Chew on THIS: A (whenever I feel like it) special addition to ICPH.

In this inaugural edition, I return to a Chicago favorite: honky-tonk, no frills taco joint Big Star.  I am feeling lazy (and full) so this post was actually written awhile ago, but with this addendum:

Their Milkshake Brings EVERYONE to the Star:
And yes, it's waaay better than yours.
Dulce. de. Leche. Milkshake.  (My version had the added kick of a shot of Old Granddad Whiskey mixed in - my idea, but Bev. Dir - and confidante - Michael Rubel assured me that I wasn't the first one to grown-up-ize my shake.)  For those of you who aren't as well-versed in cusine-jargon as I, Dulce de Leche, literally "sweet of the milk" in Spanish, is just a fancy term for creamy, gooey, mouthwatering caramel.  And the geniuses at Big Star have captured the soul of that caramelly goodness in a milkshake.  It's not too sweet, so you won't go into sugar shock, and it's not too thick, so your straw doesn't get constantly clogged up (as a former employee of Anthony's Italian Ice in Lincoln Park, I KNOW how hard it is to achieve the perfect milkshake consistency - it is truly an expert task), and the shake is whipped just so there is a light, frothy, caramel foam resting at the top.  And, because whiskey makes EVERYTHING taste better, I stirred in a $3 shot of Old Granddad, which really heightened the caramel finish of the shake and gave it an overall kind of sharper taste (but in a good way); plus, how fucking cool would you feel drinking a milkshake with whiskey in it???

Ok, now to the rest of the grub:

Big Star - Not Just For Fat Kids

As a confirmed Fat Kid, I love places that cater to my tastes. This includes pork, beer, pork fat, and tasty accoutrements to the aforementioned. Big Star, I felt like I was coming home.

I went with 5 friends on a Wednesday evening at about 7:45pm. The place was wall-to-wall packed, and tables (there are only 6 of them) were in high demand. There were people eating EVERYWHERE, even perched atop the waiter's station. I remember the inside of Pontiac being a lot bigger - perhaps there needs to be some logistical re-tooling of Big Star's interior - the square bar that takes up a good 5/8 of the space is massive - the bartenders have more room to navigate than the patrons do, which doesn't really seem fair; we're the ones who came to eat [and pay].

We found 2 stools and immediately staked our claim, plunking down and rolling up our sleeves to tuck in to the tacos we had all been hearing about. I began with a paloma - which tasted nearly exactly like a well-crafted margarita, as in, I could taste the tequila, which I consider to be a very good thing (sour mix-heavy cocktails need not apply here); at $7 a good value, although the beer list has more bang for your buck - (7oz Schlitz for $1, High-Life, Tecate, and Lone Star for $3, plus assorted microbrews all topping out at about $5). My friend ordered a michelada - a tasty concoction of Tecate, Lime Juice, and salsa (I'll get to the salsa shortly) with a salt rim. I'd replace my Sunday morning Bloody with a michelada anytime - it was tart and spicy and refreshing all at once. There is also an impressive array of sodas available, even BIRCH BEER (a childhood favorite), for a cool $3 a pop (pun - get it?).

We took full advantage of managing to flag down our [often absent and slightly disorganized - we ordered guacamole twice before it actually went through, and she seemed to favor the other side of the bar to ours] waitress and ordered a variety of the tacos and tostadas. They were out of the braised goat taco, which was disappointing, but I live about 100 feet from here and will definitely be back to try it. The menu, although small, has a decent variety of fillings from which to choose, as well as a few side dishes and apps. The guacamole is delicious; topped with crunchy slivers of fresh radish and redolent of lime juice, the only improvement to be made is the portion size. The chips are clearly freshly fried - we seized the opportunity of having [many] leftover chips from our guac to sample the 3 salsas available in squeeze bottles atop the bar: Green top: Salsa verde, very lime-y, not too spicy, and very tasty; Yellow top: My personal favorite, a sticky, garlicky salsa roja with a slightly sweet finish - literally, I could drink this stuff; Red top: Probably chipotle based, the spiciest of the three, with a delicious smoky flavor.

After a considerable wait [but hey, the place was packed, and newly opened, so I will give them some leeway on this], our tacos arrived. I had spoken to at least 6 independent sources prior to dining at Big Star, and all had said that the tacos, although small, were mightily delicious. Would they measure up to the hype? The answer is... YES! Amazingly so. I'll give a rundown of each that we ordered:

-Taco al pastor: Braised pork shoulder with sweet chunks of sticky pineapple - savory and sugary, definitely delicious, although the pork, in my opinion, was just a *touch* on the dry side.

