Brisket from Fat Willy's

Winter has decided to take one more swipe at Chicago so on this Sunday having spent my morning on a conference call with a bunch of young whippersnappers and while Sherry had gone out to vent her frustrations in tear down at FreeGeek I decided to seek the Holy Grail of Brisket.

I have begun to write my own personal bus tracker but today the fates were with me.  On this day a week past the Ides of March I ventured out and waited less than two minutes for three of the four buses I rode.  The 80 to Western and the 49 to Schubert each way.

Getting off at Schubert the aroma from a Burger King almost drew me in.  Half a block away though I could see Fat Willy's.  I walked down and passing the alley the next smell I got is that left when a pit is being washed.  Next in view was a door to the kitchen and then finally through the winter protection plastic into the "welcoming" area.  The hostess came and I indicated another party was ahead of me.  She says she has already gotten them.  I told her I would like a pound of brisket and she redirected me to the counter at my right.

At the counter was a young lady on the phone.  She later when asked said her name was Monica.  Waiting, waiting, waiting.  She is off the phone but wait, she has something else to do.  OK, so now she wants to know what she can do for me.  We go through a few cycles of my wanting a pound of brisket and her telling me they do not sell brisket by the pound.  She thinks the order of Only the Meat will be about three quarters of a pound.  She is friendly and pleasant but a pound of brisket is not to be had and Burger King is looking very good.  I have set myself to this task though and will not allow Chicago friendliness or orders not weighed in pounds to keep me from finding you great smoked brisket in Chicago.

I order and she has a problem with the payment system and a server comes to help her.  I engage the server on the topic of by the pound.  It is a bit confusing but it seems that you can get their brisket by the pound catered but it may include sauce which I think is the Au jus from the rubbed beef.  My order was ready though and I was ready to get home with whatever  it was I had ordered and paid for.  There was to be a bit more conversation though as the two upsold me on getting two orders so that I would have a pound and a varity of items were for some reason added to my order.

It turns out those things added were the au jus, mushy onions, creamy horseradish sauce and in a separate brown paper bag the two small containers of BBQ sauce.

On the ride home I got no smell of smoke or BBQ.

Time to open this up and see what I bought.

Now, according to the Check, Please video they marinade their meat over night.  That might account for the smoke ring being so shallow and for the look like maybe the meat was in a pressure cooker.  Never mind though there is a nice rub on the meat and if you dip it in their sauce or do some of the other possibilities with those other thing if you are so inclined you will have a good brisket eating experience.  Just not the one this blog's quest is seeking.

I know that many in Chicago are so inclined and that makes good Texas Style Smoked Brisket hard to find in Chicago.  Brisket is redirected here into corned beef, Italian beef and other kinds of beef I am yet to experience.

Seafood from the Jewels

Crab legs, crab claws and clarified garlic butta.  Is there a lot more to say except that the picture is on my grandson's Taz plate.

Tacos from Tacos and Tequilla

So I was over there in the basement of that big building or maybe the one across from it.

Which is across from this one as well but is still not The Six Corners.

Then I walked north on Milwaukee to Tacos and Tequilas

In the Honorary Polish Village.

Tacos to go.  Waiter was nice enough to label them but only because I asked.  Learning as I go to be sure and ask for things like labeled tacos and brisket by the pound.  Two arrachera, two lengua and two poblanas.  All small but very nice.

Seafood from Ewok

This should be a quick easy post I can do before I go make lunch for myself today.

Let me see.  A link to Ewok.

Sherry called in our order then walked down and got it.

Shrimp Tempura and Chicken Teriyaki  

We ate it while watching a Netflix movie on our Roku.  Great dinner and a movie.

