God Bless The Biscuit Belt

When I told people in the Midwest that I was going to visit my sister in Durham, North Carolina the first thing they would say is, "oh, you have to eat biscuits". This I knew, as North Carolina is known for biscuits upon more biscuits. Within in city of Durham, there are 4 or 5 biscuit places I can count just off the top of my head, and I don't even live there. So it was my mission to get as many biscuits as I could put in my face for the 5 days that I was in the triangle (Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill). And biscuits were consumed.

I arrived on a Monday, starving. I left Chicago really early in the AM and didn't get a chance to eat breakfast. Jecca picked me up and we went straight to Rise Biscuits and Donuts. Jecca had never been there, but a friend of mine (Hi Alysia!) who used to live in Durham told us we should check it out. Located in a strip mall next to a nail salon, it is quite unassuming. We went in and the menu was overwhelming with fantastic selections. Jecca is a vegetarian, and Rise has a biscuit sandwich with fried eggplant "bacon". She got that, and I got a biscuit with fried chicken and bacon. Flaky biscuits, brimming with flavor. Jecca fell in love with the eggplant bacon, I tried it as well: delicious and crisp. My fried chicken biscuit was perfect, juicy chicken and bacon done just right. We also got a couple of donuts to bring home: a blueberry "wonut" with blueberry glaze and a pineapple basil with pineapple glaze filled the basil creme filling and pistachios. What is a wonut you ask? Well I'll tell you: waffle donut! So cute.

In Summation: The biscuits are out of this world. A must for the biscuit lovers. The donuts were good, but not our favorite in Durham. I want to try the fennel and pink grapefruit donut next time.

Tuesday brought us to Monuts. Now, I love monuts. I have been to their old location twice before, and I have been following their construction and new space on instagram for a while, and was so looking forward to checking it out.

It did not disappoint. Eli (my brother-in-law) and I got 2 donuts: apple cider cake donut and a maple glazed raised. Both were perfect. Jecca then met us for lunch and I had a biscuit and a beautiful salad of arugula, pea shoots, asparagus, a slow poached egg and fresh farmer cheese. They both had bagel sandwiches: the bagels at monuts are fantastic. I also had a crazy coffee: it was a combo of espresso and cane sugar cola. WHOA. BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ.

In Summation: a good biscuit, not spectacular. Probably my fault for not getting anything on it. However, everything else is fantastic here. The donuts are for sure the best in the city, as are the bagels. It's a great place to hang out, and they now have beer and wine! Bonus!

Wednesday Jecca and her friend Ben and I went to Scratch Bakery for breakfast. I have had the bread from Scratch, they have a booth at the Durham Farmers Market and I knew I was in for some good stuff.

I went with a biscuit with an egg and cheese. Keeping it super simple. It was perfectly lovely. Jecca got a buttermilk donut muffin that was to die for. I also had a fantastic iced vanilla latte, made with one of my favorite Midwestern coffees: Intelligentsia. However, everything we had was overshadowed by the pie. Oh yes, pie for breakfast: and what a pie it was. A perfect strawberry rhubarb. The crust was just the right consistency and the filling bright, sweet and tart.

In Summation: I really want to go back to Scratch for some of the savory offerings: but it's gonna be really hard when there is that pie staring at me. I mean, their website is piefantasy.com.

Thursday Jecca and I met up with the creator of sheelanumnum.com: Alex, and his kids Viv & Nick. We met at Parker & Otis, a favorite place of mine in Durham. It's part gift store, part wine shop, part cafe, all awesome (For Twin Cities folks reference: it's like if Cafe Latte, Patina and Surdyk's were all one store. With better food). A friend of Jecca's had told me to get the pimento cheese biscuit there, and of course I had to try that. Sadly, they didn't have it on this day, so I went with a cheese, egg and bacon biscuit. Totally good, not outstanding. I do love the pimento cheese here, so hopefully next time I am in town they will have that biscuit!

In Summation: I really like hanging out at Parker & Otis. They have great stuff for everyone and I will be hunting down that biscuit!

