Fiasco At Fiamico’s

		Fiamico - Waukegan, IL VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I’ll start with the niceties; The restaurant is really very attractive and warm. It looks and feels cozy, and the seating is comfortable, and the décor is very nice. From the fireplace in the center of the restaurant, to the wood burning brick pizza oven and the bar, it all looks great with nice classy touches and shows what must have taken a good show of money to make it all work.

Unfortunately for them, I'm the guy who would have been more ecstatic about eating on wobbly used plastic TV trays while sitting on stacks of milk crates if the food and service had been stellar, because great ambiance only goes so far.

To put it bluntly; I was massively disappointed by my meal and service at Fiamico. And the long 6-9 month wait and buildup for this hopeful gem to finally open it’s doors in a sea of restaurant despair that is downtown Waukegan, only made the whole experience seem even more deflating.

The dinner fiasco began with a basket of sliced crusty Italian & focaccia breads placed at our table without butter, oil or cheese, so I asked our WINOT (Waiter In Need Of Training) for some. After 10-15 minutes passed by with no sign of the WINOT. I flagged down a passing waiter to help find the WINOT and have him stop by. The WINOT showed up empty handed, and wanted to know what we “wanted”. And after being reminded, WINOT brought out oil & cheese but of course forgot the butter.

By the way, the oil was herbed and tasted low grade, the cheese smelled and tasted like that pizza Parmesan-Romano mix from a can, and not a quality fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano like most quality establishments at this price point would normally provide.

I ordered the meatball appetizer and had asked if an Italian sausage link could be added alongside the meatballs for me to try out. What came out from the kitchen was this bizarre 3” high pile of ground up sausage meat in the shape of a cone (wish I had a picture of it!). Without a doubt, this is one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen served. I sent it back, and reminded the WINOT that the request had been for a sausage link, but not to worry about it now, and just cancel the order.

Somehow that last part of what I said got lost, because near the end of the meal, the kitchen sent out a whole intact sausage link anyway. Then later when the check came, WINOT pointed out that someone named Gino was nice enough to mark the link “n/c”. What I wish is that Gino would have got up and stopped by my table, and if he’s reading this, I’ll bet he’s wishing that he had too.

While I could go on about how the rest of the meal went on like this, there were just too many mis-queues to even bother recounting.

I guess what bothered me most, is that the meal from start to finish was so poorly executed by the kitchen. From the minestrone soup that did not taste cooked all the way through to tender, to the canned tasting marinara sauce used on both the meatballs and pizza. The main attraction wood fired pizza itself was a disappointment as well, with an underdone crust, resulting in a limp/soggy pizza center and that terrible sauce.

I left feeling like I wasn’t important enough to warrant the undivided attention of a WINOT, in what was basically an empty restaurant. And that no one who represented the ownership or family of the restaurant ever came by any of the tables to see how things were going, bothering to build new relationships or welcoming in new customers. Or to even find out what had gone wrong after food was sent back and then care enough to get customer feedback on how to improve.

Fiamico, whether they know it or not, are in the awkward position of trying to backfill a pretty big gaping hole left by the successive failures of downtown Waukegan’s last three Italian eateries, which were all pretty good, Bacci’s was even a real standout. But that was then, and this is now Fiamico’s time. And they have a great opportunity and a rare captive audience to try to win over for Italian food in this area, but they better get their heads in the game or I’m afraid they won’t last.

FIAMICO RISTORANTE
226 N Sheridan Rd.
Waukegan IL 60085
(847) 672-4117
http://fiamico.com/

Taste: 3 (of 10)
Experience: 3 (of 10)
Value: 4 (of 10)
Score: 3.5 (of 10)

Wauconda’s Bulldog’s Grill, These “Guys” Aren’t Foolin’ Around!

		Bulldogs Grill - Wauconda VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

There’s no denying that a “full on” burger war is being waged these days. Everywhere I seem to go, claims to have these new “premium” burgers. Some would even have you believe that they either invented the concept, or that they are taking it to new heights.

Even the old burger vet’s like Wendy’s & McDonalds are rethinking their strategies based on the onslaught being brought on by the new fast food “up and comer” chains of 5-Guys, Smashburger & Red Robin, which are popping up on every open corner in the country. 

But if you look deep into your heart, and face the truth, we all know that these chains are really “just” chains. Hot grills manned by what amounts to teeny bopper cooks who are flipping burgers. Doing their best to meet large volumes of mindless consumption by the marketing driven masses. Oh sure, most manage to do an “adequate” job when it comes to making those burgers, but that’s about it. After all, there is no pride or craftsmanship at stake here, and that’s a fact. And that’s the reason that it’s hard, if not impossible, to bottle up and mass produce the secret ingredients of high quality, mature cooking skills and determined care and bring it to any fast food or chain establishment.

