I visited the Christkindlmarkt last Saturday. I go every year and I love it. This year, I took the advice I found on this board and ordered a Kilometer with German potatoes (the ones with the caraway seeds). My dining companion also got the same potatoes (and wouldn't consent to sharing) and a serving of sauerkraut.

My Kilometer was a piece of wonderful, crunchy, spicy goodness. A little mustard and sauerkraut made it the perfect meal. I love sausage in all forms and this is my new favorite. I will make the trek over there for lunch even though I work all the way across the loop. My German potatoes were hot, tender and well seasoned. The sauerkraut was sweet with a good dose of vinegar.

I also indulged in a "boot" (this year's special mug is shaped like a boot) of spiced wine. The spiced wine from the booths outside was a little to spicy and syrupy. However, the Glunz version in the hospitality tent was delicious. I will bring my "boot" over for lunch too!

I duplicated Cindy's mom's meal yesterday. A bit pricy at $9 for the sausage and potato combo, but a terrific meal. I hadn't had the potatoes before, but they surely rank among the top fried potatoes in town. I get the impression that there's a fair amount of bacon fat involved--never a bad thing




(image courtesy of Mike G)

There was a long line at that particular booth (which faces Dearborn) but I remembered from past markets that there's often a good reason for long lines and I was glad I stuck it out. For all that we may miss the Alsatian Flamed Tart, the market is still well worth a visit

Ann Fisher wrote:I duplicated Cindy's mom's meal yesterday. A bit pricy at $9 for the sausage and potato combo, but a terrific meal. I hadn't had the potatoes before, but they surely rank among the top fried potatoes in town. I get the impression that there's a fair amount of bacon fat involved--never a bad thing

Huh. Strangers in the night. I had the same combo yesterday at Christkindlmarkt as well, except no sauerkraut. it was, indeed, quite nice. Although I have trouble believing a turano/gonella roll is really the most traditional.

It was also fun to sneak a peek highly specialized equipment the pretzel booth was using -- a Subway oven. Somewhere I have a picture. It makes a lot of sense, it just made me giggle.

And I had that same meal on one of those bitterly cold days last week...kilometer w/ sauerkraut & the potatoes. I don't recall having mustard however...hmm. I'm in agreement with everyone else, a great lunch, albeit a bit pricy.

I was happy that the warming tent was more of a building than a tent so I could enjoy the meal without freezing outdoors and unthaw myself from the long walk just in time to walk back to work...

Planning to go again either tomorrow or Thursday...this time for the double brat!

Thank you for the pics and recommendations of the kilometer and potatoes. I'm planning on going Friday...and I'm looking forward to it!

My office had a fire drill right before lunch and despite the bad weather, I took it as a sign to go over to Christkindlmarkt. Upon recommendation, I ordered the kilometer and the fried potatoes. It was really good, although I agree that the roll was too bready. My potatoes were a bit crunchy, meaning not quite cooked through. Is that traditional? I didn't mind it actually. I had to smile at the tourists behind wondering what liebercase (bad spelling, I know) was.

The potato pancakes at some of the other booths looked tempting. Anyone have any thoughts on those?

ekpaster wrote:My potatoes were a bit crunchy, meaning not quite cooked through. Is that traditional? I didn't mind it actually.

It sounds like you got there when they were too busy to get the potatoes cooked through. Try 'em again at a slower time of day..

Does anyone know if the food and other prices are going to be slashed again on the 23rd this year?

ekpaster wrote:
The potato pancakes at some of the other booths looked tempting. Anyone have any thoughts on those?

