Now I fancy myself an avid & skilled home cook & baker so when a friend asked me to go to the Viking Cooking School with her in Glenview my first thought was to pass. But when I mentioned this to some coworkers they wouldn't stop raving about how much fun it is as they all went on a company outing there before I joined the company.
So I decided to look a little further and perused their website: www.vikingcookingschool.com (be sure to choose the Glenview location). I was impressed at the variety of courses they offered, from the basic "I can barely boil water" to the advanced. Our class was $80 for the three-hour course and their prices & class length are varied depending on the class. They even have classes which aren't hands-on for the shy folks.
It ended up being four of us who attended the "Chocolate" class. We made the most scrumptious goodies from simple chocolate bark to chocolate balsamic truffle pops & Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Cupcakes (which I dubbed the Elvis Cupcake). Our class was hands on so we each had a chance to "play" and we all got to take leftoevers home.
Some added surprise bonuses: it was BYOB so we enjoyed some champagne while we played with our chocolate AND students receive 10% off in the Viking kitchen store (love the gadgets!) the day of class.
Our instructor was fun and even her assistant who was "just there to clean the pots" gave us a few laughs. If you are looking for a fun alternative get together, especially as the weather turns cooler, check them out. You can reach them by calling : 847-350-0705 and they are located in Glenview at 1140 N. Milwaukee Ave (just south of the Abt Electronics store).
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Hooray sushi -- Kyoto, Downers Grove
Shhh. I found a gem of a sushi place, hidden in a strip mall. It's surrounded by Best Buy and Disc Replay, but inside is a little oasis of calm and tastiness.
This is Kyoto, 1408 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove. Besides sushi, they also feature cooked Japanese and Chinese dishes.
I visited with my sushi partner-in-crime (not the husband, since he's not so much into the fish). The service was attentive and friendly, the food was fresh and delightful, and the atmosphere is cozy and comfortable.
We ordered:
- edamame
- 2 super white tuna, 2 red snapper
- California roll
- Mexican roll (tuna, salmon, avocado, jalapeno, fish egg & cilantro with hot mayo)
- Spicy Girl roll (tempura shrimp & cucumber topped with spicy tuna & tempura)
- a glass each of sake
- tempura fried red bean ice cream
Lotta food, right? And yet, pretty reasonably priced -- not wallet emptying! It was pretty much all delicious -- the Mexican roll was probably the most out-of-the-ordinary and had great flavors, but even the California roll managed to be special. The white tuna completely melted in my mouth, and the snapper tasted like... the ocean. Not "fishy," just fresh and with a subtle but distinct taste.
The sake I ordered was apple flavored, and it tasted like wine with a jolly rancher melted in -- but it wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. The red bean ice cream was great for desert -- subtle and a little fruity, a little sweet, not too rich or heavy. Just the right ending to a delicious meal.
While my sushi p-i-c and I have new frontiers to explore, I would definitely return to Kyoto.
This is Kyoto, 1408 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove. Besides sushi, they also feature cooked Japanese and Chinese dishes.
I visited with my sushi partner-in-crime (not the husband, since he's not so much into the fish). The service was attentive and friendly, the food was fresh and delightful, and the atmosphere is cozy and comfortable.
We ordered:
- edamame
- 2 super white tuna, 2 red snapper
- California roll
- Mexican roll (tuna, salmon, avocado, jalapeno, fish egg & cilantro with hot mayo)
- Spicy Girl roll (tempura shrimp & cucumber topped with spicy tuna & tempura)
- a glass each of sake
- tempura fried red bean ice cream
Lotta food, right? And yet, pretty reasonably priced -- not wallet emptying! It was pretty much all delicious -- the Mexican roll was probably the most out-of-the-ordinary and had great flavors, but even the California roll managed to be special. The white tuna completely melted in my mouth, and the snapper tasted like... the ocean. Not "fishy," just fresh and with a subtle but distinct taste.
