Eris Brewery & Cider House

 

 

In Greek Mythology, Eris was the Greek Goddess of Chaos and Discord, sister of Ares, the God of War and the one who instigated the start of the Trojan War by rolling the Golden Apple of Discord in front of Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite inscribed with the words, "For the Fairest One."  It is fitting that a business owned and run by women has chosen the name Eris, both for the apple and the fact that the concept throws a bit of discord into the brewery scene of Chicago.  It is ironic however that the location that was chosen for Eris Brewery and Cider House was in fact a Masonic Temple, an organization that is very much about regimentation and order.  The space itself is a large square shaped brick building, as might be expected from a former Masonic Temple.  It has the look, from the outside, of an old bank or school.  There is a sign above a door, on the east side of the building that says Eris.  It looks, very well, like it could be an entrance but it is not.  The entrance is on the west side of the building and while it very definitely looks like an entrance, there is no sign labeling it Eris.  The only indication of what it is are the door handles which have the arrows pointing in all directions, which is Eris's symbol.  There seems to be two host stations, the first one is just inside the doors at a table that also sells hats, glasses, and other souvenirs, the other is up the stairs at the end of this alcove in another alcove just inside the dining room.  This looks more like a host station and is made from a safe with a desk on top and a Freemason symbol on the door in front.  The first thing that you encounter when you enter the dining room are the enormous padded leather booths that will seat about 12 people each lined up like pews in the center of the room.  The long bar that runs the length of the dining room is on the right side of the room, and there is seating on the left side of the room, as well as a stairway using old radiator parts as a handrail leading to a catwalk with more table seating that overlooks the dining room.  The kitchen is on the opposite side of the room from the entrance and the brewing/fermenting area is located on the left side of the room on the same level as the entrance.  It is best scene behind glass in the far left corner of the dining room.

 

The beer and cider menu is fairly equally split between cider and beer.  They buy juice to ferment the cider instead of squeezing the apples themselves.  Many of the ciders are treated similarly to beers, though the ciders that I liked best were treated more like wine.  I went twice and have tried five ciders and four beers.  Of the beers, my favorite was the New England Style Hazy IPA, Foiken Haze, which had a tropical and juicy flavor, and Fnord, which is a light ale using beets.  The Original Snub, the beer that Fnord is based off of uses Apple Juice, and to me, just isn't that exciting.  Moral Warpitude, their stout, has a bit of a coffee finish, but it's a little light of body.  Of the ciders, I actually had Van Van Mojo twice.  It is a cider with blueberries and mosaic hops added, so it's a both fruity and hoppy and has a dry finish.  It's Tricky is a semi-sweet cider which was pretty good, though nothing that you can't find anywhere else.  Delicate Flower was a cider made with Chamomile and while I generally don't mind floral flavors in moderation, this was too much.  Pedestrian Dry cider was pedestrian, and Prickle Prickle, a dry cider dry hopped with Hallertau Blanc was a little too dry.  While I liked some of the beers and ciders more than others, other than Delicate Flower, there isn't one that I wouldn't order again, and even with Delicate Flower, if someone were to give it to me, I would drink it (slowly).

 

 

For the first course, you can choose from a variety of appetizers, salads, and bar snacks.  I tried a variety of things and they were all very good.  Beer and Cheese (and Cider and Cheese, for that matter) go very well together, so it's no surprise that there is a Cheese Board on the menu.  In addition to the  5 Year White Cheddar, Blue Cheese, Manchego, and Alpine Cheese, we also had Spiced Nuts, Apple Butter, and Thyme (more, I think, for aroma than for anything else) and toast points to eat stuff on.  The cheese was all fresh and good and went well with the more flavorful beers and ciders.  The Duck in the Duck Tacos was thinly sliced, tender and very flavorful and served with lettuce and some Pico de Gallo.  The favorite pre-entree thing that I have had, though, has been the Shaved Brussels Sprouts, which were served with Cranberries, Goat Cheese, Walnuts, and served with Maple Stout Vinaigrette.  It was very fresh and crisp, with a lot of flavors and textures, finishing with the sweet-sour of the Maple Stout Vinaigrette.

