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  • Post #61 - May 19th, 2010, 9:48 am
    Post #61 - May 19th, 2010, 9:48 am Post #61 - May 19th, 2010, 9:48 am
    Kennyz wrote:
    jesteinf wrote:As much as I love The Purple Pig, I'm not a fan of the service at the bar. I've stopped in for a few solo dinners at the bar and the service has either been incredibly slow (like I'm not even there) or just plain sloppy (no plate, napkin or silverware until I asked...bread not served until after I had received my first plate of food). I really wish they'd work on this.


    Interesting. I've had nothing but good service at the bar, though it can indeed be slow to get a drink during busy times.


    Maybe I've just had bad luck. I'm certainly willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and a few more chances.
    -Josh

    I've started blogging about the Stuff I Eat
  • Post #62 - May 19th, 2010, 10:23 am
    Post #62 - May 19th, 2010, 10:23 am Post #62 - May 19th, 2010, 10:23 am
    I received some surly service by one of the bartenders on an early visit. When I mentioned it to Jimmy Sr., he asked for their name and in subsequent visits I haven't seen them in the front of the house. Every other interaction I've had with the staff has been perfectly pleasant. I've only been there as a solo diner, and always sat at the bar. Usually I try to sit down by the grill, which ensures I'm served by a member of the traditional wait staff rather than the bartender.
  • Post #63 - May 25th, 2010, 12:39 am
    Post #63 - May 25th, 2010, 12:39 am Post #63 - May 25th, 2010, 12:39 am
    Much to my embarrassment, tonight I learned the difference between Sobrassada (which I've been obsessed with since my first meal there a month ago), and sopressata, which was the one on the menu tonight. Oh, woe, woe, and more woe! Is there any pain more acute than to be taunted with every variety of cured meat but the one you wish for most?

    As to the rest of the meal, I have but three words: Pork Fried Almonds. As my friend remarked, why would you ever eat almonds any other way? Come to think of it, is there anything that wouldn't be improved by frying it in pork fat with garlic?

    The spring peas with farro was astonishingly good for something so simple. Served cold, with just the slightest touch of acid, it was the perfect intermission between servings of salty piggy.

    The disappointment of the night was the Olive-Oil Poached Tuna with Greek Lima Beans. The ingredients seem like a natural match, and the beans were, indeed, quite good, but something about the tuna was just off. Maybe a little too salty, maybe a little too dry, it's hard to put my finger on it, but it just didn't taste quite right.

    The pork blade steak was outstanding - perfectly cooked, with just the right amount of sweetness - but was almost overshadowed by the greens it came with. I must admit, I couldn't identify the greens - it looked and tasted somewhere between arugula and watercress. I generally prefer to stick with the small plates in a place like this, but now I may have to rethink that strategy.

    For once, I left enough room to sample the desserts. The olive oil soft serve on brioche was good, but not remarkable. The Sicillian Iris, on the other hand, was a showstopper. I'm still thinking about it - the exterior was crisped perfectly, with just the right blend of sweet, bitter, and savory from the piping hot chocolate/ricotta filling.
    "I've always thought pastrami was the most sensuous of the salted cured meats."
  • Post #64 - May 28th, 2010, 12:56 pm
    Post #64 - May 28th, 2010, 12:56 pm Post #64 - May 28th, 2010, 12:56 pm
    I've noticed this quite a bit in recent years: New restaurants open with a goal to deliver highest-quality food at comparably low prices. They garner deserved acclaim in the early going, then make substantial changes after a relatively short time. It's easy to understand. If your desire is to deliver the highest-possible quality at low prices, profit margins are going to be thin. Maybe too thin, once the expensive realities of running a restaurant set in.

    Perhaps faced with just such situations, restaurants I've liked seem to have been forced into one of two choices: raise prices substantially (Bonsoiree, Mado, Pasticceria Natalina) or compromise on quality (Kuma's Corner, Markethouse).

    I'm not ready to add The Purple Pig to that latter group just yet, but I’m headed that direction. A couple of weeks ago, I ordered an antipasto of fava beans with hardboiled eggs and crispy prosciutto. The beans were tender and earthy, and the eggs were perfectly cooked and chopped by hand into pleasant-textured pieces. In today's version, the favas were chalky and flavorless, and the eggs had been run through a grater to create a much less pleasant, grittier texture. I mentioned this to the cook, who explained that they stopped hand-chopping the eggs because it was just too labor intensive, and they hoped people would like the dish just as much this way.

