Fritz Pastry Press Release

Oh look, a Fritz Pastry press release.  Why yes, it was written by me.

For Immediate Release

CHICAGO, IL — There’s something to be said for good food that’s also affordable.  Too often nowadays, niche bakeries and cafes are moving towards the “couture” or “boutique” end of the spectrum, without looking back at the rest of us who want to be able to afford more than one cupcake when you walk through the doors.  Many of us would love to dine on upscale pastries, but unfortunately most of us can only afford mid-scale prices.

And that’s where Fritz Pastry comes in.  They understand that good food doesn’t need to come at not-so-good prices, which is oh-so-good for us.  Using the freshest local and organic products available Fritz Pastry will feature not only familiar European pastries, but several vegan options for those looking for an extra guilt-free treat; not to mention a rotating menu of seasonal savory dishes.

The owners of Fritz Pastry haven’t set their goals low.  They are also offering their specialty services are for call ahead ordering, catering, cake sales, and wholesale distribution.  Their menu offers a “Take & Bake” section of pastries by the dozen for those people looking to bring the restaurant home.

Located at 1408 W. Diversy Parkway in the Lakeview neighborhood, Fritz Pastry isn’t just another cafe opening in Chicago, but is a cafe that brings its diners to the cobblestones of Europe with every buttery bite.

Chef Nathaniel Meads, the chef behind Fritz Pastry, has long-held a love for the baking and pastry world.  Starting in a small Kankakee bakeshop in 1995 Meads has worked his way up through the restaurant scene.  He was most recently the Executive Pastry Chef for Blue Water Grill before its closing in 2009.

Meads spent his college days working through Joliet Junior College’s Culinary Arts Program, as well as several restaurants turning school theory into real-world practice.   In May 2002 Meads began a long, healthy career with Chicago’s Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, joining the staff of reknowned restaurant Brasserie Jo as a Patissier.  2006 saw Meads join the staff of world famous The Everest Room as a Pastry Assistant where he would learn the skills to one day lead an entire pastry team.  That same year, Meads joined Gale Gand’s pastry team at the also famous and award-winning Tru.  In 2007 Meads was hired as the Executive Pastry Chef for Blue Water Grill to reinvent the dessert menu.  Creating desserts that were not only delicious, but fun his dishes have been featured on ABC Chicago’s Hungry Hound.

Featuring not only pastries familiar to those who visit cafes, Meads and his partners are hoping to bring a taste of Europe to the Lakeview neighborhood, in turn hoping to make Fritz Pastry a favorite cafe for all of Chicago.

When Meads isn’t making food, he’s eating it.  And when Meads isn’t eating food, he’s thinking about making more.

Elaine Heaney comes from the administration side of the restaurant industry, spending several years as Nacional 27′s Business Manager and Event Coordinator.

Jared Nance currently hails from Nacional 27 where he is currently a bartender and shift leader.  He has worked in the restaurant industry since 1994, covering both the front-of-house and kitchen operations.

A Very Fritz Pastry Q&A

I met up with Elaine Heaney, Nathaniel Meads and Jared Nance, the partners behind Fritz Pastry, a couple weeks before their grand opening to talk about a variety of topics, including why they decided now was the time to open up their own café, their history in the food industry, and who would win in a couple of dream battles of my own creation.

The question and answer session below is actually my second ever interview.  The first?  Takashi Shimizu.  That’s right, I interviewed the director of The Grudge for NewType USA. But that was an e-mail interview where I was able to take the time to research and finesse my questions.  I wasn’t sure how an on the spot interview would go.  I’m not typically the kind of blog writer that enjoys seeking out and hunting down interviews.  So when the opportunity arose to interview my friends for their restaurant, I thought it would be good experience for me, and a chance for them to introduce themselves to Chicago in a comfortable setting.

Let me tell you there’s nothing anything quite as entertaining as interviewing your friends.

Mike: So first question, what up?
Elaine: (Laughs)

Nathaniel: That’s a terrible first question.

M: Pretend I’m just a reporter who you’ve never met before from the most awesome foodblog ever, Two Bites in Suburbia.  What’s up?  How are you guys doing?
N: Rad!

Jared: We are good.  What’s up with you?

M: How are you doing, Elaine?
E: This better not be on your podcast.  I freeze when the redlight is on.

