Schnitzel Fritz ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Nov 2022

First visit: Sep 2018

Schnitzel Fritz represents that rare breed - a German restaurant that sits in a suburban strip mall. Generally the German restaurants in America feel obligated to have you sit in a Festzelte (Beer Hall) with some ridiculous traditional music and waitstaff in costume garb. Not that these are ubiquitous either, but they seem to represent the German dining experience. Even Kuby's in Dallas gives you a mini variation of this. Not Schnitzel Fritz. This is a very humble grocery, with a kitchen in the back, and some bright yellow plastic booths to sit in. While you wait for your food, you can load up on German desserts (the best), deli meats and cheese's, sausages, and other packaged German goods. Or gifts.

On our first two visits (pre COVID), Mrs. RJG and I each got a sandwich. I remember it being excellent, but maybe not enough food? This time we each got a Weiner Schnitzel platter. Wow! This is the way it's done. Two large perfectly fried and breaded veal cutlets with seasoned super hot fries. And a little salad garnishment. Very filling and tasty. Weiner Schnitzel is actually an Austrian dish and serving it with sauce is considered unacceptable. Amen to that. It's a subtle flavor, and any kind of sauce would ruin the experience. The RJG's Official Mom is 100% German (heritage - born in New York), and she never cooked or ate Weiner Schnitzel. I asked why. Never even heard of it she replied. Her family were from the north of Germany, near the Netherlands. Bavarian and Austrian cooking were as foreign as Mexican food when she was a kid. Interesting that. When I travel Europe, I seek this dish out. It's prominent throughout the German speaking regions and Eastern Europe.

The owner is the cook and she is just a delightful lady. There should be a line out the door for food like this. I just wish there were more options, but German food remains an obscure culinary choice in the States. Pity that. Maybe they should just focus on the food, and leave off the gimmicky touristy stuff. It screams 60s kitsch. Schnitzel Fritz is the way to go. We need to come back more often, and will do so.

9/7/18; 4/6/19; 11/28/22 (new entry)

Al Markaz Groceries and Restaurant ~ Carrollton, Texas

Just as the RJG is back on home turf, so finds Mr. Music. In fact, Carrollton is ground zero for our relationship as that's where we all lived back in the early 90s. I've been to this restaurant once with MM some many years ago. Let's see what his latest visit results in...

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I've been going to Al Markaz about as long as any restaurant I have consistently gone to. It's only competition might be Banana Leaf Thai. Both 20+ years! And I don't mean casually, I mean regularly and at times obsessively. I reviewed Al Markaz long ago, so it is time for an update. 

Music Junior turns 18 this weekend. Crazy! A foodie and underground music junkie dad could not be more proud of his eldest daughter firmly following in his footsteps! Music Jr, Baby Music and I unanimously decided Al Markaz was the perfect place to celebrate. Just as a refresher, Al Markaz is a Pakistani restaurant, Halal butcher and grocery store. They are known to have the best mutton biryani, karahi chicken and naan in DFW. They do other things well, but these are the standouts. When we go, we over-order because leftovers are awesome from Al Markaz. 

We ordered 2 mutton biryani, karahi chicken, 2 chicken boti, keema fry and sheik kebab. That is an insane amount of food for 3! But we have a method to the madness, but it's not pertinent here. The mutton biryani was glorious this evening! Black and green cardamom pods and plum seeds, oh my! Clove, whole star anise pods, bay leaf, chilies, and more. Super fragrant, and clusters of masala and fabulous flavorful mutton and delectable bones encased in masala spread throughout which are important aspects when communing with the biryani gods! The wafting fragrance is key! The staff there is great and seem genuinely happy to see the Music's come in. They are very attentive and keep us well stocked with raita! Speaking of raita (a dipping sauce made from plain yogurt, cumin or cumin seeds, cilantro leaves, and maybe a little cucumber). there are many variations, but here it's all ground in a blender and usually pretty thin and tart. Sometimes I thought they added lemon juice. We all love raita and especially theirs. The raita recipe has changed, but still yummy. it is thicker and more yogurty than before and not near as tart or herby as it used to be. The Boti was the best it has ever been! and now officially the best I've ever had anywhere! A thick coat of masala & yogurt kept the chicken super moist and flavorful. It is the item that has improved most over time! The keema (ground meat simmered in spices) was outstanding as was the karahi chicken (small chunks of white meat chicken bathing in a gravy made from tomatoes, jalapeno and an array of spices and herbs giving it a very unique flavor. The naan is still superior to most other places. After ordering, I saw someone eating sheik kebob and decided to add that to our order. it was very good, but did not stand up to the intensity of all the other dishes. Needless to say, as planned we brought home plenty of leftovers. 

