The best burgers in Chicago are at Kuma’s Corner. Don’t let the loud metal music and tatted, pierced-up staff fool you. Sure, they could all double as bouncers for this venue, but these are gourmet burgers produced by legit chefs. Each one is 10 ounces of deliciousness with garnishes and ingredients that you haven’t even thought to concoct, all wedged in-between a golden-brown pretzel roll bun. The topper? They’re all named after metal bands. Kuma’s Corner is the heaviest rocking (metal) bar around. Don’t worry, everyone there is super friendly.

I lost my burger-virginity on New Year’s Eve’s Eve back in ‘07. After jamming out to Motorhead & Metallica during the two hour wait, I discovered that Samichlaus Bier (14% ABV, 2 = a DUI) and the burgers make a rad combo and are totally worth the wait. Prepare to stand around for a table during dinner… in my experience, lunchtime or early dinners are the best time to beat the crowd. We ended up waiting 4 hours on my birthday. So avoid bringing parties of more than 4 people.

My personal favorite, the Mastadon (above). Gotta get that BBQ sauce on the side. Here are all the burgers that I’ve tried to date:

Slayer: Pile of fries topped with a ½ lb. Burger, Chili, Cherry Peppers, Andouille, Onions, Jack Cheese, and Anger - My thoughts: Incredible. Think: ultimate chili cheese fries.

Neurosis: Cheddar, Swiss, Sautéed Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Horseradish Mayo - My thoughts: Packed with flavor, a winner for sure.

Metallica: Buffalo Sauce, Bacon, Bleu Cheese Dressing - My thoughts: Not bad, not bad.

Clutch: Cheddar, Swiss, Jack, Smoked Gouda - My thoughts: Holy cheese, batman!

Mastodon: BBQ Sauce, Cheddar, Bacon, Frizzled Onions - My thoughts: THIS MAH JAM, SON!

Fu Manchu: Grilled Japanese Eggplant, Teriyaki sauce, Wasabi Mayo, Frizzled Daikon Radish - My thoughts: Damn, may I have another?

Lair of the Minotaur: Caramelized Onions, Pancetta, Brie, Bourbon Soaked Pears - My thoughts: Was my least fav out of all of them. Maybe I ordered it on an off day.

There are also a number of monthly specials they have.. basically a creation of both the owner and chef that’s available for a limited time. You can peep the full menu here.

Until next time, EAT IT.

I was fortunate enough to study in Florence, Italy for the summer back in 2006, and while I was there, trying the local cuisine was not a question. It was and will always be a MUST when traveling. There are several food stories I could tell you from this particular trip, but there’s only one that is Eat Feats worthy.

Ristorante Casa di Dante (da Pennello) is located on Via Dante Alighieri 4r… right next door to Dante’s house, if you didn’t catch that. Some classmates and I had caught wind that this place has been around since the 1400s and seen the likes of Pontormo, Cellini, and Sarto. It’s rumored to have even fed Michelangelo. The interior, decked out in medieval decor, was bustling with locals, as we caught the late dinner, and the dining room was booming with conversation.

Our waiter sat us outside in the quiet outdoor patio, my guess was as not to embarrass ourselves or do anything stupid. And as I sifted through the menu, everything was contributing to the mouth-watering, but it was only until I saw “Bistecca alla Fiorentina” that my heart was won over. This massive porterhouse was served the way THEY cook it and not how you prefer it. Our server made this very clear before anyone tried to tell him how they wanted it. Traditionally, it’s served very rare (which was totally kosher with me) and split between two people. Now that’s gonna be a problem… going against the grain, I selfishly ordered one for myself along with a plate piled high with patate fritte. What? I’m a growing boy…

This was my most recent mission (late-August) and in my opinion, one of the more epic ones. I had planned a dinner with Josh, because uhh… we love to eat? I was talking to him online day-of, and he told me to “..get ready for heaven.” The only response I could come up with was, “Show me the way.” And yes, we both realized that it was the gayest thing I could’ve said. He couldn’t stop laughing. Our destination: Crisp, a casual American-Korean Fusion restaurant on Broadway in Lincoln Park.

