Drunken Pig in Chicago (not from The 5 Year Engagement))

 

Yesterday Wayne and I went to the soft opening of Drunken Pig, in Rogers Park for dinner. Wayne knows the Executive Chef/Owner, Johnny. Johnny was really nice. What was cool about Johnny was how open and you could tell he really put some thought into the dishes he created.

When we walked in the atmosphere was relaxed yet modern for a gastro pub and it started to pick up pretty good (for a soft opening) as time progressed.

Now the food. The food was pretty awesome!

We ordered the Bacon wrapped dates, Twice cooked pork belly, Johnny's getting angry! Chicken Skewers , Johnny's chicken wings (I forget the actual name of the dish),  drunken garlic Parmesan truffle fries, and the mango flan. If you love beers, they have a pretty nice selection of microbeers. Wayne really liked the 2 beers he tried.

 

The bacon wrapped dates were really good. The date provided a little bit of extra moisture and tenderness to the bacon. However, depending on the size of the date under the bacon, it can be hard to taste it. I like the taste of dates, so I would have liked a little more of the flavor to seep through my taste buds. But then again, some people may not like dates and just want to taste the bacon.

Johnny's getting angry! Chicken Skewers was good. I thought the Korean sauce tasted pretty good combined with the moist chicken and the bed of arugula on the bottom. If you are looking for something to eat that will add a little more sustenance to your stomach along with the Pork Belly, these are pretty good.

The Twice Cooked Pork Belly [on the left] was Wayne's favorite. There were four chunks of tender pork belly, with scallions, pickled red onion and a tiny bit of kimchi in the middle. The pork belly was savory and had the right amount of crispiness. And the kimchi added a little sour/spicy touch to the mix. Very good and should be ordered.

Johnny's Chicken Wings [on the right] These were fantastic and my favorite dish of the night! The wings were absolutely succulent. And the dish was so freaking good because it had the right amount of spice, juiciness with a hint of sweetness. I felt all the flavors were in sync with each other perfectly. Plus they were perfect to nibble on while watching football. (Literally I ordered 2 dishes of these wings). Also I told Johnny if he ever does carryout, I'd order a tub of these wings because I thought they were that good! Haha. Anyways, amazing dish and must be ordered!

The Drunken Garlic Parm Truffle Fries was also a really good one to munch on. The fries are sprinkled with shavings of Parmesan cheese (and blue cheese I think?) And served with a garlic aioli sauce. The fries were a thicker cut, (which I personally like) and the cheese added a tiny bit of sharpness in flavor to the fries. The aioli sauce was also pretty darn good. It had just enough garlic flavor to add a bit of creaminess to the fries.  Really tasty. Just be careful these will be gone pretty fast if you enjoy munching!

Last but not least, the Mango Flan. Wow, this dessert is really really rich. Wayne and I made the mistake of ordering our own. If you're on a date or with a friend, make sure to share the flan! The flan was served with a mint leaf and a foamy Malibu cream on the side. I thought the bit of Malibu complimented the flan because it was so rich. Word of advice, eat slowly, remember sharing is caring and savor slowly. In short it is a pretty tasty dish to try with a friend.:)

 

The only downside I can see, is if you're looking for a big meal, it may be hard to get your fill. The dishes are like tapas with a bit of Korean cuisine-inspired flair. But if you're down to relax, eat a bit, drink beer, catch up with friends, and watch a football game it's a good place to be. Nonetheless, you really should go check it out if you're in the Rogers Park area.

Go try some interesting beers, eat some yummy Korean-tapa dishes and catch up on your football. :)

As always,
"The Couple that Grubs Together, Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

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Getting muddy and eating crepes

  

Today we did the Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run in Detroit. After waking up at the most ungodly hour (aka 5:00am), Wayne and I got ready to run the 5K race at 8:15am.  The mud race was held at Kensington Metropark in Milford, MI. 

