#korean style empanadas

[deliciously-vegan]

Jackfruit Bulgogi Empanadas

[[MORE]]

Dough

4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tbsp cane sugar 1 tsp sea salt

1 cup cold vegan butter

1 cup cold water

In a large glass mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar and salt.

Cut in the cold vegan butter. Using hands work in the butter until it is well-combined.

Pour in the cold water. Stir well. Knead for several minutes. 

Form a large ball. Wrap ball in plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Filling

2 cans (540 g each) young green jackfruit, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or agave) 2 tbsp black bean paste 2 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 1 tsp gochujang 1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Asian pear; cored, peeled and grated 

1 tbsp olive oil 1 white onion, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup sesame seeds (white or black) 3-4 green onions, chopped

Place jackfruit in a food processor and blitz a few times. Transfer to a large glass mixing bowl.

Pour the; soy sauce, maple syrup, black bean paste, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic paste, ginger paste, gochujang, and black pepper into the food processor (no need to clean in between) and blitz a few times. Pour sauce over top of the jackfruit. Stir to coat well.

Squeeze out the excess juice from the grated pear and stir into the jackfruit mixture. 

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the white onion for several minutes. Add cooked onion to the jackfruit mixture along with the sesame seeds and green onions.

Stir mixture well then set aside to marinate for at least one hour.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Remove dough from fridge and give it another knead. Roll dough out onto a floured surface. Cut dough into circles, about 4 inches across. Place circles on prepared baking sheet. 

Scoop about one tablespoon of filling on top of each circle. Lightly wet the edges of each circle with a touch of water. Fold dough over top of filling and squeeze the edges together. Using the back of a fork, press edges down to seal fully. (Alternatively, use an empanada press.)

Poke a few holes on top of each empanada. Brush each empanada with a bit of non-dairy milk.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Allow empanadas to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Store leftovers in fridge. (They freeze nicely too.)

[kin-eats]

Hey! Idk if you got a recipe request for a Schlatt including like beef or sweet meals? maybe non-alcoholic drinks? I don’t remember what I sent in exactly

I don't even remember if I ever got this request before the purge yesterday tbqh. I'll get right on it though!

Teriyaki Steak Quesadillas

Korean Barbecue-Style Meatballs

Empanadas

Cinnamon Tea

Mulled Cranberry Juice

Apple Smoothie

I apologize if anything's off (including exact source) but I hope you enjoy! ~Shadow

[hawaiianfoodil]

Hawaiian Food Catering Menu Ideas

Creating a Hawaiian food catering menu brings the vibrant flavors and festive spirit of the islands to any event. Here's a compilation of menu ideas that can cater to various types of gatherings, from casual get-togethers to more formal occasions, ensuring a memorable dining experience for all guests.

Traditional Hawaiian Luau Menu

Ideal for weddings, anniversaries, and significant celebrations, offering guests an authentic Hawaiian experience.

Appetizers:

Poke Bowls: Fresh ahi tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions.

Lomi Lomi Salmon: Tomato, onion, and salted salmon salad.

Main Dishes:

Kalua Pig: Slow-cooked, tender pork prepared traditionally in an imu (underground oven).

Huli Huli Chicken: Grilled chicken marinated in a huli huli sauce.

Grilled Mahi-Mahi: Served with a mango salsa.

Sides:

Poi: Mashed taro root, a traditional Hawaiian staple.

Hawaiian Sweet Potatoes: Roasted and served with a coconut glaze.

Tropical Fruit Salad: A mix of pineapple, mango, papaya, and kiwi.

Desserts:

Haupia: Coconut milk pudding.

Malasadas: Portuguese-style donuts, popular in Hawaii.

Beach BBQ Menu

Perfect for casual beach parties, picnics, or any laid-back outdoor gathering.

Appetizers:

Spam Musubi: Sushi-style rolls with grilled Spam and rice, wrapped in nori.

Shrimp Skewers: Grilled with a sweet and spicy sauce.

Main Dishes:

BBQ Chicken: Marinated in a guava-based sauce and grilled.

Kalbi Ribs: Korean-style short ribs with a Hawaiian twist.

Sides:

Macaroni Salad: Creamy and simple, a Hawaiian cookout staple.

Island Slaw: Cabbage slaw with a tropical dressing.

Desserts:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake: Sweet and tangy, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tropical Fruit Skewers: Grilled and served with a honey-lime drizzle.

Corporate Event Menu

Sophisticated yet approachable menu options for formal corporate gatherings or conferences.

Appetizers:

Ahi Tuna Crisps: Seared ahi on wonton crisps with avocado and a wasabi aioli.

Coconut Shrimp: With a sweet chili dipping sauce.

Main Courses:

Seared Sea Bass: With a papaya salsa.

Island Prime Rib: Slow-roasted and served with a guava-bourbon sauce.

Sides:

Steamed Jasmine Rice: Fluffy and fragrant.

Roasted Vegetables: Seasonal vegetables with a light soy glaze.

Desserts:

Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart: Rich and decadent.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake: Creamy cheesecake with a tangy passion fruit glaze.

Vegetarian/Vegan Luau

A plant-based menu that brings Hawaiian flavors to vegetarians and vegans alike.

Appetizers:

Vegetable Poke: Marinated tofu with seaweed, cucumber, and avocado.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas: With a pineapple dipping sauce.

Main Dishes:

Jackfruit "Kalua Pork": Young green jackfruit used as a substitute for pork, seasoned and slow-cooked.

Grilled Tofu Steaks: Marinated in a teriyaki sauce and grilled.

Sides:

Hawaiian Rice: Coconut rice with macadamia nuts and pineapple chunks.

Seaweed Salad: With sesame dressing.

Desserts:

Vegan Mango Sorbet: Refreshing and light.

Coconut Rice Pudding: Topped with kiwi and berries.

Each menu brings a taste of Hawaii's rich culinary tradition, offering a wide range of flavors to suit various dietary needs and preferences, ensuring a memorable dining experience for all guests.

[ashu-digiroads-01]

Exploring Fusion Food Trends in Middle Eastern Restaurants: A Culinary Journey

Introduction:

Middle Eastern cuisine has long been celebrated for its rich flavors, vibrant spices, and diverse culinary traditions. In recent years, however, there has been a notable shift in the dining scene, with Middle Eastern restaurants embracing fusion food trends to offer innovative and exciting culinary experiences. This fusion of flavors not only pays homage to traditional dishes but also reflects the evolving tastes and preferences of diners around the world.

Middle East Food Service Market:

Before delving into the fusion food trends, it's essential to understand the dynamic landscape of the Middle East food service market. With a growing population, rising disposable incomes, and a burgeoning tourism industry, the region has witnessed a significant surge in the demand for diverse dining experiences. Middle Eastern consumers are increasingly seeking unique and adventurous culinary offerings that blend traditional flavors with international influences.

Fusion Food Trends:

Mediterranean-Middle Eastern Fusion: One of the most prominent fusion trends in Middle Eastern restaurants is the blending of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. This fusion celebrates the shared culinary heritage of the two regions, incorporating ingredients such as olive oil, herbs, and fresh vegetables into traditional Middle Eastern dishes. Diners can enjoy innovative creations like falafel-stuffed pita with Greek tzatziki sauce or hummus topped with sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

Asian-Middle Eastern Fusion: The fusion of Asian and Middle Eastern flavors has also gained popularity, resulting in dishes that marry the aromatic spices of the Middle East food service market with the umami-rich ingredients of Asian cuisine. Examples include shawarma tacos with Korean BBQ sauce, spicy chicken shish kebabs with a Thai peanut dipping sauce, or sushi rolls filled with falafel and tahini.

Latin-Middle Eastern Fusion: Latin-Middle Eastern fusion combines the bold flavors of Latin American cuisine with the aromatic spices of the Middle East, resulting in a tantalizing fusion of tastes. Dishes like lamb empanadas with harissa dipping sauce, tabbouleh salad with a hint of lime and cilantro, or Middle Eastern-inspired tacos with pickled vegetables and tahini crema showcase the creativity and versatility of this culinary trend.

Modern Interpretations of Traditional Dishes: In addition to cross-cultural fusion, many Middle Eastern restaurants are also putting a modern twist on traditional dishes, incorporating innovative cooking techniques and presentation styles. For example, chefs might deconstruct classic dishes like kibbeh or baklava and reinterpret them in creative ways, appealing to both traditionalists and adventurous food enthusiasts alike.

Impact and Future Prospects:

The fusion food trends in Middle Eastern restaurants not only cater to the evolving tastes of diners but also contribute to the globalization of Middle Eastern cuisine. By embracing diverse influences and culinary techniques, these restaurants are expanding their customer base and attracting food lovers from all walks of life. Looking ahead, we can expect to see even more experimentation and innovation in Middle Eastern fusion cuisine as chefs continue to push the boundaries of flavor and creativity.

Conclusion:

Middle Eastern restaurants are embracing fusion food trends to offer innovative and exciting culinary experiences that celebrate the rich heritage of the region while appealing to modern palates. Whether it's blending Mediterranean, Asian, or Latin flavors with traditional Middle Eastern dishes or putting a modern twist on classic recipes, these culinary innovations are redefining the dining landscape and showcasing the creativity and versatility of Middle Eastern cuisine on a global scale. As the Middle East food service market continues to grow and evolve, we can look forward to even more exciting fusion food trends and culinary adventures in the years to come.

[dsandrvk]

Friday, February 9 and Saturday, February 10

We got to Buenos Aires safe and sound, and so did our luggage, so all is right with the world. The flight from DFW was long, and we left early, and arrived early, but then squandered it by sitting on the tarmac waiting for a gate. Immigration was, as expected, epic and took over 45 minutes, but our driver was still waiting and got us as quickly to our hotel as possible amid a torrential downpour. Luckily it hadn't rained at the airport or when we got to town - only on the drive.

We were able to get into our room within a half-hour of arriving, and took our chance to wander a block over to Avenida Florida and get some pesos on the " blue market" (mercado blau) which is a semi-legal way to improve on the official exchange rate. Last time we were in Argentina we were able to get about double the pesos of the official rate. Now with the new government floating the peso a bit, we got a premium of 30-35%.

Armed with money, we bought some empanadas for a quick late lunch, which we enjoyed in the local park (with a giant cieba tree). Afterwards we decided to explore the area down by the old docks which has become a nature reserve. It was already late enough that we only had about an hour before closing, but since it is near our second hotel, we will return on Sunday.

We took a different route back and stumbled upon this little German style restaurant with a garden seating and a great happy hour deal, and managed to get two pints of beer, and a pile of fries with cheese and bacon for about $6.50 total. We got the stout and it was excellent - a lot like Guinness, although our waiter said it was from a local craft brewery. Our plate was served with mayo and ketchup, so we told our waiter about Utah fry sauce - they also have a name for the mixture in Argentina.

Today we had planned to go up to a couple of parks along the river that were supposed to be good birding places, but it didn't completely work out as planned. The train stations were on another line, and no one we asked had any real idea how to get there and sold us tickets to get to some intermediate station. The conductor told us to get off at Belgrano C and walk 12 blocks east to another station to continue our journey.

Before we started this trip I wondered if Buenos Aires had a Chinatown, since this weekend is Lunar New Year. Well, when we got off the train at Belgrano we immediately saw the Chinatown gate and a horde of folks celebrating. Found it!Chinatown here is only about two blocks long extending out another block in each direction, and also includes Japanese, Korean and Indian establishments. Up one side street was a Hugh video screen showing Chinese animated movies - the clip shows the year if the rabbit giving way to the year of the dragon. We headed out away from the crowds pretty quickly and walked towards the other train station.

This, it turned out, was a stop for the city University, and situated in the middle of a highway. Unfortunately, this line did not go in the direction we wanted, as our conductor had been mistaken. We might have found the line we wanted if we had walked from Belgrano in the opposite direction, but by now it was a little late for that. We did walk through the University campus towards the river, where there was another nature preserve, but this one was closed due to construction.

So we headed back towards Chinatown, got our bearings and headed towards a closer park with a lake near to our original train line. Here we finally found some birds and several capybaras swimming around. There were lots of egrets, cormorants, a single anhinga, and lots of mixed up wild and domestic geese. Lots of families, too, enjoying their Saturday, and although there had been a close to 100% chance of thunderstorms, none materialized.

By this time, the afternoon was coming to a close, so we took our train back, walked to our hotel for a little cleanup (it was a high in the upper 80's with lots of humidity), and then went to the same "extrawurst" place for dinner. This time we enjoyed bierwurst, fries, slaw, and apfel strudel (mit eis), as well as more yummy beer. On our way back to our hotel we took a stroll down Avenida Florida, which looks totally different after dark. Although the entrance to our exchange place was closed, there were still cries of "cambio", so someone was still exchanging money.

Today's photos are fairly self-explanatory, except for the mural which was on the wall of a Starbucks at the train station. Didn't know there were lions and tigers here, as portrayed, or quetzals. Truly a fanciful Buenos Aires.

