Restaurant Review: Russian Tea Time

A few weeks ago Carl and I celebrated our second anniversary downtown.  Let me just say, we had to fight the Transformers filming road closures, traffic caused by the road closures, throngs of people trying to catch a glimpse of Transformers, and a huge protest to get anywhere near Chicago.  But don't worry, we rewarded ourselves by staying at the W Chicago City Center for the evening rather than going home (which was absolutely stunning, I may note.  Stay there if you have the chance).  Obviously, after all that traffic we wanted to relax with a glass of wine, so we enjoyed the day at the Windy City Wine Festival, which was summery and fun.  Stella Artois even sponsored beer pairing classes on the hour and that was fabulous!

Then the festival ended.  And we were hungry.  And wanted to continue celebrating our anniversary.  We brainstormed several places we could go, but some were a la carte dining, tapas, small plates, etc. so naturally we settled on Russian Tea Time.  Carl is German, and I'm part Polish, so we knew we'd definitely be able to find food we loved. 

www.russianteatime.com

I'm just going to be blunt, you must eat at Russian Tea Time!  This restaurant is absolutely beautiful inside and the staff is extremely polite.  This was a late dinner (9pm) so we had the place to ourselves, which, of course we loved.  Stuffed mushrooms and dumplings served as our appetizers and their dipping sauce was different and very good.  I got the Moulard Duck Leg for my main course and it was so good I literally can't even tell you what Carl ordered as his main dish.  I was too busy either A) devouring my main dish or B) gushing to Carl about just.how.amazing.this.duck.is.  You get the picture.  [Side Note: I do know he loved his dinner, just can't remember what he ordered.]  We mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary when we ordered a bottle or champs for the table (yep, we decided to be fancy), and the next thing you know, after the dinner plates were cleared our waiter came out with a dessert and candle.  It was the owner's anniversary as well so they treated us to dessert!  Since this was a surprise I'm not entirely too sure what the name of it was, but I am strongly guessing it was a type of strudel because the dough portion tasted pretty similar to the phyllo dough used for baklava.

www.russianteatime.com

Last but not least, as if we had not already had enough to drink between the wine festival and the bottle of champs, we couldn't go to the Russian Tea Time and NOT try a flight of vodka, am.i.right?  Not sure what to chose, we settled on splitting the house flight - Coriander, Black Currant Tea, and Lime.  Pumpernickel and pickles were provided so we took each sip the 'traditional Russian way' (that we looked up on their menu).  This vodka was smooth.  I am not a vodka person.. not not not.. just not me.  But this was good.  Now that I'm looking at the menu online to write this and I know how smooth it is, I'm wishing I could've made my own flight.  I'd pick Mint, Coffee, and Cinnamon.  Yum.  These new choices coupled with the amazing food gives us an excuse to go back, because I definitely will be stopping there again.  Delicious!

Restaurant Review: Stacks

Everyday as I scroll through my Facebook, so many local friends have 'liked' Stacks that it inevitably shows up as one of those wonderful 'recommended posts.'  After seeing pictures of their specials for literally the past month, Carl and I headed to Valparaiso to check this place out and we were not disappointed.

Photo by Stacks

Little did we know, downtown Valpo actually had a free concert taking place, so everyone wanted to eat outside or stop into Stacks.  This caused a small wait and we were able to look around the place.  It's decorated with old stacks of books (of course), old computer monitors used in libraries, etc.; just a great decor scheme in general.  Once seated, the large list of beer, wine, and specialty cocktails is actually bound into an old book, just adding to the vibe.

Cocktails up first, I have finally found a place in Northwest Indiana that makes a mean Moscow Mule.  Yes, please.  As an added bonus, they also had hefeweizen for Carl.  Pretzel bite appetizers were a hit, but we're pretty easy to please on that front.  The true test: dinner was absolutely delicious.  We both got the specials; prosciutto wrapped shrimp with Tuscan roasted potatoes, asparagus, & pineapple-mango salsa for me, and a cheese steak burger (prime beef burger topped with sautéed green peppers, melted cheddar, sliced steak, melted provolone, onion straws, & chipotle aioli) for Carl.  Naturally I finished by following up our fabulous meals with the bourbon grilled peaches.  You guys, dinner was great.  If you haven't tried Stacks, we both definitely recommend it!