It was a delicious night!

- Mr. Music review

Barrio Cafe ~ Phoenix, Arizona

First visit: Nov 2022

The next day was even more intense, this time with a full day of presentations. Our team performed wonderfully throughout. We were on video conference while others were in person. Since we were remote, once again lunch was provided via catering. They went with Chipotle, always a good choice. We already have an annual update for that chain, so we'll move to dinner.

Now it's time to fly home. Crazy late night flying with a tight connection in Vegas. I'm not even going to tell that story here, but my goodness, I'm getting too old to be running in airports OJ Simpson style (I still try to remember the good OJ). With a business suit on. Whatever the case, before that drama ensued, I usually enjoy going to an airport early so I can unwind with a couple of beers and a meal. I know they have a Matt's Big Breakfast at this airport, because I've been there. Bad plan. Wrong airline and terminal.

And to think I was complaining about O'Hare. The Southwest terminal at Sky Harbor takes the cake. When I landed I could see they plan on opening multiple restaurants in their new terminal. But when will that be who knows. My non-fast food options in this terminal were Barrio Cafe - or - Barrio Cafe. I think I'll go with Barrio Cafe. Menu looked good, why not. I stood in line (of course because I had to). Finally got seated. This is one of those restaurants that insists you do everything on your smart phone. I thought that was an option not mandatory. Nope. God help you if you don't have one - like the RJG official Mom for example. Waitress comes by and asks me if I need help ordering. Really? So I quickly pulled up the QR Code and ordered a beer (Sky Harbor has their own lager made by SanTan so that's pretty cool) and an Arizona Burrito. Looked good on paper.

No bueno. Smothered in green it alleges. I would love to ask the "cook" what the word smother means to him/her/it/they (see how hard this is getting?). "It means one teaspoon of chile sauce". If that. C'mon man! Oops, that's gender specific. Anyway - this burrito is essentially a brisket wrapped in an out-of-the-bag tortilla and a drop of green chile. The brisket actually wasn't too bad at all (though I thought it was going to be Carne Asada. Not sure why I thought that). It was just the expectation wasn't met. Had I been in a barbeque place I may have been singing its praises.

Next time I need to do more homework. Perhaps chill out before heading to the airport, but that adds risk to missing the flight. Hmm... Going to have to think about this. I do plan on being back to Phoenix - and hopefully soon!

Apparently there is another Barrio Cafe in Phoenix. Completely unrelated to the airport restaurant. And they make a big deal to point that out. I don't blame them!

11/9/22 (new entry)

Port of Subs ~ regional chain : Gilbert, Arizona

Latest visit: Nov 2022 (Gilbert, AZ)

First visit: Jul 2011 (Carson City, NV)

Locations: According to their website, Port of Subs started simply as Sub Shop in Sparks, Nevada in 1972. They have approximately 135 locations in 8 western states. Colorado is not one of them.

The rest of the afternoon was all presentations followed by an early evening team meeting in Tempe. After that, many of us were looking to recharge and we went our separate ways to achieve that. I wasn't particularly hungry, and was very tired after a chaotic day. I decided to get something light, take it back to the hotel room, and enjoy a couple of beers while watching the election results. The perfect brainless activity so that I would be fresh in the morning! But what was going to be that light meal? Already did the hamburger thing as noted on the The Habit post. How about a sandwich? And up popped Port of Subs. Yes, of course, I remember them. Recall Rule #1 - it can't be a place I can visit at home in Colorado Springs (or even Denver really).

I had a note on my spreadsheet, and that same note entered my mind the minute I ordered: Jersey Mike's. It's the exact same modus operandi. Pull out the meats and cheeses, and make each slice just like your neighborhood delicatessen would do. Add in the toppings, wrap 'er on up, and out the door I go. Even though it was late, I was impressed by the counter person who was the consummate professional. He may have been the manager. No matter, I felt like my sandwich was being made with care. As for the verdict, Jersey Mike's wins on better bread and toppings. It's just a much sloppier sandwich than the decidedly drier Port of Subs, even though the ingredients are more or less the same. The Great Outdoors chain in DFW also gets the edge. All the same, I was more than happy with my sandwich, and if they were in Colorado Springs, I would go a few times a year. In this case they provided (ahem) a port in the storm.

