ORD Pizzeria on Montrose in Ravenswood

So I'm wondering along Montrose Ave. in Ravenswood one snowy April night and I happen upon ORD Pizzeria. At first glance I like the decor and I think, "Someone has put a lot of thought and care into the appearance, let me go inside and check it out." I look at the menu. I quickly decide as much, if not more care has gone into selecting the ingredients and the names of their specialty pies. Among the most popular are the Venus, Rose and the Louie. I also notice that the salads listed on the menu appeal to me greatly. So I plunk myself down and order an Oscar salad (half - $5): arugula, red onion, roasted red pepper, shaved Parmesan with a lemon-honey vinaigrette and a Colt pizza (12" - $15.99): herb roasted chicken, smoked bacon, sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted garlic, mozzarella and crushed tomatoes. Daniel, the proprietor, gives me an overview of his root beer choices and I realize, this guy has attention to detail (something I treasure and value greatly!) and he has very good taste. I go with his "old school" suggestion even though I also thoroughly appreciate the range offered. Frostie Root Beer. Yes! Not too sugary sweet. Mellow. Just like he said it would be. I have to add that my phone battery had died and I really wanted to 'check-in' so my Twitter followers knew where I was ('cause, you know!) and I wanted to take some photos, Daniel kindly offered to allow me to charge my phone. 

ORD Pizzeria 1607 W. Montrose Ave.

I sat and as I waited for my pie I watched Daniel in action. I saw him interact with his crew, he actually made a coffee run at one point during my visit and he called the team to ask what they wanted. I heard him answer calls on the phone and walk customers through their options. I watched him interact with sit-down guests as well as pick-up order guests who he positively ensured were completely satisfied. Suffice it to say: Daniel is incredibly gracious and he cares immensely, he wants his customers to be happy. He is immediately likable. He knows what he is doing and he shows a genuine interest in his customers and the community. 

Colt: Chicken, Bacon...

Okay, so my salad comes. Now, I love arugula, as any of my co-workers know because they see my own personal - I'll say it - amaze-balls - arugula salad creations on an almost daily basis. This Oscar salad that I ordered at ORD Pizzeria comes out and it is so perfect that I need someone to hit me. It is perfectly dressed in a wonderful vinaigrette, the red onion is just the right amount and perfectly sliced - how you slice red onion is of massive importance because it dictates the overall impact of the onion on the dish at hand - there is an ample amount of good parmesan cheese. Daniel offers me freshly ground pepper. Yes, please! It is also a very generous portion and it is only the half size order! So to start, I am pretty thrilled. 

Kevin and Stephanie.

When my pizza comes I let it sit. I can see it came right out of the oven and needs some time to cool down a bit. The ingredients are carefully arranged, not all sliding to the center, the cheese looks delicious, not too much sauce… I can not wait to sink my teeth in! 

I give it about 10 minutes. I've learned and I'm not about to burn the roof of my mouth being overly eager. Then I dig in. I use a fork for the first bite because the piece is sizable enough that the inner most corner has a lot to hold up and I don't want anything sliding off. The flavor delivers me. The bacon! The cheese! The chicken! The garlic! This pizza reminds me of something kind of forgotten in pizza land... that a crust is something that is to be enjoyed! I don't like thick crusts, I like thin crusts but I don't like cracker thin crusts, I don't want blistered dough. HOLY COW is this the perfect crust! This is not some skimpy cracker-crust. It is also not some overly doughy crust that fills you up and makes you all bloated way too soon leaving you no room for more pizza, hello! Mighty fine crust. Mighty fine.

The full menu includes even more pizzas and they do a 'guest' pizza!

I tell you, a friend once told me that bread is the perfect palate cleanser when you're tasting wines. Now this place is BYOB and you are going to want to bring some wine. This is pizza to be savored. 

I only ate half of my pizza. So I took the rest home. Day later, when I opened that bad boy up to have me some left overs… let me tell you what!! It was JUST AS GOOD if not better than those first bites. And the crust held up perfectly!

Opened at the end of 2013 this establishment is set to offer unparalleled pizza to the surrounding area. They have a crazy huge-ass cool oven - which you have to see - with six tiers of capacity so order up! If there's one thing that I know better than any other it is customer service and hospitality and Daniel has that down. And his crew is pretty fun loving and dedicated too. Go get you some ORD Pizza, and ENJOY!

ORD Pizzeria

Mott St. at Blackhawk and Ashland in WPB. Killing me softly...