The sake I ordered was apple flavored, and it tasted like wine with a jolly rancher melted in -- but it wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. The red bean ice cream was great for desert -- subtle and a little fruity, a little sweet, not too rich or heavy. Just the right ending to a delicious meal.
While my sushi p-i-c and I have new frontiers to explore, I would definitely return to Kyoto.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Mmmm, burritos ... Burrito Parilla Mexicana, Lombard
We have spent the last few weeks buying a house and moving, and now that we are all settled into Lombard, we have even more new and awesome places to explore!
One of our first stops was a little burrito place near Butterfield Road and Highland called Burrito Parilla Mexicana (2770 Highland Ave, Lombard).
It's a taqueria. A gussied-up, sleek, modern, "Highlands of Lombard" taqueria.
It looks Chipotle-esque at first, but you don't actually walk down the assembly line -- you order and pay, then wander down to get your drinks and have a seat. (Which, come to think of it, makes for some wasted counter space.)
I ordered tacos al pastor, with cilantro and onion, and my husband ordered carnitas nachos. We both went with water, although it's cool to note that they have horchata next to the soda fountain -- free refills!
While we waited for our food, we were brought a smallish bowl of chips and two kinds of salsa. The chips were slightly above average; the salsas were both fresh and delicious with a creeping-up-on you heat.
My tacos were quite tasty; the meat was a little crispy around the edges with a great flavor and I liked that they used lightly grilled red onions instead of white. The rice was nothing too exciting, but the refried beans had a great flavor to them. My husband's nachos looked very tasty and I snagged a bit of the guacamole, which was excellent.
Everyone was very friendly and we got offered multiple chips/salsa refills. The interior is sleek and comfortable, with huge comfy booths around the edges.
It's a little pricier than your average taqueria, but I attribute that to where it is -- and they do offer the free chips and salsa, which is a nice touch. Plus: It's walking distance of our new house! Score!
One of our first stops was a little burrito place near Butterfield Road and Highland called Burrito Parilla Mexicana (2770 Highland Ave, Lombard).
It's a taqueria. A gussied-up, sleek, modern, "Highlands of Lombard" taqueria.
It looks Chipotle-esque at first, but you don't actually walk down the assembly line -- you order and pay, then wander down to get your drinks and have a seat. (Which, come to think of it, makes for some wasted counter space.)
I ordered tacos al pastor, with cilantro and onion, and my husband ordered carnitas nachos. We both went with water, although it's cool to note that they have horchata next to the soda fountain -- free refills!
While we waited for our food, we were brought a smallish bowl of chips and two kinds of salsa. The chips were slightly above average; the salsas were both fresh and delicious with a creeping-up-on you heat.
My tacos were quite tasty; the meat was a little crispy around the edges with a great flavor and I liked that they used lightly grilled red onions instead of white. The rice was nothing too exciting, but the refried beans had a great flavor to them. My husband's nachos looked very tasty and I snagged a bit of the guacamole, which was excellent.
Everyone was very friendly and we got offered multiple chips/salsa refills. The interior is sleek and comfortable, with huge comfy booths around the edges.
It's a little pricier than your average taqueria, but I attribute that to where it is -- and they do offer the free chips and salsa, which is a nice touch. Plus: It's walking distance of our new house! Score!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Mmmm, breakfast (Blackberry's Pancake House, Tinley Park)
Greek-owned/themed diners and brunch spots are a dime a dozen. In fact, there are probably at least a dozen on LaGrange between 135th and 179th St. If you count the ones just off LaGrange I've been to at least five.
But Blackberry's (9536 179th St, Tinley Park) is just a notch above most of these, I gotta say.
I needed an easy place to meet my family on their return from the Quad Cities. Didn't want to make them go too far of I-80. So this place fit the bill.