7/13/11; 4/5/12; 11/8/22 (new entry)

Flower Child ~ national chain : Gilbert, Arizona

First time tried: Nov 2022 (Gilbert, AZ)

Locations: Flower Child has locations spotted around the country. Mostly in areas that show "blue" on a political map. There's two in Colorado, one in Denver and the other in - oh c'mon guess - Boulder. No way in Colorado Springs. They are in DFW as well, but you can predict they aren't in NE Tarrant. They are owned by Fox Restaurants who have many similar conceptual places, including Culinary Dropout (lol) which some of our team went out to that evening.

We're back at the office, and after a full morning of rehearsals, it's showtime. But first - lunch. Yaay! Our gracious hosts sure know how to cater food. First in Chicago, and now here in Phoenix. Like with The Habit, I'd somehow gotten this far in life without ever hearing of a restaurant called Flower Child. Not that I would seek out such a place. Perhaps I should! If there's a restaurant that screams virtue signaling, check out this blurb from their website: "At Flower Child, we make every last bite from scratch, using fresh ingredients from close to home and serving healthy food that takes you to a happy place. That’s our promise to you, whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, paleo, or just hungry. And just because we can do sugar-free, dairy-free and gluten-free doesn’t mean we do flavor-free… because where’s the happy in that?" Well... they addressed my cynical side ("taste free") and they backed it up too with excellent food. Damn them - it used to be easy to make fun of these places. They were uniformly expensive, and the food blew. No more - except maybe the price point. But hell, everyone is too expensive these days, other than In-N-Out Burger perhaps. Did you see how I weaved the burger chain in here? Not sure why though...

This is not a vegetarian place - and I have to say the chicken and rare steak were delicious. Mrs. RJG would not have liked the steak though. Fresh crisp lettuce, though they forgot to give us the Caesar dressing, so that was a bummer. What did I like best? Their Gluten Free Mac & Cheese. It's better than any Gluten Full Mac and Cheese I've ever had! It may have been the best mac and cheese I've ever had period. I felt compelled to go back and get more of that and some protein too.  You guys win - the RJG has converted to healthy food alternatives! OK, maybe not, but nice to know this place exists. In general I work with more women than men - and not to profile - but let's be honest, Flower Child is received more favorably.

Since this was catered I can't comment on the location itself. But I'll try to seek a Flower Child out next time I have the chance for further observation.

11/8/22 (new entry)

Society by Evo ~ Tempe, Arizona

First visit: Nov 2022

Picking back up here... So the first night was a late one, where dinner didn't start until 9. Way off my dietary routine but I was mentally prepared. We had a very large group, and my coworker chose Society by Evo. You already know that the RJG is not going to gravitate to a "sleek" restaurant with a name like Society by Evo. As stated before, when English majors rule the menu, the accountants add a zero to each entry. On the left side of the decimal point...

We had appetizers to start - trays of meatballs, bacon wrapped dates, steak and potato with a hot dipping sauce, feta dip, and hummus. Maybe more. All very good, at least that which I tried. Even though it was late, I decided on pasta anyway and had the Bolognese. Very similar to the meal I had at Panzano in Denver. Maybe even better, as the sauce had a really nice kick to it. I wasn't going to eat it all, but I kept digging in anyway. Weight gain! Beer list was fairly perfunctory and the taps were broken. This group are not heavy drinkers (fortunately) which probably explains why they're still going after all these years (most of us are of a similar age). I had one bottled IPA from Bell's which sufficed. 

The location is very nice. A large comfortable place, with darkened mood lighting. Very close to the Arizona State University campus. Definitely a good choice for large business groups.

11/7/22 (new entry)

The Habit Burger Grill ~ national chain : Gilbert, Arizona

First visit: Nov 2022 (Gilbert, AZ)

Locations: As noted below, The Habit has the darnedest growth strategy I've ever seen. Essentially they are growing on both the left and right coasts, while completely ignoring the middle. They have made it to Utah, so it would seem Colorado could be soon. I bet they open on Interquest in Colorado Springs (haha). They currently have over 300 locations.

Today we begin 3 long days of discussion and customer meetings. Those don't start until the early afternoon, so I needed to ensure I had lunch to fuel the remainder of the day until our (later) dinner. I was just looking for a burger - nothing too heavy - when a pile of places showed up near my hotel. All national or regional chains that I can get back in Colorado Springs. RJG Rule #1 when traveling: Don't eat at any place that you can easily have at home. The one place that stood out differently was The Habit Burger Grill.

