Chicago Food Fights

Ball Park Franks WINNER!

2011-07-05T14:15:00.000-05:00

Thanks to those who submitted, but there can only be one winner....

And random.org has chosen:

Entry #4: LAURA AND JARED

Congrats! I'll be emailing you for your mailing address!

Ball Park Franks GIVEAWAY CONTEST!!!

2011-06-29T17:58:00.000-05:00

What better way to restart this blog than with a giveaway!

The folks over at Ball Park Franks generously donated 5 coupons good for up to $24.95 worth of hot dog treats. While the freebies can be redeemed at any store for any Ball Park Franks product, consider trying out their brand-new hot dog: the Ball Park Deli Style Beef Franks.

Check out my review of them here.

So how do you enter this giveaway you ask?

It's pretty simple.
1. Have a U.S. mailing address
2. Comment on this post with your favorite hot dog memory, as well as an email address you can be reached at in case you win. (There will only be one winner!)

You don't have to follow this blog to enter, but it would be much appreciated!

Deadline for submissions: July 4, 2011, at Midnight Central Time.

You may enter once, and only once may you enter!

All about Chicago food

2011-06-21T18:06:00.000-05:00

I'm resurrecting the blog! I've been away focusing on other pursuits, but I won't waste time or space focusing on that. Rather, let's talk about what I want this blog to be. There's only so many "food fights" to be had. Well, okay, there's plenty, but those take a lot of time and planning and such, and I want this blog to be updated more frequently than once a quarter (or once a year). That's why this blog will be about all sorts of food events and experiences in Chicago, and hey, for some of them, you could call them a fight. After all, what is Ribfest if not a competition for the best ribs?

Chicago loves food, and we showcase it in so many ways, from new restaurant openings to festivals throughout the summer. I've been trying so many new places and events lately, and I want to share those with you here.

So check back here often for new Chicago food news, reviews, and much more!

Food fight preview: chicken tacos!

2010-05-27T18:55:00.004-05:00

Ok, so tacos aren't a decidedly Chicago dish by any means--unless you count the tortillas, which are made by Chicago food manufacturers like Azteca Foods, El Milgaro, and Del Rey (and I'm sure I don't know them all). But, like hot dogs, taco stands and restaurants litter the city from hole-in-the-wall joints to upscale restaurants run by none other than Top Chef Master Rick Bayless--so why not feature them in a food fight?

The taco, of course, originated from the indigenous people who lived in the area now known as Mexico back in 3000 B.C. The tortilla, back then, was called the tlaxcalli, which was often filled with various toppings--just like we fill them today. But unlike the original taco, we won't be topping our tortillas with fish, locusts, and snails.

Rather, we're going for chicken. No pork, no steak, no beef--just chicken, simply for ease of comparison.

All of the food fight participants will bring their own favorite tacos--from places such as La Pasadita, Picante, Frontera Fresco, among others--after ordering them 'as is' off the menu. Once gathered, we'll divvy them up and vote!

Where do you get your favorite taco in Chicago? Which restaurant should be in this Mexican food fight? Share your opinions below!

Bacon pics... to come

2010-04-26T18:27:00.002-05:00

I will, I will, I WILL post the pics from the gastronomical delight that was BaconFest from, sheesh, over two weeks ago. But first, I need to figure out why my camera won't sync with my computer anymore.... hmm.

Any suggestions?

You want to see these pictures, trust me.

BACON! Baconfest Preview

2010-04-09T20:04:00.004-05:00

Alternate Title: Why tomorrow will be awesome and go down in bacon history

Baconfest 2010 is tomorrow... the first fest that's all about the tasty slice of meat. The October 2009 Pro Bacon Cookoff will be nothing compared to what tomorrow will bring.

If you haven't already guessed, I, folks, was one of the lucky few to score tickets. And, when I say lucky, I mean it. Tickets kind of sold out in 10 minutes... 'kind of' because while it looked like the tickets were sold out, some people were holding on to them but not paying. When their session timed out, the tickets were released back to the general public. The price they paid for wondering if the event was worth $45? I scored 2 tickets 45 minutes after the ticketing opened.

Yes, $45 for bacon. But that price gets my boyfriend and I much more than what we paid. 12 bacon dishes from top Chicago chefs, samples of beer, more samples from expo vendors...

...and that is why tomorrow will be awesome. Oh, that, and I'll be going to the John Mayer concert, too.

Pictures from tomorrow's festivities to come!

Buffalo chicken wing RESULTS

2010-03-03T19:23:00.007-06:00

Two contenders, both near Halsted Street, in fair Chicago where we lay our scene. From buffalo chicken wing biases break to new arguments, where spicy buffalo sauce makes hands unclean.

Seriously. These wings were both finger-licking good, even if they hailed from two very different families... er, I mean, restaurants. Buffalo Wild Wings is known around the country, whereas DeLux wings can only be tasted in Chicago.

So, which came out on top and won the first buffalo chicken wing food fight?

DeLux beat out Buffalo Wild Wings in the biggest food fight landside yet. Every single category! I don't think this gives enough credit to Buffalo Wild Wings, because the wings weren't bad... they just weren't as good, especially in regards to the quality of the meat.

Do you agree with the results? Will you check out DeLux restaurant now that they've won?

If these two wings don't top your buffalo chicken wings list, what does?

Buffalo Wings Contender #2

2010-03-02T16:28:00.003-06:00

DELUX BAR & GRILL
669 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622
Ph.: 312-850-4008

DeLux Bar & Grill falls at the complete other end of the spectrum when compared to BWW. It may serve bar food, but it is decidedly a bar, with it's dark atmosphere, pool table, and a drink menu that is just about the same size as the one for food.

When we got to the bar at 8:45pm on Saturday, DeLux wasn't too busy, and it was clear most people were there for drinks. But not us! There was no discussing what level of spiciness to get at this place. There was one option and one option only--we just had to decide how many baskets of 12 to get. (We went with 2).

These wings were spicier than the medium ones over at BWW, which was good for some and not for others. The size of the wings varied drastically from one to the next. Huge drummettes dwarfed the double bones. But the quality of the meat and sauce? Divine. Every wing tasted like the next, so there was no surprise when we took a bite. If there were any negatives, the meat was a tad dry, but for most, that was better than grease.

As we polished off all our wings, the bar filled up. Next time, I come to DeLux, I'm coming on a Tuesday, when wings are only 25 cents.

Did Delux serve up enough heat and meat to beat Contender #1?

Check back tomorrow to find out.

Buffalo Wings Contender #1

2010-03-02T16:25:00.005-06:00

BUFFALO WILD WINGS
2464 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
Ph.: 773-868-9453

Originally started in 1982 in Ohio as a college sports bar, Buffalo Wild Wings has grown into a casual dining restaurant franchise that includes more 200 locations across the U.S. In Illinois, Buffalo Wild Wings is typically considered a suburban restaurant, but there is one location in Chicago near DePaul University.

