Shaved asparagus salad with fried eggs

Tonight's dinner!

Shaved asparagus salad with fried eggs

Ingredients (serves 2):
1 tomato
4 cups arugula
1 oz crumbled feta
1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion
1 bunch asparagus (about 16 stems)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Cooking spray
4 eggs
Dash crushed red pepper

1. Dice the tomato, and add to a large bowl with the arugula and feta cheese. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the bowl.
2. Dice the yellow onion. Cut the root ends off the asparagus, then peel the asparagus using a vegetable peeler. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the asparagus, and a dash of salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Then add the onion and asparagus to the bowl, and toss.
3. Spray a skillet with cooking spray, and fry 4 eggs over-easy. Add salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to the egg as it's setting.
4. Transfer the asparagus salad to plates or bowls to serve and top them with 2 fried eggs each.

BIG & little's

Today, I caught a quick bite at the new BIG & little's location in Lakeview on Belmont Ave between Kenmore Ave and Seminary Ave.

My friends have been raving about the place, so I ordered what they recommended. I got the Soft Shell Crab Po'boy, which is fried soft shell crab, lettuce, pickle, chili aioli, and lime juice. I also got Truffle Fries. They both had a good kick, and the portion sizes were perfect. It was a really good meal. The staff was very friendly.

There's a lot more that I want to try on their menu, and it's very affordable.

Xoco

We recently grabbed dinner at Xoco, one of Rick Bayless' restaurants at Clark and Illinois. The menu consists of Mexican street food. It's fast and casual, and the staff is very friendly. You order at the counter where there's also self-serve water and sparkling water. The seating consists of communal counters and a few tables.

We ordered Chips and Salsa, which includes tomatillo salsa, 3-chile salsa, and just-made chips.



I ordered the Choriqueso Torta, which is a homemade chorizo sausage, roasted poblanos, and artisan jack cheese sandwich, with tomatillo salsa on the side.



The food here is delicious and affordable, and the atmosphere is fun and relaxed. I think I've found one of my new favorite restaurants.

Superdawg

We recently stopped by Superdawg at the corner of Milwaukee Ave, Devon Ave, and Nagle Ave. The drive-in hot dog stand with carhop service has been there since 1948, and is one of few original drive-ins left in the United States. You can also order at a walk-up window, and there are a few picnic tables outside.

I ordered the Whoopercheesie, which is a 2-patty burger with American cheese. All sandwiches and hot dogs come with superfries, too. The food isn't great, but it's cheap and the nostalgic concept is pretty cool.

Classic guacamole

I made a whole lot of guacamole on Cinco de Mayo, and it turned out really well! Super easy, and delicious. It was for a party, so I made a lot!

Classic guacamole

Ingredients (serves 8-10):
6 avocados
1 tomato
1/2 red onion
5 garlic cloves
1 tbsp cilantro
1 lime
Tortilla chips for dipping

1. Start with a big bowl, and add all ingredients to it as you go. Peel the avocados and remove the pits. Dice the onion and tomato. (I like to remove the wet parts of the tomato.) Mince the garlic gloves and cilantro, and finally, squeeze the juice from the lime.
2. Stir it all with a spoon to crush the avocado and mix everything together. (I used a potato masher to crush the avocado, and it worked great!)

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.