I have somehow managed to get to late 2022 without ever hearing of a place called The Habit Burger Grill. They are clearly the latest rage in hamburgers, with a high growth plan similar to Shake Shack. In looking at their history, it appears they started in 1969 in the Santa Barbara (California) area. They remained independent for 27 years before opening a second location in Ventura. And then they got rolling. It wasn't until 2014 that they started to go beyond their southern Californian roots. And that explains why I hadn't run into them, because of the areas they were expanding in - I was no longer traveling to. More on their locations and odd growth strategy later on in the article.

This particular location sits in a sea of fast food franchises, with some Asian options I haven't tried. Perhaps the next time. Since it was my first visit, I wanted to eat inside, rather than the drive thru option. Pretty good size for a fast food establishment. Order up and they give you the buzzing ashtray that says "Better to wait a short time for your burger than have your burger wait a long time for you". I like that! So yes, you're getting a freshly made hamburger. I had what they call a Charburger (they all have to have these trademarked names it appears) with cheese. These days I usually just get it the way they make it, figuring they know what they do best. I usually do remove the tomato because simply I don't like them when they're whole. They don't do any fancy signature sauces - which are usually variations on Thousand Island dressing. Nope - just mayo. Which is really my least favorite of the dressings, but it was lightly coated, which was nice. The cheese was nice and gooey similar to In-N-Out. As we look for comparisons, I think we're definitely in the same league with the aforementioned In-N-Out, though Shake Shack also came to mind. I only had a single since I was looking more for a holdover snack than a huge lunch (see photo). If I was my more normal hungry self, then a double would be necessary. Because of this, I didn't go for fries, but was able to visualize them. They look slightly plump - what I would call "normal fries". And the menu promises they have mocha shakes. Oh boy, did I want one of those too. But a full day of meetings ahead made the answer of no easy. Overall a very fine burger, that if they were in Colorado Springs, I would make an attempt to visit at least once a year. And have their fries and a shake too...

11/7/22 (new entry)

State 48 Brewery ~ Gilbert, Arizona

First visit: Nov 2022 (Gilbert)

After a full day of crate digging, I'd built up an appetite. There's nothing walking distance to the hotel, but what would be a close drive that looked appealing? State 48 Brewery went straight to the front and kept the pole position throughout. Had to limit the beer intake, which I usually peg to 2 unless they are really light. Must keep under the legal limit. It's easier to do that locally because I can always come back and try other beers the next time. But I have to avoid the temptation to try more and stay disciplined. The Bier Reise have those two beers cataloged - and they were both delicious.

State 48 is a sharp looking place inside a suburban "town center". Somewhat like Southlake's Town Square for my old NE Tarrant readers. A very spacious place with television screens throughout. I waited until the Cardinals game was over, and even Google Maps warned it was "busier than usual" during the game. And I'm sure that's one of the brewpub's primary functions - that of a sports bar. The timing was perfect really, and the restaurant was busy but comfortable. Plopped myself at the bar - you notice I always "plop myself" at a bar? Not sure why I say that, but I guess that's how it feels. I had peeked at their menu online and was very much intrigued that they had Chicken Parm, though the restaurant doesn't have other Italian specialty items. Giving in to temptation, I had to try it.

And I am so glad I did! Wow - 90% of the Italian restaurants out there do not make it this good. Makes you wonder why not? What a fantastic plate of wonderfulness this turned out to be. See the photo of my dinner. That's what I want chicken parm to look like! Slightly burned gooey cheese, crispy breaded chicken cutlet, all sitting on a bed of penne pasta, with a delicious deep red pomodoro sauce. Comes with a steak knife as you can see - that's what I expect! And it tasted as good as it looks. And steaming hot! Did you hear that - you establishments in Colorado Springs that call yourselves "restaurants"? Make sure that the dish goes from the oven to the table as fast as possible!

Wow - what do I do when I come to Phoenix next time? It will be hard to pass up on Tacos Tijuana and State 48 Brewery - especially considering they have multiple locations in the city. And speaking of that, State 48 has 6 of them throughout the valley. On the question - at least once a year for the annual review. I would be so lucky to have the option.

