Bijan's Bistro

Location: 663 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60611

A Quick Word:
Late night meals have become extremely popular in the city, especially on the weekends.  Some places are starting to serve late-night menus, but Bijan's Bistro has been doing this for years.  This American bistro, located in the River North area, is open until 3AM on Mondays - Friday's and 4AM on Saturdays.  They have a huge variety of food, so everyone will find something they want to try.  Unfortunately, as I was eating, I found a flaw or two in every dish.  They try to put a contemporary twist on some dishes and fall short. The cost is definitely a little higher, which is difficult for student budgets.  The staff is extremely friendly and patient with the more intoxicated crowds.  Regardless of the amazing atmosphere and late night options, the food was just above par, so I gave it a just above average review of 3.5 miles.

What We Ate:

Spinach Artichoke Dip

After searching through the extensive list of appetizers, the spinach artichoke dip stood out as the best for sharing.  Made simply with spinach, artichoke, and cheeses, this dip was spruced up a little by serving it with lavash style crackers rather than pita bread.  The dip was great... lots of flavor from garlic and of course the artichoke.  It came out piping hot, but that didn't stop anyone from taking a huge bite.  Dipping everything into this dip was always a possibility.  We used the chicken sandwich and the french fries as vessels.  Unfortunately, the lavash-like crackers were not good.  They were way too thin to support the heavier dip.  It was next to impossible to scoop with the crackers.  I wish they just kept it simple with sliced french bread or pita bread.

Macaroni and Cheese with Applewood Smoked Bacon

One of the main entrees we all shared was the mac and cheese.  Here, they make it with applewood smoked bacon and plenty of different cheeses.  I am unsure exactly which cheese, but a sharp cheddar was definitely the dominating flavor.  Unfortunately, we were a little disappointed in the amount of bacon used... it was just way too much.  Some of the bites were 100% bacon flavored while others had an OK balance.  The dish has a little bit of a breadcrumb topping.  A lot of people love this mac and cheese... I think the bacon was just a little too much.

Grilled Marinated Chicken Breast Sandwich

We decided to share a sandwich as well.  This grilled marinated chicken breast sandwich had the typical toppings of lettuce, tomato, and onion.  It also had a pesto mayonnaise.  The sandwich was delicious, but the bun was on the disappointing side.  It was simply a hamburger bun that was lightly toasted.  I really enjoy pesto and it was heavily basil, less garlic flavored.  The chicken was moist and well seasoned.  It came with some amazing french fries.  I loved dipping the extra fries into the spinach artichoke dip.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Great late night spot.  Open till the earliest hours.  It does get packed pretty fast.

DON'T:
- Don't expect to leave with a cheap bill.  It is pricier for late night food.

How far would I walk for this food?

Paulina Meat Market

Location: 3501 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60657


A Quick Word:
After I discovered Paulina Meat Market, I was excited to finally get a variety of smoked snack sticks.  When walking into the store, you will find an exceptional, yet limited variety.  The butchers are very helpful, offering tips on different flavors and even giving samples if you ask.  They have a huge variety of mustards that complement the different types of sausage available.  I purchased a spicy dijon German mustard which was excellent.  Unfortunately, this place is located pretty far from the downtown area.  And, they don't offer much game meat options.  Hope one day they offer venison or bison.  But, for now, I will rate it at 3.5 miles with plenty of room to grow.

What We Ate:

Spicy Lamb Stick, Linguisa, Salami Stick, Honey Pork Sausage

Finally, after searching far and wide, I was able to find a place that serves smoked snack sticks.  Paulina Meat Market was a great find.  They offer smoked meats from lamb to chicken to even huge pork tenderloins.  Everything is just under $10.00 per lb., which is pretty pricey considering I can get similar products back at home for half the cost.  I was pleasantly surprised by all the different sausages however.  The flavors were great and they offer both a more dried option and the softer less air dried type.  I prefer the honey pork sausage (bottom right picture).  It is shaped like a pig tail and has an incredible sweetness to it.  The honey really shines.  The spicy lamb stick (top left picture) was also great.  Add a little mustard to it and you can't complain.  The other two sticks were just ok.  Nothing too spectacular.  I just wished they had more game meat... venison, bison, etc.  Maybe they can consider making some?

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Plenty of parking around the area.  I suggest visiting during the week if possible.

DON'T:
- Don't expect to walk out with a small bill.  The smoked meats weigh quite a bit and the price rises fairly fast.  A pound of meat will get you 3 maybe 4 sausages, depending on the sizes.

How far would I walk for this place?

