We're Just Ordinary People: Part 5, Longshanks (1 of 2)

It has come to my attention recently that many of you don't know about Longman and Eagle. Selfishly, I love this. But, as spreader of the good word, I hate it. This Logan Square gastro-something/share-plates1 specialist has not only been around for a couple years but they've also earned a Michelin Star in that brief time. It's not that they need your business (despite having a strict no reservations policy, L&E manages to pack 'em in night after night), it's just that if you like food you'll like eating there.

Before I get to the food I have to mention that I plan on going back to L&E again (hence the "1 of 2" bit in the title). On the this first trip I didn't order any of their very tempting entrees. I instead stuck to their small plates and bar snacks which, despite their names, can easily be made into a very satisfying meal.

Food

––Slagel Farms meatballs, polenta, parsley pesto, fonduta––

These rustic Italian knockoffs were as good as anything I ate in Italy. Each meatball was cooked with the precise attention one usually gives a prime cut of beef; a perfect medium rare. I was flabbergasted. Three sauces–the fonduta (read italian fondue), a herbaceous pesto and robust tomato–laced together beautifully. The creamy polenta, though it's good enough to stand on its own, was glad to join the mix. I would've made a meal of this dish if I didn't have so much other shit to try.

––smoked Becker Lane rillettes, cornichons, mustard––

This simple pub dish was salty. The cornichons (French for smallish pickles) helped with their acidity but were also salty. The stone ground mustard was nice and spicy but also a bit salty. Once I took a few slugs of water I was able to appreciate the prociutto-like esters of the rillettes and its creamy and gamey flavors. But, overall, it was pretty salty.

––roasted marrow bones, red onion jam, sea salt, sourdough crostinis––

The barbarically straightforward presentation of this plate took my friends by surprise and, admittedly, I remember my first bone marrow experience being a little intimidating too. But it was the the pronounced and simple flavors of the components that won the day in the end. The red onion jam tasted sweet and authentic (not like that out-of-the-can onion jam your mom used to shove down your throat) and coupled well with the saline/creamy marrow when spread across the beautifully toasted crostino (it's not a crostini!!).

––porcini agnolotti, sweet corn, crispy chicken skin, pea shoots, Grana Padano––

This dish was a dazzlingly effective marriage of southern comfort food and italian finery. The little mushroom stuffed pasta pillows were happily submerged corn infused sauce and topped with the best version of parmesan-esque cheese I know. The perfect bite was astringent up front with a middle that consisted of Church's Chicken-like crunch and fresh midwestern corn. This was all wrapped up nicely with earthy, slightly bitter notes from the porcini.

––gulf prawns and grits, george's organic egg, braised collards, black pepper shrimp gravy––

The first question I asked was what the hell is a George's organic egg? Turns out it's an organic egg that been cooked using the "one-hour" method, meaning the whole egg was cooked sous vide (for much more on this check out this NY Times piece) for an hour making the white the same creamy-firm consistency as the yolk. The shrimp tasted like they were pulled directly from the sea's of south Asia (rather than Louisiana) and their sweetness was contrasted by the bitter collards and comforting grits. To this blend of deep South and Asia I say Do Work!

––rabbit pâté, giardiniére, sourdough tartines––

With a rich and refreshing flavor that distinctly reminded me of a good summer sausage, my initial skepticism about this dish withered like I imagine the red and green peppers of the giardiniére did when introduced to their vinegar bath. This was true charcuterie and I couldn't be happier that someone at the table was bold enough to order it.

––wild boar sloppy joe, crispy sage, onion, picked jalapeño, beef fat fries––

Representing the a class of dishes that sound a lot more interesting than they taste, I could've done without this largely mediocre sandwich. On the plus side the hovering low-level heat, lovely implementation of fried sage and beef fat fries mostly made this plate disappear (none of us had enough room left to finish it off). Otherwise it was a sloppy joe. Sloppy joes can be good, sometimes, but I never crave them and no amount of fancy game meat is going to change that.

