Profile

holliemonster

Ex-restaurant cook. Current credit/financial nerd, home cook/beermaker. Lover of foreign candies/snack foods.

  • Website
  • Location: Chicago (South Side)
  • Favorite foods: Tacos...more tacos...waffles...anything with potatoes.
  • Last bite on earth: Breakfast burritos...so good.

Dinner Tonight: Bacon and Kimchi Steamed Buns with Carrot and Cucumber Slaw

Where would one find these buns? H Mart is on my way home from work, but I think I've only seen the filled buns there (red bean, pumpkin, veg, etc.) Did you find them at Joong Boo?

My Thai: Thai Beef Jerky

I just made Korean BBQ beef jerky this weekend!

Only One Beer For Life: What Would You Pick?

Zombie Dust from Three Floyd's. Hands down the best beer I have EVER had.

Rachel Allen's Homemade Pork Sausages with Colcannon and Applesauce

I just saw her show for the first time Sunday on WTTW....and then proceeded to watch like six episodes, so I'm pleasantly surprised to see this!

We Try the New Lay's Chips Flavors: Sriracha, Chicken & Waffles, Cheesy Garlic Bread

So...we opened the Sriracha ones last night. I couldn't eat more than a small handful of them. Reason being? I HATE Tabasco and that's what these tasted like. I did enjoy the heat from them, but I couldn't get over that "pepper sauce" taste.

What I really think they need to do instead is to bring some of the Canadian flavors of chips to the US. I was in Toronto over the weekend and had both Ruffles All Dressed (which I've had before and love) and some Dill Pickle Doritos (which I got because I was almost sure they were going to be awful, but weren't so bad).

We Try the New Lay's Chips Flavors: Sriracha, Chicken & Waffles, Cheesy Garlic Bread

I was torn on the chicken & waffles. One part of me enjoyed the vaguely maple-y flavor, but the rest of me (like 80% of me) thought they were, in a word, icky. Have the Sriracha ones at home, but haven't eaten yet. Cheesy garlic bread, I didn't even bother to try. They just sounded like a bad idea.

A Sandwich a Day: Pastrami on Onion Bialy at New York Bagel & Bialy Corporation

I drive by here on my way to work sometimes, and often, I have thought about stopping in for a bagel and coffee in the morning, but the traffic on Touhy plus the disaster that is that parking lot always convinces me just to go to Max's when I get up to my office.

Jicama and Pomelo Salad with Spicy Thai Dressing (Vegan)

I am so glad someone asked about the substitute for the pomelo. Not because I can't find them...I did, but it tasted really, really bad. Maybe I got a bad one? It was way more sour than grapefruit, which I love. Glad I tried the fruit before putting it in the salad!

Valentine's Day Special: Dunkin's New Brownie Batter Donut

I love donuts, don't get me wrong (I'm addicted to the novelty of the Big Dat from Dat Donut), but I actually gagged a little thinking about eating this.

Soda: Grapico, A Rich Taste of Alabama

I wound up picking up a bottle of this on my way back north from a 3 day whirlwind trip from Chicago, to Louisville, Nashville, New Orleans, and Montgomery. It was one of those drinks that was so sweet that it'll make you twitch for the rest of the day!!

Cook the Book: 'Stewed'

Good old beef stew...with a good loaf of bread to sop it up.

Or...chicken curry. I'm officially obsessed with curries as of 3 weeks ago.

Staff Picks: Best Late Night Eats in Chicago

Great tip about Medici. Love that place.

Holiday Giveaway: The Amazing Thermapen Thermometer

Sunday. Beer. It's Tripel time.

This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters

Korean Snacks! I found some odd ones at H Mart. Swiss cheese flavored Doritos (terrible). Strawberry Corns (delicious...strangely delicious).

Market Tour: Joong Boo Market in Chicago

I've had Hite before at Chicago Kalbi. It was meh.

I've never been to Joong Boo, but after seeing this, maybe will start going there instead of H Mart (although they always have that little pancake making guy at H-Mart).

Does anyone know where one can procure flat wide rice noodles in the city???

Staff Picks: The Best Places to Brunch in Chicago

Forgot to mention my favorite part about Chicago's Home: don't have to drive to the North Side!

Staff Picks: The Best Places to Brunch in Chicago

Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles is wonderful. And definitely worth the wait on busy mornings. I without fail get the Rosemary and then just want to go home and nap for the rest of the day. Also, reminds me, I gotta use my Groupon for them before it expires!

This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters

That SPAM Wellington made me laugh so hard!!

A Sandwich a Day: The PB&J at The Bad Apple

We (finally). went for the first time a couple weeks ago and the curds were probably the best part of our meal. I've had seriously better burgers elsewhere. While the beer list was extensive, I had two gripes: I would have liked it to have been more organized. Second, what good is such a big beer menu when you're sitting in a part of the restaurant that's so dark that you can't even read it?

Win Pop Chart Lab's 'Breweries of the United States' Poster

Three Floyds in Munster, IN. Hands down the best brewery ever. If you haven't had Zombie Dust, you're missing out!

Standing Room Only: Snappy's Shrimp House

Ohhh, I love Snappy's (with hot sauce washed down with a nice Fat Tire).

A Sandwich a Day: Commuter Special on a Croissant from The Goddess and Grocer

I used to work at the Damen location in Wicker Park. If the steak chili is anything like it used to be, you really need to try it.

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: The Sriracha Lover's Ultimate Gift Pack

Pizza, pizza rolls, fried chicken. I use it in my orange tofu and my stir fry sauce. I also like it on my home fries for breakfast.

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Zingerman's Praise the Lard Gift Box

Crispy on pizza....soooo goood.

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: The Sriracha Lover's Ultimate Gift Pack

What?! Sriracha has so many wonderful uses. Those chocolates sound...phenomenal!!!

Phoenix??

I will be in the Phoenix-area for five days & need some restaurant recommendations. (I've already heard of Pizzeria Bianco, so....beyond that). Any other good pizza places? Good brewpubs? We really eat anything.

Thanks!

HALP! Weeknd in Cincinnati!

My boyfriend and I will be spending next weekend in Cincinnati, and we definitely need some recommendations.

We're both big microbrew and whiskey drinkers. Foodwise, we'd like to keep it casual.

Any good bar recommendations? Any good food recommendations (that aren't the plethora of chili or ice cream reviews we've seen)?

Thanks!!