M: This place looks unrecognizable from when I saw it a few weeks ago. How are things coming along?
E: I think things are coming along well.  We’re working, and working, and sleeping and more working.  But it’s fun!

N: Man, things are going great!

M: What made you decide to open up your own place?  Was it always a goal?
E:  I think it’s always been a goal for all of us, but definitely for Nate and I.  We’ve been married almost ten years, and it’s always been more like a dream.  After working long days and long hours we finally wanted to work those long days and long hours for ourselves.

J: I think we were all at a common point in our lives.  We were all ready for something new to happen, and it just worked out.  I think we all supply a different piece to the puzzle, so I think it works between the three of us.

N: For me, it was more the long nights I was working.  I was going to be doing something like this my whole life. Now Elaine and I will be able to see each other, and work next to each other.

J: Also, I feel the same way about Elaine.  Sorry, Nate, I didn’t want you to find out like this.

N: (Laughs while biting into his bagel)

M: She is pretty lovable.

M: And where did the name Fritz Pastry come from?
N: That’s my grandpa!  Frederick “Fritz” Schoch.  He’s from Germany.  His family sent him over (to America) on a boat when he was seventeen. He was a baker’s apprentice in Germany before coming over here.  And once he was here, I don’t think he ever did any cooking…

E: He did when he went into the army.

N: He was a cook in the army!  That’s right!  He was rad.  Was that a good answer?

M: It was!  That was a really good answer.

M: So, Nate, you’ve been into baking and pastry since you were a kid then?
N: (Nods)

M: It’s in your blood? The power of flour?
N: Yep.  Hey, can I get a shirt that says that? (Laughs) But, yes I have.  When I was little, my mom would bake bread and cookies in the afternoon and she would sit me on the counter and let me watch.  I remember that when I was 5 or 6 I wanted to be a fireman, but that all changed by the time I was 8.  By then…

E: He either wanted to be a pastry chef or a rock n’ roller.

M: Not a tyrannosaurus?
E: HA!  I think it’s always been pastry chef or rock n’ roller.

N: Yeah, they had you fill out that form in high school asking what you wanted to do…I mean, what did you guys put down?

M: I think I usually put down artist or mathematician.

N: What about mathemagician?

M: Ooooooooh

J: Come on system’s analyst!  Come on system’s analyst!

E: I totally put fashion designer.  And look at me now!

J: I actually don’t remember people asking me that question.  I’m sure they did, but my fallback answer has always been writer or novelist.

M: What about you Elaine?  Did Nate pass his love of food onto you, or have you always been a fan?
E: We always say that food and music is what brought us together.  Neither of us had met someone else with such a passion for either of those before.  But I’ve always loved food, really good food.  That led me to getting into really good foods, sweets and pastries when I met Nate.

M: And you Jared?
J: My first job, and most jobs were in food.  I started when I was 15, but I thought it would only be temporary.  It just turned out that whenever I went into a different field I was never content.  So it was originally something I just fell into, but it ended up being where I found myself the happiest.  For me, it’s just as much about the food service atmosphere as it is about the product.

M: You’re actually a trained chef, right Nate? Where’d did you go to school?
N: I went to the culinary program at Joliet Junior College. I would say I learned just as much there as I would have paying for a more expensive program.

M: Did it prepare you for your career in the restaurant world, or were there things that there was just no way to be prepared for?
N: School is school.  And then you get a job, where on the first day you learn everything you learned at school, plus more.  There’s only so much you can learn before you start working somewhere and they kick you around for a few years.  So I’d say I learned the most getting kicked around at the start.

E: Nate and I don’t discourage anyone from going to culinary school, but we DO encourage them to get a job at a restaurant.  Whether it’s dishwashing, line cook or hostess; it’s good for everyone to know how a restaurant functions from the front door to the back door.  Sometimes the media glamorizes the industry a tiny bit.

M: I know it’s putting you on the spot, but Nate, what’s your favorite dessert of the ones you’ve made over the years?
N: The Cracker-Jack Sundae at Blue Water Grill.  I made the cracker jacks and ice cream (butter peanut & salted caramel), and then it was served with a peanut butter shell on top.  There was also a small prize in a box with each order.

M: What about one that isn’t yours?
N: A couple of years ago at Avenues in the Peninsula I tried a chocolate-ginger-lime shooter.  It blew my mind because I didn’t think those flavors would go well together. I guess I’m close-minded, because I was wrong.