Hot Doug's

Location: 3324 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60618

A Quick Word:
Whenever I mention the word hot dog in Chicago, everyone always suggests Hot Doug's.  And for years, I have been meaning to try it out.  Finally, I made it to this self-proclaimed "Sausage Superstore."  While waiting in a short line (we arrived about 15 minutes after they opened), we looked at all the different wild game options and also other creative hot dog combinations named after celebrities.  Some of the game meat included buffalo, alligator, and duck.  It is difficult to decide, so I took some advice from one of my buddies... order one "weird one" and one "normal one."  Choosing between the game sausages was the most difficult part, but once the food order arrived, we knew made the right decision.  The service is very friendly and pretty fast.  They clean up after you, so just leave the trays on the table.  Upon first bite of the game meat, I fell in love with the restaurant.  Great food, great atmosphere, memorable experience... I instantly thought this is going to go the distance.  However, I was surprised by an inaccurate Chicago-style hot dog that was more awful than it was great... and for that reason, a 4 mile rating was all I could give.

What We Ate:

"Game of the Week" (Smoked Buffalo Sausage)

The first sausage we decided to split was the "game of the week."  It happened to be a smoked buffalo sausage that was made with both red wine and bacon.  It was topped with a roasted red pepper dijonnaise and plenty of smoked gouda cheese.  The buffalo sausage was on the leaner side, not leaving that fatty residue behind.  The red wine and bacon were both very subtle which was pleasant to the palate.  I thought it needed a little more of the red pepper dijonnaise which I believe was a combo of both dijon mustard and mayo.  The cheese was definitely overdone.  Smoked gouda has a very strong smokey flavor which actually overpowers any other flavors.  Scrape some of it off if you want to actually taste the sausage.

"The Leroy Powell" (Smoked Crayfish and Pork Sausage)

My buddy and I shared the crayfish, or what I call crawfish, sausage also.  This sausage was made of both crawfish and pork and topped with a cajoun remoulade, jarlsberg cheese, and chunks of crawfish for an added garnish effect.  Upon first bite, an extremely fishy flavor was encountered.  I mean, it tasted like crawfish, but it was a little more overwhelming than I expected.  I still really enjoyed the creaminess from the cheese and the sausage as a whole.  The cajun seasoning was nice.  However, I will say that I doubt many people will like this option.  Like I said, fishy is the main flavor, so just be aware.

"The Dog" (Chicago-Style Hot Dog)

This Chicago-style hot dog singlehandedly kept Hot Doug's from reaching perfection on my blog.  And it was bad enough that I dropped it an entire 1 mile rating.  Their version of this Chicago classic is made  with your choice of char-grilled or steamed dog that is topped with mustard, CARAMELIZED oninion (awful), neon green relish, tomato, pickle, and celery salt.  Why caramelized onions?  It makes everything too soggy.  And, they don't consider sports peppers as a normal topping?  This is absurd.  I was so disappointed that I even forgot to take a picture of the hot dog.  But maybe that will remind you to not order "the dog" at Hot Doug's.  But, at $2, it can be a filler.

"The Dave Pound" (Corn Dog)

This may be one of the best deals in the city.  For $1.50, you get an all-beef hot dog that is dipped in corn meal batter and deep fried... aka a corn dog.  They come out golden brown and crispy.  Just add a little mustard or ketchup (whatever you prefer) and enjoy.  Can't really mess this up, unless its burnt.

French Fries

So be aware that the french fries order is HUGE.  The large is way too many for two people.  Sometimes I wonder why obesity is such a problem in America... then I see an order of fries that is just outrageous.  At $2.25, it is definitely worth it.  The fries are hand cut, extremely crispy, and not as oily as I was expecting.  Great side, but I would rather have a corn dog to act as a filler.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Do come on the off hours.  Otherwise you will wait in line for easily 30 minutes or longer.  It is sort of ridiculous but everyone loves this place.
- Share an order of large fries... it is big enough for 3 people if not more.
- CASH ONLY!

DON'T:
- Parking is difficult so reduce the number of cars if possible.

How far would I walk for this food?

Mr. Greek Gyros

Location: 234 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60661

A Quick Word:
So, it is late night eating time... and we are wondering around the city.  My friends and I tend to gravitate towards the Greektown area, mainly because of proximity.  We always end up at either Taco Burrito King or Mr. Greek Gyros.  This time was gyro night.  When walking into Mr. Greek Gyros, you will most likely encounter a line full of intoxicated students.  Everyone orders the gyros, which is a huge meal.  They cook everything to order, so it takes several minutes and comes out piping hot.  Unfortunately, the food on a night without drinking is pretty bad.  Bland, fatty, and covered in sauces to disguise the other flavors is how I see the restaurant.  The service is pretty bad as well.  The restaurant is not clean at all.  I would definitely give this restaurant an average 3 mile rating after a night of drinking, but a 1 mile rating is all it truly deserves.