11/6/22 (new entry)

Tacos Tijuana ~ Gilbert, Arizona

Latest visit: Nov 2022 (Gilbert)

First visit: Mar 2019 (Mesa)

Other locations: As of this writing, Tacos Tijuana has 6 locations, all in the Phoenix area. Their website says "all over Arizona" so I'm guessing some closed during the pandemic.

After leaving Chicago, was back home for a couple of days, and left for Phoenix early Sunday. Wanted to get a full day in to look for records and try different places to eat and new beers to drink. Once again we're here for business, and this trip is related to the same pursuit we've been on when going to Denver and Chicago. As with those trips, I have limited freedom on where I would normally go to eat, though this group has proven to do a fine job of picking places. We'll see how they fare on this trip.

As you can see, I've been here before - during a quiet period for the RJG. The Mrs. and I were in this part of Phoenix for one of our official niece's weddings. This preceded other official niece's weddings in Scottsdale late last year and the grand extravaganza we covered in the San Diego area back in May. On this trip in 2019, Mrs. RJG and I decided to drive from Colorado Springs, and get in some quality time in New Mexico plus Prescott Valley. Since we had flexibility and arrived a day early, we decided to recon where the wedding was to be. Once we accomplished that, it was lunch time. Tacos Tijuana came up on the trusty Google app, and off we went. Both of us enjoyed our meal immensely and we'd hoped to return as soon as possible.

And that day has arrived - for me at least. I could have sworn the location we went to was in Gilbert. Once I was inside it was clear I was mistaken. And considering this location didn't open until after I was here solidified that fact. After some Google research, and looking at the interior, it was indeed the Mesa locale we had been too. The one in Gilbert is much larger - and comfortable - so already we're looking at positives. 

I came here for one reason - Vampiros tacos. It was not a style I was familiar with prior, but essentially it's a tostada without a bean spread, but cheese instead. The key here is the crispy tortilla - as otherwise it would be a sloppy mess. But not at Tacos Tijuana. Not only is it a sturdy and crispy fried corn tortilla, but it's also very flavorful on its own. As for toppings, I went with al pastor and carne asada. Both of them cooked to perfection. Not too many places get the right seasonings for al pastor, but Tacos Tijuana does it perfectly, and restores my faith in the dish. They come street taco style with onions and cilantro. Tacos Tijuana provide salsas in giant squirt bottles, that they keep refrigerated so it stays fresh. One is what they call mild, but I would say it's medium. It's a bit too watery for me to recommend though. The hot is perfect though (dark red bottle). It definitely packs some heat, and the texture is exactly what I want - thick and loaded with finely minced chiles. Look at the picture I took of my meal. I was tempted to get a third one, but had a full day ahead and didn't want to get slowed down.

I'll be back - hopefully my next trip to Phoenix - which could be soon. 

11/6/22 (new entry)

Mesa; Gilbert

Publican Tavern ~ Chicago, Illinois

O'Hare Airport (Terminal 3)

Latest visit: Nov 2022

First visit: May 2018

On the final day in Chicago we were back to 20 some odd folks in the meeting. The plan was to have a catered breakfast and then most of us flew home that late afternoon / early evening. The breakfast was very good, but the caterer remained a mystery, so I can't include in the RJG. Perfectly cooked scrambled eggs - rare to find eggs cooked well in a large setting. They also had bacon, potatoes, pastries, fruit, etc...

Now to the airport, which took forever and a day to get to. No one works it seems but the freeways are still mobbed. After the security check, it was time to eat and drink. I flew United this time, and I haven't really explored Terminal 2. Ya know, for an airport the size of O'Hare, and their main terminal is #2 which houses their flagship United, one would think the eateries would be endless. Nope. Plenty of fast options from the food court or other awful looking places. There are a couple of exceptions, but those were packed to the rafters. This terminal needs way more full service sit down restaurants and bars. Fast food is fine for lunch, but that sucks for dinner. Even The Berghoff is a quick service counter serve place. Well my flight was delayed (of course it was) and I was early to begin with, so I took the long (very long as it turns out) walk to Terminal 3 which I'm more familiar with. This terminal houses American, and they used to fly to ORD from COS, but no more. And a few times I flew through Chicago instead of DFW to get to Baltimore from here. For 1) I'm a million miler on American, and I belong to the Admirals Club. So I figured I'd take advantage of that. But the other is my favorite restaurant at O'Hare (that I know of): Publican Tavern.

