Smelting The Day Away: Calumet Fisheries

7/29/2010 2:00:00 AM

7/29/2010 - We once again will give the nod to the great Anthony Bourdain for giving us a great south Chicago tip (we're not proud at NFT: just because we didn't find something first, we'll still eat it and write about it if it's good). The smoked colossal shrimp at Calumet is everything Mr. Bourdain said it was, as were the fried smelts, the smoked salmon, the fried fish, the onion rings, etc. As a take-out-only joint, your eating options are: (1) pull up in your car, order your food, take it back to the car, crack the windows, and eat it as you are parked on South 95th Street just before the bridge, or, if you don't have a car, (2) after ordering your food, spread it all out on the sidewalk on the 95th Street Bridge itself while you eat and watch the drawbridge go up and down (don't picnic on the drawbridge part). I guess a (3) is to take it back to the 95th Street Metra stop and eat it on the platform, but you might get some looks and you might need to share. Either way, you'll without a doubt have leftovers, since it's impossible to walk in and not order too much food. Can't wait for more smoked shrimp and fried smelts. Truly.

Address: 3259 E 95th St, Chicago, IL
Phone: 773-933-9855
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Jin and Ju : Jin Ju

7/26/2010 2:00:00 AM

7/26/2010 - For too long, Korean cuisine has been the red-headed stepchild of East Asian cooking. Somewhere between the panoply of Chinese and the austerity of Japanese, Korean is a wholly different animal: a riot of spicy, savory, and soul-pleasing dishes. Although not exactly a mom-and-pop ethnic hole in the wall, Andersonville's Jin Ju dishes out the peninsular fare with an extra helping of savoir faire. Most of Jin Ju's dishes are traditional Korean favorites with a 21st century twist: bi bim bap, pajun, kalbi, bulgogi, and of course, kim chee. True to Korean style, each entree comes with delectable seasonal side dishes with flavors as complex as the loft-like decor is elegant and understated. Unlike its more raucous fire-in-the-table cousins, Jin Ju also offers a flotilla of exotic libations, including specialty cool and crisp shochu martinis that complement the often fiery cuisine. Although ethnic eats purists may scoff at Jin Ju's swankness, attentive service, martini list, and Buddha Bar background music, the proof , as they say, is in the pajun.

Address: 5203 N Clark St, Chicago, IL
Phone: 773-334-6377
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NFT On Our Radar (Chicago)

Smelting The Day Away: Calumet Fisheries

Jin and Ju : Jin Ju