Sushi O Sushi

In our hunt for our sushi place, we tried Sushi O Sushi on W Armitage between N Sedgwick and N Orleans. The chef is fantastically happy and outgoing. Our table of 4 received complimentary sake from the chef. I don't particularly like sake, but I appreciated the gesture! To start, between the 4 of us, we ordered 2 bowls of Miso Soup, and 2 Crab Rangoon appetizers, which each came with 5 small pieces. Both were okay. We ordered 6 rolls to share. My favorites were Lover (cream cheese, scallions, crunch, and masago on top of a California Roll) and Crispy (crab stick, cream cheese, avocado, eel, and white fish, deep fried). The chef and the atmosphere were top grade, but altogether, our hunt for our sushi place wages on.

The Bagel Restaurant and Deli

While Christmas shopping at Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, we stopped in at The Bagel Restaurant and Deli for a quick lunch. We intended to order at the counter, but the line there was long, so we decided to sit and dine. We were given bread and pickles upon sitting down. I ordered a Chicken Salad Sandwich from the sandwich board, and added cheddar and bacon. It was delicious. It came with lettuce, tomato, and coleslaw on the side.

Uncle Julio's

We recently grabbed dinner at Uncle Julio's on North Ave between Clybourn and Dayton. It's a Mexican/Tex-Mex place near the North/Clybourn Red Line stop amidst an upscale shopping district. It's a large restaurant, and was very loud on that Friday night.

We began with the Guacamole and Queso Combo. The portions were disappointingly small. The guacamole was good, but it was served over a piece of lettuce. I wished I could've scraped it off the plate, y'know? The queso was okay.

The Mesquite Grilled menu items were far too expensive, and so, for me, not worth a look.

I love Mexican food, but I'm very simple, and generally prefer to order menu items à la carte. I never really like the rice and beans that come on the side, but that's often hard to avoid. I ordered the Crispy Taco Plate that came with 3 crispy tacos (I went with beef), and the unavoidable rice and beans came on the side.



Overall, the meal was okay, too expensive, and the restaurant was too loud.

Grilled chicken, bacon and cheddar sandwich

Tonight's dinner!

Grilled chicken, bacon and cheddar sandwich

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 hamburger bun
1 chicken breast
3 slices bacon
1 slice cheddar cheese
1 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)

1. Cut the fat off the chicken, then slice it thinly. Place the chicken slices on the grill and cook for several minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165°.
2. Meanwhile, toast the hamburger bun, and cook the bacon per instructions. (I used turkey bacon.)
3. Pile the sandwich together. From the bottom: Bottom of hamburger bun, chicken breast, cheddar cheese, bacon, mayonnaise, top of hamburger bun.

Pizano's Pizza and Pasta

We recently dined at Pizano's Pizza and Pasta, and my partner dared to say that this may be her favorite deep-dish pizza in the city. I still stand by my choice of Lou Malnati's, but agree that Pizano's is good. Similar to Lou's, they offer personal deep-dish pizzas with reasonable wait times. I found the crust to not compare to Lou's Buttercrust, and it was tough to cut through, and burnt around the edges. Both deep-dish restaurants have multiple locations throughout the city, so I guess the next time we're looking for some familiar deep-dish, we'll have to flip a coin.

Owen and Engine

Tonight, we ate at Owen and Engine on Western between Schubert and Diversey. It's right across the street from the Regal City North 14 movie theater. I'd been meaning to try their widely praised burger, so I waited until a movie came out that I wanted to see, and made a dinner/movie night of it.

The burger at Owen and Engine is a little expensive at $14, plus upcharges for toppings. It comes on a homemade toasted potato "bap" (a good, airy bun). The burger, which is a mix of ground chuck, short rib, and brisket is very thick. I ordered it medium well, but it was still pretty pink. It's juicy and drips all over the plate, and the toppings fall out very easily. It comes with lots of caramelized onions, and I asked if I could add cheese. They only have one kind of cheese in the establishment: Irish white cheddar. It comes with fries, though at a gastropub, I guess we say, "chips".

The burger was pretty good, but I don't think it deserves it's current high placement on most "Best Burger in Chicago" lists.

For me, Lockdown Bar and Grill still strongly holds the title for the best burger in the city.

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

Since moving to Chicago last January, I've been searching for the best deep-dish pizza. My favorite so far, and by far, is Lou Malnati's. They have multiple locations throughout the city and stretching into the suburbs. I like to order The Malnati Chicago Classic, which is lean sausage, extra cheese, and vine-ripened tomato sauce on Buttercrust. Regardless of the toppings you choose from Lou's, always go for the Buttercrust.

