Weekend Diversion: Night Of The Ponies
Pedway, First Store Open At Block 37
Around Town
Around Town
Red-Light Cameras Not So Special?
Chicagoist loves to eat. We love fried twinkies, fried pickles, tongue, a mystery masala and the amazing specials at Old Country Buffet (maybe not this one). Seriously, we love to eat and we’re adventurous. We love to try new things, even if they are being served off the back of some truck in some parking lot (call it exotic cuisine!). With over 6000 restaurants in Chicago, we’re always undecided as to what we should sample next … suggestions?
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Cook at home. It's cheaper and if you're at all imaginative you can come up with better meals than you get at all but the best restaurants. You also don't have to put up with inept waiters and you can always have the wine you really want.
that might be a good idea, AC, but it doesn't really make for a 'dining out' blog post now does it?
Taste of Peru
6545 N. Clark St.
Awesome South American cuisine at a great price. I had some sort of stew for lunch this past saturday and I still can't stop thinking about it.
That nice couple seems to enjoy the Golden Nugget. It's silly that i can spot their menu, but sometimes you need Pork Chops and Eggs with a short stack.
That nice couple seems to enjoy the Golden Nugget. It's silly that i can spot their menu, but sometimes you need Pork Chops and Eggs with a short stack.
Brasil Legal (li-gow=cool) on Western, in between Fullerton and Armitage.
Brazilian food staples, snacks and drinks, especially Guarana Antarctica (Accept no substitutes!). They also sell fresh salgadinhos, which are Brazilian hot, salty snacks. (Try the coxinha.)
You can also buy frozen entrees made by the proprietor, Silvana, representing dishes which can be hard to find here in Chicago where the only Brazilian restaurants are churrascarias. (Speaking of which, stay away from Assado in Evanston if you want to try churrasco...)
Figure out which of the "best burrito in town" actually has the best burrito in town. You could do nachos, but Picante on Division would whoop everyone else's arse all over the field.
hmmm.. so so many good choices out there for the taking.. in that Chicagoist gives no parameters, let's just say you want something inexpensive, not bar food, and tasty.
Thai: TAC Quick, byo, fresh, consistent and excellent flavors, steps from the Sheridan RED line stop
Mexican+: Caliente, just steps from TAC Quick, also BYO, save this restaurant, even with glowing write ups everywhere, they could use your business. Some of the best pan-mexican this side of Salpicon.
French bistro, Bergerac region: Cyrano's in River North. A superb,relaxed experience, and reasonable priced.
Indian: India House, in River North on Grand, costs more than Devon, but cheaper than other River North spots, and exquisite indian food.
Belize: Flowers Pot, 7300+ North Clark, simple decor, great flavors, and super cheap
Pizza, Napoli style: Spacca Napoli, at Sunnyside and Ravenswood. Good authentic Neopolitan alternative to the local variety of pie.
Go to lthforum.com for all the good info
Enjoy!
For a good soul food buffet and if you are not afraid to venture way south, you have to go to Dusty's out in Matteson on Lincoln Hwy. There's another one on Sibley Blvd near River Oaks.
For a good soul food buffet and if you are not afraid to venture way south, you have to go to Dusty's out in Matteson on Lincoln Hwy. There's another one on Sibley Blvd near River Oaks.
Try Rinconcito Sudamericano, 1954 W. Armitage. The rabbit is great!
Taurus Flavors. The original location is on 85th & Stony Island, but I prefer the location on 35th & Indiana. Try their steak supreme, and their regular hoagie. They're both so good.
Tudo: thanks for the Brasil Legal tip. I'm always looking for authentic Brasilian food.
Charla: I've never been to the Dusty's in Matteson, but I've been to the one on Sibley and the first one that used to be on the 1-19. Unless they've seriously stepped up in quality, I cannot get behind that recommendation. Then again, I have bias against buffets anyway.
Chicagoist: I know Alinea gets a lot of hype, but believe it. I haven't read a review that really does it justice. It's the creativity that sets it apart for me. If you can swing it, go.
Just to be clarify, because I think my post may not have been clear after rereading it, Brasil Legal isn't a restaurant. They primarily stock grocery items (Including dry goods, dairy items, sausage, etc.), plus some music, clothes, and other assorted Brazilian merchandise.
However, they do almost always have three of four types of freshly made salgadinhos, plus the aforementioned frozen entrees. My recommendation, if you happen to be in the area on a weekend afternoon, stop in, grab a few salgadinhos and a nice cold guarana, and either enjoy them while walking or hang out and watch whatever happens to be playing on Globo at the moment.
It's really a shame there is no true Brazilian restaurant in Chicago. I think a place that served various fruit juices, salgadinhos, and some regional specialties would do really well, assuming the food was up to par, it was marketed competently and opened in the right location.
If my mother-in-law were a little younger and wanted to relocate, she'd make a fortune.
The Chicagoist thanks all of you for all the tips, addresses, restaurants, venues, impressions and reviews. We'll put them to some good use.