Tomorrow we will transfer to the ship's hotel, which is less than a mile away, and closer to the marina and the nature preserve. Our hotel here is very nice, and decorated in a mid-century modern style with a sky bar above and a restaurant below and has been a very convenient location. We are enjoying our little bit of summer before we move on to the colder far south.

[popradar]

Smorgasburg LA Returns on Sunday, Jan. 14 with New Vendors

House of Empanadas joins Smorgasburg LA on Sundays. | Photo courtesy of Smorgasburg LA.

The open air food market Smorgasburg LA returns to ROW DTLA on Sunday, Jan. 14, ushering 2024 with new food vendors.

Basket Taco Co. The tacos de canasta features traditional fillings, including beans, potatoes, and chorizo, plus more modern specials like lobster. Battambong BBQ Long Beach-based chef and pitmaster Chad Phuong (the “Cambodian Cowboy”) melds Texas Style BBQ with Southeast Asian flair (influenced by his Cambodian roots). Glad Chef Cihan Kaymakcalan's Glad, reimagines Nancy Silverton’s famous Focaccia di Recco with the chef’s Eastern European roots.

HGG Tanghulu HGG Tanghulu specializes in candied fruit skewers — aka tanghulu — the traditional Chinese street food snack.

House of Empanadas Try Puerto Rican staples including more than over 40 different empanadas.

Kavahana Kavahana is the first and only vendor specializing in all natural kava drinks in Los Angeles. Kava is a cultural drink that has been enjoyed for more than 3,000 years in the South Pacific and Hawaii. Miya Miya Shawarma Chef Yaz and team are privileged and excited to serve traditional shawarma made with spices and equipment imported directly from Jordan.

Rice Gang by Moom Maam With Rice Gang by Moom Maam Darwin Win experiments with flavor combos and innovative toppings for Thai street food bowls, such as Japanese curry rice made with beef cheeks, and topped with katsu, karaage and more. Softies Sam Hong and Josh Kim's Softies "respects the tradition of the classic Oklahoma style burger" while also offering their own takes such as the egg topped breakfast burger, a potato stick topped steak frites burger and tempura fried enoki topped shroom burger.

Taste of the Pacific Taste of the Pacific specializes in Filipino-style dishes including bbq skewers and lumpias. Other items include sweet and saucy fried shrimp and grilled Korean short ribs.

Smorgasburg LA ROW DTLA 777 S. Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90021 Free entry, Local Craft Beer and Micheladas, No Pets Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

— Christine N. Ziemba

[alphonseelriic]

Hi Sofia! ❤️ How is it going? Sorry I'm a little late! So much to do and so tired recently 🥲

Hope you enjoyed a bit of your free time!! When are you done done with finals? 👀

Gonna confess, Im a glutton for food so always happy to hear people talk about their fav food too 😆. I know pannettone!! But I've only tried the Italian version, not sure how different they are (but I'm also sure the homemade ones are always the best!). Do you cook/bake too? :O I love empanadas too but I think I only know the fried ones! I had to Google the other two, BUT Locro looks so hearty to have omg and the alfajores looks so soft and good?! I wanna try them! 🤤 Just talking about it makes me so hungry right now... I do hope you'll get to eat all your favs this holiday season!!

Hmm I like a lot of different food too! And trying different countries food is always exciting to me so I like a little of everything. My favs is usually Japanese dishes or asian ones but specifically—I LOVE duck (the chinese ones in particular but also the seared foie gras), grilled meat 😅, sushi, udon (noodles are usually always a win), korean fried chicken or karaage. Randomly, I also like al pastor tacos, a good sandwich (roast beef is my go to ^^ ), samosas, hot pot, most potato things, cheese in general esp. gouda or goat!... I'll stop now hahaha. Btw do you have any favorite drinks?

Aww Im glad you enjoyed getting to where you are now! Asjdkkdd I'm not sure if my field fits me, there's definitely times I question it but it's what I do for now 😂😭.

The books—I'm familiar with the first few (jane austen books we had to read those in school!) but not the rest so I'll have to look it up sometime!! I had no ides howls moving castle was also a book! I'm sad to hear reading for uni took away reading for fun 😭. I honestly haven't picked up a book in ages so I feel this tho. These days I just read fanfics, I wonder if you were ever into those? 👀

Ahhh please!! I too love a lot of the scenes you picked as a fav! OMG AL 😭 you make me want to do a rewatch again of fmab...and the train scene with ed/winry and that line he says totally has my heart. AND THE MOB PARTS!! When the OST came on for both of those scenes? It was the most perfect beautiful ones and that song is one of my favs! That's when I knew I /loved Mp100 haha. HQ ahh so many good moments right...hinata growing is always so heartwarming, but so are the rest of them 😭. Honestly I want to rewatch hq like at least every year LOL... the sxf ones too, I love bond and I didn't expect to love Damien but it's growing. You picked such great favs ahh, let's see what Santa can do with those. 😉

Btw I haven't mentioned this yet, but went through your edits and you have such pleasant sets. So I want to ask! Do you have a favorite kind of style either that others make or that you lean towards? What inspires you to create?

Thank you for indulging me again and talk soon!!

- Animanga 🎅

So nice to see you again, secret santa ❤️ please don't apologize!! I hope you're doing well despite everything you need to do :')

My last final was the 6th, so I'm already on vacations for a while! I'm actually with my family at the beach rn hahahaha

Heh I totally get you! I honestly have no idea if there's a difference between italian panettone and the one we eat here 🤔 Empanadas can be either fried or oven baked!! They have a lot of variations between each southamerican country, in places like Colombia for example they always eat them fried, but here it's more common to have them baked as far as I know! Yeah locro is really comforting, carefully crafted to eat during winter >:) the tradition is eating it on may 25th, one of our two patriotic dates. Alfajores are heavenly!! I'm pretty sure they aren't very easy to find in other countries but if you ever stumble upon them and you're craving something sweet, I couldn't recommend them enough!

My mom is a baker that works from home (studied it professionally and all) but I admit I'm not much of a baker/cook myself 😅 I do enjoy cooking and if I'm given a detailed recipe there's a good chance I'll do mostly good, but for some reason I'm not very drawn to the kitchen. I do want to start cooking more tho, I just don't have much initiative. What about you?

Ooohh I think I've never tried duck now that I think about it 🤔 I want to try it now!! I haven't had the chance to try a big amount of asian dishes but I loved the ones I did try <3 i also love sushi and noodles!! Ohh korean fried chicken sounds delicious! I went to a korean food fair a few weeks ago with some friends and my favorite were the tteokbokki and the bulgogi 🤤

Oh I also adore tacos and anything with potato and cheese in it LMAOOO honestly idk if i have favorite drinks, I mostly like cappuccino and hot cocoa. When it comes to cold drinks, I'm fine with water or diet coke. I also like freshly squeezed orange juice 🧡

Oh you read Jane Austen for school?? Lucky you! We didn't read anything remotely similar in my high school, and then in uni my english literature teacher didn't like her books so we didn't read them 😭 I ended up reading pride and prejudice for another completely different class later on, and now I'm reading sense and sensibility by myself!

Oh I do read some fanfics from time to time, but definitely not with the consistency most people on fandoms do. Once in a blue moon I get obsessed with a character or a ship during like one evening and then spend the rest of the night searching for fanfics. I have bad luck at finding ones that actually catch my attention so I don't do it often.

HAHAHA I'm glad you liked the scenes I chose! Resisting the temptation to rewatch fmab is a constant struggle really 😖 same for Haikyuu! Oh yeah mob's soundtrack also takes the cake, wouldn't be the same without it 💕 Damien also grew a lot in me! His crush on Anya is so adorable. Can't wait to see what Santa does ;)

Awww thank you! My edits mean a lot to me so I'm very happy you like them 🥹 ohh that's such a hard question!! I find all editing styles or technics to be great on their own right, but I personally lend more towards gifs and graphics with soft colors, with subtle patterns and textures, carefully put together quotes and well placed panels! Maybe my explanation is a bit abstract so these are some examples:

https://at.tumblr.com/alphonseelriic/romancegifs-romancegifs-10k-followers-celebration/u4wogp3dgfbe

https://at.tumblr.com/alphonseelriic/meqistus-look-at-me-i-will-never-pass-for-a/gbfxrdxw73fz

https://at.tumblr.com/alphonseelriic/mazusu-assassination-its-the-family-trade-we/6o0wy6grzd58

https://at.tumblr.com/alphonseelriic/suzouyas-grand-king-oikawa-tooru-%E5%8F%8A%E5%B7%9D-%E5%BE%B9-for/891elmqmjv49

Obviously this doesn't mean I don't like sets with stronger or vibrant colors!! As long as there's harmony between them, any color combos will be great :') I also love gifsets with big, clear and crispy gifs! You see a lot of them now that tumblr has updated their size limit lol

What inspires me to create is mostly the process, which I usually enjoy a lot (unless I'm creatively stuck, then not so much hahaha). I also love looking at other's creations and seeing if I can make something as beautiful! The challenges from animangacreators are also very helpful when I wanna make something and I don't know what ;)

That was a very nice talk!! See you again soon, my santa ❤️

[nwbeerguide]

Stoup Brewing and Jason Stoneburner announce the upcoming opening of Stoup Brewing Kenmore. Opening Thursday, May 6th.

Press Release

image courtesy Stone Brewing Company

SEATTLE … Stoup Brewing has partnered with the Seattle-based Weimann Maclise restaurant group to open Stoup Brewing Kenmore, in the heart of Kenmore, Wash. on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 2pm. Located at 6704 NE 181st St at the Hangar at Town Square, the taproom and kitchen will feature a Northwest-inspired menu centered around stone hearth pizzas, salads, and beer-friendly big plates.

Stoup Brewing Kenmore will have 22 tap handles which will feature award-winning favorites like Citra IPA, Mosaic Pale and Robust Porter plus seasonal favorites as well as a constant selection of rotators like Mothership IPA, brewed exclusively for the Ballard and Kenmore locations.  There is also a designated retail area for beer-to-go including Stoup’s available 4-packs, a selection of pre-fill crowlers and merchandise with plans to add a curated selection of beverages from friends in the industry in the near future. Growlers can be filled at the bar.

“Innovation has been the key to survival in the last 12 months and this partnership with Stoup is a testament to that,” said James Weimann, co-owner of Weimann Maclise Family of Restaurants, which includes Poquitos, Rhein Haus, Sabine, Stoneburner and Macleod’s. The ownership team at Stoup Brewing agreed, noting, “After a very difficult year, collaborating on a creative project with talented and enthusiastic new partners is a huge breath of fresh air!" Weimann concluded by adding “Our hope with this evolution is that regulars who loved the food and atmosphere at Seaplane will find all those same elements in the new Stoup taproom. And fans of Stoup Brewing will have a new place to enjoy their favorite beer!”

Stoup Brewing Kenmore will feature a menu perfect for dining in or taking out.

A sampling of menu items includes the following:

Brewer's pretzel with pimento cheese, spicy stout mustard

Chicken Wings, korean bbq or kimchi ranch

Ginger Kale Salad - green papaya, peanuts, chili ginger dressing

A selection of 12” round pizzas as well as huge square slices

Beer Belly - red sauce, fennel sausage, red onion, mushrooms, mozz

Torpedo - red sauce, crushed meatballs, provolone, mozz, roasted peppers

white sauce, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, pepper bacon, brie

Share Plates

Cauliflower Empanadas - paprika aioli, chimichurri

Loaded Nachos with tomatillo avocado salsa, pico, black beans, pickled serranos

Soft Serve

Chocolate Sundae - chocolate ice cream, chocolate stout fudge, whip

Root Beer Float - malted vanilla bean ice cream, root beer, whip

“When planning this menu, I wanted to keep some crowd-favorites from Seaplane but also bring in some more beer friendly shareables like tray nachos, meatball sliders and a great burger” said Jason Stoneburner, Stoup Brewing Kenmore’s executive chef. “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the menu,” said Brad Benson, Co-Owner and Head Brewer at Stoup Brewing, “The locally sourced ingredients and creative menu choices reflect an approach to food that Lara, Robyn and I have always admired as well as an ethos similar to our own approach to beer.”

In addition to the Stoup beers on draft, the beverage program, headed by General Manager Nikki Koth will include wine, seasonal draft cocktails, and cider as well as malted milk shakes and root-beer floats. Look for beer slushies later this summer. Food and beverages will be ordered at the bar in a casual, tap room style similar to the Ballard location.

At full capacity, the restaurant and taproom will feature a 125-person dining room, 25 seat bar-top, 50-person outdoor patio with fire pit and buddy bar along with a mezzanine that can accommodate up to 50 guests for private events. A large accordion door that opens the dining room onto the outdoor patio will provide open air dining for guests inside. To assist with COVID restrictions, the city of Kenmore is generously allowing us to open with temporary expanded outdoor seating in the adjacent plaza. The dining structures are open to the public when not in use by the taproom and kitchen.

Following the 2pm opening on May 6th, Stoup Brewing Kenmore will be open from 12 – 9 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The tap room will be closed on Mondays through May 24th, opening 7 days a week on Memorial Day.