Yet, stepping into this Windy City-locale, you might forget for a moment that you're in Chicago. Not only does it look like any other Buffalo Wild Wings--full of TVs and local sports memorabilia, the low cost of beers resembles suburban prices rather than city ones.

As for the food, there's plenty to choose from. From various sauces on the chicken wings, including buffalo of course, to slammers and sandwiches, the menu is huge and definitely a testament to the awesomeness of buffalo sauce and wings.

We ordered a basket of traditional buffalo wings, all of medium heat. Most of the food fight participants hadn't gone into Buffalo Wild Wings expecting much, thinking that it was the other flavors at BWW that deserved the glory. Those with low expectations were pleasantly surprised. The medium heat was enjoyed by most, as was the amount of meat on the bone. But the quality of meat? Most of it tasted and looked greasy, which doesn't necessarily make a good wing.

Nonetheless, every last wing was polished off, and we even ordered a few of the other flavors to try, even if they didn't count toward our final vote.

But there was one last surprise: the bill. While the wings were decently priced for the city, and comparable to the second contender, imagine our surprise when we realize we were charged for the celery and the bleu & ranch dressings. That's just a huge no-no in our books and would have probably affected the voting more had there been a category on price.

Overall, the restaurant beat expectations--but is that good enough to beat contender #2?

Buffalo Chicken Wings Food Fight

2010-03-01T19:41:00.003-06:00

The buffalo chicken wing may originally hail from New York, but that doesn't disqualify Chicago from having a plethora of chicken wing options. One just has to check out Chicago's annual Wingfest, this year held on Sunday February 28th, to see all the places that offer up a piece of chicken slathered in a spicy buffalo sauce.

Or, if paying $24 for the Wingfest doesn't float your boat, you just have to throw a food fight, like my friends and I did this past weekend.

Where the wing comes from
As the name of this hot appetizer implies, the chicken wing has its roots at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York back in 1964. Legend has it that the restaurant's owner wanted to make a late time snack for her son and his friends, and she had some leftover chicken wings from the restaurant. After dunking the wings in the fryer and in hot sauce, she added some celery sticks and bleu cheese dressing to the plate so as to temper the hot flavors of the meat. And that, folks, is how buffalo chicken wings were born.

As the recipe made its way into other restaurants, the chicken wing evolved. Some restaurants, like Hooter's, started using different levels of 'heat' or 'spiciness'. Bars and restaurants alike added it to their appetizer menu and started using both drummettes and double bone chicken wings. Even restaurants devoted solely to the chicken wing began to spring up. With all these restaurants, how is one to find the best Buffalo chicken wing the city of Chicago has to offer?

THE FOOD FIGHT

Suzanne & Maggie start digging in at contender #1

Other buffalo chicken wing competitors are sure to follow this food fight, since there are just so many places to grab a basket of wings in Chicago.

With this first fight, we went with two contenders. The food fight crowd was a bit smaller than usual, but, not surprisingly, that didn't stop anyone from having a strong opinion. With a group of six, we ordered baskets of wings and split them up. The only rule: we were voting on BUFFALO chicken wings, not any other flavor, and we agreed not to order any boneless. (We'll save other flavors for another food fight... but boneless? It's not a chicken wing if you don't have to work for it).

The two contenders were as different as could be. One is a chain restaurant that prides itself on serving all kinds of chicken wing dishes. The other is a bar/restaurant that only gave us one option: the beloved buffalo chicken wing appetizer.

So, which contender won this fight? Tune in tomorrow to find out.

Winning Chili Recipe

2010-02-24T18:59:00.000-06:00

At long last, I hereby present to you the recipe that led to the winning chili at the first-ever (and let's hope there's more) Chili Cookoff! (For all the contestants, click here).

This recipe is, obviously, from the winner, #4. Otherwise known as Suzanne. I took no part in the creation of this goodness; I'm just the middle-woman sharing this delicious turkey recipe to all of you!

THE RECIPE
2 lbs ground turkey
3 banana peppers thinly sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper diced
1 small egg plant cubed
1 yellow onion diced
1/2 can (or more) chick peas
Couple chipotle peppers in adobo
1 block of pepper jack cheese shredded
2 small cans tomato paste
1 can chicken broth
1 can Rotel
Red pepper flakes
Taco packets per amount of meat

Brown all vegetables seperately from one another and set aside. All should be cooked in a little olive oil, and salt, except for the eggplant. Saute the egg plant in some of the adobo sauce that your chipotle pepper comes in. (Be careful, that stuff is hot!) Again, set the eggplant to the side.

Cook the turkey and season with a little salt while cooking. Then fully season the meat with a generous amount of the red pepper flakes if you want it really hot, and the taco packets. After you have mixed the seasoning in, throw in the two cans of tomato paste, and about 2/3rds of the chicken broth. Mash it around so that the turkey really gets seasoned. Bring to simmer and let it go for a while. Water and the rest of the chicken broth may need to be added during the simmering process.

After it has simmered to the point of really looking like chili, add all vegetables, including the half can of chickpeas, and semi drained can of Rotel. Mix well. Bring to a simmer again and add a bit of water again if needed to the pan. Cover.

After a few minutes of simmering, mix the chili and take off the heat. Then add in the pepper jack cheese. Be sure to mix well so that it fully incorporates and does not burn at the bottom of your pan. After it appears well mixed once again, add at least one adobo pepper chopped up, and a generous amount of red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer again, and cover until ready to serve (or take to your next chili cook off).

Enjoy!

Superbowl Sunday + Superb Chili

2010-02-11T19:14:00.000-06:00

This past Superbowl Sunday, my friends and I hauled out our crockpots, pressure cookers, and casserole dishes to throw together some meat, beans, and lots of other goodies. All in all, four chilis were created.

This wasn't the typical food fight. Rather, it was a friendly competition. We all sampled the chilis, talked about what we liked about all of them--because, in all honestly, all of them were good even if they were completely different--and picked our favorite. Some people used beef, some used turkey, others used a variety of meats, including lamb and pork.

So, which of the four won top pick--along with the prize of an awesomely huge jar of pinto beans? Keep reading, and drooling, to find out.

Chili #1
This chili went into a pressure cooker after the meat was seared. And boy was there a lot of meat, including lamb, pork shoulder, and beef, as well as some beans. A variety of spices heated up the dish. While the dangers of a pressure cooker include drying out the meat, searing the meat first helped prevent that from occurring. All in all, this was a chili that packed a fiery punch.

Chili #2
Made from a family recipe--and cooked in an old-school crockpot--this chili was packed with ground beef, a ton of spicy spices (including many secret ones the cook will not divulge), kidney beans, chili beans, and tomato sauce.

Chili #3
This chili, too, was made based on a recipe given to the chili cook by a friend well-versed in cooking good meals. This chili contender added more spice than the original recipe called for, and made a chili chock full of beef and tomatoes, along with a can of beer and other seasonings.

