Local in Schaumburg?! Mad Mark's Mystic Pizza

As everyone in the Chicago area knows, Schaumburg is filled with chains. It's the big-box, retail capital of suburbia, what with Woodfield Mall, IKEA, and endless amounts of chain restaurants. It's often cited as a prime example of what city dwellers hate about the suburbs.

Now, not every suburb is Schaumburg, and in fact I've made it a point to highlight the many suburbs with their own sense of culture, with small and local stores and restaurants, unique downtowns, and so forth.

But as it turns out, even Schaumburg is not totally devoid of interesting places. I was recently invited to a free Yelp event at Mad Mark's Mystic Pizza, 871 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, in the former location of the Alumni Club.

Upon entering, I was amused and a little overwhelmed by the decor -- with brightly colored dragons, a tye-dye motif, and random "stuff" everywhere, it looks like a hippie had an acid trip in a ski lodge. There's certainly plenty to look at. The interior has a large dance floor, a big bar, and plenty of seating. Outside features a patio with a good amount of seating, a bar, a bags court and a sand volleyball court (netted, so that patrons don't have stray balls knocking over their beers).

The atmosphere was inviting and casual, a great place for a summer's evening. But the real star was the food we sampled. Featured was pizza (pepperoni, cheese, sausage and the oh-so-decadent mac & cheese pizza!), jalapeno corn mashed potatoes (just a little kick, very creamy), firecracker shrimp (spicy perfectly-fried shrimp served over a bed of julienned veggies and greens, lightly dressed) and some of the BEST broasted chicken I've had in a long time -- a fabulously spiced crispy skin and tender juicy chicken underneath.

We were also plied with some free beverages, and the bartenders and servers were super-friendly and attentive.

Mad Mark himself made an appearance, talking up the food and personally thanking us all for being there.

While yes, our food was free and we were shown a great time, I would absolutely go back as a paying customer -- I want more of that great firecracker shrimp and broasted chicken! And while the place does have "pizza" in the name, their menu is nicely varied with sandwiches, salads and more.

If you're spending a long day shopping in Schaumburg, I very much recommend a quick trip up to Mad Mark's - take a break from the chains and enjoy a tasty meal.

Here fishy, fishy, fishy... Sushi Nest, Elmhurst

Since the day in college when I first popped a California roll into my mouth, I have been fascinated by, and later enamored with sushi.

I don't get it often because well-crafted sushi is often a bit of an indulgence. Well, that and the fact that my husband is just not a big fish fan - he eats shrimp and that's about it. Forget the raw stuff.

That said, I do love it when I can get it, and I recently had the opportunity to go to Sushi Nest, 142 N. York St, Elmhurst with a friend. And it was wonderful.

The atmosphere is elegant and cozy, and the service is top-notch. We were offered hot towels to clean our hands and big glasses of water with cucumber slices. After ordering, we received a complimentary bowl of edamame, perfectly and lightly salted, as an appetizer.

We shared two rolls -- a Red Dragon roll, with spicy tuna and crunch and topped with more tuna, and a California roll -- and three kinds of nigiri: yellow tail, white tuna and unagi (eel with barbecue sauce).

Everything was fresh and delicious. The white tuna simply melted in my mouth, and the flavors were great on the rolls. I have to admit the unagi wasn't my favorite, but I'd never had eel before. I'd eat it again, but it mostly tasted like barbecue sauce :)

Prices are good, about what you'd expect for a nice but not super-fancy sushi place. They do offer entrees, noodles, salads and combination platters.

All in all, fantastic fresh sushi at fair prices with excellent service... what more could you want?

German in the suburbs: Edelweiss Restaurant, Norridge

I recently ventured over to test out some German delights at Edelweiss Restaurant in Norridge.

Consistently voted Chicagoland's No. 1 German restaurant, the family-owned eatery serves up plenty of authentic cuisine and brews within its highly decorated walls.

But depending on your tastes and your level of comfort with German food, this place could be a hit or miss.

I personally am not one who's into trying tons of new things. I get scared when friends pick up frogs' legs at Chinese restaurants and gnaw away like it's a chicken bone. So, when a pale white sausage arrived at our table, I was flooded with nervous feelings all over again.

Surprisingly (although I didn't try said white sausage and can't remember its actual name), I really enjoyed my meal. We went here for their Easter specials with my family, and we all had a good time jamming out to the live one-man German band, who was rocking on his clarinet and Casio.

Two in our group ordered the gigantic meat platter-type special (possibly called "The Edelweiss") and seemed extremely pleased. Some things didn't have a whole lot of "pow" taste, but I think that's more so the style of particular German food.

My grandmother really enjoyed her roast duck -- something she gets every time she visits. (And yes, many elderly people do dine there.) I'm not a duck fan, so I passed.