-Taco al panza: Fatty, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly goodness, topped with a flurry of cotija cheese - heads above even the roasted duck breast and corn salsa taco from de cero - I left in a pork belly coma, and am still dreaming about this taco the next day; my mouth is literally watering for one even as I write this. At $3, I could scarf these all night; I'd suffer the slings and arrows of congestive heart failure, high cholesterol, and any other ailment overconsumption of pork belly could lead to. Top 10 best things I've ever put in my mouth (get your heads out of the gutter)

-Tacos de rajas de poblano: Always conscious of the vegetarians, this taco is surprisingly delicious; sweet and smoky strips of poblano peppers topped with a grilled slab of charry-melty cheese. The poblano was grilled in such a fashion that it almost took on a meaty quality.

-Tostadas al pescado: Creamy and crunchy and refreshing, this tostada comes with a generous hunk of smooth avocado atop the fish, sliced radishes, crispy lettuce, and poblano cream; I was worried that the tostada shell would be soggy, but it remained perfectly crispy and delicious. Can't wait for the patio to open in the summer because this tostada will be perfect for warm weather refreshment.

-Tostadas al pollo: During round 2 of taco consumption, I decided to give the chicken a chance. Normally, I steer away from ordering chicken in restaurants because I don't feel it is special enough, but something told me I wouldn't be disappointed. Perhaps it was the description: braised chicken thighs, black beans, and crunchy chayote (a close prima to summer squash, melon, and cucumber). Although the pork belly holds the numero uno spot in my heart, the chicken tostada came through to take a close second place finish - the combination of the tender chicken and beans really warmed me up from the inside out; definitely a winter-perfect little dish.

The best part of the evening was when the bill came: $85 for 6 people, 4 of whom had alcohol and all of whom ate their fill (especially me). Another perk is that tax is included in the tab total, so there's no messy splitting of the bill - just pay and tip.

Word to the wise: A late night take out window is in the works, so if you ever need to know where to find me at 2am on a Friday or Saturday evening, just look in the undoubtedly long line at the 1531 N. Damen pick up window - I'll be there!

Tune in NEXT week (or whenever I have time - I'm a busy gal these days), when I will regale you with tales of what I chewed on in Washington, D.C.! TTFN (let's bring that back)

Griefcoaster - To Flash Pass or Not to Flash Pass?

So my therapist told me that the grieving process, like most things that are supposed to be methodical, is in fact not  a linear process.  Wikipedia describes the steps of grief, also known as the Kubler-Ross model, as follows:

The progression of states is:^[2]

1. Denial – "I feel fine."; "This can't be happening, not to me."
   Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of positions and individuals that will be left behind after death.
2. Anger – "Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; "Who is to blame?"
   Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Any individual that symbolizes life or energy is subject to projected resentment and jealousy.
3. Bargaining – "Just let me live to see my children graduate."; "I'll do anything for a few more years."; "I will give my life savings if..."
   The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the individual is saying, "I understand I will die, but if I could just have more time..."
4. Depression – "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm going to die... What's the point?"; "I miss my loved one, why go on?"
   During the fourth stage, the dying person begins to understand the certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the dying person to disconnect oneself from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer up an individual who is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed.
5. Acceptance – "It's going to be okay."; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it."
   In this last stage, the individual begins to come to terms with his mortality or that of his loved one. 
It seems to be a one-step-forward, two-steps-back process.  Sometimes you're fine and sometimes you're not fine and in between you're numb and it sucks.  Which is why I would like to add a few steps.
6. Sheer Bliss - "I'm on cloud 9." ; "I had the best sex of my life last night." ; "Ohmygod, today I had a total blast and didn't even think about ________."  In this stage, the griever may have had a positive encounter with a new friend and/or gone an entire hour/minute/day without reciting the grievee's phone number (which he/she knows by heart, of course).
7. Drunk-Dialy-ness - "Heyyyyy, it's me. I really, really miss you. I am going to die alone."  This occurs when inebriated and should be avoided at all costs.  Other symptoms include unsolicited booty calls to otherwise unsuspecting male acquaintances.
8. Apathy - "I would totally not care if he showed up with another prettier, skinnier girl on his arm." ; "I don't care if I never see him again." HA. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Who are you kidding?
9. High-and-Mightiness  - "I can do way better." ; "I can't believe I ever even associated with that person." ; "I'm so much hotter/smarter/decidedly not going to die alone."  In this stage, you have ingested too much cocaine and/or self-indulgent therapy.  Check into rehab/get a new therapist.
10. Move-on-ness - "This didn't work out, but I'll be fine, and find someone who is right for me."  Not to be confused with acceptance, this stage applies uniquely to relationships in which one person was ready to bolt and the other wasn't.  It certainly won't happen overnight, as move-on-ness takes time, patience, and becoming reacquainted with yourself.  Lord knows I'd like to get there.