Sunday, February 27, 2011

Del Seoul - Korean Street Food Arrives in Chicago

Bulgogi and Kalbi Tacocs $2.50
Chicago Magazine rates Del Seoul as one of the 10 hottest restaurants in the city at the moment. Unlike the other 9 restaurants with higher end pricing, Del Seoul is street food pricing with a storefront. A year after Kogi BBQ food truck in Los Angeles took off, Chicago can now claim her version of the Korean taco - Korean BBQ served with
cilantro, onions, chili sauce, secret slaw and grilled white corn tortillas.

Located in the epicenter of Lincoln Park's yuppie corner on Clark and Wrightwood, Del Seoul is destined to be a keeper of a restaurant with the young college graduates in the area. In addition to the tacos, del Seoul also offers Korean BBQ plates of kalbi, bulgogi and spicy bbq pork. Korean style "Bahn Mi" sandwiches are also on the docket along with specialties such as Bibimbop, Kimchi fries and Seoul style dumplings.

Starving from our drive from Grand Rapids to Michigan, my daughter Margaux and I devoured our own kalbi and bulgogi plates, shared two tacos and munched on the kimchi fries. The plates and tacos were right on while the kimchi fries could have used a little more kimchi. I regret not ordering the 100 year-old-recipe street dumplings which most of the tables ordered. Eight pieces of small pork dumplings are served on top of a steam plate with a sake-soy dipping sauce. It looked delicious.

If you're looking for a quick and appetizing meal on your next trip to Chicago, you won't regret a trip to this Asian street food haven.

Can Filipino tacos take off next? Tocino and longaniza tacos...hmm, sounds mouth watering.
Kalbi Plate - Grilled Beef Short Ribs with Sweet Soy, Soju Marinade $10.50
Kimchi Fries - fries topped with Kimchi, Pork Belly, Onions, Scallions, Melted Cheddar
and Jack, Sour Cream $6.95
Margaux enjoying her Bulgogi Plate $9.85 
Korean Street Art
"Hi Tech" menu screens

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Five Guys and A Bowl of Phô



My friend, Jimmy Le, invited several of the guys for a chill night of steaming hot bowl of his homemade Vietnamese phô that's been cooking on his stove for two days. Phô (fuh), like no other soup, is the most satisfying soup for me.  The aroma of star anise, clove and ginger seduces me into hypnotic submission. Jimmy uses ox tails as the base for his stock; simmering the ox tails until its meat softens and releases its flavors inside the pot of perfection.

I was immediately transported to the bustling street food scene in Ho Chi Minh city the moment I stepped into Jimmy's
house. Friends Todd Ernst, Jason Essex and Scott Erickson made up our informal dinner of five in the table in Jimmy's kitchen. He served us each a bowl of steaming hot pho filled to the rim with ox tails, sliced beef, meatballs, tendons, spring onions, sprouts, basil, cilantro, rice noodles and a host of accompaniments including sriracha, lime and hoisin.

We bowed our heads toward the bowl and with chopsticks and Asian soup spoon, we slurped, scooped and bit into each piece of protein as if it was our last meal. At one point, we had to chuckle as George Michael's Father Figure song played on the radio. But no one cared. Tonight was all about the pho and not even Celine Dion could have interfered with our focus in enjoying this amazing soup.

Our conversations around the table ranged from discussing memorable facebook posts to my youngest daughter's 9,000 text messages in one month. From parties we have hosted at the JW to Mega 80's at the Intersection. From home cooked meals to exotic restaurants in Asia.

Between the five of us, there isn't a night when at least one of us is out on the town. However, on this cold winter evening, there were no people to meet, no crowds to worry about and no out-of-town guests to entertain. Just five guys chilling with a bowl of Jimmy's pho. It was perfect.

How about playing some Careless Whisper, Jimmy?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

San Chez Bistro - Still Buzzing After 18 Years


Downtown Grand Rapids was a whole different city in 1992. The restaurant and entertainment scene was non existent outside of the Amway Grand Plaza hotel. Sure, there were a few decent restaurants that were scattered on the outskirts of center city such as Gibsons, the Thornapple in Ada and the Sandpiper in Holland; but downtown, it was slim picking.


I was a Chicago transplant that year. While I was very happy with my job as the assistant director of food and beverage at the Amway Grand, life outside of work was not even a fraction of my social activities in Chicago. So when San Chez Bistro opened in 1992, it gave this self proclaimed foodie a glimpse of hope of the possible transformation my new hometown would eventually experience in the years to follow.

