Why I Oughta...

This place came in at #12 on the list - which is surprising once you find this place.  It is way out on Lake Street under the El tracks and kind of isolated.  At least for this suburban guy, it felt isolated.  The place from the front couldn't be cuter, though.  In the front part of the store, they have a deli/bakery in each of the front windows.  I don't think they're actually open to the public (I don't think you can come in off the street and buy meats to take home), but it seemed like they're using it to 'serve' the restaurant.  When we were walking out, a waitress was picking up a salami plate from the deli counter and was set to deliver it to a table. This is one of those places that you must have to *know* is here to get there, I suppose. But since it was on the list, we had to try it.  For those keeping track at home, here's the full list of pizza places we're trying .    This was NOT the best Neapolitan pizza we've had.  I'm c

I ordered a quesadilla with chorizo from Pepe's last night and when the container arrived, it was marked like this: That's kind of how my dad says it.

A month back, Nat and I snuck out for a date night that included a stop at a pizza place on our list and a comedy show that was part of the TBS Just for Laughs Comedy Festival .  We picked Spacca Napoli - #15 on the list of the Top 25 Pizza Places in Chicago.  And while it comes in ahead of such notables as Louisa's and Aurelio's, I can tell you that this one is ranked too high.  The place itself couldn't be cuter.  It appears to just spring up in the middle of a residential neighborhood and has a ton of outdoor seating.  It is VERY popular and we had to wait about an hour to get our table.  We weren't in any hurry, so that was fine.  We ended up sitting outside and as the night wore on, the temperature dropped.  So, we might have outsmarted ourselves with the outdoor seats. The menu is filled with what we've come to expect at most neopolitan places:  a few twists on the Margherita and a bunch of white pies.  I went with the Diavola and Nat (surprisingly) wen

Last night, Nat and I dropped the Babe off at her folks house (Thanks Grammy and Granddad!) and went downtown to knock a pizza place off our the top 25 list (watch for a post on that later) and to see a stand-up show that was part of the TBS Just for Laughs Comedy Festival - which takes place across a bunch of clubs in Chicago.  The Just for Laughs folks got started up in Canada - which is (in my mind) the second best place for comedy behind Chicago.  They started this festival in Chicago - a companion to their one in Montreal - a few years back.  Nat and I have talked about going each year, but something always came up.  This year, we took the plunge and bought tickets.  As we walked out, we both noted that we should try to get to even more than one show next year.  This is a great thing for the city and based on the fact that a lot of the shows were sold out, it is well supported.  The headliners are Martin Short and Steve Martin who are playing on Sunday so they were able to ge

On Alan Richman's big GQ list of the Top pizza joints in the country , Buddy's in Detroit came in at #15.  I had NOT been to any of the places on the list despite the top choice being in Chicago (Great Lake), so a visit to Buddy's was going to be my first rare-air experience in the world of pizza. A few weeks back, I was set to have a meeting with a Google Exec and an editor up in Detroit - and I made the executive decision to have the meeting over lunch at Buddy's.  Everyone agreed to meet there and I have to say: this was the best pizza I've ever had in my entire life.  Seriously.  It was that good. *UPDATE on Feb 3, 2012*  I recently decided to try my hand at making Buddy's pizza at home.  To that end,  bought 2  Detroit-style Blue Steel Pizza Pans  and changed my recipe a bit. The GQ list isn't the first time Buddy's has been recognized, but being a high-brow list, it is great to see a place like this able to make it.  That photo is the side t

Back in November, I shared a moment of enlightenment about various styles/types of pizza.  Specifically, after reading a book about pizza, I came across a list of terms defined including Sicilian and Grandma pizza styles.  The 2 descriptions can be found on my post:  Sicilian vs. Grandma Pizza . Up until this week, the discussion was completely academic because I hadn't been to a place that had them side-by-side.  That's no longer the case.  While in NYC this week, I stopped by a slice joint and came across both of them right next to each other.  That's the Sicilian on the right and the Grandma on the left.  With both, you pick your slice and they throw it into a faux-wood-burning oven that is really just an open gas burner to reheat your slice.  I really don't love this whole reheating process, but it seems it is the way New Yorkers roll. See how much thinner the Grandma pie is?  They're both cut into "squares" - really rectangles - and the edges are c

