Chicago Restaurants - January 6, 2013

Garrett Popcorn Shops

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Location:  600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

Time: 2:00 pm

Party Size: 1

Price: $5.05, before tax

Food consumed: 
- Chicago Mix Popcorn, small bag - $5.05

Webiste: http://www.garrettpopcorn.com

Pictures of food consumed: (Click on images to enlarge)

Review of Restaurant:
This popcorn shop became famous because Oprah said it was good. Luckily I went on a Sunday afternoon and there was no line-up.

For one person, a small bag is more than enough. The Chicago Mix is a mix between cheese and caramel popcorn. It was alright, nothing spectacular.

VERDICT: Jer Jai's seal of approval.

Panozzo's Italian Market

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Location: 1303 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605

Time: 4:00 pm

Party Size: 1

Price: $10.00, before tax

Food consumed: 
- Porchetta, pickled fennel, calabrian chili aioli greens

Website: http://www.panozzos.com/

Pictures of food consumed: (Click on image to enlarge)

Review of Restaurant:
This restaurant was featured on Food Network by Guy Fieri. So coming in, I had high expectations.

The staff was very friendly and explained the menu to me. After placing my order, I waited a long time for my sandwich. I never had a porchetta before so I didn't have a benchmark to compare this to and have no clue what a porchetta is. But based on my expectations of other food, I was disappointed. If I tried porchetta at other places then this may have been as good as what others are saying.

This is why I am not a food critic. I don't know my food well. I just tell you if I get diarrhea or not.

VERDICT: JerJai's Seal of Approval

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

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Location: 85 South Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

Time: 8:00 pm

Party Size: 6

Price: Paid by my cousin

Food consumed: 
- Calamari Fritti - $7.45 (shared)
- Malnati Salad (romaine lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms, crumbled Volpi salami and gorgonzola cheese with Sweet Vinaigrette and romano cheese) - $11.25 (shared)
- The Malnati's Chicago Classic (made with Lou's lean sausage, some extra cheese and vine-ripened tomato sauce on Buttercrust), large - $16.75 (shared)
- Cheese Thin Crust, medium - $9.95 (shared)

Website: http://www.loumalnatis.com/

Pictures of food consumed: (Click on images to enlarge)

Review of Restaurant:
Chicago is known for it's deep dish pizza. I couldn't leave without trying it.

It was either eating lunch at 4 pm or the fact that the pizza was very heavy, thick and cheesy that I was only able to eat one deep dish pizza. I can normally finish one large pizza by myself.

The waitress was helping us cut the pizza and asked me which pizza I wanted. I saw all three (the third one was not included in the food consumed because I couldn't consume it). She gave me a "You got to be joking, you scrawny Asian boy" look. I just said, "Give me the Malnati's Chicago Classic." She was right, one pizza was sufficient. We pretty much packed away 2 pizzas home.

Despite the fact that the pizza was cheesy. I just had a minor heartburn but no diarrhea.

VERDICT: JerJai's Seal of Approval