bryan wrote:Would be great to have an address on this place please.

It was just a google search away...

Tensuke Market:
3 S. Arlington Heights Rd. Elk Grove Village IL 60007

It used to be Bomboleo and it was good. New owner, new menu and bad service. They were open for May 5th lunch, and it took 65 minutes for the meal to be served. For tamales. That weren't that good.

They opened up for lunch for Cinco de Mayo and if that is any indication of the service out of the kitchen, I'm not going back.

We were watching a tour of Japan on the Travel Channel, and then Iron Chef, and Sparky wanted sushi, so...I....I...went to Jewel

Stupidly, (I was very tired and in a rush) I passed on the "freshly-made" sushi in favor of a round platter of what appeared to be California rolls and some ebi. These turned out to be comprised of ground or chopped Krab in mayo, some kind of chopped cooked fish salad (tuna? the ingredient list which I later read in disbelief said halibut) and shriveled little shrimps on misshapen globs of nasty sweet rice that had coagulated on the edges.

This platter has a gold sticker on it and is not made in the store. Consider yourself warned.

Mhays wrote: so...I....I...went to Jewel

This is a lesson I re-learn about 3 or 4 times a year. It looks so tempting and the price is right (a little too right).

Tortfeasor wrote:The best sushi in the area is a closely held secret

Tortfeasor wrote:It was just a google search away...

Tortfeasor,

It's considered polite convention to include address on LTHForum, especially of 'secret' places. Speaking of secrets, Tensuke has been written about on LTHForum any number of times, both as Tensuke and True World. Sea Ranch, which are affiliated, have been mentioned as well.

Enjoy,
Gary
...
Repost:

Next time you are in the area you may wish to try Tensuke, which, as is Mitsuwa, a full service Japanese grocery with a bustling sushi counter. Though the majority of Tensuke's sushi is prepackaged at lunch there are typically two chefs in the front of the sushi counter who will take special orders, though they are often busy with large phone orders. Tensuke's prepackaged sushi does not fall prey to the bland sameness of most premade sushi, nor does Mitsuwa's for that matter, though I much prefer Tensuke's.

Tensuke carries an excellent selection of fresh fish for sashimi, including toro at the fresh fish counter, which is directly to the right of the two Itamaes. Pick out a piece that appeals to you, then catch the eye of one of the chefs in the back, there is a glass window, when he comes out hand him the fish and indicate you would like it sliced for sashimi. If the piece is larger than you would like indicate exactly how much you would like. Unless you speak Japanese hand gestures are helpful.

I have gone many miles out of my way just on the off chance that Tensuke would have toro. Not only is the toro, and all the fish at Tensuke for that matter, pristinely fresh, but the cost is substantially less than ordering at a sushi bar. Tensuke provides a small, though comfortable, eat-in area and, in nice weather, sets up tables and chairs outside.

Just as an aside, the FAQ of alt.food.sushi is quite an interesting read, even for the most experienced lover of sushi.

Enjoy,
Gary

Tensuke
3 Arlington Heights Rd
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
847-806-1200

Mitsuwa
100 E. Algonquin Road,
Arlington Hts., IL 60005
847-956-6699

Sea Ranch
518 Dempster St
Evanston, IL
847-492-8340

Sea Ranch
3217 Lake Ave
Wilmette, IL
847-256-4404

Sea Ranch Sushi & Grill
1089 E Golf Rd
Arlington Hts, IL
847-439-5509

The "Kani Chung" roll at Wakamono.

Slimy.
Syrupy.

Just plain nasty.

E.M.

YourPalWill wrote:
Frozen turkey sausage stromboli from Trader Joe's. It had Chef Boyardee qualities at 5 times the cost. The second one was filed in the kitchen garbage can.

Yep. One of the few things from Trader Joe's that I absolutely despise. I tried the toasted sesame and ginger potato chips today, though, and they were phenomenal.

I'm sorry, but to me there are at least four clues in the six words "Trader Joe's frozen turkey sausage stromboli" that it is something to stay far, far away from.

Mike G wrote:I'm sorry, but to me there are at least four clues in the six words "Trader Joe's frozen turkey sausage stromboli" that it is something to stay far, far away from.