Here's a personal Chicago Classic. (I love that they have pizzas to serve 1.)



The runner up's so far:

At The Art of Pizza on Ashland, I was able to get a deep-dish slice straight away, as opposed to waiting for 30+ minutes for a whole pie, because they pulled the slice off a pan and just reheated it. It's not very good reheated, though the thought of not having to wait forever for deep-dish is awesome. I should still try a fresh out of the oven pie before I pass full judgment.

Giordano's is stuffed pizza, and not exactly deep-dish, with multiple locations throughout the city. I've had it a few times. It's ok, and it's terrible reheated.

Gino's East is truly great pizza, even as reheated leftovers, but the service and wait are horrendous. If you want to try Gino's, set aside at least 2 hours, and save up some patience for the long waits for service and weird constant difficulty about it.

I haven't been to the original Pizzeria Uno since they operate a chain restaurant that reaches across the country, and I've been to a few of those, so it's hard to make this place seem special.

I still have more places to try, but I really love Lou Malnati's.

Shaw's Crab House

We went to Shaw's Crab House on Hubbard St for a fancy night out. We were seated quickly. Bread and butter was served to the table first. I ordered the Filet Mignon (8oz) with bearnaise sauce, Oscar style. The filet was butterflied and cooked to my liking. There weren't any unfortunate fat chunks, and no bites were too rare or too well done.



My partner ordered the Steamed Alaskan Gold King Crab Legs (1 1/4 lb). They pre-cut the legs, so the use of the cracker was only minimal, which was nice. She received a bib prior to eating, a ramekin with butter over a candle for dipping, and hot cloths for cleaning up.



We also got a side of Macaroni and Cheese. It wasn't very special.

This place had very classy service, but we felt slightly overdressed. We were probably better dressed than we had to be to be dining there, but when I'm paying $100+ for dinner for two, I tend to want to suit up.

Some more quick bite restaurants

We recently got delivery from Begin on Armitage between Kedzie and Sawyer. The delivery guy actually rang my doorbell rather than calling me and having me meet him halfway down the block, and I liked that. We got the crab rangoon appetizer, which came with 6 small pieces. I always like even numbers with shared plates. They were a bit small, and wrapped in the way that not every bite has the crab/cream cheese filling. I ordered the broccoli entree with beef. It was pretty standard, served with garlic and brown sauce, a little spicy, and came with white rice on the side.





We also recently had Chipotle on Addison between Elston and Kedzie. Here's our chips and guacamole, 2 steak tacos with pico de gallo, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole, and a chicken bowl with lettuce, cheese, and sour cream.



I got Panes Bread Cafe on Sheffield between Nelson and Wellington delivered to work for lunch. Their bread is exceptionally sweet, which can be an acquired taste. It's great for me for lunch during a physically active work day. Here's the turkey club (no tomato).



Lastly, I grabbed a sandwich from The Great American Bagel on Belmont between Lakewood and Racine. The insides of the sandwich are a little thin. Here's my turkey club (again, no tomato) on an asiago bagel.

A few quick bite restaurants

I haven't been eating anything too fancy lately. I've been working a lot, and packing sandwiches for lunches and dinners, but here's a few places I've recently grabbed a quick bite.

D's Dog Hut is a corner hot dog joint in the suburbs. It's on Roosevelt Rd in Westchester just a little east of Wolf Rd. I got a Vienna Beef Hot Dog with cheese, grilled onions, and bacon on a poppy seed bun with a side of fries.




Chicago Bagel Authority has 2 locations, and I ordered take out from the Belmont location in Lakeview. It has an extensive menu. I ordered the Tonya Harding Club, which is turkey, ham, colby, and swiss on a plain bagel.




Eat A Pita on Halsted in Lakeview has fast, affordable food. Here's the Turkey Club with fries.

Turkey bacon, hash brown, egg, and cheese on a bagel

Turkey bacon, hash brown, egg, and cheese on a bagel

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 plain bagel
1 egg
3 slices turkey bacon
1 hash brown (I used the Jewel Osco store brand)
1 slice cheese

1. Toast the bagel.
2. Cook turkey bacon, and hash brown per instructions.
3. Fry egg to your preference.
4. Pile the sandwich together. From the bottom: Bagel half, turkey bacon, hash brown, egg, cheese (I use Sargento Ultra Thin Colby Jack), bagel half.

