The Longman & Eagle--Brunch

2657 N. Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

This restaurant bar has been on the top of my list for some time now and for good reason! I’ve enjoyed their whiskey and dinner here many times (We will explore that next month) but never ventured there for brunch. It being Easter and all, it’s high time I checked out their brunch.

Being the classiest restaurant in Logan Square demands a lot from the Longman & Eagle. Their menu has expanded since they opened last year and now they have international fame for their protein-heavy menu that they do so well. A word of warning for those watching their waste lines: As soon as you walk in, turn around and head out of there. No one dines at the Longman on a diet.

Their brunch selection is quite excellent. In keeping with their quaint, old-timey American menu, they offer plenty of staple breakfast/brunch options with a twist of uncommon ingredients. This ranges from Biscuits and Pork Sausage Gravy to Peeky Toe Crab Benedict to the “PBR” Breakfast for those of you who have cultivated a curly mustache. The best brunch dish that they offer, however, is a classic—hash. The Longman has added whole new dimensions to this dish of potatoes, onion and added duck confit to it and put two sunny side up duck eggs on top of it. The whole dish maintains an amazingly pleasant smokey quality to it.

How about a cocktail to complete your brunch? We could just leave it at their standard mimosa (which is excellent) or, we could venture into their realm of Bloody Mary’s. The Longman offers three different types of Bloody Mary’s starting with the standard vodka drink to a Corn Whiskey version and finally, tequila—“The Bloody Maria”. Which ever one you pick, prepare to be impressed! With a thick texture and a kick from the chiles, it’s one excellent brunch drink!

When it comes to the Longman & Eagle, nothing stands as a clearer example of the foodie place Logan Square has become. If you’re an early riser in Logan Square or even in Lincoln Park, I highly recommend making the trek here some weekend soon.

Getting down to Brass Tax:

No Reservations.
Date place? Yes.
Friend Hang out? Yes.
Recommended dish: Sunny Side Up Duck Egg Hash
Recommended drink: Bloody Mary
Price Range (2 People): +/- $40

Cuban sandwiches—Part 1

90 Miles Cuban Cafe
2540 W. Armitage

As anyone who has spent any time in Logan Square knows, this neighborhood has a strong Latino presence through Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban and Guatemalan identities. With all the gentrification that is becoming ever more apparent in Logan Square, it is important that we recognize and celebrate this other part of the neighborhood. As foodies, we can certainly enjoy the cultural diversity that Logan Square has to offer. That is why over the next few months, I will be reviewing one specific dish that Logan Square has an abundance of—the Cuban sandwich.
I start with the restaurant 90 Miles Cuban Cafe. This place has a fun, campy décor that feels extremely Caribbean. Images of Key West and Havana cover the walls. It's hard not to notice from the street. Some tables have old-fashioned telephones and others, sewing machines. All of the seating is outside. Not to worry, it is heated in an enclosed tent. Can’t say that’s the most sustainable idea, but I digress.
So, to clarify the objective of this series, I am showcasing the different Logan Square eateries that have Cuban sandwiches. We should first understand the origin of this sandwich. Back in Havana, Cuban sandwiches were traditionally the working Cuban man’s sandwich. Cigar makers and the like would enjoy a ham, swiss cheese, dill pickle and mustard sandwich all on Cuban bread and pressed on something like a panini maker (no ridges). Many different variations of this sandwich have popped up around the US, especially in Florida where there are regional favorites (ie. Tampa vs Miami).

90 Miles to Cuba has a traditional version (el Cubano), which was excellent. The sandwich wasn’t spicy by any stretch of the imagination, but it was solid. The mustard and dill pickles make an excellent compliment to the ham. For anyone who has never ever had a Cuban sandwich, this is a recommended first timer. From there, you can venture out and enjoy your pollo and bistec, but let’s get our basics down first.
For a starter, there is no shortage of plaintain and yucca options. I recommend the tostones. This is a twice-fried and once flattened plantain. 90 Miles likes to serve it with crushed garlic on top—an excellent topping since everything should have garlic on top of it in my book. I hate to recommend salt on it, but aside from the garlic, this starter is a little bland. This is most likely a result of me living in the modern age of over-salted foods. If you’ve never had a fried plaintain though, I highly recommend it.
As for drinks, you’re left a little on the sober side. 90 Miles is BYOB. You’re in luck though. If you BYOR (bring your own rum) they will make you an excellent Mojito pitcher that you have to spike yourself. Didn’t bring booze? Well, then I recommend one of their fruit shakes. From Guava to Mango, it’s very tasty and not overly sweetened. In fact, the strong suit of these shakes is that you get to enjoy the natural sweetness of the fruit—something we don’t enjoy very often in our overly processed society.