Friday, my last day in town. Jecca and I venture in to Chapel Hill to a place I had been hearing about forever. Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen is a tiny shack of a place on the main thoroughfare going in to Chapel Hill. It is a drive through place, and there was a line on the bridge as we approached!

The line was 100% worth the wait. Jecca had an egg, cheese and kale biscuit whereas I went for the pork chop. Yup, that's right. Chicken fried pork chop on a biscuit. This may or may not have been everything I had hoped for and more. Biscuit was soft and pillowy, pork chop beautifully seasoned. It's a good thing I don't live anywhere near here as I would be here every day.

In Summation: Run. Stand in line. Eat all the biscuits.

Phew! And that's just the biscuits! Next up: more Durham goodness.

Just You 'N' Me: An evening in Logan Square

After another long day at the shoe store in Andersonville, I was so looking forward to an evening with one of my favorite humans on earth. My dear friend Bridgid is from Chicago, lived in the Twin Cities for about 1 minutes 15 years ago, and we have been super close ever since. I love that when I am in Chicago for work I get to spend some time with her.

Bridgid is a bartender in Boystown (more about her bar next week: I will be spending the evening there and it's gonna get pretty real) and has been for the past 12 years. So needless to say she doesn't get out to new places very often, especially if they are only open for dinner. So we went through a list of places she has been wanting to try. We decided on a place in Logan Square: as there are also some great bars in that area we could hit up post dinner.


Analogue opened in 2013, mostly to be a cocktail bar and dance party, from the articles I have found about it. It has a New Orleans-inspired menu in an open and airy space. We were the first ones there, it was a super rainy Sunday evening and also pretty early. Bridgid and I snagged a high top and settled in.

We decided to start with a little bubbly: and a basket of biscuits. I mean, who doesn't want a basket of biscuits? I know I have been on a tear when it come to southern food, and it is about to get even more epic since I am now sitting in Durham, North Carolina. But why not start off my second southern adventure of April with biscuits in Chicago?

                                                                          

This basket of biscuits comes with 3 lovely biscuits, creamy butter that is made with syrup, and hot pepper jelly. Bridgid took one bite and said, "I want to drink this every day". Sweet, hot, flaky, spicy. All of the things one would want in a biscuit experience. Paired quite well with our dry cava.


We then shared a green salad and the mushroom french fries debris po' boy. Bridgid is a vegetarian (I know, so many vegetarians in my life) and these were basically the only vegetarian items on the menu.

The salad was exactly what I wanted, fresh and bright, lots of dill with a creole mustard vinaigrette. A little feta really brought the whole salad together. The Po' Boy was good: not nearly enough mushroom debris. The bread was tasty, and the flavors were all good but I feel like the filling was just lacking. It probably didn't help that I was just in New Orleans eating the true stuff, but I think if they just stuff that sandwich more, it would be a world of difference.          

                     


In Summation: A cool joint! Probably I would be back for cocktails and snacks, not for a full meal. Not when there are so many other choices in Logan Square for amazing food.


Bridg and I decided to hit up another cocktail joint about a block and a half away, The Whistler.  This is a super popular bar in Logan Square, and both of us had been here before. They make really inventive and delicious cocktails, and we wanted to see what they were up to this season. The bar that Bridg is a bartender at doesn't really allow her to flex her cocktail making skills: it's more a RUM AND COKE! BEER! JAG BOMB! kinda place. So she loves to see what other bars are doing, since there are so many interesting cocktail lounges around Chicago.

There were two cocktails I really wanted to try here, but I ended up with The Pastry War. I mean, how could I not get a drink called pastry war? It was tequila, cognac, apple, almond, cinnamon, beetroot and lime. WHOA. I was a little nervous, as that is a lot of crazy in one glass. It was pretty sweet, but very good. An ideal way to start our night off.

In summation: I will always go The Whistler. Better early when it is not wall to wall people, it does get completely insane in there. 

