Big Sweet Tooth

For the Love of Lula {From The Raving Dish}

Since I moved to East Rogers Park last year, rarely do I stray farther than a mile or so from LSD. Life on the lake is a little more relaxed, a smidge more low-key and definitely a whole lot more fun. But, sometimes I get a hankering for a new exploration, one that isn't all about Latin American food, windy days and lime-tinged cuba libres. In essence, I'm looking for the urban part of Chicago, not the one that is so stunningly beautiful it almost pierces my eyes each time I walk out the front door and see the crazy blue of Lake Michigan. It's during those moments when I crave the creative, old-school side of Chicago that I head over to Logan Square. To me, its environs feel like the working man's version of Wicker Park, an area that became a little too trendy for its own good.

Which brings me to Lula Cafe; I've only eaten there twice, and the first time I went, I slugged one too many beakers of rum and couldn't really remember much about the packed house, except that my waiter had a too-cool-for-school attitude. Always willing to give a place another go, though, I recently headed back with my bud Brad on a brilliant sunshine-splashed afternoon for a tipple of liquor and some feel-good food.

Romanian Sausage Company and the Perfect Polish Sausage

I have just discovered the best hotdog in the world.  The Romanian Sausage Company (on Clark and Touhy) churns out this little diddy of a garlic Polish that is totally mind-boggling.  I picked up two of them the other day and a package of their pillow soft buns that come peppered wtih poppy seeds and tiny dots of onions and had a Polish fest.  All it needed was a little bit of spicy mustard and pure heaven, I swear.  Since I'm not much of a meat eater, I was taken aback by my own fervor in shoving this dog down.  I mean, 2 of them in about 5 minutes?  Jeezzzz....I can't seem to stop thinking about them, talking about them, dreaming about them and generally just wishing I had one of them near me at all times.  The company keeps funky hours, so call before you go...Also, on Thursday's they roll out some fantastic potato salad.  Much like the hotdogs, it flies off the shelf~

The Fish Keg = Fried Nirvana {From The Raving Dish}

I could tell by the quizzical stares I was getting that all the folks wandering into The Fish Keg thought I was crazy. Here I was, a wide-eyed gal dressed in Pilates wear, spreading hot-out-of-the-fryer food onto the hood of my dusty black truck.

To them, I was a loon. To me, though, I was just trying to set the perfect food shot in the correct amount of light. It if means maniacally rearranging a piece of crispy fried shrimp or a golf ball-size hush puppy barely a smidge, well, it's all worth it for the sake of snapping the very best picture. And, thankfully, after a brief photo shoot, I'd captured my goodies to my liking and the time had come to dig in.

I ended up at The Fish Keg by accident. I found myself with a free day since I wised up and hired a sweet little Polish gal to clean my place. After realizing that I had an entire day to myself, I felt lost and unsure of how to spend the day. Movie? Bike ride? Shopping? Of course it all turned back to food. I just did what I do best and started cruising the streets looking for some inspiration. I found it on Howard.

Morseland Mojitos and Mac-n-cheese Fritters

According to the bill, we'd consumed 16 mojitos this time around. I wondered, how is that even possible, with three wee gals and a time span of just a few hours? I blame it on the setting sun, no days off work in weeks and an appetite for the good stuff.

The night started out innocent enough. I was meeting a few pals at Morseland just down the street from my place for a simple mojito. Though I'd never been to this popular haunt, I wanted to scope out my friend Lisa's new 'hood on Morse Avenue and try a new place. Morseland's reputation for killer mojitos was the clincher.

Craving Diner Food from Africa

There are many fine things that I can say about South Africa, the gorgeous country that I am working in right now.
The violet jacaranda trees take my breath away every time I open my window; the rooibos red tea latte that I toss back every morning is a tastebud sensation; the wine is as spirited as any I've had 'round the world; and the salads are a sight to behold, giant platters of bright veggies, grilled haloumi cheese and peppery olive oil.

Noodling 'round the North Side {From The Raving Dish}

I started my Saturday morning like every other day off I have: delirious and delighted at the same time. To be able to sleep in and turn off my cell phone is a godsend, and when I finally rolled out of bed at 9 a.m., I was rip-roaring ready for a cocktail. Go figure.