I had some potato pancakes from the stand that was also selling Wienerschnitzel sandwiches (which I also had). The order of 3 pancakes wasn't bad, but was a little bland IMO. They could have used a little onion grated in with the potatoes, latke style, but they weren't bad at all and were cooked perfectly. The wienerschnitzel sandwich was marred only by the insipid, cold kaiser roll it was served on (would it kill them to warm the bun a bit on the grill on a freezing cold day?). The schnitzel itself was pretty good for somethig you got from a stand at an outdoor festival.

ekpaster wrote:My office had a fire drill right before lunch and despite the bad weather, I took it as a sign to go over to Christkindlmarkt. Upon recommendation, I ordered the kilometer and the fried potatoes. It was really good, although I agree that the roll was too bready. My potatoes were a bit crunchy, meaning not quite cooked through. Is that traditional?

No, the turn-over at lunch time is sometimes quicker than they can handle; it's always been a slight problem. But when I was there last week, at a busy time, I got a perfectly cooked batch. Some luck is involved too, I guess.

The potato pancakes at some of the other booths looked tempting. Anyone have any thoughts on those?

I haven't had them yet this year but have many times in past years. They've always been quite good.

Antonius

I think 11:45 is prime time for the potatoes, you'll get ones that are fresh and cooked long enough. I got some that were reheated from a big barrel, hopefully not cooked originally too far in advance. They were still hot and tasty and the Millimeter Wurst was great as always. The potato pancakes don't look as good as last year, they look like they're from a mix now. The Currywurst stand had ones that looked a little better than the Plauen stands, but if that's what Steve Z had, then they weren't as good as they looked.

I ran into Eatchicago who had just finished lunch and was noshing on a Nutella-filled strudel. After he left I went and got one too, and liked it just fine as well.

Mike G wrote:I ran into Eatchicago who had just finished lunch and was noshing on a Nutella-filled strudel. After he left I went and got one too, and liked it just fine as well.

It was quite tasty. Warm and flaky. It could've used a little more nutella. Then again, EVERYTHING could use a little more nutella.

The potato pancakes were a major disappointment for me this year. Limp and tasteless, very possibly from a mix.

On the other hand, my brat w/kraut and fried potatoes were excellent.

Best,
Michael

gleam wrote:Does anyone know if the food and other prices are going to be slashed again on the 23rd this year?

They slash prices on the 23rd?!

foodie1 wrote:

gleam wrote:Does anyone know if the food and other prices are going to be slashed again on the 23rd this year?

They slash prices on the 23rd?!

Well, Gary mentioned last year that a lot of the non-food-items were discounted. The market shuts down on the 22nd this year, though, so I'd guess the 23rd would be a bad time to visit

I went over one day last week when it was about 5 degrees outside and had some potato pancakes. I was really looking forward to buying some of soft gingerbread-like cookies (I think someone else called them magenbrot), but couldn't find them anywhere this year. I walked around all of the booths twice, and then just froze to death and couldn't look any more. Has anyone found them? I'll be bummed if they're gone, because I've enjoyed them in the past.

CURRYWURST? Where? I didn't see them on Sunday.

And check out the Sweet Palace for the non-export versions of Ritter Sport chocolate and Haribo gummies.

I was disappointed not to find the chocolate "surprise" eggs that my children are so fond of. It seems ridiculous to me that you can buy them at Wal-Mart in Canada and all over Europe, yet they care considered dangerous in this country because of a fear of someone choking on an enormous plastic container that is almost impossible for adults to open, let alone a small child.

My kids don't like them for the chocolate -- they just want the prizes inside. I have a nice collection of pig figurines, mini-racecars and other assorted crap that they have found in their eggs over the years. I usually get a tray of 24 and dole them out over the course of the year.

I was really looking forward to buying some of soft gingerbread-like cookies (I think someone else called them magenbrot), but couldn't find them anywhere this year.

The big candy house near the Clark Street side had a sign for these in the window, but I couldn't go in to find them myself because it was so packed.

sdritz wrote:My kids don't like them for the chocolate -- they just want the prizes inside. I have a nice collection of pig figurines, mini-racecars and other assorted crap that they have found in their eggs over the years. I usually get a tray of 24 and dole them out over the course of the year.

