The Bank, Yarraville

Big things are brewing at Yarraville's The Bank.  This gorgeous heritage building occupies a top-notch spot in the Village and recent developments are very exciting.

Owner Bernard Mondon has assembled a dream team of sorts, with James Kummrow emigrating from Dunkeld's Royal Mail Hotel, which scored a coveted three hats in the most recent Age Good Food Guide.  In addition, great steak pedigree is virtually in the bag by Conall Flay, ex-The Station, coming on board.

The wine list's currently in development with the help of Sommelier Jeremy Shiells of the Royal Mail.  Winter comes through in all its cosy root veg glory on the menu - think seared scallops with smoked beetroot puree and silverbeet, or slow-cooked pork belly with pear puree and baby turnips.

Roasted Jerusalem artichoke veloute, sunflower seeds, golden raisins $12

Jerusalem artichokes are a somewhat intriguing vegetable that are neither artichoke nor from Jerusalem. They're a knobbly kind of tuber looking not unlike ginger.  This veloute (a roux-thickened soup) was so luxurious, rich and buttery.  Loved the inspired addition of swollen golden raisins that popped like sweet beads in the mouth, plus the occasional crunch of tiny toasted sunflower seeds.

Leek, mushroom, goats cheese and hazelnut terrine, $15

The menu proper is light on vegetarian options, but a specials board offered a few gems.  Here, a fat mushroom was surrounded by creamy goats cheese, with round leek sections forming the final border.  While the veloute had turned a humble tuber into something magical, to me this was the sum of its parts.  On this chilly night, my friend said she had serious food envy of my warm, snuggly soup.

Can we just pause a minute and check out the prices?!  Honestly, I could have stopped right here and been down $12.  We're talking very generous serves.  Now, maybe that's my fault because the section we chose from is called "Market Harvest" rather than "Entrees", but make sure you come hungry or otherwise, stomach rapidly filling, you may approach mains with apprehension rather than anticipation.

Roasted free range chicken, bacon and sage stuffing, onions, carrots $28

...Sorry, what was I saying?  Full?  Oh - um - I meant famished!  Now, ordering chicken breast might seem like a bit of a castrato effort but this is one spunky bird.  The skin was golden, the white flesh incredibly juicy, and on top popped sweet puffed grains which added snap and crackle.  Melty-soft mini onions complemented stuffing rich with bacon, while baby carrots offered innocent sweetness.  Delicious.

Cone Bay W.A. barramundi fillet, olive oil crushed potato, watercress, lemon $29

This is very special fish.  Just off tiny Turtle Island off the pristine, remote WA coast, barramundi are raised in vast ocean pens for six months before harvest.  Go on the virtual tour on the website to see what best practice looks like (never thought I'd daydream about working on a fish farm!)  This is one fish I wouldn't feel guilty about eating, and the flavour was totally no compromise - delicate petals of mild white flesh.

Quinoa and caramelised cauliflower $7

Continuing the generous theme, The Bank's mains don't really need sides, but anything "caramelised" demands investigation in my book.  Loved this combo of nutty, al dente quinoa and cauli florets just kissed with crispness.

Chef James kindly did up this super-purty sampler of sweet nothings.  Apparently his dad had told him, "Don't you go getting too fancy," so the triple cream cheesecake in the middle is his mum's recipe...  Well, at least right up until Mum puts it in the trusty springform!  This was just delish, the gorgeous house-made lime juice jelly cutting through the luscious cream cheese crème.  On the right was a milk chocolate parfait, which in this world of 85% cocoa or nothing was a ballsy, retro move, but one that paid off in spades.  Coffee was the secret ingredient that balanced the sweetness while salted caramel added more deep, dark flavour notes to bounce off.  Carrot cake on the left was quite lovely but got overshadowed by her two more flamboyant plate mates.

"No more," we cried, and a great short mac with Syndicate coffee (from Richmond) was a satisfying final chord.