Intending to just start walking and see what I could find, I tossed on my tennis shoes and filled my backpack with the day's goodies (namely my trusty notebook for noting new finds). Then that moment of utter indecision: Do I wanna head north or south, east or west? This time the North Side was tugging at my taste buds, so I skipped off the porch and started trucking.

I love nothing more than investigating Chicago. The city can change almost overnight and I'm always stunned to realize that a cool new restaurant I ate at last month has already shut down. So many things can slip through the cracks...like when did Book Cellar, Inc. set up an outdoor cafe?

Uncommon Ground=Total Heavenly Grub

Sometimes my body just cannot handle another killing-me-slowly meal, and my poor shell is literally dying for something that soothes my blistered, overworked soul. This past Sunday I finally had a day off after months of grueling production schedules, loads of sweets and obnoxious late-night dinners, and all I wanted was a good meal—one that was hearty and, most importantly, real. Not the sort of pre-fab baloney I've been fueling my system with for the last few weeks. (Though in a pinch, a jalapeno and cheese taquito and an icy-cold Red Bull from 7-11 is a sheer delight).

So come 10 a.m. on Sunday morning, my pal Lisa and I set out on a journey to find a new restaurant to satisfy our cravings. What we found was a fantastic rendition of heart-healthy home cooking at its very finest. My new favorite Sunday sit-down is, without a doubt, Uncommon Ground Coffeehouse and Cafe.

Perfect Patty Melts and Milkshakes @ Stella's Diner {From The Raving Dish}

My morning started like every other morning; I woke up wondering what the hell I was gonna eat. It was one of those days where my belly was rumbling but I couldn't decide what I wanted to put in her. Would it be eggs and hash browns? Tamales and cafe con leche? I couldn't make up my mind and the only way to settle it was just get in the truck and drive.

I quickly convinced my friend Lisa to come along for the ride. Little did we know we'd make a dozen stops before we found exactly what we were looking for.

When I'm on the hunt for something rave-worthy, my rule of thumb is to head north on Damen Avenue. I usually pass a handful of restaurants that I haven't tried, but this time nothing was calling my name (or, rather, my stomach's name).

Calvin's BBQ--All the good sides {From The Raving Dish}

It seems that I'm forever on the hunt for hearty, fulfilling side dishes. Not much of a meat eater, my desires lean toward the simple and easy to find, like French fries. But a girl can only stomach so many platefuls of fried potatoes. There comes a time when I need some substance, a time when I crave something I can chew, as opposed to inhale. Enter Calvin's BBQ, a tiny shack of a place on the outskirts of Logan Square.

I'd heard about Calvin's from Lisa, a foodie buddy of mine. She's always on the hunt for rough-hewn places that look as if they just might be churning out good grub and she'd spotted Calvin's on a recent sojourn through the city. BBQ joints are always good for homey sides, so I decided to give it a go. Let me just say this: When the smell of smoking meat hits you before you even got out of your car, you know you're onto something (credit that wildly tempting scent to the smoker out back).

Moon's Sandwich Shop {From The Raving Dish}

You've probably blown past it a hundred times. The dirty exterior of Moon's Sandwich Shop, 16 S. Western Ave., isn't the prettiest thing to look at, with chipped metal gates splayed across the front and a grimy sign that's barely readable. It may look like it closed for good in 1985, but this is one book you don't want to judge by its cover.
Moon's is one of the best diners in Chicago, hands down. Usually packed to the brim with saucy characters, it's a bona fide chop shop in a city full of dinky imposters. I stumbled across this mecca of all things greasy and delicious some time last year in one of my infamous blaze-about-the-city-and-see-what-I-find foraging trips.

A Perfect Sunday (From The Raving Dish)

Sunday mornings are made for utter relaxation, but because my days usually bleed together, I hardly know Sunday from Wednesday from Tuesday. One of my New Year's resolutions was to resolve that; if it's the weekend, treat it like the weekend. In other words, chill. Starting now.

And, oddly enough, my perfect morning entails getting pounded senseless by a half-naked, tubby little Asian woman at my favorite hidden gem, Paradise Sauna, 2912 W. Montrose Ave. If you've never made the trip to this steamy Asian bathhouse, you've been missing out (don't worry, everyone is always terrified the first time). I always go for the half-hour body scrub ($30 for the scrub, $18 for all-day access to the facilities). Imagine 30 minutes of being twisted, pulled, turned, shaped, molded and half-punched with sandpaper-like gloves, all while being hurled with buckets and buckets of hot water, topped off by the fact that you're buck-naked on a dripping wet massage table in a room full of other blissed-out steamers (eight person capacity).