Chili #4
Unlike the others, this chili was made in a casserole dish and was all about the turkey. There wasn't much sauce, but that was compensated by an abundance of vegetables like banana peppers, yellow bell pepper, onion, chick peas, and egg plant. Rather than use a plethora of tomatoes or sauce, this contender went with just using tomato paste, hence why it looks thicker than the others.

The best part about chili is that they all taste extraordinarily different. No two chilis were alike in this food fight, making voting all a matter of preference. But, with 8 voters, including the 4 chefs, there was an overwhelming response for one chili in particular: #4.

Here's the winner, Suzanne. She's holding the awesome prize (as if it was a football) that will help get her started on her next batch of awesome goodness. (With Maggie 'crying' in the background after losing the Chili Cookoff 2010).

The recipe for the winning chili will be posted soon. Until then, what do you like in your chili? Do you prefer to make your own? Or, do you have a restaurant you like to go to when you need a hot chili to warm you up in the cold Chicago Winter?

An Adventure at Vie Restaurant

2010-01-22T12:15:00.017-06:00

I first experienced Vie restaurant when my boyfriend and I attended the first-ever (and let's hope there's plenty more) Bacon Cookoff at Publican in October 2009. But owner and head chef, Paul Virant, long ago established himself in the cooking world. While he didn't come out on top against Iron Chef Morimoto, Virant creates delicious contemporary American dishes with an emphasis on local ingredients.

The restaurant is a testament to simple elegance and minimalist decor. Roses adorn the tabletops and the bar. A fireplace emits a warm glow, and the stacks of wood beside it are just there for show.

While prices are a bit steep, especially considering Vie is located in the Chicago suburbs, every bite is worth every penny. The meal starts with an amuse-bouche, a delightful one-bit appetizer, that consisted of a bite of whitefish and pickled cucumbers, offering a delicate start to the meal.

As for the menu, it may only be one page, but you'll have a hard time deciding between all that Vie has to offer. Luckily, our waitress, Abra, pointed out some usual favorites, including the food she likes to eat herself. She knew what she was talking about; prior to serving as a waitress, she worked as a line cook in Vie's kitchen.

With Abra's advice, my boyfriend, two friends, and I started our extravagant meal with pierogies filled with smoked beef and a crème fraiche. The succulent pierogies sat atop a bed of sauerkraut that lacked the sourness typically associated with the German sidedish, but balanced the heartiness of the beef and the bits of bacon beef. A pickled celery vinaigrette rounded off the dish.

My boyfriend went for the pan-roasted icelandic halibut, a fresh and sizable piece of seafood topped with fried sage gremolata, and grounded by a pile of camargue red rice. The deep color of the rice possibly came from a reduction of red wine and cranberries, or at least that's how it tasted. Sides included sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) and pea shoots. A preserved meyer lemon aioli added a touch of sweetness.

Even when ordering the burger at Vie, you get a specially-crafted dish. Made with Dietzler farm beef, the wood-grilled burger is hearty treat for a reasonable $12. Toppings on this extravagant burger include housemade bacon, clothbound aged wisconsin cheddar, and a pickled jalapeno vinaigrette. On the side, you'll also get a handsome helping of yukon gold potato homefries, along with pickle.

For an even heartier meal, Vie offers the pan-fried bourbon red turkey breast and smothered leg and thigh. This comfort-food dish is sure to fill anyone up. If the turkey isn't enough, it comes with a crispy bread dumpling and a generous portion of butternut squash, winter radishes, and fresh, preserved pears.

As for me, I went for the rack of lamb, medium rare. The outside was crispy, while the inside meat remained tender. An orange sauce added a touch more depth to the perfectly cooked meat. The lamb was complemented by even more meat, a house-made Moroccan spiced mereguez - aka lamb - sausage. The sausage wasn't as spicy and juicy as I expected, but it snapped and was full of savory flavors. This dish, like the burger, also came with housemade fries that were both crispy and soft, a perfect combo in my book. Finally, a handful of cooked leeks graced the side of the dish, offering a slightly crunchy complement to the dish.

Despite the large dishes, we couldn't bypass the dessert menu, which is full of ice creams, sorbets, and other decadent treats. Everything was shared: the crispy, gooey St. Louis-style butter cake topped with egg nog ice cream, as well as the scoop of pumpkin ice cream. The one dessert everyone feared, but dared to try? The chocolate ghost chili ice cream. And we had every right to be afraid.

Ghost chili was declared the hottest pepper in the world in 2007. But call my friends and me crazy, we wanted to give it a whirl. Abra assured us that while it's hot, the cream offsets it. Here's what it looked like:

Oh, wait. That's the daredevil that suggested we try the chocolate ghost chili in the first place. Here's the close-up of the actual dessert:

So unassuming! It looks like just a normal single scoop of chocolate that it's okay to just dig into...right?

Nope! Tread lightly, my friends. The original daredevil took a big scoop, and wowza. It took a couple bites of the pumpkin ice cream, and some gulps of water, along with a few minutes, for the crazy hot flavors to calm down and leave his mouth alone.

So, no one else tried it after him, because we saw the after-effects, right?

Wrong again. We each had some, multiple bites actually. Not bites though, really. More like nibbles, but even then you taste plenty of heat. First, it tastes creamy and chocolaty, and then KA-BLAM, an explosion of heat blows up in your mouth. But then, just as quickly, the spiciness evaporates, and you want more. What some might call torture, I call incredibly innovative and delicious, to an extent. Between the four of us, we weren't able to finish the whole scoop.

Clearly, a trip to Vie promises to be an adventure. From fresh ingredients and heaping portions of food to experimental desserts, I know I intend to go back, even if Vie is on the pricier side. It's just that good.

Ribs WINNER!

2009-11-20T18:21:00.001-06:00

Similar to the deep dish food fight, all the ribs looked a bit similar. Sure, the meat was cut differently, their shapes weren't the same, but line them up and it's hard to tell which rib is from which restaurant.

Yet, there's no questioning how every rib tasted different depending on the cut of meat, the way it was cooked, and the barbecue sauce that topped it off. My friends and I argued back and forth - after moments of silence to finish eating each rib - but in the end their was one clear winner who won the prize of official ribs food fight champion.

(Note: When I told people they didn't need to vote using 'round' numbers, they interpreted that quite liberally).

THE OFFICIAL RESULTS

Smoque BBQ baby back ribs WINS!

Smoque clearly came out on top. Maybe it had an unfair advantage, considering it had two chances with two different slabs of meat, but what made this food fight tons of fun - other than the choice of food - was that all of the ribs tasted completely different.

While BBQ took home the coveted prize, not all agreed with the results. Despite Russell's poor showing, some of the eleven eaters/friends stood by Russell's, claiming that it should have at least done better than Honey One, mostly because of the awesome sauce.

Do you agree with the results? Where do you go when you want a hunk of messy ribs?

