August continues

So August continues with a week of more fun and friends.... We met up with Ron & Mary for a pop up of Edzo's Burger Shop Evanston at Honey Butter Fried Chicken. We all had the Shore Burger which was a hot mess of yummy bacon and tomatoes. I wished I had told them "hold the burger" because it would have been a perfect BLT. The evening was too warm (not a new refrain this summer) to spend a lot of extra time just talking. Our next scheduled burger dinner isn't until our TEITUR celebration (Sept 18). But we stayed in the States until we had a chance to celebrate with them.  Tonight was a throw back to our first TEITUR dinner, at the now shuttered Edzo's. So we couldn't miss the Edzo's pop up. I miss the shakes and the "old fries."

Rained on and off all last night and most of today -- good for the city as we haven't had rain for ages but our dinner venue was only about forty percent full. This was a meal where everything was good, but not one item was outstanding. Phil had shrimp de jonge and the rib eye steak. I had the wedge salad and steak tartare. We shared asparagus and then the dessert cake. Being sandwiched in between two burger nights (Edzo's and Moody's) I only took home the left over lettuce. Salad for lunch tomorrow! BTW the service was spectacular thanks to Jorge who was not only attentive but knowledgeable and completely charming.

Grabbed a bite with "upstairs Mary" Wednesday night. Perfect outdoor dining weather! I had the "Moody Bleu" burger, Phil had a Cheddar cheese burger and Mary had a Swiss cheese burger. We were all happy with our choices. The rings were crispy and a perfect shared side. The fries that came with the burgers were not up to their usual standard but since we had the rings, we didn't care. An old favorite on the north side. We were more frequent visitors when we lived in Andersonville. It's been open since 1959! Phil came here in college.

Look who just flew by! Practice for the weekend air show. They are loud and impressive.

My pizza tastes are clearly not in line with the high brow folks on the pizza groups Phil follows. I didn't love the pizza at Bungalow by Middlebrow despite loving the staff and the atmosphere. I wasn't wow'd by Pizza A'mici pizza but I think their focaccia might be my all time favorite anywhere! And the service was exemplary. Thursday night though, was my favorite cracker crust tavern style - our regular neighborhood place - Pat's just down the street from us on Lincoln Avenue. Nice outdoor tables on Seminary and although the service has never been what I'd call "polished" it's  relaxed and friendly. We had a salad and pizza and went home well sated.

And then as we head towards home in Sevilla, we wanted to get back to some of our favorites in the neighborhood. At Chengdu Impressions, Phil always orders the duck when he sees it. I like the crispy shrimp (chili sauce needed to give it a kick). We had scallion pancakes and two kinds of dumplings to round out the ordering. Leftovers for tomorrow night when Phil gets back from his concert. 

Ok, so Sunday night we were in pizza comas 🤣🤣🤣 the four of us got three pizzas and focaccia and a shared Caesar salad. I now have a new favorite pizza. Thanks to Rebecca Kolko Friedlander who we ran into tonight at the restaurant (she and Aaron McManus  were dining with friends.) On her recommendation we ordered the pepperoni with hot honey and jalapenos. It was spectacularly yummy!  We also had a sausage and mushroom with giardiniera, and a half and half pizza. The half and half was part Italian beef with giardiniera and part anchovies and green olives. Opinions differed about the anchovy, but we all liked the Italian beef. The focaccia was again awesome and the salad was excellent.  We will definitely be back! So don't miss the pepperoni with hot honey and jalapenos. It's a whole new realm in pizza!

Then a return to our local Guatemalan restaurant originally recommended to us by Frank, now we go together when schedules permit. We had our favorites - all marked on the menu. A number of good wines. The 2005 Maresh Vineyard Pinot from St Innocent Winery was my personal favorite. All the food was to their usual standards of tasty and satisfying.

Then the next night - Deli. Our first and only time this summer. Still miss Danny Wolf who owned the place for decades. It's been three years since he passed but the dedicated staff works on in his memory. Excellent corned beef and pastrami. Classic deli.menu. What's not to love?

so rounding out the week...an afternoon and evening tour of Northshore locations. Lee, Phil and I headed to NY BAGELS & Bialy for fresh made bagels. Then we met John & Stephanie for pizza at Burt's Place. We had super Caesar salad and fried pickles to munch on, as they cooked up the two pizzas. XL half sausage and half pepperoni and mushrooms. Medium spinach and mushrooms.  Then because we "only" had most of the pizza leftover to split between three households, we decided (since we were already halfway there) to go further north to Homer's for ice cream. Two good wines with dinner a 25 year old Barolo and a 17 year old red blend from Argentina from the wine making talent of Michel Rolland at Clos de Los Siete.

So now we are Friday and don't have specific plans until Sunday! We are to dine then with Richard & Irene and others of Phil's old grad school buddies... more to come...