Taste of Greenville Avenue

I went to the Taste of Greenville Avenue in Dallas yesterday with some friends. This is my first time going to TOGA...I'm not sure how long they've been doing this. Basically a bunch of restaurants along Greenville Avenue participate and sell samples of their food in different booths. Most of the food ranges from $2-5.

4925 Greenville Avenue @ University
Dallas, TX 75206
Saturday 10/29/11 - 10AM to 8PM
http://www.tasteofgreenvilleavenue.com/

The main thing that made me wanted to go was the first thing we got!! Enjoy the pictures!

The Grape:
- Spicy Candied Bacon on a Stick (aka Heart Attack on a Stick) $5~ OMG!! So fatty and rich and sinful. I'm glad we ate it first because it was so heavy. Soooo yummy though. :P

Pho Is For Lovers:

- Pork Banh Mi $3~ Pretty standard. Fresh.

St. Martin's Wine Bistro:
- Champagne Brie Soup (signature soup for 36 years) $5~ I've heard great things about this. Creamy and rich. Light in flavor. Pretty good, I can't drink the whole thing though.

Woodfire by Kirby's:
- Sauteed Beef Tenderloin (with a Cognac Pepper Sauce & Loaded Mashed Potatoes) $3~ Steak was tender. Didn't care for the sauce though.

The Blue Fish:
- Ahi Tower Cone $5~ Really cute in the waffle cone. Yummy!

- Kobe Sliders (2) $5~ Eh. Generic...

Ozona Grill & Bar:
- Jalapeno Fries $3~ Not really fries. Just battered jalapenos and fried. Not very spicy. A little salty but quite addictive.

The Original Fried Pie Shop @ Baker's Ribs:
- Fruit Fried Pie (Cherry) $3~ Large. Too sweet for me.

- Creme Fried Pie (Chocolate) $4~ Awesome. Crispy crust. The filling was like chocolate pudding. Not too sweet. Very tasty!

- Meat Fried Pie (Pulled Pork) $5~ Looked good, I didn't try though. Needs BBQ sauce I heard.

Shuck N Jive:
- Fried Shrimp Basket $5~ Was fried nicely. But not worth the money.

It was a really nice day for something like this. I thought in general the prices were a little high. I think each item could be reduced by $1 or something. But it was something different to do here in Dallas. There was also a stage with performances and beer sampling for a small fee. Maybe I'll go again next year. :)

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Chicago: Day 3 - The Bongo Room

The last day in Chicago we met up with another friend of mine for breakfast. She suggested The Bongo Room because she's heard it was good and also it was close to where we were staying. I've also heard that they have the best pancakes. I looked at their website and I have to say the pictures look phenomenal.

The Bongo Room - Wicker Park
1470 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 489-0690
http://www.thebongoroom.com/
Price: $$

I think they change their menu every season since we were given the Fall 2011 Menu. I also saw lots of pictures of dishes online that is no longer on the menu. So you can always get something new there!

They don't take reservations and on the weekends it gets super packed! Luckily we went on a Monday morning so it was pretty empty. The menu looked really good but I knew I wanted to try their pancakes.

My friend got the Breakfast Burrito (cilantro-jalapeno tortilla filled with guacamole and scrambled eggs topped with melted cheese and sour cream, salsa on the side; served with house potatoes) $8.95~

It was a nice hefty portion. I didn't try the burrito, but the flavor of the potatoes were pretty good.

My bf got the Tomatillo Salsa Scramble (three egg whites scrambled with grilled chicken, spinach and topped with diced avocado; served with tomato slices and choice of toast) $9.95~

This was also a big portion. Everything was fresh, there were lots of spinach in teh scramble, which I liked. It's definitely healthier than what we've been eating all weekend! haha. There were tons of diced avocado on top and the flavors were good. I liked the tomatillo salsa mixed in with everything. The one thing my bf said was that he preferred if they diced up the tomatoes and put it on top instead of the slices on the side.

I had 2 choices for pancakes and the waitress totally recommended the Pumpkin Spice & Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake Flapjacks (graham cracker crusted pumpkin flapjacks with chocolate chunks topped with warm vanilla bean cream) $9.95~

Good...cuz i was leaning towards that. hehe. It sounded so decadent. And it was!! 3 huge pancakes covered with the vanilla bean cream. It was utterly fabulous. One of the best pancakes I've had I think. Plenty of pumpkin flavor, I could taste the chocolate chips and the vanilla cream was divine. Surprisingly it wasn't too heavy or sweet. The texture was fluffy. Delicious! I would've liked a little more chocolate chunks but that might actually push it over the edge. I really wanted to eat the entire plate, but the portion was so large it's probably a good idea that I didn't. haha. I am still thinking about these pancakes from time to time. It would say it's one of the best things I had on this trip! :)

It took a while for the food to come out so I would say if you want a quick breakfast before work, this is probably not the best choice. But if you have the time to relax and enjoy some great food, especially pancakes, you need to go to The Bongo Room. I soo wish there is one in Dallas...