Ribs contender #4

2009-11-20T18:19:00.001-06:00

(Note: Picture was taken after people started digging in; people wanted their juicy, smoky ribs!)

Smoque restaurant is clearly all about barbecue and sells two different kinds of ribs. In addition to contender #2, St. Louis-style, Smoque also makes baby back ribs that are made from a leaner, thinner cut.

The small quantity of meat seemed a slight critique when taking into consideration how tasty the smoked meat was. Again, it wasn't fall-off-the-bone, but the slightly blackened meat was juicy and perfectly complemented by the sweet and slightly spicy barbecue sauce. Even though we were all quite full, you can be sure that every last baby back rib was eaten.

Smoque BBQ
3800 N Pulaski Rd.
Chicago, IL 60641-3197
Ph.: (773) 545-7427

Contender #1

Contender #2

Contender #3

Results

Ribs contender #3

2009-11-20T18:12:00.001-06:00

Located in Bucktown, Honey One prides itself on slow-cooking all of its barbecue in a smoker that uses straight wood - which only one other restaurant in Chicago can claim. Patrons can admire this eight-foot smoker, as its out in the open for everyone to see.

As for the food, the ribs were huge, filling up the to-go container and squashing out the side dishes. Already slathered in sauce, the ribs easily fall off the bone, but most people ended up dismayed, because the meat was anything but tender. It was chewy and tough and not as juicy as ribs should be. But people tried to take into account that it just might be because the ribs had been sitting around, waiting to be eaten.

Honey One BBQ

2241 N Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
Ph.: (773) 227-5130

Ribs contender #2

2009-11-20T18:10:00.001-06:00

Luckily, we didn't go to the restaurants this time around, because we would have waited for quite some time if we had. When I arrived to pickup four slabs of Smoque BBQ - two of Contender #2, St. Louis-style ribs, and two of Contender #4, Baby back ribs - the line wound out the door and to the street in the Old Irving Park neighborhood. As a call-in order, I got to go to the front of the line, where the ribs and sides of mac-n-cheese were piping hot. A dinner of one full-slab of St. Louis ribs, along with slaw and two sides, cost $19.95.

Expectations were set high for Smoque, especially since this was the only restaurant contender that has been featured on TV, such as Food Network's D3: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. These ribs were cut in a rectangle, just as St. Louis-style should be. While the meat seemed a bit more blackened than we would have liked - adding more than just a smoky flavor - there was plenty of juicy meat attached to each and every bone.

Doused in the barbecue sauce, the ribs tasted both a bit sweet and smoky, but not overwhelmingly so (at least for most people). There was a slight peppery taste to the meat and sauce, which added a depth that the other ribs didn't necessarily have.

Smoque BBQ

3800 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60641-3197

Ph.: (773) 545-7427

Ribs contender #1

2009-11-20T18:09:00.001-06:00

Located in Elmwood Park, Russell's has been serving hungry Chicagoans since 1930, and like the other contenders, the menu fare here is all about the barbecue. If you're not in the mood for ribs (gasp!), they also offer pork, chicken, fish, and assortment of various sides. A full-slab rib dinner typically come with a bread roll, french fries, and coleslaw for a mere $13.99.

As for the ribs, they were of the spareribs variety. While juicy and thick, the meat didn't fall off the bone. There was more than enough of the sweet barbecue sauce, considering the restaurant tossed in a huge handful of spare packets so everyone could toss on their desired amount. (And even then, there was still plenty sauce packets leftover, which one of my friends gladly took home).

Most people liked the sauce but others thought there was too much sweetness from the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. Some even thought the sauce flavor overwhelmed the delicious meat too much. Overall, the ribs were delicious, even if there wasn't enough meat on the bone, and most said they'd have them again.

Russell's

1621 N Thatcher Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707

Ph.: (708) 625-3313

Ribs recap

2009-11-20T18:07:00.001-06:00

Tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone, saucy, finger-licking good; those are just some of the things my friends and I were looking for when we chowed down on ribs at my Lakeview apartment this past Saturday.

This food fight was, by far, the messiest of them all. The barbecue sauce dripped, the meat occasionally fell off the bone, and we all argued over which rib and barbecue sauce was best.

This time there were three contenders. I picked up the ribs from the two restaurants in the city, just off 90/94, while some friends grabbed another set on their way into town. We kept the ribs as hot as we could, and once everyone had gathered around the dining room, things got messy.

We ate more than just meat. All of the rib dishes came with sides that complemented the smoky and spicy flavors, but voting was not supposed to take into consideration how awesome (or not) the sides were. As usual, the food fight was all about the meat.

I attempted to hide which ribs were from what restaurant with another numbering system, but in the hullabaloo of the eating (and a paper bag naming the first restaurant), everyone quickly got wind and nothing was secret... including our opinions. We argued over taste, flavor of the sauce, and even the quality of the meat - which made the voting categories perfect:
* Overall taste/flavor (10pts max)
* Quality of product/meat/sauce (5pts)
* Quantity of meat (5pts)
* Finger-licking good (5pts)

So, which restaurants battled in the Chicago ribs food fight? Which ribs had us going back for more? And which ones didn't please our palates? To find out, click below.

Contender #1

Contender #2

Contender #3

Contender #4

RESULTS

Food fight preview: ribs

2009-11-14T12:33:00.000-06:00

Barbecuing may be considered a warm-weather activity, but plenty of Chicago restaurants know how make tender and juicy pork or beef the whole year round. Tonight's food fight will be all about ribs.

While Chicago may not be known as the BBQ capital of the U.S., there are still plenty of places that know how to make ribs the right way. Some Chicago restaurants also create their own barbecue sauces in an attempt to differentiate their ribs from the pack.

The best ribs typically result from a slow-cooking process on a grill or in a smoker. This means that the succulent meat is cooked at low temp for a long period of time over indirect heat. The flavors come from the meat juices and fat, the rub, and the smoke from the grill/smoker. The process for making the ribs might be the same, but that doesn't mean there isn't variety, which mostly comes from the rub and sauce that is used.

Here's a rundown of the kinds of pork ribs available around not only the country, but across Chicagoland as well.

- Spareribs: The most basic of the ribs, this is what you'll typically find when ordering ribs at a restaurant in Chicago. The name comes from how the ribs used to be cooked - on a spit or a spear - as well as to where the meat is removed from the pig - a long cut on the belly-side of the pig from the breastbone to the bottom portion of the pig's ribs.

- St. Louis Ribs: These ribs are a version of spareribs, because they're also cut from belly, providing meat on both the top and bottom of the rib. The cut typically looks rectangular, since the meat is trimmed to leave only the center bone. The distinctive flavor of of St. Louis-style ribs comes from slathering the meat in a St. Louis-style barbecue sauce throughout the 'low and slow' cooking process.

- Baby-back ribs (or Canadian ribs): These ribs are taken from the vertebrae section of the pig and the meat is often lean and tender. Contrary to some myths, these ribs do not come from baby pigs; rather "baby" means that the ribs have been taken from market size hogs instead of sows. Additionally, "baby" also refers to the smaller size of the meat and length of the ribs.