More bad news for Downtown Elmhurst:  Fontano's - the home of 8 beloved Italian sandwich combinations has closed.  I drove by this morning and saw this big sad 'For Lease' sign in the window. Confirmed, too by the Elmhurst Patch .   Bummer for the sandwich scene in town.  However, I'm hopeful that we'll see something besides a salon move in.  A guy can hope, right?

It has only taken a little over two years, but I think we've found it:  the place to get our pizza pies in Elmhurst.  For the most part, our go-to takeout place has been Mama Maria's - on Valette Street, just off of York on the south side of town.  It is a good, solid pizza place with a great staff.  The pies they churn out are very consistent, but not spectacular.  Unfortunately for them, I think I've picked up my last pizza pie from their store for a while. (Equation Boy/Man turned me on to Mama Maria's.  His old go-to place is called Billy's Pizza Dugout in Villa Park, but there's been an ownership change and he didn't like the changes the new guy made.) All of that is behind us now, because went to County Inn Pizza last night and they've converted me. I consider myself pretty well-versed in all things pizza, but embarrassingly the lead for this place came from my lovely wife Natalie.  Seems, one of our neighbors picks up their pizza from here re

Last week, Nat and  I went out to celebrate my birthday (and the big Polomsky for City Council win!) with a meal at the Girl and the Goat .  As most of you know (and I just came to realize!), this restaurant is very happening and for good reason:  the chef is a *celebrity* , the place has a great vibe, and the food, well...isn't what I would call "in my comfort zone", but it was pretty great. While we didn't get the roasted pig face (seriously...that's on the menu), we did get some pork and here's me smiling with a VERY full belly and playing with a pork shank bone. The meal was quite the experience - especially for a guy like me who lives in the suburbs and eats pizza and chicken wings.  From the green beans with fish sauce to the chickpea fritters to the seppia (fish), it was all quite interesting and for the most part, delicious.  And, we got a wonderful surprise at the end of our meal from a friend/neighbor of ours (Thanks if you are reading this!) whic

I know this may be hard to believe, but Nat doesn't like pizza as much as I do. Because of that fact, we (unfortunately) have to go to restaurants OTHER than pizza joints. One of those was Tom & Eddie's in Lombard . Tom & Eddies is an upscale burger place that was developed by two long-time McDonald's execs.  Their story has been covered elsewhere and it, indeed, is an interesting story line.  These two guys are going after the fast, upscale casual restaurant dollar.  Fancier than Chipotle, but as fast and casual as Panera. The burgers were good, but not extraordinarily memorable - as noted because I can't quite remember what I had to eat.  Nat had a Turkey burger and loved it.  We'll go back, but the burgers are only a small reason why. The place is sleek, welcoming, and bright.  And the folks who work there (Who I think(?) were actually Tom and Eddie) were great and warm. The pieces of the place that are the most fun (for me, at least) were how

I'm learning very quickly that time moves very fast with little kids.  One day they can't hold their own head up and the next they're rifling through the cupboards below the sink.  My little girl just crossed the 15 month mark and on pretty regular occasions, I'm seeing her do some very grown up like things.  They're small little actions or body language, but they're definitely there.  Or at least, in my head, they are there.  Take for example this photo.  We were at the Country House eating burgers this week when I caught her lounging in her high chair.  She looks so at ease and comfortable and the way she's carrying herself just seems so NOT like an infant/toddler. Every time I look at her I rediscover how adorable she really is.  I couldn't love her more than I do and am so fortunate to have her in my life.  Nat has been doing an amazing job with her and each and every day we're both learning something together! For those of you friends and f