Brass Tacks
They say Little Red Riding Hood didn't get lost on her way to her grandma's place. They say she was lost long before she left her house2. The same can be said of Longman and Eagle. Actually, I'm not sure how that applies to Longman and Eagle, I just thought it sounded like a snappy lead in for this section. But I digress. Though I didn't find every plate at L&E toothsome, the items that worked really worked. I thoroughly enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and, though I didn't talk about them (because I failed to take notes on them), the craft cocktails were spot on as well. So please don't be deterred by its relative remoteness or its relish for attracting members of the ever-expanding hipster nation and give Longman and his faithful bird a try. Or don't, it's hard enough to get in as it is.

1. These days it seems like every new restaurant worth eating at has shunned the traditional appetizer-salad-entree-dessert format in favor of a tapas-like experience of everybody sharing a bunch of small plates over the course of a meal. I'm here to tell you that I'm a fan of this and you should be too. What you lose –the ability to get exactly what you want, how you want it, and not have to share it with anyone– is far outweighed by what you gain; a social experience where interaction and conversation are facilitated rather than hindered and the dining experience is marked by a series of wonderfully diverse flavors and dishes rather than one outstanding (or maybe mediocre, or maybe bad) plate. So give it a try, for Pete's Sake!
2. I'm not sure if this makes sense. I'm not willing to expand on this thought (no matter how profound it may seem). And I'm not sure who "they" are or if anyone has ever uttered this vagary before. If not then I just thought-vented it and want royalties!

Longman & Eagle

Street (Food) Fight: Part 8, Cup Tales

Lester Bangs once said, "nothing ever quite dies, it just comes back in different form." This brings two things immediately to mind: He Who Shall Not Be Named and cupcakes. We can all remember a time when cupcakes were just something the egalitarian moms served at friends' birthdays; cute, quaint, and everybody gets an equal share. I liked them, we all liked them, but I never thought they'd amount to much.

But then, out of nowhere, in New York or maybe LA... something happened. In my personal chronology it started on a fateful lazy Sunday and proceeded to explode across the country at a dizzying rate.

Fastfoward to present times. Cupcake boutiques are considered by many to be staples of contemporary urban dining and shoppes can be found everywhere white people feel safe living. The cost-per-cake has risen to roughly three dollars and the flavors range from vanilla with chocolate frosting to what-ever-the-fuck-you-can-imagine. Are they worth it? Most of the time, yes. Will this cupcake bubble eventually burst? Certainly. But, for now, I have no choice but to put to rest the question of which is best in an epic War of the C-Cakes.

The Criteria

In an unprecedented display of breadth and ambition GBGB has selected four players to take part in this showdown. Each bakery will prove their worth in three categories: One red velvet, one chocolate monstrosity, and one fruit based concoction of my choosing. The red velvet demonstrates technique, quality of ingredients and execution. The chocolate monstrosities (and, yes, I meant to use that word) tell me about the deep dark depths of the c-cake maker's soul, these creations should devastate my palate with richness and tie me in knots with stomachaches. The fruit based c-cakes show off friendliness, a trait which is necessary if the cupcakeries hope to have any staying power. Each category shall be ranked one through four (one being the best) and who ever has the best average ranking at the end will be the winner.

The Players

Molly's Cupcakes- This Lincoln Park c-cake Mecca is my go-to for all things frosted and hand held. When I first envisioned this comparo, I thought of this place and...

Sweet Mandy B's- Arguably Chicago's reigning cupcake king/queen. When people think of Chicago cupcakes, nine times out of ten they think of SMB's.

More Cupcakes- Representing the newish clique of downtown cupcake emporiums, More is the Audi of bakeries: sleek minimalism on the outside, decadent luxury on the inside.

Dinkel's- I had to include an old school Chicago bakery and Dinkel's (since 1922) fits the mold. They are the only bakery in the showdown whose main focus isn't cupcakes.

