Although I’m still a newbie in town, I knew enough to show them the good eats.  I had to prove to them that the Windy City is more than just deep dish pizza and hot dogs.  Their time in the city was short, and the food time line was downright ambitious and aggressive.  Would we be able to hit up all the places that was on the agenda…or were our eyes bigger than our stomachs?

The Agenda
Friday started out a tad slow.  Kurtis and Stu starved themselves before arriving Friday afternoon and I think it worked against them.  The first meal was deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s and it might have been too much.  By the end of the meal I think I saw Kurtis have trouble breathing and Stu’s eating pace slowed down to a crawl.  So far, this food fest wasn’t looking too promising.  Despite the slow start, Saturday was going to be redemption day, and I think any foodie would approve of our Saturday eating schedule.  Soon after we finished a meal, we were on our way to the next.  We had to hit up 6 destinations on Saturday and had to logistically spread out our meals so that we would have room for steak at Gibsons by 10pm.  Rest and relaxation wasn’t on the agenda, but we did manage to sneak in a power nap around 6:30pm.

Tragedy Strikes!
There was an unforeseen event that took place.  Kurtis developed a full blown case of plantar fasciitis on Saturday afternoon and ended up limping around for the rest of the trip.  I think he wanted to request a wheelchair when he arrived at the airport.  Rather than help a friend in need, we kicked him while he was down and gave him the nickname of “The Broken One,” which by the end of the day, he had earned the new title of “The Gimp.”  Still, he was a trooper and continued on the food expedition despite the pain.  Ah, Advil does wonders.

The Timeline

Friday 5:22PM – Deep Dish Pizza at Lou Malnati’s

Stuffed Spinach Bread

The “Lou” with Sausage

Look at all that beautiful cheese!

Friday 11:28PM – Late Night Dinging at  the Silver Palm

Louisville & Nashville Onion Rings

Canadien Pacific´s Smoked Meat Sandwich - Hickory smoked corned beef brisket with grilled onions and gruyere cheese on pumpernickel.

Dan Palm’s Three Little Piggy Sandwich – Double Smoked Ham, Pork Tenderloin, Bacon, Gruyere Cheese, Onion Rings  & a Fried Egg.  As seen on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations!

Three Little Piggy Cross Section Goodness

Saturday 11:41AM – Breakfast at The Original Pancake House

Buttermilk Pancakes

Corn Beef Hash

Eggs Benedict with Potato Pancakes

Vegetarian Baked Egg White Omelet w/ Cheddar Cheese

Saturday 12:41PM – Asian Buns at Wow Bao

BBQ Pork and Thai Curry Chicken Baos

Saturday 3:38PM – Gourmet Hot Dogs at Hot Doug’s (After 1.5 hours of waiting)

The Dog – Chicago-Style Hot Dog with all the trimmings: ’nuff said.

Sweet and Savory Rattlesnake Sausage with Berry-Rum Sauce and Serendipity Cheese

Antelope Sausage with Roasted Garlic Mustard and Goat Cheese

Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Sel Gris. Also seen on No Reservations!  It was worth the wait.

Duck Fat Fries

Saturday 5:45PM – Ribs, Baked Beans, and Chili at Twin Anchors.

Chili

Rack of Ribs w/ Zesty BBQ Sauce and Baked Beans

Saturday 9:09PM – Japanese Sake Bar and Eats at Murasake

The Sake Bar Display

Wasabi Raw Octopus – We should have ordered more than one.  We were fighting over this!

Fugu (Blowfish) Fin Used For Flavoring the Warm Sake. It’s lit on fire a number of times and dipped in the sake.  Then it soaks in the sake for a minute. Remove the fin and drink the sake.  Your tongue might go numb.

Takoyaki!  Octopus Dumplings!

Cheesy and Crunchy Chicken Yakitori

Spicy and Crunchy Chicken Yakitori

Saturday 10:30PM – Steak at Gibson’s

The Night’s Selections – Look at that Australian Lobster Tail in the back!

Gumbo - Good on it’s own, but even better with bread.

The Chicago Cut – Prime 20 oz Bone-In Ribeye

Sunday 11:00AM -  Breakfast at Fox & Obel Cafe

More Pancakes!

