Big G's Pizza Review

Big G's Pizza
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Last night was bittersweet in the land of Wrigley, as the Chicago Cubs wrapped up their final home stand of the 2014 season. I was fortunate enough to have been in attendance for the 3-1 win, and what a night it was. Being in Wrigleyville is an experience in itself, as a bevy of bars and restaurants line the streets, making it a great atmosphere for someone who loves food as much as I do. I am slowly making my way through the restaurant scene, adding another quality place to my list last night in the form of Big G's Pizza.

Jack Daniels BBQ Pulled Pork Slice
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Big G's is a stone's throw from Wrigley Field, located at 3716 N. Clark Street, and is a popular spot for fans, workers, players, and other members of the organization. Owners Jeronimo Gaytan and Jamie Gamez, both Chicagoland natives and Wisconsin-Madison grads, opened the doors of this location in 2012, serving up a variety of menu items, but centered around pizza. Their traditional and unique pizza creations have the place hopping on the regular, so I figured I had to stop in and give it a try.

In a space with nearly more kitchen than seating, Big G's makes sure their product is something that customers can walk around with. Whether you are ordering by the slice or full pie, it is all very easy to eat. Stepping up to the counter, my brother and I got a preview of the different pizza types. Being someone who normally just orders traditional pepperoni, I decided to be different, ordering two uniquely-topped, specialty slices. The first was a Jack Daniels BBQ Pulled Pork, which had healthy amounts of sauced pulled pork with some cheddar cheese and french-fried onion straws. The second was a BBQ Steak and Fries, which had slices of thin, seasoned steak, bbq sauce, and crinkle-cut fries. The flavors were unique on both slices, but all ingredients flowed together well. On the first slice, the pork was tender, flavorful, and had just the right amount of sauce. The cheddar cheese and onions added more flavor, as it felt like I was literally eating a pulled pork sandwich, but in pizza form. On the second slice, the steak had a nice seasoning, which was complimented by the sweetness of the bbq sauce. The fries added another element of flavor and had a nice crunch. Again, it felt like I was eating a sandwich on a pizza. The crust resembled more of a New York style, as it was fresh and had a good crunch to it, but was sturdy enough to hold all of the contents of the pizza.

BBQ Steak and Fries Slice
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Between my brother and I, we spent $18.50 on four specialty slices, which are $4 a piece, and two cans of Cherry Coke, which is fairly priced considering the size of the slice and ingredients used. In reality, spending a little north of $9 on dinner is a great deal, especially in the city. Great food and a great game is an ideal night in my world. If you are the same way, or if you just enjoy good food, head on over to Big G's and order a couple of slices. It never hurt anyone to try something different.

Ryan Magnuson is a Baseball/Food/Nature Writer from the Chicagoland Area

Au Cheval Review

Au Cheval Bar & Diner
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

 Downtown Chicago is a food lover’s paradise. A variety of bars and restaurants line nearly every street, giving someone no excuse to run out of options when it comes to a finding a meal. Being from the suburbs, I have not even scratched the surface of the Chicago restaurant scene, but will try to tackle it one place at a time. My most recent journey took place on Thursday night, when I visited Au Cheval, an upscale American bar/diner on 800 West Randolph Street.

Single Cheeseburger With Bacon
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Nestled in the West Loop, Au Cheval is known for its unique take on food, and of course, out-of-this-world cheeseburgers. The atmosphere is typical of a Chicago bar, but there was an upscale feel to it. There were tables and booths lining the walls, but the main attraction was the bar, which nearly rant the length of the restaurant. At Au Cheval, things are done on a first come, first serve basis no matter who you are. With it being the dinner rush, I was told it was going to be a 45 minute wait. This did not scare me, knowing the food would be worth it. A spot on the bar opened up within 20 minutes, so I was seated right then and there. Looking over the menu, I found many things that the ordinary person would question, like chopped chicken liver on toast and roasted beef marrow bones on toast. I was told in good confidence by people I know, and those who I did not know, that everything is prepared in such a way that even an unrefined pallet can enjoy. While sampling the menu would have been a great experience, I did not have the time or money to do so. I dove right in and ordered the menu item I had heard so much about, the single cheeseburger.

