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Reviews from Mastication Monologues

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  • Huey's - Downtown in Memphis

    Huey's - Downtown

    I ended up ordering the classic World Famous Huey Burger with a side of their onion rings. The burger was not the be all, end all in burgerdom, but it had all of the right qualities of being in the upper echelon of sandwiches I have tried over the years. They cooked it to perfection without charring it too much while also keeping the patty nice and juicy. The condiments were very balanced, and the vegetables were crisp and fresh.

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  • World Famous Billy Goat's Tavern & Grill in Chicago

    World Famous Billy Goat's Tavern & Grill

    The first bite I took was fantastic. The kaiser roll was thick and fresh, and the beef was succulent with slightly greasy undertones. As for the pickles, they were just the right amount of sour, and the onion slice provided a nice change of texture. Plus, it wasn’t very overpowering in terms of taste which made me think that it was probably a Bermuda onion. Each slice of American cheese was perfectly melted to hold the juicy patties together to form one delicious hamburger.

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  • Berghoff in Chicago

    Berghoff

    When my ox joints came out, it was tastefully displaced like a mighty meat monarch who sported a crown of sautéed julienned onions and was surrounded by his pumpkin gnocchi minions who were kowtowing to their ruler. I didn’t waste time tucking into the ox joint, and it was an interesting experience.

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  • Los Nopales Mexican Restaurant in Chicago

    Los Nopales Mexican Restaurant

    As for the main course, I ended up indulging in some chorizo tostadas. The plate that came to me was an interesting land of contrasts. A majority of the area was covered with two well-portioned tostadas topped with minced chorizo, diced tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and sour cream. The meat was crumbly but highly seasoned with cumin and spices that really made each crispy tortilla mouthful pop.

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  • Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant and Bar in Chicago

    Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant and Bar

    If you’re looking for someplace to taste an authentic slice of Ethiopian culture by getting your hands dirty, come on down to Diamond Ethiopian Restaurant.

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  • Falafill in Chicago

    Falafill

    This kind of made me sad and wished that they embraced more of a gyro type of pita that provides more of a wrap/taco kind of sandwich instead of this Muppet-mouthed piece of pocket bread. Nevertheless, once I took a bite of what was lurking inside the bread, I was thoroughly satisfied.

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  • Quartino in Chicago

    Quartino

    If you’re looking for a higher end Italian eatery with a twist on some traditional recipes and serving styles, check out Quartino’s Ristorante and Wine Bar!

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  • Flor De Mayo Restaurant in New York

    Flor De Mayo Restaurant

    Long story short, Flor de Mayo was a great bargain dining experience, but they did not sacrifice quality for quantity which was all the more amazing which is aptly demonstrated through the aftermath of my dinner.

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  • Park Slope ChipShop in Brooklyn

    Park Slope ChipShop

    Long story short, Flor de Mayo was a great bargain dining experience, but they did not sacrifice quality for quantity which was all the more amazing which is aptly demonstrated through the aftermath of my dinner.

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  • Jake Melnick's Corner Tap in Chicago

    Jake Melnick's Corner Tap

    For all of those thrill seekers/chili-heads out there, definitely try the XXX wing challenge at Jake Melnicks. If spicy food isn’t for you, they also have a great variety of delicious burgers (including an eight pound burger challenge), barbecue dishes with in-house smoked meats, hearty soups, savory sandwiches, and satisfying salads you can chow down on.

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  • Russian Tea Time in Chicago

    Russian Tea Time

    So if you're looking to try some new food or just want to warm up with some tea or vodka, come on down to Russian Tea Time. You'll see that Russian food has more to offer than just potatoes, fish, and vodka, and it's actually so filling and tasty that it can make you dance better

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  • Mago Grill and Cantina in Bolingbrook

    Mago Grill and Cantina

    In closing, El Mago Grill is a pretty good cantina for those traditional aforementioned Mexican favorites or dishes you perhaps never have heard of like the Ropa Vieja. Plus, the very fact that the chef made up a sauce for me on the spot really made me think that good food is like platform 9 and 3/4s in Harry Potter.

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  • 90 Miles Cuban Cafe in Chicago

    90 Miles Cuban Cafe

    The last item on my plate I saved till the end of the meal because I had never tried them before: fried plantains or more commonly known as maduros (lit. "matures" or "ripes"). I don't know why I had never tried them before, but I was so glad that I did at 90 Miles Cafe because they were excellent. The breading was even and slightly sweet and buttery which went along with the firm and ever so creamy texture of the plantains.

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  • Al's Char-House Banquets in La Grange

    Al's Char-House Banquets

    This Filet Bleu sandwich had four of my many favorite food elements for any meal: steak (can never go wrong), garlic, cheese, and bread. Unfortunately, all of the other previous food had filled me up to question whether or not I could finish off this monstrous plate of food. Naturally, I said, "Damn, stomach integrity!" and went straight into this mini-hubcap of a sandwich, au jus and all. Best decision ever.