Brisket from RavenswoodQ

On this recent fine Wednesday afternoon a bit of snow was coming down as I took the 80 over to the Brown Line.  I got off the bus and crossed the street.  As I was about to go into the station I sniffed the air.  I caught a whiff of a BBQ joint.  I had gone and asked on EveryBlock a little more than a week before for people's recommendations of Taco and Brisket places in Chicago.  One of those that was recommended was RavenswoodQ.  Looking to the East I saw their sign so I walked on down and went in.  As I entered there was a long bar to my left.  There was a greeters stand and a row of tables along the wall to my right.  Straight back was the kitchen.  The greeter did her job and I told her I had just come in to check it out and might not even be ordering.  In the midst of this interchange one of two men seated at a table to the right of the kitchen entrance waved at me and grinned.  This man's name turned out to be Dale.  I strolled on back and Dale friendly jabbed at me verbally for checking out the place.  We had a nice little conversation on the way brisket is treated in Chicago.  He assured me if I returned I would be able to buy a pound and I went on back to the brown line since my goal at that moment was some fun with folks at a shop in Jeweler's Row then more fun with Sherry and some other folks at the The Bar Below.

We left The Bar Below a little earlier than normal.  I had not checked the hours for RavenswoodQ but was hoping they would still be open so we could go ahead and get a pound of brisket on the way home.  The Red Line entrance is just out the door and we took it back to Fullerton where the Brown Line caught up to us.  RavenswoodQ was open and though Dale was not there a man whose name I hope was Frank got us a pound of brisket.  I have to remember not to take Sherry with me when I am doing this because when Frank offered some sides and I declined she punched me and said 'Hey, I am here, too.'  Nothing wrong with sides just not part of what I am out to do.

Those of you that have had my oven cooked brisket or my smoked brisket will notice how close this looks to mine.  A little less smoke ring than my smoked brisket.  Maybe cooked a little faster or a little less than mine but all in all very close.  Frank had asked us if we wanted any sauce.  I am always glad to try folks sauce but have learned that I do not like the vinegary Carolina sauces.  No offense, Frank.  I am just very used to my tomato catsup based sauces.  Their house based sauce fits the bill and is very tasty.  Did not need it but always good to have.  Excellent job RavenswoodQ.

Now I bet you thought I was through but there is more!

Leftovers.

Sherry took off the next morning with cole slaw and greens and I got nary a drep.  She had also had sides with hers the night before.  I am just grateful she did not take all of the brisket.  I have forgotten to mention above that the brisket in the box, wrapped in paper and foil and inside a plastic bag had done a number on me while riding home so it passes that test as well.  By eight am I was wanting some brisket and so I tented what was left in foil and put it in the oven.

By nine am the smell was calling my name.  You can see a bit more of the fat has done it's work of flavoring the meat with the rubs nice spicy goodness.  I would add some more spices but then Chicago folks would cut off the bark which Dale has told me he provides in house with a plate for those who might not want the fat.  All was soon sorted.

I have to go back for at least two reasons.  One is that they smoke beef short ribs on Fridays.  The other is that I never got around to the main dining area but I am sure a sit down dinner here with any meat and sides would be great.

Seafood from Frank's on Irving Park

Now tell me if I am understanding the concept right.  On Fat Tuesday you are supposed to give up something you may be addicted to.  So I decided to give up Gumbo.  Tuesday being seafood day at our house and knowing I would have to find something to fill the nutritional need for cold water fish and that I might lose my tongue and my cheek I went to meditate at City News Cafe.

The night before my mind had gone off on one of it's side tracks.  I have a block of time between three and five pm on Tuesdays that if I am not cooking Gumbo I could be hosting a Meetup to build community among anyone who might be interested in tech stuff in my little neck of the woods.  On this particular Tuesday it being Fat Tuesday a test run for logistics and the afore mentioned  meditation was in order.  Madi Gras Radio on XM was playing and having my spirit refreshed I walked down to Frank's Chicago Shrimp on Irving Park.

This is a takeout place serving lots of fried seafood quickly.  We got half a pound each of Chicago Style Gulf Shrimp, Scallops, Fish Chips and Frog Legs along with an order of Onion Rings.

Cheryl says you can taste the gulf in the shrimp.  I had a frog leg, scallop and onion ring for breakfast the next morning.  They have a couple of nice red sauces but we make our own tarter sauce.