Thin n' Greasy!!!

spot: Diner Grill
food type: Diner/Basic American
address/info.: 1635 W. Irving Pk. Rd. 773-248-2030
neighborhood: Lakeview/but not really the nice part

Why I love the burger at the Diner Grill

I love skinny hot dogs, very thin pizza crust and thin greasy bacon hamburgers. The Diner Grill on Irving near Ashland is probably the best place for the the thinnest greasiest bacon burger around. First they have a nice flat grill with what appears to be a tiny coffee pot that sits on the grill filled with lard so it can stay hot and fluid long enough to be placed on the hash browns or grilled onions or whatever they need to lather in grease. which later will coagulate in your veins.
I like to order a bacon hamburger no cheese with grilled onions. Since they only have a counter, I like to sit right in front of the grill and watch them prepare my burger. Watchin the burger gand bacon n’ onions grill up is almost orgasmic. but we all know nothing really beats a babe!
Anyway, they place two pieces of bacon on the grill beneath an old school iron presser to keep the bacon from curling up. Then they put a bunch of onions on the grill lather them in the lard from the coffee pot (that’s where the flavor is) then they place the hamburger bun on top of the onions while they cook, oh boy is that the best, it steams the bun with greasy onion goodness. Monte-licious! Finally after a few moments they place the thinnest most wonderful round, ground burger on the grill, which because they are so thin, they grill up quickly and perfectly.
Soon after that comes the bottom of the bun on the grill for a quick toasting, and then you know your burgers almost done.
They put the bottom of the bun on the plate next to the cold lettuce, tomato and pickle. Then they scoop up the onions with the top of the bun on them and place that on top of the burger then slip it on the bottom bun. After that they lift the iron press where your bacon sits so cute and crispy lookin’, sittin in it’s own grease. Then they use a spatula to lift the bacon and apply it immediately to the burger where they don’t even drain the grease off. So good!
After all that they serve it to ya’ hot and ready to eat. I like to put the lettuce and pickle on with ketchup & mustard. It only takes me a few minutes to eat one of these, so sometimes I have to order another one halfway through the first.
From the first bite to the last bite, it drips with onion, bacon, ketchup, mustard and greasy goodness all around your face and on the plate. This is fun to lick off the corners of your mouth, plus I like to wipe my burger into the stuff that makes it onto the plate, there is alotta good taste in those drippings.
All this tasty goodness comes at under five bucks. This is why I love the burger at the diner grill. Well now I’m hungry so I gotta go get a burger. Oh shoot I almost forgot they serve you water in the “to go” cups which I love, it means I don’t have to worry about it being dirty.
And of cousre, they serve the world famous “Slinger.” Don’t ask, just eat! And if you do eat one, you get a certificate to prove that you ate one. Cool.

Steak n' Eggs Benedict at it's finest!!!

Spot: Orange
Food type: Contempary Brunch
Address info.: 2011 W. Roscoe 773-248-0999
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village/Hipster area

A breakfast for champions!

Ok, Orange is not the typical place I usually dine, it’s a bit pricier than the places I hit, and it’s a very hip crowd. And me, I’m not a hip person. But let me tell ya, Orange is the sh*t homey!!!!

So far everything I have had there is excellent! But the meal I have been getting the last three times I was there is the Steak n’ Eggs Benedict, and as the menu describes it:

Thick sliced brioche bread topped with char-grilled beef tenderloin, poached eggs, hollandaise and drizzled with balsamic reduction.
They forget to mention in the menu that it comes with mashed potatoes!

And seriously, this is one the best eggs benedict dishes I have ever eatin, every bite is “Monte-licious!” till the last bites of mashed potatoes soaked in all the remaining steak, egg, and hollandaise juices/sauce on the plate. This meal is a total plate licker!

They also have excellent freshly squeezed juices, orange infused coffee, and one their most special treats: Fruishi! A fruit sushi, it is frickin amazing!!!! And as I like to mention, super cute waitresses. Super cute. And I always see a lot of “Cougars” there. ; )

El Potosi? Si!

spot: El Potosi
food type: mexican, duh!!!
address/info.: 3710 N. Elston Ave. 773-463-2517


I love El Potosi! Outdoor seating, run by two women, cool stuff strewn about, it looks like a gallery of sorts, and excellent mexican food!! What more can you ask for? Bikini waitresses maybe, but it would ruin the appeal.
This is a one of a kind spot. Genuine owners/employees, with good food at great prices. All that's left for me to say is: I'll see you there!
The featured food here are the enchiladas, which i got with no cheese. and it was still "Monte-riffic!"