    I sympathize. Restaurants have to make compromises all the time, and sometimes you just can't figure out which ones to make until you've been up and running for awhile. I love the fact that The Purple Pig's prices are substantially lower than one might expect. Would I rather they add 25% to the prices so that they could hand-chop eggs and throw out less-than-perfect favas? It's really a tough call.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #65 - May 28th, 2010, 9:07 pm
    Post #65 - May 28th, 2010, 9:07 pm Post #65 - May 28th, 2010, 9:07 pm
    Went there tonight. All I can say is....winner! Loved the place. The rock shrimp were great; the peas with farro were great; the cured meats were great. The wagyu steak was great. The Lopez de Heredia white (1999) and red (2000) were great. We went crazy ordering, and nothing was short of a real hit. LOVED it. Will definitely go back. Service was really great too.
  • Post #66 - May 30th, 2010, 4:28 pm
    Post #66 - May 30th, 2010, 4:28 pm Post #66 - May 30th, 2010, 4:28 pm
    Kennyz wrote:A couple of weeks ago, I ordered an antipasto of fava beans with hardboiled eggs and crispy prosciutto. The beans were tender and earthy, and the eggs were perfectly cooked and chopped by hand into pleasant-textured pieces. In today's version, the favas were chalky and flavorless, and the eggs had been run through a grater to create a much less pleasant, grittier texture. I mentioned this to the cook, who explained that they stopped hand-chopping the eggs because it was just too labor intensive, and they hoped people would like the dish just as much this way.


    I had this about a month ago, when I believe they were still hand chopping the eggs. I still found it generally dry, chalky, and lacking flavor (other than the prosciuotto bits). This was especially evidenced when compared to a perfectly dressed rock shrimp and spring pea dish or the shaved asparagus salad. It's not that I don't understand your critique of the dishe's components, but that I found the gestalt lacking for some of the same reasons, even when it was executed more to your preferences.

    This last week, I enjoyed the beets with goat cheese and toasted pistachios, the spring pea arancini (tiniest arancini I've ever seen, but pack real pea flavor), and the caponata smear with grilled bread and goat cheese spread. I actually found the caponata a little too sweet for my tastes which was made worse by having the whole plate to myself. I wish there had been a little more sour to it, but maybe I wouldn't have noticed as much if I had split it with others.

    I sat in front of the grill and fryers and watched the chefs at their craft. Early on a weekday evening, this is a fine place to enjoy a solo dinner at the bar.

    There will be a new menu (less spring, more summer?) in the next couple of weeks.
  • Post #67 - May 30th, 2010, 5:23 pm
    Post #67 - May 30th, 2010, 5:23 pm Post #67 - May 30th, 2010, 5:23 pm
    I eat here quite frequently. On my last visit--on Friday evening--I found a couple of the dishes to be overly acidic. I mention this only because the two were two of the dishes now being discussed here. The favas and the the rock shrimp. Nice ingredients but borderline bracingly acidic. Funnily enough, the balsamic braised pork tails were quite nicely balanced in flavor. Continue to like the place quite a bit, but after several visits something about it just keeps me from putting it into the really, really like it category of moderately priced restaurants with the likes of Avec, The Publican, Kuma's.
  • Post #68 - May 30th, 2010, 5:46 pm
    Post #68 - May 30th, 2010, 5:46 pm Post #68 - May 30th, 2010, 5:46 pm
    BryanZ wrote:I eat here quite frequently. On my last visit--on Friday evening--I found a couple of the dishes to be overly acidic. I mention this only because the two were two of the dishes now being discussed here. The favas and the the rock shrimp. Nice ingredients but borderline bracingly acidic. Funnily enough, the balsamic braised pork tails were quite nicely balanced in flavor. Continue to like the place quite a bit, but after several visits something about it just keeps me from putting it into the really, really like it category of moderately priced restaurants with the likes of Avec, The Publican, Kuma's.

    I like a lot of acid in my food, but I agree that the Purple Pig overdoes it sometimes. I didn't feel that way about the favas, but definitely did about the rock shrimp. Several weeks ago, I also had an eggplant antipasto that tasted like pure pickle brine.