M: What about one that never made it off your drawing board?
N: Ooooooooh.  There were a lot of crazy failed ones.  I was working on a blue velvet cake, but it ended up turning everything blue.  Everything.

M: Elaine, same questions.
E: Too much pressure!  Go to Jared!

M: Okay, Jared, same questions.
N: Yeah, I want to hear what you favorite dessert of mine is.

J: I don’t really care for Nate’s desserts.

(Everyone laughs)

J: But seriously, my favorites of his at Blue Water were always the specials involving fruit, his brioche especially.  When I go out I usually end up getting something fruit based.  I like chocolate, but I love cobblers and the like.  Stuff like my mom would do.

E: Okay, I’m ready. My favorite of Nate’s is his French Macarons, the galettes and anything he makes in parfait form.   When we go out I’ll always try whatever isn’t chocolate.  It’s so funny, because every time we’ve gone out to eat somewhere new we always ask our server “What would you suggest?”  They always, ALWAYS suggest the chocolate tart or the molten cake or some other “must have” signature chocolate dessert.  I usually just pick the next item down the menu.

M:  I’d ask what your favorite bread is, but we ALL know it’s my Pretzel Bread….right?
E: Duh!

N:  Haha!  You know it!

M:  So enough about you people.  Let’s talk about what everyone really cares about, the food.  What will you be offering?
E: We have a BIG focus on breakfast pastries, along with a light offering of lunch and dinner items. There will also be some soups and salads…some tartines (open faced sandwiches).  We also have a Fritz Pastry custom blended coffee as well as some favorite loose teas.

M: I noticed that most of the pastries are mostly classically French.  Does that come from your schooling, Nate, or is it just your favorite pastry country?
N: That’s my favorite.  Whenever I’ve thought of pastry it was that. It was hardly ever American apple pie.  It has always been European.

E: Nate definitely leans towards the French pastry, but I’ve seen him get pretty into panettone and springerle, too.

M: So you both know the delicious benefits of butter?
E: I’ve just recently discovered European butter.  Unreal and SO good.

N: Heck yeah. It’s awesome.

M: But you’re also not ignoring the large vegan population looking for their sweets fix.  Are you both vegans? Or are you vegetarian with a vegan baking twist?
E: Nate and I are both vegetarian.  Jared’s neither vegan nor vegetarian. I was vegan for years and that’s when I discovered how good AND bad vegan sweets could end up being. Somehow I learned how to make a tasty chocolate chip cookie that was also vegan, so I kept trying to bake egg and dairy free. We’ll have a small vegan section with our most successful recipes.

M: Elaine, I know you do a majority of the vegan baking.  Will that continue at Fritz?  Or have you passed the recipes onto Nate?
E: I’ll definitely help of course, but I’ve decided to finally let go of my secrets and pass the recipes on to Nate. Not that he needs them.  He’s been baking tons of tasty vegan goods for De.li.cious Café since they’ve opened.

M: You’re history is interesting.  You actually started as an online/mail order bakery.  Are deliveries and special orders going to continue?  Do you have plans to expand further?  World domination?
E: Yes, we will be offering a delivery service where we always encourage special orders. Eventually we’d like to have a place in New York, as well as one somewhere in California.

N: But right now, we’re really just focusing on this place.  We really want this place to work.

E: Yeah we’re really focusing on Chicago right now.  We can dream later.

M: I have a couple more questions, and I’ll let you guys get back to your baking magic.  Most importantly, what’s your music selection going to be like?  That always says a lot about a café.
N: I don’t know if we’re done arguing about that yet.

E: I would play the Monkees every second we were open if Nate and Jared would let me.

N: The monkees ARE geniuses.

M: You’ve really banded your friends together to get this place together before opening.  Want to use this space to thank them?
E: We think it would be funnier to list everyone who hasn’t pitched in!

N: An un-thank you list.

E: Just kidding!  Everyone in our lives has been beyond supportive, from our family, to our friends, to friends of friends.

M: And a couple rapid fire questions to get those out of the way.  I figure these are to be taken out of context for when you ultimately get too big and the media wants to take you down.  Favorite Chef?
N: Man, that’s not a quick answer!  That’s like asking someone what’s your favorite song.

M: “They’ll Need a Crane” by They Might Be Giants!

E: I KNEW it would be They Might Be Giants.  What about who your least favorite chef is?

