Category Archives: comfort food

The Spanish Square’s got some of the real stuff

Amontillado sherry and tuna-stuffed pepper
Amontillado sherry, marcona almonds and tuna-stuffed pepper at The Spanish Square

Spain is divided into several regions and each one has a multitude of cultural and culinary icons, from bullfights and seafood paella in Madrid to various Freixenet wineries and jamon-with-everything around Barcelona. The Spanish Square tapas bar and restaurant and retail shop at 1358 W. Belmont brings genuine recipes to Chicago and lovely hand-painted pottery, as well as a wide array of regional specialties in jars, cans and boxes, including a selection of wonderful Spanish olives and olive oils. The space is light with clean lines and comfortable seating at tables and at the bar. The menu reflects authentic Spanish tastes, and the restaurant features special prices on paella every Wednesday.

Spanish Square goodies for sale
Spanish Square goodies for sale
Freixenet makes great cava
Freixenet makes great cava

 

 

 

 

 

I remember the taste of the marcona almonds – warm and freshly roasted and lightly dusted with salt – on the flight back from Barcelona recently. The Spanish Square has them for sale in containers. And, though they did offer several sherries (the owner’s a big fan) and a couple of Spanish cavas, I was sorry I couldn’t order a glass of any of Freixenet’s lovely cavas or other wines. Hopefully one day soon, the retaurant will remedy that situation. Meanwhile you can pick some up at your local beverage store.

5 cool brunch places in Chicago

English: Both the largest and the meatiest blo...
English: Both the largest and the meatiest bloody mary I’ve ever had. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chicagoans take their brunch very seriously, so it’s no surprise that one of the city’s prolific hospitality firms, Four Corners Tavern Group, is behind some of the most playful and delectable offerings. Their brunch menus offer creative fare and superior service in relaxed, yet lively surroundings. From music to munchies, you’re bound to find something to love in one of these neighborhood concepts.

 

Benchmark (1510 N Wells) in Old Town retracts the patio roof when the weather’s right. Their brunch goes for $35 per person with a $15 unlimited mimosa package (served Saturdays 10am to 2pm) features all-you-can-eat food stations like a carving station, plates of smoked brisket, the famed Doughnut Vault tower, a seafood tower, a sinfully-sweet waffle bar; and a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar

Hurry on out to Gaslight Bar & Grille’s (2450 N Clark) rustic beer garden with communal tables. Only until September 30 they’ve got brunch specials on offer the first Saturday and Sunday of each month (11 am to 2pm) and include Chicken & Waffles with organic honey, Nueske’s bacon and fresh fruit ($10), Biscuit Sliders with scrambled egg, cheese and a side of tater tots ($9), a Mimosa package ($10); Bloody Marys ($8); and Trop Bombs ($5).

WestEnd (1326 W Madison) puts out brunch in an expansive sports bar atmosphere. Feast on $10 brunch specials like Chorizo Sloppy Joe with Texas toast, poached egg, cilantro, avocado and a side of house chips and French Toast Sticks served with whipped cream, powdered sugar, bourbon pale syrup and Fireball-infused crème anglaise. Build-your-own Moscow Mule Bar ($10); unlimited mimosa package ($15); and cheeky beverages such as the insta-worthy Cupcake Shot ($5) out on one of the two dog-friendly sidewalk cafes or inside the new, enhanced game room.

Fremont (15 W Illinois).  Think Vegas with this version of Sin City’s legendary over-the-top buffet ($35 per person with a $15 unlimited mimosa package). The distinct social dining experience can take you well into the night if you so desre. DJs spin top hits throughout the bi-level, sleek and chic space with retractable roof. Every Saturday and Sunday, from 10am, reservations recommended. The unlimited assortment includes carving station, Doughnut Vault tower, omelet station, seafood tower, waffle bar with extravagant accoutrements, and a DIY Bloody Mary bar with fun surprises,

Weekend brunch at SteakBar
Weekend brunch at SteakBar

SteakBar (1500 N Wells). This dining-to-nightlife hotspot, introduced brunch service every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3pm. Elevated breakfast options include:

  • Steak & Eggs with succulent skirt steak, roasted tomato and sunny side up eggs ($20)
  • Scramble made from farm eggs, crème fraiche, avocado and chives, served aside Texas toast ($11)
  • Avocado Toast, a popular choice with crushed avocado, cherry tomatoes and radish atop toasted multigrain ($11).
  • Unlimited mimosa package ($15) is also available with purchase of a dish.