    I also agree with you in that I continue to like The Purple Pig quite a bit.



    gastro gnome wrote:I had this about a month ago, when I believe they were still hand chopping the eggs. I still found it generally dry, chalky, and lacking flavor (other than the prosciuotto bits). This was especially evidenced when compared to a perfectly dressed rock shrimp and spring pea dish or the shaved asparagus salad. It's not that I don't understand your critique of the dishe's components, but that I found the gestalt lacking for some of the same reasons, even when it was executed more to your preferences.

    It's probably a function of the freshness of the favas more than anything else. Favas are wonder - ethereal even - when they're supremely fresh. A day or two later and they can take a major downward dive.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #69 - May 30th, 2010, 10:16 pm
    Post #69 - May 30th, 2010, 10:16 pm Post #69 - May 30th, 2010, 10:16 pm
    Kennyz wrote:Would I rather they add 25% to the prices so that they could hand-chop eggs and throw out less-than-perfect favas? It's really a tough call.
    How much are you saving in labor by grating eggs? I'm pretty sure I could chop enough eggs for the night in about 10 minutes. You still have to cook, chill and shell the eggs, right? Or do you just buy a bag of processed, ground eggs from somewhere and hope nobody cares?
  • Post #70 - May 31st, 2010, 5:11 am
    Post #70 - May 31st, 2010, 5:11 am Post #70 - May 31st, 2010, 5:11 am
    Mikey wrote:
    Kennyz wrote:Would I rather they add 25% to the prices so that they could hand-chop eggs and throw out less-than-perfect favas? It's really a tough call.
    How much are you saving in labor by grating eggs? I'm pretty sure I could chop enough eggs for the night in about 10 minutes. You still have to cook, chill and shell the eggs, right? Or do you just buy a bag of processed, ground eggs from somewhere and hope nobody cares?


    The eggs were just an example of the kinds of things restaurants might do to save labor costs. I'm not saying that they alone could contribute to anything like a 25% price increase. But there are probably a couple of "10 minutes" components that could be cut from every dish, and that can start to add up to a good chunk of time and loss of quality.

    That said, with the eggs - it's not just about the time it takes to grate them vs. hand chop them. With hand chopped chunks of boiled egg, flaws become visible and the taste of the eggs is more pronounced, so you have to try harder to boil them right every time, and use a high quality product. If you run the eggs through a fine grater, it doesn't matter nearly as much if they're overcooked, or if they just weren’t such great eggs to begin with. So in addition to the 10 minutes, you might also save the time and lost product that are typical of robust quality control efforts in a good kitchen.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #71 - May 31st, 2010, 3:37 pm
    Post #71 - May 31st, 2010, 3:37 pm Post #71 - May 31st, 2010, 3:37 pm
    We went for lunch today. Probably due to the holiday and the rain there was no wait at 1 pm. We had the Wagyu steak, the Peas farrow mint feta dish, the Cured meats platter and Three cheeses. Plus wine :) We enjoyed it all very much. It reminded me a bit of Otto in NYC, but with better food, pacing and service and no pizzas.

    For those who haven't been there, there is a handicap entrance through the side, enter at the office building at 500 N. Michigan. That's where the low tables are, in the back by the washrooms - both of which are unisex and handicap friendly.

    We enjoyed it very much. I suspect we won't get there too often just because it's on Michigan ave, and that's just not a common destination for us. If they took reservations it would probably be a different story.
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #72 - June 1st, 2010, 2:14 am
    Post #72 - June 1st, 2010, 2:14 am Post #72 - June 1st, 2010, 2:14 am
    commodity eggs cost $13/case. ten flats per case, 30 eggs per flat. cost per egg is roughly $0.04.

    labor cost is calculated as a function of gross sales.

    eggs chopped by hand or grated through a fine sieve, the process makes no difference in the labor cost. the time required to chop an egg vs grating is not differential. for three hundred covers you might have to boil and cut, what 30 eggs? takes 10 minutes to boil, another 10 to cut. any hourly line cook can produce this product. there is no magic to boiling an egg. nor in peeling, cutting.

    amateurs. and you'll never get it. but retain your sense of entitlement.
  • Post #73 - June 1st, 2010, 5:11 am
    Post #73 - June 1st, 2010, 5:11 am Post #73 - June 1st, 2010, 5:11 am
    hodnb wrote:any hourly line cook can produce this product. there is no magic to boiling an egg.