We then moseyed down the block to a bar neither of us had been to but have always meant to: The Owl. I have always loved the sign for this place, it is super old school and the eyes have lights that blink. So great. We went in and found a HUGE bar, and we were the only people in there (again, it was early: like 8pm on a Sunday night). We bellied up to the bar and checked out the cocktail list. 

Bridgid and I chose the same cocktail, not something that normally happens. It is called The Gem: sarsaparilla whiskey, rye, ginger beer, lemon juice and bitters. Welcome to my new favorite drink. This thing is perfection, warm and dark but with bright notes. We may or may not have had 3. Each. And a shot of four roses with the bartender for good measure. 

In Summation: New favorite bar in Chicago, now that Bonny's 4 a.m. is no longer. The Owl is homey like the bars in Milwaukee with cocktails and staff that are excellent. Thanks The Owl! 

See you in 5 days, Chicago! Off to The Triangle to Visit Jecca and Eli!

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

I can hardly keep my eyes open long enough to post this: I am so crazy tired and full. It was a beautiful and long day of work, eating and friends.

I had to be at the shoe store I was doing an event at early, so I made sure I got to the bakery/cafe I wanted to check out early. I got there too early: 10 minutes before they open! Ooops. I pulled up to Baker Miller in Lincoln Square. I hung out in my car until they opened: and turns out I wasn't even the first one there! I maybe should have stood in line with these folks:

I have been following Baker Miller for a while, it is the original owners of Bang Bang Pie Shop. They decided that they wanted to make their own flours, so they left Bang Bang and started Baker Miller. They ground their grains and make flours and grits which you can buy in the store and online. I have been following them on facebook and instagram, and the photos are stunning. I had it in my head that I was gonna get the grits with corned beef, pickled cabbage, coriander mustard and and soft egg. I got up to the counter and asked the super helpful counter lady. I told her I was fluctuating between the grits and the ploughman's breakfast. She said Ploughman's, so that is what I went with. 

I am so glad I did. A perfectly soft cooked egg, 4 bread soldiers, a local sausage and perfectly dressed arugula. They also make from scratch marmalade and hand churned butters. I took a bit of the satsuma marmalade and the cherry honey butter (apparently I am on a honey butter kick). All of it was bursting with flavor. Simple and well done. A perfect and hearty breakfast. Next time I am gonna get the Toast Platter: as they have toasters on each table! 

In summation: bright and airy space with hearty, healthy goodness within. 

I then went to work and slung shoes all day. Busy and fun, as it always is at the store I was at. My friend Natalie came to the store to meet me and take me to a new candy store down the street from where I was. I needed to find some new fun gummies for the Vlog. Many awesome things were purchased, and then Natalie had the fantastic idea to grab dinner at one of the best vegan restaurants around.

The Chicago Diner has been around since 1983. It is a full on diner: burgers, fries, shakes and the like. However, it is 100% vegetarian, mostly vegan. Natalie is vegan, and I am a huge fan of this place. It is so hard for me not to get the same thing here every time, and today was no exception. Country Fried Steak: vegan style. Battered seitan, country gravy, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. It is so so delicious: veganlicious I would say.  I sent a picture to my husband Ben and he was super jealous. Natalie and I also shared a vegan peanut butter cookie dough shake. That is some sweet lovely stuff right there. Thanks, Chicago Diner, for making vegan food so delicious. 

In Summation: even your non vegetarian friends will love chicago dinner. 

Okay, this is when I probably should have gone back to me hotel and kept it mellow. Instead I met up with the fantastic Rajani and Vijay at a new place in Logan Square. Lost Lake Tiki is a bar that is connected to a American-Chinese take out counter called Thank You. So you can order from your server at Lost Lake anything from Thank You. One of the many reasons I love Rajani and Vijay is they eat like me: they want to try anything and everything and are always up for it. My favorite thing is when Vijay said: we should just order one of everything. So we did. 

This is the cocktail I had: It's called the Pool Rules. Bourbon, Rum, Curaçao, Cinnamon, Allspice, Vanilla, Angostura Bitters. Cutest fish glass!!