Clarke's

Clarke's has 5 locations, and before a show at Lincoln Hall, we went to the Lincoln Park location for a last minute meal. I ordered a Turkey Club.



It wasn't very good, and pricey. Service was fine though.

Blue Fin Sushi

Blue Fin Sushi at North and Winchester was our latest experiment to find "our sushi place". It was good, but we still don't have our place. The vibe in the restaurant was cool. The 2 of us used a Groupon. She ordered Miso Soup, and I ordered Vege Tempura. The Miso was fine. The tempura was squash, potato, and onion, so not a lot of variety, but we were served more than 5 pieces, which is what the menu said.

We ordered 3 rolls to split. We got the Delta Force Roll (tempura maki, snow crabmeat, cream cheese, and avocado inside, unagi sauce, masago, and wasabi mayo), Tornado Roll (deep fried maki; crabmeat, spicy tuna, avocado wrapped in mamenori and potato with masago, scallion, spicy sauce, and unagi sauce), and Green Dragon Roll (shrimp tempura, masago and cucumber inside, covered by avocado, wasabi tobiko and spicy mayo). I liked the Tornado Roll best, and she liked the Green Dragon best, which I liked least.

The rolls here can be weirdly triangular instead of round. I don't consider myself to be rookie chopstick holder, but the triangular rolls weren't the easiest to manage.

Favorite Halloween dishes

One of my favorite dishes to make for Halloween is The Screamin' Cheese Man, and it's always a hit. I use cream cheese for the body, crushed cashews for the shirt, chopped parsley for the pants, red bell pepper for the mouth, button mushrooms for the eyes, and broccoli for the hair. Then a mix of cheese cubes for the sky, pimento cheese for the sun (optional), and smoked sausage and pepperoni for the ground. Here are two different versions I've made.




My masterpiece last year was the Melon Brain. I peeled a watermelon with a vegetable peeler until it was white, cut a flat surface on the bottom of the watermelon to steady it, then cut swirls into it.

Slow cooker chicken tortilla soup

This is a favorite in our house, and a great dinner!

Slow cooker chicken tortilla soup

Ingredients (serves 4):

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, mild
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 yellow onion (diced)
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
Salt
Pepper
Tortilla chips (crushed)
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

1. Cut the fat off the chicken, and place in the crock pot.
2. Combine and mix Rotel, garlic cloves, onion, 1 cup chicken broth, and cumin, then pour over the chicken. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours. Add more chicken broth if the chicken isn't covered in the pot. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
3. In the midst of cooking or when finished cooking, take out the chicken and shred it with 2 forks. I like to shred chicken when it's already cooking as opposed to when it's cold because the tenderness makes it easier. Just be careful not to burn yourself.
4. Serve soup into bowls, and top with an equal mix of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese. Then top with crushed tortilla chips, and serve.

Bagel breakfast sandwich with ham, egg and cheese

I ran out of sausage the other day, and decided to make this breakfast sandwich with ham instead of sausage. After the egg cooked, I just threw a few ham slices on the skillet to warm them, then piled it together.

Turkey stuffed peppers

Here's a recipe I love from Skinny Taste. It takes about an hour to make, and it's delicious!

Sausage biscuit and hash brown

McDonald's sausage biscuits and hash browns were always a favorite of mine. On my way to work, I used to stop at the drive through. Nothing against McDonald's because we all know what it is and make our choices to eat there, but the real key to weight loss for me was cooking at home. When you can monitor what you're putting into your body, it's easier to eat the same meals and have them be healthier. While not everything I eat is non-fat or the lowest calorie option, I am sure that weight loss begins in the kitchen, and time spent cooking is well worth the reward. This morning, I made my own sausage biscuit and hash brown. It was 15 grams less fat, and 222 less calories than the same order at McDonald's.

Sausage biscuit and hash brown

Ingredients (serves 1):
1.5 sausage patties (I use Tennessee Mild sausage, which doesn't come pre-cut, so I cut off 1.5 patties worth, then squish it with my hands to form a larger patty)
1 Pillsbury Grands Jr buttermilk biscuit
1 hash brown (I used the Jewel Osco store brand)
Salt

1. Heat the biscuit and the hash brown in the oven according to instructions.
2. Cook sausage patty in a skillet over medium-heat for about 4 minutes, then flip and finish cooking until browned on all sides.
3. Assemble sandwich, and serve with hash brown on the side. Salt hash brown to taste.