About Stoup Brewing Kenmore Opening May 2021 in Kenmore, Wash. by local Stoup brewing owners, husband-and-wife team Brad Benson and Lara Zahaba together with Robyn Schumacher and local restaurateurs James Weimann and Deming Maclise, Stoup Brewing Kenmore offers guests an approachable atmosphere perfect for beer with friends, a family dinner, date night and everything in between. In the kitchen, Executive Chef and co-owner Jason Stoneburner serves up a menu centered around stone hearth pizzas, salads, and beer-friendly big plates. The Kenmore tap room features 22 drafts including cider and pre-mixed cocktails. For more information, visit www.stoupbrewing.com or follow on Instagram at @stoupbrewing_kenmore.

About Stoup Brewing Opened in 2013 by husband-and-wife team Brad Benson and Lara Zahaba together with Robyn Schumacher – Stoup is a lifelong dream realized by three friends who love all things food and drink. More than a family-friendly brewery, the taproom is a place that embraces the fundamental essence of beer: a means of bringing people together, one pint at a time. Each of the trio left behind “safer” careers to realize their dream of opening a brewery: Lara, nearly two decades in marketing and PR for wine importers; Brad, a career as a forensic chemist; Robyn, 13 years as a high school biology teacher. Collectively, they believe in the community building nature of beer while individually each bring a unique perspective that makes Stoup such a special place.

About Weimann Maclise Restaurants The Weimann Maclise Family of Restaurants is the product of over a decade of creativity and passion that began with two local Seattleites—James Weimann and Deming Maclise. Through many years and friendships James & Deming have brought to life a dozen concepts with various partners along the way. While each restaurant is independently owned & operated, their philosophy of quality ingredients prepared by talented chefs in stunning and welcoming environments carries throughout each location.

About Jason Stoneburner Jason Stoneburner is the chef/co-owner of Stoup Brewing Kenmore. He brings his famous every-piece-is-a-corner-piece pizza slices to join forces with Stoup to transform the traditional brewery experience into satisfaction on every level. Stoneburner is dedicated to procuring products from small farms and thoughtfully sourcing ingredients. He is a proud supporter of the Special Olympics, Seattle Children’s Hospital, FareStart, and charities that encourage sustainable farming and agriculture. In his free time, Jason can be found somewhere along the West Coast surfing or snowboarding.

from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide https://bit.ly/3toHVx7

[luvknow]

I checked you abt me afterwards and found out but I wanted to wait until you answered! So I'm going to Chicago in August to see Monsta X with my friend! I've been there many times with my family since I live (somewhat) close, however this time I am going with her family. Since I've been there and found places I liked she asked me to come up with some places to go and I have a good list so far but I wanted to ask if there is anything you recommend us doing? 1/2

I know quite a few smaller food places that I like there but if you have any you enjoy please recommend! Also I know you love bubble tea probably just as much as I do and the one thing I don't have one my list is a place! Also I've just been meaning to ask you what your favorite bubble tea place in Chicago is! I think that's all for now! Thank you! 2/2 💕

OOOh congrats i hope you have fun!!! i decided not to attend :( anyways, here are some of my recs!! this is me assuming you have a car cuz some of these places are all over the city lol, under the cut!!

chinatown:

the most popular boba place is kung fu tea and chatime, but my absolute favorite of all time is hello jasmine on clark st!! there’s a really cute guy that works there LMAO but i love hello jasmine’s matcha milk tea and strawberry milk tea!!! however, if you’re in chiatown square, KFT & chatime are right there, but KFT only accepts cash.

joy yees is excellent for family style food! PORTIONS ARE BIG so order wisely!! personal fav dish among me and like every asian in chicago is the beef cubes over tomato rice. their fruit freezes are good and refreshing, but their milk tea is TRASH

cheap food at 2am - chi cafe!!! rly good, rly quick, like less than $12 before tax, can order separate dishes. there’s this place called seven treasures that’s a bit farther away, but it’s a lil gross to sit there LOL BUT their bbq pork w egg over rice (colloquially “554″) is chinatown’s little treasure

a lil more luxurious - ming hin or phoenix for dimsum and right next to is is lao szechuan for realllyyy good spicy food

pilsen (nearby chinatown):

coyotes or los comales for tacos

la michoacana for paletas

it’s kinda gentrified here tho LOL

sushi:

sushi taku (AYCE $25?? or more i forgot)

butterfly sushi (multiple locations, i go to the one on grand ave)

kbbq/jbbq

san soo gab san, but they don’t do AYCE

gyu kaku, but it’s expensive unless you go for lunch

pizza:

dimo’s pizza (multiple locations, sells by the slice, ny style ish)

pequods (THE TRUE DEEP DISH, FUCK GIORDANOS!!!!), but lou malnati’s is good too

argyle (viet town):

literally every restaurant is good here LOL amazing pho

bambu for che thai/boba

wicker park aka hipster town:

big & little’s for american/fusion food

big star for tacos/drinks

stan’s donuts

jeni’s ice cream

insomnia cookies

lot’s of shopping!!! a lot of kpop stars like to go here, bts loves to shop here for some reason lol but it’s all like.... half cool thrift stores and half expensive hype brands

lincoln park (the town of rich white people):

sweet mandy b’s for cupcakes

molly’s for cupcakes (this place is better LOL)

del seoul for korean/mexican fusion tacos, rly good!

aloha eats for hawaiian food

lito’s empanadas

firecakes donuts

there’s a good coffee place across the st from firecakes i forgot the name tho LOL

the west loop:

little goat diner for korean fusion

au cheval for hands down the best burgers ever (small cheval is in wicker if you can’t get a seat)

international mcdonalds where they have menu items from different countries

touristy things:

art institute is my favorite museum

museum of contemporary art is having an exhibit of virgil abloh aka the founder of “off white” super dope exhibit, also behind the water tower mall and walking distance from beach

cloud gate/the bean (not that great tho tbh LOL)

lincoln park zoo is free for everyone, just find parking

michigan ave/mag mile for shopping altho nothing special, just name brands and typical stuff

museum campus for the planetarium, natural history museum, and the aquarium

local things:

take public transportation (blue line and red line for the train can take you anywhere you need to go)

walk around and explore!! you can find cool little street art and stores in places you wouldn’t imagine

rent a bike or a scooter

thrillist.chicago is a great guide!!!!! :)) let me know if you have any questions~!!!

[whateuniceats]

Finally got around to visiting Thursday Kitchen in the East Village with a friend the other day. The eatery is best known for its Korean dishes with Spanish and French influences, and this piqued my curiosity some tea ago. We got there right during the thicket of the Friday night dinner rush, so I’d definitely recommend getting there ASAP at 6 pm, since it’s first-come, first-serve, and they don’t take reservations for smaller parties than 6. My friend and I were told it’d be anywhere from a 45-60 minute wait, so we head over to the Mi Tea to chill for a bit before they got back to us about 40 minutes later, which wasn’t too bad in terms of wait time. 

Once we were seated, we were told that the food is served tapas style, and ordered a variety of dishes, including: the Pork Frita (cuban style pork shoulder, charred sweet pepper, viet-lime sauce, and sweet cured bacon crumble), the Duck Confit Empanadas (with dill creme fraiche, cumin, and pickled cucumber), the Lucky Noodles (hand-torn flat noodles made with ground beef, lime-yogurt cilantro, and fennel), the Korean Popcorn Chicken (made with sweet and spicy sauce, and black sesame crumble), and the Edamame Dumplings (with parimigiano, citrus truffle oil, and green peppers). All of the dishes were pretty scrumptious and stood out in their own way with their bold, spicy flavors, though my particular favorites were the Pork Frita and Korean Popcorn Chicken dishes, while my friend favored the Edamame Dumplings. 

I’d definitely be down for coming back here again to try some of their tapas-style dishes the next time I’m in the area. 

[365goalsfor365days]

#79: Attend the Edmonton Heritage Festival

So today I went to the Edmonton Heritage Festival for the first time ever with my 2 best friends. It was a blast. We spent hours just going around in circles. We looked at all the little shops, watch a lot of various dancers - Indonesian ones, Russian ones, German ones, Korean, Croatian, Indigenous, and Romanian. We also ate quite a few different foods. One of my friends got the picked herring (bottom right picture), and it still had it’s tail attached. She also at Octopus dumplings. She is much braver than I would be.... also I’m vegetarian. I loved the Indigenous Pow Wow. Their regalia is gorgeous and each dancer has his own steps and “path.” I really liked the one kid, he was totally into it. I wish I knew more about their regalia and if the dances were connected to their tribes (??is that what they’re called? Please correct me if I’m wrong so I can fix it) because like I said, each dancer had different steps and I’m wondering if that’s a tribe (again, please correct me) thing or if it’s just a dancer thing, or if it all comes together to tell one story within one tribe (please). The three of us got matching henna. I don’t think I’ve had henna done before.

As for the food (my favorite part of anything I do):

-We shared Dolma (grape leaves stuffed with rice and veggies) from the Azerbaijan pavilion. They were delicious. I’ve never had them before but they were great. Anyone know where I can buy Grape Leaves in YEG?

-I got myself 2 Rainbow Ice Flakes Coolers (red beans, basil seeds, with shaved ice topped with special syrup and condensed milk) because they were just that good.

-I got a cheese empanada from both Chile and El Salvador. Chile’s empanada had a much flakier, lighter shell. I liked it more.

-I got a Crepe Baies Rouge (crepes topped with red berry coulis and whipping cream) from France. It was delish.

-I got a Rugelach (chocolate cinnamon croissant-style pastry dusted with icing sugar) from Israel, which was pretty good.

-I got Coconut Drops (cubes of coconut boiled in sugar and ginger) from Jamaica. This was the only thing I didn’t really like. It was just too sugary for me.

-I got Mazamorra Morada (purple corn pudding sprinkled with cinnamon powder) from Peru, which was surprisingly good.

-We shared perogies from the Ukraine, which were A+.

I think that’s it. I had originally planned to get something from each pavilion but that would have been too filling and expensive.

I definitely recommend going to future Heritage Festivals if you’re ever in the YEG area when they’re happening. It was great. Will probably go next year.

[halsteadproperty]

Our Top Picks for NYC Restaurant Week, Winter 2019

Restaurant Week takes place twice a year, and the winter 2019 edition is upon us! It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year, when hundreds of restaurants across New York City offer specially priced prix-fixe menus. From January 21 to February 8, you can dine at some of the city’s best restaurants, with two-course lunches for $26 per person and three-course dinners for $42.

Here are some of our favorites among the participating restaurants. Make those reservations soon!

Claudette Greenwich Village

Claudette is a Provençal restaurant that draws inspiration from Chef Ari Bokovza’s Tunisian grandmother. Local produce, quality seafood, and North African aromatics make up the menu here. Enjoy a warm and hearty meal during Restaurant Week, with options that include muhammara, smoked eggplant and garlic soup, vegetable tagine, a lamb kefta gyro, and Moroccan lemon tart.

BLACKBARN NoMad

As the name suggests, BLACKBARN serves local artisanal food in a modern barn setting. The environment may be rustic and casual, but the menu and wine list are refined and world-class. Highlights of the Restaurant Week offerings include sheep ricotta gnocchi, big eye tuna tartare, and chili dusted swordfish.

Maiella Long Island City

An elegant waterfront restaurant in Long Island City, Maiella serves authentic Italian dishes with a modern flare. Enjoy the pretty setting while you feast on burrata, handmade ricotta and spinach ravioli, and chestnut panna cotta.

Fish Cheeks NoHo

Fish Cheeks is a seafood-centered Thai restaurant that prides itself on authentic dishes served family-style in a vibrant, playful space. During Restaurant Week you can expect items like grilled fish cakes, crispy pork belly, Manila clams, and vegan curry.

Barano Williamsburg

Head to South Williamsburg to try Barano, a wood-fired seasonal Italian restaurant that makes its own pastas and mozzarella. You’ll be presented with options like cavatelli with house-made lamb sausage, octopus with mint pesto, a heritage pork tomahawk, and dark chocolate almond tart.

Edi & the Wolf East Village

If you’ve never tried rustic Austrian cuisine, Edi & the Wolf would be the place to do it. The warm, inviting atmosphere is meant to inspire Gemütlichkeit, “a sense of conviviality and cozy intimacy that comes from the temporary surrender of everyday responsibilities.” If the space doesn’t do it, the potato leek soup and wiener schnitzel with potato salad and lingonberry jam sure will.  

Hanjan Flatiron District

Hanjan was inspired by the joomak, a Korean tavern offering travelers food, drink, and a place to rest. In that spirit, you’ll find Korean fare reminiscent of street market food – elevated for the New York palate, of course. Try the gochugaru-cured cod roe, braised beef short rib, and black sesame ice cream.

Baar Baar East Village

Translating to “again and again,” Baar Baar reimagines Indian food in a way that will challenge your perception of the subcontinent. The East Village establishment will serve innovative dishes like avocado papdi chat, duck shammi kebab, and tandoori mushroom during Restaurant Week.