Examiner.com shuts down after 8 years – but never fear

After eight years, Examiner.com, one of the biggest online citizen journalist websites with 47 million unique visitors each month, has shut down operations.

Whatever else happens, links from hundreds of thousands of articles and photographs will be broken. Thousands of Twitter feeds will suddenly look like bomb-ravaged fields – littered with empty craters (photos) and dead bodies (links). [Update: 7/26/16 Instead of leaving thousands of dead links in all social media platforms, Examiner.com has chosen instead to insert links to its own new entertainment portal. It’s probably legal, but it’s a shabby thing to embarrass your long-term, loyal contributors by making their links no longer go where they were meant to.]

So if you were a subscriber to our blog columns on Examiner.com, fear not. Now you can re-subscribe to that content at ChicagoRestaurantExaminer.com or ChicagoLadyBoomerExaminer.com.

In case you’d like to re-link to one or more of the pieces of content you found there, we’re working diligently to get all the articles from those two columns re-published on the new sites.

Contact us via the form below if you have questions or would like to be notified when a specific post is uploaded to the new sites. Thanks for reading!

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Last-minute SuperBowl food and drink ideas

SuperBowl Sunday is reputedly one of the biggest television viewing days of the year in the United States. I’m guessing that might depend on which teams are playing and how big the rivalry is (Wikipedia gives interesting biggest-TV-audience stats here).

And for sure, this is also a day people tend to say the hell with the diet. So whether you’re making stuff at home, or heading out to let someone else do the cooking and cleanup, here are a few last-minute ideas for your enjoyment and edification.

Like to keep the dirty dishes to a minimum on SuperBowl Sunday? Try Nuvino wine in portable PreservPak pouches. Comes in Chardonnay, Malbec, Red Blend, and Sauvignon Blanc. If you don’t drink ’em all up at the party, they’ll keep fresh up to 18 months. Just think of all the glasses you won’t have to wash.

If you like to make your own finger foods for the party, here’s a new product, Just Mayo, that lets you make healthier versions of your favorite Super Bowl dishes. It’s non-GMO, gluten-free, soy free, dairy-free, lactose-free, and cholesterol-free product and comes in sriracha, chipotle, and garlic spreads (burger toppers, anyone?). You can get it at Safeway, Whole Foods Market, Walmart, and select Costco locations. Recipes at http://www.hamptoncreek.com/just-mayo/recipes/

A few quick notes on SuperBowl specials around town:

  • Commonwealth Tavern, 2000 W. Roscoe St., has brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with $6 bloody marys and $12 mimosas. $5 stadium cups, $15 Miller and Coors buckets, $4 Tecate cans, $5 Lagunitas drafts, and $10 themed food specials created by Chef Donny Farrell. Hold your spot ahead 773.697.7956.

  • Compass Bar, 433 W. Diversey offers a $10 Super Bowl Chili Frito Pizza along with 200 different beers plus line cards and prize giveaways each quarter.

  • Lottie’s, 1925 W. Cortland, has a Half-Time Competition. Kick a field goal to win a $250 prize. Meanwhile enjoy the game on multiple screens, drink up $4 Jameson, $15 Miller and Coors buckets, and dig in to a $15 party platter (14-inch cheese pizza and bucket of wings and tots).

  • LM Restaurant Group:
    Brasserie by LM, 800 S. Michigan Ave. Bratwurst with Fries and a Miller Lite $10
    Troquet River North, 111 W. Huron. Troquet Burger with Fries and a Miller Lite $10

  • MAK,1924 W. Division has BOGO wangs on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1. Crispy fried with a sweet and spicy sauce, get in all sizes, to go, dine-in & delivery.

  • ROCKS Northcenter, 4138 N. Lincoln, and ROCKS Lakeview, 3463 N. Broadway, $20 Bud Light Towers + 50¢ Wings. Plus discounts, raffles and giveaways.
  • The Pony, 1638 W. Belmont, has a free Jameson’s half-time competition – kick a field goal to win a $250 prize. Deals on Jameson, beer buckets and a $15 Punxsutawney party platter (16-inch Clydesdale grilled cheese plus wings and tots).
  • Tavern on Little Fort, 4128 N. Lincoln, has a Chili Cook-off starting at 3 pm, with judging at half-time. Prizes are as follows: $200 cash (1st place), grill set (2nd place) and Coleman picnic chairs (3rd place). Bring your own crock-pot with your best chili. Ten bucks buys any patron a “judgeship” and the right to enjoy chili samples, wings, sausage, dips, chips, and veggies. $3 domestic specials, $5 microbrew drafts, $4 well drinks and $4 Fireball shots.