When you have a hankering for ribs, what restaurant do you go to? Do you prefer spareribs or baby-back? What's your favorite barbecue sauce?

Bacon cookoff preview!

2009-10-22T10:30:00.004-05:00

Baconfest takes place this Saturday, October 24th at Publican restaurant. While I wish I could claim credit for creating this latest and most amazing event, I'm more than happy to be one of the lucky 60 or so people who RSVPed earlier enough to attend this VIP Pro cook-off and taste all the results. As if this wasn't good enough, the 10 bacon samples - each prepared by a different chef - will be paired with beer selected by Publican owner, Paul Kahan. This cookoff will be the ultimate bacon food fight.

Saturday's event is just a prelude to an even larger event for bacon aficionados, Baconfest. With the main event taking place April 10, 2010, the organizers plan to turn to Chicago into a bacon wonderland.

Who thought of and organized these amazing events? People who love bacon, of course. More specifically, Baconfest was started by Seth Zurer, Michael Griggs, and Andre Vonbaconvitch, who share their bacon manifesto and bios here.

Saturday's event treats bacon like the star that it is; to these chefs - and to those attending - bacon is more than just a piece of pork (which isn't always fried, mind you). The ten bacon chefs are, in alphabetical order:

Troy Graves – Eve
Rick Gresh – David Burke’s Primehouse
Gilbert Langlois - Chalkboard Restaurant
John Manion – Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub
Michael McDonald – one sixtyblue
Chris Pandel – The Bristol
Jason Paskewitz – Gemini Bistro
Nathan Sears – Vie
Patrick Sheerin – The Signature Room
Giuseppe Tentori – Boka

The Baconfest organizers have interviewed all of the chef contenders, and their BacoTV interviews - and thoughts on everything from bacon to Pulp Fiction - can be found at the organizer's blog.

To prepare for this glorious tribute to bacon, I've been eating healthy all week in a weak attempt to counteract the cholesterol intake, but, come Saturday, it'll be all about the bacon.

Deep dish winner!

2009-10-14T21:31:00.005-05:00

All deep dish pizzas are not created equal. They may look alike, but hiding under the sauce and stuffed inside the crust are a variety of flavors and all sorts of different fillings. Even the sausage tastes different from one pizza to the next. Some offer a sausage patty, others offer crumbled. And the sauce, too, changes depending on what spices are added. Gino's proved lackluster and cheaply made, whereas both Uno and Lou Malnati's fought head to head, making this one of the closest food fights to date.

THE OFFICIAL RESULTS

Lou Malnati's wins!

Do you agree with these deep dish results? Or do you have another deep dish favorite that deserves to be a food fight contender?

Deep dish contender no. 3

2009-10-14T20:03:00.007-05:00

In a sea of deep-dish pizzas that all look similar to one another, the pizza from Lou Malnati's stood out from the crowd with a sauce that looked like more than just a regular tomato sauce. The flavors oozed with spices, even though some claimed the sauce tasted too much of tomato and didn't have enough depth. The crust, too, was perfectly cooked, even though we didn't order the famed butter crust. The sausage didn't make much of an appearance, drowned out by the flavors from the strong sauce and cheese, but some liked it that way (while others didn't).

Contender #1

Contender #2

Results

Deep dish contender no. 2

2009-10-14T19:53:00.007-05:00

Established in 1943, Uno Chicago Grill is the oldest deep dish Chicago pizzeria, and today the restaurant's Website claims Uno pizza is often imitated but never duplicated. The sample of this dish lived up to expectations. The hearty slice of pizza, covered in a layer of sausage patty just like Uno's, tasted fresher and had more cheese. The sauce also had more of a kick and more of a tomato flavor than contender #1. The crust proved lackluster, considering the outer crust fell off nearly everyone's sample and it tasted a bit dry. But the quality of the insides made this pizza one of the best of the night, even if some thought the sausage patty was too much.

Contender #1

Contender #3

Results

Deep dish contender no. 1

2009-10-14T19:33:00.011-05:00

Luckily, no one knew which pizza was which, otherwise the shoddy delivery service may have played a bigger role when it came time to vote. It turned out that someone at Gino's accidently cancelled the wrong order - our order - and the pizza didn't arrive until about 7:15.

Compared to the other two contenders, the ingredients in Gino's deep-dish pizza wasn't of the best quality. The sauce was bland, which some liked because it didn't taste too much of tomatoes. Some liked the thick sausage patty that spread across the diameter of the pizza, since it allowed every bite to be full of sausage, but others thought there was too much sausage. Even though some of the crust was burned, the cornmeal flavor tasted decent. Overall, the quality of the pizza was 'meh' for most.

Contender #2

Contender #3

Results

Deep dish recap

2009-10-14T19:26:00.007-05:00

The latest food fight took place at a "restaurant" unlike any other. Between the northern views of the city and the couch that, no joke, could fit seven people, if not more, it was the perfect place for a rumble and good-natured arguing about food.

The rumble over deep dish took place at Maggie and Joe's Marina Towers high-floor apartment. When we weren't standing on the rooftop watching fireworks explode over Navy Pier, we were chowing down on three of Chicago's best deep dish pizzas, which - not coincidentally - were from the oldest three pizza joints in the Windy City: Gino's, Uno Chicago Grill, and Lou Malnati's. All three pizzas were scheduled to be delivered at 6:30 so they could be served piping hot and wait times could be avoided. Alas, one of the three arrived early. Another arrived a half hour late. But none of that put a damper on the night.

Since everyone had a strong opinion about where the best stuffed pizza is in town, we did this food fight differently. Every pizza was numbered, one through three, and no one but me (and one of the hosts, Joe) knew which was which until after they ate, argued, guessed, and voted.

Without further ado, I present to you the results of the latest rumble in the Marina Tower jungle.

Contender #1

Contender #2

Contender #3

Results

Food fight preview: deep-dish pizza

2009-10-10T16:06:00.002-05:00

Forget the gourmet pizzas of California and the Sicilian thin style associated with New York; it's Chicago-style deep dish pizza that's sure to fill you up.

Whether you call it deep-dish or stuffed, Chicagoans have been calling this thick pizza their own since the early 1940's. Today, there's plenty of pizzerias that serve deep-dish, but which one does deep-dish best?

All deep-dish starts the same way: with a thick crust that is between one and three inches tall. The pizza is then filled, or stuffed, with mozzarella, toppings (with sausage, onions, and peppers topping the list of traditional), and last, but not least, the seasoned tomato sauce.

As for the origins of the deep dish, most food aficionados agree: the famous deep-dish began as the 'casserole' of pizzas - meaning, it was cheap to make and it fed a lot of people. The original creator of the pizza hailed from Texas and went by the name Ike Sewell.

