Chicagoist: Qu'est-ce que c'est? De-mystifying Chicago Restaurant Menus: Tripe

L. Stolpman

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:23:10 -0600

Hi, Spook. Chinese Soul food? Who can resist? I will have to check it out. Thank you for the suggestion, Spook! -L.

Spook

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:23:17 -0600

Stolpman, The question is what haven't I eaten, I have a when in Rome do as the Romans due mentality. And no Chicago doesn't have good Chinese food, except for one place and in the spirit of harmony I'm actually going to share it with yall. Lao Sze Chuan is the best Chinese food in the midwest. Why, because its got Chinese Soul Food. I'm talking stuff that the Chinese restaurants in New York serve, including rabbit, jelly fish, aged spicy cabbage, etc. Actually a lot of the food is really hot, which is unknown in Chicago's Chinese food We call it Fat Tony's because the chief/ owner is really skinny.

matty

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:38:01 -0600

I'll be in NY this week but I do want to try some new things. Plus i love me some Korean BBQ. Don't let me stop you though. I'll email and try to go to the next one.

L. Stolpman

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:04:41 -0600

You know, I don't know why I thought of going tomorrow, which is super short notice. Want to go during the week? I'm all for a Chinatown food adventure any time.

L. Stolpman

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:03:42 -0600

How about we meet in front of Noodle (Vietnamese food - 2336 S. Wentworth Ave) in Chinatown at noon and then we'll check out some other places and try some other things - possibly chicken feet and bakery items? I'll bring my camera and get an entry out of it. :) We could just eat our way through Chinatown. You can e-mail me at lstolpman@gmail.com and it will ping my phone, too. -L.

matty

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:57:01 -0600

I'm down. Whatever you guys would like to do.

plumbum82

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:28:37 -0600

I'm down, I'm going to be writing about trying a ton of crap I've never tried before at my food blog.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:56:22 -0600

Matty - You're right; I've had great Korean, fantastic Pho (I want to go to that place in China town tomorrow...The Noodle? I love it) and very good sushi but not fantastic Chinese food. I was just telling frp that we should get a group together to try some foods we discuss in the series. Maybe we should start with an outing for Korean and then some pho? What do you think? I won't make you buy my dinner. :) -L.

matty

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:25:17 -0600

-L Unfortunately Chicago has terrible chinese food. We have great korean, sushi, pho, but no chinese that are anything more than 1950's versions of chinese food. However if you'd allow me to buy you dinner and try out some places I would. I am being creepy.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:57:30 -0600

Ingrid - Have you eaten them before? Are they good? I have no clue where to get them where they might be good. Hell, I guess I should at least try them, huh? What the hell, I'll go this weekend if anyone else wants to go! -L.

Ingrid

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:51:27 -0600

Might I suggest a trip to Chinatown this weekend for some dim sum, if you're in the mood for something exotic, and order a bowl of chicken feet.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:33:16 -0600

Hey, Spook! You know, I've never had rabbit - what kind of cool/different stuff have you eaten? -L.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:30:16 -0600

Hi, frp - I live nearby Korean Seoulfood Cafe! I've been there once and can't remember what I had - I love Ja jang myun! I would totally go grab eats! -L.

Spook

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:07:08 -0600

Hey Frp, guess what???? "nobody elected you to do nothing!” Now get outta my way, you're blocking my path to the bar!

frp

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:03:54 -0600

L. -- There's this new place on Van Buren, between Jefferson and Clinton call Korean Seoulfood Cafe (so cheese, I know). It's in a space that was occupied by an Italian "bistro" that lasted, oh, 3 months. The bibimbop was very, very good -- not enough bulgogi. And, yes, I ADORE bulgogi...I love kalbi (sp?) even more. And, the next dish I'm going to try (maybe even as early as tonight) will be a bowl of Ja Jang Myun.....mmmmmmmmmmmm. Care to join me? What?

frp

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:59:09 -0600

"...pallets"? spook -- so, are you saying our wooden delivery platforms don't taste good in the midwest? What?

