Willkat98 wrote:Great thread, so open ended.

I'll give my general memories of what I can recall as a kid.

I grew up in the heart of the South Side. 59th and Kedzie. 1975-1990. Colony theatre, Gerties Ice Cream (I was a soda jerk there), a great place to grow up.

Very working class, eating out was a privilege, not a rite.

We would have Pizza Castle from 55th on regular splurge days, and Little Joe's on 63rd every once in a while. You folks talk about Vito and Nicks tavern style pizza, for us V&N was for birthdays and Christmas Eve, ALWAYS on Christmas Eve. V&N was our special celebration place.

Other events as a kid had B&B catering from Archer (anyone recall that?) as well as places like Snackville Junction for food delivered via train.

59th and Kedzie means we grew up with Nicky's hot dogs at 58th and Kedzie. The original home of the Big Baby. I know it has been nitpicked to death over which location has the best version, but in the 1970's, I had access to the only version. I could tell you all about how Nicky's was in the 5700 block, next to the auto repair place and the hair salon school, but those got bought out by McDonalds expansion and Nicky's moved into the former Winchells donuts next to Meyer foods.

And when I went to Nicky's and ordered a hot dog with everything, it was hot dog, mustard, ketchup, relish (non-neon), chopped white onion, and pickle spear.

No neon green relish, no tomato, no celery salt.... I don't know where there garden drag started, but it wasn't at Nicky's

Thanks for the thread

On the far NW side, on Milwaukee Ave, there was this hot dog joint called Tast-e Hast-e. Talk about everything on it we used to call it a salad on a bun!
https://chicagohistorytoday.wordpress.c ... -drive-in/

Brushman4 wrote:On the far NW side, on Milwaukee Ave, there was this hot dog joint called Tast-e Hast-e. Talk about everything on it we used to call it a salad on a bun!
https://chicagohistorytoday.wordpress.c ... -drive-in/

Thanks for sharing that link, Brushman4! That's gold to me.

MungryJoe wrote:

Brushman4 wrote:On the far NW side, on Milwaukee Ave, there was this hot dog joint called Tast-e Hast-e. Talk about everything on it we used to call it a salad on a bun!
https://chicagohistorytoday.wordpress.c ... -drive-in/

Thanks for sharing that link, Brushman4! That's gold to me.

Did you use to partake in a few Tast-e Hast-e dogs back in the day?

Brushman4 wrote:

MungryJoe wrote:

Brushman4 wrote:On the far NW side, on Milwaukee Ave, there was this hot dog joint called Tast-e Hast-e. Talk about everything on it we used to call it a salad on a bun!
https://chicagohistorytoday.wordpress.c ... -drive-in/

Thanks for sharing that link, Brushman4! That's gold to me.

Did you use to partake in a few Tast-e Hast-e dogs back in the day?

No, I wish I could say that I had. But I'm really interested in variations and alternatives to the standard seven toppings. Thanks again!!

Binko wrote:I'm going to ask a stupid question. I didn't like olives until my late teenagerhood, and I somehow have never gotten around to having an olive burger. Can someone describe what it is like from the fine establishments they've had it at? Is it just a bunch of chopped olives, sliced olives, or is it an olive spread of some sort? What kind of olives? What are the rest of the standard toppings on an olive burger? Should I assume this is a burger that is normally served without lettuce and tomato?

Now, I'm sure there's a lot of variations, but I'm curious what makes a more-or-less typical one from the Chicago area.

Basically, just like a mushroom burger only with olives, they usually came with lettuce and tomato on the plate. It was up to you if you wanted to pile them on and add ketchup and mustard.

jilter wrote:A must in our house growing up was the sheet cake for our birthdays from Marshall Fields. I used to think it arrived by magic every year. But one time, when I was old enough, I was taken to help pick it up. I recall the basement at MF's very vividly.
I bet it was not that good comparatively speaking, but gosh I would kill for a piece right about now.
P.S. I have been feeling very old and out of touch recently. But gosh I love this forum and appreciate it so very much!

I remember Marshall Fields chocolate cake with buttercream icing and their chocolate cake with fudge icing as the best cakes ever! I wish I had those recipes.

