Restaurant Review: Jam 'N Honey

Honestly I usually try to keep negative comments and experiences off the blog just because everybody has different options and tastes, but when it comes to service I can't rightfully say nothing.

Jam 'N Honey is located in Lincoln Park at the corner of Webster and Sheffield. It serves breakfast, lunch and now dinner. Two of my friend and I Went on Sunday afternoon around 12:30 pm. We knew we would wait but it was only three of us so knew it wouldn't be too bad. Twenty minutes later or so we were sat at a table that was meant for two with a chair added, fine no big deal work with what you have as long as I get served I don't care. Well two minutes later we were moved to a different table, which again was fine because we got sat at a bigger table. However the musical chairs did not stop with us. We witnessed multiple guests and chairs get moved around several times, which after a while was just distracting.

A server came to our table, she was friendly and quickly brought the fresh orange juice my friend ordered. However the three coffees that we asked multiple people for took a bit of time. Finally we ordered our food. Nothing too fancy, a breakfast sandwich, eggs florentine and nutella banana pancakes. It came pretty quickly, but when we were less than half way done our check was already on the table. I understand that again it's breakfast, but making customers feel like they are being forced out of a restaurant when they are paying is just wrong. Prior to our check getting dropped we over heard a server go up to a table and say that she needed them to pay their check. I don't know if this has ever happened to anyone, but it has never happened to me and if it did I would speak to a manager. I am not a complainer, it takes a lot for me to leave less than a 20% tip, but when I am paying for my meal and experience I expect to be able to sit as long as I like. This was just adding to the chaos that was happening when we walked in originally. We got stared down by the manager for a while, but nothing was said to us and we weren't done eating so we were going to sit until we were done. I don't think that there is anything worse than being asked to get up when you are not finished from a table that technically you are paying for.

The food really wasn't bad, which is disappointing because of how bad the feel of the front of the restaurant seemed. The breakfast sandwich was loaded with eggs, bacon, swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce, caramelized onions and served on brioche (the best bread in my option). The poached eggs on the florentine were perfect and the nutella banana pancakes were loaded with toppings, not to mention that a big jar of nutella resides on every table.

Really this place just needs to get their front of the house together. There are too many awesome brunch places in Chicago that I will not go out of my way to return to Jam 'N Honey.

Restaurant Review: The Bedford

1/2 pisco punch bowl perfect way to start the night.

Frites, Mac & Cheese and Pear salad

So I have been quite terrible at the whole blogging thing but I have decided the amazing meals that I have had in the past two months need to be discussed. Above is some photos from eating at The Bedford (sorry the other ones were blurry). It's a restaurant that opened this summer in Wicker Park and is located in the basement of a bank. The coolest part is that you can actually sit in the vault and have a drink. Something for us that was really fun is that you can order a pisco punch bowl. The cocktail is pisco, pineapple, lime juice, simple syrup, ginger beer and bitters, quite delicious. It comes as an individual cocktail, 1/2 a punch bowl and as a full punch bowl. Three of us drank from the punch bowl and two of us had three drinks each and one of us had two, so it is a good amount of alcohol.

We started with three appetizers. Hand cut frites, mac and cheese, and salt roasted pears. The frites were incredible. They were so hot and crispy and probably some of the best frites I have had in a while. They are also served with an awesome bearnaise dipping sauce. The salt roasted pears were good, not as flavorful as I would have liked. The mac and cheese was unbelievable. The sauce was cheesy and there was a good ratio to the elbow macaroni. Also it was topped with charred onions, so you cannot go wrong. We basically tried to lick the bowl clean.

Now on to entrees. Parisian gnocchi with mushrooms, homemade ricotta cheese, truffle and pecorino. The gnocchi was light, fluffy and super savory with the mushroom sauce. A truly great fall dish. Duck bolognese with papardelle, duck cracklings, dried cherries, and rapini pesto also a great pick. It tasted like homemade pasta, but cannot confirm or deny. Either way both pasta dishes were fantastic. My other friend also ordered a burger which was cooked really well and seasoned well. She didn't get cheese or the fried egg which was disappointing to me, but it wasn't my burger. One thing that we all commented on was salt in some of the dishes was definitely lacking, but having too little is much better than having too much. The dish I ordered was just not satisfying. I don't know if I didn't get it or what but I just did not like it. I ordered charred baby octopus. The octopus was delicious, but the accompaniments confused me. Two decent sized pieces of pork belly, a green sauce that I don't know what it was and an orange puree of sorts. Overall I just didn't get it and really did not enjoy it.

Overall it was such a great meal. The ambiance, the food, the drinks and just the feel of The Bedford are all impeccable. It's an interesting space to see and experience even if it's just for a drink.

Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale

Ginger root. Use a spoon to peel off the outside.