Spook

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:38:43 -0600

What's that I hear? A bunch of midwest discriminatingly bland wimpy pallets? Sh*tttttttttt, the Two Sister's Kitchen in New Orleans)serves up the best chitterlings( Chit lyns), that you ever ate and the rabbit gumbo aint that bad either! Plum Plum Plumkis has gotten funnier! But Plum Plum Plumiest, just remember, I'm going to be Commentator of the Month for April cause ""nobody elected you to do nothing!”, nobody!

plumbum82

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:32:18 -0600

@ L.Stolpman: Um, thanks, I think.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:56:29 -0600

matty - anddddd now I'm red. (thank you)

matty

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:48:36 -0600

I think L.Stolpman has created a male fan base. The picture doesn't hurt. :D

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:46:34 -0600

Matty - omg. Oy. I shuddered. The Meteorologist - Huh! My mom doesn't make that but now I'm curious. Oh, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern (I think that's his name.) I like watching him eat all those foods but he makes the most disgusting mouth noises. Ew! frp - fortunately, I've unlimited amounts of love to hand out so my love for you has not been diluted one bit. And yup, my mom is Korean and your meal sounds heavenly. I love bibimbop (I've seen a million spellings of this) and you did a really good job with go-chu-jang! Where'd you get your Korean food? Now I want Korean food for dinner. Mmmmmmmm, Korean. Do you like bulgogi?

frp

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:30:19 -0600

And, all along I was misled into thinking that L. loved ME! A fleeting moment.... BTW, L., I think you had mentioned that you have a Korean mother? Well, for lunch, I had be bim bap with a bunch of kim chi and a heaping helpin' of some sinus clearing "go-chu-jang" (ok, I murdered the spelling on that...but, you know what I'm talking about). And, it was goooooood.

The Meteorologist

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:04:30 -0600

Hi, I like Tripe. There's a Korean soup my Mom used to make so it reminds me of growing up. It was a very mild soup! But a lot of people think I am kind of crazy. I will eat anything, including Chicken Feet and prepared bugs and stuff. I think I'd make a better host of that Crazy Food show than that bald dude.

matty

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:01:58 -0600

frp - true dat. L Stoplman - It's fried pig lymph and the Irish love it.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:45:12 -0600

Okay, nevermind. The characters I used aren't recognized or something. Basically, I professed my love for plumbum.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:44:32 -0600

Dude, I was robbed. That said, "Plumbum83, I

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:38:43 -0600

Plumbum83, I

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:32:32 -0600

Matty - Oh man. I'm afraid. Is it something you like? Or just something you want to torture me with? heh. Peteypants - Thank you for responding! I was hoping you'd see the question. Hmm..I don't know if I'm more inclined to try menudo now...or less. "Slightly fuzzy feel" - yeah, best not to think about it, like you said! Rance - I'd heard there were 4 stomachs and then read there were 2 stomach chambers so I thought there was a distinction, but could be wrong. I looked it up here: http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/encyclopedia/termdetail/0,,746,00.html and they seem to think there are 2, as well - but if you figure out this mystery, let us know! Off to consider some rubber bands... Prescott - You read my mind!! I'll do sweetbreads next week and then follow with sous-vide. Hi there, FRP! ;) Oh God, "musty" - I laughed and cringed at the same time. Yeah, I doubt tripe is Fear Factor-worthy but I would probably have to play a slight mind-game to eat it again after that description. I'm going to cover sweetbreads next week! Good suggestion from both you and Prescott. And hi there, trouble!

plumbum82

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:29:32 -0600

Peasants are such inconvenient things anyway. I use tripe extensively when I feed my stable of hobos. Then I release them into my private hunting reserve...

frp

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:22:15 -0600

"I may be a jerk for saying this but there are some dishes that are just too "peasant" for me. Meaning that they use parts of the animal that were left over after selling the meat. The British and Asians (China and southeast asia in particular) do this a lot. " NOt being a jerk at all...but, you forgot other major groups of people who eat these so called "peasant" foods --> South Americans, Central Americans, most of continental Europe, and Africa. Let's not relegate the British and the entire Asian sub-continent to being the only ones who eat foods/dishes that are "too peasant." I'm just saying. What?