What, you were expecting Trader Giotto?

Mike G wrote:Biscuits were buff pads, pretty terrible, but worse yet, the gravy was made with what was basically Italian sausage, fennel and red pepper flavors instead of country sausage flavors. It suggested a really horrible idea for a pizza (New Pizza Hut Country Style Pizza-cuits-N-Gravy!)

That gravy is precisely the same nasty experience I had at Kuma's last summer, although what made it worse there was that the Italian-sausage laden gravy ruined the fantastic Kuma's biscuits, which are the best I've ever had north of 8110 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis, IN.

Bob S. wrote:A mac & cheese I made about three weeks ago. The roux broke, and I couldn't save it. (Can you? Or should you just start over again?) I rationalized it was still all the same ingredients and chowed down, but there were thoughts of pizza in the interim.

Yes. However, you must use a different binder, such as a slurry or xantham gum or something. The flour/fat won't be able to bind your liquid back together to "unbreak" it.

Thanks for the tip, Ryan! For instance like a cornstarch or potato starch slurry? Or would that require too much heat? (xanthan gum isn't in my pantry...)

HI,

Wondra is a very fine flour, which dissolves quickly with no lumps. It can also be used to repair broken roux.

Regards,

Ryan! Boston?? When? No BotGar appearance this summer, I take it?

Bummer. You were a LOT of fun to work with. But good for you - and the best of luck!

Both of those slurries would bind it back up, and then you would have to cook out the starches, about 45 seconds.

And yes, I will not be participating in the Botanic Garden's Series this summer. I just accepted a job in Boston and am leaving on the 31st of May to be the Executive Chef of MASA Restaurant.

I had three of the most beat-down softshell crabs at [a popular steakhouse chain...to protect the guilty] on Thursday night, which I probably deserved for ordering at a steakhouse. But still. Pay $30 for a three softshell crab entree, and you kinda expect more. Not three poorly fried, oily, small, meat-lacking crabs slapped on a giant square plate that only draws more attention to how measly and unappetizing the contents of said plate are.

If we hadn't been paying for this meal, this part would've been funnier: The crabs were accompanied by an "Asian cucumber salad" that was, I kid you not, served in one of those tiny clear glass herb/spice measuring bowls that holds about one and a half tablespoons. And it tasted fishy. Not the good kind of Asian fish sauce fishy. The kind of fishy that makes you think the cucumbers were marinated in a dirty fish tank fishy. But, hey, at least there was only a tablespoon of it to choke down.

The entire meal was a disaster, and grossly overpriced. The SO's steak, ordered medium rare, was delivered well-done--nary a streak of pink inside the cut. I haven't been to [this steakhouse chain] for years, but if this meal was any indication of what's going on there...wow.

crrush wrote:I had three of the most beat-down softshell crabs at [a popular steakhouse chain...to protect the guilty] on Thursday night, which I probably deserved for ordering at a steakhouse. But still. Pay $30 for a three softshell crab entree, and you kinda expect more. Not three poorly fried, oily, small, meat-lacking crabs slapped on a giant square plate that only draws more attention to how measly and unappetizing the contents of said plate are.

If we hadn't been paying for this meal, this part would've been funnier: The crabs were accompanied by an "Asian cucumber salad" that was, I kid you not, served in one of those tiny clear glass herb/spice measuring bowls that holds about one and a half tablespoons. And it tasted fishy. Not the good kind of Asian fish sauce fishy. The kind of fishy that makes you think the cucumbers were marinated in a dirty fish tank fishy. But, hey, at least there was only a tablespoon of it to choke down.

The entire meal was a disaster, and grossly overpriced. The SO's steak, ordered medium rare, was delivered well-done--nary a streak of pink inside the cut. I haven't been to [this steakhouse chain] for years, but if this meal was any indication of what's going on there...wow.

So why not disclose the name of the restaurant? At the very least, we'll know to avoid the soft shell crabs there.

Ryanj wrote:

Bob S. wrote:A mac & cheese I made about three weeks ago. The roux broke, and I couldn't save it. (Can you? Or should you just start over again?) I rationalized it was still all the same ingredients and chowed down, but there were thoughts of pizza in the interim.