Pastichio!!! If you don't know, it's time you do!!!

spot: Mythos
food type: Greek
address/info.: 2030 W. Montrose Ave. 773-334-2000
neighborhood: Lincoln Square/North center

"Mythos!" The best Pastichio I have had next to my buddy Andy's mom's.

In case you don't know, Pastichio is a Greek version of lasagna, which I'm sure you know what that is. And if you don't... consider us acquaintances only. In my opinion pastichio is better than lasagna. And I'm Italian!

The main differences are; instead of sheet like pasta, pastichio uses long hollow spaghetti like noodles. And instead of ricotta cheese and maybe mozzarella, pastichio is made with a delicious creamy bechamel sauce, which is actually french. Bechamel, is a creamy, cheesy sauce made from scolding hot milk and flour. So if you have gluten issues, this meal is not for you. Lactose issue people, bring yer lactaid pills and you'll be fine. This is meal is worth every lactaid pill I take while eating it. It is 100% "Monte-licious!" They also use black angus beef for the meat sauce in the pastchio. It just keeps getting better!

Mythos is a dinner spot. Except on Sunday, they open at noon. You need to know that this meal takes about 30 minutes to prepare, so order some appetizers. The saganaki is delicious, but they don't flame it up!!! But it is still some of the best I have ever had! Something I think worth mentioning; it's owned by two sisters, one is the chef, the other is the host, and in my opinion, one of the best restaurant combo. owners I have seen. And I genuinely enjoy the two of 'em. If I were single, I would make play for 'em. Both! ; ) And all of the waitresses I have seen there are super cute!! A bonus at any spot!

My Bacon Girl!

Bacon. Where it matters most! Need I say more?

"Lime Chicken", so says the waitress!

spot: Thai Pastry

food type: guess… Thai

address/info.: 4925 N. Broadway St. 773-784-5399

neighborhood: Uptowns! One of Chicago’s classic neighborhoods

Lime Chicken, so says the waitress.

I tried something new at one of my old spots that I haven’t been to in over a year, and I feel kinda bad about it. I have walked past Thai Pastry so many times goin to my new fave. “Tank”, that I almost forgot how much I used to love eating there.

I rotate through favorite spots like a whore rotates through Johns.

It has been so long since I have been to Thai Pastry, that it felt like a new spot to me. But since I already knew that all my staple meals there are great, I decided to ask the cute waitress what she really likes to eat there. And she told me that if she wasn’t working there, and came in as a customer, she would get the “Lime Chicken.” So I did.

Let me tell ya’, she made the right choice, it was “Monte-licious!” It’s 2 chicken breasts that are breaded and fried, and the breading is kinda like a heavier tempura breading. It’s placed on top of a bed of fried seaweed, which is strangely tasty, next to some shredded carrots. Then it's covered with a sweet lime sauce and tiny, thinly sliced pieces of lime. It is such an interesting taste explosion in yer mouth, that I can’t wait to get back there and order it again.

I almost forgot, they also have excellent sweets, pastries, desserts, and bubble teas. I got the watermelon bubble tea filled with tapioca, and we got honey, custard cake. "Monte-licious!"

Peanut butter, burger time, peanut butter, burger time, peanut butter, buger time.... (repeat till blue in the face)

spot: Tina's Best Beef
food type: burgers n' stuff. thai too!
address/info.: 2415 W. Montrose Ave. 773-478-2055
neighborhood: on the edge of Lincoln Square, it's pretty decent over there

Come fer the burger, leave for the Thai!
Tina's! This is the spot for an excellent, thin, char grilled burger, or during the winter, soup! I live kinda near this place, and didn't even go to it for it a while. I remember always goin to the gas station next door to Tina's and thinkin, while I'm fillin up, that spot doesn't look to good. So I didn't go there for a long while.