Velvety Goodness

Sweet Mandy B's overwhelming cutsiewootsiness did not (thank GAWD) extend to their red velvet. It is a very decent rendition in fact with a cream cheese frosting that borders on saline and coats the mouth like a fresh application of primer. The cake was light and airy but was lacking in richness and any outstanding flavors. Cute though, right?

Rank: 4

If the bakers at Dinkel's don't know how to make a red velvet than no one does. Their version of this old stand by is light, whimsical and a touch fruity in taste. The cake had a wonderful give and spring back with ideal moisture (not so light that it wilts under the frosting but not so heavy as to be greasy). The frosting was sweeter than most and had a more viscous texture than I expected.

Rank: 2 (tie)

The relationship between the frosting and cake on Molly's red velvet has the kind of chemistry that you only wish you and your girlfriend/boyfriend/favorite prostitute had. This may have to do with the fact that the obscenely well-put-together girls behind the counter don't frost it till you order it so there's as little cake corruption as possible. The cake is rich, sweet and has almost perfect texture. The frosting is a cream cheese classic; heavy, tangy, and with just enough sugar as to remind you that you're not actually eating cream cheese.

Rank: 2 (tie)

When you first lay eyes on More's red V, you're struck by its stark sleekness and imposingly perfect finish. Then you spot the ornately decorated white chocolate square sticking out the top and your hope is rekindled that these people actually enjoy making cupcakes and would not actually rather be in Copenhagen designing modernist furniture. The pastry itself is dense, smooth, tangy and has enough sweetness to make you happy but not enough to make you sick. The cake is so moist that it actually makes you thirsty (a behavior I still can't figure out). Obviously, I loved it.

Rank: 1

Assorted Fruits

I tried to make berries the theme of my fruity cupcake selections but ran into trouble at Sweet Mandy B's when my options were restricted to Lemon Meringue or Orange Dreamsicle. I went with orange dreamsicle in hopes of it capturing my youthful love of popsicles. What I got was something that tasted like Tang with an extra dose of sugar tossed in for good measure. The frosting was cloyingly sweet, creamy and a very small touch citrusy. The cake was a land mine of artificial orange taste that detonated in my mouth.

Rank: 4

Playing it fast and loose with wacky taste combinations and obscure fruits is not Dinkel's calling card which is why I chose the Strawberry Sophisticake as their fruit entry. The first bite I took brought to mind one word and one word only: heavy.  There's no skimping on butter in this cake, in fact it reminded me slightly of poundcake. Dinkel's strawberry filling reminds me very strongly of Smuckers strawberry jam and I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Topping it all off was a frosting that was very sweet but still light and airy. This is an old school cupcake to a tee.

Rank: 3

More's Vanilla Raspberry Cupcake is a tale of dichotomous existence. On one hand you have a silky, mildly sweet, lightly fruity frosting that, if it were offered in a bowl, I would eat by the spoonful.  On the other hand you have a cake that was a bizarre combination of angelfood and cornbread; very light, crumbly and, it sounds crazy I know, almost corny to the taste. It's a very strange matchup of sublime and slightly off putting elements. Oh, and there's a really nice candied raspberry tasting filling in the middle.

Rank: 2

Trying to contain my excitement for Molly's Mixed Berry cupcake is like asking Yogi Bear to put a leash on his urge to steal pic-a-nic baskets from unsuspecting park visitors. (Warning: what follows is me gushing over a cupcake, feel free to skip to the next entry). In a move that defies logic and the space-time-continuum this cupcake is backbreakingly rich and shining with fresh berry flavor. The frosting is heavenly with a mild blueberry essence. The cake is springy yet wonderfully moist with a lovely crunch on the upper crust. The filling is Spring-fresh, not too jammy sweet and, if you're not expecting it, can actually make you gasp with surprise. This is my favorite cupcake of all time.

