Recent Posts
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Jibek Jolu in Chicago
Guest Post! Jonathan is back with another tale from Chicago. Kyrgyz food looks interesting. I don't even know if we have that here in NY... but read on for the delicious tale!
I had to look on a map to find Kyrgyzstan. Actually, I first had to find out how to spell it, before I could find the central Asian country officially known as the Kyrgyz Republic. As I had guessed (clearly), it is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east. So much work before heading off to a restaurant! It was like homework. But I had to know a little about what I was about to eat.Jibek Jolu in Chicago is continued here...
4 comments. Posted on February 18 2010 at 3:49 pm
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Belly Shack in Chicago
Guest Post!Jonathan is back with a tale about Belly Shack. Nothing gets me going like Asian inspired restaurants. This one looks super delicious. Mmm... why is Chicago so far away and so cold in the winter?
The "Shack" is located under the Western Blue Line Station and decorated with Banksy-inspired graffiti decorating the walls. Belly Shack is Bill Kim and his wife, Yvonne Cadiz-Kim's new Latin-Asian inspired casual dining restaurant. The menu is short and focused, but still takes some risks (there are even several vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free choices). The service and feel at Belly Shack is in a lot of ways similar to Urban Belly: order at the counter, tableware and self-serve water on the side.Belly Shack in Chicago is continued here...
2 comments. Posted on December 2 2009 at 11:26 am
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Xoco
Guest post from Jonathan today! He's back with us today with a writeup about Rick Bayless's most recent restaurant, Xoco. It's in Chicago so it's a bit of a tease for most of us, but living vicariously is nice sometimes.
Xoco(SHOH-koh), Rick Bayless’s ode to Mexican street food, is only a few blocks from my apartment and I (like apparently the entire known world) had been aching to try it. And so every few days since it had opened I’d walked by to see if it was a good time only to find that the line was firmly out the door; so I would keep walking. But no, this day I decided to stay. I was taking a stand, and I was going to try Xoco.I arrived a little before 6 pm and the line was already peaking out the door. It seems that ever since that Top Chef Masters win, people are rediscovering Rick Bayless. The group of exasperatingly energetic college students in front of me noted that their friends who had arrived earlier were at the front of the line and had taken about 40 minutes to get there. With a sigh, I pulled out my Blackberry and began to beat down a few levels of Brickbreaker.
5 comments. Posted on November 3 2009 at 10:51 am
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Morrisons Authentic Southern Cooking Restaurant
Yeaaaaaaaa buddy, we have a guest post today from Jonathan and Grace. With the weather already taking a turn for the Fall, it's fun reading about rib sticking meals like this. Of course, the pictures from Jon are stunning as usual. Read up for more about Morrison's Authentic Southern Cooking Restaurant in Chicago!
It was already late on Sunday, and I was hungry. As we drove through the Southside, it seemed like every few blocks there were signs for "soul food." The signs were everywhere. And tempting signs too. Sign for the sort of places that truly infatuate the foodie imagination. They are:Morrisons Authentic Southern Cooking Restaurant is continued here...
6 comments. Posted on September 15 2009 at 10:49 am
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Sunda in Chicago
Guest Post Time! Jonathan is back again with a post from Chicago. This time it's about an Asian-y restaurant. I'm always weary of restaurants that can't figure out their identity, but this place sounds pretty promising, and I'll let Jonathan take it away here:
In general, I haven’t found many "pan-Asian" restaurants that I like. In fact, I am more likely to dislike a place if it is described as pan-Asian than if it is not. Maybe I’m too harsh, but usually I find that all the cuisine ends up as a watered down version of the original. It’s a matter of focus; Asia's a big place. So when I heard about Sunda, a new Asian concept, had just opened a few blocks from my apartment in River North, I was skeptical.Sunda in Chicago is continued here...
3 comments. Posted on August 17 2009 at 3:29 pm
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Alinea tasting menu in pictures
Today you're getting a treat! A very very special treat from our eating duo (Jonathan and Grace) in Chicago. This guest post that features the pictures from Alinea's tasting menu! The man who's behind the genius at Alinea is Grant Achatz. He recently won the Beard award for Best Chef in the United States 2008. Enjoy the post!
In 2003, Grace and I traveled to Evanston to dine at Trio for her birthday. We had heard the restaurant was worth the short trip from Chicago, but knew little else about the restaurant. The meal that followed could be described as transformative. I had some great meals before, but this meal would show me just how food could go. One dish in particular was unforgettable. The dish was a butter-poached lobster with rosemary. But there was no rosemary in the dish. Instead, the plate sat on a bed of rosemary and hot water was poured onto the herbs filling the air with an evergreen perfume. For me, it was the first time a chef had purposefully exploited my sense of smell over taste, and I liked it.Alinea tasting menu in pictures is continued here...
