A Bread, A Spread and A Filling

The bread: Talera, which is a Spanish-style ciabatta, with a crunchy crust and soft inside.

The spread: A garlic-tarragon flavored mayonnaise.

The filling: Tender juicy slices of steak, spring mix and red tomato slices.

This is the Steak Sandwich on the menu at Red Restaurant, 

a new eatery in the historic Broadway district of downtown.

The talera is lightly toasted so it can soak up the steak juices without becoming soggy on the  bottom side.  Tender juicy slices of steak, here ordered medium rare, begin the first layer of the sandwich filling which is topped with tomato slices then a spring mix. The garlic-tarragon flavored mayo spread on the inside of the top slice of talera which brings this whole sandwich to another level of flavor.

Accompanying  the Steak Sandwich are large diced baby red potatoes, that are seasoned and roasted.  A pickle spear and sprinkling of parsley garnishes the plate.

Local Food Find

What began as a way to introduce people to the possibilities of what New Leaf Market, an evolving local food co-op, is about and to recruit member-owners to make New Leaf Market a reality, is the annual New Leaf Winter Farmer's Market held on select Saturday mornings in December, January and February.  New Leaf Winter Market hosts over 80 vendors featuring local meats, cheeses, veggies, jams, canned items, breads, pastries, and various local restaurants. Local chefs are doing cooking demos using only the local ingredients found at market.  Here is a small sample of some of the wonderful foods, many of them organic, that the Urban Diner found at market all provided by our area's very own local vendors. 

Organic Butter Chard, Ledgeview's Striped Spaghetti Squash, River of Dreams Beef Sticks, Villagios' Marinara Sauce, O So Good Kettle Corn Premium Chedddar Popcorn, La Fonda Fish Market Pickled Whitefish, Trust Local Foods Peace of Pasture Cow Milk Gouda, Amish Grown Radish, Sweet Temptations by Michael Gourmet Eight Piece Chocolate Sample Pack (Peanut butter Truffle, Bacon Truffle, Lemon, Oatmeal Stout Caramel, Sea Salt Caramel, Mango, Coconut Oolong and Earl Grey Lavender-flavors change at each market), Nala's Marcona Almonds, Ledgeview's Grape Tomatoes, and Irresistibly Healthy's Socko Taco Hummus.


Market Dates: Dec.15, 22, Jan. 12, Feb. 2, 23  Time: 8:00am-12:00pm.  Free Entry.
Located at the KI Convention Center, 333 Main Street.  Free parking.

Chinese Odds and Ends

Chop Suey literally means odds and ends or assorted pieces.  A Chinese dish that consists of meat and vegetables cooked quickly in a starch thickened sauce, Chop Suey has been widely adapted to suit Western tastebuds making it a part of American cuisine.

 At China Palace the Beef Chop Suey is fresh, fresh, fresh. Consisting of thinly sliced beef, bean sprouts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, pea pods, slivers of green peppers and carrots, Chinese cabbage and water chestnuts coming together in a silky brown sauce and served with a steaming bowl of rice. Other Chop Suey options at China Palace are: Vegetable, Roast Pork, Shrimp, Chicken or the House Special.  And as can be expected, a fortune cookie arrives at the end of your meal!

Koko Prelude

Spicy Ahi Tartare can be found on the menu at Koko Sushi Bar & Lounge under Preludes.  This delectable appetizer can be shared or easily consumed by oneself. A simplistic japanese plate presentation highlights a mound of Maguro Ahi that has a kick of heat from finely diced peppers and modestly embellished with a cucumber garnish. The plate is sprinkled with yuzu citrus soy and served with light puffy triangles of baked wonton chips. 

Diner notes that may be helpful:
Tartare=preparation of chopped sushi grade raw ahi
Ahi=high grade tuna that is best served raw or rare
Maguro (mah-goo-roh)=Japanese term for Bluefin tuna, a most commonly known fish eaten in sushi dining
Yuzu Soy: also know as Ponzu sauce, is a soy sauce blended with Yuzu fruit, an east Asian citrus, that has a distinctively sweet, sour, and slight salty flavor good for all kinds of seafood.  

Titletown Classic with an Honest Pint

Preserving 100 years of history in the former landmark Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Depot building, Titletown Brewing Company serves up hearty food and microbrews.

A staple on Titletown's menu  is listed as a "Titletown Original". The Cranberry Turkey Melt features layers of Smoked Turkey, Provolone cheese, and Baby Spinach layered between slices of their freshly baked Zucchini Bread spread with Cranberry Onion Marmalade. Pictured here with a side of Titletown's Cucumber Salad.  

The microbrew to wash it all down?

Rye The Helles 

Titletown's beer notes describes this as a malty golden lager in the Munich Helles style but with the addition of malted rye, whose spicy, almost tangy flavors compliment those of clean, grainy pilsner malt. Light in body with a clean lightly sweet finish.

DINER NOTE: Titletown serves an "Honest Pint" by pouring a pint (16ounces) of their beer in a 20 ounce glass.  This insures the best possible flavor.  A properly poured pint needs to have at least one inch of head (foam) so serving their beer in 20-ounce glasses provides a full 16-ounce pint with the proper head.

Cheez! Over 50,000 Sold!

One of the more popular sandwiches ordered at Kavarna is The Cheesy Artichoke. Their menu claims over 50,000 sold!  This hot wrap sandwich begins with an herbed tortilla, spread with cream cheese and filled with artichoke hearts, marinated tomatoes, black olives and provolone which is then toasted to create a warm melted bundle of goodness. It comes with crunchy kettle chips or can be upgraded to a side serving of fruit.

Diner Note: The Cheesy Artichoke is also available gluten free. 

Pasta Trilogy - Rajun Cajun Alfredo (3 of 3)

A robust Creole cream sauce stars in the Rajun Cajun Alfredo entree on the menu at Hagemeister Park.  Chicken breast strips, slices of spicy andouille sausage and shrimp are sautéed in the  spiced Alfredo sauce then tossed with steaming linguini.   An herbed vegetable medley of broccoli, yellow carrots and green beans compliment this dish along with a warm crescent breadstick.