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  • LongHorn Steakhouse in Bolingbrook

    LongHorn Steakhouse

    The common phrase about Texas is that everything's bigger, and this plate was no different. Instead of tucking into the chicken straight away, I decided to sample a bit of the mashed potatoes first. I’m surprised they weren't rocking a questionable haircut and an Armani suit because they were richer than Donald Trump. The texture was creamy yet maintained some tasty chunks of potato, and butter cascaded down these gentle white slopes.

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  • Wildfire in Oak Brook

    Wildfire

    As for my main course, I went with the Eight Hour Barbecue Platter. It was the Dinner Special for Wednesday nights, and I feel like the name comes from the amount of time it should take a normal person to finish all of the food. However, I usually am hungrier than the average bear, so I naturally destroyed my meal in no time.

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  • Blueberry Hill Pancake House in Darien

    Blueberry Hill Pancake House

    When it finally came out, I was confronted with an omelet that most likely was made with an ostrich egg in terms of the overall size of it. The first bite was nice and fluffy with tiny pieces of crunchy, but not burnt, smoked hickory bacon and large chunks of creamy avocado.

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  • Heaven On Seven in Naperville in Naperville

    Heaven On Seven in Naperville

    For my main entree, I chose the Po' Boy sandwich with the Angry Chicken option which came along with a cup of gumbo. The gumbo was quite hearty and topped with a mini-mound of white rice that was steamed to perfection. I never had an andouille gumbo, but this concoction was perfect with a dash of Tabasco Habanero since it really brought out the spiciness of the sausage.

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  • Wickets Bar and Grill

    As for my entree, I went with one skewer of beef with vegetables and the other with chicken tikka tandoori with vegetables. They were both served on a bed of basmati rice infused with herbs which was surrounded by golden flatbread triangles. Plus, I decided to get the cucumber chive yogurt sauce that was served on the side. Taken all together, these skewers were on point in terms of quantity and quality.

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  • Owen and Engine in Chicago

    Owen and Engine

    As for the nightcap, I tried the Hoss beer which was a pale ale that was the complete opposite of how I started since it was a light translucent yellow with a taste of grass and a hint of lemon that gave the beverage a light and clean finish.

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  • Chequers of Lagrange

    By the time we finished, the pumpkin bread pudding for dessert was a long way away in my mind. I had bigger problems to deal with like attempting to maintain consciousness on the border of a food coma. So if you're looking for a slice of jolly old England with an American twist in regard to portion sizes, cheque out Chequers!

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  • The Walnut Room in Chicago

    The Walnut Room

    When my dish came out, I was pleased with the presentation with the pommery mustard doused, cheese encrusted chicken breast providing shade for the pasty, chive laden whipped potatoes that were sidling up to the green beans and grape tomatoes.

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  • Mon Ami Gabi in Oak Brook

    Mon Ami Gabi

    From this tasty beginning, I moved on to the main star of the dinner: the steak. I plumped for the steak au poirve (or pepper steak) with the hand cut house frites. The meat was grilled exactly to my request with a solid brown hue throughout and a slight pink inside. The peppercorns were quite potent and supplied the thin gravy with a much needed kick to highlight the high quality texture and rich meaty flavor of the steak.

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  • Taco Grill & Salsa Bar in Westmont

    Taco Grill & Salsa Bar

    Thankfully they diced up the beef tongue into small cubes, but at the same time it was quite a shock to still see the taste buds on the individual pieces of meat (quite a surreal experience). As shown in the picture, the tacos also had chopped onions and a good amount of cilantro with a slice of lime to provide a nice zesty aftertaste. The actual flavor of the tongue was quite savory which I would liken to a rich hamburger, but I think eating such a meal is more of a test of mind over matter due to the texture of the meat.

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  • Mother Hubbard's in Chicago

    Mother Hubbard's

    I found the sandwich to be a great fusion of Latino flavors with an American comfort food staple. Starting with the bread, it was pan-grilled to golden perfection, and the fleeting caresses of the caraway seeds provided an extra je ne sais quoi. The cheeses were plentiful but didn't have very strong flavors.

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  • Meson Sabika-Naperville

    It is probably one of the most authentic taperias I have been to so far stateside, but the ambiance alone will make you fall in love with this charming eatery.

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  • Hamburger Mary's in Chicago

    Hamburger Mary's

    Hamburger Mary's is a good burger place to go for a good time, but the only downside is that I think it's slightly overpriced for the food. I think it’s just a way to counter the cost of offering so many different products for different types of eaters.

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  • Chino Latino in Minneapolis

    Chino Latino

    Upon closer inspection, there was a paper that came along with the food that in so many words states that if you complain about how spicy the poppers are, you're going to be made fun of by the staff at Chino Latino and your friends. Challenge accepted!

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