Crown Brewing Company

As you know, Carl and I are steadily working our way all around the local breweries.  Fortunately, I don't think we will ever run out of places to try since there are so many in the Chicago, Northwest Indiana, and Southwestern Michigan areas. 

Crown Brewing Company hosted the beer festival I blogged about here, so I'd known for awhile that I wanted to head out to Crown Point and try a whole flight full of their beers.  My gut feeling did not lie.  Crown Brewing is definitely one of my favorites around! 

My flight consisted of Crown Blue, Crown Brown, Weizenhammer Weiss, Industrial Porter, Raspberry Creme Java Porter, and Plead the 5th Anniversary Imperial Red Ale.  Crown Blue was a very light blueberry that is definitely a summer beer.  I also really enjoyed the Crown Brown because unlike other brews that boast a nutty, caramel flavor, I could actually taste both flavors impeccably well.  The industrial porter was very smooth, much smoother in fact than my normal stout picks.  And my absolute favorite was the wonderfully delicious Raspberry Creme Java Porter.  It is so good.  You can smell the hint of raspberry the second your glass is raised and it has an incredibly smooth finish for a porter.  I added to our growing growler collection (SunKing, Figure 8, etc.) and landed one of these to go.  I can't like 'em all, so naturally I was not a fan of the red ale; it really came off as more of an IPA taste to me.  With that said, I can't believe I thoroughly enjoyed five out of the six beers I sampled, so we will definitely be returning to Crown Brewing.

As a side note, they are in the same building as Carriage Court Pizza, so you can enjoy some carbs to soak up the good beer.  I recommend the margherita pizza, but skip the beer cheese appetizer (not the best we've had.)

Overall, I definitely recommend trying this place; I'm ranking it right up there with my Three Floyds review.  Enjoy & let me know which beer is your fav!

Slice of Chicago

www.sliceofchicagopizzatours.com

Who doesn't want a slice of Chicago?  Such a wonderful city!  We like doing 'different' things around town (even if it may seem touristy) because we learn new tidbits of information and find out about places we may not have heard of before.  This time's adventure was the Slice of Chicago Pizza Tour and it was well worth the deal (a Christmas present for Carl purchased on Groupon.)  We both recommend it!

We met our group at Pizzeria Uno (different than the chain,) moved on to Pizzeria Ora, and finished up at Giordano's.  At each restaurant we tasted a smaller "sample" size of Chicago style pizza and listened to our guide talk about the restaurant and their style of pizza.  It's a seasonal tour, so at Pizzeria Ora there is inside seating, but the other two restaurants offer outdoor seating.  We went in May, so it was a bit chilly but overall a really enjoyable evening.  The guide is friendly and funny, the facts are interesting and the pizza is delish.  Pizzeria Uno was not my favorite (biscuit-y crust was a bit much.)  I'm glad the tour included Pizzeria Ora; it's a small, locally owned place with great food and extremely friendly service.  We'll definitely be going back since they have great deep dish and no wait, like with the well known pizzerias.  Finally, Giordano's was delicious!!  It's stuffed rather than the true deep dish, so totally different than the classic Gino's East but just as good.  We can't wait to go back and try a whole pizza our way!

What's your favorite pizza on the tour?  Let me know if there's some good Chicago deep dish I'm missing - we all know Carl loves a good deep dish.

Out of the Office

Last week I was out of the office - I went to Nashville, y'all!  And I get to go back Sunday through Friday this coming week too.  I love a good work trip!  Oh.. I also love southern hospitality and sweet tea.

We ate at two memorable places, the Red Pony Restaurant in Franklin and Merchants Restaurant in Nashville.  Both so good and so different.

At Red Pony, we had the guacamole - a bit non-traditional for a southern cooking feast - but oh my gosh, it was quite possibly some the absolute best I've had.  I went with the shrimp and grits for my main dish and it was great, just a bit on the watery side for the traditional dish.  Beer wise, Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company's Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale was delicious.  And for dessert the creme brulee was a must-order.

