Chicago Brunch Blog

Pancakes are a Trip

carlyfisher — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:48:05 +0000

I never…knew…pancakes could make me feel…this way… so colorful and serene, like an endless food coma.

Shock and Awe

carlyfisher — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:00:44 +0000

I was going to dignify the notable absence, but — Hey, look! What’s that?!

(clockwise from upper left: 1. pulled pork hash, 2. heavenly hot cakes, 3. scrapple, and 4. brie, asparagus and mushroom omelet)

Shh, baby. We don’t need words; just brunch. This is what I ate last weekend when I stopped into Ina’s for brunch. The breakfast queen herself gave me the official title of brunch princess, so it’s settled. Damn, that woman knows how to make a fine breakfast.

I have also been posting galleries on the Chicago Brunch Blog Facebook page for your drooling pleasure, where you can upload photographic memories from your favorite brunches if you like. Or not. Whatever.

— Carly Fisher

Scraps of Wisdom: Phillip Foss

carlyfisher — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:42:22 +0000

It’s the post-brunch dilemma that has plagued scrap savers for years: what to do with brunch leftovers? Last week, I pigeonholed Lockwood’s Phillip Foss into talking shop on the eve of Restaurant Week (such a good guy) and he shared this advice for giving your leftovers a second chance:

“If you’ve got a lot over potatoes or vegetables, I like to make a frittata. A lot of times, [potatoes] get left over on peoples plates. So, I’d make a sandwich with a leftover frittata.”

Toss those puppies into a frittata using Foss’s recipe on his blog, The Pickled Tongue — which is a wonderful read if you haven’t checked it out already.

Note: Foss will also be celebrating the big 4-0 at Pops for Champagne this Monday, which promises to be a much more affordable and intimate alternative to Art Smith’s 50th birthday at World Fest.

Where to brunch this weekend

carlyfisher — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:48:25 +0000

Did I say “tomorrow”? Because I meant to say tomorrow. Yeah, sorry I’ve been a flake, guys. I have been working on food stuff — just not for myself. Hopefully you’ve had a chance to check out the new NBC blog, Feast, which just launched yesterday. No worries, CBB isn’t going anywhere. It’s just taking me a little bit to adjust to the whole working 17-hours-a-day thing. Who says you can’t live the American dream?! Oh wait, I guess that would be having a trust fund and vacationing in the Hamptons. Oh well.

Death by Benedict. (Photo: Carly Fisher)

But this isn’t about me! It’s about you! And brunch! And trying to accomplish things in your day despite having the world’s worst hangover (which I was not successful last weekend. Sorry, sorry, sorry). Here’s where to go this weekend:

Mercadito
(108 W. Kinzie St., 312.329.9555)
Absolutely delighted over here that Mercadito has decided to push brunch to the max! Well, maybe not the max. More like adding Saturday and maxing out the weekend. Still, two is better than one, amirite? Get your huevos a la carte or pair it up with a drink for a discount deal of $18.

Chalkboard
(4343 N. Lincoln Ave., 773.477.7144)
True story: Last Saturday I was up in Lincoln Square specifically to go to brunch at Chalkboard, only to remember they do it on Sundays. It was pretty disappointing mainly because I was banking on having strawberry shortcake French toast with Devonshire cream, and I only had myself to blame. Don’t make the same mistake I did — just go on Sunday.

Bistro Bordeaux
(618 Church St., Evanston, 847.424.1483)
Another restaurant doing Sunday-only brunch. Got it? Sunday ONLY. This new Evanston bistro is debuting their brunch menu this weekend, serving a menu that is decidedly French (crêpes au poulet forestière) and kinda pricey (entrees running $12.00-18.75), but promising.

— Carly Fisher

Scraps of wisdom are coming…tomorrow

carlyfisher — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:16:56 +0000

Listen, I know this makes me a grade-A failure and disappointment in your eyes, but please don’t judge me. The weekly Scraps of Wisdom feature will be here, just tomorrow, not today (sorry sorry sorry). Obviously, this is on account of that life is just like, really, really challenging this morning. Luckily, there are about three months of archived culinary wisdom from all sorts of great chefs to consider until tomorrow.