Which goes to one of the most basic elements of great food; you can teach just about anyone to be a cook, but you have be educated, trained and then gain real experience in order to become a chef.

And why do you need a chef to make a burger?  Because I’m talking about real burgers.

Thick (1/2 lb. or greater) fresh ground beef made into loosely hand formed meat patty's. Hand seasoned on the grill or griddle to form a glorious caramelized flavored meat crust that sears in the meats juices. So that when that burger is bitten into, the tender juicy pure beef center releases a wave of flavors with just the right balance of juices intermingled with crust to give you that euphoric mouth feel of savory cooked perfection.

But there's more to a burger than just cooking great meat, a truly great burger is, if anything, a masterpiece of layered flawlessness. The bun for example is soft, yet unyielding, a barrier of baked flavor that serves as the protector of the meat package. It can’t be too thick, or large. It should never dominate the meat in such a way that the juices soak into it before it hits your eager awaiting pallet, and never should it dissolve in your hands, falling way useless and worn, nor should it be so dense and thick that it takes more chew than that of the meat itself.

Proper burger construction is key; even the placement of moisture barriers such as lettuce or mayo, which shield the bun from sogginess, and the right balance of toppings weigh into making the perfect burger. And lastly; presentation. Only a chef would know how to build such a perfect burger, and only a chef would care so much about such minute details, and that is exactly why only a chef can turn the ordinary burger into a masterpiece.

And that my friends, is what finally brings us to Bulldogs Grill in Wauconda (and soon in Grayslake as well). Bulldogs has a chef running the kitchen of this 50’s looking diner, which has a menu that spans a  wide range of good eats that go from salads and wings, to fish tacos, Italian beef and hot dogs and then focuses squarely on over 30 different burger creations, plus a few specials of the day. The chef and his partner have created an all star line up of burgers like no other place that I’ve seen before. Most of the burger creations start with a 1/2 lb. hand formed patty atop a fresh soft local bakery bun and then pile on stuff, lots and lots of stuff… each burger is a unique masterpiece in its own right.

As my eyes scanned double staked chalkboards with 6 columns of options, my brain was nearly overwhelmed by the burger combinations that were available. Varied from your standard single 1/2 lb. hamburger/cheeseburger, to the wildly complex, creative and even humorous specials of the day.

Take for example the Scarlett Johansson: a burger with cream cheese, jalapenos, bacon and apple bbq sauce, or the Texas Tornado (pictured) which has Frito's, grilled onions, avocado, jalapenos & salsa.  I opted for the Double D: a double 1/2 lb. cheeseburger with grilled onions & bacon, all for under $9. I was stuffed well beyond reasonable capacity, and I couldn’t even finish it. But I’ll bet I fared better than whoever goes for the one called the Triple Bypass burger; two grilled cheese sandwiches stuffed with a burger, cheese, bacon, lettuce & tomato, and more cheese!!

Normally burgers this great would be more than enough to get me to fall hard for a place all on their own, but my review just wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention that the hand mixed milkshakes and hand cut fries were OUTSTANDING as well. They really are good, I practically demolished a large plastic basket of fries on my own, well, OK maybe I had some help, but I did eat a ton of them!

Overall, Bulldogs is one of the best burger experiences I’ve ever had, along with some really great shakes and fries too. I was impressed by the great personalities and ease of comfort that I felt while eating there with my friends, who all not only loved what they ate, but also seemed to have a great time talking with Joe the owner and the rest of the fun Bulldog’s staff. 

There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the best burgers in Lake County, if not in the entire Chicagoland area, or dare I say possibly in the country as well?

 

Bulldog's Grill
122 S. Main Street
Wauconda, Illinois 60084
(847) 526-8234
http://www.bulldogsgrill.com/

Taste: 9.5
Experience: 9.5
Value: 9.5
Score: 9.5

 

Just Like Italy, is Like Nothing Else In Gurnee!

		Just Like Italy - Gurnee, IL VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

This year my wanderings and travels have taken me all over the planet. So when I get out and about, in my very own neighborhood and discover that there are new and exciting restaurants opening up in the area (in spite of a horrible economy), I want to be the first one on the scene.