Ginger steeping in simple syrup.

 Finished black plum vodka. Insane color.

 Black plum vodka and homemade ginger ale.

I have to admit, the great idea of making my own homemade ginger ale was not mine at all. I tried some of my fellow chef's Hannah and Andrew's ginger ale and knew I had to replicate it. Way easier than I thought it would be and it actually tastes like ginger. I knew this would go perfectly with that black plum vodka I had just finished infusing. Throw in a little lemon peel and this cocktail is ready to go. Dangerously easy to drink. Very dangerous indeed.

Recipe:

Ginger Ale

-2 Cups Water

-2 Cups Sugar

-2 Large Ginger Root, outside peeled and cut into small pieces

-Club Soda

1- In a sauce pot, combine the water, sugar, and ginger. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Then remove from the heat and allow to steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain out the ginger and let cool.

2- Once ginger simple syrup is cool, add to club soda to taste. That easy.

Black Plum Vodka and Ginger Ale

-2 oz Black Plum Vodka

-Homemade Ginger Ale

-2 Pieces of Lemon Zest

1- Combine ingredients over ice and serve.

Enjoy!

-Matt

James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour

 Clearly hard at work.

 Plating the 145 carpaccios!

Lamb Carpaccio with Caesar Salad Ice Cream.

Group shot.

Hey all, just wanted to post a couple pictures from a recent event I got to do in DC. It was for the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour so of course Chef was invited to do a course at the dinner. We served lamb carpaccio with caesar salad ice cream. To say the least, our pants (and food!) were a major hit again.

-Matt

Recipe: Caramelized Peach Sorbet

 Super ripe peaches.

 Caramelized in brown butter.

 Peach puree.

Sweet peach sorbet.

The peach...basically the quintessential stone fruit. It is juicy, sweet, and luscious - seriously sexy fruit. Here, I take local peaches and saute them in brown butter to caramelize the sugar found in the fruit. It is essential that your peaches are ripe to overripe so the sorbet has the right amount of sugar to sour balance. I add in some simple syrup (sugar and water), lemon juice (for freshness), vodka (to prevent icy/hard freezing), and a pinch of salt (I can't imagine cooking anything without it). This sorbet is simple yet impressive. A refreshingly light ending for one of those hot days of Summer.

Recipe:

-1/2 Cup Water
-1 Cup Sugar
-6 Peaches, skin removed/pits removed/cut into eighths
-1 Tbsp Butter
-1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
-1 Tbsp Vodka
-Pinch Salt

1- In a small sauce pan, heat your water and sugar just until sugar is incorporated. Remove from heat. Add vodka, lemon juice, and salt.
2- In a large saute pan over medium heat, add butter and heat until the milk solids just begin to brown. It should begin to small nutty. Add your peaches and saute for 3-5 minutes or until peaches begin to caramelize. Remove from heat and add to a food processor and blend until it is completely pureed.
3- Combine your simple syrup mixture and your peach puree. Place in a fridge and allow to cool. Once cool, place in your ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer.

Enjoy!

-Matt

Black Plum Infused Vodka

Gorgeous local black plums.

Ready to hibernate for 2 weeks.

I'll admit, I have gotten off track with my infusing. So, I went shopping today to be inspired by some local stone fruit and chose the best looking one. These black plums had incredible color and felt/smelled the most ripe. Cut your plums into eighths and cover with vodka. Make sure your container is air tight and hide it away in a dark place. Sun exposure could damage your finished product but I also like to keep it hidden so I don't break into it to early. I will see you in 2 weeks my friend. 

Recipe:

-4 Plums, pit removed and cut into eighths

-500 mL Vodka

-1 Tsp Lemon Juice

1- In a airtight container, add your plums, vodka, and lemon juice. Place in a dark, cool place for 1 week.

2- After 1 week, remove the lid and shake the bottle gently. Place the lid back on and store for 1 more week. 

Enjoy!

-Matt

Bar Review: Map Room - Chicago, IL

If you love drinking beer you'll love the Map Room. They have beer for any beer drinker (including miller lite and high life) and a very chill and comfortable atmosphere. It's about four blocks from the western blue line and it's cash only, but has two atms. It is a coffeehouse/bar located on Armitage in Bucktown, Chicago. I say coffeehouse because you can get Intelligentsia coffee all day and booze starting at 11 AM.

The bar is one room open with seating at the bar, a few high tops and some lower tables. It was "crowded" on a Thursday night, but I'm not sure what it's actually like on a Friday or Saturday. The beer list is incredible. With 26 beers on top (updated on their website) and over 100 bottles it can be overwhelming to make a decision. The beers are priced really well, most under $8, even heavier, higher alcohol beers are under $10, which is nice and unusual.