Man, the toys in those eggs are awful. Really awful.

You can get Kinder Surprise Eggs online at a ton of places. Someone might be able to point you to another local source, though.

You can get Kinder Surprise Eggs online at a ton of places. Someone might be able to point you to another local source, though.

Have you ever tried Cost Plus World Market? They have a lot of imported chocolates and cookes. I may just have to run over there this weekend and get me some Cadbury Fingers. Yum. Hannah's Bretzel in the Loop has a lot of Kinder products. If they don't have the eggs, the owner might know where to get them.

What is the name of that big, Polish-ish grocery/produce store on Irving Park? Joseph's? My friend Ella gets the Kinder Surporise Eggs there. Perhaps less conveniently, I also saw them recently at the Niles Polish Deli, on Milwaukee in Niles. Finally, Garden Fresh Market in Highland Park carries a lot of Kinder candies (I am a fan of the oddly named Kinder Bueno, myself).

Joseph's
8235 W. Irving Park
Chicago, IL

Nilse Polish Deli
8705 N Milwaukee Ave
Niles, IL
(847) 470-8780

Garden Fresh Market
275 Skokie Blvd.
Northbrook, IL
(847) 272-0300

gleam wrote:You can get Kinder Surprise Eggs online at a ton of places. Someone might be able to point you to another local source, though.

I have seen these at the checkout counter at Family Fruit Market on Cicero on a number of occasions. I've always wondered just what the heck they were. I am not sure if they have them all the time, so call ahead or just go and take your chances.

Family Fruit Market
4118 N. Cicero
Chicago, IL
773-481-2500

kl5 wrote:What is the name of that big, Polish-ish grocery/produce store on Irving Park? Joseph's? ....

Joseph's
8235 W. Irving Park
Chicago, IL

K:

This Joseph's is an Italian store and, indeed, one of the best in the Chicagoland area.

A

Antonius wrote:Joseph's is an Italian store and, indeed, one of the best in the Chicagoland area.

A

Ah, you're right! I meant A&G, and it's on Belmont, not Irving Park.

A & G Market
5600 West Belmont
Chicago, IL

foodie1 wrote:

gleam wrote:Does anyone know if the food and other prices are going to be slashed again on the 23rd this year?

They slash prices on the 23rd?!

I was at the market last night, a lot of the shops with ornaments had 20% - 50% off signs. My nutella strudel was full price though.


Debating whether to grab a kilometer for lunch today or not...hmm...

Lurked for a while and decided to post. I went today with my pops and upon this forum advice, I got the kilometer with kraut and the pototes. My dad got something else which I can't remember, but it was very spam-like. My sausage was amazing! The pototes were very good too. My didn't like his that much, but he did love the bite of sausage that I let him have. So anyway, I wanted to say thank you all for a year's worth of good advice and conversation! Thanks for steering me the right way!

Re Kinder Surprise Eggs: You can usually get them at Oakton Market in Skokie. I've always found the toys in them to be quite clever, and they make good little gifts for kids (as long as they're old enough to choke on the toy pieces.) There is a knock-off version they sometimes carry, though, that contains much less appealing toys inside.

Christkindlmarktimbißbude 2006
Das heißt: Beim frischen Wetter al fresco fressen

For something on the order of the tenth consecutive year, since the first year when it was held on the north side of the river at Michigan Avenue, I went to the Christkindlmarkt and, despite some prelimary reports of a vastly reduced and disappointing set of food offerings at this year's market, I felt the market was much as it was last year and in the first years in this location. Of course, the Flamme Küche stand was gone but then again, that was the case last year and in any event, it was only present one year, I believe (at most, two years). With regard to the bread used for the sandwiches at the stands from Plauen, it is true that the bread is not as it once was but it has been of this same sort for several years now, if I remember correctly, and though this bread is certainly not a particular attraction in itself, it is a serviceable delivery device for the Bratwürste, which seem to be of the same fine quality as in years passed. I'd be surprised if the other items at the Plauen-stands (Leberkäse, Kaßler, etc.) were not also essentially just as they were in previous years.