Mott St. that awesome red building at the corner of Blackhawk and Ashland. This restaurant is another creation by the team that runs Ruxbin, also on Ashland but a little closer to Chicago Ave.

Per their own words: "Mott St is family style dining and eclectic cuisine paired with a pointed beverage selection." I'd say that's an accurate description.

Mott St. at 1401 N. Ashland (Blackhawk)

I love Mott St. for four main reasons:

1. The food is spot on perfect and accessible (not too pricey, considering the expertise and quality of ingredients)

2. The energy is fun, it's lively, upbeat, worldly and not overpowering or intrusive; the atmosphere lends itself to a good time

3. The people are gracious and fun and the service is, quite honestly, unparalleled - more on that later…

4. They also have a really great beverage program, inventive and tasty cocktails, well parred down selection of wines, beers and sakes. Check out the fun subtitles to their cocktails. Some of my favorites include: "Korean Cowboy Rides off into A Gochugaru Sunset" and "Fat Chinese Kid Eating Konbu Candy at the Beach." So you know you're having fun! 

Kimchilada Astra

I also appreciate that the menu is simple and fun, I like the way it is organized and I like the fact that everything goes well together and is shareable.

 My favorite appetizer at Mott St, one that I dream about, is their Brussels Sprouts, wok fried with lamb pancetta and maple brown butter! Maple brown butter. Need I say more??? Okay, I will, it is melt in your mouth delicious. Of all the Brussels sprouts dishes I have tasted it is second to none. I also really like the Kimchi & Oaxaca Empanadas, masa shell served with chimichurri crème-fraiche - just a hint of heat and rich… and the Imperial Rolls, crispy rolls stuffed with force meat of the day, bean sprouts, basil, mint, nuoc cham. I don't remember what nuoc cham is but these rolls are refreshing to say the least.

Wok fried Brussels Sprouts.

I'm a Virginia raised boy so I love me some pork butt, can't pass it up. And I also happen to LOVE me some Korean food so I almost always go for their Stuffed Cabbage, napa kimchi stuffed with pork butt and sticky rice, pan seared. It is served like a neat little slab of lasagna with the cabbage surprisingly taking a back seat, neatly layered below the melt in your mouth pork and sticky rice that has that crustiness where the real flavor lies from being slightly caramelized. OH MY GOODNESS.

Kimchi & Oaxaca Empanadas

When I say the service is unparalleled… I don't say stuff like that so I really mean it. And I've been around the block a time or two. They are tending to every possible thing but not making a fuss about it. They catch tiny details like this one time… I was there… and the music was playing and it was just awesome and I - of course - was like, "OMG, What is this song?" so I was trying to Shazam it. Well, my Shazam app was not picking up the song so I tried again. No luck. About a minute later, Nate, one of the partners in the business and the fella in charge of the drinks hands me a slip of paper with the artist and song that was playing at the time neatly written down for me. Did he see me trying to Shazam it twice? I don't know. Did he see my jamming' to the grooves. I don't know, I guess he must have. THAT, my friends, THAT is attention to detail. You're not finding that happening other places. And it isn't something that I would ever expect. It is something that just happens and I only open myself to that opportunity. You see?

Pork, stuffed cabbage

I have been on five different occasions, three of which I was solo and dining solo affords me a really unique vantage point to take in all the details and observe how the team interacts, how other customers are responding, etc. You know what I think? I think everyone that works at Mott St. is passionate about what they are doing. I think they like a good time, I think they like seeing people enjoy themselves and I think they like creating something truly special. You know what I see customers doing? Having an absolutely fabulous time.

I tell you, this place is magical… truly magical. A lot of care and passion is going into every aspect of dining and drinking at this favorite spot. No surprise from such an incredible team.

'Bap' on Over to Andersonville for It's A Major Plus Meet Up!

Thursday, April 17th let's meet up for some good grub and what will be the first It's A Major Plus Meet Up. It's a chance to meet up with friends, old and new, eat some great food and have a good ole time!

I've chosen Andersonville, where it all started for me, one of my favorite neighborhoods for the first meet up. So Bi Bim 'Bap' on over to Andersonville for dinner at Jin Ju. Jin Ju is a fantastic, fun place with a great menu of Korean cuisine and fabulous sojutinis! Among my favorite dishes are the Sang Sun Jun and Mandoo (fried or steamed) appetizers as well as the Kim Bap and of course their Dak Gan Jang! For an entrée, while I have tried everything on the menu, I simply die for and am unable to steer away from their Dol Sut Bi Bim Bap, probably because it's served in a sizzling hot stone pot!

