Friday, May 27, 2022

Robert St. John: Chicago 2022

 I first came to this city over 30 years ago. I fell in love with Chicago instantly. There was something about a big city, combined with a Midwestern sensibility, that appealed to me on several levels. It didn't hurt that, at the time, the city was becoming a major player in the national restaurant scene. 

 

In the 1980s, Richard Melman owned the creative Chicago restaurant landscape. He pumped out inspired concept after inspired concept and I was in awe of his ability to create and tap into a seemingly boundless imagination when it came to restaurants and bars. Melman was a mentor in absentia in those days. I read every interview and followed every restaurant opening of his Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group.

 

In the late 1980s I started attending the National Restaurant Association’s trade show and convention. It was a restaurant wonderland for me, everything I love about this industry under one roof. Actually, under several roofs at McCormick Place on Lake Michigan. For a guy who spent all his spare time in college in the library reading restaurant trade magazines and staying up until 3:00 AM designing menus and restaurant concepts the restaurant show was information overload in the best way.

 

Anything that has to do with the restaurant or bar business is at that show. Equipment, food, supplies, furniture, design elements, and anything that has to do with supporting a restaurant or bar is there. For a guy whose hobby is restaurants it is heaven on earth. 

 

The bonus is every year when I come to the show in Chicago is that I get to hop from restaurant to restaurant in what I believe is one of the top three restaurants cities in America. To me, Chicago has always been like a more-accessible New York. I have loved watching the neighborhoods in this city blossom over the years as new concepts have popped up in River North, Logan Square, Lincoln Park, West Loop, Wicker Park, and all the others.

 

The top restaurateur working in Chicago today— maybe the top restaurateur working in America today— is Kevin Boehm. Kevin and I got to know each other as we were co-founders of the Independent Restaurant Coalition which was formed in March of 2020 to help save restaurants from the devastating business effects of the global pandemic. Kevin and I, and a couple of dozen others from across the country, were there at the start. We met twice a day, every day, for the first several months and then once a day via Zoom for another month or so, and eventually after six months, the meetings dropped to three times a week. But we have stayed in close contact since.

 

It's amazing how much you can learn about a person even on a video conference call if you spend hours and hours with them each week. I came to admire and appreciate all my co-founding members. But Boehm and I share slightly similar beginnings. 

 

We both traveled down to the Florida Panhandle in our early 20s. He from Central Illinois, I from South Mississippi. We both worked for Charles Morgan at Harbor Docks. We both opened our first restaurant in our 20s. Though I'm afraid that's where the similarity stops. Even though he has around 19 restaurants open at present and I have less than that. He has movie-star good looks that make a guy like me look like Streetcar-era Karl Malden standing next to Brando. He also has another zero or two at the end of his financial statement.

 

Boehm may have movie-star looks, but he’s a rock star when it comes to restaurants. When one meets Kevin Boehm there’s no mistaking as to why he is a success in this brutal business. He has boundless passion for what he does, seemingly endless energy, laser focus on all the most important components of the business, natural charisma, a keen financial acumen, and bounteous restaurant smarts.

 

His Boka Restaurant Group has done amazing things in Chicago, and now Los Angeles and New York. When he learned that I was coming to Chicago for the National Restaurant Association trade show he offered to set up a progressive dinner tour in a few of his restaurants. It was an amazing night.

 

As soon as New South Restaurant Group COO, Jarred Patterson and I hit the ground in Chicago, we checked our bags in the Hoxton Hotel (where Boehm’s Boka has three concepts) and walked immediately to the Boka stalwart diner, Little Goat, a breakfast place I never miss while staying in Chicago. That night we ate dinner with Rick Bayless at Frontera Grill. I believe Bayless is the best Mexican-cuisine chef in America. I also believe that when Bayless visits Mexico, he automatically becomes the best Mexican-cuisine chef in Mexico as soon as he steps off the airplane. 

The next day’s breakfast started at Boehm’s Cira in the Hoxton. It was perfect. The rest of the day was spent at a One Off Hospitality Group trifecta visiting Donnie Madia’s Dove’s Luncheonette for a late breakfast, Big Star for an early lunch, and The Publican for an early dinner after the restaurant show. We ended the evening at a longtime favorite, Longman & Eagle for a second dinner.

 

The rest of the trip was all Boka. Well, except for the Tuesday morning bakery R&D run where Patterson, pastry chef/baker Martha Foose, and I hit 11 bakeries, sampling over 50 pastries in a four-hour period. More on that journey next week.

We wisely skipped lunch after the bakery bacchanal and prepped our constitutions for the Boka Restaurant Group progressive dinner Boehm had so graciously arranged. Boehm’s corporate office had arranged three Boka restaurants for us— Alla Vita (the new Italian concept), Momotaro (sushi), and Swift & Son’s (the high-volume producer in the group, and my new favorite Chicago steakhouse). I wanted to squeeze in Boka’s Chinese concept, Duck Duck Goat (another Boka-Staphanie Izard concept) so we started there. I didn’t notify the home office so they wouldn’t pick up the tab at the added stop.

 

All meals were stellar. From the greeting at the host stand to the salutation as we left each concept. Stellar. I don’t know if I have ever encountered a group of restaurants— especially restaurants performing at that high of a level, and with that much volume— that are moving in the same forward direction, at the same time, as flawlessly and as in-sync as the Boka Restaurant Group in Chicago. Service, food quality, and the attitude of the staff. Every service point was nailed, at every concept, at every turn.

The highlights were the potstickers and ribs at Duck Duck Goat, the ricotta dumplings, roasted octopus, and wood-fired table bread at Alla Vita. A very fatty— in all the best ways— salmon belly and a spicy fried rice dish were the table favorites at Momotaro, and the Baby Beet Salad and ribeye were hits at Swift & Sons.

Though the greatest treat of the night was having Boehm take an Uber directly from the airport after a long travel day to sit and visit with us at the last dinner. He was gracious with his time and very open with information and advice on all aspects of the restaurant business. It was a master class in restaurant operations that none of us will soon forget.

 

A late-night visit to Lazy Bird, the Boka jazz club/cocktail lounge in the Hoxton ended a whirlwind of a long day, but again, in all the best ways.

 

Onward.



Apricot Tarts

 

The brown butter in the recipe gives these tarts a unique and appealing flavor.

 

16 pre-made mini frozen tart shells

 

Filling

3 /4 cup butter

1 1 /2 cup apricot preserves

1 /4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup dry apricots, chopped small

2 eggs

3 Tbl flour

 

Preheat oven to 350

 

Par-bake the mini tart shells for seven minutes.

 

For the filling, melt butter in a small aluminum sauce pot and cook until the butter begins to brown. Stir in preserves, honey, vanilla, and dried apricots. Remove mixture from heat.

 

In a separate bowl, combine egg and flour and beat until smooth. Slowly add the hot butter mixture, stirring constantly. Fill the tart shell and bake 12 minutes. 

 

Cool and serve topped with Chantilly Cream 


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Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
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