The Publican (CHI) vs. Hoof Cafe (TO)

[can you tell which brunch dishes are from The Publican and which are from Hoof Cafe?]

It's brunchtime!!! The Publican Restaurant is well known for its brunch in Chicago, much like the Hoof Cafe here in Toronto. I've eaten brunch at both restaurants recently, and can't help but notice similarities between the two. At both The Publican and the Hoof Cafe, expect: to wait thirty minutes+ for a table, to see hella hipsters all around you, to choose from a menu of inventive, meaty dishes and to experience a home-y unpretentiousness while you dine.

First off, I just gotta tell you about The Publican's Red Wine Poached Eggs. Truly, this dish started a party in my mouth. Like yolky yellow Cabernet Merlot in a glass, these eggs were uncomparable to any style of eggs I've ever tasted! Hoof Cafe also serves up poached eggs, piled atop pulled pork and a house-made biscuit in its Suckling Pig Eggs Benny dish. But I shouldn't have ordered it because I don't even like pork or hollandaise very much. Womp.



Another must-eat at The Publican: Fresh Ricotta & Honey. Served slightly warmer than room temperature with stewed fruits (i.e. cherries) and dried nuts (i.e. pistachios) ...spread on a piece of toast, each spoonful of Fresh Ricotta is a soft cloud on a sweet/crunchy/nutty day! I apologize, but I'm not even gonna lie... I'm kinda hating on Hoof Cafe right now. They got rid of their Buckwheat Rabbit Pancakes before I got to try 'em man!!!! WTFF!!!!!!!!

The Meatloaf Bakery — Chicago, IL

This right here is The Meatloaf Bakery's LOAF-A-ROMA loafie, shown in actual bite-size (wee squirt stuck in da middle) and in monstrous proportions (mom & pop on either side of the wee squirt). Funkyass bakery, foreal... serving up savoury cupcakes and cakes as well. A timeless comfort food collides bang-on with the concept of desserts. Oh, how design is mighty capable of changing perceptions and effecting appetites! (That shwirly shwirl of angel hair pasta sure enticed the heck outta me.)

Into the 350F oven, the loafies go! 12 minutes l8r, I'm poppin' 4 different loafies into my mouf way too fast. The wee squirts didn't look too appetizing on display back at the bakery, but fresh out the oven, they're better than expected. LOAF-A-ROMA takes 1st place! A myriad of flavours & textures all in 1 bite: delicate strands of pasta.. sweet sun-dried tomatoes..! juicy Italian sausage!! crisp flaky pastry!!! The perfect hors d'oeuvre.

Fave Foodie Finds: Chicago 2010

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SHELLEY vs SAVEUR: Hot Doug's Foie Gras Hot Dog

Q: Which photo was taken by moi, the lowly amateur, and which photo was taken by Saveur?



A: The photo on the left was taken by Saveur, and therefore food-styled to the utmost. The photo on the right has endured zero food-styling, was taken by moi and straight up keeps it real. 'Cuz in reality, the sausage was NOT longer than the bun, the foie gras mousse was NOT chopped up all carefully and evenly, and the truffle aioli was definitely NOT daintily squirted atop the hot dog. Eff perfection in food photography.



Ahh, the rants & raves about Chi-City's Hot Doug's. As an out-of-towner, figured I might as well GO BIG cuz I mos def didn't wanna GO HOME. And this is how, $9 poorer, I came to try Hot Doug's infamous Foie Gras & Sauternes Duck Sausage w/ Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleur de Sel. Wasn't blown away. Kept havin to pick the skin of the sausage out of my mouth. And the foie gras mousse? 'Twas velvety & feta cheese-y in texture... yet a tad funky, taste-wise. Woulda been content with the dog SANS the mousse. Better yet, woulda been content had I ordered the Pete Shelley Veggie Dawg, which was only $2.75. Wompers!

Cafe Iberico — Chicago, IL

TAPAS TIME!!! In Spanish cuisine, tapas = a wide variety of appetizers/snacks, served cold/warm, ideally meant to be shared. It's a Friday night and my coolcatcousins and I are at Cafe Iberico. Though the place is cramped, the vibe is LIVE. Good to go with a pitcher of sangria!!! CHEERS 2 CHI-CITY!!! One soldier of a server is hustlin round the dining room with 10 plates of hot food in his arms, one plate (s)expertly stacked on top of the other!!! Swiftly, he drops off our first tapas dish on the table, PATATAS BRAVAS, before bustlin off to deliver the other 9. And the tapas keep on comin!...

MEJILLONES A LA MARINERA, QUESO DE CABRA... but my absolute FAVE is the PULPO A LA PLANCHA (Grilled Octopus w/ Potatoes & Olive Oil). Chopped up in bite-size pieces, the PULPO is juicy and madd tender on the in, yet grilled to charred perfection on the out. Downright dirttyyy!!! For dessert, we polish off a plate of FLAN DE CHOCOLATE with fresh strawberry sauce. Good people = good convos + good food = life = grand.