One of my favorite Indian food trucks of all time!

First let me say sorry it has been 4 + months since my last post. I have no excuses.

DESI FOOD TRUCK 852, Second Avenue New York, NY. 10017 is easily one of the best Indian food trucks I have ever eaten from in my life. I'll take it one step further, it is one of my favorite spots for Indian food, period. They just do it right. Spiced right, proper portions and inexpensive prices. Not to mention all the food is dairy free! I had the Chicken Kati roll (5x in 3 days) and the Chicken Tika Masala (dairy free and freakin Montalicious). Enough with the chit chat, let get to the pics!!

Here they come pulling up to their spot. They are always at the same spot, see the address posted above. 

Look att hose inexpensive prices! And this is in NY!!

Doesn't this just turn you on? I mean look at that chicken rolled up in that lightly fried  Paratha. I love Paratha, it is crispy, fried, flat bread that is so Montalicious I truly believe more places should start using it as a bread for any and all sandwiches.

Look at me go....

...this is the proper way to shove into your mouth.

If it's good, it's gone! And it is gone!

Chicken Tika Masala. And it's dairy free, look at me. 

Look at that healthy chunk of chicken, dawg!

A ridiculous breakfast yer gonna love!!

My buddies sister was raving about this place in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin called Manny's Snack Shack over Christmas dinner (2013) to the point where my mouth was salivating! I planned to go there asap! I called the following day only to find out Manny's was closed for another month, winter holiday!! WTF!! I was stuck with anxiety!

But I marked my calendar, and the day they opened, a month later, I was sitting at the counter placing my order!

Let me introduce to what has to be one of the better breakfast spots I have discovered in a few, thanks to Annette, Manny's Snack Shack, 404 S Lake Ave, Twin Lakes, WI.

This is Manny's (exterior)

This is Manny, working the grill! Like a champ!

Like I said I arrived their first day back from a month + long vacation, and this place was hopping and Manny was slinging it!! He seriously runs that grill like a master! He has a controlled chaos that is fun to watch and be around. I ordered the Chicken George (chicken fried steak and eggs). For some reason fried steak, eggs, hash browns and sausage gravy spoke to me that morning. And I am glad it did, check it out!!

Look at this monster breakfast!! 

Here is a nice personal shot of the chicken fried steak with white sausage gravy atop. It is as beautiful as my wife on our wedding day.

This is a meal for a family of four, or me.

A bite that shows respect to the meal....

getting it in there is tough but not impossible....

And done! I got it all in!

Boom! Clean plate, jerk! Me. I win! What, I don't know.

This place is full of life, character and great food! They have a lot more to choose from... burgers, french toast, garbage omelettes, you name it, they have it or can make it. Check out Manny's, it is worth the trip!! But maybe wait till summer, it is on a beautiful lake and that is fun to look at... water.

Here are a few random shots of the place....

And remember, no checks accepted! 

Amazing Burger with even better Fries and it's not at a burger spot...

...it's at a Greek spot. The one and only Athenian Room! Located in Lincoln Park, Chicago at 807 W. Webster! I have been going here since I was a freshman in H.S., 1985. And I did not have the Burger until this year!! This year!! Ridiculous! It's ridiculous because the burger is easily one of the tastiest burgers I have ever eatin, it is totally Monte-licious! I feel like I wasted 20+ yrs of my life. And the fries, the fries are amazing! They call em Greek Fries and they are seasoned with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and Greek Spices (Oregano, Basil, Thyme, and other stuff, like salt, pepper....). The same cook is there since I was in H.S. as well is the hostess/greeter. Consistency, people.

Enough talk, let's check out the burger...

There is nothing I love more than a char grilled burger and this thick, meaty, juicy burger is char grilled to perfection (medium, for me). The bun is soft and I love sesame seed buns with a burger. and the good thing about a nice fresh bun is it absorbs all the juices from the burger, that is my favorite. So much so that i would like you to watch me eat it, please.

Such a tasty burger, I was happy to eat it... ALL!!


After that tasty burger it is now my duty to eat the fries, the ridiculously delicious Greek Fries, which I have been eating since 1985.