Sewell first served deep-dish pizza in 1943 at his restaurant, Pizzeria Uno, at the corner of Wabash and Ohio Avenue in Chicago. The popularity of the dish soon spread, especially after soldiers started returning from Italy after the end of World War II. Other pizzerias started making their own versions of deep-dish, trying different flavored crusts and changing up the toppings. Now, Lou Malnati's, Uno's, Giordano's, and Gino's are some of the most famous pizzerias to grace the streets of Chicago.

With all these choices for deep-dish, where do you go when you want your pizza stuffed?

New food fight recap format

2009-10-09T17:54:00.000-05:00

Excuse me if this comes out a bit jumbled. I'm still recovering from some bug that laid me up yesterday, and my head is still a bit fuzzy, so I might not be making total sense. But, whether I'm there or not, the next food fight is scheduled to go down tomorrow, and the latest rumble has me thinking about how to improve this blog.

Namely, my posts have been much, much, much too long when it comes to recapping the day's food fight events. To fix this, I'm instituting a new format. Here's how I'll start posting; each number signifies a new post:

Before the food fight:
1) Poll... sometimes. It'll depend on if more people start commenting on my blog, rather than on my Facebook page. (Hint, hint.)
2) A preview, discussing what food my friends and I will be fighting over.

After the food fight:
3) Restaurant/food recap of food fight contender #1
4) Restaurant/food recap of food fight contender #2 (and so forth; if there's more than 2 contenders, there will be that many more number of posts)
5) THE RESULTS

Maybe this will add a bit of suspense as to which restaurant won? Unless you were at the food fight and know already, obviously.

Do you like this new, suggested, format? Or do you prefer the long rambling posts? Blog lurkers/friends/family, let me know in the comments section below!

What's your favorite Chicago-style deep dish pizza?

2009-10-05T19:55:00.002-05:00

We've pitted hot dog classics Gene & Jude's and Superdawg against one another. We've thrown down with Italian Beef Johnnie's and Al's. But the third food fight might be the most contentious fight yet, because this time around, it's all about... deep dish pizza.

You can help determine which restaurants will be the contenders in the next food fight by giving your two cents in the comments section below.

Do you prefer Lou Malnati's over Giordano's? Or is Uno's the place you go to when you've got a hankering for some thick crusted, cheese filled, meat stuffed pizza? I want to know.

And while you're at it, tell me what kind of toppings top your favorite deep-dish pizza.

In praise of Topolabampo

2009-10-02T08:46:00.003-05:00

I already spent a lengthy post praising XOCO restaurant, but now it's time to heap the praise on another Rick Bayless restaurant. I don't normally frequent fine dining establishments, but ever since my boyfriend Tyler got into cooking Mexican food (long before Bayless won on Top Chef Masters), he's been enamoured with the ingredients, cooking styles, and pretty much anything Bayless-related - so it only made sense for us to take a trip to the one Bayless restaurant we hadn't yet frequented: Topolabampo.

Luckily, we made the restaurant reservation for four - for Tyler, his parents, and me - days before Bayless won Top Chef Master. Wait times for reservations are even longer now; plan on calling at least six to eight weeks ahead of your desired reservation date/time.

There really is nothing bad I can say about this place. Yes, prices are high, attire is formal, and reservation wait time can be long - but you're not going to find better quality food or service at any other place, whether it's a Mexican restaurant or not.

Whether ordering the ahi tuna in Bayless's signature black mole sauce, or the trio of ceviches, or any number of other dishes like we did this past Tuesday night, the food experience at Topolabampo is an amazing treat to the senses and the tastebuds.

After eating our two appetizers (and oohing and ahhing over the black mole), Tyler just happened to mention to our waitress that he'd love to get a picture with Chef Brian Enyart, the restaurant's Chef de Cuisine, or head chef, at Topolabampo. Amazingly, this tactic worked. Within minutes, our waitress whisked Tyler & I away to the kitchen doors, where Brian appeared moments later to shake our hands and take a picture with Tyler.

The shock of meeting such an amazingly talented chef - who was working on our meals - kind of made us giddy with excitement. Did that really just happen? Was it really just that easy? Sure, people associate Bayless with Topolabampo because he's the owner - but Chef Enyart is the HEAD CHEF. He's in charge of the food we were about to eat!

And the food is why you're reading this - not to hear about my latest food celebrity encounter/handshake. (Granted, it is pretty awesome that I not only met Chef Enyart but also saw Rick Bayless in person all in one week; yeah, I know I'm bragging).

Everyone ordered someone different - the lamb, the halibut, the hen, and the trout. Sounds pretty simple, right? Think again. When deconstructed, each part of the meal seemed somewhat average. I tasted my the main part of my dish, the halibut, by itself and thought it was okay. But the true test of the dish comes when you tie all the different parts together.

Every dish comes with a sauce, poured onto the plate by the server just before you take a bite. The halibut, after dipping it into the green squash blossom sauce, suddenly had layers of flavor. One moment delicate and barely there, another moment sweet. The sauce encouraged me to savor every bite. And then there was the side items that decorated the plate. The crunchy spinach, filled with Oaxacan string cheese, crumbled in my mouth. It, too, tasted absolutely divine with the sauce and the halibut. This was not unusual. Every piece of every dish - in which everyone shared - worked so incredibly well together in large part because of the complex sauces that come with every plate.

While I never ever wanted these flavors to leave my mouth, the servers brought a small truffle to finish off our meal. Considering the chocolate was the size of a marble, it was yet another shock to the system how much flavor exploded with each nibbling bite; again, you have to savor every bite of every thing they serve you. The service itself is spectacular; keeping in mind the fact that the server arranged for us to meet Chef Brian, she also was attentive to the fact that we needed to leave by 7:45 and had many recommendations for what to drink and eat.

My praise for Topolabampo and Bayless's restaurants is done, for now. I hope this answers the question: when you want a special night out and a lavish dinner, where do you go in Chicago?

Topolabampo

445 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654

Ph.: 312-661-1434

Italian beef food fight: Al's versus Johnnie's

2009-09-29T21:57:00.000-05:00

The first official food fight went down this past Saturday, and this time around it was Chicago Italian beef sandwiches that went head-to-head. We pitted Al's, the oldest Italian beef eatery in Chicago, against Johnnie's, which only has two locations but always has a line out the door no matter what the time of day.

Both Al's and Johnnie's follow the basics of the traditional Italian beef (with Al's, arguably, being the original creator of the Italian beef sandwich), but they both taste extraordinarily different. All of the eight food fight participants had something to say about which they thought was best after tasting both sandwiches. Only one person had eaten at Al's and Johnnie's before.

The rules for this food fight were simple. People ordered their food in whatever way they chose as long as they got Italian beef. While this may affect the results in some way, I wanted people to order what toppings they'd normally order, because if they don't like hot giardiniera, then they for sure wouldn't like their beef sandwich.