One day I had this crackhead alley mechanic form my old neighborhood workin' on my car, and he was hungry. Like hell was I gonna make him any food, he just stole a cheapy tool set of mine two weeks previous. And I know what yer thinkin', but he did brakes for only $20, and changed a transmission out in one of my cars fer only $50!!! So he was hungry, and I wasn't cookin' him anything. Then, like a light bulb goin off, I was like "you want a hot dog or somethin from that little spot next to the gas station?" and with his usual speech impediment lisp, he said "yesth." I have no problem with people with speech problems either, just being descriptive, I actually like those things in people. It's unique to an individual.

Anyway, I ended goin' to Tina's for some inexpensive eats.

I was just getting the kid and his brother hot dogs, it was the cheapest thing on the menu. And F*ck him, he did steal my sh*t not to long ago. But I saw they had a char grill, which surprised me for this run down little hot dog stand. So I asked what they made on the grill, and it was only burgers. Perfect. I ordered one. And of course I sat there and ate before I brought the food back to my mechanic. The burger was so freakin good I couldn't believe it! So I ordered another one and took it back with me.

I actually remember my mechanic and his brother joking that it tasted like they just took the hot dogs right out of the refrigerator and put 'em in the bun. My hamburger had steam coming up from it. Yeah, keep my stealin my shit! Now fix my brakes!

Back to the food. Seriously, the burger is excellent! If you like a thin, tasty, char grilled, burger this place is for you. Also, during the winter they make fresh soups, and they're really, really good. I especially love the mushroom barley soup, I'd go so far to say it's the best I've ever tasted. Maybe. They also make excellent chili. If you like it non-chunky. I hate chili that's loaded with huge, ridiculous chunks of stuff. Not here, just meat n' beans. Perfect for chili mac.

They also have Thai food, and it's all listed on a completely separate menu. Did I mention the owners are an older Asian couple? I didn't, cause it didn't matter till now. That being said, they have some Thai options. Well, one day I asked the dude, "Hey! How's the Thai food?" He kinda shrugged his shoulders, his voice had a bit of a higher a pitch and he said, "Eh... Not to good." And it's been only burgers and soup ever since.

See ya soon at Tina's, it's "Monte-riffic!"

Any recommendations? Drop me a line.

I wanna hear from you, no matter where you live! Send me recommendations of some of yer favorite spots. Keep in mind that I'm always lookin' for "A good Meal at a Good Deal"

Contact me at: offtheeatinpathwithmonte@yahoo.com

"Patty's Diner!" Where ya gotta watch what yer charged, but the food is great!

spot: Patty's Diner
food type: American Diner
address/info.: 3358 W. Main St. / closed Mondays and only open till like 3 or 4
neighborhood: it's Skokie, so it's pretty nice

"Nothing could be finer than eating at Patty's diner" (until she chisels you consistently out of money)


Patty's diner is one of my all time favorite breakfast spots. I have been goin there fer years for the Ham Hash, which is ham off the bone, onions, hashbrowns, and lots of pepper fried up together topped with an egg and a homemade bun. I actually discovered Patty's while I was a driver for an escort service, yes, I drove ladies of night for a short time. Boy do I miss that job! ; )

But that's not what I'm tellin you about today. After having only the breakfast for years, I decided to try a burger one day. And Holy Sh*t was it great!!! I couldn't believe it.

The burger is huge, which usually I don't like, but here, it's great! It's char grilled, and nothing tastes better than food on a char grill to me. The fries are fresh cut, and the bun is also made in house. She bakes her own bread!!!!! While grilling the burger, she repeatedly coats it in margarine, which makes all firey like the "Human Torch". Cool! I actually thought it was butter, but that's to flammable I for the grill I was told. And this is easily one of the tastiest burgers I have ever eatin'. It's "Monte-licious!"

But be careful, the prices are subject to change instantly somehow. The burger on the menu is $6.75, but I was consistently charged $9.00. I never even noticed the fact that she was chiseling me fer years. But recently I actually decided to look at the menu, and so I was being overcharged. I called it out to her waitress, and she just kinda folded and deferred it to Patty. I let it go, and haven't been back since. But the food is good, and you should go. Just watch what she charges you! And tell her Monte sent ya'.