 

Soulful soup

With a nod to Billy Joel, I tell you I’m in a soup-making state of mind.

Moroccan soup
Moroccan soup (Photo credit: Wikipedia) This looks kinda like my lentil soup.

Sunday, a pot of lentil soup without the Italian sausage I usually like to add. But a single package of More than Gourmet demi-glace gave it a touch of nice beef flavor. Then the addition of my newest hot sauce discovery just about made up for the missing spice of the sausage. Happily, there’s now a serving sitting in the freezer to be savored again soon.

Today the last dib of lentil soup made a nice breakfast treat. But later, as the morning wore on and hunger crept in again, I was devastated to think I didn’t have any homemade soup to turn to.

English: Sopa de albondigas or Mexican meatbal...
Mexican meatball soup. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) The Zesty soup I made has corn and black beans.

That is, I do, but I can’t eat any more of the soup I made on Saturday. The full-sodium chicken broth I used for it made the flavor of this chili-scented Mexican soup (from World’s Healthiest Foods) even more fabulous, but the salt content made me blow up next day like one of those giant over-filled tires they use in the monster truck crash derbies. I will definitely make this soup again, but not until I unfreeze my own chicken stock or buy some with less sodium.

So while I pondered which of my neighbors might be able to enjoy the remaining Zesty Mexican Soup without being in danger of exploding from sodium, it occurred to me there was still a leek and half a cabbage sitting in the fridge. These, along with carrots, onions, etc., were just what I needed to make one of my favorite vegetable soups from the book, “French Women Don’t Get Fat.” Author Mireille Giuliano, the CEO of famed champagne maker Veuve-Clicquot, offers sage advice and many slimming soup and other recipes. More about this and more recipes to come in the cookbook I’m working on—working title, 17 Ways to Eat Your Way to Happiness.

I don’t know how long I’m going to be in this soup state of mind, but it’s fun while it lasts.

P.S. Recently I had some of the most flavorful lentil soup I’ve ever tasted at Nookie’s Tree, 3334 N. Halsted. Alas, they wouldn’t divulge the secret.

National Hot Sauce Day – comparing hot sauces

There are thousands of varieties of hot sauce
There are thousands of varieties of hot sauce (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I became a fan of hot sauce late in life and am still a complete lightweight. But I got introduced a few years ago when I read a fascinating book called The Raw and the Cooked, by and about gourmand author Jim Harrison, who carried his own bottles of hot sauce with him everywhere he went.

I loved the book so much—and was so impressed with his passion for food and his ability to express it—I thought I’d try imitating the guy’s habit. Tried using some of his favorite, the original Cholula brand, at a Mexican restaurant and wasn’t thrilled. I figured maybe I’d like a different flavor, so I bought a bottle of Cholula chipotle-flavored hot sauce. It’s still sitting half-used on my shelf after several years. Just didn’t like the flavor or the way it so markedly changed the taste of my dish.
Then I learned from a Bon Appetit recipe for Bloody Marys about another type of hot sauce known as sriracha. Found it at the store, liked what I tasted. Looked for more ideas for using it—found dozens posted online by heavy duty fans of the stuff. And then I tried a recipe that has made this bright red sauce that comes in a Christmas-green-nozzle-top bottle a staple in my kitchen.

Here’s the recipe: Buy some sriracha. Put some sour cream in a dish. Start stirring in sriracha until the cream turns a lovely light orange-ish color—the darker the color, the spicier the dip. Now dip something in it—sliced cucumbers, steamed green beans or cauliflower, celery sticks, Doritos, potato chips, almost anything your heart desires. If you like spicy, there’s no way you won’t agree this is a heavenly way to dip. I’ve since switched to using 2% Greek yogurt for the sour cream and now feel quite virtuous that I’m taking in protein, calcium and “live yogurt cultures” at the same time I’m chowing down joyfully for my tastebuds. Mix with salsa for a nice switch. Use it on sandwiches or dip plain chicken in it. In case you prefer more sophisticated uses, here are some other popular ways to use sriracha.