Buttermilk Channel Carroll Gardens

Buttermilk Channel is the name of the mile-long strait between Brooklyn and Governors Island. When the area was no more than farmland, dairy farmers would cross the strait by boat to sell their milk in Manhattan. If you have lunch at the restaurant named in the channel’s honor, try the buttermilk ricotta for your first course. And whether you’re there for lunch or dinner, the buttermilk fried chicken is an easy winner.

Café Boulud Upper East Side

Café Boulud is the creation of French chef Daniel Boulud, one of New York’s culinary greats. The Michelin-starred institution blends French tradition with American sensibility through its cuisine. Try the pâté de campagne and beef bourguignon.

Zuma Midtown East

A forward-thinking Japanese restaurant, Zuma claims its cuisine is authentic but not traditional. Taste for yourself when you try the seared tuna with chili daikon or salmon teriyaki.

The Cecil Steakhouse Harlem

For an incredible meal in an upbeat and unpretentious environment, make a reservation at The Cecil. The Harlem steakhouse is adjacent to a revival of Minton’s Playhouse, which was a noted jazz club that hosted many of the genre’s greats.

La Lotería West Village

Chef Julieta Ballesteros presents a spin on Mexican cuisine with La Lotería in the West Village. During Restaurant Week you can make brunch, lunch, or dinner reservations, with a selection including chipotle pulled chicken empanadas, pork belly tacos, and churros with chocolate and dulce de leche.

[drmicrochp]

New York, New York

What destination offers the greatest variety of culture and night life, breath-taking views, and culinary delights? Why, New York city, of course. Visiting my own country, the U.S, isn’t the exotic destination that I ordinarily seek when leaving Chile. Yet, New York, this Elysium beyond the clouds, holds the most unique stratum of humanity that I know of. Walking down streets where I feel like an ant, surrounded by the most professional culture of money and the arts, knowing that this is where most of the decisions are made that matter, all of it combines to make me feel insignificant and a privileged visitor.

Victoria, Chile is one of the smallest towns that I know. New York, the largest. I would like to say that I´m at home in either place, but it´s a case of opposites. In New York there are too many choices -where to go, what to do, how to get there. In Victoria, there are too few -all of the restaurants and stores resemble one another in their offerings.

Arriving at JFK airport I was struck at how little attention I attracted from customs, police, and airport security. Customs barely looked at me. Nobody checked what I was carrying. Compare this with Lima, Peru, with its drug sniffing dogs, TSA x-raying my shoes and my crutch, patting me down in an all too familiar way. This time it was as if I was traveling with an express pass.  Joaquin, my son, and Abena, his wife, greeted me at the airport gate and we detoured to the nearest food stop and I had a chance to devour a doughnut. Doughnuts are one of my recurring dreams in Chile because they have none. There are some pasty counterfeits, but the doughnut shops that I remember would take offense at them. I should have bought a dozen.

Brain dead, as I always am, after the marathon which is a trip from Victoria to anywhere out of the country, I was happy just to have Joaquin, my son, and Abena, his wife, help me with my suitcases and show me to my sister's apartment where I would mostly be staying. Traveling from the 40 degree weather of Victoria to the 90 degree weather of New York required a shower and a change of clothes. Soon I was able to clean up enough to accompany my sister, Stephanie, to a performance of interpretative dance by the Mark Morris company and enjoy a modest bowl of chile beans at a diner. Yes, prices have gone up. That bowl of chile cost the same as a full dinner anywhere in Victoria.

Accompanying us to the performance was Christopher Ryan, the author of the divamensch.com blog, who blogs about the arts in New York city. Christopher sees all of the best performances in the city and knows all of the back stories. He and Stephanie shared all of their latest arts gossip. The interpretive dance numbers portrayed everything from a jellyfish capturing its prey to fishing, racing, tennis, and golf. With music of Eric Satie as a backdrop, Morris evoked an imaginative pantomime of different activities using only the dancers' bodies to express abstract impressions. Charles Ives, the composer whose music graced the other pieces was amazing. All of the music was played live and this added a lot to the performance. Some of them left me scratching my head, wondering what I had just seen. After the performance, walking past Rockefeller Center, I mused once again that I had landed in Elysium, a land envisioned by the Greeks as their version of heaven.

On another night, we attended a Yiddish language version of "Fiddler on the Roof" with English and Yiddish subtitles projected on the sides of the stage. Hearing this favorite musical in Yiddish gave me a feeling of authenticity about each of the challenges faced by the small community of a shtetl or village. On another day we visited a small theater in Manhattan to see "The Sword of Trust," a movie with Marc Maron, also enjoyable. Stephanie enjoys small out of the way gems when seeking out experiences in Manhattan, thinking as I do, that the blockbusters will find their way to us, rather than us finding our way to them.

Visiting the "Tenement Museum" in the oldest part of New York with Stephanie was my chance to imagine the inhabitants of old New York. I have been to the museum a few times before to see the actual apartments where early immigrants lived and to hear their stories from guides who had researched the names and histories of the original occupants. Visualizing Jacob Riis´s photographs from "How the Other Half Lives" (1889) and documentation of the "Five Points" neighborhoods from the those times calls up my imagination of how it might have been. I urge you to visit this museum if you ever have the chance.

Another item on my checklist was to find a Mexican restaurant and we visited three of them. One of them was a fancy boutique restaurant where everything was on the menu, but nothing seemed authentic. Growing up in Stockton, California where there are dozens of Mexican restaurants, has set the bar rather high for me, but (like my love of doughnuts) my memories persist. A second restaurant had spectacular burritos, but only burritos. On our third try, we found an authentic place and I realized the unique flavor of the sauces and spices that make up Mexican food. Our culinary demands come with other difficult conditions. Stephanie has high expectations for any dish, while David and I are vegetarians. I was willing to abandon the vegetarian preference on this occasion if it mattered. Finding cheese enchiladas or chile rellenos to my liking is a tall order. My dad, John Jutt (deceased) was the same way with his Chile Verde. In Victoria I can recreate burritos, cheese enchiladas, nachos and Mexican salsa with chips to my liking, helped by an excellent Chilean artisanal lager, but now I have come to a new conclusion. Don´t leave the American southwest if you love American-style Mexican food.

David, my brother, was also a generous host. On one night we enjoyed a Korean restaurant and on another a gourmet vegetarian restaurant. Spicy Korean noodles check all of my boxes, but not knowing much about Korean cuisine is a disadvantage for me. Korean barbecue is all the rave, but I will probably never try it. The gourmet vegetarian restaurant was an eye opener. They had recreated many fancy French dishes using only vegetarian ingredients. Faux steak, faux chicken, and even faux foie gras, had us all stumped as to how they evoked these flavors. It was a memorable meal showing how far this cuisine had evolved. David has not yet tried an "impossible burger," which I have heard so much about, but promised to try one. I think that always trying to mimic the flavor of meat is somewhat of a fool´s errand. Once you have tried an Argentine steak house you will know what I mean. Or maybe if you have tried soy bacon. Good luck.

David, his wife, Susan, and his son, Alexander,  are members of the Scarsdale community, north of NY city. David teaches choir and music at a nearby high school named "New Rochelle." If you're looking for the perfect place to retire in the New York area, Scarsdale is a safe bet. The location is so middle class, staid, and quiet that it is typecast as the model community and the butt of a few jokes. Being accepted into the "condominium cooperative" that is the organization of these tall apartment buildings is the hallmark of stability.

Another artist in the family living in New York (if my wife´s extended family may be included) is Nelson Andres Rivas, a.k.a. Cekis, who brought his former wife, Karen, and his daughter, Maya, to lunch at Stephanie´s building. Karen found some Chilean-style empanadas from a bakery and Stephanie made a salad and we all had libations. My favorite was the Negroni (equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari), Stephanie´s was the Aperol Spritz and everyone else enjoyed Pisco Sours in honor of Chile. From the rooftop where we dined a magnificent skyline could be viewed. The Dakota hotel, where John Lennon died, is visible from one side. Some construction cranes atop the buildings were visible. Some buildings we could not identify, such as crystalline, insectoid structures. Cocoons waiting to be born.

The centerpiece of my "only in New York" visit would probably have been the "Diner en Blanc," a dinner where hundreds of exclusive ticket holders converge upon a secret location where they enjoy musical performances and they, themselves, are also a spectacle. Stephanie, my niece Francesca and her husband, Brian were the members of our little band. I had to find all white attire, not something I ordinarily enjoy in Victoria, Chile. Some party goers bring their preparation to perfection with all white tuxedos and ladies wearing all white formal gowns. Also, the tables are magnificent presentations, with branches, candles, lights, flowers, and chuppahs or canopies marking them. Everything was perfection. On stage a crooner, perhaps a Frank Sinatra double, sang "New York, New York" as everyone stood and danced. Just as he finished the song, with everyone singing along, a thunderous typhoon struck with raindrops coming down in buckets and thirty mile per hour winds. Everyone was drenched in an instant. Our preparations for the event were rather meager in comparison with the exaggerated chuppahs, silver dining ware with warming trays and other gourmet dinners surrounding us, but it was all for the better. Blinded by the rain and frozen by the winds, we were able to tear down and hustle out of there fairly quickly. It resembled a scene of "The Titanic" with everyone scrambling to leave. I, with my one crutch, found special reserves of energy to assist with the evacuation. The metaphor was clear. Elysium is a fragile construct, easily replaced by Hades, given a catastrophe. New Yorkers know this better than anyone.

One last additional enjoyable part of my visit was staying with my Joaquin, who has the best (or worst) location for an apartment in New York, a bohemian enclave located on Saint Mark´s Place in the East Village. Sort of a birdcage, Joaquin´s apartment has a shelf-like layout on the fifth floor of an ancient building with space for a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and studio for his artwork. Just he and his wife, Abena, a singer, live in the heart of it all, in an area some refer to as America’s hippest street. Not too hip if you´re trying to get some sleep, but iconic nonetheless. Our first night out, programmed for a live concert in Brooklyn, I had to figure out how to navigate the subway on my own using an alternate route, this portion of the subway having shut down due to technical problems. Google maps and improvisation got me there, but not in time to see the concert. It ended just as I got there, but the whole spectacle had a weird psychedelic feel, seeing all of these concertgoers and having just ingested one of New York´s special cocktails, a "Nutcracker." This fruit flavored bombshell is sold out of portable ice chests by entrepreneurial hipsters for $15 a bottle, guaranteed to get your head straight. I loved all of the after concert banter with Jamaicans, Namibians, and Nigerians hanging out at the park, telling their stories. The concert must have been something else. Too bad that I missed it. Joaquin has found a niche as an artist and illustrator for the African American renaissance in New York and has introduced me to a number of their vanguard, such as Wangechi Mutu, a highly regarded Kenyan artist living in New York. Such an interesting life. Livin' the dream. My second night with Joaquin we went to a concert at the Nu Blue. At this venue, all of the performances were live and spontaneous. All of the freestyling rap and incredible jazz that I heard was inspired in the moment with people coming up on the stage and adding to the mix. I even made it down to the floor and busted a few moves myself. Intoxicated dancing I find to be the truest expression of my inner self. Just kidding.

Every time I look out of the main window in Stephanie´s apartment, with its incredible skyline of Manhattan, I can hear George Gershwin´s "Rhapsody in Blue." I began my vacation there and finished it there, like bookends. So many different pieces of the collage that come together in that city. How so much of my family started in Stockton, California and ended up there, I can hardly fathom. Such a glorious place to visit and how wonderful to see so much of my family there. We still belong to California in a way and now my roots are in Chile, but New York is a place where we have also found a connection, a place where dreams have no limits.

#fatcity #fatcityrefugee #newyork #expat #expatlife

[screwbait71-blog]

Five Chicago-Area Restaurant Shutters to Know

November 20

IRVING PARK— More than three years after opening, casual American restaurant HQ Howard Quintero will close at 4114 N. Kedzie Avenue. A note sent to diners announced November 25 as the last day of business. Thanksgiving catering orders won’t be altered. “To everyone who has become part of the HQ family, we could not have done what we did for so long without you,” the note reads.

THE LOOP— After eight years, U.B. Dogs is closing at 185 N. Franklin Street. Tribune writer Nick Kindelsperger is enamored by the hot dog stand as a quality Loop lunch option. The owner plans to open a new restaurant next year in the same space after closing U.B. by the end of 2018.

OLD TOWN— Seven months after opening, Optima, a music-themed bar and restaurant, has closed. The previous tenant, Mexican pioneer Salpicon, lasted 22 years at 1252 N. Wells Street. The venue’s Facebook has also been deleted.

UPTOWN— Godfathers Famous Pizza has closed at 1265 W. Wilson Avenue. The pizzeria’s history stretched 52 years, according to Block Club Chicago, which caught up with the owners who blamed rising rents.

SKOKIE— After more than a year, Real Urban Barbecue has closed its Skokie location at 5238 W. Touhy Avenue. They’ve placed a sign at the restaurant announcing the news. Locations remain in Oak Brook, Highland Park, and Vernon Hills.