First ever "Masticaing with Monte" a success!!!

First "Masticating with Monte" a success!!!
We did it!!! A group of 15 of us met today, Sunday Roctober 25, 2009 at "Uncle Mike's Place" (1700 W. Grand Ave. in Chicago). We ate together as a motley crew, and it was a BLAST!!! We ate, laughed, cried, and made masticating history. Everything was delicious from the skirt steak n' eggs to one of my new favorites: Filipino Tocino. Which is a sweetened cured pork that tastes like the best ham you've ever eaten! And it was served with a garlic flavored rice and eggs!! A super delicious breakfast treat!!! I can't wait to go back for more.

The day was great, but almost didn't happen.

At 8 a.m. a friend of mine, John, sent me a text saying "Corosh", which was the original meeting place, was now closed on Sundays. But I wasn't sure because a few weeks ago they had a sign on the window saying they'd be closed on Sunday October 4th. so I assumed maybe the person who informed my friend had seen that sign too, and just assumed it was lasting. So to be safe I went there early to check it out. It was closed! Of course I panicked, called a friend in the hood, Rob, and he suggested "Uncle Mike's Place". I had completely forgot about this spot and I used to go there all the time for the steak n' eggs. So my wife and I went there, got them to put 4 tables together for us, and it ended up being the perfect spot for the event.

The only thing that could have made it better, was seeing the rest of you who couldn't make it out this time, but I'm sure we'll see you next time.

As a side note, my buddy who informed me of the closing, who was supposed to go, jumped ship immediately. 5 minutes after I received his text I called him back, and at 8:05 a.m., he was already at another restaurant having breakfast. That is not the friend you want around when the ship goes down. When yer looking fer him, he'll be by himself in the only row boat rowing away. But I love him anyway.

Baconfest Chicago 2009, PIMPS!!!!!!!!!!!! Check it!!!!

Bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fest!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today my wife and I went to the first ever Baconfest! And as you can imagine, it was pig lovers paradise!! The deal was that every dish served had to be completely based around bacon, and who doesn't love that? Don't answer if ya don't, cause I don't wanna know. Anyway, it was sensational! There were so many fantastic dishes, and amazing taste explosions, and so many things to list. But since I am lazy, I am going to ask that you click on the top pic., the baconfest form, check it out. It has the complete menu for the day. It will knock yer socks off. Now on with the rest of the event.

We met a lot of really cool people, due to the fact that it was standing room only. Which may sound uncomfortable for a foodie event, but it was perfect. They had around a dozen or more little round tables set up, and there were no seats, so every one forced to be on their feet and move through space. It was a mingle-rs paradise. Different people kept moving in and out of our table, and with each new guest we shared the joy of conversation. It was amazing for that alone. Then the food!! Ridiculous!!! Everything was excellent!!! And I truly mean that. We had to vote for our favorite on the Baconfest form, but honestly, there wasn't a weak link in the bunch. I would go into a battle with any one of the meals served today at the event. We even met a few of the gents and woman running the event (Seth Zurer being one of the gents), and they were a pleasure to speak with. As well, we met Gary, and Ron from: http://lthforum.com/bb/index.php they were super cool. And check out their site if yer in Chicago, their site is excellent for any foodie. One of the greatest treats of the day though was reconnecting with an old friend Chuck Sudo. This is a gentleman I grew up with as a child and have not seen for a while, and it was great to see him today. Love ya' Chuck! Well, I didn't write a lot about the bacon, but I hope I set the experience up for ya, cause it was a great one, and I can't wait for the next one.
I forgot to mention the gift bag, that is my last pic. in the blog here, it is a shot of all of the goodies we got to take home with us, check out all that stuff. Amazing gift bag. Amazing! And tons of beautiful woman were there from young to cougar. Thank you Seth and everyone from the fest. Finally, the only thing that could have made it just a pinch more perfect, someone grabbing their chest at the event. You NEED a heart attack at a Baconfest yo! And I forgot to mention, no XXl shirts!!! Xl was the largest! At a Baconfest? Come on fellas!!! XXl shoulda been the smallest.