Josh warned me about the large portions so after not eating all day sans a cliff bar, we were on our way. As we walked into the brightly colored and very cheery spot, Doug, one of the owners, greeted us firmly. I like his style, direct & no hemming and hawing allowed. If you do, he’ll make his recommendation and convince you pretty quickly on what to get. We put in our order: 10 wings which were not what you would expect. It was a real chicken wing, meaning, 10 times larger than your standard bar wing. We got half and half, BBQ and Seoul which was like teriyaki on steroids. Along with our wings we also ordered a whole chicken and a buddha bowl, composed of marinated veggies, rice, and your choice of meat. In our case, beef. “That’s a lot of food, boys.” Josh and I looked at one another and chuckled.

Shortly after our food had arrived. It was the most amazing fried chicken I have eaten to date. A beautiful mix of spices and other Asian ingredients fried to perfection. Anything that’s Asian + Deep Fried = money in my book. Demolition then ensued. What made this situation even better was our pick of the seating right beside the register. Everyone that came in just looked at us with either disgust or awe, and Doug was monitoring our progress, throwing out a comment every so often. Finishing all this food off was enough reason for the owner to ‘reward’ us with some amazing honey-dew melon flavored popsicles. On the house of course. As we were leaving, I told Josh that I had to shake the owners hand. “20 wings, 4 large fries, and I’ll name the next chicken dish after you guys,” said Doug. Josh and I looked at each other, smiled and replied, “deal.” On my way to completing a life goal: ingraining my name into a piece of history. Or a menu.

Even managed to get our story in Chicago Mag’s online ‘Dish’ section:
http://www.chicagomag.com/Radar/Dish/September-2008/Sugar-Power/
You’ll find it under Who You Callin’ Chicken? Thanks D!

Hello readers, welcome to my inaugural post! And where better to start than the beginning? The Dirty South… the region of the country best known for it’s hospitality, Southern belles, deep-fried everything and sweet tea is also home to me and the Waffle House establishment. This delightful chain has been serving the lone trucker, the wasted college student, and the Sunday morning churchgoers for the past 53 years, 24/7, 365 days a year.

Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, this all-hour diner had been a refuge for friends and myself throughout high school and college. Whether we had just gotten out of a concert or had the after-party munchies, there was only one place to go afterward, especially if it was food someone was craving. This dingy, sticky, and once smoker-friendly place was everything that I looked for in a restaurant and more— great value, hours of operation, and the odd yet friendly wait staff.

So what did I order? The essential element in my Waffle House order was definitely the HASHBROWNS. Quadruple order, scattered, covered, and chunked (they have their very own code for hashbrowns). From there, I would mix it up.. waffles, double-cheeseburger, etc. Screw it. Why not get both. So for those of you keeping score: 4 orders of hashbrowns with cheese and ham, double-cheeseburger, and double waffles down the hatch.

To my dismay, after moving to Chicago I soon discovered that there were none here. And as great as this city is, nothing will ever replace what I had at the House. And whatever you do, never mention IHOP around me.

A Waffle House escapade with sis from back in the day:

Thanks for the memories, WH. And thank YOU for reading.

Here’s last night’s fortune. I let out a nice laugh after reading it. Is this latest sliver of destiny hinting at some impending doom? I’m thinking it’s telling me something more along the lines of, “you gots to chill.”

Honestly though, as a designer, I have to wonder… why the line break? You couldn’t fit “Don’t panic.” on one line? Really? At least the cookie was good. I suppose I should be grateful that I even got a fortune. The last time I had a fortune cookie with no fortune inside it it ended up being a bad news bears sorta day. I should stop letting the Chinese and their cookies of (mis)fortune control my life. Eater beware. Fortuneless cookies are out there.