousse was topped with a ladyfinger, almonds, and homemade whipped cream. While it was a light dessert, the mousse was very rich in its chocolate flavor. Am I the only one that loves the combination of unsweetened whipped cream and chocolate mousse?
Alex ordered the Crepes Suzette. This is one of his favorite desserts and it's always a no brainer for him when it is on the dessert menu. The dessert is made table-side and is robust in its citrus and Grand Marnier flavors. Alex kept joking that he got drunk off of this dessert.
Le Halles is located at 2415 Ponce De Leon Boulevard in Coral Gables. The restaurant has a very cozy feel to it but what we loved the most was the display of art for sale by local artists. The service was also great and we were both surprised to see how many people went for late dinners; our reservation was for 8pm but the restaurant didn't start getting full until after 9pm.