Keeping it Simple w/ Bagel and Chive Cream Cheese

More Eggs Benedict!  How’s the heart doing?

Weight Gain Imminent
I can’t even begin to comprehend how much weight we gained over the course of 2 days.  By Saturday night, every one looked like they were 5 months pregnant, and by Sunday morning, we were so sick of food.  We definitely took a toll on our bodies, but this was probably the best food weekend I have ever had.  I’m still feeling pretty bloated.  Great food and great friends, is there anything better?

~ Kin

Never would I thought to write a camera review on this site, but here I am.  I was never satisfied with the quality of the food pictures that my compact camera snapped, and I was fed up carrying my dSLR every where I went.  So when I heard the Canon S90 was a compact camera that performed well at taking low light pictures, I went out and got myself one.

I spent a month taking pictures of almost everything I ate when I dined out with the S90.  It’s not as slim as the other present Canon compacts, it’s about the size of the older Canon PowerShot Digital Elph 400.  Still, it’s small enough to fit in the front pants pocket without being too bulky.

While it’s not the best camera to use in low-light situations, it sure has beat out every other compact camera I have owned.  This model is also marketed to camera enthusiasts, but I think photographers of all levels should own one of these babies.  For those unfamiliar with using manual settings on a dSLR, there will be a learning curve.  Sure, the automatic function is good and all, but to truly make the pictures shine, they should be taken in manual mode, so the files can be saved in the RAW format for further tinkering as well.

Below are a bunch of pictures I took in the past 30 days or so.  All pictures were taken in Manual mode with an aperture of 2.0, shutter speed of 1/6 to 1/250, and ISO ranging from 200 to 400 in macro mode.  No flash was fired, the pictures were taken indoors and saved in RAW format, and some were enhanced with the included photo editing software (Canon’s Digital Photo Professional).  I only tinkered with the brightness, contrast, tone, and saturation settings.  No noise reduction was used either.

Tonkatsu ISO 250, F2.0 1/50 – No Retouching.

Stuffed Pancakes ISO 250, F2.0, 1/250 – Increased saturation and brightness a bit post snap

Sushi ISO 200, F2.0, 1/40 – Increased saturation and brightness post snap.

Beef Chow Fun ISO 400, F2.0, 1/30 – Increased saturation, tone, contrast, and brightness post snap.  I was seated in a very dark corner.

Shepherd’s Pie ISO 400, F2.0, 1/6 – Increased saturation, tone, contrast, and brightness post snap.  This place was pretty dimly lit.

Penne Vodka ISO 400, F2.0, 1/6 – Increased saturation, tone, contrast, and brightness post snap.  Same location as above.

Roti Canai ISO 200, F2.0, 1/10 – Slight tone correction post snap.

Toasted Bread ISO 400, F2.0, 1/25 – Increased saturation, tone, contrast, and brightness post snap.

Biscuits ISO 400, F2.0, 1/20 – Increased saturation, tone, contrast, and brightness post snap.

Meat ISO 200, F2.0, 1/30 – Slight saturation increase post snap.

Clams ISO 200, F2.0, 1/30 – Slight saturation increase, tone correction, and brightness increase post snap.

The camera performs remarkably well up to ISO 400, any more and the pictures will start to get noisy.  The image stabilization performs well and those with minor hand trembles will find this camera to be a good ally. Unfortunately, the camera’s cost comes at a premium, hovering around the $400.00 mark.

So it’s time to be the food photographer that you were meant to be!  Check out more samples here.

~ Kin

Some addictions are bad, like crack for instance.  On the opposite  end of the spectrum, there are addictions worth having.  In my case, I have been addicted to Alexia Sweet Potato Fries.  I’ve been eating these as an after work snack for almost two months now and have yet to become bored of them.  The most appealing factor is that they are already julienned and are lightly seasoned.  Since most of the legwork is done, all there is to do is pre-heat the oven for a bit and then throw the frozen fries on a baking sheet and bake for about 19 minutes at 400 degrees.  It’ so easy, even a monkey can do it.   No wait, it’s so easy that even a monkey’s monkey can do it!   The  sweet potato fries are crunchy on the outside, and soft and sweet on the inside.  Sweet potatoes are also one of the most nutritious foods out there.  Packed with nutrients instead of empty carbs and trans fat, there won’t be any guilt eating these fries!