J: So much hate!

E: Okay fine.  Joel Dennis, the Executive Chef of Ducasse’s Adour in New York

N: I’d say Lisa Mortimer.  I loved working for her at TRU.  She was super cool and she really knew how to lead.

J: Paul Kahan.  And I really like Avec.

M: Favorite Restaurant?
E: In Chicago? I’m a sucker for Ben Pao. Outside of Chicago? Red Bamboo in New York.  And my favorite pastry shop is still Tartine in San Francisco.

N: Coalfire on Grand.  Outside of Chicago the Balthazar in New York, because their pain au chocolat is soooooooo good,

M: Favorite cookbook everyone should own?
E: Eric Ripert’s On The Line or Michel Richard’s Happy in the Kitchen.  Both have some great photography.

J: Bachelor’s Pride Microwave Meals!

N: Ha ha! Ducasse’s Grand Livre de Cuisine by Frédéric Robert

M: Favorite Band?
J: I would actually have to say They Might Be Giants.

E: Descendents and Lagwagon

N: Armchair Martian

M: Last question, and one for each of you.  Nate , who would win in a fight between GI Joe and the Justice League?
N: G.I. Joe would win because they’re real American heroes!

M: But the superheroes have superpowers!  And G.I. Joe couldn’t shoot very straight.

N: Luckily, neither could C.O.B.R.A.

M: Elaine.  Who would win in a fight between the cast of 90210 and the Gilmore Girls?
E: Easy. The cast of the old 90210 would win a fistfight, but the cast of Gilmore Girls would win an argument of wit.

M: Jared.  Who would win in a battle between sasquatch and Bender from Futurama.

J: That’s an easy one…

M: BUT, it’s a robot sasquatch.

N: Oh snap!

J: I think between a robot sasquatch and Bender, I’d have to reference the Ultimate Robot League episode, and say it ultimately comes down to how much money is in it for Bender.

M: Nice answer!  Okay, that’s all I got.  Thanks for your time you guys, and good luck on the opening!

ALL: Thanks, Mike!

Fritz Pastry is located at 1408 W. Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614.  The phone number is (773) 857-2989.  They will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily

You can also find Fritz Pastry on Facebook and Twitter.

Cheetos GIANT

I love Cheetos.  I’ve waxed poetic about them time and time and time again.  It is, without a doubt, my all time favorite snack food.  When I started seeing the commercials for the new GIANT Cheetos, I went on a search for them that envied my current search for Pepsi Throwback.  Well, at least I found the GIANT Cheetos.  Although, to be honest I should probably reserve the all-caps version of GIANT for when I find the GIANT Cheeto that Gizmodo was gifted with.  Or does that quantify GIANT-ASS CHEETO?  And is it weird that I still want to make way through that block of styrofoam-like corn substance?

Until that time, I’ll have to make do with silver dollar sized Cheetos instead.  Guess what?  They taste like Cheetos.  Well, to be fair, they taste more like Cheetos Cheese Puffs, with just a little more initial biting needed.

What makes them worth purchasing?  Well at 59 cents, they’re only 80 calories.  Sure 50% of those calories come from fat, but for a Cheetos-holic like myself, that’s still better than going through an entire bag of Cheetos in one sitting.  After the orange dust has settled, you still get your fix without the post-cheese guilt.  Unless you buy two or three or possibly four of these packages because you feel the 5 Cheetos they provide you is merely a tease for a bigger bag.  I’m happy to say I was not one of those people…this time.

I can’t say the GIANT-ASS CHEETO and it’s cheesy brethren will be so lucky if I find them.

Cranberry BBQ Pulled Pork

Yes.  You read that right.  Pulled pork.  No, I have not taken leave of my senses.  I am still soundly a vegetarian, but I wanted to do something special for Katie. Her destruction of the Pig Destroyer at Kuma’s Corner will attest to the fact she loves the pulled pork.

She’s eaten a mostly vegetarian lifestyle since we moved in together, not because I’ve forced her in any way, but because she feels bad having me cook food that I can’t also enjoy.  I explained to her that I love the act of cooking more than anything else; and I love making food that people enjoy, meatless or otherwise.