    Jeff,
    That may have been true in your Alinea days, when your "line cooks" were top-tier culinary school grads (talk about entitled), but think about other situations like, say, food trucks. Now I know your food truck project failed to get off the ground, so you might have a hard time understanding the limitations of smaller, more modest kitchens. But trust me when I tell you that I have eaten many terrible boiled eggs that come out of such places. It may not be magic, but in the real world it turns out to be harder than you think to get a boiled egg right every time.
    Kenny
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #74 - June 1st, 2010, 7:59 am
    Post #74 - June 1st, 2010, 7:59 am Post #74 - June 1st, 2010, 7:59 am
    Some posts in this thread are drifting toward personal attack; several valuable perspectives are being offered here, so let's try to keep the conversation productive and non-accusatory.

    Thanks.
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #75 - June 2nd, 2010, 11:42 am
    Post #75 - June 2nd, 2010, 11:42 am Post #75 - June 2nd, 2010, 11:42 am
    I ate at the PP twice in April. I sat at the bar in front of the grill and had a hard time getting set up with menu, plates water and utensils. But I like to watch the sous chef and grill master at work so this gave me a chance to see what the fare was before I ordered. I am 51 yo and was the oldest person in the place and the place was packed on a weekday evening. I ordered the grilled octopus on a bed of spinach-nice and tender but the octopus portion could have used a couple of more pieces. I orderd the bone marrow-awesome. Three large bones with perfectly cooked marrow. The toasted bread was good and held up to the fatty goodness spread upon it. Service was in the weeds during my meal. I had to get more so I returned the next night with a colleague who is not an adventurous eater. The place was packed and we waited nearly an hour to get a table. I ordered the marrow again and he had the chop or shoulder. We had a great time and sampled the prosciutto which just melted in our mouths. I rec this place but the crowds and no reservation policy makes it difficult to make plans.
    What disease did cured ham actually have?
  • Post #76 - August 9th, 2010, 2:41 pm
    Post #76 - August 9th, 2010, 2:41 pm Post #76 - August 9th, 2010, 2:41 pm
    We finally made it to the PP last Monday after our first couple attempts were scuttled by weather, no-show babysitters, and other unfortunate acts of nature.

    The original plan was for us to try and get to a couple places in order to maximize our "trying new places" time, but once we were ensconced and began enjoying the wine and food, the plan changed and we ended up staying put for quite a while.

    We sat at the bar, engaged the bartenders, asked for suggestions, and ended up being really impressed with what came our way. I started off with a Manhattan, then joined my wife for a glass of Lambrusco, had a small draft of Kolsch, and then ended up moving into desserts with a Greek Vin Santo that was just excellent and some of their fantastic house Crema di Limoncello.

    We ordered lots of small plates kind of randomly. We tried the salt-roasted beets with goat cheese and pistachio, the pork-roasted almonds, the caponata, a small salumi board with jamon serrano and finocchiona, the lardo crostini, fried "whitebait", a summer vegetable dish with farro, the pork neckbone rillete, and the deviled egg. I think that's it. And we also had the cookies and the butterscotch pudding for dessert.

    Not everything was outstanding, but much of it was, including the pork rillette dish, the caponata, and the fried little fishies, which had little wheels of blanched then battered and fried lemon rind mixed throughout, adding great little bursts of acidity and brightness amongst the fried fatty fish. I thought the charred crusty bread they served with everything was really excellent, but when used as a vehicle for the lardo, they overwhelmed its flavor. I didn't really like the almonds, which I found too chewy and not crunchy enough, although the flavor was great.

    What I enjoyed most, however, was the overall vibe of the place. I've read a lot about how people just strike up conversations there and end up sharing food, and we honestly weren't expecting that or looking for it to happen, but it did end up happening; we were engaged in conversation with the folks on both sides of us, and we all ended up sharing sips of drinks and bites of food. It felt very authentic, unforced, and spontaneous, but it's clearly the result of an intention on the part of this establishment to foster an environment in which this will happen.

    The place is much smaller than I expected, and that works to push the concept, which is just a pitch-perfect rendition of a european-style wine bar with great bar snacks. They've really nailed it perfectly and I seriously cannot wait to go back. The $138 tab for two of us seemed well worth it after all the food and drinks we tried, and considering how fun and entertaining it was, compared to a lot of similarly-priced restaurants, it seems like a great value.

    This place has vaulted right to the top of my favorites list. I only wish it was closer for me or easier to access, although, incredibly, we did end up finding street parking a couple blocks east of Michigan, so it really wasn't all that difficult despite the swanky Michigan Ave. location.
    http://edzos.com/
    Edzo's Evanston on Facebook or Twitter.