The Cuban sandwich is a delicious lunchtime option. For a dressed up ham and cheese, 90 Miles to Cuba makes a very good one. Having one only encourages me to venture off and try the other Cuban sandwiches that stemmed from this simple, yet tasty one.

Getting down to Brass Tax:

BYOB.
Date place? No.
Friend Hang out? Yes.
Recommended dish: el Cubano
Recommended drink: Fruit Shakes
Price Range (2 People): +/- $25

The Boiler Room: Oven Brick Pizza in Logan Square

The Boiler Room
2210 N California (Under the Blue Line)

Dining at the Boiler Room was an exciting choice for me to make. I haven’t had brick oven pizza in a long time and I was looking forward to eating this. I’m happy to report I was not disappointed!

The atmosphere of The Boiler Room can be described as “post-industrial chic”. That goes for the physical look and the attitude of the clientele--lots of metal, exposed ceiling, a hilarious CTA-themed bathroom, trucker hats and Pabst Blue Ribbon on just about every table. The music played fit the bill with a fair amount of punk.

Entrees: The pizzas are large enough for a minimum of 3 people. The Lombardi is the vegetarian option and it could only be described as flavorful and multi-dimensional. The pizza is topped with mushrooms, caramelized onions and little patches of blue cheese and is well appreciated by meat eaters and vegetarians alike. Blue cheese is an interesting choice for a pizza and it comes highly recommended.

Starters: For a starter, the item “PBR Meatballs” may catch the eye of the average hipster, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on anything fantastic coming out of it. The meatballs are stewed in Pabst Blue Ribbon and served in a bowl with marinara sauce and focaccia bread. The meatballs had a subtle flavor and didn’t lend itself to any real excitement. Thankfully the marinara was there to bring a flavor to the party, unfortunately, it only brought one flavor. What a shame. Pabst Blue Ribbon is too weak of a flavor to actually add any real flavor to meatballs and a darker beer may be required in future recipes.

Drinks: This place has seen a fair amount of promotion through yelp and word of mouth and you will wait on a Friday night for a table. Thankfully, they have an excellent selection of cocktails and beers for while you wait. Again, most people here were drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon, but I highly recommend that you DO NOT follow suit! For cocktails, try the “Ginger Snap Sap”. With a refreshing flavor at the beginning, the back end tastes as if you had just bitten into a piece of ginger. The “1988” tasted as if you had just drank a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The little shot glass full of that very cereal is there to remind you that that was the intention.

Getting down to Brass Tax:

Cash Only.
Date Spot? No.
Friend Hangout? Yes.
Recommended dish: Lombardi Pizza
Recommended drink: The Ginger Snap Sap
Price Range (2 People): +/- $40

If you’re looking to have some good brick oven pizza and in the mood to explore a gritty, punk side of Chicago for the evening with friends, this is a good start!

Why Foodie?

Alright, alright, some people out there may be thinking, "Logan Square? A Foodie destination?" And I say, yes. How? I'll explain.

I want you to think about what comes to mind when you think of Logan Square. Most of you will have an image of a series of hipster bars with hipsters on bikes drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon. While these images are still accurate and are very much part of the popular Chicago psyche, there is another image that is starting to come out of the woodworks.

I've lived in Logan Square for a few years now. As someone who has always had an appreciation for food in its many forms, I am always looking for the new and exciting creations that are being made anywhere in the city. The more time I spent in Logan Square, the more apparent it has become that this neighborhood is a gold mine for gustatory experiences. I have tried the many different flavors of Logan Square and watched over the past year how 10 new establishments have gone up throughout the neighborhood and it is quite clear that Logan Square is meant to be experienced through your taste buds.

For this blog, I intend to show you the many different dishes and restaurants of Logan Square, so you can know where to get the best of, the most interesting and the most authentic of the food of Logan Square.