Merchants was the venue for my birthday dinner.  The big 2-7, watch out.  The first level is casual and looks out onto Nashville's Broadway stretch while the second level is a bit dressier.  They also have different menus.  The second level had absolutely no wait and naturally won out.  No appetizer here, but their bread is soft and warm complimented by literally the perfect sea salted butter.  I got the scallops and duck fat frites as my main course.  My choice was right on with the scallops, but if I were to go back I would get a different side.  The frites were basically seasoned fries and I couldn't discern the duck taste.  Dessert choices seem to be seasonal so I chose a dynamite dish combining pistachio sorbet and lemon panna cotta.  And not to let you down, of course I tried a new beer.  Innis & Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer is a must try!

Like I mentioned, I'm going back soon so do you have any favorites I should try?

Brew Review: Goose Island Brewpub

I attended a function Wednesday afternoon that was held at Goose Island Brewpub's Clybourn location.  The atmosphere was laid back and the beer was great!  The food was a bit bland, but I believe you'll have that when a restaurant aims to please 50 people with only a couple options. 

www.gooseisland.com

For appetizers, the cheese selection the brewpub carries is tastey.  That says a lot coming from me since I am not a cheese person (and I married a man from the cheese state of Wisconsin..crazy, right?! haha).  On the other hand, I normally love any type of hummus but this was super bland.  It won't be something I order again.  The main meal was rotisserie chicken - also bland - accompanied by brussel sprouts.  Although the chicken was bland, the brussel sprouts were amazingly seasoned and I could not get enough of them.  With that said, I totally think anyone who knows how to make brussel sprouts hit the spot can make a mean meal.  Towards the end, four different dessert bars were presented and I was a fan of all four.  I've checked out the standard menu options and I seriously cannot wait to go back with Carl.

Beer wise, they have so many stouts that it was hard to choose and you all know I love a good flavored stout.  I settled on the Imperial Coffee Stout, Resolutions, and let me tell you - this stout does not disappoint!  It was so good; very dark with a powerful espresso flavor.  From there I wanted to try a Goose Island barrel aged selection.  I ordered The Albatross, a Rittenhouse Rye Barrel-Aged beer.  The whiskey taste from aging in a barrel was faint along with a slight chocolate taste; also a great beer.  I did have sips of the other two barrel aged picks - Grand Delusions and Triple B.  I'll admit Grand Delusions made me forget it was beer; the whiskey taste was so strong I thought I was sipping whiskey on the rocks.  Triple B didn't taste as strong to me, it just wasn't my favorite flavor among the three.  Overall, I'm happy with the beer choices I made.  Next time I will definitely get a flight so I can try more!

What's your favorite Goose Island beer?

Restaurant Review: Three Floyds

If you live in the Northwest Indiana/Chicago-land area, have you been to Three Floyds Brewing Co?  If not, you should definitely go!  The brews are awesome and the food is good too.  If you happen to go on a Saturday, you can even get a tour. 

Visiting breweries and wineries is something Carl and I love to do together.  With that said, this is where we had our Valentine's Day meal with a couple beers and a sampler flight.  Yum.  On the sampler (consisting of four of their beers), the Pride and Joy was definitely my favorite.  It's an American Mild Ale and the menu describes it as a "smooth, medium bodied session beer with bright citrus hop aroma and finish."  Out of the others that we had ordered glasses of, I favored the Czech Booty Kamp, a Czech-style pilsner and Carl loved the Gumballhead, their traditional wheat beer with a citrus finish. 

Food wise, we got the Triple Threat and the Schnitzel.  The Triple Threat is a spicy pork sausage...seriously spicy, but good if that's what you have a taste for.  The Schnitzel was awesome.  We also ordered two sides of their Crispy French Fries (with herb butter) and let me tell you...you must order these if you go!  We are not particularly 'fry' people; we can usually take them of leave them.  But not these, we finished every single fry!  As a bonus, since we both had our military IDs, they gave us a whopping 50% off our entire bill, including the drinks and sampler flight!  I do believe that's the best military discount we've ever received.  Big props, Three Floyds!

What's your favorite Three Floyds beer?  And have you tried the food?  I'd love to know!

Restaurant Review: Birch and Barley

Another restaurant review themed post!  Carl and I recently took a trip to Washington, D.C.  Whenever we do these city trips, I am all about trying to eat at local places that aren't part of a chain restaurant found all across the states.  Sometimes Trip Advisor is my best friend.