My wife and I were still dating at the time and this Spanish tapas oasis on Fulton street became our culinary destination until we moved to the British Virgin Islands in the summer of 1993. Opening a tapas restaurant was a huge gamble that paid off, not just for the owners, but for the entire city.

We celebrated Valentine's Day last Monday with our three kids. It was a spur of the moment deal which my wife and daughter Margaux initiated and the rest of the family obliged to their delight. After 18 years, it was good to see San Chez still humming with loyal patrons.

Two orders of the Gambas Al Ajillo kicked off our meal with a burst of garlic infused sauteed shrimp with olive oil and red pepper flakes ($10.99). A classic bar snack for the Spaniards, this dish did not disappoint in its simplicity of preparation and robust seasoning. With local bread in hand, we all dipped our breads in its juices until the cast iron skillet was bone dry.

Two plates of Calamaritos Fritos ($9.99) followed on a bed of Serrano ham, pork belly, onion, orange zest and squid ink ailoi. The calamaritos' crispy batter glowed to a golden brown, perhaps a few seconds too long in the deep fryer, nevertheless, was tasty especially with the accompaniment of the pork belly and Serrano ham. The squid ink aioli was too think and heavy for this Galician seafood staple. It was good, but I would have preferred a lighter sauce or even no sauce with the dish. We ordered a third helping of the dish, only this time, we asked the kitchen to hold the aioli.

Margaux and I still remember the medjool at Avec in Chicago. Avec's medjool - dates stuffed with spicy sausage and a tomato sauce to die for - was the single most memorable dish we had last year. Such high expectations may have influenced our reaction to San Chez's Medjool Rellenas Picantes ($6.99) which was delicious, however, we would have preferred a lot more sausage inside each date.

The Empanadas De Pato Gordito ($9.99) - duck confit, mushroom duxelle, grilled asparagus, goat cheese & piquillo pepper stuffed empanada - was the dish my wife was raving about for she and a friend were in heaven after tasting the special empanada a few weeks earlier. The empanada with black bean soup and lime sour cream was a sure winner.

My favorite tapas on this visit was the Bistec Lomo ($12.99). The medium rare tenderloin sliced like butter and the saffron onions and blueberry demi-glace that accompanied the lomo was a fandango in my palette. A sure hit on your next visit to San Chez.

The Himalayan black sea salt espresso flan ($5.99) was very tempting but to my better judgement, I held back simply because I was stuffed. I definitely have something to look forward to on my next visit.


Gambas Al Ajillo
Calamaritos Fritos
Medjool Rellenas Picantes
Empanadas de Pato Gordito 
Bistec de Lomo

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Chop House's Expertly Prepared Cuisine Is Well Worth The Price


I officially became a Grand Rapids Press restaurant reviewer in Thursday's Weekend Section. Thank you so much to everyone who read, shared and sent comments about my review of the Chop House. It is always reassuring to see that people are actually reading my posts and articles. 

A special thanks to John Gonzalez and Betsy Musolf of the Press for their guidance and support. Be on the look-out for upcoming reviews in the Press in the next couple of weeks.

In case you missed reading my review, click here for the MLive link.




Monday, February 14, 2011

The Little Black Dress Party 2011


Calling the 2nd annual Little Black Dress party at the JW Marriott an epic event is truly an understatement. The party that surprised its guest with a symphonic performance last year featuring the Grand Rapids Symphony and DJ Todd Ernst turned up the heat again by collaborating with designer Matt Jurecic's Haus of Leisure Le Garcon LaFrance's
"The Women" fashion show. The mezzanine of the hotel started filling up as soon as the doors opened at 8:00 P.M and by the time the fashion show started at 10 P.M., the event attendance had swelled to 600 beautifully clad guests.

Of course, little black dresses were the signature decorum for the evening and the women did not disappoint with their parade of noir outfits. The dance floor was packed all night and the libations poured as if these kind of parties have never happened in GR before. Due to the massive show of support for the event, party guests overflowed into the JW Marriott's Mixology lounge on the first level. This party was rocking so much, the revelers cleaned the hotel of its vodka and gin supply at the end of the night; not to mention the ATM machine, which was also wiped out of cash.

I had to stop at one point to gaze around the room to simply take in the magnificent sight of the highly energized event filled with stylized men and female fashionista's. This emerging city has truly arrived. Is this Grand Rapids? You bet it is.