Rank: 1

Chocolate Rain

Dinkel's Chocolate Sophisticake changes often, on the day I was there it had a raspberry theme which meant chocolate cake with raspberry filling and pink frosting. The frosting in question was sweet and vanilla flavored and that's all there is to say about that. The cake reminded me of my childhood, specifically the cake my friends' moms baked for their birthdays. The filling was darkly sweet and very thick. Altogether it was a proud and simple cupcake.

Rank: 4

Sweet Mandy B's has a reputation for being a frosting specialist and her Chocolate Buttercream cupcake shows why. The frosting was buttery, dreamy and slightly chocolate flavored. The cake had surprisingly boisterous bitter notes and was rough in overall flavor (not texture, but flavor). Overall the cupcake had a slightly alcoholic chocolate taste with decent moisture. As a bonus they put red, white and blue sprinkles on top so I felt like a real American. Finally!

Rank: 3

More's Chocolate Valrhona cupcake makes an entrance like that guy in that beer commercial. Dark, almost black, in appearance with a shimmering piece of edible gold place in the middle. This cupcake's quality isn't skin deep though, it is a venerable black hole of richness with a, and I can't believe I'm saying this about a cupcake but, long finish. The frosting can best be described as liquid Riesen and marries so well to the rest of the pastry that I had trouble telling where it stopped and the cake began. Speaking of that cake, it was almost flowerless in appearance and deep and dense in taste and texture. The filling was mousse smooth and slightly bitter. This is not a cupcake. It is a sexcake.

Rank: 2

Chocolate Decadence. That is the name of Molly's chocolate cupcake and it is an understatement. The topping is a cacao-triple-threat of dark ganache under a whipped chocolate frosting with chocolate shavings on top just for good measure. The cake is very dark, dense and has excellent cocoa character. The filling an oasis of milk chocolatety lightness. All this combines to make a cupcake that demonstrates multiple levels of chocexcellence. It's dark yet approachable. It's an Edgar Allan Poe story with a Disney ending. 

Rank: 1

Report Card
-With an average rank of 3.66 Sweet Mandy B's placed fourth in our comparison. They may be the cutest, most pasteled environment ever created, and you can tell they put a lot of love in their product. In the end it was just too much sweet and not enough depth and creativity. I have to point out that although their cupcakes weren't the cream of this particular crop, their prices were (as mush as a dollar cheaper than the next guy/gal).

-An average rank of 3.00 means that Dinkel's third place finish makes perfect mathematical sense. Though I just met this bakery I have a profound fondness for it. There's no hipness or chicness or even sweetness to it, it's just good baked goods in an honest Chicago setting.

-More comes in second place with an average ranking of 1.66 in this group. The quality of its stuff is undeniable. Their cupcakes are practically perfect in every way. So why didn't it place first? It came down to the spirit of the cupcake which is inherently playful and there's nothing playful about a piece of laser cut modern art. Delicious, yes. Playful/affable, not so much.

Which means the winner is...

Molly's! with an average score of 1.33 Molly's edged out More for the overall title and bragging rights on this website. Molly's not only churns out delicious and damn near flawless pastries but they do it in a way that is so overwhelmingly pleasant that you find yourself eating more than you should. Although I was more familiar with their goods than the other competitors going into the contest I did not think they would pull out the victory (I had Sweet Mandy B's and More as the favorites), but nevertheless they proved to be the best.




BONUS CUPCAKE:
1. I need to point out that More does a lot more (see what I did there?) than what I asked of them, they've been known to include foie gras, bourbon, and prociutto in their madhat creations and, if their "normal" cupcakes are any indication, I'm betting they're amazing.

2. I ordered a fourth (gasp!) cupcake from Molly's at my friend's urging. The Peach Cobbler cupcake may be the heaviest thing I've ever tried to lift and is face-slappingly good. Cinnamon whipped cream on top with a peach slice, streusel crust directly beneath and a peach compote infused coffee-cake like batter as the base. You Need To Try This Cupcake!

Sweet Mandy B's

Molly's

Dinkel's

More