However, I couldn't get enough of my ham that I'd ordered; it was sweet and melted right into my fork. The cabbage, German potatoes, and other side dishes I'd picked off my family's plates were also tasty.

Although the prices are a bit steep ($20-25 per meal the day we went), you do get a lot for your buck and you have to chalk it up to authenticity. Plus, they've probably got to pay the German musician for all that polka-ing somehow.

Long Grove Cafe -- a great group-dining experience

I ventured to Long Grove Cafe recently for a bridal shower, sitting in a special side room on the other side of the restaurant.

For such a simple name, it's not a boring place. (But if you've ever been to Long Grove, you know that you're in for a treat with most of the historic shops and cute eateries downtown.)

I was still pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere -- the place is tucked behind the main streets of downtown Long Grove and surrounded by a beautiful duck pond. It was very calm and serene, and fun to watch all the birds. There are also feeding containers near the front entrance, so that's a plus for us kids-at-heart (and actual youngsters).

The food and service are equally charming. The servers were fairly attentive to our party, without being overbearing.

We had two choices -- rosemary chicken or white fish -- for our dinner. Both were decidedly excellent by the group, but I especially enjoyed my chicken, which came with some of the tastiest Russet potatoes I've had in a long time. The hot fresh bread that was served with our salads was also delicious.

I'd definitely recommend this place for a small gathering, such as a bridal or baby shower. Those sort of places probably aren't too tough to find in the suburbs, but this is a top-notch option if you're looking for something different.

I'm sure the restaurant side is also a great choice for a nice, peaceful lunch or dinner. I plan to return to test that section out, and hopefully soon.

For beer lovers: Barley House in Algonquin

During my undergraduate years in central Illinois, I thought trying to complete a 110-beer "World Tour" at a local bar and grill was challenge enough.

I found out Tuesday night that I was dead wrong.

Anyone with an eclectic taste in beer – or others willing to try new brews at a cheap price by Chicago standards – may find home in one of the many bar stools at Barley House in Algonquin. That's because it offers nearly 250 different beers spanning the globe.

Barley House, 1520 S. Randall Rd., was recently opened this month by local restaurateurs in place of the former Claddagh Irish Pub. After some remodeling and the addition of a hefty drink menu (more like a map), patrons seem pleased as they sip their cocktails and brews next to a fireplace or flat-screen TV.

At Barley House, rarities and new choices are abundant, as well as the drink specials for January and February. We stopped by on a Tuesday, when all micro pints (sans "Delirium") were $3 – a repeating discount on Thursdays. There's also a "beer nerd" club, where members receive 25 percent off beer purchases on Wednesdays.

Aside from the mind-boggling amount of drafts, bottles, hard ciders and wines, Barley House vibes a cozy, upscale atmosphere. They certainly don't serve most of the typical bar fare, but instead a large variety of food of a finer note. Appetizers range from coconut onion rings to steamed oysters, while entrees feature "The Best Chicken Sandwich Ever" to filet mignon.

And every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., diners can eat all they can of salad, soup and artisan bread for $7.50. On Mondays, the "Flip for your Food" special is as simple as it sounds. Your server returns the check with a coin, you pick a side and he or she flips once for every entree on your order. If you're lucky, you'll get half-off every entree every time you're right.

But despite all the good deals, I don't think we'll be returning to Barley House for the food. Our choices – an Ahi steak sandwich and a seafood stew – were fancy and fun but not entirely satisfying, taste-wise. But the great service and tasty beers made up for that tiny glitch, ten-fold. For that, we'll be sure to stop by again soon.

On the Border ... of authentic

Hi, Rockin' the Suburbs readers.

Before I get into my mini-review of the On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina in Algonquin, let me introduce myself.

My online alias is The Juice Box and I found my way here through the amazing online network of Twenty Something Bloggers. After checking out this blog and enjoying its content and theme of helping Chicago suburbanites find things to do around town, I was happily given the approval stamp of becoming a new contributor.

A little about me: I'm in my 20s, live in McHenry County and grew up in Cook. I've been around the suburbs a minute or two, but don't define myself by them. I eat my hot dogs Chicago style -- absolutely no ketchup! I enjoy getting out to local places to check out new movies, restaurants, bars and all other entertainment spots in between.

So without ado, my first review.

After craving margaritas and bottomless chips and salsa, the boyfriend and I decided to head over to On the Border in Algonquin tonight. And when we got there, we were pleasantly surprised.

We were expecting something along the lines of Chili's (sub-par food, brightly colored trinkets on the walls, chipped tiled booths), and though we caught a whiff of corporate flair, this spot was "on the border" of authentic.