9 comments. Posted on June 8 2009 at 2:50 pm
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Making pizzas at home
Think for a minute about how awesome it would be to have a guest post today. Maybe I'm just excited because it's about pizza and I have been craving pizza. Or maybe it's because it just looks so damn tasty. Jonathan is back today with a story about making pizza at home!
Every so often, my sister justifies her own existence. It’s rare, but it does happen. A few weeks ago, I was over at her apartment when I discovered a pizza stone in her oven. I peeked behind the cupboard racks to find a pizza peel. This little discovery just happened to coincide with a New York Times article on pizza dough at home. And so while Danny was busy frying anything he could get his hands on, I set off making dough. I told my sister this had been a worthwhile visit and to expect me back the next day and that I would require a few ingredients. She frowned and sent me on my way. But I vowed to be back.Making pizzas at home is continued here...
7 comments. Posted on May 28 2009 at 3:13 pm
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Hoosier Mama Pie in Chicago
Jonathan is back with a guest post about pies! Mmmm... pie week is great. This makes me want to live in Chicago. We don't really have stores like this in New York. We only have the cupcake craze... but they have pies! I want some pie now... but as a substitute, reading about pies and looking at his drool-worthy pictures will do for now...
I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but there are two major exceptions: cookies and pies. For these two, I have a weakness. This weakness compels me to not only eat the cookies and pies, but also somehow obsessively rank them in my head. I have this running top five list for each. The lists themselves are very reminiscent of Rob Fleming from High Fidelity; and every once in a while I find myself listing off other things.Hoosier Mama Pie in Chicago is continued here...
6 comments. Posted on April 15 2009 at 9:57 am
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L20
Oooooh boy, I hope you're ready. Jonathan is back with a guest post. Him and his wife hit up L2O and captured the deliciousness for everyone. Really, I thought I was ready for this and it still blew me away. It was like the 07-08 Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the playoffs against the Celtics. You could see it coming, I mean, L2O, this has to be good. But man... the pictures. The food. I haven't been this excited since I saw Slumdog Millionaire. Yea, this is BETTER than a Gloden Globe for best picture. This is better than the playoffs. This is a play by play of a meal at L2O, and IT'S AWESOME.
A petite and pleasant kimono-clad white woman led us back to the tatami room. In front of the room, slightly to the left of the main dining room, we took off our shoes putting them on a small tray. The room itself was cozy with a small table and accompanying recessed floor seating. I like sitting on the floor and I wish I could do it more (I used to love watching TV on the floor or playing videogames on the floor. I think most of my childhood was spent on the floor). As we got settled, the waitress artfully bent down to pour our water. That is when I decided to ask her about her knees; it seemed at the time to be relevant. While I loved sitting on the floor, it seemed like for me to truly enjoy this experience I wouldn’t want my server to be in any pain. She smiled politely and asked if I had any food allergies.8 comments. Posted on January 28 2009 at 1:46 am
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Mantou
Guest Post - Time for another guest post! Man I love these things. Once again, the man who brought you reviews of Urban Belly and Hot Doug's is here again. Jonathan brings us another tasty tale from Chicago, and this time it's about mantous. If you don't know what they are, read on! Also keep reading if you do know what they are...
I recently lost a bet. You see, I have always thought that mantou, the soft white steamed Chinese buns, referred only to the plain and not stuffed buns from northern China. And as I walked into Mantou, the new hipster noodle bar in Wicker Park, I questioned the appropriateness of the name because there are in fact no plain steamed buns on the menu. There are, on the other hand, filled buns, which I have always referred to as baozi. Then, my-ever-knowledgeable and clearly better half said that she remembered watching epics on TV (television being the ultimate source of all knowledge) back in Hong Kong, which referred to the filled buns as mantou. She hypothesized that mantou was an older term and that baozi must be a newer term for the steamed buns with filling. I, of course, scoffed at this assertion; and we made a bet.3 comments. Posted on December 12 2008 at 10:59 am
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Ghim Moh Hawkers
Guest Post by Jonathan - This is the last installment of the fooding Jonathan did while he was in Singapore. Check out the curry fish head or the laksa he wrote about earlier. Once again, his posts make me crave good cheap food in Asia. *sigh*
Spending the morning at the Ghim Moh market, I started to build up an appetite. Like any good wet market, it is filled with fishmongers, butchers and grocers selling a variety of seafood, meats, fruits and vegetables. But perhaps more impressive than the actual market, is the hawker stands behind it.Ghim Moh Hawkers is continued here...
6 comments. Posted on November 7 2008 at 11:37 am
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Curry Fish Head from Singapore
Guest Post - Yessss, I get to be lazy and stuff my face with cookies. Jonathan is back again with a guest post. This was from his recent trip in Singapore. Mmmm... curry fish head...