Love,

Carly Hangover Face

Where to brunch this weekend

carlyfisher — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:06:21 +0000

Today is the happiest of all Fridays and the happiest of all birthday brunches to me! Wondering how old I am? Old enough to know better, suckers! HA! Sorry if I’m sensitive to this, but I’m a Pisces (on the cusp!). But yes, today is my birthday and yes, tomorrow I will be hung-over as all hell — and definitely needing the perfect brunch. You know what would be a great gift? Voting for Chicago Brunch Blog on the 2010 TOC Eat Out Awards. If you want to, I mean.

Gonna be sippin’ on some syrup this weekend. (Photo: Carly Fisher)

First, let me say where you should NOT have brunch this weekend: pretty much any restaurant involved in Restaurant Week. David Burke’s, for instance, will be closed for brunch this week and next because they’re too busy plating out delicious portions of steak for all you cheapskates trying to get in on discount gourmet dining. Thus, I am not able to get a Brunch in a Box this weekend. Chicago dining scene: 1, Carly: 0. Upwards and onwards, let’s brunch.

Ina’s
(1235 W. Randolph St., 312.226.8227)
Celebrating another birthday this week is another breakfast babe, Ina Pinkey. Give her the gift of your business in a crumbling economy by eating her scrapple or waffles or hash or just drinking a ton of Bloody Marys.

Old Town Social
(455 W. North Ave., 312.266-2277)
Like beer, charcuterie and socializing? The popular dinner destination is trying out the brunch thing, having launched their brunch menu about a month ago. Not gonna lie, it looks pretty solid, despite the fact Jared Van Camp is out in San Diego “working” (i.e. getting a sun tan) on sister restaurant, Quality Social. It’s slated to open March 11, so hopefully Van Camp will be back soon to suffer the rest of the winter with the all of us.

Branch 27
(1371 W. Chicago Ave., 312.850.2700)
What? You don’t trust John Manion? After all he does for you! In a recent Facebook update (we’re Facebook “friends”), Manion announced a call to action:

MetroChicagoLandArea: I dragged my ass out of bed to cook brunch; you could at least have the common decency to come in and eat it.

Damn straight. If that isn’t enough to inspire, how about biscuits with braised rabbit gravy and poached eggs, or French toast with orange marscapone and Vermont maple syrup?

— Carly Fisher

Mid-week eye candy

carlyfisher — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:59:28 +0000

Sick of your weekday cereal routine? Me too. Only three more days until the weekend.

Shrimp and grits at The Southern (Photo: Carly Fisher)

Breakfast with Emily: Strange Brew

carlyfisher — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:24:29 +0000

Rise and shine with your fellow Chicago Brunch Blog readers on another glorious user-submitted video Monday. My homegirl Emily Stuart of Nature Assassin contributed this lovely video of her eating cereal, enveloped in a rain forest of house plants and listening to “Strange Brew.” Not featured: her mentally underdeveloped pure-breed Bengal cats knocking shit off the table and yodeling. Thanks Emily!

Scraps of wisdom: Art Smith

carlyfisher — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:14:45 +0000

Currently debating whether I should take an aspirin, drink some tea and find the will to live or just voluntarily expire right here. Not gonna lie, it’s a really, really, really tough choice right now. Should have been drinking water for an hour last night instead of plowing into those chocolate-covered pomegranate seeds. Why?! If you are plagued by the same misfortune as myself, you know that after your recovery brunch, it’s such as hell gonna be a lot of effort to kick-start dinner. Table Fifty-Two executive chef and Common Threads founder, Art Smith, took a few minutes out of his busy schedule of cooking and rescuing babies from burning buildings to share some tips on how to save those scraps.

“Usually, brunch is mostly carbohydrates, so that immediately says casserole to me. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a casserole, honey! Often, I’d take left over croissants and make a bread pudding, or chicken and make a strata.”

Just because I’m not a sell out doesn’t mean I’m indie

carlyfisher — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:23:00 +0000

Well, tickle me pink! Chicago Brunch Blog has just received a nomination for Best Indie Restaurant Blog on the TOC 2010 Eat Out Awards. Finally, I can live out my dreams of internet homecoming queen. I mean, just to be nominated! If you love brunch, blogs or voting, please take a moment to vote for the Chicago Brunch Blog. Have you done it yet? No? Do it now.