I know these are sold at Whole Foods…as for other stores, I can’t really say.  Happy hunting!

~ Kin

Chicago is a mecca for food lovers, even in the towns located near the it.  The city is so diverse and has so many dining options that it’s bound to satisfy the hunger of even the most finicky eaters.  It seems like there’s something for every one here.

These pictures of just some of the eats that I have been indulging in.  By the way, I had a Chicago Hot Dog from Portillo’s last night at around 12AM and it must have been the most delicious hot dog I ever had.

I’m getting hungry just looking at these!  Can you identify any of the items in the pictures?

~ Kin

Getting ready to cut up this 300lb behemoth.

Let’s get ready to rumble!!!!!

It’s actually more difficult than it looks.

Nothing like straddling a big piece of fish and hacking it down to size.

Separating the meat…

On to the cutting boards!

That was only the beginning, there’s much more fish to be had.

Well, it’s been a little over two weeks since my last post.  So what’s been going on so far?  Well, I’ve successfully moved to Chicago.  My furniture finally came and my apartment is pretty much set up.  I started my new job and I’ve been stuffing my face with food.

I’ve been trying hard to stay home to cook, but with so many restaurants around, it’s been quite a challenge.  There’s something to eat around almost every corner, and from my observations, Chicagoans know how to throw it down.  It’s a city that’s big on sports and food, can there be anything better than that?  Still, I’ve only scratched the surface and although it doesn’t have that NYC city vibe, it definitely has it’s very own and I’m glad to call Chicago my new home.

I gave myself a month to get ready for the move to Chicago, and I have to admit, a month’s time isn’t nearly enough.  There’s still lots to do and I start my new job nxt week.  Amidst the packing, logistics, and goodbye visits, it’s been pretty strenuous.  The movers came today and my apartment is pretty much barren, ‘cept for a stool, small table, and a few pots and pans.

My Internet service will be disconnected very soon and I have yet to schedule service at my new place.  I’ll be offline for a while, but if I can scrub off some free Wi-Fi at the local bookstore or coffee shop, I’ll continue to post.

Be back later…Kin

Last night, I left Pure Food and Wine mildly satiated and was in search of a filling desert joint.  I was craving cake to be more exact.  Plugging in the word “dessert” into the Yelp search bar, Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar popped up and it was just two blocks away.  Seeing that Angela and I had never been there, there was no better time to go and get a sugar fix.

Upon entering, the senses are filled with scents of butter and sugar, it’s exactly how a bakery should smell.  There are no stools to sit at, just long wooden tables.  The place looks to be designed for quick eating, get in and get out.  The place offers soft serve, milks, shakes, cookies, cakes, pies, breads, pork buns, and even spreads such as kimchi butter, miso butter, and burnt honey.  Looking at the paper menu, the Crack Pie and Pistachio Cake looked to be the winners, but then after a quick glance at the chalkboard menu hanging above the counter and cake display case, we saw the words Dulce de Leche.  Well, so much for the Pistachio cake.

The Delicious Crack Pie – I didn’t want it to end.

The slice of Crack Pie was small, but don’t let the size fool you.  It’s a concentrated slab of sugary and buttery goodness.  Appropriately named, the sweetness alone will drive you into a sugar rush, and the smooth, gooey and buttery filling just tops everything off.  You’ll probably want more after the one slice.  I’m disappointed that I just discovered this place.  I’m moving to Chicago soon and I’m going to miss New York City even more now.

Dulce de Leche

The Dulce de Leche cake isn’t as memorable as the Crack Pie but it’s still good.  It’s nowhere as sweet as the Crack Pie, but it’s just right.  I’ve had better Dulce de Leche cakes at other places, but Momofuku’s version still holds up rather venerably.  What threw me off were the milk crumbs in the filling.  They are these milky and hard clusters that worked against the soft and moist texture of the cake.  Imagine driving down a newly paved road and then running over a pothole.  It’s not a good transition.  I like it when the cake slowly dissolves and melts in the mouth, and having to bite down on something that’s rock hard just takes away from the cake eating experience.