Hello to everyone who just discovered my blog from the tribune!! Chicago is the #1 food city in America!!!! Hands down!

If you missed the article today in the Trib:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-1022-monteoct22,0,3458716.story

thanks to everyone and anyone who is checkin out my blog. i eat for you. ...well, me too. but i do it fer all of us. chicago is easily the number one food city in america. hands down. my proof: every other big city (n.y., l.a., etc.) are all way to expensive to support the working class, which are mostly immigrants, with old family recipes from small towns. with every other city being so expensive, and chicago still kinda affordable, we're getting a huge bulk of the immigrants moving, and staying here in our great city. and they are bringing with them the hope for a better life through their hard work and labor. which luckily for us sometimes translates into new restaurant owners with great recipes from a foreign land. so we are number one, the first city when it comes to food!!!!! i hope you enjoy my blog, and continue to follow it. i will do my best to entertain you, turn you on to new food types, and show you spots you may not have ever been to before in yer life!!! welcome to "off the eatin path with monte".

Mr. D's!!!!! if you don't know, it's time you do!!!!

spot: Mr. D's Shish Kabob
food type: Kabobs and char grilled sandwiches
address/neighborhood: 6656 w. diversey ave. (by the brickyard mall yo!) 773-637-0042

Mr.D’s steak sandwiches and more(not much)

Mr.D’s, a true Chicago treasure in my opinion.
This is a grilled sandwich delight on Diversey and Normandy, northeast corner(far west).
Mr.D is a greek guy with a ton of personality and a very distinguishable voice(he always sounds horse) who has been running his sandwich shop for over 30 years now in the exact same location using all the exact same food since I was kid.
I know this cause my cousins live right by there and we used to go there all the time when we had the munchies.
Mr.D was the best because he would give my cousins credit a lot, and if he was closing when we called he would leave food for us on the doorstep and we could pay him later, that’s kool.
Anyway the food. Almost everything there is either char grilled or deep fried to golden perfection like his fresh cut fries.
The steak sandwich here is one of the best ribeye sandwiches in town (actually I still have’nt had one better). It’s a nice healthy piece of meat that is grilled just right every time and seasoned to perfection thrown in a soft french roll. The key to the sandwich though is the grilled onions, you gotta ask for them or he’ll give it to ya’ just with raw onions and tomatoes(which is also good but not the true way). The grilled onions are prepared earlier in the day and man are they good. He grills em’ up and lets them soak in a seasoned homemade marinade, it is so damn good. He also makes great shish-kabobs and burgers that are so good you’ll wanna punch someone in the gut outta joy. His chili is great and I usually don’t like chili. He also has very good hot dogs and like I said before fresh cut fries. I gotta tell ya’ it’s worth the drive just for the onions on the steak sandwich, I actually get the onions on everything even the fries, but man they make you gassy like bologna. So go there and check it out one day you will be very happy you did. By the way it’s not the sharpest looking place but it’s a diamond as for the flavor. MONTE-RIFFIC! 773-637-0042

side note: mr. d used to hook my cousins up with good deals, and leaving food for us at the front door after he would close, but one of my cousins had to rob a bank, and go to prison. i lost my D hook up. now i get treated like any other jamoke.

The best meal I had in Amsterdam not attached to a “red” light is now in Chicago!

Spot: pannenkoeken (dutch pancake)
Food type: from the Netherlands, whatever you would call that, that’s what the type is.
Adreess/info.: 4757 N. Western/773-769-8800
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square, near where Blagojevich lives!

“The best meal I had in Amsterdam not attached to a “red” light is now in Chicago!”