For our Friday night taste of D.C. area food, we chose Birch and Barley.  I'd read good reviews about it and it was only about two blocks away from our hotel, still a very doable walking distance in the freezing nighttime temps. 

Chef's Counter on the left.

I called over a week in advance to make reservations, but they were already booked solid.  Our only option was to sit at the "chef's counter" which we had done at a similar restaurant in Asheville before, so we gave it a go.  It was a great choice!  The whole restaurant has a seriously great atmosphere, but if you can, I would chose the chef's counter.  They send out their version of a bread basket to every table, but we also got two or three other samples of things (like some of their light flatbreads) sent from the chefs.  I'm not sure if this is just a standard for every table at the restaurant or we got it because we were sitting near the chefs.  Either way, we also enjoy watching the chefs prepare the meals and you still experience the vibe of the restaurant, just at the comfy counter rather than a table.  It worked for us.

I love a good main course meal of duck, but I will only order it in big cities (i.e. Boston, Asheville, etc.) and of course D.C. qualifies, therefore I ordered the Honey Glazed Duck Breast.  And it was just as delicious as I expected.  Tender slices were served atop a bit of pulled duck and rice for a palate pleasing meal.  Naturally, Carl chose the Brat Burger and was over the moon with how enjoyable it was.  The menu here changes every week (which we love) so we had their special lemon dessert of the night.  This dessert seamlessly combined the lemon tartness with a sweet cream for a very balanced dessert taste.  Drink wise, this place boasts a collection of 555 beers (which Carl enjoyed choices from) while also offering a handful of cocktail selections.  I ordered their version of a Mojito, which they make with Maker's Mark bourbon.  Don't let that scare you away, it was a welcomed twist to one of my go-to drinks.

Overall, we seriously loved this restaurant.  Let me know what you think if you make it there!

Restaurant Review: Hops Supply Co.

As you all know, I'm on my Lent-imposed hiatus from baking.  While trying to come up with blogging ideas, I thought I'd write about some of the restaurants Carl and I have been to lately.  I think we've hit some real winners and want to share with you!

Back in November, Carl was promoted to Captain and I was able to pin on his new rank.  Afterwards, we decided to forgo Jacksonville eateries and head down to Wilmington for a nice afternoon.  Staying true to our style, we chose Hops Supply Co. American Gastropub.  The atmosphere was great, similar to Carolina Ale House and Front Street Brewery, but not quite as 'loud' as either of those joints.  More importantly, the food was absolutely delicious!  Since it was a celebratory lunch of sorts, we literally had everything from appetizers to desserts and drinks.  The restaurant had just opened and this was our first time there, so we went with the recommendation of a "Hopshead Favorite" and got the Tostado-Style BBQ Braised Short Rib Nachos.  I love a good plate of nachos, but I am also extremely picky when it comes down to it.  And these passed the test.  This plate had everything a good serving of nachos should with a little extra kick to round out the taste.  We stuck to sandwiches since it was lunch time, and let me tell you - the Cuban Sandwich does not disappoint.  To spice up the normal side of fries, they have sweet potato fries instead.  These are delicious and rather than being accompanied by normal ketchup, the chef serves a sauce reminiscent of marshmallow flavoring which compliments the sweet potato taste.

Moving on to dessert...it's normally hard for Carl and I to decide on a choice to split because I like rich and sweet while he favors fruit desserts.  Surprisingly enough we settled on the Brownie Sundae, but only because it boasted chopped pretzels & Kit Kat, dark beer fudge, & Chantilly cream.  The brownie base wasn't as sweet as I expected, but the overall dessert was definitely a good blend between salty and sweet tastes.

Drink wise, you all know me.  Of course I got the flight.  Hops Supply Co. offers a Flight of the Season so I was able to snag all the fall/pumpkin ales still...right up my alley!  If beer is not your thing, they have a bunch of trendy cocktails that look great and they even offer a couple draft cocktails, conjured up by combining hard liquors with either ciders or stouts.

I definitely recommend trying Hops Supply Co. American Gastropub - and let me know what you think when you do!!