 Now, the news is I’ve found another one I like a lot. It’s called Tabanero hot sauce (the name is a combination of habanero, as in peppers, and Tabasco, the little spot in Mexico that grows peppers so well). But this is definitely NOT your grandmother’s Tabasco sauce. Its recipe sounds more like a real sauce—with carrots and onions, key lime juice, agave nectar, as well as habanero peppers, garlic salt, grapefruit seed extract and salt—labeled as all natural ingredients. I tried the medium-to-hot variety and it wasn’t too spicy for me. I was actually dipping my finger in it and tasting it all by itself. It has a clean, fresh taste and tastes like food.
And guess what? There’s no vinegar in it. I’ve just conducted a completely unscientific taste test with Tabanero, Cholula and sriracha. I now realize that part of why I don’t like the Cholula is the heavy vinegary taste—even though I like the taste of vinegar on its own. And lo and behold, the ingredients in Tabasco, too, are precisely: vinegar, red peppers and salt. Sriracha does have some vinegar, but it’s listed as the fifth ingredient and doesn’t overwhelm the chili flavor.
Okay, there is room in my heart and in my kitchen for two favorite hot sauces. I will probably never buy another bottle of Cholula (though it comes in many flavors and is very popular with Mexican food) or Tabasco (sorry, guys). Tabanero will be my new go-to sauce for Bloody Marys, but it might also get a turn in the yogurt dip once in a while. I’ll probably alternate Tabanero and sriracha for spicing up regular dishes that need a kick.
You can find sriracha hot chili sauce in most grocery stores and even in Targets with grocery areas. Get your bottle of Tabanero hot sauce ASAP—at this moment there are no retail outlets in Chicago (did you know there are such things as specialty hot sauce stores??), but you can order online. Then spice it up for National Hot Sauce Day–and keep your mouth and heart warmed up the rest of the year.

What is “rich” food?

Taste of the Danforth
Grilling makes most meats taste richer. Taste of the Danforth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Richness. How do we experience that in regard to food? What does it mean to say a food is rich? The dictionary says the word relates to a multitude of qualities besides possessions (wealth). Something rich is said to “have high value or quality, or to be well-supplied or endowed.” How about a food rich in history? Potatoes, for example. The seven-year-long Great Famine in Ireland in 1845. Or tomatoes – carried from South America in the late 16th century to all parts of the world and once thought to be highly poisonous.

But, no, that’s not what we mean when we say a food is rich. Perhaps the grapes are rich – have high quality and thus can produce the best wines. Yeah, but that’s more about the qualities of the grapes and not so much about taste, which is what we’re mainly talking about in a cookbook (which I happen to be working on and which inspired this post).

The dictionary goes on. “Magnificently impressive, synonym: sumptuous.” Oh, yeah, I can see that applied to a lot of dishes – Beef Wellington (filet of beef wrapped in pastry), anyone? Or “vivid and deep in color.” Yes, a rich red tomato. A deep, rich browned crust on your ribeye. Okay, we’re getting there.

Merriam Webster continues, “having a strong fragrance.” Yes! Think about fresh-baked bread. About the aroma of pot roast on a cold winter’s night. Rich, for sure. Here’s one: “having abundant plant nutrients.” Okay, although we do use the phrase rich in nutrition – and perhaps strict vegans might use it in that sense – vitamins are not usually what we’re thinking of when we speak of the richness of a meal. Here’s one: “highly seasoned, fatty, oily, or sweet.” Indeed, this meaning is often used pejoratively – “That’s too rich for my blood,” someone will say of a dish loaded with butter or sugar or one sitting in a pool of rich wine reduction.

English: Crème brûlée prepared using a torch.
These are BIG dishes of lush creme brulee – but the browned-sugar coating isn’t rich enough yet.

And the last few from the dictionary: “high in some component” – again, this leads us to think of non-taste-related phenomena such as, for example, cholesterol, though we could use it to refer simply to taste itself. I like the mystery and subtlety of this definition: “meaningful, significant.” Yes. I can feel this one when I speak of a meal that is rich – including taste and sensation but layered perhaps with some emotion like love, happiness, contentedness. Another one, “lush” seems suitable for rich, silky, creamy foods like ice cream or crème brûlée.