The Bacon
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

The single cheeseburger, which actually has two beef patties, is possibly the most popular menu item. If you order it as is, you will end up with the following: two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, red onion, sliced bread and butter pickles, and a house sauce, all on a fresh, toasted bun with a large bread and butter pickle spear on the side. The wait staff at the restaurant always suggests you add a fried egg and some of their world class, thick-cut bacon to your burger. Those two items send the burger overboard. While I opted out on the egg, I did go for the bacon, which was the best decision I could have made. Overall, everything on the burger meshed together seamlessly. The patties were rich and juicy, cooked to perfection. The cheese was fully melted and draped over the patties, almost as if they were a flavor blanket. The condiments were a combination of sweet and savory, offsetting each other in all the best ways. The pickle was extremely tasty and had the right blend of spices to give it great flavor. The bacon was the kicker. It was the thickest I have ever had. When I say thick, I mean that a person would have to use a real knife to cut through it. The thickness only added to the taste, as the bacon was cured in such a way that the flavor ran all the way through the meat. I also ordered a side of freshly cut fries with their house garlic aioli, which was another great purchase. The fries were hot and fresh, and the aioli provided me with a cool, tangy counter-flavor. All in all, a great meal.

French Fries With Garlic Aioli

I spent $22.54 on my meal, which may seem expensive to most, but I can tell you it was worth it. You are not going to get the type of food and atmosphere Au Cheval offers at a much cheaper price in the city, so know that going in. Dining here is something one just has to experience at some point in their life if they want to recapture the classic, American take on food. So if you are in the West Loop, or even if you are not, check out Au Cheval on 800 W. Randolph Street in Chicago. It will be an experience you will never forget.

Ryan Magnuson is a Baseball/Food/Nature Writer from the Chicagoland Area

Riverside Bake Shop Review

Riverside Donuts in McHenry, IL
Photo Credit: Riverside Bakery/Twitter: @RiversideBakry 

Traditional Glazed Donut
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Being in the northwest suburbs, we are at no shortage for local, small businesses; restaurants in particular. What I am finding a shortage of in my experience is the number of quality bakery’s who serve up top shelf versions of one of my favorite creations; the donut. Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to grabbing something Dunkin Donuts from time to time, they get the job done, but I more so look for something with a homey touch. I want to feel like someone actually put the time in to make my day, and I am not opposed to spending a little extra for that. Being close to McHenry County, I had heard a local spot down the road not only served up fresh donuts daily, but also a number of other specialty treats. I had to give Riverside Bake Shop a try.

Riverside Bake Shop or Riverside Bakery, as it is known to locals, has been serving some of the best baked treats to McHenry and the surrounding area for over 40 years. The emphasis and time they put into their cakes, cookies, bread, sweet rolls, and of course donuts, have kept people coming back for years. They use nothing but the freshest ingredients, and are priced fairly based on the work they do. While I cannot personally vouch for anything but the donuts at the moment having been there only once, those who I have spoken to say everything on the menu is worth checking out.

Cream-filled Cake Donut With Vanilla Icing & Sprinkles
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Now on to the main focus: donuts. Stepping into the small shop at 1309 N. Riverside Drive in McHenry’s downtown provided me with a pretty cool sight. All the baked goods were put on display in the glass cases in front of you or on racks near the back wall. The staff was very knowledgeable about all products and was prepared to answer any question a new-comer like me had. Of the many different types of donuts, I narrowed down my five to a traditional glazed, a cinnamon roll with vanilla icing, a cream-filled cake donut with vanilla icing and sprinkles, a traditional chocolate cake donut with chocolate icing, and a cinnamon twist. Each donut had a good amount of sweetness to it, but in no way was it overwhelming. The dough, both on the cake and regular, was not as light and airy as some of the places I have been to, but it was extremely fresh and had substance to it. The icing was sweet, also fresh, and complimented the sweetness of each donut well. You can tell a donut has been sitting out for a while when the icing is hard and crumbles off after each bite. Not the case at Riverside. Lastly, the two donuts I enjoyed the most, the roll and the twist, had a good amount of cinnamon in every crevice. Other places I have been to in the past seem to only sprinkle on the cinnamon, leaving me wondering if I had even eaten a cinnamon-laced donut. Riverside made sure I was getting some cinnamon in every bite, which I more than appreciated. It was $6 even for the five donuts, which is good based on the quality. Make sure you bring cash or a check; they do not accept cards of any sort.

Cinnamon Roll With Vanilla Icing
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

My first time at Riverside Bake Shop was a success, and I will definitely be sure to try out the other wonderful, homemade creations on their menu in the future. If the other products are anything like their donuts, I think you and I are in good hands.

Ryan Magnuson is a Baseball/Food/Nature Writer from the Chicagoland Area