Syttende Mai: Salmon & Coffee

Syttende Mai is Norwegian Constitution Day and this year was the 200 year anniversary, therefore a Norwegian celebration was in order.  I decided to prepare a special Norwegian breakfast (frokost!) complete with ingredients that commemorate my Nordic heritage.  My friend Kathleen was nice enough to go along with my crazy scheme and so on the 17th of May, we feasted in true Norwegian fashion: salmon and lots of coffee.

I have blogged before about the importance of the "smørrebrød" to the Norwegian.  These open-faced sandwiches, typically on rye-bread, are a staple in the Norsk diet.  Therefore, I purchased hearty rye-bread and sliced it thin enough to slightly toast before adding the toppings.  The toppings included brun-usto, a common Scandanavian toasting bread, as a supplement for Treasure Island's lack of brunost (brown goat cheese).  On top of that, I added thin slices of smoked salmon (from Norway!!) for protein and additional nutrients.  Breakfast would have not been completed without some element of seafood, as I quickly learned from my visit there almost four years ago. 

For beverages, we hand-squeezed glasses of orange juice and drank lots of coffee.  The average Norwegian consumes about 5 cups of plain black coffee a day which is simply outrageous.  I was only able to drink two before the world started spinning and my left eye started twitching.

Overall, this Syttende Mai breakfast was a fantastic way to combine two of my favorite things: food and my Norwegian heritage.

Hei Norge!

Mary

Hand-made Floral Crown featuring the Main Colors of the Norwegian Flag

Frokost

Fresh-squeezed Orange Juice

Key Ingredients: Norwegian Smoked Salmon and Brun-usto

La Mulita

Located in the SoBro area of Indianapolis, La Mulita is a fantastic, new dining option for customers looking for a cheaper and more casual version of Delicia. It is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat if you are in the mood for Latin American cusine with a slight Caribbean influence.  Come here for lunch rather than dinner because the lunch menu offers more options.  It's the perfect place to have lunch with coworkers, friends or family. 

After looking at their menu for a while, I was torn between a couple options. Luckily, the lunch menu offers a 'Pick Two' option so I selected the two cemitas that drew my attention. The first was the cochinita pibil cemita, featuring pulled pork roasted in achiote topped with pickled onions, black beans and a MEASLY slice of avocado. The sesame bun was toasted slightly but still maintained a softness that provided a great backdrop to the strong Latin flavors of the black beans and the achiote. My only complaint was the avocado slice was too small, slightly disappointing and not contributing to the flavor of the cemita as much as I had hoped. 

The second was the pork milanesa cemita which consisted of breaded pork under a thin layer of Oaxaca cheese, chorizo, fried egg, chipotle peppers and cilantro mayo. This was my favorite of the two. The breading on the pork served as an intermediate between the spice of the chipotle peppers and the chorizo. The cilantro mayo and the fried egg were two great additions to the texture of the cemita and combined well with the rest of the ingredients. 

Also photographed are the vegetarian cemita and the carne asada taco. The vegetarian cemita consisted of a lightly breaded eggplant patty adorned with roasted peppers, chihuahua cheese as caramelized onion. The cemita also featured the delicious cilantro mayo. 

The carne asada taco was filled with marinated skirt steak, onions, cilantro and radish. Ingredients were served in a corn tortilla. The only complaint was that the taco was very tiny and not very filling. My advice? Stick to the cemitas. 

Overall, a great new restaurant in a fabulous part of Indianapolis. A much better price than Delicia and it's casual, rustic vibe is inviting and hip. I can't wait to try a few other items on the menu whenever I'm back in town!

Mary

Pick 2 Cemitas

Cochinita Pibil Cemita & Pork Milanesa Cemita

Vegetarian Cemita & Carne Asada Taco

Restaurant Interior

Avec

Mondays. In French, the word "mon" means mine. So sometimes you have to think of Mondays as "my day" and treat yourself to an exquisite meal with fancy friends. 

This past Monday, my two friends (Will & Susannah) and I ventured to Avec, a Mediterranean small plates restaurant owned by the same management as Blackbird. The restaurant is very small in square-feet but quaint nonetheless. Wood paneling in the interior creates a rather cozy vibe and the tables are seated in close groups where you may share a table with complete strangers. The small size of the dining room allows for intimate conversations with good friends.  If you take a date here, I recommend you make sure there are no better-looking, eligible bachelors/bachelorettes at the table you are about to be seated at...  Haha. 