November 14

LINCOLN PARK— After 13 years, the Lincoln Park location of Hema’s Kitchen has closed. The original Devon location remains unaffected. The restaurant featured a reliable menu of North Indian favorites, but business had slowed over the years at 2411 N. Clark Street. Signage announcing the shutter is up and the property has been listed.

DEPAUL— The area near the Bucktown/Lincoln Park border is once again looking for a decent Chinese take-out spot now that Sichuan specialist One Four One Five Restaurant has closed at 1415 N. Fullerton Avenue. The revolving door continues at the space that housed Small Bar and Beer Bistro North.

HUMBOLDT PARK— After a June opening at 2627 W. Division Street, Antojos and Shakes is closing. The owners made the announcement via Facebook.

NORTH CENTER— Yelp, Google, and an LTHForum poster all report that Braciole Station is closed at 2205 W. Montrose Avenue. They had opened in February.

CALUMET PARK— After two years, suburban spot Diamond Sports Club has closed at 1413 W. 127th Street in Calumet Park. A Facebook post shared the news.

NORTHBROOK— Jar Bar opened in the suburbs last year with much fanfare from a former producer on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Now the salad-in-a-jar restaurant will close on November 30 at 1350 Shermer Road in Northbrook. A Facebook post details the challenges, and hints that the brand may live on after the shutter.

October 23

ANDERSONVILLE— The 5212 N. Clark Street location of gourmet cheese market Pastoral and its neighboring full restaurant Appellation closed for good after service on Sunday. The three other locations remain open.

BUCKTOWN/LOGAN SQUARE— The location of Hero Coffee Bar in the former Belly Shack space under the CTA Western Blue Line stop at 1912 N. Western Avenue is shuttered and has a “for rent” sign in the window. The local chain took over the space in January 2017 and its other locations remain open.

DUNNING— Northwest Side daytime neighborhood eatery Rick’s Diner has shuttered at 7544 W. Addison Street, ownership announced via a Facebook post. It was open for just four months.

LINCOLN PARK— Rapidito Colombian Gourmet Street Food will close to the general public on October 28 and ownership has put some equipment up for sale, according to announcements on its website and Facebook. It will remain open for catering orders, however. The casual restaurant opened in January 2014 at 1855 W. Diversey Parkway to offer an array of Colombian-style hot dogs, empanadas, “arepizzas,” skewers, and sides.

WICKER PARK— Tozi Korean BBQ has shuttered after seven years at 1265 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Block Club reports. Its not all bad news for Korean barbecue fans however as a sign on the door announces that another Korean spot, the chain Iron Age BBQ, will replace it.

October 16

EDGEWATER— The owners of popular North Side baked goods-focused cafe Baker Miller closed their new Edgewater location after just four months, as Edgeville Buzz reports it’s shuttered with a “for rent” sign in the window. Dave and Megan Miller acquired the former Kitchen Sink space at 1107 W. Berwyn Avenue in early June and turned it into a Baker Miller location soon after.

UPTOWN/RAVENSWOOD— Sister neighborhood daytime coffeeshops/cafes Maiden Voyage Cafe and Satellite Cafe are now closed “for the foreseeable future” and ownership is looking for a buyer for the businesses, according to their post on Facebook. “We are working hard to find new ownership to pick up where we left off and continue to provide the community with great coffee and food,” it reads. “Thank you for all your business and support over the years.”

SOUTH LOOP— Kome Japanese Eatery, a casual catch-all Japanese spot in a space that’s become a revolving door at 1303 S. Michigan Avenue, is closed, Sloopin reports from a sign on its door. Google and Yelp also list it as permanently closed. The space previously housed Panozzo’s Italian Deli and Ameritalia before Kome opened in November 2017.

WEST ROGERS PARK— The phone is off the hook and there’s signage for new management, but it’s unclear what the future of the Family House, Chicago’s only Burmese restaurant, will be at 2305 W. Devon Avenue. The restaurant opened last year and received a positive review from the Reader.

WICKER PARK— Beach House Social, the former Mahalo at 1501 N. Milwaukee Avenue from the owners of the Hampton Social mini-chain, shuttered on Sunday night, Block Club reports. A rep told the publication that it’ll reopen in a different location next spring. It opened in the former Bom Bolla space in May 2016 as the Hawaiian-themed Mahalo before reconcepting into the beach house theme in June.

WRIGLEYVILLE— The latest bar attached to Wrigley Field, DraftKings Fantasy Sports Zone, has been demolished following the Cubs’ one-and-done playoff exit, the Tribune reports. A new spot is slated to open in the former Captain Morgan Club space by next season’s opening day.

October 4

EDGEWATER— The thrill of seeing Loyola University make the men’s basketball Final Four may have been too much for Bar 63. The sports bar, a gathering place for Rambler fans, closed on September 28, according to the Loyola Phoenix. The bar’s name comes from 1953 when Loyola’s men’s team won the NCAA championship.

LINCOLN PARK— BigBop + Ramen, the quick-serve Korean restaurant that opened as CupBop + Ramen, has closed its doors at 2439 N. Clark Street. The restaurant has been dark for weeks and Yelpers mark the venue as closed.

WEST LOOP— The Mid, the West Loop nightclub and bar which opened in 2010, will close in February. The owners posted the announcement on Facebook blaming “recent expansion in the West Loop and Fulton Market District” for the pending shutter. The Mid’s last day is February 5. Time Out noted that the ownership group owns stakes in Concord Music Hall in Logan Square and Prysm Night Club in Lincoln Park.

WRIGLEYVILLE— Today is National Taco Day and a fake holiday is a good time for some fake emotions. The Taco Bell near Wrigley Field at 1111 W. Addison Street will finally close at the end of October after 24 years of dealing with Cubs fans. The Tribune reports demolition day is scheduled for November 1. There has been much drama surrounding this “beloved” restaurant.

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September 25

BUCKTOWN— Upscale Damen Avenue cocktail lounge and eatery Presidio is calling it quits on Saturday. Management wrote on Facebook that “the Presidio team has come to the difficult decision that its time to close our doors for good” and “it’s the right time to begin our next chapter.” Owner Patrick Cullen told Block Club that he has had the space on the market but hasn’t found a buyer, expressed displeasure with local food media, and urged Chicagoans to support neighborhood spots. It opened a little over three-and-a-half years ago in the former Bluebird space next to Hot Chocolate at 1749 N. Damen Avenue.

LAKEVIEW— After more than a decade in Lakeview, Argo Tea has closed its location at 3135 N. Broadway Street. The shutter happened about a week ago with furniture removed and a sign on the door reading: “Thank you for 12 years. Please visit our other Chicagoland cafés.”

LINCOLN PARK— Chicago’s once-larger mini-chain of orange-themed brunch restaurants has grown smaller. Orange Lincoln Park has shuttered for good at 2413 N. Clark Street, management announced on social media, after nine years in business at this location. The news leaves the Roscoe Village spot as the only one remaining.

PORTAGE PARK— The owners of Brgrbelly have pulled the plug on their creative Italian beef spinoff Beefbelly. It opened in late 2015 with eight gourmet beefs before briefly reconcepting two years later into a Mexican-themed spot named Tipsy Cow Cantina and going back to burgers three months ago. Block Club first reported the shutter announcement via a Facebook post. Brgrbelly remains open.

September 13

MORGAN PARK— Far South Side neighborhood Irish bar Kelly’s Tap will close after service on Saturday, September 15, at 10910 S. Western Avenue. Ownership wrote that their landlord bought them out following a “long disagreement.” The building will be demolished and the neighboring Home Run Inn Pizzeria could expand into the space, build a parking lot there, or construct a new building for new tenants, The Beverly Review reports. Kelly’s Tap opened just last year in a space that used to house Mrs. O’Leary’s Dubliner and is on a popular stretch in Beverly/Morgan Park that’s also home to brewpubs Open Outcry and Horse Thief Hollow.

RAVENSWOOD— Acclaimed, creative thin-crust pizza spot ORD Pizzeria is currently closed at Ashland and Montrose and owner Daniel Bridge is looking to sell the restaurant “to someone who wishes to continue what we have started.” He wrote on Facebook that he made the decision due to “circumstances in my personal life” that have left him “unable to continue my life as the owner and operator of the pizzeria.” It’s been open for five years.

UPTOWN— Popular burlesque club and bar Uptown Underground has been evicted. Owner Jenn Kincaid told the Tribune that her landlord served her papers and changed the locks; while the landlord told Block Club that Kincaid owes him more than $100,000 in unpaid rent and back pay. The venue opened in 2015 at 4707 N. Broadway Street.

OAK PARK— Popular suburban mini-chain Altiro Latin Fusion closed its original Oak Park location and opened a new spot in La Grange while scouting for a new spot in Oak Park. It has three other locations open, including one in Roscoe Village.

August 29

GOLD COAST— Longtime French favorite Bistrot Zinc served its last customers on Sunday, August 26. Ownership made the “very hard decision” not to renew their lease at 1131 N. State Street in May. It originally opened in 1996 in Lakeview before moving to the Gold Coast two years later.

LAKEVIEW— Critically-acclaimed mom-and-pop Korean restaurant Moccozy has closed after seven months in business at 3333 N. Broadway Street. Its phone number is disconnected, a tipster reports that a “for lease” sign now hangs in its window, Yelp and Google both list is as permanently closed, and its social media accounts are no more. A Yelper wrote on July 27 that he heard “they are closing soon caused by complaints from the neighbors about cooking smells.” The Reader critic Mike Sula wrote in May that it served “bibimbap and more in their highest form.”

NOBLE SQUARE— Coffeeshop and casual daytime eatery Awake Cafe will close on Thursday, August 30 after more than four years in business at 1357 W. Chicago Avenue, according to social media announcements. It replaced longtime vegetarian-focused spot Swim Cafe, which closed in January 2014 following owner Karen Gerod’s battle with cancer.

WRIGLEYVILLE— The drinking scene near Wrigley Field is losing another bar before the baseball season even ends. No-frills spot BEER on Clark will shutter after service on Friday, August 31 at 3415 N. Clark Street, according to social media announcements that state “our ongoing battle to stay open has come to an end.” It was known for cheap booze, bar food, table games, karaoke, and late nights. There’s no word yet what will replace it.

August 20

AVONDALE— Sugar Hills Bakery, a suburban-bred mini-chain, shuttered its shop in the Elston Plaza at 3235 W. Addison Street, Block Club reports. Opened in fall 2013, its the third bakery to close down in the neighborhood in recent months.

EDGEWATER— Decade-old neighborhood Mexican favorite That Little Mexican Cafe is no more at 1055 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, the restaurant revealed on Facebook and Edgeville Buzz reported. It still has a location open in Evanston.

LINCOLN PARK— Cedar House, a family-owned Mediterranean spot, lasted less than three months at 655 W. Armitage Avenue. It opened in early March and closed over Memorial Day weekend, and although a similar restaurant named Cedar Palace recently opened in space, Cedar House ownership wrote that “we would just like to make it clear that we have no affiliation with it and have not been involved at the location since Memorial Day weekend.”

THE LOOP— 36-year-old downtown Italian favorite Bella Bacinos will close at 75 E. Wacker Drive on October 15, the Tribune reported, as its landlord is taking over the space. Ownership, who also run a restaurant in Lincoln Park and a seasonal spot at Diversey Harbor, hope to sign a lease soon for a replacement nearby.

PARK RIDGE— Chain restaurant Houlihan’s closed another Chicagoland restaurant, this time in suburban Park Ridge. Management shuttered its city of Chicago location in December 2015 and its Oak Brook location in February 2015. Multiple other suburban locations remain open.

July 9

BUCKTOWN— Sweet Rice, the expansion of North Center Thai favorite Sticky Rice, closed for good after service on Sunday at 1746 N. Western Avenue. Ownership wrote on social media and their website that “a new development project will take place at the current property” and that they won’t relocate the restaurant. They are, however, planning to open a small spot inside the Western Blue Line stop named The Sala Pao Shop which will serve Thai steamed buns, coffee and tea, and more. Sweet Rice opened in February 2014 as Sticky Rice Chiang Mai before reconcepting two years later into the more casual spot with the addition of Japanese and Korean dishes.

DUNNING— Nostalgic neighborhood spot Fizz Eatery and Soda Fountain announced on Facebook before the July 4 holiday that it would close for good at 7958 W. Belmont Avenue. Ownership blamed the neighborhood for the shutter in the post, commenting that “unfortunately the neighborhood did not support it” before deleting both its Facebook and Twitter accounts. Another Facebook user posted a screenshot of the comments, and Yelp, Grubhub and now its website confirm the shutter. It was open for just under one year.

PILSEN— Coffee shop and eatery La Parada en Pilsen will close to the general public on July 15, ownership wrote on Facebook, although the space will be available for private events starting July 16. It was open for three years at 2059 W. 21st Street.