Three words: Curry Fish Head. It is a dish that is as flirtatious in name as it is seductive in taste. I think that its playful yet straightforward name is part of what makes the aforementioned dish both a local favorite as well as a tourist attraction.Curry Fish Head from Singapore is continued here...
5 comments. Posted on October 23 2008 at 11:46 am
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Sungei Road Laksa
Guest Post. Mmmm.. the sweet smell of food that is so far away from me. haha. Jonathan is back with another guest post today. This time it's about some food in Singapore.
When I arrived in Singapore, I was in a particularly hungry mood. Unfortunately, I had been trying to eat my stress away; and while it had not accomplished its primary goal of dissipating my stress, the eating had achieved two things:
1) Help me justify a new wardrobe;
2) Qualified me for a new boxing weight class.
The flight over did very little to curb my appetite. While the food on the plane was surprisingly plentiful, there was very little satisfaction involved. And so it was in the background of this voracious hunger that I set out for lunch.Sungei Road Laksa is continued here...
6 comments. Posted on October 3 2008 at 12:07 pm
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Urban Belly
Guest post. Weeee!!! first guest post of the week comes from Jonathan. I'm always conflicted when I see delicious looking food that somehow aren't so delicious. I bought some "Rice Drink" from Trader Joe's the other day. Kinda weird... but oddly satisfying. This sounds like the opposite. Kinda good, but me want more! Right.
This year, more than any, I have been acutely aware of two things: burger joints and noodle bars. And besides both those items (along with cupcakes and dumplings) being prominently featured on Food in Mouth, it seems that these food destinations are popping up more and more these days. How many celebrity chefs have started burger joints recently? Macy's "chef-centric" seventh floor in Chicago is a nice microcosm of this phenomenon. Across from one another are Marcus Samuelsson's Marc Burger1 and Noodles by Takashi Yagihashi. Now I have to admit I'm a sucker for trends. So when Bill Kim opened his noodle and dumpling house in Avondale, it was time to make a trip up north.Urban Belly is continued here...
3 comments. Posted on September 30 2008 at 11:20 am
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Picnic in a Glass
Woo hoo, guest post time! This time, Jonathan's better half, Grace, has written us an entry that celebrates the end of summer. Anyway, I'll shut up and let you read it!
It has started to rain here in Chicago. It seems that Labor Day has come and gone and so have my dreams of summer. But as a final goodbye to the season, I thought it best to have one last picnic. I love picnics for so many reasons, but most of all the food. Most often, simple foods with nothing elaborate or extravagant; some of my favorite picnics have been with a just blanket, a baguette and cheese. But I thought as a celebration of the ending of a season, it would be best to do something special.Picnic in a Glass is continued here...
7 comments. Posted on September 25 2008 at 10:20 am
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Birreria Reyes de Ocotlan
Once again we have a guest post from my man Jonathan. I love this post because I have been craving tacos like no one's business. And goat taco?!?! Anyone know where to get that in NYC? Please? Pretty please?
It's 2 am and I can't sleep. I've been working the night shift, and my clock is all messed up. So I'm awake watching my own Sergio Leone marathon - A Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Watching these movies makes me wonder two things: would I make a good cowboy, and what did cowboys really eat? As Clint Eastwood crosses the desolate desert landscape, there's no steaks or chili or barbeque in sight. The cuisine looks horrid. The land is barren and rocky. No, I imagine they would eat goat. Not that there's anything wrong with goat. It's just not very glamorous. It's the type of meat you think of eating only when pushed to it. Pushed hard. Hard like the life of a cowboy.Birreria Reyes de Ocotlan is continued here...
8 comments. Posted on August 12 2008 at 11:53 am
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Hot Doug's
Jonathan is dropping by again for another guest post. Since I am a lazy butt and spent half of yesterday wandering around NY looking for my apartment keys... stupid story, no details necessary, so no haiku until later. For now, read some coherent writing for once! Mmm.. hot dogs... oh and Jonathan, if I induce hot dog cravings, you should just hope I never take pictures of cheesy poofs...
It just seems like I’ve been waiting in a lot of lines lately. As I sit here now on the floor of the AMC 21 waiting to watch The Dark Knight, whose tickets are harder to get than Mylie Cyrus tickets last year (not that I’d know), I keep thinking about the lines I’ve been in over the past few days. Not surprisingly, all the lines have revolved around food. First, there was the run to Hot Doug’s to fulfill the foodinmouth-induced hot dog craving; next, there was the chef frenzy of the Green City Market Chef’s Summer BBQ Festival.Hot Doug's is continued here...
9 comments. Posted on July 21 2008 at 3:46 pm
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Robuchon Las Vegas
Once again we have Jonathan here to do a guest blog for me about his recent trip to Las Vegas. This looks like one special meal, hope you enjoy the post. Take it away, Jon!
But what can I get for $400?