Pannenkoeken, which basically means pancake, is excellent for a heavy duty breakfast. The deal is, this place makes dutch pancakes. Dutch pancakes are a thinner, yet larger pancake, and they’re covered with more than just syrup and other sweets. I actually had these in Amsterdam while there on vacation in 2003. I was there for completely ho-fess…, I mean, professional reasons, of course. ; ) For me, when I go there, I get the bacon & cheese. This is a massive dutch pancake… oh, these pancakes are baked too, instead of being pan fried. So it’s a little healthier, but maybe not. I don’t really know. Anyway, the pancake is huge, larger than the plate it’s on, and I get it with bacon (labeled “high quality on the menu), which they lay atop the pancake. And each (4) piece of bacon is covered with havarti cheese, which is melted onto the bacon. It is so freakin good, I would still eat it even if it fell on a floor in a prison. It is that “monte-licious!” I really haven’t had anything else there yet to be honest, but I have had this pancake several times. And I can’t, not order it when I am there. still. Sometimes I get that way, I find something I like, and I order for a loooong time before I change it up. And when the bacon and cheese is all gone, ya finish the rest of the pancake off with some syrup. You get yer salt, and sweet, in one meal. Perfect food marriage. And it’s all fer breakfast!!! Talk about a breakfast of champions. This place is definitely worth checkin out if you haven’t. And the sign says “breakfast, 6 a.m.”, but they don’t open till 7 a.m. during the week, and 8 a.m. on the weekends. Freakin dutch! Actually, I don’t think one person working there is from the Netherlands. The place is very small, it feels like a N.Y. restaurant, it’s that small. The bathroom is not crap worthy, way to small for that call. Also, there is a real cute waitress that works there, with big brown eyes. and finally, the prices are considerable inexpensive when you see how big the pancake is. See ya there.

"nuevo leon peeps!!!" you gotta love it!!!

Spot: Nuevo leon
Food type: Mexican/my fave.
neighborhood: pilsens yo!!! out on the souff side!! (said like gang slogan)
address/info.: 1515 w. 18th. st. 312-421-1517/312-563-0828

"a meal so good, i ate it on the hood of my car"


this is one of my all time favorite places to eat. truly a Chicago treasure. since i go here with some regularity, i believe i have never had a bad meal and recommend you try anything and everything on the menu. but i am gonna tell you about the nachos . so first the nachos, the main thing i recommend at nuevo leon. even though they have fantastic meals, and i have to recommend this appetizer. i have always loved/hated nachos. love the taste, hate the mess. so i stopped eatin 'em years ago, they're to damn frustrating. until i had 'em at nuevo leon. i actually saw 'em at another table, and i was like: "uh-uh, i did not just see that" it was like i saw a unicorn. each chip was individually dressed with all the fixins. really!! each chip! all of 'em covered with their own layer of melted cheese, beans, sour cream, and a guacamole whip. they are easily the best, most easiest, and tastiest nachos i have ever had.
the other i wanna push are the tortilla shells, fresh made daily! yes. very few places in the city do this anymore, but this is one of the places that does. you can't beat fresh, in house made tortilla shells. "Monte-licious!"

Cuban Steak Sandwich Yo!!!!!!!! Yer goona love it!

Cuban Goodness!
spot: marianao no.1 (is the attached image)& no.2
address: no.1 2246 n. milwaukee, no.2 4825 w. armitage
type of food: cuban
neighborhood(s): pretty shady

i went to meet some buddies for lunch the other day at marianaos no.2. now i have been to going to marianaos since i was a kid at it’s original location on armitage near kedzie(which burned down in the early 90’s then relocated to milwaukee ave.) for the best cuban sandwiches in the city. i now frequent no.1 on milwaukee ave. but i have never been to the their newest location no.2 back on armitage nor have i ever tried the cuban steak sandwich. so this was a first for me, the cuban steak sandwich and the new location.
let me tell ya’ when i first walked in i was a little worried cause it didn't look as authentic as marianaos no.1 , which is filthy and always packed with thug types(like the original when i was a kid). this spot(marianaos no.2) was clean and had stools to sit on and the clientele appeared not ready to kill people at the drop of a dime, so of course i was worried.
but i have faith cause as far as the cuban sandwiches go they have never once let me down in over 15 years. so i ordered a steak sandwich with only grilled onions.
wow! it was awesome. it is thinly sliced skirt steak that is deep fried, that’s right deep fried. i did’nt say it was good for your health but i do admit it is good for your taste buds. so while they’re deep frying your steak they are toasting your bun, 6-8 inches of fresh french bread on a grill. as soon as the steak is ready they slap on the grilled bun, lightly salt it and smother it with maxwell street style grilled onions, tomatoes and cheese(which i skip the cheese and tomatoes, lactose problems & i’m not a big tomatoe fan).
the steak and onion juice absorb into the bun making it mushy on the inside and crunchy from the grill on the outside MONTE-RIFFIC! this sandwich will kill you with joy like i will kill you if you say anything bad about it.
you gotta check this spot out on that one day you allow yourself to eat whatever you want to. they have two spots no.1 on milwaukee ave. just southeast of armitage and no.2 on armitage just west of cicero so it’s kinda convenient.
last but not least, of course it’s a good meal at good deal, the cuban steak sandwich clock’s in under $4.00 even for the double stuffed(which i recommend) enjoy.