And sure enough, this restaurant remains very popular, but somehow comfortable. I was seated promptly. They have a great selection of craft beers from the area, including a couple I didn't get in the city. I also ordered their cheeseburger which came out perfect. The accompanying fries were super hot temperature (hooray). The menu is not extensive, mainly just sandwiches and burgers, but it's diverse enough for most travelers I would think. If I fly to O'Hare again, I may find myself taking the long haul over. I just need to make sure I have enough time.

The primary Publican restaurant sits in the West Loop of Chicago and has a much more extensive menu.

5/17/18; 11/4/22 (new entry)

Sopraffina Marketcaffe ~ Chicago, Illinois

First tried: Nov 2022

OK now we have moved offices (a few blocks away) and expanded our team up to 20 people. This group is a bit too big for team lunches and dinners, so they brought in food from the outside. That's always a dicey proposition, but I hoped for the best. I was starving by Noon, and I heard lunch was served. Wandering outside the office was a display filled with different kinds of sandwiches and salads - all in sturdy cardboard boxes - with the name Sopraffina stamped on them. I grabbed the sole Parma sandwich, which had smoked ham, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and grain mustard on pretzel ciabatta. Came with a side of fruit, spicy pickle, macaroni salad, and an M&M cookie.

Oh my goodness - what a great sandwich! Makes you wonder why everyone can't do this? The bread is key for certain but the mixture of ingredients were perfect. Very fresh. Other notables were the large spear pickle - and my inner 5 year old comes out - the cookie. The fresh fruit was enjoyable and I don't like cold macaroni salad, but I was stuffed anyway so I gave it away.

Sopraffina is a local chain with 4 locations - all inside the Loop! I'm not sure which store they catered it from, and I obviously haven't been inside, so I'm leaving the location off.

11/4/22 (new entry)

Giordano's ~ regional chain : Chicago, Illinois

Latest visit: Nov 2022 (Chicago - Central Loop)

First visit: Oct 1997 (Westchester, Illinois)

Talk with anyone that knows what Chicago Pizza is and they're likely to break into an argument about who's better between Giordano's and Lou Malnati's. I have never been to the latter, and this is only my second time to the former. As you can see, my first visit was 25 years ago. At that time, our Chicago office was in Westchester, a most wonderful inner suburb that housed many great "old school Chicago" restaurants. With names like "Beef" as noted in Luke's post. The Giordano's there was something of an afterthought, representing a chain like experience among much more worthy independent establishments. I wasn't impressed.

But here we are in Chicago, and it's time for the team dinner. There's about 10 of us, and my coworker and I agreed that we should try for a Chicago legend. And pizza sounded great to all of us who were hungry after a full day of deliberation. He made reservations at Giordano's and I could only hope that my experience was better this time.

It wasn't. The restaurant is much larger than the Westchester outlet, but the pizzas just didn't do much for me. We had both the deep dish and thin crust. Neither blew my socks off. Not that I would want such an event to happen at a business team dinner... We ordered wisely - getting an all meat and all veggie deep dish along with a thin crust cheese pizza. I went for the all meat deep dish to start. I'm just not sold. It's possible I just don't like the style all that much. The crust just doesn't work for me, and I'm not too keen on the tomato sauce either. The thin crust was better, but it was a little flat to be honest. Not literally the crust (which is how it's supposed to be) but rather it lacked ambition. Beer list was lame too. I dunno. Need to try Lou Malnati's I guess, huh?

Giordano's began in 1974. They have 49 locations in Illinois and a smattering of others in a few states. There's actually 2 in the Denver area which I didn't realize. None in Texas. The Westchester locale is still there.

10/28/97; 11/4/22 (new entry)

Luke's Italian Beef ~ Chicago, Illinois

First visit: Nov 2022

One thing that was very apparent to me on this trip to Chicago: The pandemic appears to have just now ended. What a dictatorship they had going here. Many places are closed permanently because they could not survive a 2 year lockdown. The downtown streets are still somewhat empty, with workers just starting to filter back in. All these beautiful glass and steel (or stone and mortar) towers of commerce remain empty. It's really sad to see. Denver is back to full glory as an apples to apples comparison. Many of the businesses that did survive are stating "welcome back" similar to what we saw in the summer of 2021! And masks are still fairly prevalent, and mandatory on buses and trains. I guess the disease is worse in Chicago than elsewhere huh? Pfft! I had been to Eastern Europe during Soviet dominated Communism, and know exactly what it looks like. Like what I'm seeing here in Chicago. Apparently that's what these leaders want. My goodness we must fight back!

