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!
Showing posts with label food fight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food fight. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Buffalo chicken wing RESULTS
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?
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?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Buffalo Wings Contender #2
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.
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
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?
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?
Monday, March 1, 2010
Buffalo Chicken Wings Food Fight
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
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.
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
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.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Superbowl Sunday + Superb Chili
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.
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?
Friday, November 20, 2009
Ribs WINNER!
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
(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
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.
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.
2241 N Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
Ph.: (773) 227-5130
Chicago, IL 60647
Ph.: (773) 227-5130
Ribs contender #2
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.
3800 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60641-3197
Chicago, IL 60641-3197
Ph.: (773) 545-7427
Ribs contender #1
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.
1621 N Thatcher Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Ph.: (708) 625-3313
Ribs recap
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
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
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Food fight preview: ribs
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?
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?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bacon cookoff preview!
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Deep dish winner!
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
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
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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).
Deep dish contender no. 2
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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.
Deep dish contender no. 1
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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.
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.
Deep dish recap
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
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
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Food fight preview: deep-dish pizza
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?
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?
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