Rock & [Pretzel] Roll

Kuma's Too is not a place to take a date unless you're ok with them witnessing you wearing half of your burger and potentially falling in love with the food instead of you. 

Therefore, it's the perfect place to take a friend for Valentines Day because what's less romantic than heavy metal music & thick juicy burgers?

Their menu includes the disclosure, "Nothing on our menu is vegan" so beware. The patties are enormous, juicy & grilled to perfection. The foe of diets and vegans everywhere. 

After waiting 30 minutes for a table-for-two at 3 pm on a Saturday, we were finally seated. Be aware that it'll probably take a while to get a table. Their burgers are in high demand and located in the busy, hopping section of Lincoln Park. My advice? Go a little early and spend the wait shopping at nearby stores. I almost died when I realized it was right next to an Ann Taylor Loft.. 

My friend and I split two different burgers: the Famous Kuma & the Yob. The Famous Kuma is topped with bacon, cheddar, fried egg, lettuce, tomato and onion.  I've seen the fried egg on a burger before but so far this was my favorite rendition. The combination of bacon & egg reminded me vaguely of breakfast on a burger. Fantastic. 

The Yob was adorned with roasted garlic mayo, bacon, gouda, roasted red pepper, lettuce, tomato and onion. Gouda & red peppers are two of my favorite things so putting them together on a burger blew my mind. The roasted garlic mayo meshed well with the heartiness of the patty and the creaminess of the melted gouda.  I definitely recommend both burgers.

The best part of the burgers? The buns are made out of pretzel bread.  Very unique and ingenious.  The buns were soft and delicious and added perfectly to the flavorings of the patties and their toppings. 

The fries were perfectly salted and the ultimate soft-to-crunch ratio.  The ketchup was a little different but not in a bad way. I'm guessing it contains a little touch of extra vinegar.  It's a nice change from the stereotypical Heinz served at every other burger restaurant.

Great burgers & huge portions at a somewhat reasonable price.  Definitely my kind of restaurant.  My only complaint? Something that I hate to really call a complaint because it's more like a personal preference.  The music.  I know that the "doom metal" is part of the Kuma's experience.  (Yes, I realize that all of the burgers are named after famous metal/rock bands)  Personally I found the music to be distracting while attempting at making conversation.  However, once the food came, all conversation ceased anyway.  And there's nothing wrong with that.

Overall, a very good burger restaurant with generously-sized burgers and a fun, rock-vibe.

Mary    

Yob Burger

The Famous Kuma Burger

Born & Bred to be Fed (German Food)

As a child, I developed a deep love for spätzle.  For those who are unfamiliar with German cuisine, spätzle are a type of egg noodles topped with butter or other toppings.  I have fond memories of my dad making spätzle and bratwurst therefore I was very excited to dine at my favorite German restaurant in Chicago this weekend while in the Loop.

The Berghoff is the #1 authentic German restaurant in Chicago.  By far.  There's a reason why I chose it as my birthday restaurant this past year.  Every visit I have gotten something different and have been equally impressed and never disappointed.

My meal began with complimentary Pumpernickel bread that was soft & fresh. Pumpernickel bread combines the health benefits of rye bread and sourdough bread.  Fun fact: It was first introduced in the Westphalia region of Germany therefore it is the perfect appetizer for an authentic German meal!

My friend and I decided to split two appetizers for a lighter dinner.  We ordered the Berghoff Casserole, spätzle with creamed spinach, gouda cheese sauce, applewood bacon gratinee and rye crostini with celery sticks on the side.  It transformed my childhood favorite into a sophisticated culinary delight.  The combination of creamed spinach, gouda cheese and applewood bacon gratinee complimented the egg noodles to perfection.  Very well done.  Probably my favorite appetizer (if not item) on the menu so far.

The second appetizer ordered was the stuffed mushrooms.  Oven roasted mushroom caps filled with Berghoff ’s famous creamed spinach and Parmesan cheese.  I was unaware before reading the menu that the Berghoff is famous for their creamed spinach but after trying the mushrooms and the casserole, I can understand why.  The mushroom caps were presented in an attractive fashion and were garnished with what appeared to be dried onion sticks.  

Overall, an enjoyable and filling sample of appetizers. The nutritional value of the oven roasted mushroom caps, the creamed spinach and the pumpernickel bread accounted for the unhealthiness of the creamy gouda cheese and savory applewood bacon.  Will definitely be revisiting the Berghoff sometime soon for my annual dose of famous Berghoff creamed spinach in hopes of attaining exceptional strength like Popeye. Fortunately for me, my strength-giving spinach is accompanied by spätzle, gouda cheese and applewood bacon gratinee hehe.

Glücklich essen. [Happy Eating]

Mary

Berghoff Casserole

Stuffed Mushrooms

GNO & Sausages: A Surprising Combination

Theoretically, the typical GNO (aka Girls' Night Out for those of you not familiar with Miley Cyrus' hit song, a throwback from her original Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus days) is without sausages present.  This is precisely why I decided that for GNO last Saturday, my friends and I would trek all the way to Lincoln Park to Franks 'n Dawgs, home to award-winning artisan sausages.

Stalking the menu before our adventure, the restaurant promised to "redefine your sausage experience."  A friend (who shall remain anonymous *cough cough Anna*) remained unimpressed and opted to stay in Hyde Park. But oh man, did she miss out...

Arriving at the restaurant, we were instantaneously greeted by the friendly and jolly staff of the establishment.  Upon placing your order at the front counter, diners get to select a laminated picture of a famous celebrity to mark their table instead of the conventional table number.  My friends and I immediately selected Lindsey Lohan out of the line-up (hehe punny because it is indeed her mugshot) and chose a booth. 

The food was served pretty quickly and we began the typical Instagram ritual associated with food that looks delicious and isn’t served at the dining hall.  Before ordering my sausage, I asked the workers for suggestions and recommendations.  One guy speedily answered anything.  All doubts I had with his advice quickly vanished at the arrival of our food.  Everything looked and smelled amazing.

I got to try two different “dawgs” from the menu: the Brunch Dog & the Chilaquiles Dawg.  Both were extremely different but extremely satisfying.

The Brunch Dog is a Slagel farms pork loin breakfast sausage with Cobb smoked bacon, fried egg & drizzled with maple mayo.  I love the idea of “breakfast for dinner” and this item embodies that idea.  Think breakfast sandwich replaced with an easier to eat alternative.  The maple mayo was eccentric and incredible. 

The Chilaquiles Dawg is a Habanero goat sausage, fried egg, queso fresco cheese, tomatillo salsa, red pepper relish, tortilla strips & cilantro.  Labeled as an “adventurous” selection by the guy behind the counter, the spice and combination of flavors was spectacular.  Very hard to eat but the juxtaposition of textures found in the toppings provided a crunchy yet juicy layer to the delightful sausage underneath.

I will definitely be returning to this fine establishment sometime soon and I highly recommend that you venture to Lincoln Park to “redefine your sausage experience” as well.  Their wieners are definitely winners.

Mary

Brunch Dog

Chilaquiles Dawg

The Southerner

Mac 'n' Cheese Dog

The "Lindsey Lohan" Table