My idea for making her pulled pork came from my coworker Kristin who shared the below recipe with me.  I, of course, had to switch things up a little bit, mostly by adding the bacon salt, grill seasoning, and creating a Frankenstein’s Monster’s mix of BBQ sauce.  The recipe below is halved from the original, but that’s because my crockpot is of the small variety.  It was also of the FREE variety (Thanks, Jen!) so there’s no complaining on my part.

There are a few things I can say I didn’t remember about preparing meat, mostly that the feeling of a knife cutting into cold flesh is kinda gross.  But aside from that, and remembering not to put my uncooked, pig germ infested fingers in my mouth, it was a pretty smooth experience.  I told her that maybe next time I’d even make her ribs.  Yeah.  She’s a fan of the ribs, too.

And if I can recommend it, make the pretzel bread recipe as mini rolls for a nice little slider experience.  The vegetarians in your family can eat the BBQ Tofu Ribs recipe (I’ll be posting later this week) while you dine on pig flesh.  Add some french fries, break out the beer, and have yourself a mini picnic!

Cranberry BBQ Pulled Pork

• 2 pound pork shoulder roast
• 1 tbsp grill seasoning
• 1 large onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup hickory & brown sugar flavor bbq sauce
• 1/2 cup original flavor BBQ sauce
• 1 Tbsp Pepper Bacon Salt
• 1 cans (16oz) whole cranberry sauce
• Sandwich buns

1. Sprinkle roast with grill seasonings.   Enough to coat the top.  Set aside

2. In slow cooker arrange onion slices, top with roast

3. In a medium bowl combine bbq sauce and cranberry sauce.  Pour over roast.

4. Cover and cook on Low setting for 8-10 hours

5. Transfer roast to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil until cool enough to handle.  Using tongs, transfer onions to a serving bowl. Pull or shred roast into bite size pieces.

6. Using a wire mesh strainer, strain cooking juices in a medium bowl.  Serve meat on sandwich rolls. Serve with onions and cooking juices.

Late Night Doritos: A Pale Imitation

Having never really, truly had one of those nights that involved many bars followed by a devil need for something either, or preferably both, greasy and fatty, I can’t say I truly appreciate the late night food run to the biggest hole-in-the-wall in the area.

Hell, if I’m being completely honest, I’ve only been drunk once in my entire life.  Sure I’ve been warm and fuzzy, but there was only one instance way back in May of 2001 that I truly enjoyed wondering why I couldn’t stand up, or when I laid down when my body would stop rotating around my head.  I was trying to drink away the inevitable second opinion of my Multiple Sclerosis, but I learned I’d rather have a neurological disease than deal with the effects of alcohol.

I can appreciate good, cheap Mexican food though.  And these new Late Night Doritos chips may taste of a taco or a jalapeno popper, but they are a pale imitation to the real thing.  Where’s the fun of getting the taste of a jalapeno popper without the scars of a burnt tongue caused by the cream cheese napalm?  And very few things can replace the crunch of a fresh taco shell, followed by it falling apart on your plate.  They are integral experiences to the food!

Instead, what you get are Doritos covered in what tastes like generic taco meat seasoning or jalapeno dust with a slight hint of dairy.  If I had to choose between the two I’d recommend the Late Night Tacos at Midnight over the Late Night Last Call Jalapeno Poppers for the singular reason that the Taco chips actually retain their taste.  After a handful of the popper chips my mouth adjusted to the pepper and I was left with the very average corn chip that is the base for all Doritos.  They’re not bad, and better than the fiascos that were Hamburger or Mountain Dew Doritos.

Although, maybe if I was drunk I’d enjoy them more.

Chutney Joe’s – Chicago

Wall Decor @ Chutney Joe's

There are pros and cons to Chutney Joe’s in the South Loop.  Pro?  Because it’s not a buffet there’s no way to gorge yourself on samosas and pakora.  Con?  Because it’s not a buffet there’s no way to gorge yourself on samosas and pakora.

Coming from a background of a life full of Indian buffets, the idea of such a limited selection of dishes is offputting at first.  When you’re used to paying 8.95 for an all-you-can eat dive into gluttony, the 6.99 for 2 dishes and some rice raises plenty of alarms.  And the thimble of chutney they “generously” give you only made the alarms louder.

It’s too bad, too, because the food is good, if limited.  The menu is comprised of 4 meat dishes and 4 vegetarian dishes.  The samosas were well blended and not greasy.  The spinach paneer had a nice kick.  And while the gobi potatoes were more cauliflower than potato, the spices were still a nice touch.