PORTAGE PARK— Ownership hasn’t confirmed its shutter and its website and social media outlets remain up, but Yelpers report that Taurus Restaurant is closed, Grubhub states the restaurant “is taking phone orders only,” and employees haven’t answered its phone in multiple attempts. This will be updated if and when ownership responds to inquiries.

SOUTH LOOP— Poke & Roll closed on June 25 at 555 S. Dearborn Street. Ownership will open a larger place soon at 5121 S. Harper Avenue in Hyde Park with the same poke, a full bar, and more named 1 Fish 2 Fish.

GLENVIEW— Japanese chain RA Sushi has closed its suburban Glenview restaurant. Its delivery-only location in the city and full-service spot in Lombard remain open.

June 11

BOYSTOWN— Eat A Pita, a fast-food spot that served pita sandwiches, salad, ribs, and more, has closed at 3155 N. Halsted Street. An Old Town location had closed years ago near Division and LaSalle. The owner, in a Yelp comment, said he was going to retire after 30 years.

GREEKTOWN— Another relic of the old West Loop has fallen. Roditys, which was around for 45 years at 222 S. Halsted Street, has closed. Apparently, according to a spokesperson, the restaurant isn’t a goner forever. It will reopen at an unspecified date following renovations.

LINCOLN PARK— The very first Sushi Burrito location, formerly Sumo Restaurant, has closed at Sheffield and Clybourn. The strip mall should soon see a new Dunkin’ Donuts on the 1700 block of North Clybourn.

WICKER PARK— Rumored for weeks, Pizano’s Pizza closed its Wicker Park location last week following the Do Division street festival. The restaurant’s website states they’ll have a new concept opening soon at 2056 W. Division Street.

WICKER PARK— Two eateries inside a Wicker Park strip mall have closed on the 2000 block of west Division Street. Block Club Chicago reported that Shata Mediterranean — which opened in December — and a Subway both shuttered earlier this week. Subway didn’t renew its lease, while Shata sold to a new owner.

EVANSTON— Friday was the final day for Cheesie’s Pub & Grub in Evanston at 622 Evanston Street. They still have locations in Lakeview and Wicker Park.

HIGHWOOD— After three years, Ballaro — the suburban Italian restaurant from a team including the son of former WBBM 780 AM restaurant critic Sherman Kaplan, is closing at 214 Green Bay Road in Highwood. A Facebook post announced Sunday as closing day. The ownership group of Mark Newman and Josh Kaplan have a neighboring restaurant, Greenwood, and Kaplan said that location is doing great.

This Sunday, June 17, will be the last night of service for Ballaro. It has been a labor of love and we are incredibly...

Posted by Ballaro on Monday, June 11, 2018

May 16

LAKEVIEW— Sushi Mura has closed at 3647 N. Southport Avenue after 14 years. The restaurant is victim to new development and plans to reopen at a new location in fall of 2019, according to a Facebook post. Southport Corridor News first noticed the shutter.

LINCOLN PARK— It’s not a new shutter, but La Diosa has closed at 2308 N. Clark Street. The Mexican restaurant featured the cooking of chef Laura Martinez, a Charlie Trotter’s vet who was blind since birth.

LOGAN SQUARE— Panaderia La Central, a Mexican bakery that’s been under the CTA Blue Line’s California stop for more than a decade has closed. Block Club Chicago noticed the windows were boarded up at 2218 N. California Avenue. There’s a second location in Humboldt Park at 3911 W. North Ave.

NOBLE SQUARE— Despite rave reviews, Flip, the burger spot from Picante owner Felipe Caro in a former La Pasadita space, has closed. Caro confirmed the shutter and said he still owns the property at 1141 N. Ashland Avenue. The space includes a courtyard and he’s looking for someone to come in with a new concept and to operate a restaurant inside: “The idea of running three restaurants is nuts,” Caro wrote. “Hats off to the hospitality groups that have multiple locations.”

RIVER NORTH— Blue Frog 22, the upscale sibling of the original Blue Frog that closed in 2015, has also closed. The Tribune first noticed the shutter at 22 E. Hubbard Street. The bar was the subject of Bar Rescue, the TV show that makes drama out of suffering bar owners desperate to try anything to improve business.

UPTOWN— May 26 is last call for Max’s Place at 4621 N. Clark Street. The dive bar has been around for 39 years. Uptown Update first noticed the news. The announcement seemed to indicate a possibility of a reopening.

SKOKIE— M Burger, the Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises burger chain, has closed its suburban location inside a Skokie strip mall at 3654 W. Touhy Avenue. They’ve been removed from M Burger’s Facebook page, Yelp users say it’s closed, and a tipster wrote in about the news.

May 8

AVONDALE— After nine years, Panaderia Azucar has closed at 3415 W. Belmont Avenue. Management announced the shutter via Facebook.

BRIDGEPORT— After decades of operations, family-owned Tacos Erendira has closed its doors at 3207 S. Halsted Street. Management didn’t provide the exact reason when they made the Facebook announcement, but it was complicated.

BUCKTOWN— Sublime Sushi has closed at 2009 N. Damen Avenue. The Japanese spot has a second location, under the Fuji Sushi name, in Lincoln Park.

BUCKTOWN— 24Karrots Juice Bar will no longer serve juices and bowls at 2004 W. Armitage Avenue.

GAGE PARK— After 18 years, El Rincon Norteño has closed at 3300 W. 55th Street, reports Patch. The owner retired.

NORTH CENTER— Danny’s Egghead Diner has closed in North Center, according to tipsters. Yelpers also say that breakfast spot at 2012 W. Irving Park Road is a goner.

PORTAGE PARK— Smoothie, ice creams, and more will no longer be served at Fruitmania. Yelp says they are closed at 5035 W. Montrose Avenue.

RIVER NORTH— Roy’s, which featured Hawaiian-inspired food from founder Roy Yamaguchi (before being purchased by Sunil Dharod, a well-connect chain restaurant operator heavily involved with Applebee’s), has closed its Chicago location. A Facebook post read that it closed at the end of April at 720 N. State Street.

STREETERVILLE— Emilio’s Tapas has closed after nearly 30 years in Streeterville at 215 E. Ohio Street. There’s a sign on the door that says it’s permanently shuttered and a staffer says its last night in business was Saturday. A Lincoln Park location closed years ago at the corner of Clark and Fullerton. The employee reminded diners that the flagship location in suburban Hillside remains open.

April 16

EDGEWATER— Hellas Gyros, which had been open for 47 years at 1133 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, closed without notice last week. Ownership wrote in a Facebook post that “our war with our slumlord was lost” and that they “are working on prospective locations” to relocate to.

GOLD COAST— Italian staple Merlo on Maple has been closed for weeks at 16 W. Maple Street. No one at the restaurant has answered the phone or responded to inquiries about whether it’s closed for good, but Open Table lists it as permanently closed.

LAKEVIEW— Jirafa, the Latin American bar and eatery that opened last June, has closed in the former Ravenswood Q space at 1800 W. Irving Park Road, Google, Yelp, and an LTH Forum user confirm. It was known for beer, empanadas, and international soccer during the short time it was open.

LOGAN SQUARE— Longtime Logan Square relic Congress Pizzeria has closed at 2033 N. Milwaukee Avenue as a new housing development is planned for its plot of land. Its building is now covered by scaffolding and appears to be awaiting demolition.

NAVY PIER— Goddess and the Baker, the local mini-chain from the Goddess and the Grocer folks, announced that its Navy Pier location is permanently closed. “The Goddess team has been attempting to work with the Navy Pier Management on acceptable terms and conditions but negotiations were unfortunately not welcomed and ultimately, terms have not been reached,” ownership wrote on Facebook. Its locations at 225 N. LaSalle Street and 33 S. Wabash Avenue remain open, and ownership writes that “we will be announcing some exciting news on a new store opening in Chicago soon” as well as a Milwaukee location.

BARRINGTON— Near Restaurant, a suburban upscale Italian spot helmed by a former Schwa sous chef named Gaetano Nardulli, will close on April 28. Ownership writes on social media that they will “move on to the next adventure” and are beginning “this new restaurant journey.” It was open for nearly seven years.

SKOKIE— TV star/entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis has closed another suburban location of his fast-casual The Simple Greek brand. The Skokie location shuttered in late March after less than a year in business at 5415 Touhy Avenue, ownership announced on Facebook. The Highland Park location closed in January 2017.

April 9

AVONDALE— La Farine Bakery & Cafe, a neighborhood spot that was open for about five years, closed earlier this month at 2909 N. Milwaukee Avenue, according to the Avondale Neighborhood Association. The owners are supposedly looking for a new location.

LAKEVIEW/THE LOOP— Muscle Maker Grill, a kind of Chipotle for weight-lifters with assembly-line style cafeteria service, has closed its Chicago locations at 113 W. Jackson Boulevard and at 920 W. Belmont Avenue. The Tribune first reported the news.

RIVER NORTH— Bistro Voltaire has closed at 226 W. Chicago Avenue after seven years of French cooking. Its OpenTable page confirmed the shutter and a tipster emailed to say a new restaurant is on its way. The owners were unable to be reached for confirmation on the latter. The restaurant’s website has also been taken down.

SOUTH LOOP— After a little less than six years at 14th and Michigan, Square One has officially closed. The bar/restaurant reinvented itself several times for the neighborhood. As Sloopin’ pointed out, they even had a self-serve wine bar at 1400 S. Michigan Avenue.

EVANSTON— Sunday, April 15 marks closing day for Prairie Moon at its current location at 1502 Sherman Avenue in Evanston. Management, according to a news release, will announce a new location in the coming weeks. They’ve been in the current location for 16 years and should reopen at the new space in late 2019.

March 20

AUBURN GRESHAM— Popular South Side family-owned eatery Three Chefs Restaurant has closed on Friday at 8125 S. Halsted Street. Ownership posted on Facebook that they “have a new location coming soon,” however. The restaurant was known for its breakfast, lunch, and soul food.

IRVING PARK— The Northwest Side has lost another longtime neighborhood bar, as Peek Inn has shuttered at 2825 W. Irving Park Road, according to Google, Yelp, eyewitnesses, and its phone line.

RIVER NORTH— Yu Choy, a Chinese-American restaurant near the corner of Ohio and Wells, is closed. The windows are papered up at 548 N. Wells Street and Yelp reports it as closed too. The restaurant had been around for 18 years.

Yu Choy

Ashok Selvam

LOGAN SQUARE— The Armitage Avenue dining strip in Logan Square has lost a casual Italian option. Ugo’s Kitchen & Bar, an affordable restaurant owned by a chef with experience at Alinea and Sixteen, closed after service on Sunday at 2833 W. Armitage Avenue, Logan Squarist reports and owner Stephen Hasson confirms. Hasson also says that he sold the restaurant but hasn’t revealed to whom. The shutter was for “personal and financial reasons,” Logan Squarist reported, and Hasson could open another restaurant in the future. Ugo’s lasted nearly two-and-a-half years after opening in October 2015.

GURNEE—The popular Cheesie’s Pub & Grub local mini-chain officially closed its north suburban Gurnee location at the end of February. The Lakeview, Wicker Park, Evanston, and food truck locations remain open.

February 20

AROUND TOWN— Claudia, an acclaimed ongoing pop-up from chef Trever Teich, is hosting its last two dinner dates on March 10 and March 11, with two seatings (6:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.) on each date. The 8:30 p.m. seating on March 10 already sold out. They are collaboration dinners with former Moto chef Richie Farina. Teich is halting Claudia as he’s struggled to find a space for a permanent home for a restaurant. He faces challenges despite a resume that’s included stints at L2O, Acadia, Sixteen, and NoMI. Claudia is a prix-fixe dinner series that started in 2015.

CLAUDIA

“This Might Be The Most Exciting Pop-Up Dinner In Chicago” — Anthony Todd (Chicagoist) This is underground dining. This is Claudia To learn more and to book seats visit www.claudiarestaurant.com

Posted by Claudia on Wednesday, February 7, 2018

LINCOLN PARK— Sugar Fixe Pâtisserie has closed its location on the corner of Sheffield and Armitage, 958 W. Armitage Avenue. The windows are papered up. It has a suburban Oak Park location and it appears ownership plans on opening a West Town location, according to its website: “We are baking up something new. Coming to West Town soon!”

PILSEN— Fogata Village, a Mexican restaurant at 1820 S. Ashland Avenue, has closed in preparation of moving to the North Side. It heads to 4322 N. Western Avenue.

SOUTH LOOP— Polk Street Pub has closed its kitchen at 548 W. Polk Street. The bar will stay open until the end of the week.

WEST ROGERS PARK— Meerath Kabab House, a popular Pakistani restaurant at 2657 W. Devon Avenue, has closed. Michael Nagrant, the RedEye critic, was a fan.

February 14

BUCKTOWN— After more than seven years, Siboney’s Cuban Cuisine has closed on 2165 N. Western Avenue. The owners plan on moving to a new location but haven’t shared an address, according to a Facebook post.