And finally, “pure or nearly pure” could refer to the intensity of a single flavor, as in soup base that is rich with beef flavor or a dessert composed of several items (e.g., crust, filling and topping), all flavored with lime, or with vanilla.
And then there’s umami, the so-called “fifth taste.” Discovered after centuries of belief that there were only the classic four: salt, sweet, sour and bitter.  Umami is defined generally as “savory, related to lip-smacking, rich tasting.” How about some triple-cream brie cheese? Surprisingly, people of good will today still disagree as to whether umami is a legitimate classification. But why not? It fits. It’s a concept missing from the other four, so it makes sense as a category. But I doubt it will ever have the rich, multilayered connotations of the “r” term. I mean, “rich” even feels umami on your tongue, doesn’t it?

Early 2015 restaurant news – burgers, soup, salumi and more

Acadia's new featured wagyu beef 'shroom burger
Acadia’s new featured wagyu beef ‘shroom burger

Acadia, 1639 S. Wabash in the South Loop, recently launched a new version of the Acadia Burger, one of the bar menu’s most popular items. The 6-ounce wagyu, brisket and chuck burger, created by Chef Ryan McCaskey, is topped with a mushroom ragout and Gruyere Grand Cru cheese and served on a sesame bun. It’s served with pickled cauliflower and hand-cut fries seasoned with house-made lemon pepper seasoning (containing over 20 ingredients) and foie gras butter. Sounds like a fascinating combination – and the fries look cooked just right.

The previous version, based on Burger King’s Stacker, was recognized as one of Chicago’s best burgers by Thrillist, TimeOut Chicago, Zagat and others. Acadia expects the new version to be just as well-loved. McCaskey said the new version “was inspired by my family eating at Hardee’s on the way to my grandmother’s house in Iowa as a kid.” Clearly, the wagyu beef and Gruyere cheese alone push it several notches beyond the inspiration. To inspire yourself, check it out at http://www.acadiachicago.com/.

Quartino's house-made salumi
Quartino’s house-made salumi

Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar, 626 N. State St., invites you to help celebrate its 9th anniversary on Tuesday, January 6 at its Annual Wine Bash. From 7 to 9 pm, $25 at the door gets you samples of some of Quartino’s most popular regional Italian food and wine specialties like pizza, Chef Coletta’s house-made salumi, Polenta Fries, Veal Meatballs, and more. To drink, either rosso or bianco Antica wines or the restaurant’s famous White Peach Bellini (Prosecco and house-made white peach puree).

“The evening will highlight many of the items that have been on our menu since day one in 2005,” says Executive Chef John Coletta, “and that are still some of our customers’ favorite dishes.” Head up to the second floor when you get there (social media #LateOnState).

Kanela Breakfast Club’s loukoumades

Kanela Breakfast Club (locations in Old Town, Lakeview and Wicker Park) welcomes power breakfast meetings with free wi-fi and complimentary parking .  NATIONAL SOUP MONTH – all month any guest who donates a canned soup or non-perishable food item will receive a complimentary order of Kanela’s signature Loukoumades (Greek doughnut, lemon honey syrup and toasted walnuts). Donations will be made to a local food pantry. Not valid with any other offer or promotion, one per person.

National Blueberry Pancake Day – Wed. January 28. Every order of Kanela’s signature blueberry pancakes comes with a free first cup of Julius Meinl coffee. One per person.

 

Compass Bar, 433 W. Diversey in Lincoln Park, is now serving brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brunch items range in price from $3 to $11 and features items like the breakfast pizza,

Bloody Mary with Rhinelander Lager

classic breakfast, omelettes, French toast and more. $6 mimosas and $8 bloody marys made with CH Distillery Peppercorn Vodka. Pair with a 3 ounce Rhinelander Lager bottle for an additional $2. The complete menu is available HERE. The Compass regular menu specializes in wood-fired pizzas and beer lovers choose from 180 bottled and 20 draft options.

Meat and Whiskey go good! The Publican and George Dickel team up

George Dickel knows how to make whiskey. Several kinds – from un-aged No. 1 white as an aperitif to rich pre-, during- and after-dinner-style whiskies No. 8, No. 12 and Barrel Select – make great pairings with almost any type of food. In a brilliant partnership with The Publican Restaurant, 837 W. Fulton Market – a popular Chicago restaurant that really knows how to do meat – Dickel and chefs put together a fabulous dinner of meat and booze. Gotta tell ya’ I am surprised at how well these whiskies go with a multitude of dishes.