 

For entrees, there are both sandwiches and plated dishes.  I have had both and they are both very good.  On the Hand Held/Sandwich side of things, they have your typical Burgers and Hot Dogs, but I wanted to try something different.  I was very surprised, when I saw Cevapcici on the menu.  I had had Cevapcici from a trailer at various street festivals and really liked it.  It is a Croatian Skinless Sausage made with Beef, Pork, and Lamb, typically served with a Red Pepper Sauce on a Pita.  This was all of that as well as Pickled Cucumbers and Onions, Cucumber Yogurt, and Field Greens, served on a Pita Flatbread.  It was served with Fries and Ketchup on the side and was very good.  On the plated side of things, I had a Special which was a Shrimp Creole with Shrimp, Rice, Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Celery, and Hot Sauce.  It was spicy and flavorful with a lot of shrimp, and very good.

 

The dessert list is small, containing only Bread Pudding and Creme Brulee.  I had both, and while both had their moments, I only really liked one.  The Creme Brulee had Fried Apples and Mint.  While it did have a good flavor, the crust was a little sad and required nothing to crack through.  The Bread Pudding, though, was something else.  It was a Stout Chocolate Bread Pudding with French Bread, White and Milk Chocolate Ganaches, and Almond Bark.  It was both sweet, as a bread pudding is supposed be, with the bitterness of a good stout (as well as lots of chocolate).  The Almond Bark stuck in the top was a nice finish to a good dinner.

Eris is interesting and creative as well as being family friendly.  Because of this it is very popular and frequently crowded.  While I would return, I would make sure to come at an off time like early during the week to avoid having to wait for a seat. 

Mable's Table - Brunch

There was a little neighborhood restaurant in Bucktown called Jane's that was located in a former bungalow.  It was very distinctive because the bungalow was painted pale blue.  I liked it and was sad when it closed.  Luckily, the location didn't stay closed for long.  It became a restaurant serving chef-driven comfort foods (similar to Jane's) called Mable's Table.  The building was painted and was changed from pale blue to off-white.  Walking into the space, it looked very similar to how it had with a large bar on the right side of the dining room that was connected to the kitchen and tables on the other side.  The walls on the inside are also brick, the floor is hardwood, and the furniture looked very rustic.  The large window in the front lets in natural light.  I am not sure if it existed when Jane's was open, but there is a second dining room connected to the first at the back of the room, near the kitchen.  This is where we dined.  Walking into this dining room, there is a second bar.  This room has some classic elements with a painted tin ceiling and the furniture using classic design, though the light not provided by the large window in the front was provided from hanging globes and the walls are mostly drywall/plaster with some wooden beams toward the front of the room.  The seating was both table and banquette seating (where we sat) with soft throw pillows sitting on the banquette.

The cocktails that Mable's Table serves are basically spins on classics.  They are different from the classics, though it is easy to see the similarity.  I ordered a drink that was a spin on a Moscow Mule, though I neglected to take note of what it was called.  It was served in a Copper Mug and used Vodka, Ginger, and Lemon, but it used sliced Ginger instead of Ginger Beer and used Cider to replace the liquid lost by not using Ginger Beer.  It had a sweet and spicy flavor from the vodka and ginger, but the cider added a bitter sweetness with an apple flavor.  It was also more dry than is a Moscow Mule, but it was very good and I would easily order it again.

While Mable's does have the usual sweet selections of French Toast and Pancakes, they are done in a cheffy way adding such things as Cheese Anglaise or Honey Butter.  They have nice selection of things on the savory side as well.  For my selection, I went with a Brunch Burrito with Scrambled Eggs, Porchetta, and Smoked Provolone that was served with Salsa and Sour Cream.  It was served with a side of what they called Hash Browns, but what I would call Home Fries.  In any case, they are Pan-Fried Sliced Potatoes.  I upgraded them to Hangover Cheesy Jalapeno Hash Browns with Jalapenos, Caramelized Onions, Melted Cheddar Cheese, and Crispy Potatoes.  It was all very good and hearty.

I really enjoyed brunch here and will have to return sometime again for brunch or dinner.  While Jane's will be missed, Mable's Table is a good replacement. 