Over the weekend, we took the Babe out in her stroller and went for a walk to get some air.  Somehow, we ended up checking out a new place on York Street named Rosalia's Deli. Rosalia's is an annex Angelo's Ristorante - a long time fixture in Elmhurst which recently underwent a facelift.  The exterior of the place looks great and I, for one, welcome the addition of an Italian deli literally in my backyard. When you walk in, you have a pretty standard Italian deli with breads, cheeses, a big counter full of meats and prepared items as well as a handful of oils and other Italian specialty items.  I wasn't all that impressed with the breadth of their offerings, but it is a small place AND it is just getting started.  I suppose just about everything will pale in comparison to Angelo Caputo's, right? But...when you look to the left - to the part of the store that is connected to Angelo's Ristorante - what do you see? This beauty.  A custom-built wood-fired p

The first time I had pizza in our new house in Elmhurst, we ordered from Pizza Palace .  We were having a painting party with our relatives and had to order something on the spot.  One way or the other, I ended up with getting a few pies delivered and I was happy. I've subsequently started to order from Mama Maria's, but recently decided to head back to give an in-person try to Pizza Palace.  Nat was going out for the night and it was going to be me and the Babe alone for dinner.  What better thing to eat than sausage and pepperoni, right? Pizza Palace is on Addison Street - right behind the main drag called York in Downtown Elmhurst.  The place is a pretty unassuming bar with a dining room bolted on the side.  We sat in the bar in a booth and waited to see if someone would join us in this fun 70's era table. Since my dining companion is 14 months old, we chose to eat at 5:30 pm on a Wednesday.  Aside from one older lady by herself at the bar, we were all alone.  By t

Sadly, the original Home Run Inn didn't make the top 25 pizzas in Chicago, but it should have.  We went down to the restaurant and checked out the place in all of it's glory for a Score 670 live radio appearance.  It was A LOT of fun and made the experience more interesting. As you all know by now, I have a go-to pie:  sausage and pepperoni.  The good folks at Home Run Inn are VERY deft and churning out that particular pie.  It is very tasty. The store has expanded to cover the corner, but look at this old photo!  They should bring that old-school logo back.  "The Pizza King".  Pretty rad.  Oh...and is that BI.7 the phone number?   

*NOTE* Yes...This post is out of order.  We went to Pequod's a while ago, but I forgot to post the pics and review. We drove up to Morton Grove planning on hitting up Burt's Place for some deep dish pizza on a random Tuesday - not heeding any warnings about pre-ordering our pies or any of that jazz.  Pulling up to the place, I was excited:  this place is a dive!  But...being the #8 pizza on the list, I was sure this would live up to they hype.  The place seemed quiet. Eerily quiet.  Turns out...they're NOT open on Tuesdays.  Bummer. But....lucky for us, all was NOT lost.  You see, Burt Katz - the proprietor of Burt's founded a little place called Pequod's - which just so happens to be on the list, too.  And the best part?  The original Pequod's is LITERALLY right around the corner from Burt's.  Off we went. My only experience with Pequod's was their City of Chicago location, but turns out this place was where it all began. Established in 1979,

Coming in at #16 on the Top 25 pizza places list, I was excited to give this place a shot.  Natalie had scored us a groupon or living social coupon for half off, so we had already committed the money to this place, so there was no turning back.  We decided to go to the Montrose location without doing a lot of research.  The location was closer to the expressway and being suburban folks that matters A LOT. When we arrived, I was surprised by the size.  This is a take-out place!  There is only 2 tables and a counter to sit at!  Fortunately for us, we were the only ones dining in. That probably was because we arrived before 6 - baby dining out hours. We took two of our nephews with and had a great time in the car ride down - watching Garfield and giggling along. When you walk in, you see the pizza prep area right away.  There were two guys working hard to create the pies.  The ovens are conventional gas ovens so they're tucked away on the left side.  Apart must do a heckuva lot