Finer dining destinations are thin on the ground in the west, so this new, "up-town" direction for The Bank is both a smart and a very welcome move.  The Station Hotel is my all-time happy place, and like The Station, The Bank offers top-notch fare alongside down-to-earth western suburbs hospitality.

The Bank Food & Wine

13 Ballarat Street, Yarraville

Phone:  9362 7222


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Veggie Chili

Aren't vacations great? All the relaxing, eating, playing, eating, shopping, eating, spending time with friends and family, and EATING. Oh the food, oh the food! Vacationing at home in Idaho can be just as good as any resort or cruise ship too, because my mom has a never ending supply of amazing food. Not only does she keep her place very well stocked, but every night she puts together the most delicious summer dinners. From big bowls of pasta, to grilled steaks, to delicious treats and desserts. And I LOVE every minute. Unfortunately it doesn't last forever, and the inevitable day comes when you have to go home and face the music. It's time to detox. That's when I pull out recipes like these. Delicious and packed full of the veggies that I probably wasn't getting enough of while vacationing. My mom sent me this recipe and it will probably be my permanent "food detox" recipe. It's warm, filling, and chuck full of all the vitamins and fiber that you could ask for. The kids even loved it, which is another reason I'll make it over and over!

Veggie Chili
Adapted from Cooking Light, December 2003

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
1 zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions 

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, pepper, garlic and zucchini, saute for five minutes or until tender. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. If chili is too dry, add either chicken or veggie broth, or water to loosen. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Top with cheese, sour cream and cilantro if desired.

San Francisco-Style Bagels – Taking Things to a Hole New Level

Okay, first things first; there’s no such thing as a “San Francisco-Style Bagel.” This gorgeous city has lots of amazing food traditions, but the bagel isn’t one of them. So, when I accidentally stumbled upon a method for making bagels that were structurally and texturally superior, I decided to take advantage of that fact, and the SF-style bagel was born.

Will it catch on nationally? Highly doubtful, but that’s fine. I’ll settle for a simple wikipedia entry. Thanks to a softer, stickier dough, and an alternative boiling method, these unconventional beauties are thinner, crinklier, and toast up like no other bagel I’ve ever had.

How people can eat un-toasted bagels is one of the great mysteries of the universe. To me, a cold bagel is nothing more than a dense, insipid, donut-shaped roll. What makes the bagel such a wonderful thing is the interplay between the pleasantly chewy inside and the crisp, crunchy outside.

Unfortunately, with traditional bagels, there’s often too much of the former, and not enough of the later. With these, that’s not an issue. We’ve maximized crusty surface area, while eliminating about an inch of bready filler. By the way, in addition to being amazing with all the usual shmears, these flatter, sexier bagels also make a world-class sandwich. I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 8 Bagels (*depending on size)

(Please note: if you use different flours, or yeasts, or boiling methods, or pans, or anything else…I’m not sure what will happen, so you’re on your own)

1 pound bread flour, divided in half

1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

sesame seeds as needed

- Boil in about 2 inches of water, seasoned with a rounded tablespoon of salt, and 2 tsp of honey for 2 minutes per side.

- Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

- Bake at 400 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. 

*When the dough is ready to shape, weigh the total batch and divide by 7 or 8, depending on how big you want your bagels. Then weigh each portion out, and you’ll have consistently-sized bagels that will bake evenly.

View the complete recipe

Homemade Snickers Bars

The other day Carson sent me this article about homemade candy bars, and if he claims he didn't know what he was getting himself into he's on crack.  Because when I saw THESE, it was all over with people.  I waddled straight to the store for the ingredients.  One two-hour nap session and four simple steps later, I had the most amazing Homemade Snickers Bar in front of me.  I'm not kidding you, these taste EXACTLY, if not much better, than the original thing.  You have to make them.  I rarely do this, but I'm telling you, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM.  Or else we are no longer friends.  MAKE!

*Using a store-bought aluminum pan is really helpful, because at the end you can pop the whole thing out and cut...    

