Don't let today's Spring-like weather fool you. Winter, with a captial W, is on it's way. Soon we will be scrambling for ways to occupy our free time and keep us out of the cold. Perhaps something with a bit more excitement then maintaining your all-star couch potato status or wandering aimlessly around the mall. They say "laughter is the best medicine" and I couldn't agree more!
Enter The Improv Comedy Club in Schaumburg. Okay, it is located in the Woodfield Mall (5 Woodfield Rd., Schaumburg) BUT you don't have to go through the mall to get to them. A huge plus.
I have been to The Improv in Schaumburg several times with various groups of people and everyone has enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Actually "enjoyed" is putting it mildly as we were all laughing so hard we were crying most of the time!
This location has a nice layout and the staff is all courteous and friendly. The host comedians and opening acts have always been very funny - and the headliner has never disappointed. They even have a nice selection of food items on their menu, which is not always the case at other comedy clubs. We've had a variety of items from appetizers to full meals with drinks and have always enjoyed our selections.
Checkout their website http://www.improv.com/ComedyClub/Chicago and peruse the various acts they have coming. You can also reach them by calling 847-240-2001. And if you like a good bargain (who doesn't?) they have some amazing deals on Groupon and Living Social from time to time.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
A gem of a bar -- Bigby's Pour House, Addison
Addison is not a bad place, by any means, but it lacks a centralized downtown area with shopping and restaurants, something I value in a town. However, on the Lake Street drag packed with restaurants (lots of chains), assorted stores, nail salons and car repair shops, there is a real gem of a bar tucked in.
Bigby's Pour House (links to their FB page -- 1700 W. Lake St., Addison) is a cozy, comfortable bar that serves craft beer, good wine and a selection of delicious snackery to munch on. No Miller or Bud here, no wine from a box, and no hard liquor -- just a couple of guys who really love their jobs and their bar.
Bigby's changes its menu up regularly, and the drink selection shifts seasonally and based on voting by customers. But rest assured, if you're not sure what you might like, just talk to Ed and his crew -- they'll help you find something. As I said previously, I never really thought I liked beer. With a little help from Bigby's and a beer snob friend or two, I've discovered some great hard ciders, saisons, weisses, porters and stouts. But if you like super-hoppy beers and IPAs, Bigby's has you covered, too!
The atmosphere inside Bigby's, as I said, is cozy. It's like hanging out in a coffee house or awesome basement, with couches, TVs, movies, games and more. But, they serve beer.
If you're not familiar with Addison, Bigby's can be a little hard to find. It's just east of 355 and Rt. 53, on the north side of Lake St., attached to Mario's Deli. I highly recommend checking out this suburban gem.
Bigby's Pour House (links to their FB page -- 1700 W. Lake St., Addison) is a cozy, comfortable bar that serves craft beer, good wine and a selection of delicious snackery to munch on. No Miller or Bud here, no wine from a box, and no hard liquor -- just a couple of guys who really love their jobs and their bar.
Bigby's changes its menu up regularly, and the drink selection shifts seasonally and based on voting by customers. But rest assured, if you're not sure what you might like, just talk to Ed and his crew -- they'll help you find something. As I said previously, I never really thought I liked beer. With a little help from Bigby's and a beer snob friend or two, I've discovered some great hard ciders, saisons, weisses, porters and stouts. But if you like super-hoppy beers and IPAs, Bigby's has you covered, too!
The atmosphere inside Bigby's, as I said, is cozy. It's like hanging out in a coffee house or awesome basement, with couches, TVs, movies, games and more. But, they serve beer.
If you're not familiar with Addison, Bigby's can be a little hard to find. It's just east of 355 and Rt. 53, on the north side of Lake St., attached to Mario's Deli. I highly recommend checking out this suburban gem.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Beer me?! Two Brothers Tap House, Warrenville
I've never been a real beer drinker. In college I mostly stuck to wine and pink cocktails, and while I knew there was "better" beer out there, I didn't really know anything about it or care very much.
Enter my husband's best friend, coinciding with the craft-beer-splosion in America. As it turns out, I do appreciate good craft beer, especially stouts, fruity beers and weiss. And I do appreciate good food, too, which this tap house has in spades.
This place is in a nondescript, sign-less building in an industrial park in unincorporated Warrenville. (Two Brothers Tap House, 30w315 Calumet Ave, Warrenville, www.twobrotherstaphouse.com) No, not that nondescript, sign-less building. The other one, with the grain silo.
We brought aforementioned best friend, a total beer snob, out here on a sunny Saturday afternoon and started with tomatillo nachos. Mmmmm. Nachos. These are made with nice thick El Milagro chips, a great spicy salsa, plenty of cheese, and perhaps a little too much lettuce and sour cream.
I had the chicken tacos for my lunch; the portion was large and the quality was high. My tablemates had mac & cheese and the cuban, and both looked mighty tasty as well. I would gladly have eaten either. The menu focuses on organic and natural ingredients and has great options for just about everyone.
As we wound down our meal it was time for a brewery tour, and I found that to be very informative. The manager (whose name I have forgotten) was full of funny anecdotes and good information.
Normally you get tickets at the end of your tour to try a few brews, but the magical Beer Fairy had already set up samples for us on our table! Score! I personally liked the Ebel's Weiss and Domaine DuPage the most, but lemme tell you, the craft sodas were a real treat -- cinnamon root beer?! Genius! The craft-beer-loving lady was most pleased with what she tried as well (and so was the husband, don't get me wrong).
They also have a small shop where you can buy home-brewing equipment and a six pack or two to take home with you. I just wish they bottled the soda, too...
Enter my husband's best friend, coinciding with the craft-beer-splosion in America. As it turns out, I do appreciate good craft beer, especially stouts, fruity beers and weiss. And I do appreciate good food, too, which this tap house has in spades.
This place is in a nondescript, sign-less building in an industrial park in unincorporated Warrenville. (Two Brothers Tap House, 30w315 Calumet Ave, Warrenville, www.twobrotherstaphouse.com) No, not that nondescript, sign-less building. The other one, with the grain silo.
We brought aforementioned best friend, a total beer snob, out here on a sunny Saturday afternoon and started with tomatillo nachos. Mmmmm. Nachos. These are made with nice thick El Milagro chips, a great spicy salsa, plenty of cheese, and perhaps a little too much lettuce and sour cream.
I had the chicken tacos for my lunch; the portion was large and the quality was high. My tablemates had mac & cheese and the cuban, and both looked mighty tasty as well. I would gladly have eaten either. The menu focuses on organic and natural ingredients and has great options for just about everyone.
As we wound down our meal it was time for a brewery tour, and I found that to be very informative. The manager (whose name I have forgotten) was full of funny anecdotes and good information.
Normally you get tickets at the end of your tour to try a few brews, but the magical Beer Fairy had already set up samples for us on our table! Score! I personally liked the Ebel's Weiss and Domaine DuPage the most, but lemme tell you, the craft sodas were a real treat -- cinnamon root beer?! Genius! The craft-beer-loving lady was most pleased with what she tried as well (and so was the husband, don't get me wrong).
They also have a small shop where you can buy home-brewing equipment and a six pack or two to take home with you. I just wish they bottled the soda, too...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Cooking the Viking Way (Viking Cooking School)
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).
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).
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.
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