BigStar for the Pollo Tostada!!! But Do Not ask for "Substitutes!"

The awesome Pollo Tostada

the tacos. one is pastor with pineapple and the other is the pork belly taco covered in a butt load of cheese

aerial shot of pollo tostada. showin off the onion rings and pumpkin seeds

there it is, BigStar

to go window

my to go food at the to go benches

horchata (rice water)

liming up the tostadas for eating pleasure

EATING IT!!!

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BigStar for tacos and tostadas! 1531 N. Damen (Wicker Park)

BigStar is a taco spot in Wicker Park  is Monte-licious! I am really into the Pollo Tostada right now. The tacos are great, and you should definitely try em. But when ya go there ya gotta get the Pollo Tostadas!!! And the Horchata!

Let me explain: Pollo Tostada. The pollo tostada for me has become the thing to get at BigStar. Even though the place has been around for a while, I just discovered it. Anyway, the pollo tostada comes on a small, flat & crispy tortilla shell. I say small because it is smaller than yer standard taco shell. BigStar uses the appetizer size shells vs. the standard size shells yer used to seeing most everywhere else. Oh yeah, the food is tasty, but comes at a premium price. Back to the tostada… Atop the hard shell is stewed chicken. The chicken is so soft, tender and delicious! And smothered in a red mild sauce. Then the meat itself is smothered in a silky, sour cream and topped off with pumpkin seeds and extra crispy onion rings. Freakin Monte-licious!!!

The Pollo Tostada is a must have. As well as the Horchata. Which is dairy free!!! It’s made from almond milk vs. milk. So smooth, creamy, vanilla-eee, and cinnamon-eeee.

Big Star is usually packed, so take it to go. They have benches right by the take it to go window. So you can sit there, eat immediately, and not have to leave a tip.

I have a gripe with BigStar though. I went one Saturday at 2 p.m. (on January 7^th.) to the "to go" window and ordered the Pollo Tostadas like I have been doing. I ask em to leave off the raw onions and cilantro. No big deal. But this past Saturday, a woman with a crappy power trip was workin the window, and she said that leaving off the onions and cilantro was “No Substitutions” and they don’t do substitutes. I said I have been there 3 days in a row, ordered the same thing and it was never an issue. Then I let her know I wasn't asking for a substitute, but just do not add the two items. She said it again, "No substitutions!" Of course I left. Angrily. I had just been talking it up to a friend who had never been there, and this happens. I wasn’t asking for a substitute, which by definition is a replacement of something or someone. I was asking them to not add two items they just either throw on top, or not. Again, no big deal. A substitute would have been if I had asked her to replace the chicken for steak. Which really, substitutes should never be an issue in my opinion. But some places are super busy, and have a system, and if you mess with that system, you really bog the system down. I understand that. But to not add two items?! I am saving you time, money, and not asking for a "Substitute!" You can’t hire people with poor educations to work with the public. That is my gripe. Everyone else I have come into contact with that works there has been great!!

Been to Cuba lately? Cuba City, Wisconsin for Prime Rib?! Check it!!!

I love Supper Clubs. I think one of my favorite places to sit down for a meal is at a supper club. It always feels classy and grown up. Wisconsin is full of em, and I found a great one in Cuba City, Wisconsin. For Illinoisans, this is 20/30 mins. from Galena, in the upper western tip of Illinois. We go to visit a good friend Jimmy Berg out there as often as possible. He plays almost every night in one great band or another. He also turns us on to good food while we visit. This place was one of his most recent selections. My wife found it on the internet as well, but his blessings locked it in as a pick. And are we glad we went. Not only was the food great, but the people were amazing. We met the owner (super nice), a lovely couple (Tony & Donna), and happened to be there the night of a H.S. reunion. So it was a great night at Red's top to bottom. Plus the waitresses were mostly make loveable. Let's check out the FOOD!!!

Any supper club worth it's weight will have enough food on the table for free that you technically shouldn't even have to order dinner. But you will!!!!!!! Here we have a bread basket that also has two cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon rolls for dinner. YES! You also get crackers, and veggie plate.

