Category Archives: eliz-a-trip

tales of my travels

June 14, 2010 · 12:05 am

Alterra at the Lake

Alterra entrance

It’s rare when I pay a visit to Milwaukee to see my family, discover a new spot and wish I could somehow transport the entire entity to Chicago. Of course, this usually happens with the 1940s-era steakhouses, the super-dark and cozy bars stuck in a 1920s time warp, or in the case of Alterra Coffee, a historic Milwaukee River Flushing Station from 1888. I love the Milwaukee-based coffee brewer, and they actually have locations all over town (and here in town at places like Cookie Bar), but the Lake location is more than worth a visit up north. Head in for baked oatmeal and scones before a visit to the Calatrava, or sweet pea with mint soup and asparagus melts for a summer festival lunch retreat. No matter what you order, you won’t make it past the bakery cases (I love the mixed fonts, illustrations and general enthusiasm of the signs!) stocked with scones, muffins and more.

A bounty of coffee bar goodness

But you can easily get sucked in and stay all day with log cabin seating inside the industrial, exposed brick space, or outside where the world’s greatest chairs await…either these mean something to you, or they don’t, and it may have something to do with a quite lovely Terrace in another part of Wisconsin. Recognize them or not, they’re worth taking a seat on, and staying awhile. Alterra at the Lake, 1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, Milwaukee.

Outdoor terrace chairs at Alterra

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Filed under cheap, tasty brunch, eliz-a-trip

June 7, 2010 · 12:05 am

Recession special at Fatty Cue

Pabst Tall Boy, shot of whiskey, shot of pickle back

I never really order whiskey shots or PBR Tall boys, but when paired with a shot of spicy, salty, frothy pickle back (juice), the trifecta was brilliant and awesome. The “Recession Special” at Fatty Cue in Brooklyn is comprised of all three for $6, and there’s a sipping order (bourbon first, then pickle back, followed by a sip of beer). I actually could’ve chugged an entire glass of the pickle back (which reminded of my parents’ homemade pickles), and our server was kind enough to bring us an extra shot. It was the perfect pre-spicy-dinner “cocktail,” and as the recession continues to lift, this libation trio definitely needs to stay (along with the coriander bacon, pork spare ribs, and crab laksa). Fatty Cue, 91 S. 6th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.

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May 26, 2010 · 12:05 am

Pegu Club

Not a mystery post, the window grates at Pegu Club

Continuing on, the journey continued to Pegu Club, a Indochine-inspired speakeasy I have heard about and had been strangely captivated by ever since I interviewed mixologist extraordinaire-owner Audrey Saunders. The place is the epitome of hidden, tucked away on Houston street, it’s dark, narrow and full of surprises, the first being how totally amazing the smoked trout deviled eggs were..

Smoked trout deviled eggs

Deviled eggs. I mean, really, can they be passed up? But wait, we are sitting at a dark temple of mixology where bitters and tinctures linger behind the bar, Kold-Draft ice cubes clink in glasses, and rye, gin and whiskey meld with fresh fruit juices, fruit liqueurs and more in elegant glasses!! The drinks are fantastic, but the smoked trout deviled eggs snack more than deserve a shout-out. Hickory-smoked rainbow trout is whipped into the yolk along with curry mayonnaise, and thin crunchy slices of almond and tiny chopped chives are sprinkled on top. I could’ve eaten an entire tray for dinner, but we had drinks to try …

The Plum Lady and the Scofflaw

I ordered the Plum Lady; gin, plum wine, lemon juice, Peychaud’s bitters, plum brandy and cherry liqueur with a skewered dried plum as a garnish. It was a stronger than I thought it would be, but not too sweet or overly fruity, and perfectly balanced so that one spirit didn’t dominate, rather they comingled perfectly in the glass, with the help of a bit of sugar and touch of lemon juice. My companion went for the Scofflaw; rye, vermouth, Grenadine and lemon juice garnished with an edible flower. A mix of tart and sweet, it was similar to a Sidecar, but softer, and in his words, “like whiskey in slippers.” It, too, went devilishly well with the eggs. Pegu Club, 77 W. Houston, NYC

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May 21, 2010 · 12:05 am

El Quinto Pino

Ok, so I have somewhat recovered from a whirlwind eating-playing-shopping weekend in NYC, and just getting back to blogging. With a the help of a diehard foodie friend and native New Yorker, I was clued in to a few random, but totally delicious items hidden around town, and we made a weekend of trying to stuff as much as we could in without getting kicked out for ordering just one dish (no lie, it happened). So the next few posts will reveal just a few of our best bites. I adore the lighting in pretty much every NYC restaurant, deli or cafe, but it’s not totally conducive to food photography, so bear with the mood-setting glow on some of these..anyway, we start with the uni panini at El Quinto Pino…

Uni panini

It’s not a new dish, but intriguing all the same, an uni sandwich, can you go wrong? I’ll admit, I had never had uni (sea urchin), and was told it was a love-it-or-hate it situation. I loved it, soft, almost mousse-like texture and all, but this sandwich? Not as amazing as it sounded. I did like the presentation, and the skinny baguette was cute, crunchy on the outside and chewy inside, and appropriately buttered. But it almost overpowered the somewhat sparse spread of uni inside. Did it need more heat? Something green? I didn’t know. But what did save our trip to this adorable little hole-in-the-wall restaurant was this..