Why bring that up here? Well, Luke's survived. It was almost empty when I arrived at Noon, so I suppose there are fringe benefits to destroying your buying populace - not to mention the mass inflation these clowns brought with them. Take advantage why you can - if you can afford it. I wasn't sure I was going to get in lunch, but yes, just before the heavy work began I seized the opportunity.

When I go to Chicago - I want Chicago Food! It's a real thing, and unique to this once wonderful city. It's the immigrant influence of the early 1900s. Italian, Greek, Polish, German, and beyond. Beef. I've seen restaurants in Chicagoland called just that: Beef. And Luke's is perfect. What a vibe. They still have the old menus above the counter and you can get Italian specialties including pizza. Or you could just get a beef sandwich. Which is - OF COURSE - what I ordered (and for one of my likeminded co-workers). Mrs. RJG would hate Chicago Food, at least this variety. The bread is wet and a tad mushy. I added sweet peppers, which really weren't that sweet. I usually would go for hot - but ya know being with 10 other co-workers that can create other issues lol. In any case, if I worked in the buildings (there were 2 on this trip) that I spent 3 days in, Luke's would be a weekly visit. I just hope that most of these places around town survived.

11/4/22 (new entry)

Miller's Pub ~ Chicago, Illinois

Latest visit: Oct 2022

First visit: Jun 2012

OK - so here's the place downtown (inside The Loop) I'd been to prior. I was here for AT&T on a one off business trip and we'd come here for drinks after dinner. And, as it turns out, I came here only for drinks after dinner this time as well. Doing the pub crawl on the first night while enjoying one day of vacation before a very busy business week. It's even closer to the Palmer House. Looking at the menu, I really should give this place a go for dinner. Perhaps next time in Chicago I'll make that effort, if finding myself downtown of course. They have an excellent craft beer selection, which again, is cataloged in the Bier Reise above.

Miller's Pub first opened in 1935 and has been in the same family since 1950. This is the darkened wood paneled Chicago bar you dream about.

6/21/12; 11/4/22 (new entry)

2Twenty2 Tavern ~ Chicago, Illinois

First visit: Oct 2022

Back in Chicago for the first time since 2012. For whatever reason I was lazy getting down my experience then, so those restaurants will have to await a revisit. But as it turns out one pub did get a revisit - more on that later.

One of my other favorite pursuits is staying at old hotels - especially those of former glorious grandeur. I also enjoy contemporary hotels - perhaps future relics right? On this visit I had a chance to stay at the Palmer House, one of Hilton's hotels since the mid 40s but a history that goes back to 1925 (in its current state). It was the first hotel in Chicago with elevators along with light bulbs and telephones in each guest room. Not even sure they still have the latter. Who would notice such things? But no one could miss the grand entrance with the incredible ceiling paintings. So many great details. Of course the pandemic closed the hotel for well over a year. Fortunately it is back - alive and well. Like the rest of us I suppose... Love the old black and white photos from their heyday in the 50s, 60s, and early 70s that which line the hallways of the hotel. What happened to those days anyway? I remember it briefly from when I was a little boy, but it was gone before I could appreciate it. And I just found out that the RJG's Official Mom was here in 1958! What? She didn't travel hardly at all without my Dad, but this was one trip her aunt took her on before she was married. An aunt I never knew unfortunately.

Take the Wabash exit out of the hotel ("street level"), hang a right and a short walk south takes you to this most wonderful tavern called 2Twenty2. They carded me at the front. Believe me - as I close in on 60 and look every bit of it - that is a most ridiculous practice. But I laugh anyway. Plopped myself at the bar and looked at a beer menu filled with breweries and beers I'd never seen. This is all covered in the Bier Reise (see pages above). But for the purposes of the RJG, it's dinner time, so what to eat? Oddly the establishment is only known as a "bar" in Google Maps, which is far from the reality. Even the tavern themselves call their food menu "bar bites" underselling how great their kitchen is. I settled on the "Light My Fire Burger" with Pepper Jack cheese, onions, and Sriracha Aioli, with regular fries. Excellent in every way, even Mrs. RJG would have approved of this fine burger. The darkened sports bar ambience with a specialized beer list, gives it more than a remembrance to Max's Taphouse. Not that many beers of course, but still a very welcoming place. In fact the next night I came back for a couple of more beers - while the World Series was playing. Good times.

11/4/22 (new entry)