Yes. However, you must use a different binder, such as a slurry or xantham gum or something. The flour/fat won't be able to bind your liquid back together to "unbreak" it.

Thanks much for the explanation, Ryan, and good luck in Boston, my still-loved hometown.

I didn't want to get in trouble by naming names, but since you asked: Smith & Wollensky. The only reason we went: the sin-laws were in town. After getting a wee bit o indigestion from eating lobster bisque for lunch (why, oh why?), the smother-in-law wanted something "light and easy". Somehow, that translated to a steakhouse, and since they've heard of the chain, they insisted. Nevah again.

crrush wrote:I didn't want to get in trouble by naming names, but since you asked: Smith & Wollensky. The only reason we went: the sin-laws were in town. After getting a wee bit o indigestion from eating lobster bisque for lunch (why, oh why?), the smother-in-law wanted something "light and easy". Somehow, that translated to a steakhouse, and since they've heard of the chain, they insisted. Nevah again.

"sin-laws?" . . . "smother-in-law?" . . . perhaps you should have treated them to . . . dare I say . . . Twin Anchors (loud and mediocre, IMO).

I must say, although I have not been to S&W in a long time, the complaint I have often heard from many who have been there more recently is improperly cooked steaks.

06.01.06

"Roasted Vegetable Salad" @ The Hopleaf.

[Roasted fennel, asparagus, leeks, and fingerling potatoes tossed with a bit of truffle oil.]

I do not exaggerate: it looked like fresh cud.

And, just like fresh cud it gave off faint wisps of steam.

E.M.

P.S. Fortunately, the Braised Beef Brisket Sandwich, [url=http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=77762#77762http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=77762#77762]described here earlier today[/url], did not let me down. Thanks, kafein!

What I learned today while making white-guy shish taouk (that is, grilled thin slices of chicken marinated in lemon and garlic, stuffed in pita with either hummus or homemade tzatziki made with that Greek yogurt they have at Whole Foods now):

Oasis brand pitas, warmed on the grill, make an excellent shish taouk.

Whole Foods brand pitas, warmed on the grill, make an excellent pad for buffing the shine on your Porsche.

My glass of water at the newly remodeled Davis St. Fishmarket.

A glass of water in a fish restaurant should not taste like fish.

That said, the food was pretty good, I had a very generous seafood boil special. I prefer spending the same amount on a finer seafood place, somewhere like Spring, but I'll continue to eat there once in awhile, especially after the raw bar opens again.

I'll be drinking beer though.

This might be suitable for both the "Worst Food Lately" thread and the "Diversey/Broadway/Clark" thread.

I was taken to a burrito place at Wellington and Broadway, right across from Cesar's and the Avenue Tap. I can't remember the name for the life of me even though as I was standing in line I was saying to myself, "Remember this place, you're going to want to complain about it on LTH." The food must have bland-ed out my memory of that portion of my life.

I ordered the al pastor torta meal, and knew it was a bad decision when they took pre-chopped al pastor out of the cooler and dollop-ed some out of a dish onto the grill. I knew it was a worse decision when the beans looked to have the consistency of Elmer's glue--slightly congealed, mostly runny.

I knew it was a really bad decision when they microwaved my rice, along with the rice for the other two people I was with. When the microwave bell went off, he took the dish, and kinda...thumbed the rice into the styrofoam container. As I was eating, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of filth was on the money he'd been handling all day.

Yikes. I must have really been hungry, because I ate it. But under silent protest.

JimInLoganSquare wrote:8110 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis, IN.

Hmmm...I live in Indy, and lived just a
few blocks from this place for several
years. Never knew they had good
biscuits - always avoided it because
the crowd it usually attracted screamed
"bland" to me.

They're REAL biscuits, right? Not the FRIED
ones that are (inexplicably) popular around
these parts?

SCUBAchef wrote:

JimInLoganSquare wrote:8110 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis, IN.

Hmmm...I live in Indy, and lived just a
few blocks from this place for several
years. Never knew they had good
biscuits - always avoided it because
the crowd it usually attracted screamed
"bland" to me.

