At last I have eaten the duck fat french fry. I went to Hot Doug’s encased meats emporium, and had duck fries, a lamb-mint sausage with feta, and a Cel-Ray soda, all of which I enjoyed immensely. The fries could have been crispier for my taste, but never have I enjoyed a mostly floppy fry so much, as they had lovely potato and fat flavor, and perfect amounts of flaky kosher (sea?) salt clinging to them. The floppiness may have been because I arrived around 11am, just before the lunch rush — as I left there was a line out the door — and word on the street says the duck fries are best when they’re busy. Hilariously, the place is in the middle of nowhere, and yet sees a constant stream of hipsters and weird old guys and yuppies with little kids. Viva Doug and his encased meats for all!
Fantastic quesadillas at Dona Lolis on Clark in Rogers Park, especially the huitlacoche, though the squash blossom and chicharron were nice too. Homemade corn tortillas, so very dense and filling, with wonderful homemade flavors.
Really good Thai food at Spoon Thai, especially the pork larb from the special menu, a salad of thin sliced fat-streaked pork, all tangy with lime and onion, savory with fish sauce and a hit of chili pepper.
And lastly a sunday brunch at Jamaica Jerk, also up north in Rogers Park, which looks to be a family run place. It has a bright interior with a seascape on one wall, and a panorama of delicious things to eat: brown stew chicken and oxtails with beans were both super-dark brown and intensely savory; saltfish with bacon and tomatoes and spice was just lovely, especially with the thick chewy fried-starch triangles (bammies, no idea what they are made from); festival, floury little pillows of deepfried goodness; coconut shrimp that were just the right amount of sweet and crunchy; and pineapple-sorrel juice that was outrageously purple and delicious.
So yeah, Chicago has the good eats. Yum. 🙂