As soon as we sat down to our table, our server Matt was extremely courteous and joked around with us. Granted, the place was dead, but he was spot on with helping us out with menu options and keeping our giant margarita and Dos XX tumblers full.

A single bottomless chip was about the size of a half hard-shell taco, and dipped in a spicy tequila lime salsa, tasted crisp with just the right amount of salt. We enjoyed looking around the place while we munched and waited on our meal, too. A nice ambience, despite some heavy Menudo playing in the background. Can't remember the last time I sang along absentmindedly to Ricky Martin and actually enjoyed it (shh, don't tell anyone).

Our orders came up quickly. I chose the Dos XX fish tacos. For $9.99, I got three hefty portions of beer-battered fish wrapped in a soft tortilla stuffed with cabbage lettuce, pico de gallo and a chile cream sauce. Rice and beans on the side. The whole meal tasted fresh and didn't need seasoning; plus, I could really specifically taste the Dos XX on the fish.

The boyfriend chose the endless enchiladas special, where, you guessed it -- endless enchiladas of the beef, chicken or cheese variety and a side of rice and beans were served for $8.99. He only lasted for four, but our server noted that the record there was 26. Yikes. Although the enchiladas were tasty enough, I've had better at smaller, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants. Maybe it's something in the water.

Overall, we had an enjoyable experience and plan to go back again soon to try out all the other enticing stuff on the menu. They have a great "create your own" section for burritos and fajitas, all down to specific details so you can come up with nearly 100 different combination possibilities.

The prices are also decent, especially for drinks: $4.25 for a large 22 oz. house (strong) margarita, and $3.25 for Dos XX on draft in the same size. They have about a dozen different Mexican imports available in bottles, and also another "create your own" menu for premium margaritas that I'd put to good use.

The bar and grill also has Chicago-area locations in St. Charles and Vernon Hills, so if you're not near Algonquin, you can plan an outing at one of the others.

Looking for something quick to satisfy your cravings for Mexican food and drink? Your next trip should be to On the Border.

Rockin' the Mexican food -- Laredo's Embassy of Mexican Food, Rosemont

Well, it's not Bien Trucha -- but then, no place is. Except Bien Trucha.

But we did have some wonderful Mexican food for dinner Friday, thanks to the Entertainment book and some good reviews on Yelp.

Laredo's Embassy of Mexican Food -- sort of a weird name, right? And it's in a sort of weird location -- in a small strip mall between two big office buildings in Rosemont, between two interstates in the shadow of O'Hare. Rosemont, which has about 3,000 people and a jillion theaters, convention centers, restaurants and hotels.

The decor is warm and rich, with a Diego Rivera-esque mural on one wall. We were seated immediately (it wasn't real busy, I imagine the office park gives it most of its traffic) and approached by the guacamole cart guy. I love me some good guacamole, so we took him up on his offer, and he made us fresh, seriously tasty guac right there. He asked us if we wanted it mild, medium or spicy; we went with medium, but I'd say next time to pick spicy -- it really wasn't hot. With fresh, warm chips and some zingy salsa, it was a great start. I wanted to lick the guacamole bowl clean.

The menu is nicely varied, though I didn't study it as much as I might have, since I was distracted by guacamole man. I went for enchiladas, a perennial favorite. I cannot remember the designator, but they were stuffed with steak and poblano peppers, and topped with a somewhat cheesy-tomatoey sauce, a little guacamole and some fresh chopped onions. Delicious. The rice was ordinary, but the bean soup was super-good, with chunks of a bacony sausage cooked with it.

My husband had a combo platter-- enchilada, taco and quesadilla, and upon taking his first bite of the quesadilla declared that we would return to Laredo's. And we will. It is a small treasure hiding in Rosemont. Next time, I intend to have a margarita, which I have heard are stronger than your average fruity tequila concoction. (Plus, they have banana. And mango and guava.)

Prices were reasonable, about average for a Mexican place of this varietal; portions were generous, and they have a full bar and helpful, prompt waitstaff.

Tree Guys is awesome

Friday for dinner we used one of our zillion local coupons and tried Tree Guys Pizza & Pub in Itasca. The historic building is divided into restaurant with deck seating area and bar area. We didn't go into the bar area on this particular visit, but from what I understand, you can get the full restaurant menu in the bar. The restaurant side isn't super-big, and it's sort of oddly shaped, but it's very nicely decorated, understated with lots of dark wood and nice colors.

Although the pizza is emphasized in the name, they have plenty else on the menu, and we stuck with nachos and burgers. (The pizza did smell pretty good, though -- next time!) The nachos took awhile to come out, and were in the oven just a hair too long (the cheese was a little toasted), but they were good nonetheless -- slathered with chili, cheese, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, etc. The salsa was a bit thin but had a good flavor.