 Before the race

Everyone started off in different heats. So, Wayne and I were in the 10 minute mile heat. I started off pretty fast and got ahead. I felt pretty in shape but there were a TON of hills so I had to be careful not to break an ankle by tripping over a rock or root. I pretty much either slowly jogged or walked up the hills. Honestly, I think the hills were the worst part since it's grueling running up hills.  But I think that the obstacles were what made the race so much fun and unique. There were a number of obstacles we had to complete along with running on wooded trails and hills. There was a low wall, 6 foot wall, low crawl, tunnels, a slippery mountain, an inflatable climb, the water crossing and two mud pits!

 

Wayne focused and ready

 

Emma giving thumbs up

It was good that Wayne and I made sure to work out a lot over the summer. Although we're apart (Wayne being in Chicago while I'm in Michigan job searching) we still made an effort to try and become pretty fit for the race.

 

Wayne jumping over after climbing the high wall

 

Me on the slippery mountain pulling myself up

So, on the slippery mountain. They have an incline ramp that they spray with soap and water. You have to pull yourself up on the rope without using your feet. I think working out paid off. I'm able to do 18 regular push ups. So pulling my body weight on the ramp wasn't that bad. Wayne has a lot of upper body strength so the obstacles weren't that bad for him. His main focus was on the cardio. My cardio wasn't that bad, I just wanted to make sure I could lug my body around if I had to. 

 

THE MUD!

Everyone pretty much slowed down when they got to the water crossing in the lake. The lake felt really good since we were all sweaty. And the mud! I think the mud was the best part! At the end of the race you have to crawl through a huge mud pit towards the finish line. The only downside to the mud was I got mud in my contact lenses! lols.

 

WE FINISHED! <3

After the race we cleaned up and decided to take a short walk around the park. It was a good thing we did, otherwise we wouldn't have seen the sand hill cranes! They're the largest bird in North America and for Jurassic Park they used them as inspiration for the Velociraptors in the movie.  There were 3 baby sand hill cranes and their mother. I think that people must feed them because we were able to get really close to them. I thought it was really cool to see these graceful birds walking around in nature. 

The mother crane

The three babies

Our dog tags and t-shirts

I'm really proud of Wayne doing this with me. What makes him amazing is that he's always up for trying something new and pushing himself to be the best. And what made this even better was that we had a total blast doing this together! Because that's what mattered the most to me. I just wanted to have fun, be healthy and do something together as a team.  So, although we are utterly exhausted we're really happy since it was totally worth it in the end! :)

  

Wayne writing...What would a post be without a discussion on food!? 

 

So I was visiting Emma this weekend and was promised some awesome crepes. And I was not disappointed one bit. The place was called What Crepe? and is located in the beautiful suburban neighborhood of Birmingham, MI. We got dinner yesterday night.

When I walked in, I thought I was in a Tim Burton and Johnny Depp movie with the dim lighting and mixture of Gothic and a medieval setting. The place definitely has that spook meets classic look to it that I find to be creative and risky. But they seem to pull it off. 

Now my favorite part, THE FOOD! First came the dessert (that's how we roll), the "Nutty Monkey, which comprised of bananas, warm Nutella, vanilla bean ice cream, candied pecans, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. The moment my eyes landed on it, my mouth started to flood. Warm Nutella seems to go well with anything, but it especially stands out with vanilla bean ice cream and the candied pecans. We're BIG Nutella fans so we definitely enjoyed this dish. 

I had "The Obvious" which is chicken, spinach, pecans, caramelized apples, and feta. Much of the flavor of the chicken came from the caramelized apples and its juices. It tasted somewhat Caribbean actually. Each bite though seemed different. One bite I could distinctly taste the pecans, but then the other the feta stood out. All delicious though. 

Emma consumed the "Crepe? De Crevette" which features marinated shrimp, fire roasted peppers, asparagus, grape tomatoes, and homemade curried clam sauce. The curried clam sauce blended superbly with the texture of the shrimp and crispiness of the asparagus. It carried out a Mediterranean flavor with its combination of meats, spices, and grilled vegetables. 

 

As always, 

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

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Fancy Pants: Boka

 

Today, Wayne and I went to Boka for dinner. I came for a weekend to visit him in Chicago.