    Edzo's Lincoln Park on Facebook or Twitter.
  • Post #77 - September 20th, 2010, 1:13 pm
    Post #77 - September 20th, 2010, 1:13 pm Post #77 - September 20th, 2010, 1:13 pm
    What can I expect to spend/pp?
  • Post #78 - September 20th, 2010, 1:30 pm
    Post #78 - September 20th, 2010, 1:30 pm Post #78 - September 20th, 2010, 1:30 pm
    orangejeans wrote:What can I expect to spend/pp?


    The price per dish ranges from about $4 to about $16, and alcoholic drinks range from about $6 to about $20. On my several visits, the price per person has ranged from $11 to $75, with many levels in between.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #79 - September 20th, 2010, 2:35 pm
    Post #79 - September 20th, 2010, 2:35 pm Post #79 - September 20th, 2010, 2:35 pm
    I really hate it when a restaurant doesn't show prices on the menu on its website.
  • Post #80 - September 20th, 2010, 3:43 pm
    Post #80 - September 20th, 2010, 3:43 pm Post #80 - September 20th, 2010, 3:43 pm
    Kennyz wrote:
    orangejeans wrote:What can I expect to spend/pp?


    The price per dish ranges from about $4 to about $16, and alcoholic drinks range from about $6 to about $20. On my several visits, the price per person has ranged from $11 to $75, with many levels in between.


    Sticking with Kenny's range (that really only a statistician could love), I've found that dinner is generally around $40 per person...give or take.
    -Josh

    I've started blogging about the Stuff I Eat
  • Post #81 - September 20th, 2010, 3:47 pm
    Post #81 - September 20th, 2010, 3:47 pm Post #81 - September 20th, 2010, 3:47 pm
    nsxtasy wrote:I really hate it when a restaurant doesn't show prices on the menu on its website.


    You can always give Menupages a shot if the restaurant's website doesn't list prices.

    I'm not sure if the menu they're showing for Purple Pig is current, but the prices are representative (regardless of what's actually on the menu).
    -Josh

    I've started blogging about the Stuff I Eat
  • Post #82 - October 10th, 2010, 8:06 am
    Post #82 - October 10th, 2010, 8:06 am Post #82 - October 10th, 2010, 8:06 am
    Went for lunch last week and really enjoyed it. Sat outside to take advantage of the Indian Summer. Dishes we particularly loved (I'll call them by names that make sense to me, rather than necessarily the names they have on the menu, which I forget): the small cubes of tuna; the slaw made from shaved brussel sprouts and pecorino cheese; the incredibly tender octopus. Liked the fried pig's ears and kale. For some reason wasn't especially taken with the pig's tails, which simply reminded me of a less tasty and somewhat chewier version of ox tails. There were one or two other dishes that impressed us which I can't remember now. Dessert was terrific--a freshly fried donut, big enough to share, filled with cream filling and melty chocolate chips, if memory serves. Our server was very helpful in guiding us through the menu and making recommendations when asked.

    While "comparisons are odious" and all that, I couldn't help comparing it to another small-plates place I'd been recently, Girl and the Goat. Both places had their standout dishes and their merely good ones, but while I would not say that the very best of Purple Pig is better than the very best of GaTG, I would say Purple Pig's overall batting average is higher.
  • Post #83 - November 20th, 2010, 2:13 pm
    Post #83 - November 20th, 2010, 2:13 pm Post #83 - November 20th, 2010, 2:13 pm
    Went there last night with the wife at around 9:30pm. We decided to splurge. 7 dishes + 2 desserts + a bottle of wine = $160 (tax included). So, with the tip it's about $95 per person. Relatively good food. Loud, but as expected.
  • Post #84 - November 20th, 2010, 2:14 pm
    Post #84 - November 20th, 2010, 2:14 pm Post #84 - November 20th, 2010, 2:14 pm
    onix wrote:Went there last night with the wife at around 9:30pm. We decided to splurge. 7 dishes + 2 desserts + a bottle of wine = $160 (tax included). So, with the tip it's about $95 per person. Relatively good food. Loud, but as expected.