The Nawaz Stands alone.

spot: ghareeb nawaz
address: 2032 W. Devon Ave. it's the furthest east, and last indian restaurant in that direction. that' why the nawaz stands alone!!!
food type: indian/pakistani
neighborhood: it’s o.k.

where the food is as good as the place is filthy (it's actually not that dirty anymore, but i still dig the title)

let me tell you if you love indian/pakistani food, or even if you just "like"indian/pakistani food, you’re gonna love this spot. it’s not a buffet but that’s o.k. nothing on the menu is over $4.50, and it's only one item. most of the food is between $2.00-$4.00 and they give servings that could feed two to three people in one dish, or just me. so even if you don’t know exactly what you like chances are you’re only gonna spend $3.00 anyway, versus the $7.00 - $9.00 buffet. and you will still have left overs. i still love buffets, but i love to eat inexpensively too yo. anyway...
on with the food. there are so many things to choose from at ghareeb nawaz and they’re all so good that i’m only gonna focus on a few things.
the chicken bryiani is a great dish. it is chicken cooked with a basmati rice(that’s the orange & yellow rice that tastes soo good) flavored with saffron(saffron? where else can you eat a meal with saffron in it?) and other great spices. this meal is only $4.00. and no joke, you get anywhere from 2-4 pounds of food on your plate. seriously. it even come in a metal military style plate. whish is concerning but hey!
also, chana masala: chick peas cooked with spices. sounds simple and it is, simply “Monte-Riffic!” this meal is only $3.00, i say meal because a single serving of this keeps you full for at least 3-4 hours. maybe 2.
next, gyros paratha: chunks of deliciously seasoned, fried gyros meat served on the metal military type tray with onions and a yogurt sauce. this also comes with a huge piece of paratha, which is a fried bread that i prefer to naan and it’s the size of a medium pizza all for only $2.50.
the prices are so good here you might wanna hug & kiss me just because you saved so much money. as for the spot, it is very genuine, they actually have a prayer room in the back(where i believe they’re praying for my death) and most people eat with their hands which i prefer anyway(i’m an animal). and yes the place is pretty filthy but believe me when i say the flavor is as strong as the filth.
now you have a great place to get a good meal at a good deal. you’ve just stepped “off the eatin path with monte”

side note: i have to credit kumail nanjiani for turning me onto this place, he said "do you wanna get food that's down n' dirty?", you know what i said.

Diner/Dinner grill Burger!!!

spot: diner/dinner grill (they have spelled both ways on the sign. genius!)
food type: Diner/inexpensive grill food
neighborhood: lakeview, best stay away during school hours. crowded!!!