It's in a smallish strip mall, across a quiet road from some cornfields and maybe a mile off I-80. It was pretty busy on Sunday around noon, but not slammed and we were seated pretty quickly. The decor is nice, and seating is a bit crowded but relatively comfortable.
The menu is huge, but with some nice twists over the typical stuff -- seems like 85%+ of these greek diners and pancake houses have the same menu, you know? But Blackberry's has variations on French toast (nut-crusted, with Bananas Foster), omelets you don't see everywhere (like bacon-avocado-jack cheese) and tasty-sounding skillets, plus wraps, burgers, chicken, etc., etc.
I had a veggie skillet (I forget the precise name of it) that came with broccoli (which I opted out of -- and there wasn't a piece in it), zucchini, mushrooms, onions, roasted red peppers and goat cheese with hash browns and two eggs (plus toast or pancakes). The veggies were roasted perfectly, the eggs were just right and it was the perfect portion size to feel full but not gluttonous -- although I did not finish my toast, and pancakes would've been too much.
I also tried a little of my brother's chicken-rice soup; he got a big bowl along with his burger and fries (not just a little cup) and it was really creamy and delicious.
Service was friendly, coffee was refilled promptly; they seemed a little scattered but I can imagine a busy Sunday morning will do that to you.
Basically, the next time we need a place for a brunch with my in-laws, I'm going to suggest Blackberry's -- it's a nice change from the generic "pancake houses" of the world.
But Blackberry's (9536 179th St, Tinley Park) is just a notch above most of these, I gotta say.
I needed an easy place to meet my family on their return from the Quad Cities. Didn't want to make them go too far of I-80. So this place fit the bill.
It's in a smallish strip mall, across a quiet road from some cornfields and maybe a mile off I-80. It was pretty busy on Sunday around noon, but not slammed and we were seated pretty quickly. The decor is nice, and seating is a bit crowded but relatively comfortable.
The menu is huge, but with some nice twists over the typical stuff -- seems like 85%+ of these greek diners and pancake houses have the same menu, you know? But Blackberry's has variations on French toast (nut-crusted, with Bananas Foster), omelets you don't see everywhere (like bacon-avocado-jack cheese) and tasty-sounding skillets, plus wraps, burgers, chicken, etc., etc.
I had a veggie skillet (I forget the precise name of it) that came with broccoli (which I opted out of -- and there wasn't a piece in it), zucchini, mushrooms, onions, roasted red peppers and goat cheese with hash browns and two eggs (plus toast or pancakes). The veggies were roasted perfectly, the eggs were just right and it was the perfect portion size to feel full but not gluttonous -- although I did not finish my toast, and pancakes would've been too much.
I also tried a little of my brother's chicken-rice soup; he got a big bowl along with his burger and fries (not just a little cup) and it was really creamy and delicious.
Service was friendly, coffee was refilled promptly; they seemed a little scattered but I can imagine a busy Sunday morning will do that to you.
Basically, the next time we need a place for a brunch with my in-laws, I'm going to suggest Blackberry's -- it's a nice change from the generic "pancake houses" of the world.
Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog (The Meaner Wiener, Wood Dale)
There's a brand-new hot dog joint in town, and I'm thrilled to have it.
We stopped in to the Meaner Wiener (364 Georgetown Sq, Wood Dale) for a quick dinner around 7 pm one evening. The place is freshly painted and decorated with the sort of things you see at Scooby's and the like, "old" memorabilia. Menu is pretty basic -- dogs, beef, polish, hand-cut fries and pizza (with other items noted as coming soon). They also feature a case full of old-school sodas including Nehi Orange, Green River, Dog n Suds Root Beer and Hires Root Beer (which I have only ever seen on the east coast). They also had YooHoo, if that's your thing!
But to business: we each got a hot dog (no relish for me; onions & mustard for him, plus a cheese dog for him), and two fries. Our food was made freshly and delivered quickly.