The bartenders are great as well. They know a lot about the beer and usually will offer tastes before making you commit to a draft. The first time I went, the bartender poured my beer in the incorrect glass and even gave me the extra beer. I know it's not that big of a deal, but it's nice to go to a bar and actually getting treated like a patron and not a dollar sign.

I know I'll be back soon and definitely recommend it to any beer lover.

-Sophia

Restaurant Review: Old Town Social - Chicago, IL

To many Chicagoans Old Town Social is a bar, but what most people don't realize that the food is delicious as well. It was around 9 and we were still able to order off the regular menu which was great, but either way I'm pretty sure that they serve cold food until close (2 AM on most nights).

We ordered drinks, I got a delicious Michigan Saison, New Holland Golden Cap, recommend it to any Saison lovers. This beer was floral, light, crisp and just overall very refreshing. This Saison was followed up with a different draught Saison, Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Ale. It was also delicious, but something about the Golden Cap was more appealing to me. My friend ordered Jameson on the rocks, nothing to fancy. The drink list has one page of specialty cocktails, two or three pages of brown liquors and the rest is beer (there is a table of contents to give you an idea of how many options there are).

We ordered pretzel bites, frites, a grilled cheese with tomato soup and a burger (fried egg, cheddar and homemade bacon). Old Town Social is known for their charcuterie and other house smoked meats. We didn't indulge this time, but know that next time charcuterie and cheese will be involved.

The grilled cheese was made on an awesomely thick white bread with a good amount of melty, gooey cheese (my friend would argue that more cheese was needed, but you could him a wheel of parm and he would want more). Dipping the cheese in the soup was perfectly comforting and delicious. The burger was delicious as well. The yolk of the egg instantly ran, which is my favorite thing, although it always gets messy. The burger was cooked to a medium rare, with the salty-smokey bacon perfectly crisp. My friend didn't even have a chance to try the burger it was in my belly too quickly. The frites were tasty and cut thin which I like, but not very crispy.

Either way I know that I will be back. Tuesdays are Industry night after ten which is really nice and the food was delicious. Even if this were not the case I think the beer list will keep me coming back. They have outdoor seating and overall it's a big space so getting in should not be a problem.

-Sophia

Recipe: Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Blueberry/Corn/Basil Salsa

 I begin by cutting the corn into smaller pieces.

 You then steep the corn in the milk.

 Sitting on top of a blueberry, sauteed corn, and basil salsa.

A mouthwatering combination of sweet and savory.

So continuing with my recent corn obsession, I decided to highlight its sweet flavor profile. You wouldn't think, but corn actually lends itself to sweet applications like ice cream very well. Here, the slightly sweet ice cream is paired with a savory salsa. The corn is lightly sauteed and seasoned with salt and black pepper. Add in some fresh basil and the sweet pop of blueberries to complete the dish. This dessert is perfectly light for Summer and definitely a dish your friends will be talking about. Who needs chocolate and vanilla anyways.

Recipe:

Sweet Corn Ice Cream

-3 Ears of Corn, cut into small pieces

-2 Cups Heavy Cream

-2 Cups Whole Milk

-1 Cup Sugar

-8 Yolks

-Pinch of Salt

Blueberry/Corn/Basil Salsa

-1 Ear of Corn, kernels removed

-1/2 Cup Blueberries

-2 Tbsp Basil, chiffonade

-1 Tbsp Olive Oil

-Salt

-Black Pepper

1- Bring milk, cream, 1/2 cup of sugar, and corn to a boil in a large saucepan. Once it reaches a boil, remove from the heat and let steep for 20 minutes. 

2- Strain the milk through a fine sieve and place in a new saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together you yolks and remaining sugar. You are now going to temper the eggs. Start by adding one ladle full of the simmering milk to the eggs. Make sure to continue to whisk the eggs while you add the hot milk. Now pour this egg mixture back into the simmering milk and whisk this together. 

3- Continue to stir and season with a pinch of salt. Let the custard thicken until it coats the back of a spoon...about 10 minutes. Pass through the strainer one more time and place in the fridge to cool.

4- Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream makers directions.

5- Meanwhile, in a saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, saute the corn for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat and mix with the blueberries and basil. Place in fridge until ice cream is ready.

Enjoy!

-Matt

A Chef's Confession: It's Tough to Always Be an Outsider - The Atlantic

A Chef's Confession: It's Tough to Always Be an Outsider - The Atlantic

This is just a really short article into the head of a chef. Even though people in the restaurant industry love their jobs sometimes you long for the normalcy of a 9-5. Not because sitting at a desk sounds appealing, but because going to a show on a Friday night and not feeling guilty that your not at work sounds nice.

This article is from food section of The Atlantic Monthly.

-Sophia