In the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast, swanky where steakhouses and sushi bars are king, it is tough to find a comforting spot. The Original Pancake House is the perfect place to stop when you need a soul-warming meal.
The pancakes at The Original Pancake House are light and fluffy. (Photo courtesy of Joshua/Wikimedia Commons)
I stumbled upon this restaurant when a friend suggested it after a long morning of classes. The place itself looks quite peculiar; the structure resembles an old time diner with quaint white wood and electric blue trim. Set nestled among the John Hancock building and the magnificent mile.
Trying the delicious garlic fries at Edzo’s Burger Shop inspired me to test out making some of my own. My fries are a hearty steak variety, made from freshly cut potatoes. The hot sauce can be adjusted to fit your personal taste. Enjoy!
Please leave comments after you try out this recipe.
Edzo’s is a new burger place that opened in Evanston in mid October. What makes Edzo’s different is the fact that owner, Ed Lakin, insists that the burger meat be ground fresh every morning. The difference that freshly ground meat makes is an enormous one.
Make sure to try the fries at Edzo's. (Photo courtesy of Arun Ahuja)
Choose Your Burger
At Edzo’s there are two options when it comes to choosing a burger. The first option is the 4 oz. griddled burger, which comes as either a single, double, or triple patty. This burger is flat, skinny, and griddled to perfection on a flat top. The second option is the 8 oz. char burger, which you can have cooked to your liking of doneness. My preference in this case was the griddled burger because I love a burger with a super crispy outside.
A burger with everything includes ketchup, mustard, pickles and onion. There are also a variety of cheeses to choose from, including Merkt’s cheese spread and blue cheese. In terms of toppings, some of the most interesting offerings include garlic butter and a fried egg. Read the rest of this entry »
A couple of weeks ago I reviewed the chicken soup at the Celtic Knot. While that soup is certainly tasty, it it no way compares to the chicken soup that my Grandma Gladys makes. Fortunately, my grandma is kind enough to let me share her delicious family recipe.
This particular variety of chicken soup is closer to a traditional consomme than a chunky soup (like the one from the Celtic Knot). On holidays we love to add matzoh balls to the broth for added taste and texture.
Reader Question: Do you have chicken soup when you are feeling sick?
Photo courtesy of Claus Ableiter/Wikimedia Commons
I recently came across an article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune earlier this month. The article, called “16 Pearls of Cheeseburger Wisdom” was written by Tribune reporter, Kevin Pang. For the past six months or so Pang has reviewed a cheeseburger each week and kept a video blog about his delicious journey. He has decided to take a break from his cheeseburger project for a while, but with this story he has left us with a few tips that he picked up a long the way.
Cheeseburger cheese should always melt well. Photo by Jef Poskanzer/Wikimedia Commons
The Celtic Knot is an unassuming pub tucked away in the charming town of Evanston. I must have passed its doors a thousand times before I decided to take a shot and try it out, and I am so glad I did.
The atmosphere of the Celtic Knot is perfectly attuned to the rugged pubs of Dublin. During the day the dining room is peaceful and serene, filled with broad dark wood tables that are perfect for gathering around. At night a warmth of buzzing energy takes over. Read the rest of this entry »
The Chicago Tribune reported this morning that VegNews, a popular Vegetarian foodie magazine has awarded the Chicago Diner the “Best Veg Restaurant” of 2009. This will mark the fifth win in a row for the restaurant.
The Chicago Diner specializes in veggie comfort foods and does a wonderful job transforming classic diner dishes into meat-free options. My personal favorite item on the menu is the black bean burger (complete with either dairy free “cheeze” or the regular variety).
Check out the review of the Chicago Diner on Check, Please!, a popular WTTW TV show.
This barbecue sauce was inspired by the deliciously tangy sauce that is served on the burgers at Hamburger Mary’s. I tend to prefer vinegar-based barbecue sauces, which is what this one is.
The burgers at Hamburger Mary’s strike the difficult balance between indulgent and excessive. Some burger places use fancy toppings to disguise a tasteless, overcooked patty. This is not the case at Mary’s. The patty itself is both juicy and liberally spiced with salt and pepper. Another desirable trait in a burger is the crispy crust of the patty, and Mary’s delivers quite well.
Hamburger Mary's serves up unique burger combinations. (Photo courtesy of Hamburger Mary's)
Tasty Toppings
Mary’s offers nearly a dozen original burger combinations. The Barbara-Q Bacon Cheeseburger has:
Crispy bacon
Onion rings
Mary’s original BBQ sauce
Mary’s Special Sauce
Cheddar and jack cheeses
Usually I would stray away from a burger boasting so many toppings on my first outing to a restaurant in order to really test the quality of the burger. However, I couldn’t pass this opportunity up. The BBQ sauce and onion rings make this burger truly outstanding. The sauce is perfectly sweet and tangy.
Northwestern Student Barbara Huang, 21, said, “The barbecue sauce gave the burger a sweet taste which was a perfect balance with the burger and other condiments leaving me wanting more.” Read the rest of this entry »