The dogs were quality, and so were the toppings -- a great fresh cucumbery pickle, fresh tomato, good peppers. The bun tasted like it might have been nuked but now I'm just nitpicking. The fries were quite good though actually slightly undersalted for my taste (easy to remedy and I'd rather add some than have them taste totally salt-ridden).
All-in-all, this is a solid entry into the local food scene, and I'm definitely rooting for these guys!
We stopped in to the Meaner Wiener (364 Georgetown Sq, Wood Dale) for a quick dinner around 7 pm one evening. The place is freshly painted and decorated with the sort of things you see at Scooby's and the like, "old" memorabilia. Menu is pretty basic -- dogs, beef, polish, hand-cut fries and pizza (with other items noted as coming soon). They also feature a case full of old-school sodas including Nehi Orange, Green River, Dog n Suds Root Beer and Hires Root Beer (which I have only ever seen on the east coast). They also had YooHoo, if that's your thing!
But to business: we each got a hot dog (no relish for me; onions & mustard for him, plus a cheese dog for him), and two fries. Our food was made freshly and delivered quickly.
The dogs were quality, and so were the toppings -- a great fresh cucumbery pickle, fresh tomato, good peppers. The bun tasted like it might have been nuked but now I'm just nitpicking. The fries were quite good though actually slightly undersalted for my taste (easy to remedy and I'd rather add some than have them taste totally salt-ridden).
All-in-all, this is a solid entry into the local food scene, and I'm definitely rooting for these guys!
Long time no see!
Hello faithful readers ... any of you still left?
I must apologize, this has been a VERY busy summer for me and my husband and I are moving in a week and a half -- to the beautiful town of Lombard! We are looking forward to finding all-new awesome suburban finds for you... in the meantime, I do have a few posts I've been saving...
And I'll say it again -- if there's anyone out there who would like to join the team, please leave a comment or drop me a line at suburbanawesome (at) gmail.com ... we'd be happy to have you!
I must apologize, this has been a VERY busy summer for me and my husband and I are moving in a week and a half -- to the beautiful town of Lombard! We are looking forward to finding all-new awesome suburban finds for you... in the meantime, I do have a few posts I've been saving...
And I'll say it again -- if there's anyone out there who would like to join the team, please leave a comment or drop me a line at suburbanawesome (at) gmail.com ... we'd be happy to have you!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
High on Garlic
Do you love garlic? Or perhaps you just want to keep the vampires away? Are you free on Wednesday, August 17th? Well then Highwood's first-ever Garlic Festival is for you!
You can consume and purchase garlic in all kinds of ways. There will be your standard sauces, etc...but what true garlic afficiandos are waiting for is the Garlic Cupcakes & Garlic Ice Cream! And not for the faint hearted there will be an Ice Cream Eating Contest. No, this is not a joke. The city of Highwood is serious about becoming "The City that Stinks"!
And don't fret if you've always dreamed of being named "Garlic Queen" because, believe it or not, they are still seeking entrants.
You can check out their Garlic Festival website at: http://highwoodgarlicfest.com
or the WBBM news article at: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/08/08/highwood-to-stage-first-ever-garlic-festival/
The festival will be conveniently located near the Highwood Metra stop.
BYOBM - Bring Your Own Breath Mints ;-)
You can consume and purchase garlic in all kinds of ways. There will be your standard sauces, etc...but what true garlic afficiandos are waiting for is the Garlic Cupcakes & Garlic Ice Cream! And not for the faint hearted there will be an Ice Cream Eating Contest. No, this is not a joke. The city of Highwood is serious about becoming "The City that Stinks"!
And don't fret if you've always dreamed of being named "Garlic Queen" because, believe it or not, they are still seeking entrants.
You can check out their Garlic Festival website at: http://highwoodgarlicfest.com
or the WBBM news article at: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/08/08/highwood-to-stage-first-ever-garlic-festival/
The festival will be conveniently located near the Highwood Metra stop.
BYOBM - Bring Your Own Breath Mints ;-)
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