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Chicago: Day 2 - Pequod's Pizza

Can't go to Chicago and not get deep dish pizza!! My friends live there so they've tried many different places and claims that Pequod's is the best.

Pequod's Pizza
2207 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 327-1512
http://www.pequodspizza.com/
Price: $-$$

It took me a while to even understand the name. haha. I think you pronounce it "Pee-Quads"... and the logo was a whale with underwear on it's head. What??? haha. I googled "Pequod" and it's actually a Nantucket whaleship in the 1851 Moby-Dick novel. Interesting... hehe.

I'm so glad we made a reservation. The place was packed and they had several groups waiting in the front. We actually got there 10 minutes early too. The host told us that we can go ahead and put in our order while we wait for a table since it takes about 40 minutes for the pizza to cook.

The place is actually pretty big...you can't tell from walking in the front door. It's got a bar feel... dim and loud. They had TVs everywhere so we got to watch the Rangers game! :)

We started with The Pequod Salad (romaine, cheese, pepperoni, pepperoncini, black olives, green pepper, mushrooms, carrots, tomato, onion; with creamy garlic dressing on the side) $8.95~

After a day of more carbs and sugar...I really wanted a salad. It was massive, definitely enough for 3-4 people. The greens were fresh and the toppings added good flavor. The creamy garlic dressing was super thick...kinda like mayonnaise almost but tasted good!

We got a Medium (12") Pan Pizza (sausage, mushrooms, Giardiniere) $12.95 for cheese only +$2 per topping = $18.95~

All pizzas are plain and you make your own combinations. With additional charge per topping. We weren't too hungry so we thought a medium pizza for 4 people was plenty. The pizza was pretty awesome. It was hot and steamy. The cheese was super melty. I loved the bottom of the crust. It had a crispness to it, kinda like the outside of a good grilled cheese (the waitress's description). Supposedly other pizza places didn't have that. They also have their Famous Caramelized Crust. The pizza is baked in a cast iron pan blackened by decades of seasoning, and the overflowing cheese emerges from the oven as a halo of caramelized crust.

The edge was crispy, chewy and full of flavor. Another one of my favorite elements is the sausage on top. They also had a nice char/sear on top so it added extra texture. The flavors all worked together. The marinara had just the right amount of spices and flavor...wasn't too sour. The dough in the middle was nice and pillowy. And it wasn't too greasy! It was a lot of food! One and a quarter slices is all I managed to stuff down.

We also got Wings $7.95~

OMG... so much food again. I only managed to eat one since I was so full. But it was really good. The wings were so juicy and tender and I really liked the sauce. I wished I could've eaten more. The rest of the people killed the entire plate though. hehe.

The service was great. The host and hostesses were really friendly and our waitress was also very nice. The manager also came by to make sure we were liking our food. And after they served the wings, the manger came by again and apologized for the wait and said it was taken off our check. I didn't even notice that the wings came late. That's great service right there! It was a great dinner. The Chicago deep dish did not disappoint. I totally suggest checking out Pequod's if you haven't been there yet!

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Chicago: Day 2 - Revolution Brewing

Later on Sunday, after some more sightseeing, we stopped by Revolution Brewing to get some snacks and watch the football game. My friends really recommended this place. They said they brewed their own beers and the food was good as well.

Revolution Brewing
2323 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 227-2739
http://revbrew.com/
Price: $$

For some reason I had pictured a dingy hole-in-the-wall. But it was definitely not. haha. It was actually a pretty big place. It was clean and open and I liked some of the accents of their decor.

The guys ordered some beers and we looked over the menu. I was pretty full still so we just got a few things to munch on.

My friend had to order the Bacon Fat Popcorn (bacon, crispy sage and shaved parmesan) $4~

It was pretty good! I thought it was just going to be popcorn with bacon flavor but it actually had large pieces of bacon in there as well. The bacon flavor on the popcorn was subtle, but you can definitely taste it. Yum!

Crispy Calamari (brussel sprout leaves, almond, romesco sauce, parmesan, arugula) $9~

It was kind of a small plate but I liked the presentation with the greens. It added a nice contrasting color. The flavors were really good and I liked the addition of brussel sprouts, arugula and almonds. It was a different take on your normal calamari appetizer.

I chose the Pecan Tart with Zucchini Bread Ice Cream (warm pecan tart, zucchini bread ice cream, Eugene hot fudge) $7~

I don't normally like pecans but it was the ice cream that really captured my interest. Zucchini bread flavored ice cream...how cool! And it really did taste like zucchini bread! Who would've thought that a bar would have such interesting flavors! The pecan tart and hot fudge was good as well. The plate was just a bit small...

And the beers were good! I'm not a beer drinker so I'm taking the word of others. hehe. It's a cool, chill place. The waitress was fast and attentive. It's a good place to hang out with your friends. :)

Plus the Cowboys won! Woot! And later that night the Rangers!! Go Dallas!! :P

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Chicago: Day 2 - Table Fifty-Two

Sunday in Chicago we had a reservation for brunch at Table Fifty-Two. It is owned by Chef Art Smith who also competed in Top Chef Masters Season 1. He was one of my favorites. He's also Oprah's personal chef! I just thought he was so lovable on the show. Super sweet guy and puts love in everything he makes. Plus the food he made just sounded so yummy.