Dipping sauces also come complimentary. Here we have a cheese dip, ham salad, and a dill dip. All were delicious!

Buns!! Rolls!! Boobs!!! What?!!!!

Standard supper club veggie plate. Always comes with pickles.

Crackers, get off my front lawn!

Creamy cole slaw that was creamy. And extremely tasty.

Fathead

The (Optimus) Prime Rib, with Lobster Tail!! It was ridiculous. The prime rib was tender, juicy, and meaty. The lobster tail was fresh, and flavorful. Both were cooked to perfection.

I got the Rib Dinner, and for my potatoes I got the camping style potatoes. They came wrapped in foil seasoned lightly in salt, pepper, and olive oil. This was the real deal. The potatoes tasted exactly the same as when I camp, you can't go wrong.

The Ribs!! Pork ribs. Very meaty, tender, and they fall off the bone. With a pinch of help. The sauce was mild, and slightly sweet.

The place was so good, we went back the next day for breakfast. We both got the pork chops and eggs. The chops were thick, and savory. The poached eggs were soft, all the way cooked through and full of life. They had shredded hash browns, and american cut hash browns. Above are the american.

Chocolate Souffle! First time you make it, it'll be perfect. I hope.

 I recently learned how to make a chocolate souffle from my friend Michael Sanchez. Quick side note, I bought the chocolate bars with 5 bucks I won from a foolish bet Mike made with me, that I knew I was gonna win. It actually made it taste better. My wife and I could both taste the winning in the ingredients. Anyway... This looked so easy, and delicious, i had to make it myself. My first try, complete success, and easy. I also learned how to improve on a few things. And now I will tell, and show you through pics. how to make a creamy, warm, chocolatey, molten chocolate souffle. Mike said it, but I was thinking it immediately, male or female, no one can succumb to the charms of this meal. If you wanna guarantee some action after a date, make this for yer favorite guy, or girl, and unless they have no pulse, you will be gettin laid. And if not, and yer a hot chick, try me. Eye winking, with smiley face. Here it be, good luck...

you will need one 3.5 ounce bitter sweet chocolate bar

butter to coat baking dish

sugar, it's most of what you need. the recipe calls for 3/4 cup. here is my improvement; less than halfa cuppa sugar.

ghetto double cooker to melt chocolate, and sugar together

here is where you use the butter, to coat whatever you bake yer souffle in. coat it in butter

then coat it in sugar that you use from what yer using to prepare souffle. you don't need extra sugar

break up the chocolate bar

put chocolate in ghetto double cooker, this prevents burning of chocolate, and allows a slower cook

mix half of the sugar you have into the chocolate

stir in the sugar till smooth

it should look like this, when it does, move on to the eggs

you will need 3 eggs. and to separate the yolks from the whites

look at how easy it is to separate the white of the egg from the yellow. even an ape can do it

separated, like my friends parents

mix remaining sugar into the yellow (yolks) and stir

stir till it looks completely mixed, and smooth

now mix the egg whites till they peak, like a giant meringue

now mix the chocolate, slowly into the egg yellow (yolks)

mix in till it gets smooth and creamy

when the chocolate is mixed in fully with the yolks, add the eggs whites. fold in the egg whites. do not mix. folding means you just mix lightly from under to the top. you are folding it lightly together to keep the fluff of the egg whites.

i didn't mix it to smoothly, but the clumpy parts of white are like a neat little smores treat within the souffle, improvement number two. pour the mix into the butter, and sugar coated baking bowl. bake at 350 for 20 to 25 min.

it should look like this before you pop it into the oven

this is how put things in ovens. pre heat the oven for ten minutes. i forgot to mention that.

fresh out

proud papa

look at my chocolate baby

cut in

fork it out

make sure get the molten chocolatey parts, those are best next to the fluffy egg white clumps

look at the inside of that. molten, chocolatey, smooth sweetness for you. enjoy. and if you don't, i don't wanna hear about it.