It's been a little tough since we've been in a long distance relationship ever since I graduated college in June. But it was really nice to get out and do something a little special.

 

When we got to Boka, the ambiance was the first thing I noticed. It was sophisticated yet cozy and we were able to snag a secluded booth in the back corner. So it was nice being able to have an intimate conversation while also observing the busy restaurant. 

To start we ordered the raw tasting and the braised pork belly appetizer.

I thought it was pretty cool how the waiters arrived at the same time with wooden bento boxes and synchronized the way they placed them on our table. So the attentiveness of the waiters made it feel like we were getting special treatment for dinning there. Which is always a plus for a fancy restaurant. I believe that having a superb waiting staff that is on their A game, is what differentiates most restaurants.

I cannot remember what was in our raw tasting but each portion was flavorful and tasty! As for the braised pork belly there were bay scallops, hearts of palm, BBQ eel, sea beans, black rice sauce and a crispy pig ear.

 

The Raw Tasting

 

Braised Pork Belly

Then for our entrees, I got the Sockeye salmon with yellow gazpacho, cantaloupe, roasted cherry tomatoes, chorizo, and focaccia croutons. Wayne ordered the Alaskan halibut with steamed mussels, sepia, grilled fennel, whole wheat gnudi, tomato sauce and saffron. I thought it was really cool that the chef catered our plates to sharing portions. So I got to taste Wayne's halibut and also have a portion of my salmon. 

  

Our Entrees

I thought the salmon was okay. I honestly was expecting the salmon to be more flavorful and flaky. Yet I do believe the cantaloupe and yellow gazpacho added a unique flare to the dish. But the Alaskan halibut was wonderful. The fish was cooked perfectly and the dish had different elements that catered to the fish itself. Also, I think the Chef might have thought we were food critics or maybe just foodies, because he also sent out a pheasant dish with egg noodles and foie gras. This dish was really good too. Wayne said it reminded him of a Filipino dish called Adobo. 

Adobo is a either pork or chicken that is marinated in a vinegar, garlic, soy sauce. I learned (from Wikipedia) that Filipino mountaineers and travelers usually packed it because it keeps well without refrigeration.

 

Pheasant dish

As for dessert, man it was simply phenomenal. We ordered the Aerated White Chocolate Raspberry Cake, granita and white chocolate ganache and the Rooibus Yogurt Sherbert, with almond crisp, basil and fresh plums. I thought it was really cool how they shaved the plums to look almost like flowers and the almond crisp was very good. The yogurt was a bit interesting because it was shaped in a log. As for the white chocolate raspberry cake it was amazing. The white chocolate ganache was what made the dish. It was right amount of white chocolate and had a mousse texture that almost melted in your mouth. 

 

Aerated White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

 

Rooibus Yogurt Sherbert

Plus at the end we got a sample of mini desserts after we paid. In short, it was a wonderful experience to eat a Boka. We look forward to seeing what they'll have next on their menu in the future. 

As always, 

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

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Comerica Park and Slow's Bar BQ

So I'm a Chicago White Sox fan and my girlfriend is a Detroit Tigers fan. It's always good to have a little friendly competition between you and your spouse and boy do we let the other one hear it when our team wins.

We ventured off to Comerica Park in Detroit, MI to watch the Chicago White Sox go against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday July 21. I thought this would be an easy win with the White Sox's best pitcher, Chris Sale, going against Porcello who had been up and down this season. Unfortunately for me though, Porcello was up this day and the Tigers won convincingly over the White Sox 7-1.

Enough about baseball. You want to know about the food! Well before the game we went to the well known restaurant Slow's Bar BQ. We had "The Longhorn" and "The Reason" with Baked Beans and Sweet Potato Mash. 

"The Longhorn" (above) is a tenderized beef brisket with special onion marmalade, smoked Gouda, and spicy sauce. The beef was cooked to perfect, but my favorite part was the onion marmalade that had a sweet flavor oozing out deliciousness.

"The Reason" (above) contains pork butt that is smoked slow and pulled, coleslaw, and dill pickle strips. We loved the coleslaw and the pork butt was moist of flavor. Sometimes pulled pork loses the juices but this one maintained it.