Meet time is 6:30. Everyone pays their own way. If we get ten people to RSVP by the 14th we'll be able to order their special pot roast dish (not on the menu). With drinks and appetizers you can anticipate spending between $50 and $60 per person. You can also expect some great shoulder slappin' & fun lovin' service and even a couple of door prizes.

To save a spot please email itsamajorplus@gmail.com by April 14th. 15 spots are available.

Hope to see you there!!

5203 N. Clark St. at Foster.

jinjurestaurant.com/menu/

New Year Resolution - Hone Up & SLOW DOWN!

This one time, in band camp… okay, no it was actually in Tanoshii… I walked in with a bottle of wine, ordered an appetizer, poured myself a glass of vouvray, wolfed down both the appetizer and the wine, ordered a special roll, poured another glass, the roll came, I devoured two bites when Sushi Mike barked, "Slow DOWN!" I heard him. On multiple levels. Sure, I was really hungry, but that is not why I go to Tanoshii. I go to Tanoshii for the enjoyment, for the exchange, it's like a dance, a sexy delicious dance. We talk, we laugh, Mike, Chris, Cliff, Max all take great care in preparing these amazing rolls so how rude of me to just snarf it down like a dog without stopping to show the same respect and care in eating it! What disrespect. Reminds me of Juliette Lewis as Mallory Knox in "Natural Born Killers": "Next time don't be so fucking eager!" I mean, damn, I came to enjoy it. SO SLOW DOWN. ENJOY IT. And ease up on the wine already. A taste is to be savored, it's not meant to be shotgunned like some tailgating college freshman who's just lookin' to get sloshed.

I have usually been my own worst critic which in a lot of jobs has served me incredibly well because I am recognized as someone with a kick-ass work ethic who constantly raises his own bar. However, on a personal level, it sometimes does not serve me well… rather, my self criticism creates dread and doubt which can be debilitating at times. Like returning to blogging. I was so full of dread and self doubt - "who's going to want to read my blog?" "who am I to try to write a food blog?" "what if it sucks?" that I hurriedly put it together, just wanting to get it done. Reading other people's Best-of Lists, Year-End Reviews and re-reading my own I think of what Sushi Mike said… SLOW DOWN. Mine kind of reads like a hurried bowl lickin' and comes nowhere near capturing any of the amazing experiences as I actually enjoyed them. I would say my writing is rusty at best. So I gotta hone up them skills… and Slow Down. Those are my new year resolutions.

In reading the year-end and best-of lists of others I also realized I shortchanged Ruxbin where I ate every bite and really did lick the plate(s) in a state of total bliss and was treated like gold! So that'll be fixed.

Wishing you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year!!

Major Plus Awards 2013

The Inaugural Major Plus Awards --- 2013

Let's just get right to it…

+ Major Plus Awards +

1. Yusho 

2. Union Sushi + Barbecue Bar

3. Pleasant House Bakery

4. Mott St.

5. Kai Zan

6. Ruxbin

7. TWO

8. Yuzu Sushi & Robata Grill 

Best Dishes Tasted in 2013

So hands down, Yusho gets the Best Dish Trifecta! Actually, that's me restraining myself, too. The first time I ate at Yusho my initial response was "when everything is so perfect I need someone to punch me!" Thankfully, no one did. But seriously, I swear, there is nothing better than tasting something amazing that you have never tried before… that also comforts you in that way that only mom's familiar cooking could! The comfort factor is a ten! Yusho, the menu is so much fun to explore… ask questions, learn what things are… and several tastes, like 3 or 4 different dishes will give you an exceptional feel for what they've got going on. Always magical! Given the superiority of skill, quality ingredients, creativity and exquisite everything Yusho and anything by Matthias Merges and team is on the top of my list! Kudos!

• Yusho - Takoyaki, The ingredients of this incredibly satisfying dish change seasonally but the deliciousness is not a matter of question. Often adorned with a flavorful, fresh and perfectly dressed vegetable of some sort and accompanied by a flavorful complimentary paste or sauce.

Takoyaki at Yusho.

• Yusho - Cosmo Blood Sausage Steam Buns, Because OH MY GOD WHY ARE YOU STILL READING THIS… YOU SHOULD BE EATING ONE. 