Yesterday, I had one of my favourite combinations, a very straightforward order of a Bratwurst sandwich with a portion of German fried potatoes. Schauen Sie mal, meine Herrschaften:

The sausages were delicious as in the past, the Sauerkraut excellent and the mustard just right. In addition, the Bratkartoffeln were especially outstanding, simply owing to the fact that they were uniformly done just right, all cooked through with a good amount of brown bits and lots of flecks of bacon. Es könnte eigentlich kaum besser sein.

Now, JeffB reported elsewhere that the Kilometerwurst had been dropped from this years offerings. When I read that, I was concerned but also wondered whether he may have gone to the Plauen-stand in the central area, which for reasons unbeknownst to me does not ever seem to offer the K-wurst, despite the fact that it is run by the same folks who run the stand on the Dierborn [neue Rechtschreibung] side. Now there, they still - as always -- offer the infamous K-wurst. Kann ich Beweis dafür erbringen? Jawohl!; das Verzeichnis der verfügbaren Futterage bei der Bude, Dierbornseite des Markts:

K-wurst listed on left, third from top.
For whatever reason, I've always ended up feeling this to be the best of the stands and it was nice to recognise and be recognised by one of the lads at work there (alongside two new guys; no sign of the handsome woman who has hitherto almost always been there).

Here's a view of the eastside of the market, with my favourite stand in the middle:

Just to the north is a stand where they serve Schnitzel sandwiches and burgers and such, as well Gulasch. Along the northside is the Strudel-booth. Both on the eastside and in the middle there are potato-pancake stands alongside the sausage-stands.

All in all, I believe this year's market is much as it has been over recent years, though of course without some of the things that were added for the years when the market had expanded into the Block 37. Of course, JeffB is quite right in lamenting the loss of some of those notable things (the Gulasch and Flamme Küche-specialists) but in a way, things seem to me to have gone back to where they were in the first years at Daley Plaza. The expansion to the east was, alas, short lived.

In any event, my lunch yesterday was great and I shall happily return. The Flamme Kueche (link) and Gulasch I'll make at home but this year's market -- even if somewhat reduced from the heyday of Blok 37 expansion, will provide multiple simple, good al fresco meals... Bratkartoffeln, Leberkäse, Kaßler, Bratwürstchen, K-Würste, K-puffer... Das reicht, oder?

VG
Antonius

Antonius wrote:All in all, I believe this year's market is much as it has been over recent years...

Excellent news, thank you for the report, Antonius. I'm looking forward to a lunch there soon.

Best,
Michael

A--

Great news. Note that my visit was both early in the season and early in the day. I scoured the offerings, getting the fish eye from some of our German guest workers (I like the idea) for skulking by so often without purchasing anything. No K-Wurst poster, and the potatoes were not ready, either, during my visit. (That's always the case early in the day, so I didn't mentionit before.) So, I'm glad to see that hope remains this Xmas season. Still, I'll miss the guy with the big kettles of stew, who I believe made more than one appearance over the years.

J

eatchicago wrote:

Antonius wrote:All in all, I believe this year's market is much as it has been over recent years...

Excellent news, thank you for the report, Antonius. I'm looking forward to a lunch there soon.

Best,
Michael

Yes, I too was glad to read this thread, especially the updated report for this year's incarnation. I walked to the market on Wednesday, but it was late in the day and items didn't seem to be very fresh. I'm positively excited to walk over today, confident knowing that I have solid recommendations for the tastiest dishes by the most reliable vendors.

It's strange, despite often visiting family in the Milwaukee area (Polish and German blood, but we always wind up at some bland Greek family diner.), I haven't had really good German food of any kind since I lived in California. The few places I've tried in Chicago have been mediocre at best...