Fianco Chicago Bites Podcast #144

Fianco
Chicago Bites Podcast #144

Posted by Tammy at 12:00 pm

Jul 212009

Fianco's trout is served with an accompaniment of flavors.

In our continuing quest for a Northside neighborhood spot that’s worth the money, we hit Fianco on Southport Avenue. Fianco has a lovely exposed-brick dining room with live jazz (on Thursday’s), that’s spacious to behold but a tight squeeze at the table. That would be workable if all their food was as good as their milk-braised pork, but unfortunately we found too many things that were too salty or just average. We think our quest will continue!

(17.5 M)

Show Notes:
00:00 – 01:45 Was that jazz?
01:46 – 03:48 Branch out with other oceans
03:49 – 06:05 Mixing and matching
06:06 – 07:37 Too many things going on
07:38 – 09:33 Less salt, more knives
09:34 – 10:24 For love of trout
10:25 – 12:35 Of milk-braised entrees
12:36 – 14:46 We need elbow room
14:47 – 17:10 Not a fan of dessert
17:11 – 19:03 Ratings and sign-off

Hand-made maltagliata is one of their specialty pastas.

Fianco
3440 N. Southport
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 327-6400
Get directions

	Bridget’s Ratings	Tammy’s Ratings
Food Quality	3	2
Value	3	2
Service	3	3
Ambiance	4	4
Overall	5	4

Average price per person: $40

Online buzz about Fianco:
Centerstage
Chicago Reader
Sky Full of Bacon
Time Out Chicago

Have some thoughts on Fianco or good neighborhood spots? Drop us a line on Twitter: @chicagobites.

Wally & Agador's Gourmet Sandwich Shop
A first look

Posted by Tammy at 3:00 pm

May 072009

Wally & Agador’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop is closed.

Bananas, marshmallow fluff and peanut butter make up The Wally sandwich. No word on if Wally the pup is equal parts fluff & PB.

Chef Michael Lachowicz opened Wally & Agador’s Gourmet Cafe this week in Lakeview. Though the storefront is evocative of a pet store, it’s actually a high-end sandwich shop with grab-and-go entrees from Lachowicz’s eponymous Winnetka restaurant as well as deli favorites. The puppies on the window are the owner’s dogs, Wally and Agador.

Mama Cass died eating a ham sandwich. If they're all like this, it may not be a bad way to go.

We were invited to a media tasting to try Chef Michael’s sandwiches and couldn’t pass up the opportunity. On his menu, Chef makes an effort to cater to vegetarians as well as the gluten-free crowd, but I would have liked to have seen more meat-free sandwiches on the menu. One of the few I could try was the Esther Williams — a lobster sausage stuffed sandwich. It was incredibly rich and tasty but also very, very messy, which goes against any notions I have of grab-and-go. However, the meat-filled options were a big hit, particularly the Mama Cass — a ham sandwich with enough pork to warrant a line-item veto. We also enjoyed the dessert sandwiches which are alternately filled with peanut butter or Nutella, marshmallow fluff, and bananas.

Chef Michael busy making sandwiches, which can be ordered "dead or alive".

Wally & Agador’s can be found in dog-friendly Lakeview at 3310 N. Halsted St. The store is open Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. – midnight. Phone order and catering are available at (773) 325-9664.

Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop
Chicago Bites Podcast #126

Posted by Bridget at 5:00 am

Jan 122009

Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop is closed!

The fried green tomatoes are lightly battered, tangy, and all together amazing.

Barack Obama is a Chicago foodie, so when Tammy and I heard that the president-elect likes the southern fare at Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop in Hyde Park we headed over there to check it out ourselves. My mouth has been watering ever since! I’m craving the fried green tomatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, catfish, greens, and sweet potato pie at this very moment. Part of a small Illinois restaurant chain, Dixie Kitchen does it right — tasty food and spectacular service all for a good value.

If this dining experience is any indication, you can bet that we will be eating like Barack more often! Listen in to hear us gush.

NOTE: Want to hear Obama’s take on Dixie Kitchen? A lost pilot episode of the show Check Please! taped in 2001 features the then state senator’s review. It will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, January 16, on WTTW.

(12.8 M)

Show Notes:
00:00 – 01:15 Dining in honor of Obama & the lost Check Please! episode
01:16 – 02:38 It looks like Applebee’s — only much cooler!
02:39 – 03:04 Acing the coffee test = all kinds of awesome
03:40 – 04:36 Fried green tomatoes and breaded oysters both combine “tang and wow!”
04:37 – 05:04 Johnny Cakes & learning lingo
05:05 – 09:02 Pulled pork, catfish, honeyed sweet potatoes, greens, & crayfish etouffe
09:03 – 10:27 Sweet potato pie made with real vanilla & peach cobbler
10:28 – 12:51 Wrap-up, comments on service, & sign-off