My favorite dish was the BEANS! They were mixed with some peppers that brought some zest to something as plain and boring as beans usually are. I wish I had some chips because I think these beans would mesh well something crispy like chips. As for the Sweet Potato Mash, it was definitely worth a tasting. Was not out of this world but definitely hit the spot on this hot sunny day.

As always,
"The Couple that Grubs Together, Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

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Hiking and Grubbing

This 4th of July weekend, Wayne and I went to Wisconsin for a little vacation. We stayed in Portage, WI at one of the hotels nearby. It was kind of nice to get away and hangout with Wayne. I also was really excited because we were going to go hiking on Saturday at Devils Lake State Park. When I was a freshman, someone I knew had posted some really cool pictures hiking around the park. We left really early from the hotel to get to Devils Head.

Balanced Rock

Which was perfect because once we started hiking we were practically the only ones doing so. We also had researched where we wanted to go. We started on the south shore of the lake and took the Balanced Rock Trail. The trail was a nice place to kick off the hike. The trail is pretty steep and has a lot of steps. We were sweating pretty good halfway though. I could feel it in my legs since it was like we were climbing a staircase. It also sometimes didn't feel like we were actually on a trail because there are so many rocks on the side of the cliff.

 

Wayne Climbing Down

We also never really got to the actual balanced rock. All we could see was a view of it from where we were at. So it wasn't as spectacular we we had expected. We then went to Devils Doorway. It was pretty cool seeing it and also seeing the spectacular view of the Forrest and lake. We also ran into this couple from Indiana. They were very nice and said that they have been to Montana, Kentucky, Virginia, Utah and pretty much everywhere to go hiking. I told Wayne that it would be really cool to go out to Montana or Utah to hike. So, now it's on our list of places to travel to. :)

 

At Devils Doorway

We also saw some rock climbers. We were up pretty high and Ive done rock climbing before inside. I've always wanted to try it outdoors but there's no way I would rock climb at at height. We went down the CCC Trail. It had a lot of scenic views. The only downfall was that it wasn't marked as well it could have been. And we got to the East Bluff Trail which was really nice. 

 

It had just reached around 10am and the sun was beating down pretty good. Luckily for us, the trail was pretty shaded and paved. We saw some people hiking, running or walking their dogs. There was one guy though who was walking his dog down Balanced Rock which was insane for the poor dog. It was hard enough to get up the trail, I can only imagine getting downwards was pretty difficult for the pooch. Then we got to the Potholes trail. 

Wayne Climbing Down the Potholes Trail

It was a really steep trail that had a lot of cool scenic views. Plus the rocks were really pretty. We were breathing pretty hard by the end of it but we had a blast. I was really happy Wayne enjoyed the hiking. He thought it was really fun as exercise and a vacation from the city landscape. I've always wanted a log cabin house. I grew up going skiing and camping, so I've always liked the idea of having a cabin to stay at during the holidays. After our hiking escapade, we decided to grab lunch at this little hopping place called The Log Cabin (fitting I know right?) 

 

Wayne's Mac N' Cheese

There were a lot of cars there and we figured it must be pretty popular among the tourists. Wayne ordered the Meatloaf with Mac n' cheese and pasta sides. While I ordered the Chicken Mushroom and Swiss with corn and green beans. I've always been a veggies kind of girl. 

 Chicken, Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese

The food was alright. We were really hungry after hiking so that might have played a factor. Wayne thought the meatloaf and mac n cheese was pretty solid. But the pasta side was kind of boring and unflavored. The green beans and corn tasted from the can but the Chicken and Mushroom dish was Al's pretty solid. I just wished it wasn't so buttery and that it had more Swiss cheese on it. 

 

Yum pie

We then caved in and got pie for dessert. Wayne got the banana cream pie while I got the pecan pie. Wayne really liked the pie and said it was really delicious. I on the other hand, thought the pecan pie was a bit too heavy. I like there to be a little less sauce on the pecan topping. In short, the food really hit the spot after a great day of hiking. :)

As always, 

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

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