It all ultimately comes down to the price (and the stingy chutney amounts).  The restaurant itself does look like a renovated Chipotle, a goal the owner has stated he was trying to achieve.  The location is perfect for college kids looking for a better meal than the other fast food in the area.  And as I’ve said, the food is good.  Maybe for a quick fix until you can find a buffet to attack, Chutney Joe’s is perfect; but if you’re used to buffet amounts at affordable prices, Chutney Joe’s isn’t for you.

511 S. State St.
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 341-9755

Hello Reddit Visitors!

I wanted to welcome all the people clicking on the Reddit link to my page.  Hello.  How do you do.  Hopefully you’ll find some other things around here that will keep you interested.  If not, thanks for visiting!

Cafecito – Chicago, IL

Cafecito Menu

Being a vegetarian, I cannot tell you if the South Loop’s Cafecito is a place to get a good cubano sandwich.  Many people would even wonder why I would try to review a place with a culture so heavily based on a perfectly made ham sandwich.  Well, I’m here to say that while I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the traditional cubano, I can say that their Jardin sandwich is probably one of the better all-vegetable sandwiches I’ve eaten.

But before I discuss the food, let me tell you about the ultimate reason to venture down to Congress and Wabash: the hot chocolate and the cafecito.  Without any hyperbole in my heart, I am not afraid to say Cafecito’s Hot Chocolate may be THE GREATEST HOT CHOCOLATE IN THE WORLD.

Sweet to the point of no return, using only whole milk, and with hints of cinnamon, vanilla and almond, the drink is the perfect type of cold weather comfort beverage.  When I spoke with the owner he told me his original plans were to shave chocolate fresh, but realized his customers could get antsy waiting for that kind of service.  Instead he searched around for everything he was looking for but in a hot chocolate mix.

The cafecitos are small, but priced accordingly.  It was 1.59 for a double cafecito.  The best part was that it held the bitter of the coffee, yet was incredibly sweet thanks to the tablespoon of sugar used in each cup; a perfect mix for someone like me who still can’t quite get past the coffee taste of coffee.

Katie went with the traditional cubano, a pressed sandwich full of pork, ham, swiss, pickles and mustard. Sans pickle (because as stated previously they are of the devil) the sandwich earned several orgasmic eye rolls and a couple thumbs up along the way from her.  And she’s not alone, Time Out Chicago has voted it the best Cuban sandwich in town.

You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t get a Jardin sandwich either.  Pressing the vegetables still cooks them evenly, but saves them the terrible fate that suffers most veggie sandwiches: tasting like grill.  The individual flavors of the eggplant, roasted peppers, arugla, mushrooms, mozzarella and jalapeno hummus actually get a chance to do their jobs to a delicious end.  My only complaint is that I would have preferred a little more hummus to ramp up the spice a degree or two.

Cafecito also offers nearly a dozen types of salad to go along with your sandwich, from caprese to hearts of palm.  All come in a generous portion for the price.  The hearts of palm salad had a little too much vinegar for my tastes, but I’ve always had more of a sweet tooth.

What may be the best thing that Cafecito has going for it though is the friendliness of its owner, Philip Ghantous.  He took the time to not only explain his drinks to us, but also his pastries.  He originally forgot my salad, apologizing profusely, letting us know that his parents had just stopped in causing his brain “to forget how to work.”

With affordable prices, perfect for the college area location it resides in, friendly service, and good food, Cafecito has earned a couple repeat customers.  And I’d like to think that my reward for walking down to the South Loop is that delicious hot chocolate and it’s unhealthy caloric intake.

26 E. Congress Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 922-2233

Chi-Town Pizzeria – Chicago, IL

Photo Courtesy of The Onion

Let me get this out of the way right now by saying this is in no way, shape or form Chicago style pizza.  Don’t e-mail me and say I’m a traitor to the term pizza, or I don’t know what pizza is.  I know this is New York style pizza hiding in the Pedway of The Loop.  I don’t feel like getting into the argument on which is the better kind of pizza.  I believe that pizza is the United Nations of foods.  All are welcome, because you CANNOT go wrong with a bread covered in cheese and sauce.  It’s mathematically impossible.

I also know that any self-respecting Chicagoan wouldn’t call their restaurant Chi-Town, much like any self-respecting San Fransiscan wouldn’t refer to the Bay Area as Frisco.  I know.  I get it.

