Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen

We recently tried Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen on S Jefferson St at Grenshaw St. The inside looks like a 1970's cafeteria. You grab a tray and your utensils, and order along the line. The menu on the wall is incomplete and inaccurate, and the staff working on the cafeteria line aren't helpful at all in telling you what's available. I managed to get a potato pancake and some sour cream on the side. It was undercooked, cold, and flavorless. I had a roast beef sandwich with American cheese on a Kaiser roll. It came with a pickle on the side. The meat was stacked high, but it was all very plain tasting. I had some chocolate pudding, which was fine. I really liked that they had Dr. Brown's soda since I love it. From the bad ordering experience to the less than mediocre food to the high costs, don't believe the hype about this place. It's not worth it.

Trenchermen

We recently grabbed brunch at Trenchermen in Wicker Park at W North Ave and Hoyne Ave. It's a cool space with a long bar. It's relaxing and seems trendy, and was full of people in the good way when we went. Everyone working there was really nice. We started with the Greek Yogurt, which is yogurt, salted quinoa granola, and fruit compote. It was good. We also started with the Kale Salad, which is kale, vegetable escabeche, bagna cauda, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and a fried egg. The Kale Salad was served warm and was really delicious.



For my main dish, I ordered the Breakfast Sandwich, which is bacon stuffed bacon, a fried egg, and cheddar on a bun with potatoes on the side. Everything is seasoned very well.



If you're looking for a nice brunch out, this place is great. The only drawback is that the menu is very small, so it's not a great place for eaters with lots of dietary restrictions.

Sandwich Me In

Sandwich Me In is a sandwich shop in Lakeview on N Clark St between Barry Ave and Wellington Ave. It has an awesome reputation for using many sustainability practices. Since opening in early 2012, they've only produced 8 gallons of trash.



Here's the Fried Egg BLT. It's a perfectly cooked fried egg with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on a bun.

Rosebud Prime

Rosebud Prime is one of the pretentious Rosebud brand steakhouses in the city, and it claims to have the best burger in Chicago. It's burger is often very well-reviewed. Rosebud Prime is in the heart of The Loop on Dearborn, and caters to suits during lunch, and theatre-goers during dinner. We, of course, went before going to the theatre, and I wore a suit, so there we go. The pretentiousness comes complete with brass banisters, velvet curtains, and stairs leading to a place you can't go unless you're a VIP or something. I know how to handle swishing my wine and sipping it before giving approval, accepting a napkin being placed in my lap, and graciously listening to a server talk about the dishes for several minutes, but c'mon. The service was good, but it was so over-indulgent that it was hard to feel comfortable. After all, I was here for the burger. As for the burger, the beef patty weighs in at a massive 14oz. The quality of beef is very good, and the burger drips just the right amount. It's more tender than you would expect, even when cooked well. The bun is bland, slightly greasy, and fails to add to the flavor. The toppings include lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles that are all served on the side. For a bit extra, you can add bacon, egg, your choice of cheese, etc. I added cheddar and bacon. Pommes Frites are available as a side option, which I went for, and they were good. All in all, while trying "the best burger in Chicago", which rounded out to be around $15, I kind of felt like they hated me the whole time because I didn't order one of the $88 steaks.

Beer cheese soup with chicken and bacon

I think this is one of my favorite soups!

Beer cheese soup with chicken and bacon

Ingredients (serves 2):
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices bacon
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup Blue Moon beer
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chives
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5 oz shredded mild cheddar cheese
10-20 croutons

1. Cook chicken (broil, bake, saute, skillet, or slow cook), and shred it. Meanwhile, slice the bacon with scissors, and fry the pieces over medium heat in a skillet, flipping often. Then, set the chicken and bacon aside.
2. Place butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add flour, and whisk in. Add beer, chicken broth, half and half, spices, and Worcestershire. Slowly whisk in cheddar until it's melted.
3. Add and stir in chicken.
4. Serve soup into bowls, and garnish with bacon and croutons.