To keep our biases in check, each of the eight participants could award up to 20 points at each restaurant, making a possible high total of 160 points. Everyone rated their sandwiches based on these categories:
* Taste: up to 10 points
* Quality of toppings/bread/juice: up to 5 points
* Presentation of sandwich/ease of eating: up to 5 points

[Pictures documenting this food fight are in a slideshow at the end of this post].

JOHNNIE'S
7500 W North Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707

The food fight started at Johnnie's. At 3:30pm, the line was short and the food flew across the counter into our waiting hands. The menu at Johnnie's is simple with beef sandwiches, hot dogs, sausages, fries, and, a customer favorite, Italian ice.

After ordering, all participants gathered around the outdoor table - because Johnnie's doesn't have any indoor seating - and chowed down. With an even number of participants, most everyone split a sandwich so as to save room for the next taste test at Al's. While the mood of this food fight was much more subdued than the hot dog war of August, people still had plenty of opinions.

The sandwich I shared with my boyfriend was the standard Italian beef sandwich complete with hot giardiniera. The meat was still plenty wet, even with most of the juices soaking into the Italian bun and even though my boyfriend and I didn't get our sandwich dipped. (A true sign of a good Italian beef, I say, is that the sandwich doesn't need to be dipped in order to showcase all the meat's juices). With a few big bites, my half of the sandwich was gone, and I continued spooning out the large Italian ice, the perfect cold complement to a hot and spicy sandwich.

What the other participants said:
* Yikes! The food is too hot (in a spicy way).
* There isn't enough juice and everything's falling out. (Granted, he didn't get his 'dipped' since he didn't know he could).
* The meat and the giardiniera taste delicious.
* There's plenty of juice even without getting the sandwich dipped.
* Amazing. I'm speechless.

After eating and collecting all the votes, we sat, letting the food digest as we talked. We would have stayed longer too, but then a bee - which hadn't checked into the yellow jacket motels hanging above our heads - started chasing my boyfriend. We all skee-dattled out of the parking lot and to the next contender in the Italian beef fight.

AL'S
1036 Higgins Rd
Park Ridge, IL 60068

This food fight might be remembered as the 1st Avenue fight as both restaurant locations weren't too far off of 1st avenue. Over at Al's in Park Ridge, the restaurant was empty except for one other customer. The choices of sandwiches seemed overwhelming in comparison to Johnnie's. Al's famous Italian beef sandwich not only came in various sizes (or bread lengths) but also offered even more toppings - provolone or american cheese anyone? The menu also contained much more than just beef, including pizza, chicken wings, hot dogs, chicken, wraps, salads, and even tamales.

But we came for Italian beef and that's what everyone got. This time around, my boyfriend and I got our sandwiches loaded with stuff - or so we thought. We asked for provolone, sweet peppers, and hot giardiniera. Unfurling the sandwich from the wrapper, we were delighted to see how appealing the sandwich looked. But then we took a bite.

The meat was drier than at Johnnie's (if you don't get it dipped), and it had a strange sweet flavor that wasn't coming from the peppers, as if the meat was seasoned with ginger or all spice. The giardiniera was not like any giardiniera I'd seen before - gone were the carrots and cauliflower - and the little spice we tasted came from red pepper flakes.

For most participants the food was edible, but we wondered aloud: this is Al's famous beef? Something must be wrong. And then one of the guys hurried away from the table, ran to the bathroom, and puked. Mind you, he's a tall guy and can eat a lot (and he was only eating halves of sandwiches). As he said, something in the food hit the stop button on the way down and wanted out. Fortunately, everyone else had, at the very least, a better experience with their food.

What the other participants said:
* Looked good, not too oily, but disappointing overall.
* Where's my giardiniera?
* I like the fries. But the meat tastes oddly sweet and nasty.
* I like this bread better.
* My beef is too dry. And what is that funky sweet taste on the meat?

And the winner is...
The points were tallied, a winner was announced, and none of the food fight participants were surprised.

We definitely didn't have the good experience that we expected from Al's. But other than the one participant's unfortunate experience in the bathroom, we thought the sandwiches were decent... just different from Johnnie's and not what we'd expect from a traditional Chicago Italian beef. Who knows? Maybe the result would have been different had we gone to a different location? Maybe the batch of meat at Al's was cooked differently than usual?

Nonetheless, the first official food fight of Chicago Food Fights was deemed a success with Johnnie's the clear winner. Do you agree with the pick of Johnnie's over Al's? Or do you have another favorite Italian beef restaurant?

Check back for more food fights over which classic Chicago dishes my friends and I like best.

Food fight preview: what makes an Italian beef sandwich

2009-09-25T14:29:00.005-05:00

The first official Chicago Food Fight goes down this afternoon. But before we get our sandwiches dipped, are we clear on what makes a Chicago-style Italian Beef sandwich?

Photo: stu spivack/flickr

Here's a quick run-down of what makes this juicy beef sandwich a favorite Chicago dish:

1) Obviously the most important: beef that is slow-cooked in a seasoned broth, which is referred to as a gravy even though it has the consistency of a juice.

2) Bread, sliced lengthwise: Typically Italian bread or rolls since other breads don't provide enough "wet strength" considering all the juices that should be in and on the sandwich.

3) Toppings: Green peppers/sweet peppers

4) And more toppings: mild or hot giardiniera. Chicagoans must like piling the veggies on their food (I mean, c'mon, look at the Chicago-style hot dog), because giardiniera is packed with carrots, cauliflower, peppers, celery, onions, and olives. (On Wednesday, I mentioned how much I love buffalo sauce. Today, I tell you that giardiniera comes in a close second on my list of favorite dressings/toppings. Apparently I like the hot stuff).

After the beef is thinly sliced and piled high onto the bread, some Chicagoans like to get their Italian beef sandwiches 'dipped' in the juice, or the gravy, to add even more flavors to this favorite Chicago treat.

Tomorrow's food fight pits the original Italian Beef restaurant, Al's, against one of Chicagoland's favorites, Johnnie's. Which will reign supreme?

Don't agree with the choice of Italian beef food fight contenders? Let me know where you get your favorite Italian Beef in the comments below!

Mexican food winner: XOCO

2009-09-24T18:36:00.000-05:00

Rick Bayless makes the food at XOCO, need I say more? Probably not, but I will anyway.
Photo: Fuzzy Gerdes/Flickr

Gold Coast Dogs is to Hot Doug's as Burrito House is to XOCO. In other words, XOCO is in a class of its own. Unless you're comparing XOCO (which in ancient Aztec language is slang for "little sister") to the other Rick Bayless restaurants - Frontera Grill, Frontera Fresco, and Topolobampo - there is no comparison. Just as in the other Bayless restaurants, the wait will be long but your growling stomach will for sure be satisfied.

The restaurant's website proclaims that XOCO is a quick-service cafe that serves contemporary street food - but this definitely isn't your typical street side vendor. (For one, service isn't that quick when there's a line going out the door). After standing in line, orders are placed with the cashier, and you take a number before being shown to one of forty available seats. Chips do not come with every meal, but can be ordered for $3 with salsa or $4 with guacamole.