Eating out is expensive. Not exactly my most earth shattering of thoughts, I know, but still one that comes to mind quite often. Those $100-$200 prix fix menus can really add up. Even though I tell myself, "Oh, it's a special occasion, so it's okay," deep down I can't help but think "how can I come up with more special occasions?" However, there are times, when you have a meal that is so good, just so utterly super-fabulous that it makes me wonder: "if this is worth $200, what can I get for $400?"Robuchon Las Vegas is continued here...
5 comments. Posted on June 25 2008 at 11:31 pm
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My Wok
Howdy kids, we have another guest post today! Jonathan chimes in with a story about his shiny new wok! In case you missed it, last time Jonathan talked about cupcakes! Read on to find out more about his stir fry!
The sun had started to set as I walked into the kitchen and hardware store just off Wentworth. The store was cramped and kitchen tools were piled and packed into the small space. Metal shelving divided the space into narrow claustrophobic aisles. Along the right wall, heaped from floor to ceiling, were the woks. Staring at the multitude of woks I thought, "this is why I am here; to find my wok."1 comments. Posted on May 14 2008 at 5:25 pm
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Swirlz Cupcakes is the Chicago Cupcake response
Woo hoo, I love guest blogging days. Jonathan who brought us Andrzej Grill, is back for another guest post. And it is about cupcakes! I am making everyone think non-stop about cupcakes because that is how I roll. Read on! btw, anyone else here in the Chicago area?)
For some peculiar reason (I just can't imagine why?!), for the last few weeks I've had these non-stop cupcake fixation. Luckily there are two cupcake places close to the work. One, Molly's Cupcakes, is directly across from clinic while the other, Swirlz, is directly across from the main hospital. So no matter where I am, I have options for fulfilling my cravings close by.Swirlz Cupcakes is the Chicago Cupcake response is continued here...
5 comments. Posted on April 1 2008 at 12:52 pm
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Andrzej Grill
Annnnd it is time for another guest post from Jonathan! I do not know how this man has time to save lives and take amazing pictures. Maybe he does not sleep... anyway, enjoy the post!
The first Monday of March is Casimir Pulaski Day here in Illinois. Who is Casimir Pulaski you ask? Why he’s a Polish war hero of the American Revolutionary War of course! Why do I bring up Pulaski Day? Well, Chicago is known as the largest population of Polish people outside of Poland. And with that in mind, I often find myself always thinking that I should eat more Polish food. And it just so happens that this very weekend I found myself thinking just that. Thusly, I went out in search for a restaurant to fill this void.Andrzej Grill is continued here...
6 comments. Posted on March 11 2008 at 11:19 am
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Bacon club
Since I am lazy, today I got my friend Jonathan to write a post for me. The pictures are his as well. Basically this entire post is him and I am just lounging around doing nothing. Anyway, here you go.
Bacon club is continued here...
8 comments. Posted on January 30 2008 at 10:27 am
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Chicago Brauhaus
In another installment from my favorite pediatric resident from Chicago, we have a post about Chicago Brauhaus.
I must admit, that some times I have needs. Needs that can only be satisfied by commonly-unwanted-meat-products-pressed-in-gelatin. Yes, headcheese, that delicate molding of meat from a pig, cow, or calf's head, heart, feet (or really anywhere else) calls to me to seek it out. And as it turns out, there is a great place in Chicago's Lincoln Square to satisfy my overwhelming headcheese cravings. The Chicago Brauhaus has been a neighborhood institution for over forty years serving the classic German food in a "friendly Bavarian atmosphere."Chicago Brauhaus is continued here...
8 comments. Posted on November 27 2007 at 12:11 pm
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Mong Kok Cafe
Note: I just want to welcome the first guest blogger here at foodinmouth. He's writing in from the Windy City, and will be a spot contributor whenever I am lazy. Normally he's saving lives at the children's hospital in Chicago, but today he's telling us about Chinese grub. Enjoy.
At the door of the Mong Kok Café (aka Chi Café) stands a plump rosy cheeked statue. While the campy value of a pudgy Italian chef in front of a Hong Kong Style Café may be lost on me, the rest of the décor at Chi Café is surprising fresh. The room is decorated in a bamboo colored wood paneling mixed with tiling a cool bathhouse style tile. Brightly colored signs covered with happy smiling fruits and stars hang over a large glass partition leaving a clear view of the sparking kitchen. The restaurant like an old school diner is all booth seating. Perhaps coolest of all the tables are installed with utility drawers just below the table tops that hold the utensils and napkins- neato!Mong Kok Cafe is continued here...
2 comments. Posted on October 9 2007 at 4:17 pm
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Chicago
In the October Issue of Saveur magazine, they focus on the city of Chicago. My friend Jonathan tells me that you cannot even find copies of the magazine on the bookshelves because everyone bought a copy.
1 comments. Posted on September 30 2007 at 12:53 pm