Why I love the burger at the Diner Grill 773-248-2030

I love skinny hot dogs, very thin pizza crust and thin greasy bacon hamburgers. The Diner Grill on Irving near Ashland is probably the best place for the the thinnest greasiest bacon burger around. First they have a nice flat grill with what appears to be a tiny coffee pot that sits on the grill filled with lard so it can stay hot and fluid long enough to be placed on the hash browns or grilled onions or whatever they need to lather in grease later to coagulate in your veins. Anyway, they make the perfect burger. I like to order a bacon hamburger no cheese with grilled onions. They only have a counter. I like to sit in front of the grill and watch them prepare my burger, it’s great. they place two pieces of bacon on the grill beneath an old school iron presser to keep the bacon from curling up. Then they put a bunch of onions on the grill lather them in the lard from the coffee pot(that’s where the flavor is) then they place the hamburger bun on top of the onions while they cook(oh man, it steams the bun with greasy onion goodness). Finally after a few moments they place the thinnest most wonderful round ground burger on the grill and they grill up quickly and perfectly. Soon after that comes the bottom of the bun on the grill for a quick toasting and then you know your burgers almost done. They put the bottom of the bun on the plate next to the cold lettuce, tomato and pickle. Then they scoop up the onions with the top of the bun on them and place that on top of the burger then slip it on the bottom bun. After that they lift the iron press where your bacon sits so cute and crispy lookin’ in it’s own grease where they then use a spatula to lift the bacon and apply it immediately to the burger where they don’t even drain the grease off(so good!). After all that they serve it to ya’ hot and ready to eat. I like to put lettuce, pickle and ketchup & mustard on it(it only takes me a few minutes to eat one so sometimes I have to order another one halfway through the first). Then I dig in. From the first bite to last it drips with onion, bacon, ketchup, mustard and grease goodness all around your face and on the plate. This is fun to lick off the corners of your mouth and I like to wipe my burger into the stuff that makes it o the plate, there is alotta good taste in those drippings. All this tasty goodness comes to under five bucks. This is why I love the burger at the diner grill. Well now I’m hungry so I gotta go. To get a burger. Oh shoot I almost forgot they serve you water in the “to go” cups which I love, it means I don’t have to worry about it being dirty.

"Amigo Chino" for Chilaquiles yo!

Spot: Amigo Chino

Food type: Mexican

Info.: 5601 W. Irving Pk. Ave. 773-685-4374

Neighborhood: Portage park/Jefferson park area, it’s still kinda ok around there.

So I am writing about a place after being there only 1 time!!! I can already tell this place is gonna be a favorite of mine. The spot: Amigo Chino.

So a while ago, an old friend of mine told me one day “Monte, I had some of the best chilaquiles in my life today”, and today I am now telling you, “I have some of the best chilaquiles in my life from Amigo Chino”

First off, I couldn’t believe how huge the meal was, it’s actually wasteful in my opinion for one person. This meal takes two, maybe three adults, or one adult and 2 or 3 kids. It’s that huge. And inexpensive!!!! I paid under $7.00 for the whole meal. Ridiculous!!! And of course it was delicious! Seriously! I got the mild, which is in red sauce, and asked for no cheese, and no onions. Which otherwise it is loaded with. It is so tasty, all I can say is: Monte-Riffic!! I can’t speak for anything else there, yet, but the chilaquiles is a win, win meal at a good deal.

A few other things you should know, in my opinion; It took almost 15 to 20 minutes for me to get my meal, which is long, but maybe it’s the prep time. I actually went there once before to try ‘em, and it took so long I walked out. So… Also, there are cool things to look at on the walls, it’s like a taxidermist owns the place. There are deer head on the walls, alligator, lamb/goat head??? I couldn’t exactly tell what one of the animals was, all I remember was it had horns. Basically you will have stuff to do while you wait for yer food.

And before I forget, chilaquiles are basically chips stewed in a mild or spicy sauce, covered with melted cheese, usually served with eggs, and sometimes a steak. It’s a mexican breakfast dish that, when prepared correctly, is out of this world.

"Gallows" a punk band from the U.K. These are some cool videos, worth watching. Maybe.

The actual sound on these videos is terrible!!! The sound at the club is great, but my camera does not record live concert sound well at all. Let me explain the videos: "First song, first fight" is a fight that broke out during the bands first song. The fight was between some dude connected with one of the opening acts, and the "Gallows" (headlining band). The fight was fast and furious, and no one got hurt. "Girl flip" is worth watching for some excellent slam dancing, plus a girl does an excellent flip right before a huge mosh pit breaks out. "Last song, last fight" is just that. The last song from the band "Gallows" and there is a fight. Punk not dead!!!!!!!!! Also, there is a huge sign when you walk into Reggie's Rock Club, which states: no moshing, slamming, etc. that seemed to not be seen by anyone, including the staff at Reggie's. Oh, I almost forgot, right at the very beginning of the show, I asked my friend Mark, "Do you think there's gonna be a pit?" he said, very confidentially "No". As soon as the first chord was struck, I mean immediately as the first chord was struck, me and my buddy Mark were hit, and slammed into the wall by the pit. Immediately!