Tortas are available starting at 11am, and caldos, or meal-in-a-bowl soups, are available beginning at 3pm. The typical drinks line the menu, but hot chocolate drinks, made from Mexican cacao beans that are ground right there in the restaurant, are available as well.

To supplement my Wednesday lunch, I ordered a churro, made in the XOCO kitchen, which came warm on my plate and covered in plenty of sugar. I tried to ignore the temptation of eating it before my torta arrived, but gave in easily, making dessert my appetizer. Both crunchy and soft, the sugar fell onto the plate with each bite.

Just as we were done with the churros and waiting for the food to be delivered to the table, out walks Rick Bayless from the back kitchen. It took me a second to realize that he was there, not on the TV show Top Chef Masters, but right there in the restaurant, wearing his white chef jacket, standing two feet away from me. TWO FEET! Very surreal. But also really cool to know that one of the best chefs in the country - even before he was dubbed so by the Bravo TV show - was making the food I was just about to eat.

Oh the tortas! First, cooked in the wood burning oven, the torta bread on the choriqueso was crunchy. The filling was made of a spicy chorizo tempered by jack cheese and the tangy taste of a tomatillo salsa. Some roasted poblano rounded off the dish, giving it just a bit more kick and crunch.

While I enjoyed the choriqueso, the cochinita pibil torta won me over with an explosion of flavors. The heart of this dish is tender suckling pig meat, which is slow-cooked to soak up the marinade of citrus - from orange and lemon juice, typically - and achiote, which adds both a sweet and slightly peppery taste. Pickled onions, made with a dash of cumin, add a bit more sweetness as well as a crunch (a different variety of crunch than the torta bread provides). A habanero sauce came on the side, but I didn't dare use more than a drop for fear of burning away my taste buds. The black beans somewhat got lost in the mix, but otherwise all the flavors intertwined wonderfully, resulting in a hearty taste that makes you never want to take a sip of your drink again - even if it is one of XOCO's chocolate drinks that are sinfully delicious and have the consistency of pudding - because you don't want the taste to leave your mouth and you can't imagine Mexican food ever tasting this good again.

Seriously. It's that good. Don't believe me? Go try XOCO for yourself and then tell me what you think.

XOCO
449 North Clark Street (enter on Illinois St.)
Chicago, IL 60654
Ph.: 312-334-3688
Hours:
Tues.-Fri.: 7:00am – 9:00pm
Sat.: 8:00am – 9:00pm

Get the chicken wings at Murphy's

2009-09-23T18:22:00.001-05:00

Pull up a stool and order some chicken wings at Murphy's Bleachers - but don't bother getting the pizza.

If you know me then you know how much I love buffalo sauce, usually on chicken wings but also in salads. I love the finger-licking-good flavor, but its also the heat and spiciness that has me coming back for more. I'm always on the hunt for new chicken wings to try around the city, and Murphy's has got some of the best I've tried in a long while.

On a Tuesday night when the Cubs are out of town, the gargantuan bar was practically empty, even though it's usually hopping before, during, and after a Cubs game. As the boyfriend and I waited for our to-go sausage pizza, we ordered an appetizer of chicken wings, which were $8 for 10. These wings aren't typical . There was a smoky flavor that worked well with the vinegar and cayenne that usually makes a buffalo sauce. Needless to say, every bite of those wings were gone before we left with our pizza. Then again, it took us awhile to leave.

While the pizza was brought to us faster than expected (average wait time for a Murphy's pizza: 40 minutes) and the bill was delivered to us quickly, it took the two bartenders for-ev-er to come get the credit card. They weren't even busy serving the other six customers. They lolly-gagged, watching the game, occasionally swiping down the unused sections of the bar. We eventually got their attention, but it took much longer than it should have.

As for the main course, we had high expectations for the pizza. The boyfriend had ordered it many times before when he lived in East Lakeview, and he said it was one of the best he's ever had. But the sausage pizza left a lot to be desired this time around (we both agreed), and even left a bad taste in our mouth.

The pizza tasted as if someone had accidentally dumped the wrong kind of seasoning, spice, or something that didn't belong into both the dough and the red sauce. The crust was thicker than the normal thin crust. All in all, the outer crust - which had tiny flecks of something in it - was inedible. While the sausage and cheese tasted good enough, it did little to make it worthwhile.

Even though the pizza was disappointing, I may try it again... eventually. After all, it was considered one of the boyfriend's favorites at one point in time. Maybe a different cook was working on Tuesday? Maybe an ingredient was used that isn't usually? Who knows.

Either way, I'll definitely be back for the chicken wings. But next time I'll go on Monday when they offer $0.25 wings.

(Note: I usually take pictures to accompany my posts - so you can salivate over the delicious items I write about - but, alas, I didn't have my camera with me).

Murphy's Bleachers
3653 N Sheffield Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613-4303
Ph.: (773) 929-7061

Welcome to Chicago Food Fights!

2009-09-22T15:49:00.002-05:00

No need to get your throwing arm ready. This blog isn't about those kinds of food fights.

Instead, Chicago Food Fights is about finding the best foods in Chicago, the best flavors, and the dishes that have you coming back for more. Most of all, Chicago Food Fights is about pitting two dishes against one another, because, let's face it, we all have different favorites when it comes to what the best dishes are in Chicago.

The idea for this blog grew out of a long-standing argument between my friends and me about which Chicago hot dog classic is better: Gene & Jude's or Superdawg? After I became the Chicago Hot Dog Examiner for examiner.com in June 2009, we finally decided to settle the argument by letting the food speak for itself and by holding the first ever Chicago hot dog war.

We travelled to both restaurants, sampled the menu fare, tried to keep an open mind, and voted. (For the play-by-play and official results, go here.) We all had a blast arguing over the quality of the dogs, what role the ambiance should play, talking about the snap of the dogs, and which toppings were better - and we didn't want the war to end. So we've decided to have more 'food fights,' but with different Chicago classics. What's the best deep-dish pizza? Italian beef? Chicken wings? Find out by staying tuned to my new blog, Chicago Food Fights.

In addition to pitting various dishes against each other and documenting the 'food fights' I have with my friends, I'm also starting this blog to share restaurant reviews, where I've found awesome deals/specials, and the dishes you've got to try when you visit and/or explore the Windy City next.

Why am I putting this blog together? I'll never ever ever claim to be a cook on this site, but I love food, trying new food and new restaurants, learning about food, starting arguments about food and... you get the idea. I know I'll have fun putting this blog together, and I hope you have fun with it too.

Have a favorite Chicago dish that you think should be part of a food fight? Let me know.

Have a new restaurant or dish you think I should try? Let me know.

Disagree with my top-pick for a dish? Let me know.

Let this blog be a forum for your opinion on all things related to Chicago food, and let the food fights begin!