As a lifetime regular of Hollyhock, should I be insulted by that observation? And sorry if the people screamed that at you; I suppose I'd be weirded out enough to stay away from a place where the patrons scream at passersby like that. Look, Hollyhock does not serve cutting edge cuisine, they serve family-style fried chicken dinners. Although they also do wonderful things with steaks and seafood, if you'd prefer. And there is a full bar, in case it's still too boring for you.

SCUBAchef wrote:They're REAL biscuits, right? Not the FRIED
ones that are (inexplicably) popular around
these parts?

Yes, they are REAL biscuits, not fried. And made in quantities and replaced at a sufficient rate that, yes, they are also FRESH when delivered to your table. By "these parts," I wonder what places in Indianapolis you are thinking of? Growing up there (1966 to 1985), I associated the fried biscuit with the Nashville House, not any place in Indianapolis. Has there been a shift toward fried biscuits in Indianapolis I wasn't aware of?

JimInLoganSquare wrote:As a lifetime regular of Hollyhock, should I be insulted by that observation?

First of all, chill, JiMiNlOgAnSqUaRe.

Second, if the shoe...rather, the
suspenders-and-chest-high-belt combo,
fits...?
(pssst...old people tend to eat
real early and prefer bland food,
learn your stereotypes, dude.)

JimInLoganSquare wrote:Has there been a shift toward fried biscuits in Indianapolis I wasn't aware of?

I don't claim to be abreast of your
state of awareness, but; yes,
they pop up in all kinds of places.
They've even infiltrated some fast
food places. For instance, Church's
Chicken now only has the fried variety.

I grew up in "The Greater Chicagoland
Area", but have lived here about 13 years.
Don't think I ever encountered a fried
biscuit until coming here.

A McGriddle sandwich this morning. I confess a liking to Egg McMuffins, primarily for their canadian bacon, but after months and months of curiosity asked for a McGriddle this morning at the drive thru. Blecch! I never see eggs and meat served between maple syruped pancakes at Walker Bros. or other breakfast haunts -- I have no idea why people think this is a tasty breakfast combination.
>>Brent

brotine wrote:A McGriddle sandwich this morning. I confess a liking to Egg McMuffins, primarily for their canadian bacon, but after months and months of curiosity asked for a McGriddle this morning at the drive thru. Blecch! I never see eggs and meat served between maple syruped pancakes at Walker Bros. or other breakfast haunts -- I have no idea why people think this is a tasty breakfast combination.
>>Brent

If you try one with just the sausage, your opinion may change. Mine did (somewhat). Think about the mix of sausage, syrup and pancake on a typical breakfast plate ... you don't want eggs and cheese in there complicating that elemental sweet/salt/fat experience, do you? Or consider pigs in a blanket, which I know for sure is on Walker Bros. menu and is delicious.

That said, the McGriddle flap-jackoids are not terribly tasty, and certainly can't be compared to a real pancake (for one, they're far "sturdier," for the obvious reason that they must stand up to being tossed in a box and then held like a sandwich, typically in a moving vehicle).

JimInLoganSquare wrote:

brotine wrote:A McGriddle sandwich this morning. I confess a liking to Egg McMuffins, primarily for their canadian bacon, but after months and months of curiosity asked for a McGriddle this morning at the drive thru. Blecch! I never see eggs and meat served between maple syruped pancakes at Walker Bros. or other breakfast haunts -- I have no idea why people think this is a tasty breakfast combination.
>>Brent

If you try one with just the sausage, your opinion may change. Mine did (somewhat). Think about the mix of sausage, syrup and pancake on a typical breakfast plate ... you don't want eggs and cheese in there complicating that elemental sweet/salt/fat experience, do you? Or consider pigs in a blanket, which I know for sure is on Walker Bros. menu and is delicious.

Obviously, opinions may differ on this but I have tried the McGriddle with sausage and do qualify it as "One Of The Worst Things I Have Eaten Lately." Theoretically, the maple syrup, pancake and sausage would all go well together, but I found the "pancake" that is the McGriddle bun to be so sickly sweet with fake maple syrup taste that it made my stomach churn as well as overwhelmed the taste of the sausage.

If I'm in the mood and can justify having a McDonald's breakfast sandwich (i.e., starvation the prior two days), then I'll stick with the sausage and egg biscuit, thank you very much.