Chile con queso

Chile con queso

Ingredients (serves 2-6):
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 cup pale ale (I use Sierra Nevada Pale Ale)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp flour
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 can Original Rotel (drained)
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup green onions (sliced)
1 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
Tortilla chips

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook 3-4 minutes.
2. Add beer, then 1 cup milk, and bring to a simmer.
3. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk with the flour in a bowl. Then add it the saucepan, and stir while it thickens, about 2 minutes.
4. Add cheese, and stir until it all melts.
5. Add the Rotel, lime juice, salt, chili pepper, and cayenne pepper, and mix in.
6. Serve into bowls, and garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serve with chips.

Chickie's and Pete's

Our flight out of Philadelphia was at 7:45am, but I couldn't help myself. As a Philly native, crab fries are something I crave when I'm away for too long, much like cheesesteaks and Wawa. Chickie's and Pete's has some spots in Philadelphia International Airport, and thank God. Crab fries with cheese; the breakfast of champions.

Backfin Blues Bar and Grill

Continuing on our vacation, we went out to Backfin Blues Bar and Grill in Port Deposit, MD for a nice dinner prepared by Chef Bob. They have lots of specials, so don't study the menu too hard before hearing them.

We started our meals with the appetizer specials of Pork Belly and Crab Louie. Two of us loved the Pork Belly, and the other 2 loved the Crab Louie.

I ordered the Grilled Rib Eye, medium well. It was cooked to my liking and still very juicy, and fewer chefs get the more well-done steaks right than you'd think. I tend to cut more of the fat off my meat when I'm grilling at home, but the steak was so big that I had plenty of good mouthfuls. The sides were delicious. The salad beforehand had a lot of ingredients for an entree starter salad, which was impressive. It was a great dinner.

I recommend this place if you're in town and feel like splurging.

Sake Hana

Last week, I visited my mom. I grew up a lot closer to Philly, but she now lives in a suburb near the south edge of Pennsylvania. We went out to Sake Hana in Avondale, PA with some of the family, who've all come to like the place a lot.

The table shared the Golden Bag appetizer, which is basically crab rangoon, and the Beef Negimaki appetizer, which is basically a steak roll. It's thin slices of sirloin steak grilled with scallions, smothered in teriyaki sauce. Both were good!

My partner and I split the Rock'N Roll, which is shrimp tempura with cucumbers inside, topped with spicy tuna, spicy salmon, crunchy masago and sesame seeds, as well as the Double Happiness Roll, which is spicy crab meat and cream cheese topped with shrimp, avocado, and spicy mayo. Both were good, and we particularly enjoyed the Double Happiness Roll.

The service was nice, but felt slow since we've grown so used to accelerated city lives, but it actually probably wasn't, and slowing down for a week probably did us some good.

Macaroni and cheese

When my partner and I are working conflicting schedules, I like to make dinners that leave leftovers. This usually results in a baked pasta of some sort. One of our favorites is this foolproof macaroni and cheese. Instead of all cheddar, sometimes I make 1/3 of the cheese Gruyere. Anyway, you can't really go wrong here, and it still tastes good reheated.

Egg and cheese scramble

Egg and cheese scramble

Ingredients (serves 1):
Cooking spray
2 eggs
1 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp shredded Colby cheese
1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
1 tbsp green onions

1. Spray a frying pan over low heat with cooking spray. Scramble eggs in a bowl.
2. Pour eggs into the pan. Add cheeses, and mix continuously until it all blends together. Chop green onions thinly.
3. When the eggs set, remove them from the pan, add green onions on top, and serve.

Here it is with turkey sausage on the side:

Zoku Sushi and Asian Contemporary Cuisine

Zoku Sushi and Asian Contemporary Cuisine on N Kedzie between W Wabansia and W North was another shot at finding "our sushi place" in Chicago. We grabbed a Groupon and tried it out. The service was fast and very nice. We started with Crab Rangoon and Miso Soup. Both were fine. The crab rangoon was small, and it's 5 pieces. Odd numbers in appetizers always bother me, but I know that's silly. We ordered 3 rolls: Spicy Tuna, BLT, and Domo. The Domo roll was my favorite, and I would order that again. They have a few other rolls I'd like to try, but all in all, the search for "our sushi place" in Chicago soldiers on.