Here is the link to the : and photos of everything!

 

 

Holy Moses. Our favorites: the long beans, the fried rice and the Mongolian beef. This place is also open til 4am on the weekends, how fantastic is that! 

In Summation: Makes me want to move back to Chicago for the good food. 

Tomorrow: meeting up with my girls Bridgid and Diana, so it's gonna get good.

Now Playing: Comedy Bang Bang Podcast 

(I've Been) Searching So Long: Chicago Fried Chicken Pt. 1

I am always on the prowl for perfect fried chicken. It is much harder to find than you might think: especially in the great white north. We in the Twin Cities only have a couple of great options: the most noteable the brand new Revival in Minneapolis (try the Nashville Hot: AMAZING). So when I am out and about I am bound and determined to find the chicken of my dreams.

I saw Honey Butter Fried Chicken (HBFC) starting it's construction in 2012 when I was visiting Chicago visiting friends. The name had me right away, and so did the concept. Smear the honey butter all over the fried chicken. You don't have to tell me twice! Somehow I had never made it until today, but it was 100% worth the wait.

I met up with my pal Carl who is also in Chicago from the Twin Cities for work. His birthday is tomorrow, and I thought we should meet up for some birthday fried chicken. We went in to the joint: beyond adorable. The super friendly guy behind the counter offered us menus and we set out to order some goodness.

HBFC, very much to my chagrin, were out of the collard greens (super sad face). However, we made do. We ordered up the 4 piece chicken (comes with 3 biscuits), kale and cabbage slaw, pimento mac and cheese and creamed corn. They have pure cane sugar sodas on tap, and we both went with the ginger. They also have a full bar, local beer and wine. Next time I am for SURE gonna get the Smoky Derby.

Carl and I sat outside on their patio, and waited on our foods. It look literally no time at all: 5 minutes max. I was shocked at how fast it was, and super excited to dive in. The chicken from an antibiotic free and humanly raised farm in Indiana, and is boneless except for the leg. They explain their whole philosophy on their website, and they take it seriously. The chicken is served with corn muffins, and a whole lot of honey butter. The lovely girl who brought us our food told us yet again: slather the chicken with the butter. Yes M'am!

The chicken is fantastic. Super flavorful, not overseasoned or breaded, and the chicken is just crazy moist (I know, worst word ever) and flavorful. That honey butter does not hurt things either. The muffins are a perfect size, full of flavor, and again a great vehicle for more butter. And they had little bees and honeycombs on them! Adorable!

The sides: the pimento mac and cheese had a crazy depth of flavor I haven't experienced before. It was also the perfect portion, any more and it would be overkill. I would have liked it to be a bit warmer, but that is my weird temperature nit-picking. The creamed corn had a thai green curry in it that made the corn sing. Sweet, spicy, creamy, delicious. Kale and Cabbage slaw was light and refreshing, not overly dressed. It has a cumin-yogurt dressing that lends itself really well to the kale, and is topped with dried pomegrante. Crisp and light, a perfect balance with a lot of heavy creamy cheesy fried things.

Now: dessert. Okay, when I looked at the menu online I, of course, went straight to the desserts. I could not believe my eyes. DUMP CAKE. On a menu. Not at my parent's house. I was pretty sure my mind was playing tricks on me. But lo and behold, HBFC has a daily dump cake. At MARKET PRICE. What is happening. Who is the mastermind behind this and are they my new best friend (turns out, yeah kinda). 

So I got the dump cake, obviously. It was a strawberry dump cake with balsamic whip cream. WHAT THE WHAT. Unbelievable. I can't even with this. I wanted to call my mom immediately (yes I have called her since to tell her all about the dump cake). Carl had never had dump cake, and now understands all of its wonders. 

In summation: Honey Butter Fried Chicken is everything I hoped it would be and more. I will not be missing this ever again: it is on the list of must go to every time I am in town. 

Now Playing: 

The Dirtbombs: Ultraglide in Black

Jay Reatard: Blood Visions

Dum Dum Girls: Only In Dreams