• Yusho - Soft Serve, I absolutely love the soft serve at Yusho. The ingredients may vary seasonally but once more, the deliciousness is consistent. My favorite so far has been hibiscus, tamarind & sancho pepper. Because I just had no idea! So so good! Now, if the Mochi dessert is also on the menu you're probably going to need to get both. I'm just sayin'.

Soft serve at Yusho.

• Mott St. - Brussels Sprouts, Wok fried with lamb pancetta and maple brown butter. Much has been made over brussels sprouts and that's all well and good but you have not lived until you have tasted this divine perfection. The pancetta… the maple brown butter! Get thee to Mott St.! Plus Jenny, Nate and the rest of the gang make you feel right at home. This is a fun place, everything I've tasted (Gai Lan, Imperial Rolls & Steamed Dumplings, Kimchi Udon were delightful.)

• Pleasant House Bakery - Steak & Ale Pie, Speaking of COMFORTING… buttery crust, filling so warming… you'll want to take some home, AND YOU CAN! Locations in Bridgeport and in Three Oaks, MI… 

Steak & Ale Royal Pie at Pleasant House Bakery.

• Pleasant House Bakery - Seasonal Green Salad, Pleasant Farms greens with herb vinaigrette. Yes, THEIR OWN greens! I've never had a salad that was as varied and perfectly delectable as this.

Seasonal Green salad at Pleasant House Bakery.

• Union Sushi + Barbecue Bar - Prosciutto-wrapped scallop, Exquisite & Delicious. Wasabi avocado puree, sweet plum sauce, fried ginger. Also, this place is tons of fun!

Prosciutto wrapped scallop at Union Sushi.

• Union Sushi + Barbecue Bar - River North Roll, It's wrapped in Collard Greens. I'm from VA. So, you know…

River North Roll at Union Sushi.

• Billy Sunday - Asparagus salad, olive poached tuna, pumpernickel, hen egg. It's relentlessly perfect, like everything at Billy Sunday. 

Asparagus salad at Billy Sunday.

• Kai Zan - Orange Rush, Gorgeous presentation. Equally delicious. 

Kai Zan.

• Ruxbin - Sockeye salmon, brioche crust, cerleria purée. 

Best Value Wine 

• Bertrand et Guillaume Gonnet Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2011 Franco Serra Barbera d'Alba
• 2011 Azienda Agricola Cirelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo  

Best Bottleshop

• In Fine Spirits, Andersonville

Best Cocktail

• Billy Sunday - Cocktail, Malted Rye, Spanish Brandy, Ambergris Laced Palm Sugar, Water, North Bay Bitters. Then life began. Alex is relentlessly in pursuit of all things exceptional. As is everyone at Billy Sunday.
• Yusho - Soldier of Valerius and Red Hook (Johnny Drum 101 bourbon, Vermouth di Torino, Barolo Chinato, cherry) Steve makes an exquisite cocktail.

Best Beer

• Dos Osos, or "two bears," collaboration brew between Revolution Brewing and Firestone Walker Brewing Co. - IPA, dry, crisp and clean.
• Surly Furious, Surly Brewing Company, IPA, burry me in a Furious Cask!
• Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point Brewing. Top drawer.
• High Fidelity - Gigantic Brewing Co., American Pale Ale. Pour it, drank.
• Cruisin for a Brewsin - Lake Effect Brewing Company, Belgian IPA, freaking' delicious.
• Mr. Inappropriate - Solemn Oath Brewery, Belgian Wheat.

Best Coffee

• DARK MATTER - Doing so many splendid things, all up this muthafucka! On Western Ave. at Chicago Ave. and also at Star Lounge Coffee Bar where I die for the Dolor de Oro.

Best Food Truck

• Eastman Egg Co.
• 5411 Empanadas 

Best Social Media

• Yusho
• Union Sushi + Barbecue Bar 
• Pleasant House Bakery 
• Proving that social media can be used to enhance the overall experience, expand your brand and serve as an additional extension of reach for customer relationships! A re-tweet can feel like a fist bump! A link can educate! Thanks for sharing, everyone!