Gin-basil-lemonade slushie

Written cleverly on a round pole that held the place up was a list of frozen drinks spiked with gin, basil, lemon and I had to have one. It was sweet, tart, refreshing and went down a little too easily. It was the highlight of our two-item stop, but the rest of the menu looked more enticing, from Castilian Cracklin’s to house-cured pork loin with cheese and piquillo peppers. But alas, we had to save room for more stops… El Quinto Pino 401 W. 24th Street, NYC

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April 14, 2010 · 12:05 am

Saraveza Bottle Shop and Pasty Tavern

We were lucky enough to get a table one night at the popular Saraveza Bottle Shop and Pasty Tavern in Portland, a popular beer and pasty bar with the best collection of beer-centric kitsch I have ever seen in one place (second to Von Trier’s in Milwaukee). Awesome American craft brews and Belgian ales (200 bottles and 10 rotating tap selections), beer sign eye candy galore, weird toys, plastic magnetic letters affixed to the old-school coolers and bottle cap-infused table tops. What is not to love? 1004 N. Killingsworth St., Portland

I love the lodgey-ness of this sign

I mean, Billy the Bass, more deer head paraphernalia, awesome lighting...

Beer tasting

Sun drop may be a poor man's Squirt, but I liked it. And of course, the Wisco shout-out in bottle cap form

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April 12, 2010 · 12:05 am

Not known for: Boudin Bakery

The Portland posts are not done! I promise. I just had to share this treat I saw on the counter at Boudin Bakery in Yountville, Calif. over the weekend. Boudin has locations all over CA, and they are know for their San Francisco sourdough bread, European hearth bread, seasonal tarts, and more. But I discovered and fell in love with one of their packaged items I like to call Neopolitan ice cream, um, in Rice Krispie Treat form. Chewy, soft rectangles of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla layered brilliantly together. Yes, as good/as looks.

Strawberry, chocolate and vanilla rice crispy treat at Boudin Bakery

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Filed under eliz-a-trip, not known for, random spottings

April 7, 2010 · 12:05 am

Voodoo Doughnut

I knew when I got to Portland, I had to check out Voodoo doughnuts. It was on every friend’s recommendation list, pointed out on every tourist map, featured on No Reservations, and involved soft cakey doughnuts topped with things like Butterfinger bars, strawberry Quick powder (um, yum) and Cocoa Puffs. Not to mention just slightly more age-appropriate varieties like the Arnold Palmer (cake doughnut with lemon and tea powder), apple fritter, and a maple-glazed doughnut with two strips of bacon. With this Technicolor array of late-night munchie material, I wasn’t surprised to learn that Voodoo is open 24 hours, and as my Portland-based friend Jay described it: “kind of a human zoo at night.” I had to plan my visit accordingly. Walking down there close to bar time wasn’t the best idea, as the rather rowdy line stretched around the block. I returned on a rainy Sunday, to, well, another line, that was shorter and less rowdy, but still did include a 45 minute wait as I got closer and closer to the sign.

Voodoo Doughnuts, Portland

The wait was long and rainy, but moved fast. Voodoo visitors poured out bearing pink boxes of doughnuts they were already busting into as they brushed smugly back past the line, while some locals walked by in packs telling the line to go to the doughnut shop down the street (but failed to specify which one). But we weren’t going to give up now.. we pressed on and waited and finally got inside to make our decision while we took in the decor.

Doughnut wall fun

Creepy doughnut-eating skeleton

More kitsch

The choice was difficult, but anything with peanut butter and the added attraction of Rice Krispies was good enough for me. I eyed the Triple Chocolate Penetration (chocolate doughnut, chocolate glaze and Cocoa Puffs) and considered the Memphis Mafia (chocolate chips, banana and peanut butter glaze), but the Rice Krispes (called—or not called?—the No Name), was doughy, crunchy and fantastic, and took me about 30 seconds to scarf down.

Vanilla doughnut with chocolate sauce, rice krispies and peanut butter

More varieties of Voodoo

A fine use of sugared cereal like Fruit Loops and Cap'n Crunch

Anyone else been under the spell of Voodoo? Leave your doughnut tales in the comments below. Voodoo Doughnut, 22 S.W. Third Ave., 503.241.4704

More doughnut-y goodness

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April 5, 2010 · 12:05 am

Stumptown Coffee

Indonesia Sulawesi Toarco coffee from Stumptown

There were two lines I dealt with more than once during my Portland visit, the first was at Voodoo doughnut (post this week), the second was at Stumptown Coffee in the Ace Hotel. I didn’t stay in the Ace (next time!), but it was near my hotel and quickly became my hangout. Not only for Clyde Common, the awesome lobby-level restaurant, but for Stumptown Coffee, that (slow line aside), became my addiction after one visit. The beans (which come from Africa, Latin America, Indonesia among other regions) vary almost everyday, but each cup I tried was rich, robust, roasted in vintage steel-drum roasters and meticulously brewed with love (hence the line). I even made my way to the Division street Stumptown location, to experience the twice-daily “cupping;” a comprehensive coffee smelling, slurping, spittting and tasting method conducted by the Stumptown roasters to detect bad beans and blends. Not only did I totally fall for the coffee, but their stash of baked goods included a flourless chocolate brownie cookie with salt (yeah, oy), and fresh blueberry danishes I could’ve eaten every morning. Stumptown is a Portland institution, but you can (luckily) get a cup of the addictive joe right here in Chicago at Bagel on Damen, 1252 N. Damen.