Here’s the thing though.  If Chi-Town Pizzeria continues to make their pizza as delicious as it is, I don’t care what they call themselves.  They can call themselves “Chicagoan’s Eat Dicks Pizzeria” and I’ll still gladly order a 20″ pie from this place.  Because this is the kind of thin crust I love.  Grease drips off the giant triangular slab of cheese and dough, enticing you to soak it back up with the crust.  And you do, because the flavor is not of this earth.  Yes, it’s hyperbole, but I’m willing to say the pizza is THAT good.  It’s the perfect late night, too much booze in your system type of pizza.  It’s greasy and cheesy, and it’s making me hungry just typing this up.

How much do I love this pizza?  A 20″ pizza is not safe around me.  I will fold those large slices up into the prerequisite pizza-taco and eat my way through the entire thing until there’s nothing left but a greasy cardboard container and my cheese-clogged guilt.  We have nearly ordered this pizza once a week for the past 2 months without want of discovering the other pizza places in our area.

How is their other food?  I have no idea.  Their breadsticks are just average, the kind you’d expect from free delivery breadsticks.  The marinara sauce that comes with them is nothing to write home about.  Maybe one day we’ll expand our menu selections, but for now that greasy cheese pizza is all we need.

Located in the Metra Electric Line station, the place is easy to miss.  I walked by it for months assuming it was nothing more than a foodcourt pizza place; more Sbarro than the awesome it is.  They also have a regular location (11 W Division St) that handles late night deliveries (think 3 AM), but if you’re in the Loop and you need some pizza, you can’t go wrong with Chi-Town.

151 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL
(312) 938-1111

Oven-Fried “Chicken” w/ Cornbread

Oven-Fried "Chicken" Cutlets

Yes, we still exist.  No, we haven’t forsaken you internet world!  Between being hit by a stomach flu that knocked both Katie and me on our collective asses for over a week, and just trying to work as little overtime as possible, there’s been little chance to either cook at home or go out to eat.

We fixed that this weekend with two great recipes that I will be sharing with you, valued reader (or those that are still with us).  I also have a review of our new local pizza place coming your way.  Mike’s back!  And he’s still not able to eat extremely rich foods!

I think most everyone can agree that everything tastes better fried.  There’s something delicious about turning vegetable oil into its base carcinogens.  Hell, someone even figured out how to deep fry guacamole.  I never want to taste deep-fried guacamole, but I wanted to let people know it was out there.

So when I saw this recipe for “Fried Chicken” in Bitch in the Kitch I was pretty excited.  And if they actually fried their chicken instead of baking it, this could very well have been the greatest recipe ever (until I add Bacon Salt that is).

But, the women of Skinny Bitch are all about being “healthy” so I’ll play their way this time around.  Next time though, I pulling out my gallon of vegetable oil and making these suckers extra crispy.

One big change from their recipe to my final version is I went with a mock-KFC secret spices recipe for the breading.  I’ll include that below as well.

The finished product is definitely crunchy, thanks to the panko.  And while I feel it could use a little more spice, it’s not a bad starting point.  The cornbread has an interesting consistency due in part to some silken tofu in place of the normal moisteners.  Still tasty.

Oven-Fried “Chicken” & Cornbread

• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs, more if needed
• 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon dried powdered rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried powdered thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 pounds seitan cut into largish blocks or ripped into hunks (recipe can be found here)

Preheat oven to 450F.  Grease a large baking sheet with oil.  Set aside.

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and spices.  In a second bowl mix the milk and egg.  Pour the panko into a third bowl.  One at a time, dip the seitan into the milk, the flour, the milk again, the flour again, the milk one more time, and finally the panko, pressing to thoroughly coat.  Arrange the seitan on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Turn the pieces over and cook for 10 minutes more, or until slightly browned and heated throughout.

Serves 6-8

Cornbread

• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup silken tofu
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• Parmesan cheese to toss on top

Preheat oven to 425F.  Oil a 13×9-inch baking pan.  Set aside.

In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients.  In a blender, combine the milk, tofu oil and honey, pureeing until smooth.  Add the milk mixture to the cornmeal mixture, stirring just until combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake the cornbread until golden brown — about 20 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cornbread from the pan and return to rack to cool completely.

Serves 6-8