    Anything to note about the food?
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #85 - November 22nd, 2010, 8:14 pm
    Post #85 - November 22nd, 2010, 8:14 pm Post #85 - November 22nd, 2010, 8:14 pm
    we went again last monday and were just as pleased as we've been on previous visits.

    my wife loves PP because it's one of the few places in Chicago she can get Lambrusco (the real, red, chilled, fizzy variety). so we had a few of those. I usually put myself in the hands of the server or bartender and have them bring me whatever they're pouring that they recommend, and I'm not disappointed. I continue to be amazed at the excellent quality wines that are poured at PP for the prices they charge. Especially given the location.

    some real winner dishes: the cold brussels sprouts shredded with pecorino romano, the fried brussels sprouts dish, the morcilla sausage with apple and some delicate sprouty thing, the olive oil poached tuna, the caponata (which we absolutely love), and the pork neckbone rillette.

    some not fabulous, but still quite good dishes: the prosciutto bread balls, squash-sage arancini, the farro and ricotta dessert.

    one clunker: the fried whitebait (didn't taste very fresh on this visit)


    PP has established itself as one of our favorite restaurants. despite the fact that it's inconveniently located for us, and despite the fact that we usually have to wait around a half an hour even though we almost always go on a Mon or Tue night. we'll be back again soon.
    http://edzos.com/
    Edzo's Evanston on Facebook or Twitter.

    Edzo's Lincoln Park on Facebook or Twitter.
  • Post #86 - November 25th, 2010, 10:37 pm
    Post #86 - November 25th, 2010, 10:37 pm Post #86 - November 25th, 2010, 10:37 pm
    Have they stopped serving the Sobrasada Mallorca? That was my favorite thing on the menu, but they haven't had it the last two times I've been there (June and August).
    "I've always thought pastrami was the most sensuous of the salted cured meats."
  • Post #87 - January 4th, 2011, 1:28 am
    Post #87 - January 4th, 2011, 1:28 am Post #87 - January 4th, 2011, 1:28 am
    I went to Purple Pig just after Christmas and I give it three thumbs up.

    Items ordered - Items I can remember ordering were Octopus with Green Beans, Fingerling Potatoes & Salsa Verde, Lardo Crostini and Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs.

    Food - The octopus was great and just as I remember from Cafe Spiaggia with a good bite that didn't come off too chewy. The acidity from the salsa verde worked great. The crostini was velvety smooth with melted lardo. The bone marrow smear was my least favorite, but still lived up to what I was expecting.

    Price - I went on a restaurant crawl since I was only in town for a few days. This was the cheapest of the restaurants I visited and I believe the best value. (this crawl included restaurants like Girl and the Goat)

    Experience - The place was packed on a Monday night and I felt a great vibe inside. I was surprise to see where it was located when we first showed up. Overall I loved the place and would recommend it to everyone.
    GOOD TIMES!
  • Post #88 - January 6th, 2011, 12:58 pm
    Post #88 - January 6th, 2011, 12:58 pm Post #88 - January 6th, 2011, 12:58 pm
    elakin wrote:some real winner dishes: ...the morcilla sausage with apple and some delicate sprouty thing,


    The sprouty thing is watercress, at least in today's version of the morcilla. I agree that it's a real winner, with fairly pronounced winter spice element that I think is heavy (in a good way) on cloves. Fried 'til crisp, the morcilla rounds pair beautifully with thin apple slices, greens, and a judicious but intense saba drizzle.

    Less successfuol for me were the white anchovies with blood oranges and puntarelle, which suffered the same acid overdose as many of the Purple Pigs antipasti.

    If today was an indication, lunch in January is the time to go to the Purple Pig if you want the place essentially to yourself.
    ...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

    Fuckerberg on Food
  • Post #89 - January 6th, 2011, 8:38 pm
    Post #89 - January 6th, 2011, 8:38 pm Post #89 - January 6th, 2011, 8:38 pm
    Kennyz wrote:Less successfuol for me were the white anchovies with blood oranges and puntarelle, which suffered the same acid overdose as many of the Purple Pigs antipasti.


    Go find an antacid support group. Vive le vinaigre!
  • Post #90 - January 7th, 2011, 10:35 am
    Post #90 - January 7th, 2011, 10:35 am Post #90 - January 7th, 2011, 10:35 am
    I agree. One of the things I think PP does extremely well is make vinaigrettes. They are certainly heavy-handed with the acidity, but perhaps due to the fact that I tend to order very rich, fatty dishes when I'm there, I always appreciate the way their vinaigrettes cut through the rich stuff.
    http://edzos.com/
    Edzo's Evanston on Facebook or Twitter.

    Edzo's Lincoln Park on Facebook or Twitter.

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