*My nougat layer started to melt into my chocolate layer, so it is really important to let everything cool between layering.  But who really cares, it still tastes the same.  

Easy Hock Terrine

what to do with big beautiful UGLY ham hock...?

break it down, tear it apart, smash it in to a loaf tin...

call it charcuterie !...

hi peoples...

sorry, "writers block"...

ha...how apropos.  a block for a block.

maybe that's why i have 23 drafts with photos and recipes waiting for some fabulous intelligent description...hmmm...intelligent just ain't gonna happen.

SO...this is a "WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET" kind of post.

hence, this is more of an idea rather than a recipe.

while shopping at one of my favorite Asian markets, H Mart, i came across a beautiful fresh already cooked ham hock...displayed much like a supermarket might display it's fresh roasted chickens. it was still warm and pliable so i snatched the best looking one up and brought it home.  with a fridge over flowing with food ready to eat i thought what am i gonna do with this big hunk o' hock ?!

i know...i'll make a terrine.

HOW EASY IS THAT !?

of course you can cook your own ham hock and do the same thing, but that takes hours....and ingredients.

ham hocks, much like trotters (aka pig feet) have a lot of good sticky collagen.  this is what makes for good glue in a terrine.  no gelatin needed.

INSTRUCTIONS

all of the following should be done with a warm pliable cooked hock...cool enough to touch and work with.

remove the skin in one piece, if possible.  this makes a nice outer layer and helps hold everything together.  tear apart the meat and tendons.  remove any bones and cartilage.  chunks can be large, but better long and thin instead of fat chunks.  add a little hot water (broth if you have some) maybe start with 1/2 cup to get some of the juices flowing.  SEASONING IS KEY...taste your filling.  maybe add some chopped scallions, chinese five spice, garlic or onion powder, cumin?...salt and pepper!  terrines are something that need extra flavor.

find a vessel that will work well.  i use a small loaf pan.  spray the inside lightly then line with plastic wrap.  leave over hang on all sides.  cut the skin in strips and layer the bottom.  then start packing the goods in...evenly dispersing the meat, fat, tendons and odd bits and pieces.  everything must go in so that it will hold together, but you can discard any unwanted dark ugly veins.

pour what juices you have left over the top and let it sink in.cover with hang over plastic wrap and press down hard with something flat that fits the top of the meat.  you don't want any air pockets.  place in fridge with a weights on top.  your terrine should be ready in a few hours.

voila...you have made a terrine.

pretty enough for any charcuterie platter.

serve chilled, sliced thin.

A great potato salad

The photo doesn't begin to make this justice, I'm afraid. However, it was fantastic. Bright, bold flavors! There are potatoes, obviously - tiny, new ones. There are olives, deeply purple kalamatas. Capers. And some julienned leek.



The dressing is made from homemade pesto (basil, olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, pine nuts), a little white balsamic vinegar, a spoonful of creme fraiche, and the perfect finish: finely grated lemon zest.



Highly recommended!

#CookForFamily .... Japanese Curry Rice

One of HY's  favorite Japanese dish is the Japanese Curry. I'm not a good cook and HY is certainly a picky eater. However, with the instant Japanese curry paste readily available in our super markets, I can do no wrong. As busy working couples, we don't cook often but we do spend some weekends cooking and baking for each other. The feeling of eating with and cooking for your love one is definitely great especially when your cooking is appreciated. One tip to improve intimacy, especially for couples who are married but still without kids, other than sex, have to be enjoyable food! So ... make love often ... cook and eat often and feel complete! :)

Ingredients (Serving for 4)
1.50 g  Pork Shoulder Butt sliced up.
2. 6 Brastagi Potatoes deskin and cut into cubes.
3. 4 carrots cut up into cubes
4. 1/2 onion sliced up
5. Instant Curry Stick.