Salt & Pepper Diner: Yep, it's a Fried Egg Club Sandwich

I know it may sound horrifying, but one of the very best thing that I've put into my mouth is the self-created fried egg club sandwich at Salt & Pepper on Lincoln Ave.  Yeah, the waitress was a bit stunned that I didn't want meat on my club and would rather have a fried egg in its place, and then to toss on some extra mayo to boot.  Who cares though, when you're a veggie (yeah....) ya gotta do whatcha gotta do.  I know this looks like a heaping platter of food, but I did indeed mow on the entire plate---all french fries included.  Salt & Pepper also has an amazing scrambled egg on grilled rye bread with oozing American cheese, but that is a whole other story!

Johnny Rockets Milkshakes: Bring it On

After a long day racing around downtown taste-testing big, homemade pretzels for a recent article, the 'ole sweet tooth flared up and there was nothing that could satiate it besides an icy cold milkshake.  The closest place was the Johnny Rockets in The Gold Coast and I'm here to tell you that it was the best shake I've sucked down this summer.  Super-duper chocolaty, covered in whipped cream and thicker than ever, I could literally suck down one of these mamas every single day of the week.  Now if they could only work a bit on the customer service...

Scooter's Concrete Snickers: Later DQ!

A few months ago, my film crew and I set out on an epic road trip from Chicago to the very tip of Baja, Mexico. We were filming a TV show called, "Tracking Expats," traipsing up and down the entire peninsula of Baja trying to locate those randy souls that took the plunge, ditched America and bolted over the border. All in all, we logged over 7,000 miles roundtrip (in my trusty SUV), close to a hundred plates of beans and rice and boatloads of margaritas.

On the way there (across the whole of North America), we stopped at almost every single Dairy Queen (lovingly called the DQ) and picked up a few of those mind-numbingly addictive Blizzards. My fave is the Snickers Blizzard, and when we finally crossed back over the border onto US soil, where'd we roll to right away? Our good friend, the DQ.

Superior Bar Food: Candlelite Chicago's Garlic French Fries

Sometimes the only thing that's gonna hit the spot is straight up bar food and lots of it. Problem is, where to wrangle up some good bar food? I know there are a few spots in my 'hood; The Village Tap (awesome veggie burgers and plates of made-from-scratch hummus), The Burgundy Inn (juicy pork chops and addictive yeast rolls) and Northside Bar and Grill (great, drinkable ranch dressing and crispy French fries), but for the most part, the late night shove-down is cheesy quesadillas and refried bean dip from Tony's Burrito Mex.

That is, until I discovered Candlelite Chicago way up on the North Side. This tavern has been around for 60 years (never heard of it) and had started to sag ("big time," according to the regulars) until a group of young bucks bought her a few years ago and did a full retweak of the interior, including the menu. This is bar food at its finest. I could go on and on about the cracker thin crust pizza (which everyone who knows about the place seems to do already), or the creamy baked goat cheese marina dip with homemade crispy flatbread, but compared to a few other stars on the menu, these dishes pale in comparison (though they are quite good).

Pane's Strikes Again: Blueberry Lemon Puddings

One of my  favorite sandwich shops, Pane's, has some of the best desserts going right now.  My fave is the little Blueberry Lemon Puddings that come in a tiny silver tin.  They're way to expensive (almost $4) for a itty-bitty serving, but after the very first, super-rich bite, you won't even care about the dough.  And, blueberries aren't going to be around much longer either, so you better go while the goin's good.  Don't even think about sharing; I made that atrocious mistake.

Su Van's: More From the Tuna Front

After a recent trip to New Orleans (where I had one of the best tuna fish sandwiches ever created), I blazed back into the city with a full-blown tuna fish addiction. I've been hunting high and low for the best tuna in the city, and after sampling what seems like hundreds of versions, I'm thinking that Su Van's is pretty dang high up on the list. And, lucky for me, so are her home-style baked goods, super fresh veggie paninis and thick and glorious hot chocolate.