Now for the food. 

All the reviews I came across before the meal were raving descriptions of the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates. I am happy to report that they are indeed phenomenal. The dates are wrapped in savory bacon and served in zesty tomato sauce. Even Susannah, who doesn't particularly care for dates, enjoyed them. A must-order at this restaurant. 

The octopus plate was crisp and refreshing. Combining the seafood flavors with ruby red grapefruit and fresh mint provided a sharp, citrusy taste to an otherwise stereotypical roasting of octopus. The plate was very well prepared and is a definite order for any octopus-fanatic. The squid plate was also fantastic. The squid and tripe with fideo pasta was interesting and unique. Until this plate, I had never tasted squid ink aioli. I am happy to report that it is delicious and I definitely recommend it to the culinary adventurous individual. Steering away from the seafood and onto the red meat, the Butcher's steak was paired perfectly with the strong flavor of blue cheese crumbles. The crisp kale decoration added a necessary crunch to the plate as well as a green element to an otherwise meaty dish. The incorporation of pistachios on the Merguez sausage pizza brought a contrasting texture to the softness of the melted feta cheese adorning the pizza and the aroma filled the restaurant, attracting the attention of many nearby diners. 

My favorite large plate was the wood oven paella which combined the delicious flavors of chicken, seafood and a hint of fruit into a single dish. The paella was cooked perfectly and provided a background to the various ingredients namely the mussels and the chicken pieces, both of which were lightly flavored with citrus. The perfect large plate to share for a group that cannot decide between poultry and seafood. It gives you both!

For dessert, we ordered a selection of options but my favorite was the chocolate-ricotta mousse. It ws topped with crushed raspberries which provided a fantastic compliment to the richness of the mousse. I am typically adverse to whipped cream but the orlorosso whipped cream added a creaminess to the chocolate-ricotta mousse that I would have missed if I had simply spooned it out. So delicious it's borderline dangerous. 

Small plates are amazing. They allow diners to share and try multiple dishes, bringing friends together through shared culinary experiences. Avec is the perfect restaurant to visit with great friends. 

Jinny Fleischman once said, "A meal is the whole experience of getting together and sharing food with friends. It is more than food." I definitely agree and am so thankful that I had the opportunity to dine with such loving and amazing people (Will & Suz, that's you guys!). The word 'Avec' in French means 'with' and I could not imagine dining here with anyone nearly as awesome as you two. 

Mary

Cafe Avec

Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce

Charred octopus with grapefruit, celery, marcona almonds and mint

Squid and tripe with fideo pasta, white beans and squid ink aioli

Butcher's steak with blue cheese, charred leeks, anchovy butter and crisp kale

Merguez sausage pizza with pistachios, feta cheese, mint & cilantro

Wood oven paella with confit chicken, snail boudin, mussels and tangerine aioli

Chocolate-ricotta mousse with crushed raspberries and orlorosso whipped cream

Strawberry sorbet

Orange gelato

Roasted strawberry-rhubarb cobbler with spiced shortcakes and orange frozen yogurt

The crew & the beautiful wood-paneling interior

Santullo's Eatery

Getting a table for dinner in Wicker Park on a Saturday night is basically impossible. Most of the prime restaurants have waits longer than an hour and refuse to take reservations. So what happens when you are very hungry and tired of walking? You become adventurous and pick a random place and cross your fingers.

I was having dinner with two friends, one of which is the pickiest eater that I have ever met. This is the reason I end up eating burgers and pizza with her so often.  Can't say I complain.

We had originally intended to go to Piece Brewery & Pizzeria but the line was absolutely insane.  When we walked by Santullo's Eatery on North Ave and smelled the delicious aroma of NY-style pizza, I knew it had the potential to be a winner.  And it was.

I live in Chicago so sometimes I get tired of deep-dish pizza.  I love the appeal of the thin crust, huge slice pizza that my grandparents and I enjoy so much.  They grew up in Brooklyn and they have taught me everything I know about folding the piece in half for easier consumption.  We waited in line to order and could only collectively decide as a group on the cheese pizza.  The college budget doesn't allow for many toppings..

The guy at the register said the pizza would be out in about forty minutes but it only took twenty.  Pretty clutch since we were running out of small talk ideas.