Method :
1. Stir fry onion with a little olive oil till it's translucent
2. Add potatoes and carrots till it's slight brown. Scoop out and put aside.
3. Stir fry the pork shoulder butt slices until it's slightly browned. Scoop out and put aside.
4. Prepare the curry by adding the instant curry paste to the amount of water according to instructions. Bring it to a boil and then set it to low fire.
5. Add all the ingredients into the curry and cook with the lid on for about 2 hours. Open the lid and reduce until curry is thick enough for you.

Japanese curry goes well with rice and taste better when we add a sunny side up or a fried egg omelette.

Interview with Marcus Samuelsson

Chef Marcus Samuelsson is one of the guests coming from out of town for SF Chefs. He'll be here with illy cafe. And I'll be one of the illy cafe social media correspondents, sharing details of SF Chefs on Saturday night and all day Sunday. Follow me on Twitter and check out my posts on Instagram (@cookingwithamy)

Coffee and coffee culture is so important in both Ethiopia and Sweden, where you were born and where you were raised, respectively. Can you share what significance it has for you personally?  
Coffee culture in Ethiopia and Sweden couldn’t be farther apart in the actual rituals but for me I always associate it with family memories and the bringing together of friends and loved ones. Obviously as coffee is grown in Ethiopia it so much part of everyone’s life and diet. How you drink your coffee can vary depending on which tribe you’re from some have it with butter, or with salt or with barley they all celebrate it differently.

What memories do you have drinking coffee in Sweden?  
I always remember my Grandmother getting out her finest coffee cups for afternoon coffee and serving coffee with 7 different types of cookies which is a big Scandinavian tradition. My Grandfather was old school and loved drinking it from a saucer which used to annoy my grandmother so much but brings back very happy, vivid memories for me!

I'm excited to attend the sold out Ethiopian coffee ceremony at SF Chefs this Sunday. When did you first experience it? What was it like?  
I remember them preparing it in the pots and roasting the green beans and that wonderful aroma

How did the relationship between you and illy begin?

I am a coffee lover and a longstanding fan of illy. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and mine too. The creation of illy’s first ever single origin coffee presented the deal opportunity to partner with illy. The unparalleled commitment to sustainability and quality shown by illy is something I look forward to becoming a part of over the upcoming year.

What are you looking forward to the most about coming to San Francisco? Will you have any time to hang out with favorite chefs or at restaurants?
I love the farmer’s markets especially the Ferry Building and in general SF always inspires or teaches me something new – I know people always say there’s a rivalry between SF and NY chefs but I am so excited to go there – the palette of the SF people is very high so its a very inspiring place to be and eat

I'm sorry to be missing your illy Explorigins MonoArabica cooking demo with Chris Cosentino on Saturday at SF Chefs. Can you tell us what you will be cooking as the main course?
I will be cooking a coffee-cured duck salad with peach vinaigrette using illy’s Ethiopian MonoArabica Single Origin*.

Any tips for cooking with coffee? Using it as an ingredient? 
I love to add a little espresso with the sauce to accompany Gravlax – its very big in Sweden. Also freshly ground beans can be incorporated into a rub especially great with steak like a good rib eye. Obviously its great with the Tiramisu and Pana Cotta. I love making a white coffee drink which is a little coffee mixed with Coconut milk and cinnamon – delicious

*Ethiopian MonoArabica Single Origin is part of illy's introduction of the first single origin coffees, representing the best of their original famous illy blend. MonoArabica features the highest-quality examples of 100% sustainably grown Arabica coffee from three countries – Brazil (intense and full bodied), Guatemala (complex and medium bodied) and Ethiopia (delicate and aromatic)  You can sample MonoArabica at espressamente illy, 123 Battery Street. San Francisco.

