I have this idea that waffles could sometimes be savory instead of sweet. They seem like a good general-purpose vessel, where you could put some sausages and gravy on there, just for an e.g. What do you think?

Andrew B., Oakland, CA

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(Photo: Carly Fisher)

A new spot has just popped up and been tagged in Wicker Park — besides Big Star, I mean. At the moment, there are few details about the ETA on Bagel on Damen. And while it might be too soon to say, there’s a strong possibility that bagels will make an appearance on the menu. More details to follow as they surface.

— Carly Fisher

(Photo: John A. Benson)

Leftovers: use ‘em if you’ve got ‘em. In the ongoing quest to solve the Great Soggy Brunch Leftovers Debacle, Chicago Brunch Blog asked Erica Holland-Toll of Ducca in San Francisco, for some ideas on how to salvage scraps:

“Bacon butter: Chop [leftover] bacon in a food processor until finely ground and then fold into room temperature butter. You can sweeten it or keep it savory with Tabasco sauce and black pepper.  Use for green beans, baked potatoes, broccoli, soup garnish, pasta sauce, biscuit spread.”

— Carly Fisher

Thanks to daylight savings, this has been a total TGI-eff this week. Welcome to commuter Dark Ages: rising to grayness and greeting the moon after work. Those of you who are attending SOFA this weekend will continue to bathe in artificial light. For the rest of us, it looks like this weekend is going to be a total heat wave — 60 degrees! Then again, the widget on my computer has broken my heart with a lie here and there, so don’t hold your breath.

(Photo: Carly Fisher)

Whatever your weekend plans, don’t forget to grab the most important meal of the day at one of these fine establishments.

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If you are sitting in a generic waffle house and some waitress with a lower back tattoo spills hot coffee all over your back, is it acceptable to just take off your white undershirt and finish your extra large stack of football-themed pancakes while your burning flesh airs out for all of the restaurant to see? This happened to me last week and I thought this was totally fine, but all these people seemed really grossed out by it because they are all really uptight and I guess they thought they were at the fucking Ritz or some bullshit.

Dylan C., Lansing, MI

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Big things are happening at Chicago Brunch Blog: new restaurants, features, web design and, of course, an endless supply of food porn.

Starting November 16, Chicago Brunch Blog is teaming up with the new Modern Luxury website so that you can conveniently catch up with select brunch articles and non-brunch content such as: exotic resorts, designer hand bags, high thread count sheets and other things that fall within the dope opulence category.

Keep checking back with the Chicago Brunch Blog home site for exclusive features and tracking down new brunch spots in the Restaurant Directory. Don’t forget to stalk us on the Twitterati @chibrunchblog and show some love by becoming “a fan” on Facebook.

— Carly Fisher

(Photo: Neil Burger)

Eyes bigger than your stomach this morning? Don’t throw those leftovers in the trash! In the ongoing quest to solve the Great Soggy Brunch Leftovers Debacle, Chicago Brunch Blog asked recent Baconfest Chicago Pro Cookoff winner, Chris Pandel of The Bristol, for some ideas on how to salvage scraps:

“Brunch leftovers are a touchy subject.  The soggy food is always a problem because of all of the heavy sauces, syrups and eggs involved. If it’s a savory dish, I may try to make it into a scramble for the next day’s lunch with fresh scrambled eggs.  If it’s sweet, maybe find a way to fold it into ice cream for a decadent leftover dessert the following evening.”

— Carly Fisher

Ghosts and Goulets,  it’s that time of year again when we place our dull lives on hold for one night to live vicariously through the eyes of celebrities, politicians, French maids and other sexy professions. Often, the end result is waking up and looking more like a monster than when you left the house. And what better way to cure said hangover than with some breakfast mash.

If you’re really in a tight spot, here’s a last minute suggestion that is almost entirely effortless: find inspiration from the movie Face/Off. This costume idea works best as a pair, but those going stag can pull it off with a little creativity. Simply emulate your partner the entire evening, or attempt to play John Travolta impersonating Nicolas Cage. And you even have an apt line from Castor Troy: “If you dress like Halloween, ghouls will try to get in your pants.” So true.

Pumped for pumpkins? Here’s where to brunch this weekend:

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Ask a brunchpert provides viable brunch-solutions to some of life’s most challenging problems. This week’s question comes to you from Ian Besler of Los Angeles, CA:

(Photo: Ian Besler)

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(Photo: rickbayless.com)

Compared to other meals, the shelf life of brunch leftovers is pretty non-existent. In the ongoing quest to solve the Great Soggy Brunch Leftovers Debacle, Chicago Brunch Blog pulled a Nancy Drew and asked Top Chef Master, Rick Bayless, for a creative way to rework scraps from your morning meal into something solid.

Unsurprisingly, Bayless uses chorizo a lot for brunch. “If you happen to have any left over—take that chorizo and make it into a fabulous queso fundidio later. Just put with a great melting cheese, add some roasted chilies, put in hot tortillas and get down with a fab taco!”

— Carly Fisher