Oh, pastry!.
Got to list Dominick's Heinemann's Bakery as an important food source. Their chocolate pistachio cake was tradition for birthdays, and that gritty pistachio-crumb coating on the sides is very memorable and missed.
Their chocolate-chip cookies were crisp and buttery.... until one day they were merely crisp and oily. I suspect that recipe change may have led to the chain's downfall.

Those chocolate pistachio cakes are to be found at Jewel, at least the one on Skokie Blvd in Skokie. In the freezer section. My husband's favorite. I can not say if it tastes as it did in the old days (what does?) as I do not eat it.

Cathy2 wrote:

chicagostyledog wrote:Dressel's Chocolate Fudge Whipped Cream Cake

CSD

Monica Kass Rogers website LostRecipesFound.com, she has a DIY Dressel's Chocolate Fudge Whipped Cream Cake.

Regards,
Cathy2

Get thee to Wolf's Bakery in Evergreen Park for a very close replica to the Dressel's cake. If you go, will advise if it is close? I got this tip tonight from Jennifer Billock's talk on Historic Chicago Bakeries this evening.

Wolf's Bakery
3241 95th St,
Evergreen Park, IL 60805
(708) 422-7429

Monday-Friday 6AM–6PM
Saturday 6AM–5PM
Sunday 7AM–2PM

Elliott's donut holes.

I fondly remember Elliott's Donut Holes from when I was very young. Do you remember where it was? Was it next to the El somewhere?

The one I remember was on Garfield (55th St) maybe around Halsted. IIRC it was next to a railroad viaduct, not the El.

Fanny's. Where all events were celebrated including Kennedy's election.

Best cake in the world was Davidson's banana cake. Never tasted a comparable banana cake since. One of my favorite food memories ever.

Francheezie from Big Top on Higgins.

I answered much earlier in the thread with the things that came first to mind -- but reading more posts, I am reminded of so many other favorites.

Cooley's Cupboard in Evanston was the first place I ever saw petit fours, and being little myself, I was immediately delighted with these little works of art.

I was older when I first visited the Pickle Barrel, but someone's post on that reminded me how much I loved that -- the pickles, the popcorn, and the outrageously thick hot pastrami sandwich. Yow.

I also always enjoyed the "elegant" places my grandmother favored -- the Dominion Room in Evanston (first place I ever had strawberries with sour cream and brown sugar, still a favorite dessert) and Indian Trail in Winnetka (where my strongest memories are of the ambience).

And of course Marshall Field's -- especially the Special Sandwich -- and I believe they had rather good cheese soup, as well.

As mentioned before, Chinatown (pressed duck at Gooey Sam) and Greektown (Diana's Grocery -- back when one had to stand in line forever) -- but don't want to leave out Su Casa -- my first exposure to Mexican food, around age 6 or 7. My dad was a great culinary explorer.

Oh -- and almost forgot -- the Toddle House -- tiny restaurants that specialized in breakfast -- I adored their fried potatoes. Also was pretty impressed with their chocolate pie.

Bob O's hot dogs....
Dressels Whipped Cream Cake, Maurice Lennell cookies. Bakery from the Village Bakery near Belmont and Oak Park Avenue. Cheeseburgers anywhere, I like green Olive cheeseburgers. Russells BBQ. Thin crust pizza, later deep dish. Ice cream from Prince Castle or Tastee Freeze.

Toria:

Subject: I Want Cake

chicagostyledog wrote:http://www.wolfsbakery.net makes an excellent replica of the famous Dressel's Whipped Cream Cake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_an0P5uZUA

Cathy,

You certainly had a better culinary childhood than I did. Most definitely my favorite food as a kid was a McDonalds hamburger - a rare treat in our house.

Bob O's hot dogs....

Are you referring to the one on Byrn Mar between Kimball and Kedzie back in the late 70's, early 80"s? Just down the street from Hollywood Liquors.

Puckjam wrote:Bob O's hot dogs....

Are you referring to the one on Byrn Mar between Kimball and Kedzie back in the late 70's, early 80"s? Just down the street from Hollywood Liquors.

The Bob O's hot dogs I went to was on Irving park rd. near Cumberland I believe. Its still there.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/bobos-hot-dogs-chicago