You can see Marcus Samuelsson at SF Chefs this weekend

Saturday August 4
 - Tickets are still available for illy Explorigins: MonoArabica Coffee Cooking with Chefs Marcus Samuelsson (Red Rooster Harlem) and Chris Cosentino (Incanto)  10:00–11:30 am at the Westin St. Francis

Sunday August 5 (in the Tasting Tent)

 - Chef interviews by Marcus Samuelsson from 12:30-1:30 pm in the illy Lounge

 - Giorgio Milos, illy's Master Barista and Marcus Samuelsson will do a cooking demo at 2:10 at the Dacor demo stage

 - Marcus Samuelsson will be signing copies of his new book, Yes, Chef and offering tastes of MonoArabica with illy's Master Barista Giorgio Milos from 3-4 pm in the illy Lounge.

Please note: This is not a sponsored post!  I am being compensated in my role as social media correspondent, but I am NOT compensated to post about illy or any other brand. If I do so, it is only because I sincerely find it interesting and of value. I hope you do too.

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo

I felt too guilty leaving you this week with a bunch of Cookies and Pizza Monkey Bread.  Of course, that doesn't mean I don't have Homemade Snickers Bars and Chocolate Ice Cream on my to-do list, but you can look forward to that next week after a few days of eating a light and refreshing pasta salad.  My friend made this at a BBQ and I was smitten.  Can you be smitten about food?  I think I can.  It's an Ina Garten recipe, duh, and you will not regret making it or the fact that it serves a small army.  Just keep it in your fridge for lunch and snacking and midnight cravings.  The bright lemon and earthy dill and salty feta and crunchy onions and perfectly roasted shrimp along with the orzo is a killer combination.  Find the recipe here and enjoy your healthy weekend.

I'll be back (menacing, manic laugh).    

Blueberry Shortbread Bars – Please Don’t Call These Cookies

I’ve gotten a lot of shortbread requests, but haven’t done a video for it yet, since I’m not a huge fan of that particular cookie in its classic form. However, I love those little bars you see in the pastry case at the coffee shop, which feature a slightly moister shortbread base, topped with some kind of seasonal fruit.

I always wondered how they were made, and then I saw this peach shortbread post on Smitten Kitchen, which looked just like the aforementioned bars. So, I adapted that recipe, losing the egg white and switching out peaches for the very user-friendly blueberries. Besides, by adding fruit and calling them “bars,” we have something that sounds so much healthier than “cookies.”

There are no special skills required here, but you really want to get your hands on a wire pastry cutter, literally. Sure, you can dirty your food processor, but a pastry cutter will do the job quickly and easily, and you can really feel and see what’s happening in the bowl. Of course, if you’re not doing the dishes, go ahead and use the machine.

As I say in the video, any summer fruit will work, as long as you don’t use too much, and it’s not too wet. You need to have room for the crumbs on top to nestle down around the fruit to hold everything together. Also, if you roll with a particularly large entourage, you can easily double this recipe for a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 bars:

6 1/2 ounces (by weight) AP flour (about 1 1/2 cups of sifted flour, aka not packed)

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Chinese 5-spice (or a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg)

1 stick (1/2 cup) very cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon ice water, dripped over mixture

about 3/4 cup blueberries, or enough to cover surface

View the complete recipe

Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad Recipe

This recipe for Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad is brought to you by the fresh corn, leftover cotija cheese and a can of beans. And that lazy feeling that strikes during the Summer for something delicious yet easy. Like most everyone, I love fresh corn. Eight ears for 2 dollars? Sold! When corn is sweet it's a cinch to prepare. In addition to adding it to a salad, my other favorite ways to prepare it are making corn chowder (I make a different version just about very time) and on the cob, slathered with mayo and dredged in crumbled cheese served with a wedge of lime.

While corn should be cooked soon after picking or purchasing, cotija cheese is the exact opposite. I bought cotija for some recipe or another and found the leftover cheese lasted and lasted. Like other Mexican cheeses, it's inexpensive, and easy to use. Cotija is a crumbly cheese, less salty than feta, but a little goes a long way. The beans in this recipe make the salad feel hearty and substantial. I suppose you could make it with canned or frozen corn all year round, but it really feels like a Summer dish to me. 