Though I live in the 'hood, I never gave Su Van's too much thought 'til I got a new office space a half block away. Maybe it's the less-than-obvious name, or perhaps it's the eerie quietness inside (seriously, even when the restaurant is half full there's barely a peep coming out of a soul), but whatever the case may be, there was always something a bit off about the place. Now that I'm always scouring the area for new eating options, I've changed my silly ways; I actually relish in the quiet (my office seems to be production central for every other rogue indie filmmaker in Chicago) of Su Van's and I guess I don't even mind the name (I don't discount my favorite breakfast haunt, Victory's Banner, because I don't know what the hell a Victory's Banner is, do I?).

Gigantic Po' Boys and Blue Crab Quesadillas

Being from the Deep South, I've forever had an affinity for all things fried. Doesn't matter what it is (meat, fish, vegetables, cheese, chocolate gravy, you name it), just coat it in flour and toss it in oil, and I'll happily devour it (especially if there is some icy cold ranch dressing or a slather of oily mayo involved).

One of my favorite places in town to get fried food is the adorable little dive bar on Webster called The Local Option (formerly The Local Shack). I adore it mostly for its anonymity (it looks like any old hole in the wall upon first glance and you could easily pass on by), but I love it even more for its small back room that substitutes as a New Orleans-style takeout fish shack.

The blazing red dining area leads to a quaint outdoor patio and shares space with an open kitchen that slings up some of the best fresh fish po' boy's, peel-and-eat-shrimp and crab cakes that I've had. And I've been up and down the Bayou (this, along with half the world, is one of my favorite road trip areas).

Pane's Bread Cafe: Perfect Sandwiches in Chicago

There is nothing more simple, soul satisfying and crave-worthy than a good, hearty sandwich. Case in point: I just spent close to a month driving from Chicago to the very tip of Baja, Mexico, and at the end of the journey, all I was craving was a big ol' juicy American-style sandwich. I'd had enough of the fresh fish tacos, the deep-fried coconut shrimp, the tangy, potent margaritas and the authentic frijoles and arroz. Delicious as all that fresh Mexican cuisine was, I wanted nothing more than to stuff my face with a handful of mayonnaise-filled sandwich.

I found the cure at a tiny America-owned cafe in the picture-perfect, colonial town of Todos Santos (40 miles North of horrific Cabo San Lucas), and since I've been back in Chicago (7,000 miles roundtrip, but the trip of a lifetime), all I've really been dreaming about is a sandwich worthy of the one I'd consumed with sheer and utter delight at Cafe Todos Santos (a two-pound cheese, veggie and mayo behemoth). If you could have seen the blatant confusion when I sweetly asked for even more mayonnaise, bringing my grand total slathered the sandwich to about half-a-cup...good God.

My usual sandwich joint in Chicago is fan-favorite Potbelly's. There really is no comparison to its soft (but still crunchy), warm take on the vegetarian sandwich. Packed down with fresh mushrooms, gooey cheese, shredded lettuce, ripe tomato, homemade pickles, a tiny burst of mustard and extra, extra squirts of mayonnaise, this is the ideal sandwich for the non-vegetarian. The denseness of the mushrooms make it seem like there's some sort of meat on board, and the mayo soaks deep into the warm bread, which makes every bite an eye-closer, full of wonder.

La Bodega Chicago~Perfect Spanish Fritatta

One of Roscoe Village's cutest little neighborhood coffeehouse's recently changed ownership, hired a new chef and all I can say is wow!   The vibe is so friendly & open and now the brand-new menu is something to drool over.   Not only are they BYOB, they are now open for dinner and are creating a deli-style gourmet take-out section that is perfect for busy days such as these. 
The fresh vegetable fritatta that was presented was absolutely incredible.  So many veggies are pouring out of it and it's hard to believe she only used four eggs in the dish.  It's gigantic and easily enough for three people to split.   I loved that it was topped off with a big dollop of buttery cream cheese...I've never seen that before and it added this tangy taste of sweetness to the final bites.  With free wi-fi on the way, it is the perfect place to kick back, have an awesome meal with a nice bottle of vino and take care of some business, all at the same time.  Nobody would ever know your working from the charming outdoor cafe at La Bodega, glass in hand, of course.