LAKEVIEW— It’s been more than a month, but J.P. Burke’s Patio & Tap shuttered after a five-year run at 2913 N. Lincoln Avenue.

NORWOOD PARK — This week will be the last one for Ada’s Market & Deli, 6165 N. Northwest Highway. The Norwood Park Chamber says they’ll offer discounts to shoppers this week.

DOWNERS GROVE— Longtime Italian restaurant Carlucci is closing, reported the Tribune. It had a 15-year run in the suburbs and was the last restaurant ran by respected restaurateur Joe Carlucci. Sunday’s its last day.

HIGHLAND PARK— After a little under six years in the suburbs, Merlo’s has closed at 581 Roger Williams Avenue in Highland Park. It was a family-friendly Italian spot.

HIGHLAND PARK— As spotted on LTHForum, Green Panda, a Chinese restaurant at 600 Elm Place in Highland Park has closed after 2 1⁄2 years.

HIGHLAND PARK— The final trio of Highland Park restaurant shutters comes from Tomo Sushi. It had operated at 675 Central Avenue for four years.

NAPERVILLE— Kick’s Chicken Cafe is closed after 4 1⁄2 years at 2728 W. 75th Street in Naperville, according to the Naperville Sun.

NAPERVILLE— The Sun also reported that Wayback Burgers has closed at 2775 Showplace Drive. It lasted about a year and a half.

NAPERVILLE— Haagen Dazs and Popcorn Palace both closed at 30 W. Jefferson Avenue. The Sun reported they were around for eight years.

February 8

CHINATOWN— Cafe Hoang, a Vietnamese restaurant with three locations, is closing its South Side spot at 232 W. Cermak Road. The chain still has locations in Uptown and in suburban Oak Park. The Chinatown location opened in 2006 and Thursday is its final day.

LOGAN SQUARE— Half Italian Grocer has announced it will close in March at 2643 N. Milwaukee Avenue. The grocer sells baked goods, sandwiches, and more. It opened in 2012.

ROSCOE VILLAGE— The windows at Riverview Tavern, 1958 W. Roscoe Street, are papered over. The bar, which opened in 2005, appears closed. A phone message wasn’t immediately returned.

WICKER PARK— A popular spot for wedding cakes has closed in Wicker Park. Oak Mill Bakery closed about a month ago at 2204 W. North Avenue. They’ll still sell paczkis and more at its five other locations, including a Southwest side location at 5747 S. Harlem Avenue.

WESTMONT— Eater Young Gun Dave Park’s acclaimed Korean restaurant, Hanbun, has officially closed. Chef Park, and co-owner Jennifer Tran, announced their plans to close in November. Reservations for their special coursed-out dinners were booked months in advance. Hanbun made a small suburban strip mall a destination. They are looking for a new location.

January 30

LAKEVIEW— The Original Yak-Zie’s, a bar on the border of Lakeview and Lincoln Park, is closing on Wednesday after 52 years at 506 W. Diversey Parkway. The storied bar was also featured in the 1986 film About Last Night. There’s a second location in Wrigleyville. Ownership made the announcement via Facebook.

LINCOLN SQUARE— After nearly six years in business, daytime eatery, bakery and coffee spot Le Cafe is closing. Ownership teased a “next chapter” beginning March 1 on a Facebook post.

WEST LOOP— SuChi Sushi will close on January 1 at 651 W. Washington Boulevard. The Japanese restaurant, which opened in June 2016, announced the shutter via Facebook.

SCHAUMBURG— The Clubhouse, the third restaurant to occupy the space at 1031 American Lane, near Woodfield Shopping Center, has closed, according to The Daily Herald. Before Clubhouse, the space was Grillhouse by David Burke. A location in Oak Brook remains unaffected.

January 25

LINCOLN PARK— The windows at Lincoln Park Stadium Club have been papered up and the blinds shut. No one’s answering the phone, and its Facebook page has been scrubbed clean. Normally open on Wednesday afternoon, the space was silent. The sports bar, a popular place for college fans, appears closed after a five-year run at 2423 N. Clark Street.

WEST LOOP— After opening in September at 176 N. Wells Street, Cubano Latin Street Food has closed its doors, as noticed by an LTHForum member. It served Cuban sandwiches and salad bowls. A person who answered the phone at the number confirmed it was closed.

ELMHURST— After closing its last retail location in 2017 in Oak Park, Red Hen Bread is no more. Its last day was Wednesday, January 24, as “they’re no longer supplying bread,” according to a phone greeting from its headquarters in Elmhurst. Red Hen in 2014 closed its Bucktown cafe, a neighborhood stalwart for 17 years. It also had a Lincoln Park location.

SKOKIE— McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks has closed another Chicago-area location. Ownership has shuttered the restaurant at Old Orchard, 4999 Old Orchard Center in suburban Skokie. The brand, owned by Laundry’s, now has three locations in the area — Chicago, Oak Brook, and Rosemont. It closed a Gold Coast location over the summer. Loyalty club customers were notified last week via an email.

January 10

THE LOOP— Poag Mahone’s 13-year run ended right before Christmas. The Irish pub, once known for its burgers, is closed at 333 S. Wells Street.

MAG MILE— Baisl Thai, a restaurant inside the 900 North Michigan Avenue shops, has closed. They’re not answering their phones and online ordering has been shut down. They first opened in 2005. An Oak Brook location closed in 2015 in the suburbs.

PILSEN— After three years, Andorka’s Sandwich Shop has closed at 2110 S. Halsted Street. The owners made the announcement via Facebook.

Happy New Year to our Facebook friends - Andorka’s Sandwich Shop is closed as of January 1st. We are so thankful for a...

Posted by Andorka's on Friday, January 5, 2018

WEST ROGERS PARK— Mom’s Bake Shop, a Filipino restaurant that lasted more than 30 years, has closed. They served lunch, dinner, and baked goods at 2415 W. Peterson Avenue. The Tribune first reported the shutter.

January 4

BOYSTOWN— Thirteen years of business in Boystown has come to end for Horizon Cafe. The family-owned diner has shut down at 3805 N. Broadway Street. The diner was a neighborhood fixture.

LINCOLN PARK— Francophiles in Lincoln Park were dealt a blow as Aquitaine is closed after seven years at 2221 N. Lincoln Avenue. The restaurant gave residents a more refined experience, compared to the glut of cheaper restaurants in the area that catered to DePaul University students. It’s unknown how the closing of Children’s Memorial Hospital affected business. Many restaurants lost loyal customers after the hospital moved five years ago to Streeterville. Chef Holly Willoughby writes, via Facebook: “I am eternally grateful for this life experience. Stay tuned for my next adventure.”

It has been a beautiful experience to share closing my restaurant with so many great people. After seven wonderful...

Posted by Aquitaine on Monday, January 1, 2018

LINCOLN PARK— Wiki Wiki Poke Co. is closed at 2661 N. Clark Street. The independent poke shop lasted five months.

LOGAN SQUARE— After more than two years, The General is closing at 2528 N. California Avenue. The restaurant/bar made a name for itself with its pies, creative cocktails and tacos. Saturday is last call.

NAPERVILLE— January 1 was the final day for Heaven on Seven in suburban Naperville. The restaurant opened in 2006. Chef Jimmy Bannos only has one Heaven on Seven location, on Wabash, remaining.

January 3

EDGEBROOK— After five years, Ivy’s Burgers, Hot Dogs, and Fries is closed at 5419 W. Devon Avenue. Yelp users say it’s closed, and a LTHForum member posted that signs for a new restaurant, Ruk Sushi Thai, have gone up. It’s unclear if this is a new location for the Jefferson Park restaurant or a replacement. The restaurant was closed for New Year’s Day and management couldn’t be reached.

LAKEVIEW— Blackwood BBQ has closed on the corner of Belmont and Sheffield at 962 W. Belmont Avenue. Ownership put up a sign explaining their decision, as most of their business was coming from catering and delivery. Locations in River North, West Loop, and the Loop remain open.

THE LOOP— Cavanaugh’s closed just before Christmas, ending a 28-year run at the Monadack Building, 53 W. Jackson Boulevard. The tavern served pub food, cocktails, and beer.

NORTH CENTER— Mr. B’s BBQ has closed at 4160 N. Lincoln Avenue. The catering business will remain and operate out of the same address, according to a Facebook post.

OLD TOWN— Garlic and Chili closed earlier this month after plans to demolish the Marshall Hotel began at 1232 N. LaSale Drive where it resided for more than a decade on the hotel’s ground floor. However, the Thai restaurant announced it’s moving to a new space at 1512 N. LaSalle Drive inside the renovated Carling Hotel. The new Garlic and Chili should open on February 2.

RAVENSWOOD— Mythos Greek Taverna, a Greek restaurant that opened in 2008, closed in December. The BYO spot was a neighborhood gem. Signs for a new Greek restaurant, specializing in street food, have gone up in the window at 2300 W. Montrose Avenue.

STREETERVILLE— 52Eighty Rooftop Lounge, the space inside the Cambria Chicago Magnificent Mile hotel, is now closed to the general public. The hotel has converted the space exclusively for private events at 166 E. Superior Street.

For a list of 2017’s shutters, go here.

2111 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618

1746 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (312) 818-1810

2300 North Lincoln Park West, Chicago, IL 60614

4800 N. Central, Chicago, IL

3209 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 278-3200

1543 N Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL 60642 (312) 546-4141

847 North Front Street, , CA 93219 (520) 251-8908

1000 W Fulton, Chicago, IL 60607

1958 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60657 (773) 248-9523

1238 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (312) 889-2121

1912 N Western Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647 773 252 1414

2825 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618 (773) 267-5197

2033 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 235-4455

2308 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614

1127 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610 (773) 342-3200

2528 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 698-8754

478 Central Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035 (847) 748-8285

2439 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614

1141 N. Ashland Ave. , Chicago, IL

2165 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Source: https://chicago.eater.com/2018/1/2/16840814/chicago-restaurant-bar-closures-2018

[fatlier1-blog]

Tacos in Philly: The Ultimate Guide

From Kensington to deep South Philly, our list of the best places to sate your taco craving.

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Mission Taqueria | Facebook

Look, I do not have to convince you to eat tacos. No one has to be convinced to eat tacos. Right now, at this moment in American culinary history (and for the past several years, really), the taco has been representative of all our chef-y yearnings toward the fusion of high- and low-brow eating. Casual, but thoughtful. Simple, but deep.

In Mexican culinary history? Well, the taco has been there forever. Indispensable. Cultural touchstone and sandwich analog all in one. Also, the best possible transportation vehicle for everything that’s excellent about Mexican food — protein and spice and heat and savor.

The taco is everything to all people. It is whatever you want it to be. It has been borrowed by a hundred different cooking traditions and used to carry everything from ice cream to Korean fried chicken. And here in Philly? Man, do we have some tacos. So, if you’re looking for a place to eat them, we are here to help — with this neighborhood-by-neighborhood list of all the best places to eat tacos in Philadelphia right now.

The Places You Must Try First

Blue Corn | Facebook

South Philly Barbacoa, Italian Market Yeah, we loved this place before all the national awards, nominations and TV shows.

Blue Corn, Italian Market The cochinata pibil tacos here — Yucatán-style pork marinated in citrus and wrapped in banana leaves before being cooked low and slow — are our favorite.

Philly Tacos, Point Breeze You’d think that with a handle like that, this joint would be slinging tortillas filled with chopped steak and Whiz. But don’t let the name fool you. The man behind this place is Juan Carlos Romero, Philly’s own master of al pastor. It’s perfect for those of you missing Los Taquitos de Puebla (Romero’s former restaurant), and an excellent place for tacos.

Mission Taqueria, Center City This light-filled upstairs joint from Oyster House owner Sam Mink puts a contemporary polish on favorite Mexican dishes. To go all out, try the tasting menu, which comes with three tacos, salsas, ceviche, empanadas, and tres leches cake, all for $35. 1516 Sansom Street

Lolita, Midtown Village They’ve got fancied-up regular tacos made with blue corn and plantain-crusted mahi mahi, smoked carrots or Cholula fried chicken, and street-style DIY tacos with chipotle shrimp, carnitas or carne asada with a spread of accoutrements like salsa molcajete, cumin black beans and guac.

Cafe Ynez, Graduate Hospital Their classic fish taco — made with pan-seared tilapia — gets dressed up with pineapple-habanero salsa, sliced avocado, lettuce, sour cream, and a crumble of cotija.