frp

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:18:12 -0600

"...peasant proteins are generally less pleasant and tough to dress up." Hmmm, I'm not sure I full agree with this statement. Lesser cuts of meat (and, yes, tripe, stomach, chitlins(sp?), organs, tongue, etc.) are ALL cuts of meat. Sure, they don't have the same texture as Grade A Prime cuts of meat. But, that's the point -- the bourgeoisie ate steak, and left everything else to the proletariat. But, "less pleasant"? I guess that depends on how big of a snob you are. What? Has anyone ever had a taco con lengua? The best. Hardly dressed up at all -- some cilantro, some onions, salsa. Tender, sometimes chewy but no always, beefy. Pate? Again, hardly dressed up organ meat -- essentially liver cooked into a terrine, refrigerated, then consumed by the upper crust with their pinkies sticking out. While I will agree that tripe (as with most organ meat from "down south") can tend to be a bit, well, um, "musty" (trying to be nice here), if "dressed" properly can be actually quite pleasant. The challenge with eating these lesser cuts is often "dressing up" the mental image of what it is that is being eaten. Has anyone had sweetbreads? Sauteed properly, with some fantastic glace or other reduced sauce, or breaded and fried, are absolutely divine. My two cents. Which is about how much you'll pay for a good portion of fresh tripe. Hi L!!!!

Prescott Carlson

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:14:51 -0600

Maybe for the next edition you can keep the theme going and cover my favorite offal -- sweetbreads!

Rance

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:08:12 -0600

FYI: The cows stomach has four chambers, not two. The common varieties of tripe come from the first three. For those who haven't had it, it tends to be like chewing on rubber bands.

peteypants

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:57:04 -0600

L. Stolpman, menudo is rather spicy but is balanced out by bits of hominy and cuts of tripe. the texture of the tripe, however, is a little awkward. it almost slides down your throat and has a slight fuzzy feel...its best not to think about it.

matty

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:50:04 -0600

L. Stoplman - go to Fado and ask for white pudding. Don't ask what it is just eat it!

pencil

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:37:14 -0600

Ok tripe is back off of my list. Good call Matty - peasant proteins are generally less pleasant and tough to dress up.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:26:18 -0600

Petepants - what's the texture of the tripe like in menudo? And how's the flavor? strong/mild? -L.

peteypants

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:14:03 -0600

the word "tripe" has a bad connotation, so i think dishes would be more appetizing if they used a more pleasant word...i had a lot of menudo growing up. it wasn't bad but not for everyone.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:05:29 -0600

Matty - Nah, that's not a jerky statement. The first time I had tripe, I think I screamed. I didn't know what it was before I put it in my mouth. I can't get past things like..chicken feet, for example. Ew, just...no. -L.

matty

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:01:43 -0600

I may be a jerk for saying this but there are some dishes that are just too "peasant" for me. Meaning that they use parts of the animal that were left over after selling the meat. The British and Asians (China and southeast asia in particular) do this a lot. For me, the best peasant food is vegetable based - like Italian food with pasta and a single vegetable only.

L. Stolpman

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:42:13 -0600

Hi, Pencil, I've had tripe a few times but not recently. In my experience, it was like calamari only if your calamari was slightly overcooked. :) If done right, though, calamari is pretty darn tender. This is probably a little more chewy than that. I don't get much flavor from it, honestly, but I haven't had menudo and that might showcase the flavor better. I don't feel 100% about endorsing it only because I don't know that I'd even say that I like it - as much as I'd say that it sure seems to pop up on a lot of menus. My sister and both agreed we'd probably try a dish that featured tripe if we felt like wouldn't see it quite so clearly as it appears in that picture. It isn't exactly appetizing, huh? Mario Batalli's restaurant, Babbo, has tripe "alla parmigiana" - I'd try that. :) Now I want to start a dinner group where we get a group together and go to a local restaurant to try the things we've talked about in the series! -L.

pencil

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:31:02 -0600

I've always been scared of Tripe...and I must say that picture doesn't help. But, there's a part of me that says anything that people regularly eat must be tasty if prepared right. So if you're endorsing tripe, I'm open to trying it. Is it similar to a chewy calamari?