Hangover 2 and the Food at Muvico

Filed under $$$, American by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 29 May 2011 at 2:29 pm {no comments}

Dave’s trip to the south of Illinois was cancelled this weekend due to a child with the pox. However, his condition didn’t preclude us from spending a couple of hours going to see Hangover 2 at the Muvico Theatre in Rosemont. The Muvico is my favorite place to see a movie when I can afford the extra few bucks. The over 21 VIP section has no kids, a 5 star restaurant, valet parking, and free popcorn. Oh, and liquor.

For a premier weekend movie the tickets were $21.50 each. We pulled up to the door, handed our keys to the valet, and headed to the bar. My wife and I were hungry, so we decided to share a peppercorn burger with Parmesan fries, and an order of onion rings.  Chris’ wife decided he wasn’t hungry, so Chris stuck with his negroni.

The burger came out 20 minutes before the show started, perfectly cooked and very tasty. It had some kind of mayo based sauce and didn’t need any further enhancement. The Parmesan fries were OK, but I’m not really impressed by seasoned fries. I mean, really, some things, while simple, don’t need to be improved. French fries are one of those things. The onion rings came out late, having been originally forgotten. We took them into the movie with us. The were good, and seemed to be real onion rings, as opposed to the frozen kind most restaurants get from the distributor.

Chris found a bartender there named Thomas who knew how to make a negroni, so that’s what he drank, the wives were hitting the whiskey sours and the apple martinis and I was the designated driver.

Both Chris and I think that the prices were actually a little less than the last time we were there, but that was an impression, with no data to back it up. The tickets were certainly more expensive. After we ate, we carried our drinks, collected our popcorn, and the usher showed us to our loveseats just as the previews were starting.

I’m no movie reviewer, but I loved the first Hangover. And as a half-assed writer, I loved the writing in the first movie and was really looking forward to seeing what they did in the second. I think, unfortunately, that the writers phoned it in. It seems as if that watched the first movie and brainstormed on ways to change details without changing the formula at all. It was funny, certainly, but this time the surprise was gone and it was funny more for the acting of Ed Helms and Zach Galifinakis than for the story it told.

If you liked the first Hangover, you’ll like Hangover 2. If you loved Hangover, you’ll, well, like Hangover 2. It’s good, but not great.

Honky Tonk BBQ

Filed under $$, American, Cuisine, Ribs by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 18 October 2010 at 4:07 pm {no comments}

Honky Tonk BBQ
1213 West 18th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60608
(312) 226–7427

The bar at the Honky Tonk BBQ

From the steer head mounted over the bar, to the art for sale in the back room, to the live music of the Lonesome Boys, the ambiance of this near south side bar/restaurant is welcoming. My wife and I celebrated our anniversary by having dinner at the Honky Tonk BBQ, but the converted two-flat seemed like a great place to hang out for the entire night.

The restaurant is divided into three sections: the front bar, dark and loud with live music; the brighter, quieter dining room; and a small back bar next to the kitchen.

The walls are covered with western-style art. The paneling and the tin ceiling makes you feel like you’ve time traveled to a Barbecue place in 19th century Chicago. The bar itself is a beautiful antique polished wood giant with all the best spirits and some western beers.

On the way out, Willie Wagner, the chef, came out and asked us how we liked the food and thanked us for coming. As we were looking at the art on the way out a regular with an impressive walrus mustache struck up a conversation and explained where some of the art came from, including two paintings by a homeless lady who lived outside the art institute.

The Lonesome Boys singing "I'm Sober and my Wife is True, Most of the Time."

My wife and I ordered the sampler platter and a “What Your Girlfriend wants” salad. The salad had jicama, berries, goat cheese, and walnuts with the usual leaves. The sampler platter had a half slab ribs, hot links, a small pork sandwich, and small brisket sandwich, and chicken. On the side came slaw, beans, and corn muffins.

The Sides
The slaw was fresh and vinegary, a good counterpoint to the meat. The beans were well made and tasty, a traditional, straightforward recipe. The corn muffins were extremely good, with real corn pieces in them; they seemed to be still warm from the oven.

The Meat
Honky Tonk BBQ has printed on their menu that they won the world barbeque championship in 2008. I wondered who won in ’09 and ’10. If there is brisket out there better that Honky Tonk, I want to find it. The brisket and the pulled pork were both fantastic. They had the perfect texture and were hot and soft as butter.

The ribs were good: they were blackened on the outside, and soft in the middle. I liked the ribs, but they were cooked without sauce. There were three kinds of sauce provided at the table, and you pick the sauce you like best. It’s a personal thing, but I like the ribs cooked in the sauce. The hot links were spicy and juicy and lit a fire in the mouth.