And last but mot least I wanna mention that they also have delicious salads, I like the small Greek salad and they happily accept gold coins! They are so happy that they put in print in the menu! Check out Athenian Room, and try the burger!! It's not all Greek to me!

One last thing, the restaurant shares a restroom with the neighboring bar, which I loved when I was 14! Now, I dunno. ; )

Need an inspiring meal? Try Inspiration Kitchens...

I did and I loved it! Inspiration Kitchens are a Chicago based restaurant that employs homeless and is also a training center for chefs. You get a great meal for a decent price and you can feel good about where your money is going... You are sometimes helping someone pay for a room for the night.

They have 2 locations in the city, I ate the Uptown location: 4715 N. Sheridan. I went there cause Tweet, a place I love was packed. But what a fortunate turnout for me. The other location is: 3504 W. Lake St. (Garfield Park).

Well, let's get to the food, that's really what we're here for. I had the The Whole Pig Breakfast Skillet and this is what this delight has in it:
Braised pork, bacon, ham, caramelized onions and potatoes topped with two sunny eggs and barbeque sauce.

Just look at that! Seriously, look at it.

I bust the egg open atop it so the yolk can smother into the meat and potatoes, that's how to do it properly. 

Oh yeah, look at me. I am so serious. Seriously ready. 

YES! 

Shovin it in like a good boy.

Got it all in like the champ that I am!

And when it's good it is gone! See ya!

Some of the best Fish Tacos not just in Chicago, anywhere. And great steak tacos too!

L' Patron  at 2815 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 252-6335 is easily one of my favorite taco spots. And not just in Chicago, anywhere. And yes, Chicago has spots as good if not better than L.A., Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona, anywhere. Chicago has some of thee best Mexican food on the planet. And I have eaten tacos from all the locations I mentioned and then some. That being said, this spot has my favorite fish taco and one of my favorite steak tacos. Too many great steak taco spots in Chicago to choose one, but this is one of the best! I will be featuring the fish taco, which is a Baja style fish taco: fried tilapia with spicy shredded cabbage in a spicy aioli and pico de gallo, I skip the pico. And they have a Carne Asada Steak Taco and a Lomo Steak Taco, I am featuring the Lomo Steak taco:  beef tenderloin or ribeye steak smothered/stewed in onions and served in a corn tortilla. Easily one of the best steak tacos when it's done right, and they do it right at L Patron. 

Here is the menu, they shoulda let me take the pics. 

This is the seating, there really is none. That jerk drinkin from the white syrofoam cup wearing glasses is my good friend Vinny. He is known as The Bulldog. 

The Horchata, and random other sweet drinks that get rotated for new flavors. But the Horchata never leaves, it's always there and always delicious. Horchata is a sweet drink also called rice water. It does have dairy in it, condensed milk. It has the flavor of cinnamon and vanilla, it is so good and refreshing.

The Lomo Taco! OH. NO!! It usually come with raw onions atop of it and cilantro but I hate raw onions and I don't really like cilantro. I know, I know, what kind of fan of Mexican food am I? Forgive me, please! Anyway, look at that thing^^^^. So freakin beautiful, and tender, and meaty, and lettuce, and corny.... and you get the point! Chunks of beef stewed in onions on a soft tortilla with some cool crisp romaine atop of it, that is a balanced meal my friends. Sorta. 

Look at me, whatta jerk. A jerk about to enjoy the heck outta this taco...

Oh yes!! Look at me go...

I am goin right to my happy place! So stink in Monte-licious! You have got to try the Lomo Taco if you are a meat eater!! 

Oh brother, this guy^^^. I never liked fish tacos until I had em from here, seriously. Well, I only like the Baja Style and not to many places do it right, but this place hits the bulls eye on the Baja Style 100%! Like I mentioned before, that is fried Tilapia smothered in a spicy aioli and a spicy shredded cabbage. It also come with pico de gallo but I hate that sh*t. The fish is crispy on the outside and light & flaky on the inside. A nice mild whitefish goes well with the spice from the aioli, it's really a perfect combo in my professional opinion. Ha, I am a professional... Get that!

Takin this bad boy down into the gullet like a good boy. 

My dad always said, "if it's good, it's gone."

And this fish taco is gone! And so am I.