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad makes the perfect side dish to go with barbecue chicken, steak, pork chops, you name it. It's a very flexible recipe, you can leave out the cilantro if you like, add more green onions or use red onions instead. Add more tomato or less. Add as much or as little hot sauce as you like. If you don't like spicy food, start with a teaspoon, taste, then add more. I hope you will make this recipe your own! 

Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 ears of corn

1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tomato diced, include the juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 green onions, chopped

1 Tablespoon Habanero Pepper Tabasco Sauce

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1/2 cup crumbled Mexican cotija cheese (or feta)

Salt

Instructions

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Strip the corn from the cobs, into the skillet and

cook, stirring, until beginning to brown in spots, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in black beans, tomato and juice, cilantro, green onions, Habanero sauce and lime juice. Fold in the cotija cheese. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed. 

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I created this recipe on behalf of Tabasco and I was compensated for it. The choice to post it here, was my own.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread

I blame all of you for this nonsense.  When I posted about Monkey Bread the other day, all y'all had to bring up the savory kind... the pizza kind... the cheesy, buttery, garlicky kind.  You knew what would happen.  You knew I would run, literally run, like a pregnant Olympian (no) to the store for mozzarella.  Well I did, and I made it, and I blame you if this baby comes out with pepperoni for eyeballs.

I used this recipe but I think next time I would go for shredded mozzarella instead of sliced (too much on top) and real garlic in addition to the garlic salt.  Because I'm nasty.  

Starting with Starbucks

We're off to Copenhagen for a few days, but every great trip starts with a Starbucks visit. :) I'm a big frappuccino lover!

Quick Vanilla Sauce - råkräm

In Sweden, we have a product called "Vanilla Whip" (Well, it's really called "vaniljvisp") an it's basically a vanilla sauce that you beat a little and serve fluffy. It has a pretty awful ingredient list (this is one of the brands, but they're rather similar):

skimmed milk
hydrogenated vegetable fat
sugar
skimmed milk powder
two emulsifiers (e472b and e472e)
vanilla aroma
two stabilizers (e407, e410)
coloring

Really. That's just not ok. My version, which is called råkräm, has a total of four ingredients:

2 egg yolks
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean
250 ml cream (the full-fat kind)

And what you do is this: Beat the yolks with the powdered sugar and the scrapings from vanilla bean until it becomes a little airy. (Not so easy with such a small batch, but do your best.) Lightly beat the cream into a billowing cloud. Stir in the vanilla mixture. Serve. For example, over this rhubarb cake.

Bonus: it's a million times better than the pre-packaged stuff. However, I realize that it's not safe to eat raw eggs in some parts of the world. Swedish eggs do not have salmonella, so I'm not at all concerned. If you are, sorry, you'd have to make something else then.

Eating Chicago

If you were following our trip to Chicago via Twitter and/or Instagram, you may have seen these pictures already, but I wanted to do a quick post with links to all the great places we dined at while in the Windy (and very delicious) City. By the way, all these were taken with a cell phone, usually in very poor light, so apologies for the quality. Enjoy!

Our home for the week was the very hip and happening, Public Chicago. The staff was beyond helpful, and the accommodations top notch. How cool was our hotel? World famous DJ Paul Oakenfold dropped by one night to spin tunes in the bar, that’s how cool. 

Still not convinced? Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow were spied walking through the lobby. Also, there were rumors about a celebrity chef from YouTube partying like a rock star on the 14th floor, but that could not be independently confirmed.

When I first get into a new town after traveling a long journey, I don’t necessarily want to run right out for a fancy meal. I’m always hoping there’s a nice, casual restaurant near the hotel where I can get some simple comfort food to help me settle in. 

We found that at PJ Clarke's. A near-perfect BLT was loaded with smoky, crisp bacon; but the star of the plate was the freakishly large baked potato. It was like getting a "welcome to Chicago" bear hug.