We agreed that both our burgers were quite delicious. I got a jalapeno parmesan burger; the husband had a smokehouse burger. The buns were great, lightly toasted and tastier than your average burger bun; the meat was flavorful and well-cooked. I got homemade chips; he got hand-cut fries, and those were also very flavorful and fresh.

Besides the food being fresh and very good, it was also quite reasonably priced -- only about $7 for a huge burger and fries/chips, and about the same for the nachos. It's rare for us to get out of a casual-dining restaurant for under $30, but it was closer to $20 with the coupon.

We'll definitely be back at Tree Guys -- it's a real gem hiding in the tiny burg of Itasca.

White Cottage Pizza

I forgot to mention in my last post that last Friday we got ourselves some White Cottage Pizza for dinner. This small local pizza chain gets rave reviews from a friend of mine, and it's pretty close, plus we had a coupon. So, dinner it was.

Besides pizza, pizza, more pizza and its usual acoutrements, White Cottage in Wood Dale also has La Dolce Vita restaurant attached, a sit-down Italian place. We chose take-out, though, and ordered a 16" pepperoni and cheese-stuffed garlic breadsticks.

First, the breadsticks: A total buttery-garlicky oozy-cheese indulgence. I'm sure they went straight to my hips, but oh my were they good. The order was fairly small (3 sticks) but the breadsticks themselves were large and deeeeelicious. I wanted to (but refrained from) lick the garlic butter off the bottom of the container.

The pizza itself was fairly straightforward Chicago-style thin crust, which is not to say that's a bad thing: plenty of cheese, a nice tangy sauce that didn't overwhelm, and a just-right crust. My only small nitpick was that the pizza was not quite piping hot and so the cheese separated itself from the crust, leading to the oh-so-attractive gnawing of a cheese-pepperoni square while the crust sits there, naked and lonely.

But that could just as easily be my fault, because I did transport it, after all, though White Cottage is a mere 5 minutes or less from home. (Depending on that pesky light/train-track combination at Irving Park.)

While there are an abundance of pizza places around us, my feeling is that they all tend to be pretty similar -- so we'll probably stick with White Cottage unless we have a compelling reason to go elsewhere. It was tasty and the prices were decent. And I'm guessing next time we'll have to try the deep dish.

On another note, we're leaving this coming Wednesday evening for vacation, and will be gone about a week, so while I may get another post in this weekend, I'm afraid you'll be awesome-less for a little while :) Fear not, I shall return.

Rocking the farmers market

We went back to Mount Prospect on Sunday, meeting a co-worker of my husband's for breakfast and then exploring the farmers market a bit more.

Breakfast was at Le Peep, which is a chain and not a local place, but it was still pretty great. I had a delightful spinach-cheese eggwhite omelet; the husband had some gooey-delicious looking french toast with crispy topping.

Then the farmers market, which let me tell you, I love. Enamored. We got end-of-season blueberries and peaches, and some cheesey popcorn just because. The blueberries are small and sweet and like antioxidant candy.

We also swung by the Wood Dale Historical Society's Fall Harvest Fest, which like many of the town's events turned out to be a good idea without much to it. Not to knock Wood Dale; I'm glad they do as much as they do. But I was expecting more food, more history, more crafts; there was a stand offering grilled corn on the cob, nachos, hot dogs, soda, and chips, a guy with a cannon (OK, that was cool), some sheep shearing, and a little antiques tent full of the sort of stuff you see at flea markets. Oh, ok, there were apple fritters and a bouncy inflatable slide. But you get the picture.

All in all, a lovely weekend, if not overly exciting.

Wood Dale Awesome -- National Night Out; Sweet Baby Ray's

Two awesome things this week in our little town.

The first was National Night Out, which was Tuesday. It's a generally neat idea -- get the community outside and together to fight crime and raise visibility (and get to know your neighbors). Wood Dale held its festivities in the town square and "The Water Park," which is the park district's pool/water play area.

It went from 5-9 p.m., but the husband didn't get home till just after 7, so we arrived toward the end -- went to the water park about 7:45 or so. They had music playing, the pool was open for free, and there were free hot dogs and chips and soda. There was also a raffle, which we entered for the heck of it.

It was a nice night, and the pool is really nice, especially for such a small town. I got eaten by mosquitoes (10 bites) but generally a good time was had by all.

Which leads to the second cool thing -- my husband got a call yesterday that he'd won a prize in the raffle -- a $25 gift card for Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue in Wood Dale.

So we had dinner there tonight. I lived in Kentucky for a couple years, so while I'm no expert, I learned a few things about good barbecue. And let me tell you, Sweet Baby Ray's is good. I highly recommend it, and the sides are just as good as the meat. (Green chile mac and cheese -- drool.)

This weekend, we're traveling, but look for more awesomeness in weeks to come.