The pizza was HUGE.  I preface this statement that all three of us agree that the pizza looks abnormally larger in the photo due to the camera angle.  The pieces are ginormous but are only moderately filling due to the thinness of the pizza.  The traditional Italian pizza flavors were amazing and the cheese-to-sauce ratio was optimal.  Overall, a fantastic pizza for a great price and minimum wait time.

I still have yet to try Piece but so far, Santullo's Eatery is my favorite pizza place in Wicker Park and maybe even Chicago.  A great place to grab some NY-style pizza, catch up with friends and not die in starvation while waiting for a table on Saturday night.

Cheers,

Mary

Cheese Pizza & Picky Friend

Before

After

Girl and the Goat

Three months: the length of time in a financial quarter, the length of time for your favorite NBA team to gradually dissolve into a team that may lose in the first round of playoffs, or the length of time it takes to get a reservation for a reasonable dinner time at Girl and the Goat? The answer? All three are true. 

Some hope remains. I was able to get reservations the day before by sacrificing my typical weekday schedule and settling for a Tuesday night dinner at 10:30 pm. As for the Pacers? Hopefully Game 3 was a wake up call....

But enough about my broken Hoosier heart. 

I have been wanting to visit Girl and the Goat for a very long time. It's a trendy, posh restaurant that everyone raves about. How could a food critic living in Chicago not have experienced the culinary extravaganza known by many as a forward and delicious hot spot on West Hubbard. The location itself is predominately associated with fine dining and revolutionary cusine. Across the street is Au Cheval, one of my favorite restaurants so far. I was also already dazzled with the mouth-watering food served at Little Goat Diner, the more casual, diner-ish relative of Girl and the Goat. When my friend invited me for dinner on Tuesday, I immediately said yes despite the obscure time and an early practice the next morning. I couldn't wait to try the fantastic small plates that I had been reading all about for months. 

I'm happy to report that Girl and the Goat is indeed delicious. But sadly, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. I felt that the restaurant itself was a little overhyped and that although some dishes were superb, I was underwhelmed by the dessert selection. I spent months imagining just how great that dinner would be and although some dishes were very well done, it would've been more satisfying without the comparison to the idealized version that had been ruminating in my head since I was first told of this magical place. Perhaps this is why many of the top Chicago restaurants are shifting to a no-reservation policy (ie. Au Cheval, DMK, Ada Street after 6 pm). I definitely recommend coming here at least once though. It's a fantastic experience and the food is very exotic and different. Where else can you have octopus, goat, scallops & pig face all in one sitting?  The waitstaff were very friendly and attentive to our needs, especially refilling our water glasses, which was great. Our waiter even offered to help cure me of my hiccups although I didn't have any. Still unclear whether that was some interesting and unique attempt at a pickup line.. Ha. 

Below are the plates that we shared and my general thoughts on them. They rotate fairly regularly but if you go visit soon, I definitely recommend the grilled baby octopus, the goat empanadas, the wood oven roasted pig face and the roasted cauliflower. Enjoy!

Mary

Grilled baby octopus

This dish featured fresh, baby octopus grilled to perfection, mixed with exotic ingredients including guanciale and pistachios. An assortment of beans added a lovely green color to the dish. The mixture was lightly flavored with lemon vinaigrette which provided a citrus compliment to the fresh seafood taste of the octupi. An adventurous, colorful twist on octopus and overall, the grilling brought out the best in the flavoring of the baby octupi. 

Ghums n' roses

Our bread selection was served with rosemary honey butter and apple sauce, an unusual pairing that introduced an excellent pairing of sweet and savory.  The hearty bread was a nice way to start off the meal, especially since we were both hungry from such a late reservation. 

Fried naked cowboy

The Fried Naked Cowboy features fried oysters, egg salad and capers. Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, the plate is the ultimate bite-sized oyster dish. It literally is "bite-sized," served on four different spoons- great for sharing.

Fried pickles

An interesting take on a fairly common dish, the fried pickles at Girl and the Goat were served with shallot aioli and yuzu harissa. The dish was lightly breaded and featured crisp, succulent pickles. The shallot aioli was savory and creamy while the yuzu Harissa was spicy and exotic. Good but not particularly special. 

Goat empanadas

Quite possibly my favorite dish here, the goat empanadas were topped with marinated sheep feta and pickled golden beets. The dish was drizzled with tzatziki sauce. I love feta cheese and the marination added an unique twist on an otherwise simple ingredient. 