Royal Thai Restaurant

My partner always bothers me to eat more Thai food, so we checked out Royal Thai Restaurant at W Montrose and N Lincoln. We grabbed free parking right in front of the restaurant. It was crowded, but we quickly snagged the last table. Our server was very friendly. We got the Crab Rangoon, and I got the Pad Cashew with chicken. It was good, and I think we'll be back. They have a large menu with lots of dishes I'd like to try.

Tom's Home Cookin'

We went to Tom's Home Cookin' on E 26th Ave, which is cash only and serves all meals in disposable containers, and it definitely wasn't the dive I'd expected. The place was clean, the service was very friendly, and the line out the door at 11:30am (they opened at 11am) moved quickly.



I ordered the fried chicken (a thigh and leg), macaroni and cheese, green beans, and cornbread. I got all that and a soft drink for $12. It was filling, delicious, and perfectly Southern.

We grabbed one more meal in Denver before hitting up a concert at Red Rocks. We got burgers at The Cherry Cricket. I got the Cricket Burger with white cheddar, bacon, and a fried egg. It was cooked to my liking, juicy, a little greasy, and definitely filling. We also split a 1/2 basket of fries, which was actually a lot! And we took the opportunity to grab pints of Coors Light for $2.25 each since we were in Colorado. It tasted the same.

Biker Jim's Restaurant

Last week, I vacationed to Rocky Mountain National Park. We flew from Chicago to Denver, then drove to Estes Park. We spent a day driving Trail Ridge Road, stopping at every overlook, and adjusting to the altitude, then hiked some trails. It was our first time there, and the mountains were even bigger than I'd imagined. It was amazing.

While in Estes Park, we ate at Cheesy Lee's, and as far as pizza away from the East Coast goes, it was good. The staff is really nice. We also ate at The Egg and I, and really loved it. They have a great menu, and filled us up before our days of hiking and Clif bar lunches.

We went back to Denver, and ate at Biker Jim's on Larimer St near Coors Field. We chose to eat there to see if it rivaled our Chicago favorite Hot Doug's gourmet hot dogs. In the end, we had to side with Doug's and the city we live in, but we had a good adventure trying out the menu at Biker Jim's.





I had an Alaskan Reindeer with cream cheese and caramelized onions, and an All Beef with wasabi aioli, caramelized apple, and shaved Irish cheddar. The verdict on the reindeer? I liked it. I know, I feel guilty.

Bacon, egg, and toast cups

I finally decided to try the muffin cup trend. All in all, the meal was really good, but I'll admit that preparing a meal for 2 isn't worth the muffin cup effort, (for 4, maybe), but there are easier and faster ways to prepare this food if you're not cooking for a large group. Still, it's good stuff.

Bacon, egg, and toast cups

Ingredients (serves 2):
Cooking spray
4 slices bread
4 rashers bacon
1/4 cup Colby jack cheese
4 eggs
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a skillet, cook bacon for 5 minutes, flipping throughout. If it's pre-cooked, skip this step. (I use turkey bacon for a healthier meal.)
3. Cut out circles in bread. (I use a cup turned upside down to create the circles.)
4. Press the bread circles into the muffin pan, then wrap a bacon rasher around the outside of each one.
5. Evenly sprinkle cheese into each cup, and crack an egg into the middle of each. Add a little salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin to free it, and serve.

Slow cooker pierogies

Here's a recipe stolen from Food.com, but for 2, and my way. It's very simple!

Slow cooker pierogies

Ingredients (serves 2 generously):

16 potato and cheese mini pierogies
1/3 of a white onion
3 tbsp butter

1. Place pierogies in slow cooker on high.
2. Dice white onion, and melt butter. Then add to the slow cooker.
3. Cook on high for 3 hours, flipping and mixing the melted better to be on top occasionally.

Asiago garlic knots

Asiago garlic knots

Ingredients (makes 5 knots):

1 small tube Pillsbury Grands Jr biscuits
Cooking spray
1/8 cup canola oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 dashes oregano
Dash of black pepper
3 tbsp asiago cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Top a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Roll and stretch each biscuit into a long rope, then tie into a knot. Place on the baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes until golden.
3. In a bowl, mix oil, garlic, oregano, pepper, and asiago together.
4. When the biscuits have finished cooking, brush them generously with the mixture, and serve hot.

New York Bagel and Bialy Corp

I found myself in the northern suburbs on Monday, and tried out the famous New York Bagel and Bialy Corp. Their bagels are the real deal. The chewiness is perfect! Also, it's very inexpensive, and they're open 24/7. Whenever I'm up that way, I'll be sure to stop in and grab a dozen to bring home. The fillings for bagel sandwiches, however, are just okay. I can't speak to the cream cheeses. Not yet anyway.