+ Major Plus Awards +

One visit is not sufficient to judge a business. One visit certainly provides for a distinct first impression but for me to award a Major Plus I have to visit more than once. I know what I like and my judgements are based on my overall experience. This award goes to restaurants who blew me away on every possible front. Rated on another system they may be five stars or whatever, on mine they have by far earned that Plus! I judge based on ridiculous amounts of scrutiny to every possible detail, including but not limited to: 

• Menu (Actual Menu, the Food, the Drink, Taste & Execution, Creativity) 
• Atmosphere (Interior, Exterior, Service & Presentation and is the baseboard spotless, are the ceiling fans clean?)
• Overall Organization (Dining Stages, Operating Culture, Reservations system. Did I see an avoidable traffic jam? Is something getting missed? If so, I'll find it.)
• Overall Service (Wait Staff, All Points of Contact, Front of House. I watch how the mail carrier is treated. Honey, this is what I do.)
• Bathroom (I have a strict rule: Bathrooms, while they can not MAKE a restaurant they certainly can BREAK one.) 
• Media (Is there a presence, Relationship? Fun? Responsive? One time I tweeted that the music was too loud and the response was IMMEDIATE. I was like "Dayum!")
• Cost. While I will judge "is this worth what I payed" I will not base a review on price, you price it how you need to run your business, however; if you price me out, well then I guess I am just priced out, right?

Closure Predictions:

I predict Bull Horns Taco Bar will close in 2014.

Welcome to It's A Major Plus

Thanks for stopping by. Welcome to It's A Major Plus. This is where I write about my dining and drinking adventures.

How it all began. 

I've been maintaining a list of my favorite restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Chicago for years which I'd share with clients, colleagues and friends. For years the list was primarily focused on what at that time was my own somewhat limited footprint in the city. It favored Andersonville (which is a lovely place to dine and shop, one of my most favorite neighborhoods in Chicago) and a few other spots which I had been lucky enough to come to know by word of mouth.

This was my first Major Plus list:

• Lula Cafe
• Jin Ju 
• A Tavola 
• Piccolo Sogno 
• Sunshine Cafe 
• M. Henry 
• Masouleh 
• Taste of Peru 
• Hopleaf 
• Cumin 
• Tanoshii 
• The Publican 
• The Bristol 
• Hot Doug's
• Ante Prima 
• The Coffee Studio 
• The Long Room 
• Kopi Cafe 

Then… my friend Jose came to visit me one spring and we had a fun, long weekend dining at many fine establishments, licking our fingers, snapping pics and literally smelling the roses - well, tulips - you get the gist. He taught me some ways to improve my photography and set me up with a twitter account. Things have not been the same since.

Since then I have made it a point to expand my drinking & dining horizons and to document my dining & drinking adventures via Twitter with pics and what I consider my signature focus on being positive, or at least as much as possible. Being real but leaning heavily towards positivity. The eating frenzy often left bits of bacon and shards of sourdough in my hair… While I managed to squeak out a few 140 character or less reviews, leave maybe a 'Tip' or two on Foursquare I never really wrote as much as I would have liked about these often inspiring experiences… so now I am embarking on a this, my new food blog. As someone who has tremendous attention to every detail, I really want to capture more of my experiences to share with others.

This year, in 2013 I focused a lot on what's happening with Japanese cuisine, robato grills, sushi and with all the new independent breweries, a scene which is positively exploding. I had lots of help from a handful of favorite sources determining where to go and what to try, EaterChicago, LTHForum, The Local Beet - Chicago Edition, Tom Keith's Hopping Around column, Mash Tun - a Craft Beer Journal and of course, Twitter. So I set out to investigate the likes of Yusho, Slurping Turtle, Yuzu Sushi & Robata Grill, Kai Zan, Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar, Katsu, Kabocha and Kamehachi...  and a couple, Arami and Sumi, remain on my must-do list for 2014. I also got swept away discovering amazing restaurants and bars that were either new or had been around a while but I'd not been to yet… Nightwood, Balena, Pleasant House Bakery, Maria's Packaged Goods, Mott St., Ruxbin, Billy Sunday… to mention a few. I've met lots of great new friends and 'tweeps' along the way and been astounded by the graciousness of many chefs (in particular Matthias Merges of Yusho and A10 Hyde Park, Chef Chao at Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar, Jason Vincent at Nightwood and Roy Choi or LASon whose new book you simply have to have!); business owners (especially Art and Chelsea Jackson the chef/owners of Pleasant House Bakery); 'Drink Folk' - the cocktail/bar program directors (Alex Bachman of Billy Sunday and Yusho), sommeliers, cicerones, bartenders, bar-backs, ice carvers; servers (every single one at M. Henry); and I have had a blast meeting other customers… So much goodness!

Soon I will be announcing my favorite dishes, places, wines and beers from 2013, I hope you'll visit It's A Major Plus again soon!