Wood oven roasted pig face

This dish combined the rich, smoky flavors of pig with the traditional rendition of a sunny side egg. Seasoned with tamarind and cilantro, the pork and egg combination was drizzled in red-wine maple and decorated with potato stix. Definitely one of my favorite plates of the meal. Remember to ask your server for how they obtain the pig face if you are interested (and can stomach it). Our waiter gave us a fairly detailed description that soothed my worries about accidentally finding a snout hidden under the egg...haha. 

Roasted cauliflower

My favorite vegetarian option here, the roasted cauliflower, is amazing. The mix included the fresh, natural flavors of cauliflower with the strong flavors of pickled peppers and the crunchiness of pine nuts. The dish is seasoned with mint, provided a sharp contrast to the spice of the peppers.  Definitely has a nice kick to it, especially if you like jalapeño peppers. Topped with Parmesan cheese, this plate is perfect for dinner the following day as leftovers. Trust me.  

"Coffeecake" semifreddo

This dessert is the ultimate combination of my favorite things about breakfast: coffee and fresh grapefruit. The scoop of coffee ice cream is served with biscuit-like cookies and ruby red grapefruit. Cacao nib beans adorn the dish and provide a necessary crunch. The bitterness of the coffee meshes well with the sweetness of the cookies and the tartness of the grapefruit. Dessert well done but nothing out of the ordinary. 

Plantain cake

The second dessert was definitely underwhelming. The plantain cake featured cream cheese-chocolate chip gelato that was overpowered by the bland taste of the overly moist cake. I was unable to taste the supposed flavors of passion fruit and left hand milk stout in the dish. Overall, the dessert was a disappointment. Save yourself the time and money and grab dessert elsewhere. 

4 P's: Pizza Pot Pie Perfection

Nicknamed "Chicago’s most exciting restaurant concept in many years," the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. was recommended to me by my grandfather.  He discovered the "Home of the Pizza Pot Pie" while watching the food channel and immediately emailed me with the recommendation.  Needless to say, I was excited to try this new spin on pizza in the beautiful neighborhood of Lincoln Park.  

My friend and I biked to dinner (all the way from Hyde Park) and therefore were very hungry and excited by the time we arrived at the restaurant.  The forty minute wait for a table for two went by fairly quickly and the weather was nice enough to wait outside.  To get a table, you don't need to give a name to the man at the hostess stand.  He remembers every customer's face which was quite impressive because the restaurant was extremely busy.

Pizza as a pot pie is a revolutionary way of looking at pizza.  

A good pizza can essentially be broken into two categories: crust and sauce/toppings.  Great pizza crust begins with great dough.  The pizza pot pies at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. are handmade with triple-raised Sicilian bread-type dough, ensuring the crust is soft and doughy.  Customers may select either white or wheat upon ordering. The crust to sauce/toppings ratio is superb and the dough does not overpower the other ingredients of the pizza.  The sauce  is a secret combination of olive oil, fresh garlic, onions, green peppers, whole plum tomatoes and sausage pieces.  Inside the pie are multiple whole, fresh mushrooms. SO GOOD. And to top it off (quite literally), a delicious cheese blend blankets the pot pie.

Overall, one of my favorite pizza restaurants in Chicago.  Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder's Co. features a revolutionary pizza dish that I intend to attempt in my own kitchen soon. 

Until next time meal,

Mary

Pizza Pot Pie at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder's Co.

Winning Wieners

Nick Codispoti: "Benjamin Franklin once said, a wiener turns a frown upside down." *

Few people are able to master the art of the grill, let alone the grilling of an all-beef* hot dog. 

I am happy to report that the University of Chicago's men's athletic association, the Order of the C, has mastered both these skills.

I was walking home after a rough day of classes in the frigid Chicago wind when I stumbled upon a wonderful sight.  Male athletes grilling in the Bartlett quad. Whether it was the enticing aroma of the hot dogs or the jaw-dropping calf muscles of the male soccer players, I was intrigued. 

After trying a hot dog, I am thrilled to report that the wieners are both edible and satisfactory. The toasted bun was definitely a nice touch (kudos Kevin). Perhaps one of the finest dining experiences in my entire life. 

Mary

* Warning: may include false or inaccurate information