Of course we HAD to try a Chicago style hot dog, which we experienced at Five Faces Ice Cream Shop. I basically like any hot dog, and this was no different. 

While I’m more of a plain mustard guy, it did make me feel good knowing that, contrary to what you hear, the people of Chicago were getting some vegetables in their diet.

We also had to get some deep-dish pizza, since that’s a City ordinance for all tourists visiting longer than 3 days. Failing to do so results in a $1500 ticket or having to watch a Cubs game (most people just pay the fine). 

We did a sausage pie from Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta, and enjoyed it very much. By the way, the thin crust vs. deep-dish debate is just about the stupidest thing ever, as these are two completely different foods – both genius in their own way.

For my birthday dinner, Michele took me to Boka. We enjoyed a wonderful tasting menu, which reminded me of Commonwealth in style and attitude. Lots of very interesting food, done very well, served by people that enjoy what they’re doing. 

My favorite was probably this skate wing with huitlacoche purée. They also get bonus points for pairing the chocolate dessert with beer.

Finding a decent breakfast joint near your hotel is always a great joy, but The Original Pancake House was so far beyond decent that we are still talking about it. 

Perfect spinach and feta omelets, amazing potato pancakes, and something called a Dutch Baby. This oven-puffed pancake takes 20 minutes to cook, and is served simply with lemon wedges and powdered sugar, but it alone is worth a trip to Chicago.

I know I already posed a recap of the fabulous rehersal dinner at The Bristol, planned and presented by my cousin Tony Quartaro, but for my money you just can’t look at too many pictures of gnocchi. 

These were made with ricotta cheese and garnished with zucchini and mint. They were pure awesomeness.

What’s better than spicy pork rinds? Free spicy pork rinds! That’s right, when The Publican found out (and by “found out” I mean that I told them) that Chef John from Food Wishes was in the house, these warm, crispy gifts from the Gods suddenly appeared. 

If you’re a fan of Best Thing I Ever Ate you may have seen these, and they were incredible, as was the rest of the meal.

This place is known for its meaty fare, but the most interesting plate we tried was this grilled octopus with barley, fresh garbanzos, and watermelon. It was really, really good. 

After I posted the picture online, someone commented that certain things should never be served together. What an idiot.

Since I’m 25% Polish, I was very much looking forward to trying some of Chicago’s famous Eastern-European cuisine. This isn’t something we have a lot of in San Francisco, and I was not disappointed. 

We found this little hole-in-the-wall called Pierogi Heaven, and it was. Perfect little potato and farmer’s cheese dumplings, topped with bacon and fried onions. Come on, San Francisco restaurant industry; please open a few of these here!

We celebrated Bastille Day where everyone should celebrate Bastille Day, in an authentic Bistro. At Bistrot Zinc, we looked at nude art, ate frisée salads with poached eggs on top, and of course, slurped French onion soup in all its caramelized gruyere glory. 

I poke a lot of fun at the French, mostly because they deserve it, but all kidding aside, they know how to eat.

We finished our eating adventures at David Burke's Primehouse. I’ve been fortunate enough to eat some world-class beef in my day, but this was right up there with anything I’ve ever had. They age the prime meat in the basement, and the back wall is actually made from blocks of pink salt.

It was too dark to get any decent shots of the steaks, but I had the 35-day Kansas City Strip, and Michele went for the even funkier 55-day old Ribeye. The amazing depth of beefy flavor and buttery texture made meat memories that will not soon fade. 

The side dishes were great, the service was excellent (a reoccurring theme during our stay), and all was accompanied by these gorgeous popovers. They’ve been haunting my dreams, and as soon as I figure out how they did them, I will share in a video.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this very brief glimpse into our culinary adventures in “Chi-Town” (I had the good sense to not use that while I was there). Thanks to everyone who so generously offered their personal tips and recommendations. We simply didn’t have enough time to eat everywhere we wanted, but we will be back for sure!  Thank you, Chicago!