Here's a New York Breakfast (sausage, egg, and cheese on a bagel):


And 1/2 a chicken salad sandwich with American cheese (I'd already eaten the other 1/2):


A lot of reviews say that the service is rude. They weren't rude; they're just from Brooklyn.

Geja's Cafe

Geja's Cafe is a fantastic restaurant. I took my partner here for a nice dinner years ago, and ever since, it's been "our place".

Making reservations here is easy, whether it's in person, over the phone, online through their site, or through Open Table. We've always had hosts and servers that are very nice, well-mannered, and fun. The seating is sort of like having private booths, which adds to the romance. The decor is classy and welcoming, but you can feel free to dress casually. We usually dress up a bit because it's a special dinner for us, but we do that because we want to, not because they demand it. Sometimes while dining out at nice places, there's a sort of pretentious and uptight vibe, but not here. We feel very comfortable at Geja's. The cheese fondue is the best we've ever had, and the best thing on the menu, though all of the food is extraordinary. We don't always order premier dinners since it's just so much food. Sometimes we'll get the cheese and chocolate fondue. Sometimes we'll get the cheese fondue and a gourmet board of meats and cheeses. Though tonight, we went for premier dinners.

I ordered The International, which is aged beef tenderloin, jumbo shrimp, and tender boneless chicken breast. My partner ordered the Deluxe Seafood, which is plump Atlantic sea scallops, tender Gulf shrimp, and delicate lobster tail. We shared plates a bit. It was a great meal.

I'll say this: Restaurants in Chicago are happy to serve any customers, but I feel exceptionally welcome at Geja's with my partner on my arm. We hold hands at the table, and I feel safe, and not judged, and even applauded for being happy in love.

Geja's is fine dining, and therefore pricey, which can be off-putting, but there are lots of deals out there. There's often a Groupon. "Like" them on Facebook, and you can currently get a $25 gift certificate if you give them your e-mail. On Facebook, they also run a "Beat The Heat" promotion in the summer, where the daily high temperature sets the price for two premier dinners and a bottle of wine. Once you get on their e-mail list, you also occasionally get offers for your birthday and anniversary.

This is our favorite restaurant in Chicago, and it's always been worth the price.

Turkey ranch club wrap

Turkey ranch club wrap

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 large tortilla wraps
2 tbsp ranch dressing
6 slices deli turkey
4 slices cheddar cheese
6 slices turkey bacon
2 outer leaves romaine lettuce

1. Cook bacon per instructions.
2. Lay out tortilla wraps on plates. Spread 1 tbsp ranch dressing to the center of each.
3. Add 3 slices turkey to each wrap. Then 2 slices cheddar, 3 slices bacon, and 1 leaf romaine.
4. Fold tortilla sides in, then roll up, slice and serve.

Flub A Dub Chub's

Flub A Dub Chub's at Broadway between Barry and Wellington has hot dogs, hamburgers, and sandwiches. I ordered Greg's Hangover, which is a burger with bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg on a pretzel bun. It comes with fries, and I got some cheese for the side. The burger was a little too greasy and heavy. It's not bad, but not the best.

Sausage egg boats

This made an amazingly delicious breakfast!

Sausage egg boats

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 French rolls
2 sausage patties
3 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 slices pepper jack cheese
1 green onion
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Carve and pull out the middle of the French rolls, leaving bread at the bottom and on the sides.
3. Cook sausage per instructions, then chop into small pieces.
4. Crack eggs into a bowl, and add heavy cream. Chop green onion, and tear apart pepper jack slices. Mix green onion, pepper jack, sausage, salt, and pepper in the bowl.
5. Pour 1/2 the mixture into one French roll, and 1/2 into the other.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or set.
7. Let cool for 10 minutes, and serve.

Grilled turkey, pear and brie sandwiches

I've loved making sandwiches with brie lately. Here's another winning combo...

Grilled turkey, pear and brie sandwiches

Ingredients (serves 2):

4 slices wheat bread
4 slices deli turkey
1 pear
4 slices brie
2 tbsp butter

1. Thinly slice pear and brie.
2. Layer turkey, pear and brie between 2 slices of bread.
3. Heat each side of each sandwich over medium heat atop a 1/2 tbsp of butter. Cover while heating to help the cheese melt through.
4. Slice and serve!