Table Fifty-Two
52 West Elm Street
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 573-4000
http://www.tablefifty-two.com/
Price (for brunch): $$-$$$

Table Fifty-Two was definitely at the top of my list. It was the first reservation I made before I even booked my flight! I was so excited that I got the time I wanted. And I specifically wanted to go on Sunday because I heard that he only makes his fried chicken on Sundays. :)

We arrived 5 minutes early and were immediately seated. The restaurant was so cute. Bright, quaint and homey. The dining area was a little crammed since it was a small space but that also added to the homey-ness of that southern cooking feel. Everything seemed so promising...

After we were seated...it took a long time for anyone to greet us. Several waiters and assistants walked around the room, we were served waters, but none of them really greeted us. Err...? Finally our waiter came to the table to take our drink orders.

We were served some Sweet Potato Bread (with cinnamon butter) after we ordered.

It was so cute. The bread was moist and slightly sweet. With the cinnamon butter it was yummy! I was soo looking forward to the main course.

My bf ordered the Shrimp and Grits (Wild Gulf shrimp, Stone Ground grits, spicy tomato stew) $16~

There were 5 pieces of shrimp on there but they weren't very big. The ratio of shrimp to grits was definitely unbalanced. The grits were different than what we're used to in Dallas. The individual grains were bigger than the grits I've had before. I think because they were bigger it was a bit more firm almost like they were undercooked. But I liked that kind of texture so I was ok with it. The tomato sauce was a bit too tart. My bf said it would've been better if they had a bit of greens on top to add some freshness or something. It was good, not great.

One friend ordered the Crispy Pork Belly (fried egg, watercress, pickled okra, green tomato relish, dill aioli) $12~

This was my second choice but of course I had to get the fried chicken. The presentation was very fun and artistic. It was a small portion but everything was good. The pork belly had a nice crispy outside. The egg was cooked well where the yolk just oozed out when you cut into it. I liked the garnish and aioli with the pork flavors too. It was quite tasty.

I had to get the Fried Chicken and Waffles (Burton Farm Maple Syrup) $24~

One of my friends ordered it as well. When they served it, I got 2 pieces of chicken like it should be but my friend's plate only had one. My friend was so confused and had to ask the waiter why he only got 1 piece of chicken... They didn't even notice that the dish was incomplete? How did they even let it leave the kitchen?? And the waiter didn't really react when my friend asked him about the second piece. He was just like "oh. ok. We'll get you another piece." Quite unprofessional... The dish is pretty straight forward. The chicken was extremely tender and I liked the batter, but I wanted the shell to be crispier. It was almost like it was baked rather than fried. The seasoning was light so you could really taste the chicken flavor. I liked that. The waffle was pretty standard. I wish it was a bit crispier. I asked for some Tabasco and it definitely made the dish better with the spicy and tangy flavor.

We also got Biscuits and Gravy $8~ for the table.

I enjoyed the gravy a lot! It went well with everything! I ate it with the biscuits, with some of my waffles and even the grits. It was great. The biscuits had a crispy shell and I liked that. My friends kinda wanted a more fluffy biscuit though.

We also ordered an Apple Pie Doughnut $7~

I've been seeing on facebook before the trip that Table Fifty-Two makes their own doughnuts on the weekends. That sounds awesome. So we got one as dessert. We asked the waiter when we placed our orders to serve it at the end of the meal.

After we finished the entrees, we had a table full of dirty dishes. Waiters, including ours, walked around us but didn't seem like anyone noticed that our table wasn't cleared yet. We were getting a little annoyed with the lack of service. Especially our waiter...who was very aloof the entire time. Finally we saw our him walk back towards us and my friend spoke up and said "Can you please clear our table?" And the waiter goes "That's what I'm going to do" kinda snarky-like. WTF! It was quite unacceptable.

The doughnut took a longgg time to come out. I actually had to tell the waiter after our main course that we were ready for it. The timing was really bad on their part. Finally it came out and looked great. I cut it into fours and it was raw in the middle. Gooey raw dough and the apple filling only went about half way. If it's a filled doughnut then it should be fully filled. And it wasn't cooked! At first we thought maybe it was a cream filling, but it sure wasn't! We called the waiter over and showed it to him. His reaction was not good. He was just like "oh. sorry. we'll get you a new one." Not really very apologetic or anything. Ridiculous. By now we were all kinda pissed. But we waited... and got our new doughnut. This time it was cooked through but the filling was still only half way. The outside crust was nice and crunchy and the inside was fluffy, but not enough filling and not sweet enough.

They comped the doughnut, as they should. But the overall service and lack of attention was just incredibly bad. I was so disappointed. I was so excited about this place because Chef Art Smith always talked about putting your passion and love into the food. I would expect his restaurant to share the same characteristics. I still like Chef Art as the person I saw on Top Chef, but this experience has wavered that perception a bit. The food was actually pretty good but the service just ruined the meal. Needless to say I won't be recommending this place to anyone... :(

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