A few weeks ago I discovered the newly opened “Just like Italy” in the Northeast corner of Gurnee (in the old Gurnee Pizza location).  It’s been a long time since there was good Italian restaurant to talk about in this area, and let me tell you; this place is special!

The restaurant is run by a really nice Italian family, Mom & Dad and two sons run the back and seem to do most of the cooking. Two daughters run the front by waiting on tables and doing a great job of making everyone feel right at home.

The décor is non pretentious, with red & white checkerboard tablecloths and small mementos and pictures of Italy on the walls and counters, Italian pop music plays in the background.

So far, I’ve been back 3 times; once with my family, and once with a work colleague of mine, and once on my own, and all I can say is each visit gets better than the last!

For starters, all the pasta’s and sauces are made fresh in house everyday. The same goes for the amazingly flavorful soups (tortellini & minestrone) that I’ve tasted as well. The Panzerotti is really special by the way, according to the daughters, they tell me that their dad the chef, is from the very town in Italy where these originated, and that he takes great pride in them. I loved them.

The cold subs are outstanding using quality Italian deli meats, and the meatballs & sausage have my work colleague considering a 12 step program to help him stop eating them! They're that good. The pasta and sauces are amazing; especially that vodka sauce. My daughter loved the lasagna, and from my taste, I can see why. And the Cappuccino that I had was authentic and right on the money made perfect!

The pizza is very good, I’ve only had two so far, the first one was good, the second was even better.

I want to cut them some slack, since they are only in week three of doing business, and they may still be tightening down few details, but my only criticism would be that I was not crazy about the Italian beef/combo sandwich. But, I am still amazed that they are able to knock this many quality items out of the park, this early into the game. So I remain optimistic that anything that isn't great now, will be, in a very short amount of time.

Just like Italy is a very welcome addition to the Gurnee/Waukegan area, and I know that as word about the great food starts to get out, they will do a great business, and hopefully be with us for a long time to come.

So get over there, and support these guys! And please let me know your thoughts and comments if you can, take care and happy eating-

Just Like Italy
1810 N. Delany Road
Gurnee, IL 60031
(847) 336-1200
http://www.justlikeitaly.com

Taste: 8.5
Experience: 8.5
Value: 9
Score: 8.75

 

Smashing Bad Time

		Smashburger VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Tonight I was invited to the soft opening of Arlington Heights Smashburger. This was supposed to be a print media event, with a visit/talk from the founder of Smashbuger. Anyway, I never saw the guy because it such a mob-scene, and it just looked open to anyone who wandered in. 

I know opening nights are tough, but my experience tonight was really full of miscues and training issues.

When I was contacted three weeks ago, I was asked to RSVP for my table, so I did as instructed, tonight when I arrived they didn't have any tables for my family of six; and from what I could see, this place doesn't even have any tables that can seat six anyway. 

We had a dingy hostess, and she was determined to split us up into tables that sat across the room from each other. Of course, that’s when the food came out, and it was out way too quickly, because we weren't even fully seated yet. So the food was piled on the table of 4 that we were standing by, that’s when one of the waiters bringing out the food dumped a full glass of lemonade on my oldest daughters lap; great, just great.

Looking around, I see that the table next to us is slowly leaving, but when I make the move to sit, the dingy hostess rushes back over to tell me that she’s "sorry" but that I can’t sit there. It was at this point that I admittedly lost my cool. And I "asserted" that she was indeed "sorry", and that like it not I was commandeering the darn table so that we could eat together as a family while our pile of food was still hot.

Over the next 30 minutes several waiters came by and three times promised to bring my kids the complementary milkshakes that were being made, but they never materialized. Finally we were told that they weren't going to be making any more for the night - WTF?? Really? Now I had 4 disappointed kids on my hands who had wanted milkshakes, and they had rode nearly an hour just to try this place. Everyone thought the hostess screwed them for me being mean to her, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

The food tasted pretty good for fast food chain, and I would probably rate the burgers as "slightly" better  or equal to Five Guys. I thought the chili was too meaty, and too dark, which usually means for heartburn for me.  The Smashchicken my daughter had, was really good, and the French fries were nothing to get to excited about. Overall, I'd give Five Guys a big nod on the fries and on seating capacity. I would have probably given Smashburger a few point for having what looked like hand scoped Hagen Daze ice cream shakes, but I’ll never know since they wouldn’t bring any out to our table.

This is really a classic example of why I can't stand American fast food chains, because dumb stuff like this always happens to me at them. I guess the only great thing about this dinner was that at least it didn't cost me a dime!

Taste: 7
Experience: 2
Value: N/A – no charge
Score: 5