Best Tacos in the Italian Market and Bella Vista

Tacos California | Facebook

Tacos California Our 2017 Best of Philly winner is the only spot in the city serving up tacos de canasta — tacos that are pre-assembled in a basket, often with a layer of onion and sprinkling of chili oil in between — and allowed to steam, then served with salsas. 1030 South 8th Street

Prima Pizza Taqueria Mexicana This just-south-of-Washington spot serves up some of the Philly restaurant industry’s favorite tacos. No wonder — they’re perfect for a late-night pit stop, with service till 4 a.m. 1104 South 9th Street

Mole Poblano Yes, the place has a dedicated following based on the authentic mole and enchiladas (generally covered in mole). But if you’re looking for tacos, this simple beef-and-cheese option is kind of like a Mexican cheesesteak. 1144 South 9th Street

Taqueria La Veracruzana Simple, classic and exactly what you want in a neighborhood taqueria. Plus, it’s a South Philly Mexican BYOB with occasional wandering mariachis, so how can you beat that? 908 Washington Avenue

Tacos El Rodeo There’s always a line at this truck, which posts up near 10th Street and Washington Avenue. Be sure to ask for your taco classic style for the traditional toppings of cilantro and onions, unless the Americanized option with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and tomato is more your thing). 1000 Washington Avenue

Quetzally Choose from a range of taco options here, from straightforward favorites like tilapia and shrimp to chicken bacon ranch. There’s even a Tex Mex section of the taco menu, serving up fillings in flour tortillas with gringo-friendly toppings like guac, lettuce, and cheese. 1225 Fitzwater Street

Best Tacos in South Philly

Los Gallos | Facebook

La Virgen de los Nieves La Virgen’s slate of masa-based delicacies is expansive, with sopas, huaraches, tlacoyos, and more on the menu. But the fried tacos are our favorite. And they will be yours, too. 1839 South 8th Street

Tamalex Yes, they do some very authentic Mexican food (a long list of tacos included). But the cool thing about Tamalex is that it also offers Honduran food, and a couple different versions of chilaquiles on their breakfast menu. 1163 South 7th Street

South Philly Tap Room SPTR does a lot of things really well. But one of those things is the kitchen’s wild boar tacos with green salsa, cotija cheese and red onions. 1509 Miflin Street

Los Gallos Typically, we’d avoid recommending the American-style tacos rancheros section of the menu, with its sour cream and cheese toppings, but their huitlacoche taco — a prized fungus that sometimes grows on ears of corn — is too good to pass up. 951 Wolf Street

Guisados Don Roman This is a two-person operation — just Raquel and Roman. But the two of them manage to supply everyone who comes with guisados del dia (stews of the day, a rarity in Philly). For a slight upcharge, they’ll make your tortillas fresh. 1629 South 7th Street

El Jarocho Simple and straightforward street-style tacos on a menu already full of sopes, huaraches and excellent spicy shrimp burritos. 1138 South 13th Street

Pistola’s Del Sur This Pistola’s brings its tweaked taco recipes to South Philly. Try the catfish po’boy taco served with crispy white cabbage, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli and cilantro, for a taste of Mexico via New Orleans. 1934 East Passyunk Avenue

Los Cuatro Soles When you’re west of Broad and craving tacos, this is the spot for classic tacos and variations like tacos gringas and tacos del sol — flour tortillas stuffed with melted cheese over slices of skirt steak. 1801 South Chadwick Street

Cantina Los Caballitos This place does great empanadas and big plates of nachos, but in terms of tacos, they’ve got a big list the covers everything from vegan beef to goat. 1651 East Passyunk Avenue

La Mula Terca High-end Latin-American food makes up the bulk of the menu, but the kitchen also does some fantastic tacos — lamb birria, cilantro pesto shrimp and spicy mango chicken with pickled jalapenos. 2053 South Beechwood Street

Cafe Y Chocolate A little corner restaurant that specializes in Oaxacan hot chocolate, churros and some excellent veggie tacos stuffed with chipotle potatoes, nopales and shredded carrots. The carnivore tacos are solid, too. 3411 South Norwood Street

Best Tacos in West Philly and University City

Dos Hermanos | Facebook

Distrito The first floor of this Garces mainstay has recently been remade as a taqueria, offering tacos in nine different varieties, from the traditional to the Americanized (like the Gringo, which is just plain old ground beef). 3945 Chestnut Street

Dos Hermanos Why decide between shrimp and fish? This food truck that posts up on the Drexel campus near 34th and Market Streets puts both on a tortilla, and it is bomb. 34th and Market

Tacos Don Memo The menu at Tacos Don Memo is so simple — steak, chicken pork, spicy pork, with a breakfast taco option for mornings — and yet the saucy, flavorful fillings need nothing but a garnish of onion, cilantro, and lime. Catch the cash-only truck weekday afternoons on 38th Street between Walnut and Spruce Streets or Saturdays at 43rd Street and Chester Avenue during the Clark Park Farmers’ Market.

Honest Tom’s Plant Based Taco Shop, University City Honest Tom’s went full-on veggie recently, and the menu is now full of roasted chickpea and plantain, carrot and lentil barbacoa and sweet potato tacos.

Cucina Zapata Okay, so one more food truck. And this one makes the list for the Thai/Mexican fusion menu, the Cap’n Crunch tilapia burrito and the chicken satay tacos. Lines are long. Stuff sells out. Just accept that going in and hope for the best (or show up early). Location varies, but 31st and Ludlow seems like the home base

Best Tacos in Rittenhouse Square

Revolution Taco | Facebook

El Rey Each tortilla-swaddled stack of rich, shredded duck meat gets topped with a perfectly poppable (and Instagrammable) fried egg. 2013 Chestnut Street

Revolution Taco Score a trio of Revolution’s uniquely flavored tacos at their brick and mortar spot near 20th and Walnut Streets or follow them on Twitter to find out where their truck is popping up across the city. 2015 Walnut Street

Rosy’s Taco Bar Open 7 days a week, with late-night weekend hours, brunch, happy hour and a portion of the proceeds going to help immigrant causes, Rosy’s is an ideal addition to the neighborhood. On top of all that, the tacos–both traditional and especial–are pretty good, too. 2220 Walnut Street

Dos Tacos Dos Tacos loves to experiment on their menu, with staples like al pastor tacos served alongside more adventurous dishes like yucca fries and Oaxaca mac ‘n’ cheese. Take as an excellent example, the New Yorker — filled with five chili-rubbed pastrami, Swiss cheese, and a chipotle cabbage slaw — which flies in the face of tradition in a delicious way. 120 South 15th Street

Tio Flores Fantastic guac, strong margs, fun tacos and dessert nachos. Yes, that’s right. Dessert. Nachos. With cinnamon-sugar fried tortillas, vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, chocolate sauce, and cookies.

Best Tacos in Fishtown, Kensington, Port Richmond and NoLibs

Cantina Dos Segundos | Facebook

Sancho Pistola’s, Fishtown There are few places in Philly that take tacos more seriously than Sancho Pistola’s, and if you can’t find something you like at a place that offers both brussels sprout leaf tacos and lobster tacos with black bean puree and chile de arbol sauce, maybe tacos aren’t really what you’re looking for.

Loco Pez Come here any day for the awesome (and filling) chorizo and potato tacos. But the best possible use of Twitter in Philly remains following @locopeztacos to find out when the dollar taco nights are on. (And don’t forget the new West Philly location.) 2401 East Norris Street

Nemi A modern Mexican restaurant with a full bar and a good selection of tequilas and mezcals, right in the middle of Port Richmond is proof that the Fishtown Effect is spreading far beyond the traditional boundaries of that neighborhood. 2636 Ann Street

Heffe The star of this glorified Fishtown taco stand’s menu is the fried octopus taco, topped with tomato jam, chimichurri sauce, and queso fresco. But everything else on the menu is almost as good, just as messy and just as ideal for last-call taco bingeing. (And there’s now a second location in Fairmount, too.) 1431 Frankford Avenue

Que Chula es Puebla This spot on North 2nd Street serves up flavorful tacos for sure (particularly the shredded chicken), but the stellar ingredient here is definitely the salsa. 1356 North 2nd Street

Cantina Dos Segundos This northern outpost of the Cantina Los Cabalitos family has more than a hundred kinds of tequila behind the bar, Mexican poutine on the menu, a kale caesar (if that’s your jam) and a whole taqueria portion of their menu offering tacos, bowls and burritos. 931 North 2nd Street

Taco Riendo With five kinds of breakfast tacos and a list of regular tacos as long as your arm, this is THE place to check out when you’re looking for a taco in Fishtown. And maybe the only place if you’re looking for tacos de cabeza. 1301 North 5th Street

Best Tacos in Spring Garden and Fairmount

La Calaca Feliz | Facebook

Buena Onda Sure, there are other items on the menu. But you can safely ignore everything but the fried Atlantic mahi mahi and fried Pacific shrimp tacos, which represent the best expression of this beach-inspired taco shack. Even better, their fish is sustainably sourced according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines. 1901 Callowhill Street

La Calaca Feliz The tilapia in La Calaca’s fish tacos get their crisp thanks to a plantain crust and a hop in the fryer. Then they’re topped with cabbage, avocado and a lemon vinaigrette. 2321 Fairmount Avenue

El Purepecha An archetypal hole-in-the-wall taco shop that’s quickly become a favorite among locals. There’s not much in the way of seating, just a couple tables and some counter seats, but the takeout business is brisk. Come here for the fish tacos (and fish burritos), shrimp tacos and, after that, pretty much anything you’re in the mood for. 469 North 10th Street

Best Tacos on the Main Line and Beyond

Taqueria Feliz | Facebook

Taqueria Del Norte, Northeast Philly Kris Serviss’s original Blue Duck space is now home to Kris Serviss’s new taco spot. With new partners and a new inspiration, the one-time sandwich artist is now focusing on tacos (and tortas), doing chef-y versions like pastrami pork belly, General Tso’s and filet cheesesteak tacos alongside favorites like fried fish and carnitas.

Tired Hands Fermentaria Mondays at Tired Hands mean $2 off tacos and half off the delicious Hophands and Saisonhands beers. It’s the perfect time to take a chance on the brussels sprouts tacos (no, really), which come with apple kohlrabi slaw, bacon jam, and sriracha ranch. 35 Cricket Terrace, Ardmore

Jaco Juice & Taco Bar This juice bar and taco shop may be health-oriented, but their tacos still taste great: The cotija cheese, tomatillo salsa, and roasted poblano crema offered on each taco sets them apart. West Chester and Media locations

Pipeline Taco Looking for something a little more Hawaiian in your taco shop? Then Pipeline is the place for you. It’s got a surf theme, smoothies and tacos made of kalua pork, buffalo shrimp and mahi-mahi. 165 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne

Taqueria Feliz They’ve got two locations (in Manayunk and Horsham), taco ingredients that run from brussels sprouts and cauliflower to carnitas and Carolina BBQ shrimp, plus (if you’re feeling frisky) a couple of specials involving fried chicken skin drenched in hot sauce or grasshoppers with guacamole. Manayunk and Horsham locations

Sabrosa Taqueria Two words: Taco pints. Which are exactly what they sound like. You pick your ingredients, the kitchen layers them into something like a pint glass, and then you eat everything with a fork. 34 East State Street, Doylestown

El Primo Taqueria Authentic Puebla-style Mexican food in the heart of Norristown. The elote is awesome, and the list of tacos is impressive. 1719 Markley Street, Norristown

San Lucas This huge menu has something for everyone — including large entree plates full of everything good under the sun. But the taco list is impressive all on its own, offering relative rarities like lengua, tripe, birria, cecina and suadera (shredded, salted and steamed beef, respectively). 2600 Federal Street, Camden

Lumbrada Cocina Mexicana Mexican breakfast all day? Yes, please. And the simple, fresh, street-style tacos are excellent, too. Wayne and Norristown locations

Philly’s Best Taco Places, Mapped

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/tacos-philadelphia/

[foodreceipe]

Young Food Entrepreneurs Make Their Future by Hand

By JULIA MOSKINJUNE 1, 2010

Fabiana Lee’s spicy beef empanadas are traditional Argentine style. Of Korean heritage, she grew up in Buenos Aires

THEY carry home-grown radishes and red-cooked pork. They transport dozens of empanadas, juggling sheet pans on the G train. They pack boxes of butterscotch cupcakes, Sichuan-spiced beef jerky and grapefruit marmalade. They haul boiled peanuts, ice-grinding machines, sandwich presses and at least one toaster oven painted hot pink.

One Saturday morning each month, the vendors of the Greenpoint Food Market converge on the Church of the Messiah in Brooklyn.

“This is my investment in the future right now,” said Fabiana Lee, 26, an interior designer who lost her job in 2009. She has been selling at the Greenpoint market since its inception in October. After experimenting with cookies (too much competition), she has pared her offerings down to two: gorgeously browned empanadas and irresistibly twee “cake pops,” golf-ball-size rounds of cake perched on lollipop sticks. At the moment, they are her main source of income.

Young, college-educated, Internet-savvy, unemployed and hoping to find a place in the food world outside the traditional route, she is typical of the city’s dozens of new food entrepreneurs. As the next generation of cooks comes of age, it seems that many might bypass restaurant kitchens altogether. Instead, they see themselves driving trucks full of artisanal cheese around the country, founding organic breweries, bartering vegan pâtés for grass-fed local beef, or (most often) making it big in baking as the next Magnolia Bakery.

Joann Kim, 26, who organizes the market, cited the intersection of the economic downturn and the rise of the local artisanal food movement as reasons for the recent flowering of small culinary start-ups.

Read More:

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/dining/02vendors.html