So much Polish food to sample at the Red Apple, you'll break your insides trying. I did.

The Red Apple (Czerwone Jabłuszko) on N. Milwaukee in the heart of the Chicago Polish Village serves up a plethora of Old World favorites at buffet prices.
On this visit I sampled hearty lima bean soup, meat dumplings, delicate cabbage rolls, crispy breaded rolls filled with meat and cabbage, smooth whipped potatoes with an earthy yet bright mushroom gravy, rice with yellow bell peppers and carrots, coarse kielbasa in natural casing with steamed onions, stewed beets, pirogis, crispy potato pancakes, thick apple pancakes, and tangy cheese blintzes.

I left quite besotted with food. Getting back to my Streeterville apartment took more effort than I preferred. A nap would have been more suited to my condition.

Photos from the Picasa Web Album: March in Chicago, 2012

Chili at the Ramova Grill: A savory treat soon to become history.

In 1929, the Ramova Theater opened on S. Halsted in the Bridgeport neighborhood. That same year the Ramova Grill set up shop a few doors south.

The theater enjoyed success with first-run features for a few decades, then declined into second-run flicks, and finished its remaining years as an active movie house with Spanish-language films until shuttering its doors in 1986.

In contrast the Ramova Grill lived on, serving up breakfast all day, liver and onions, pork chops, sandwiches, but most notably it's famous homemade chili.
This little neighborhood diner is a true greasy spoon, with red vinyl counter stools, stark wooden booths and hand-painted menu boards plastered on the wall behind the counter.

The soupy ground beef chili is quite flavorful, much akin to Cincinnati-style. Eaten straight it packs a bit of zest. Crispy oyster crackers are a good compliment. On a lark I spooned it over fried eggs and hash browns: a divine combination. And the chili mac made with thick spaghetti is a challenge to eat with a spoon without making a mess on oneself.
Sadly, like the theater it's named after, the Ramova Grill's years are finite. The building where it resides has been purchased for redevelopment, with the last bowls of chili being served up on April 14.

Photos from the Picasa Web Album: March in Chicago, 2012

Fresh garlic on pizza! Where have you been all my life?

After a thorough drunkening at the Second Story Bar in Streeterville I was in need of some grub to soak up the Bushmills. Gino's East, a few blocks north on E. Superior, fit the bill. I saddled up to the bar and ordered a deep-dish pepperoni with fresh garlic.

Whoa! Fresh garlic is not an understatement. It is most aggressive. To the point that the gentleman seated to my right asked if it was too late to add garlic to his order. Cheesy, saucy, garlicky. I don't think I could ever order a pizza again without it.
The crust is quite toothsome with a satisfying texture. A substantial crumb.

I adore the cheese-on-top deep dish at the Exchequer Pub, but Gino's East comes a pretty close second. And once you try fresh garlic on your pizza, how can you ever go back? The flavor is a world changer.

Photos from the Picasa Web Album: March in Chicago, 2012

Matzo, matzo man! I've got to be, a matzo man!

Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen in Chicago started in 1942, and moved to its current location on S. Jefferson St. in 1964. Aboard a Burlington Trailways bus pulling into Chicago well over an hour late on a rainy pre-dawn morning, I spy the deli as we approach the station, and walk the half-mile back through the rain to grab a much-needed breakfast.

Excitedly I order the mazto brei, scrambled-style with sliced and diced salami, and onions. Matzo is broken into smaller pieces, lightly softened in water or milk, mixed with eggs, then cooked either like a pancake, or scrambled.
Eggy and with a light saltiness from the chopped salami and the occasional sweetness of grilled onion. The matzo crackers create structure while letting the egg subsume them. A filling breakfast.

For me this is comfort food, taking me back to Sunday mornings in Ottumwa, with a simple plate of matzo brei made by my pal Siegel, seasoned with a dusting of Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning.

Adding salami boosts the overall flavor but I'm betting Manny's corned beef is the optimal add-on. Given another visit I hope to find out.

On the way to the front register I grab a container of Manny's Dream Cake – a layered baked good similar to potica – to go. Dense but not heavy, the taste of cinnamon permeates the cake. A cup of coffee would go well with it.

	Photos from the Picasa Web Album: March in Chicago, 2012

You don't need The Force to figure out if there's life on Mars Cafe's menu.

Desirous for breakfast after a night spent on a friend's couch, I walked across the street to Mars Cafe for a much needed pick-me-up. Their espresso made with Intelligentsia beans is full and robust. I look forward to visiting one of their coffeehouses the next time I visit Chicago.

The Moon Cheese panini is a tasty trio of cheeses with Dijon on a ciabatta roll. The tangy bite of Dijon and sharp blue cheese is a rebel assault on your taste buds, piggybacking a ride with the melty mozzarella and provolone. Eat it while it's Hoth!

The mustard may be too aggressive for some… If you only knew the power of the Dijon! If wary ask for a lighter schmear. The ciabatta roll from La Mie Bakery is soft and tasty with a crisp exterior that yields easily.
Sandwich egg, cream cheese, jam, and spinach in La Mie's ciabatta roll and you have The Solarz. Who would think such an unusual combination would work so well? I'm a big fan of medium poached egg, with yolk soft enough to be spreadable but not evisceratingly runny. This meets expectations.
Funny thing though. At times I swear I taste peanut butter! Is this some flavor profile that comes from egg and cream cheese paired with a classic PB mate like strawberry jam? Or just a simple Jedi mind trick… This is not the egg you were looking for. Either way it's a delightful rebellion against the empire of culinary conformity. Spinach adds a light vegetal crunch. Properly constructed sandwich Solarz is, and now one of my breakfast favorites. May The Solarz be within you… soon!

Photos from the Picasa Web Album: More reviewed foods