Notable items at the sample dinner included a gorgeously puffed-up, cheese-encrusted pork rind appetizer that’d knock your socks off compared to the ordinary version, and a beautifully moist and tender cut of pale-pink pork wrapped in fat, roasted and served atop a bed of crisply cooked cabbage and other vegetables. That meat was exquisite, and the vegetables perfectly cooked to bring out their best flavor. A side dish of roasted root vegetables had a nice tang but needed an extra 20 minutes in the oven. Still, the pork was an impressive dish among several others just as delicious. No. 12 and Barrel Select whiskies stood out as exceptionally smooth, flavorful and made powerfully nice accents to the meats.

It’s not easy picking out good whiskies unless you’re a connoisseur and spend a good chunk of time tasting and taking notes. I didn’t love the white version (a little harsh I thought but that’s just my taste). However, I can recommend the other hearty, Dickel made-in-America varieties for all whiskey lovers – see if there is one you might want to add to your list of faves.

English: Image of the George Dickel distillery...
English: Image of the George Dickel distillery in Cascade Hollow, Tennessee. Taken by ProhibitOnions, 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

is…

Butcher’s Tap – sports bar that shows you the love

The Butcher’s Tap opened recently at 3553 N. Southport. According to co-owner Bob Dalton, “We’ve revived this location (a former butcher shop) and given it a whole lot of TLC.” Gorgeous butcher-block tabletops that look freshly made line up to form a cozy, warmly lit seating area opposite the long bar. Lots of twinkly lights join with the multiple sports-centered flat screens to illuminate the place – it’s a sports-bar-lover’s paradise. And one thing I found extremely cool – they have a DJ who monitors the screens and puts on rockin’ music the second the advertising starts. Good games with great music instead of commercials? I’m on board.

Drinks range from barrel-tapped wines ($8 a glass) and bottles (a small but nice selection from $25 to $60) to hand-crafted cocktails like the Ravenswood Old Fashioned and Iced and Spiced Moonshine, and a big selection of beers, lagers, ales, stouts, and so on (many on tap). If you’re more in the mood for shots or liquor on the rocks, their selection is respectable and worth sampling.

The food is also a big attraction here. In addition to their hormone- and antibiotic-free, grass-fed burgers, they’ve got signature sandwiches made with hand-sliced deli meats (from Smoking Goose, Dietz & Watson and Ferndale Farm) and off-the-block cheese like Saxon’s Big Ed Gouda, Decatur Dairy Havarti and lots more. PLUS, they offer an array of select and seasonal choices of cured meats and cheeses. The night we visited these included South Sider Cider (pork & Venison, brewed cider), Elk-for-heavens-sake (with dried blueberries and New Day Mead), Capriole Goat cheese (said to be the best in the nation), and Red Dragon English cheddar with whole grain mustard and ale (fabulous taste – I couldn’t stop eating it), among others. Their cheese plate goes for $14 and feeds two generously as an appetizer. Good value. And you can make your own burger by picking a protein and adding your own toppings (burgers go for $10 to $13 and include fries or a picnic side (see below).

Butcher's Tap - comfort food in a friendly atmosphere
Butcher’s Tap – comfort food in a friendly atmosphere

Butchers beef n friesThese guys love local. Butcher’s Tap consults on its cheeses with reps from Forge and Foster. The cheese board comes with nuts, crackers and spreads plus a little cup of scrumptious apricot jam that’s made in house. Sandwiches come on crusty multigrain, brioche and other breads from Upper Crust Bakery, and the cured meats come from the Smoking Goose in Indiana. Their French fries are made with real, honest-to-goodness fresh potatoes. They’re salty and crispy and delicious, and you can get an order for 3 bucks – nice. They make their own fried chicken by soaking chicken for 12 hours in beer batter and then hand-frying it for you (Cajun or classic). My companion said the chicken in her sandwich was a little dry and the breading looked slightly burned, but I’m sure they’ll get that under control as they fine-tune their processes. We both thought the mac & cheese could have used a little more oomph – more cheese or something. But again, this place is clearly out to show you the love, so we think any missed notes will soon be addressed. Other sides include onion rings ($4), elotes corn (grilled with a creamy sauce, $3), pasta salad ($4), potato salad ($4), and city slaw ($4).

Don’t miss a chance to enjoy the comfortable, friendly atmosphere and the good food at The Butcher’s Tap when you’re near the Southport corridor. This place could vie for one of my favorite “I need some love” – and food – stopovers.