Dark Chocolate + French Toast = Impossible Edible

Bongo Room 1470 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL Tel: (773) 489-0690 $9-13 for most entrees, but HUGE portions Bellinis and Mimosas and so on Half-stack and single pancakes available

review.

[By Sheila Oh]:

It was 2005... April... the 17th

It all began a bright Sunday morning...

Four hungry ethnomusicologists piled into their transportation for the afternoon, Lou, and traveled from Hyde Park to Wicker Park. Upon arrival, Mike jumped out the moving vehicle and rushed in Bongo Room (BR). The rest of the crew decided to join Sheila in yet another(!) parallel parking fiasco. Upon putting our name down (Mike decided to replace the group's name with his own, dirty scoundrel), we decided that our wait would only be bearable with caffeinated beverages. We soon reached the corner of Damon, Milwaukee, and North Avenue and tried to decide between two coffee shops. It was at this moment that our composer in residence, Young, decided to grace us with her presence, and not a moment too soon! The decision was set and we proceeded to get coffee, chai ice tea, and some cookie-type dealies purchased and distributed by the ever-wonderful Shayna (there was a lot of decision in this paragraph, eh?).

Checking back at BR and realizing that our wait was far from over, we set off to wander again: Sheila, Young, and Mike to furniture stores and Shayna and Luis to Reckless. Upon reconvening at the record shop, Mike received a phone call, one that would decide our fate for that ever important brunch we had embarked on an hour prior. We were soon on our way, with happy thoughts of a full stomach and a breakfast yet to come.

As veterans of the BR, Mike and Sheila attempted to guide their virgin eating buddies. Mentioning the option of getting a half order or just a piece any pancake/french toast on the menu received raised eyebrows and nods of interest. We finally decided upon sharing a half order of the chocolate-banana french toast and the key-lime pancakes. In addition, we each ordered either egg's benedict (crab & lobster) or one of the various breakfast burritos (different fillings, with home fries on the side). Feeling particularly indulgent, we also ordered a side of mushroom/tomato chicken sausage, which was definitely worth the extra couple bucks.

Overall, the excursion was a definite success. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy their meals, especially when complemented by true highlight of the late morning/early afternoon (ie. risque behavior exhibited by the young lady and her pimp in the next booth). Too bad we don't have pictures we could have made a fortune...*sigh*.

minutes.

1. We discussed the next meeting, which would be tapas FOR REAL this time.
2. Also, we had invited a certain prof of ours to accompany us in the near future; he couldn't make it, but he invited us over to his house for dinner at the end of the quarter.
3. We decided that was a good idea, and we discussed the possibility of pot-luck.
4. We thought Sheila looked cute in that dress she found in the vintage store next door.
5. Hi mom!

Low-budget authenticity a la méxicana

Nuevo León 1515 W. 18th Street, Chicago Tel: (312) 421-1517 $75 for obscene amounts of food, incl. tip! Approx $15/person.

review.

IMPORTANT NOTE: this isn't an official 54FF meeting, since Young couldn't make it. But it's worth posting the review...coming soon see below!

So, this is sort of a meta-review, because the memory of the first trip is now a bit foggy, and I've been back a zillion times.

Although I can't remember everyone's order from that night, I recall that we got a big order of frijoles sabinas (refried beans with grilled vegetables and cheese) and some guacamole. The frijoles were awesome (and they are every time I've ordered them since) and the guacamole was wonderfully purist: mashed avocado with a minimum of seasoning and some limes to keep it green. I also got the menudo (tripe soup) so that everyone could try a bit. I HATE the texture of tripe, but the broth that comes with menudo is unbelievably delicious; much like a darker, denser vietnamese pho, the soup has a smoky broth to which you can add hot pepper flakes, thin-sliced onions and limes to your taste.

I got enchiladas suizas with mole sauce, which seemed to be a popular choice that night. In general, the mole(a spicy, smoky chocolate sauce) is great here, and most dishes that incorporate it (e.g. enchiladas, pollo en mole) are sure bets. The burritos here are delicious and as big as your head; in fact, portion size in general is pretty daunting. I don't think I've ever made it as far as dessert. Fajitas are also popular (I'm convinced it's mostly because of the flashy, sizzly presentation), but they don't stand out to me as particularly exceptional. Instead, I'd suggest going with some of the more entrée like stuff, such as carne a la tampiquena, chiles rellenos, pollo en mole, or one of the breakfast dishes.

In general, Nuevo Leon is great food, at surprisingly cheap prices (cash only!). The decor is a sort of nostalgic kitsch made up of ceramic tiles and bright colors. The service is friendly, but slow; it doesn't help that the place is always packed with people and there's usually two or three servers covering the entire restaurant. On the other hand, you get the feeling that someone's abuelita is in the kitchen, making everything from scratch. It's probably not entirely true, but it sure tastes like it. Oh, and one final note: this place is BYOB, so prepare accordingly. There's a liquor store just down the street.

minutes.

1. We had a moment to think about Young, since she couldn't join us.
2. Then we got some beer (the place is BYOB).
3. About 2 hours later, we were feeling pretty full.