It’s difficult to find good German food anywhere anymore. It’s been considered kinda coarse and declassé since about, oh, 1917?
I hear tell it ain’t all that good for ya either.
But I love it.
I thought that was a strange comment too. I can only guess it refers to “Soul Food”, but I personally would attribute that more to the deep south as a whole.
As a Chicagoan, I concur with the comments of most everyone else. While there most certainly is “Chicago food”, it’s almost all casual fare. That’s one of my favorite things to be honest with you, but if you don’t think your guess would be satisfied with deep dish 'za, beef and dogs then a thick cut steak cooked medium rare with melted butter on top and classic Italian dishes, Vesuvio, Piccata, Lasagna, Chicken Parm etc. all fit the bill. If your party is going to play up the roaring 20’s mafia theme then Italian food works perfectly.
Also, lots of booze. We like that stuff lots.
From the book Shaken Not Stirred: A Celebration of the Martini, I’ve culled the following Chicago-related tidbits:
A “Chicago”-sized martini is a whopping 8 oz., double that of a large (or “boardroom”) martini. (p. 12) Chicago is famous for it’s “more-than-generous double-sized drinks, served in birdbath-sized cocktail glasses…”. (p.105)
Serve it “superlatively dry,” a la the martinis served on the Twentieth Century Limited train from New York to Chicago before WWII. (p. 48)
Doug Varnes at Chicago’s Set 'Em Up Joe “‘polishes’ his double Martinis with a light vermouth spray.” (p.55)
Kimon of Chicago’s Lion Bar serves up “smoked” lemon peel twists with his Martinis, holding the peel two or three inches over the glass and twisting it after lighting the match, giving the peel an expert twist. If you do it right, you’ll get a little flame and puff of smoke; promptly drop the peel into the drink. The peel must be fresh and should have “just a touch” of the inner lemon attached, not just rind. The author recommends you enlist a friend to hold the match, at least while you’re learning the technique. (pp. 82-3)
The Chicago Blue Martini (at Set 'Em Up Joe): 3 oz. Tanqueray Sterling Vodka and .5 oz. Blue Curacao. (p.91)
On chocolate Martinis: “When we recently visited the Windy City, we discovered… [a] chocolate Martini lover’s heaven. (Maybe it’s the aroma of Milk Duds wafting from the Holloway Candy Company production plant near the downtown area…).” In this town, the choco Martinis are often served with cocoa-frosted rims and Hershey’s Kisses for garnish, although other candies are used (Tootsie Pops and Tootsie Rolls), as are fruit and nut flavorings. A good side dish to serve with these drinks are strawberries and Godiva chocolates… and “to brighten the flavor of the berries, [cut off their tops and] stand them cut side down in a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar.” (pp.105-6)
Jerry Langland’s Double Chocolate Martini: equal parts Stoli Vodka, Godiva Chocolate Liquor, and Kahlua or Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Langland’s Mixed Chocolate/Chocolate Swirl: the above, but substitute Godet White Chocolate Liquor for the third ingredient.
The Chocolate Kiss (at Set 'Em Up Joe): 3 oz. Tanqueray Sterling Vodka, .5 oz. Bols Dark Creme de Cacao, 1 dash heavy cream, and a Hershey’s Kiss for a garnish.
What’s the murder mystery? I’m fascinated that someone who’s not in Chicago and has never been to Chicago is throwing a Chicago-themed party. Take pictures and tell us all about it!
I came in here (late) to say Chicken Vesuvio. So, I’ll go now…
‘round here, we eat Bulls and Bear Cubs.
Ok, italian beef, gyros, steamed hotdogs ’ dragged thru the garden’, Chicken Vesuvio, Maxwell Street-style polish sausages (say sah-sich) /porkchop sandwiches (say sangwiches), Chicago style pizza, Goose Island Beer.
Vesuvio links:
Cooks.com
Roadfood
Foie gras?
Steak and Oysters.
Get on a plane to Midway. Hop in a taxi and have them take you to 111th and Kedzie. Walk about a half block north, and on the east side of the street is a hole-in-the-wall place called Bill Grant’s Wonderburger.
Best damned burger in the world.
If I could only figger out the sauce they put on 'em…
I can’t help thinking of Better Off Dead…
“*French *Fries…*French *Bread…*French *Dressing…”
Hee hee…
Thanks, everyone, for your help. I really appreciate it! I’ll post the final menu later in case anyone is interested (although feel free to keep the suggestions coming!)
Seriously, old school Chicago Cuisine at the beginning of the 20th Century and the end of the 19th Century, and even into the present, was all about the Best Steaks and Fresh Oysters due to the Railroads… Beef was Being loaded onto refrigerated trains headed East while Oysters were being unloaded on the returns from the East. Steak and Oysters on the half shell and in various preperations were the Haute Cuisine of the Midwest, Chicago in particular.
Interesting year in review column from yesterday’s Denver Post:
Note: I have only been to Atlanta twice - these are not my comments.
While that might be true, Atlanta also has some of the most amazing restaurants in America outside of New York or The West Coast. You name it, we have it, in about 3 different price points.
Um, no respect for Chicago here? Home of Gourmet Magazine’s #1 restaurant in America of 2006 (Alinea) and their #1 restaurant city overall for that year? And focus of Saveur Magazine’s only single-city issue?
steak and potatoes, with “bootleg” or bathtub gin. If you can get some Frango mints, so much the better…
Not sure where the OP is, but Frango mints are amazingly enough, available cross-country and online now, ever since Macys bought out Marshall Field’s.
Sadly, they’re not the same. They’re not even made in Chicago any more - in 1999, production was moved from the Loop to Pennsylvania. Still tasty, but no longer the special treat that they were when you had to go downtown to find them.
Not to mention the 2007 James Beard Award winner for Best Restaurant - Chef Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill.
I got carried away with myself. I think even Denver is better than Atlanta. Basically, I was saying Atlanta is a city in change, and is and will be quite respectable in a few years. Definitely NOT the worst in America, by any means. 'Tis all!
Assuming, OG protect us all, that the drought does not continue for a few years.
If so, kiss Atlanta good-bye-eeee.