I have to say that by the time we got to the chicken we were pretty full, and it was at this point that I told my wife to save room for desert. We only tried enough of the chicken to taste that it was as good as everything else.

The Sauce
There were three kinds of sauce: tangy, spicy, and mustard vinegar. They were all good. This was the first time I tried the mustard vinegar, and I didn’t like it as much as the regular sauces. The tangy had a nice bite to it and the sweet was very tasty.

Desert
I had the banana pudding, which was as good as any southerner could make it. My wife detected a little taste of butterscotch. We both liked it very much.

As always, the point of our reviews is that you can get a good meal in a half hour for ten bucks. You can do this if you order sandwiches, but it was much better to go whole hog. (Pun intended)

The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago’s 7 Best Italian Beef Sandwiches!

No.1—Serelli’s!

Filed under $, 7 Best, American, Cuisine, Italian by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 17 May 2010 at 2:30 pm {one comment}

Serrelli’s
6454 West North Avenue
(773) 745–3888?

The number 1 choice of the Beat Cop’s Guide readers, as well as your two humble authors, is Serelli’s.

A staple of Chicago’s far west side for generations, Serelli’s is the typical Italian grocery we talked anout in our Tony’s entry. In addition to being a neighbor grocery, Serelli’s also has the best beef in the city. The way I’ve always liked it best was to buy it by the pound and heat it up myself at home. It’s an instant party, even when your fellow partyers are a wife, three little kids, and a loud dog.

Serelli’s is the perfect blend of taste and ambiance. The beef is always cooked properly, and the gravy is just right, not overpowering or watery.

The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago’s 7 Best Italian Beef Sandwiches!

No.2—Paterno’s!

Filed under $, 7 Best, American, Cuisine, Italian, Pizza by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 11 May 2010 at 7:01 am {one comment}


Paterno’s
5303 N Milwaukee Ave
(773) 631–5522
www.paternopizza.com

Some people might accuse the Beat Cop’s Guide of being a little biased when it comes to Paterno’s. After all, it’s a neighborhood place, Paul Paterno is a great guy, and the bar doesn’t overcharge the beer or underpour the scotch.

What’s great about Paterno’s is that everything is homemade. I think this includes the gravy in the beef sandwiches, which has a more peppery flavor than some others I’ve had.

The sandwich is called the ”Incredible” and incredible it is. The bread is always fresh, and so are the peppers. At Paterno’s, I get the beef a little less wet than is my usual, because the bread is so good, and I don’t want the gravy to overpower it. Although it’s a bar, many families go to Paterno’s and eat in the simple dining room.

The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago’s 7 Best Italian Beef Sandwiches!

No.3—Buona Beef!

Filed under $, 7 Best, American, Cuisine, Italian, Pizza by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 10 May 2010 at 2:42 pm {no comments}

Buona Beef
7025 W. North Avenue
(and other locations)
(708) 383–1800

http://www.buona.com


The Beat Cop’s Guide does not cover chain restaurants (normally) but for Buona Beef, we’ll make an exception. Partly because we got a lot of votes for the Buona Beef sandwich; partly because … it’s really good.

Sticking to the theme that defines the Top 7, Buona’s serves very tasty beef, with good dippage, and fresh peppers. What makes Buona just a touch better than the bottom four of the top seven is the intangibles. The service is good, the restaurants, especially the North Avenue location, are clean and the people that work there are nice and polite. The cost is comparable to places in the neighborhood, and haven’t been jacked up because they have a good reputation.

The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago’s 7 Best Italian Beef Sandwiches!

No.4—Al’s Beef!

Filed under $, 7 Best, American, Cuisine, Italian by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 29 April 2010 at 12:23 pm {no comments}

Al’s #1 Italian Beef
1079 West Taylor St.
630-858-9121

Al’s invented beef. I know it, and I respect it. However, it doesn’t mean they are the best. I will go so far to say that Al’s would have fallen just out of the top 7 if it hadn’t been for its location and its storied history.

Al’s has good beef. They also have good peppers, perfectly prepared; and they are masters at the art of the dip. But they’ve fallen into the trap of many successful businesses: they’re resting on their laurels. The sandwiches are just too small for the price. If you’re holding a  proper beef sandwich, you should not be able to touch the edges of the bun together without at least five minutes of eating. Al’s buns are touching when you unwrap it.

Al, if you’re listening; go for the top spot again! Stop skimping! Fill the buns.

I have a dream of the day we can once again walk along Taylor street, get a giant beef sandwich that leaves barely enough room for the fantastic Italian Lemonade across the street.