Literally 5 minutes later…

While the Crack Pie and Dulce de Leche might have given me the quickest sugar rush in a long time, it’s good to be cake whore from time to time.  Recommended, especially for those with a sweet tooth.

Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar
207 2nd Ave
(between 12th St & 13th St)
New York, NY 10003

Food: 4 out of 5

Service: 3 out of 5

Ambiance: 3 out of 5

Out of the four dishes ordered, 2 were pretty good, one was just ok, and one managed to get an “interesting” from the both of us.

The appetizers (first course) started out strong, so we were looking forward to the main course (second course).  Unfortunately, the appetizers out-shined the main dishes, which were rather disappointing.  I have to admit though, it was my first time eating many of the ingredients so I did not know what to expect.  Going in with an inexperienced vegan palette might have put me at a disadvantage as an food reviewer, but it allowed me to be as objective as possible.  Dessert is classified as a third course, but we didn’t order any.

King Oyster Mushroom Scallops – This dish was well done.  The texture of the mushroom went really well with the chive crème fraiche.  The tomato broth was a bit light on the flavor and the flavor the black caviar was masked by the crème fraiche.  The wilted watercress was cooked with black garlic, but I couldn’t taste the black garlic.

Green Papaya Salad – Crunchy, spicy, and tangy.  This was my favorite dish of the night.

Beet Ravioli – While it might not look like ravioli in the traditional sense, it’s basically a soft cheese sandwiched between two thin slices of pickled beets.  The flavor of the cheese reminded me of the crème fraiche.

Enchiladas – The term enchilada is loosely used for this dish.  The different layers of flavor hits the tongue at all angles.  First comes the hints of Mexican spices, then the flavor of cinnamon and the pumpkin seeds takes over.  It’s a bit of Mexico, and a bit of Autumn.  The flavors seemed to clash a bit.  As Angela put it, this dish would be better used as a spread than an entree.  The texture is soft with the occasional soft crunch of pumpkin seeds.  Interesting.

Final Thoughts

This type of food isn’t for everybody, but I suggest you go and try it out for yourself.  Don’t forget, this is a vegan restaurant.  If you’re a full-time carnivore, I don’t think anything on the menu is going to give you the satisfaction that you’re looking for.  It’s going to be hit or miss when it comes to the food, and your palette will either be in for a treat or a shock.  The place has the atmosphere of fine dining and the food isn’t cheap.  There’s nothing special about the ambiance.  Dimmed lights, small votive candle…been there, done that.  Going in too hungry might result in searching for a heavier meal someplace else afterwards.  I left barely satiated and my stomach still had vacancies for more.  Reservations are recommended.   Three out of the four items we ordered were not on the online menu, so choose your dishes when you get to the restaurant.  Recommended for vegans, vegetarians, and those who can keep an open mind.

Pure Food and Wine
54 Irving Place
New York, NY

Food: 3.5 out of 5

Service: 4 out of 5

Ambiance: 3.5 out of 5

I posted the picture shown above on my Facebook Home Cooking Album and one of the comments I received was, “was that served to you? otherwise, that’s too much effort for food when i’ve just woken up…”.  It’s interesting, many people view breakfast as a fast and effortless meal.  Even I have been guilty of this.  Ever since I learned that I have to relocate to the Midwest in less than a month, it’s as if somebody hit the fast forward button.

When I woke up yesterday day morning, I told myself that I needed to slow things down a bit, and the first thing I did was to take the time and effort to cook myself a nice breakfast.  I’m glad I did it because it set the tone for the rest of the day.  I didn’t feel rushed for the first time in weeks, and I took my time to complete my errands.

Most of the time, I wish there were a couple of extra hours in the day.  With our busy schedules, jobs, and other obligations, time is limited, and unfortunately, we tend to make up that time by sacrificing time spent on preparing and enjoying food, especially during breakfast.  Take just one day out of the weekend to slow things down a bit.  Start with preparing a good breakfast and don’t just scarf if down.  Take a breath, relax, and enjoy it.  You’ll be glad you did.

In case you’re wondering what I cooked:  quinoa, egg whites w/ scallions, baked sweet potato fries, and a side of cantaloupe.