What I Ate:

Gyros Meal

Whenever we end up in Greektown after a night of drinking, Mr. Greek Gyros is one of our most frequented stops.  I always order the Gyros Meal which includes a huge gyro and fries.  The gyro has plenty of beef/lamb meat, tomato, raw onions, tzatziki sauce, and is all served on a thick pita.  They definitely do not skimp on the meat, and in fact, it can be overwhelming how much is on the gyro.  The are a little heavy on the tzatziki, so if you don't like your gyro covered, be sure to specify a lighter amount.  The raw onions are a rough after a night of drinking.  I once made the mistake of ordering this for a normal lunch... I felt awful and never wanted it again.  The fries are extremely plain.  There is absolutely no salt on them.  I am addicted to their sweeter ketchup though.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Do come here for late night.

DON'T:
- Don't eat here for an actual meal during the day.  It will not only ruin your late night spot, but it will also make your stomach hurt.

How far would I walk for this food?

(But, definitely 3 mile rating after a night of drinking!)

Dimo's Pizza

Location: 3463 N. Clark Street., Chicago, IL 60657

A Quick Word:
After falling in love with Ian's Pizza and hearing that it had closed... I was disappointed.  Luckily, a similar joint, Dimo's Pizza, opened in its space.  I still am a little confused on the actual story behind Dimo's and whether or not Ian's renamed itself as Dimo's, but regardless, I encountered delicious pizza with the most interesting toppings.  A thin crust pizza has toppings that could be eaten alone or toppings that are typically served on other vessels.  Unfortunately, some of the slices are big misses--blandness is the first word that comes to mind.  I can't wait to try more of the toppings... especially the s'more slice, but overall I could only give Dimo's a 4 mile rating.  Maybe because some slices are struggles, but more likely because Ian's Pizza was imitated and not perfected.

What We Ate:

Guacamole Burrito Pizza

Our first choice was the burrito pizza.  We chose the guacamole burrito slice which contained black beans, rice, guacamole, cheddar cheese, and a drizzle of sour cream.  The other option would be a spicy chicken burrito, but guacamole sounded better.  When you first bite into the slice, you really get confused if you are at a mexican joint or a pizza place.  The burrito actually tasted somewhat authentic and was tasty.  The guac gave a nice creamy consistency.

Chicken n' Waffles Pizza & Spicy Chicken Taco Pizza

Once I saw Fried Chicken and Waffles on the menu, I knew I had to try this slice.  The slice was made with breaded chicken fingers and mini waffles chopped into bite sized pieces.  They were sitting on a creme fraiche base, topped with mozzarella cheese, and drizzled with both maple syrup and melted butter.  Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the slice.  There was no flavor whatsoever.  In fact, I couldn't tell you if it was chicken, waffles, or even pizza at all.  I would never order this again unless they find someway to make the chicken more moist and have more flavor.

Mexican themed pizzas are very popular at Dimo's.  This spicy chicken taco slice is honestly their buffalo chicken with a Mexican twist.  It is topped with marinated buffalo chicken, pico de gallo, mexican seasonings, and both mozzarella and cheddar cheese.  There was a really good spice to the pizza slice; I wasn't sure if it was from the buffalo seasoning or the jalapeños in the pico de gallo.  It really tastes like a taco and I really suggest getting this slice.

Spinach Feta Pesto Pizza & Tomato Pesto Pizza

For a more fresh slice of pizza, the spinach feta pesto slice is the way to go.  It is topped with sautéed spinach, mozzarella cheese, and crumbled feta cheese.  A pesto base is used which gives that Italian flavor.  It was another great slice to enjoy.  It broke up the greasy feel from some of the other slices.  The spinach and feta combo also reminded me of Greek flavors... so maybe this slice is a little confused, yet still very tasty.

After ordering so many intricate slices of pizza, we all decided to try a simple one.  The tomato pesto pizza is exactly what it's name describes... sliced tomatoes, extra mozzarella cheese, and a pesto based sauce.  The thin crust is still a perfect vessel for the toppings.  The pesto is basil heavy so I really enjoyed it.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- I encourage sharing.  There are so many different slices that sharing is the only way to try a majority of them.
- Do call ahead and ask for the specials.  They have a weekly rotating slices.

DON'T:
- Don't come during Cubs games... the place is ridiculously packed.
- Don't drive to this area.  Street parking is scarce and sometimes impossible.

How far would I walk for this food?