The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago’s 7 Best Italian Beef Sandwiches!

No.5—Tore’s Beef!

Filed under $, 7 Best, American, Cuisine, Italian, Pizza by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 28 April 2010 at 2:30 pm {no comments}

Tore’s Beef & Pizza
2804 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
773-486-2600

OK. .. OK, I know: I’m falling behind; but I was eating beef sandwiches! Number 5 is Tore’s beef. Tore’s is not really well known for its beef, and I was surprised to see it mentioned in the Facebook argument*. But they are very good, and Tore’s has it all, good location, good beef, good service—and dipping skills.

When we order it for the district desk, the beef is still hot by the time we get it. When you ask for extra juicy they dip it good and wrap it twice. The peppers are always right. I generally get sweet, and they are firm, but not overripe.

Tore’s has a menu that includes all of your other hot dog stand items, but they don’t forget about the quality of the beef.

Tore’s is located at Elston and Western, which is convenient if you live anywhere from downtown to the northwest side. Location does count in ranking your lunchtime fare, because if you have to leave your district for lunch, the food better be worth the risk.

* This series started as a simple question we posted on our Facebook page.. .

The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago’s 7 Best Italian Beef Sandwiches!

No.7—Max’s Italian Beef!

Filed under $, 7 Best, American, Cuisine, Italian by Sgt. David "Biscuit" Haynes on 15 April 2010 at 7:35 pm {no comments}

Max’s Italian Beef
5754 North Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60659–5114
(773) 989–8200
www.roadfood.com

Just about all decent beef places start with the same beef. Thinly sliced, perfectly cooked, and yummy. What separates the best from the rest is what they do beyond the beef; the bread, the juice, the peppers, and even the ambiance of the place.

Max’s goes that extra mile. The juice is peppery and sticks to the sandwich. The bread is fresh and the proper length and it comes with a very generous portion of meat. At Max’s they have also mastered the art of the dip. They really understand the difference between “dry,” “dipped,” and “extra juicy.”

Over the years, Max’s has improved on the ambiance, but there is still has hardly any seats, and it is located across the street from Rosehill Cemetery, so the view consists of a fence and graves.

The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago’s Best Italian Beef

Filed under American, Cuisine, Italian by Christopher "Bull" Garlington, Esq. on 13 April 2010 at 9:07 am {3 comments}

Thanks to our fans on Facebook for providing such enthusiastic responses to my casual question about who’s got the best Italian beef sandwich in Chicago. There were so many comments, I had to write about it.—Chris “The Bull” Garlington

Dave can tell you: even after living in Chicago ten years, I did not know Italian beef sandwiches were invented in Chicago. I thought they were, well, Italian, kapisch? When we were writing a sidebar for our book that listed all the great foods invented in the Windy City, I argued for a good half an hour that Italian beef sandwiches were from the papal boot. Allow me to state publicly: Dave, you were right and I was wrong.

The Italian Beef sandwich is as Chicago as Al Capone; that’s an argument that’s been put to bed. Who makes the best Italian beef sandwiches in town? That’s an argument that will last forever. Until then, our fans have weighed in, gone a couple of rounds, and come up with a list of the best places to get a real, authentic, original, classic Chicago Italian beef sandwich.

However; in order for this to make sense, a definition:

  1. An Italian beef sandwich is: a crispy, split, Italian bun, over-filled with a wad of spiced, marinated, slow-cooked beef sliced paper-thin, drunk in it’s own au jus. Green or hot peppers mixed into the meat is a typical option. An Italian beef sandwich should be served with so much gravy the customer is forced into making a critical split second decision: should I pick it up, or eat it with a spoon?
  2. Cheese is optional. However, should you choose cheese, choose wisely: Smoked Gouda, Havarti, Osu Eraty, Pepper Jack, and Cheddar are all nice in their places but their place is NOT melted onto an Italian. Provolone, pal, and only provolone. Mozzarella in a pinch—and don’t admit it.
  3. Asiago dusted olive embedded artisan breads are cute when you’re on a date but using it to dress up an Italian it’s like wearing a tuxedo to a baseball game. Cheap bread. Local, sure—but cheap with crispy, crackly, crumbs exploding in all directions: a soaking-up-gravy-like-a-^%$#@!-sponge white bread. No substitutes!

That’s an Italian sandwich. We’ll post a review each day for a week until we reveal the number 1 Italian beef joint in the City of Big Shoulders.

And then you can argue.

Buy a Frikkin’ Shirt!

Tweet Cop . . .

Powered by Twitter Tools