 

Fort Willow

 

 

Having gone to Ada Street many times, I have gotten to know the people that work (and have worked there) and I will frequently follow the chefs that have moved on.  Opening Chef, Zoe Schor, moved on to open her place, Split Rail, last year.  Joanna Stachon, her Sous Chef, was Executive Chef for about 3 years, but has moved on to be the Executive Chef of Anglo-Indian Pub, Pub Royale. Now, Dierdre Quinn, Chef Joanna's Sous Chef has moved on and is serving as opening chef for Fort Willow, DMK's latest venture which is located around the corner from Ada Street.  Like Ada Street, it is largely done in black on the outside and the entrance is kind of unobtrusive.  In the case of Fort Willow, while the building fronts Elston Ave., the entrance is around the corner and in an alcove in the back on Willow Street (hence the name).  There is a neon sign in the alcove pointing to the door, which is good because there is also a stairway there that leads into the unknown.  Once inside the door, you are confronted with a space that is long and narrow with a tree (made of slats) in the middle and next to the bar.  You walk by the kitchen window to get to the dining room and bar (and the tree).  The "crown" of the tree stretches over the bar and dining room.  If you are going to have a tree, a tree swing must be had, and there is one sitting next to a large standing table at the front of the dining room.  As you move past the tree, the large bar is on the left and table seating is on the right.  Seating at the bar is on two sides, opposite the tables and at the end of the bar well into the restaurant.  In the far left corner of the dining room beyond the bar is a blanket fort booth for about seven people and on the far wall is a map of the world for explorers.  As you can see, the design is full of whimsy and tries to bring people back to their childhood imagination.

 

For the cocktails, they serve drinks in House or Classic Form.  In the classic form, they have many classic cocktails like Moscow Mule, Negroni, Martini, or Whiskey Sour, presented as you would find them in any bartender book.  With the house cocktails, they take the classics and serve them with a twist.  Generally that twist is an addition of spice, though some change the liquor.  The comparisons on either side of the House-Classic Line are not completely even, but they generally try to aim for the same style of cocktail.  I am an adventurous eater (and drinker), so I decided to focus on the House side.  For my first cocktail, I went with a Traveler's Sour, which could be compared to a Whiskey Sour.  While a Whiskey Sour starts with Bourbon and adds Lemon, Egg White, and Angostura Bitters, The Traveler's Sour started with Gin and Mezcal and went with Black Peppercorns, and Midori Melon Liquor, finishing with a Blood Orange Garnish.  Admittedly, this was a stretch to compare the two, but the Traveler's Sour did have a bitter start with a sour finish and it was very good.  I am generally not a Midori drinker, but the smokiness of the Mezcal and the peppercorns was able to tie it together with everything else.

The food menu is international and is largely small plates, with each dish labeled with the country (or region) of origin.  For my starter, I went with something called Ikan Bilis, which is a popular Southeast Asian bar snack.  It consisted of Crispy Anchovies, Peanuts, Chilies, and Onion.  While I knew that there would be anchovies, I really didn't know what to expect.  It started out salty, but the anchovies had a nice crunch and while there were chilies in the mix, the heat built gradually.  This was addicting as hell and I could have easily eaten two or three bowls.  There was other food to be tried, though, so I moved on.

When I go out, I always try to at least get some green vegetables and looking at the menu, I saw something that would fulfill that requirement and looked really good.  I ordered the Charred and Chilled Broccoli with Garlic Chips, Pickled Chilies, and Spicy Peanut Sauce.  This was labeled as from Thailand.  While the broccoli used looked like American broccoli and not the Chinese Broccoli that I would expect in that area, I will give it a pass because it was really good.  It was very fresh and crisp.  The char brought out a bitter sweetness which played well with the spicy peanut sauce.  Ada Street did a chilled broccoli dish for a while which this reminded me of.  The Ada Street recipe used tahini, though, and this was more spicy.  In any case, it was very good.

On the bottom of the menu there was something called The Big Bite with the description Chef's Whim.  This very much piqued my curiosity, so I had to ask.  It was a French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Short Rib Stew.  I love French onion soup and the grilled cheese sandwich was a win with Gruyere Cheese and Caramelized Onions on Texas Toast.  The Short Rib Stew that went with it was also very good, but the grilled cheese sandwich hit it out of the park.  The creativity alone was a win, turning the idea of the French Onion Soup with the Beef Sandwich on it's head, but the combination of the two was also fantastic.  They went very well together.

My second cocktail was not as much a stretch between Classic and House Cocktails.  The Classic that the House Cocktail was riffing on was a Negroni, a Gin Cocktail with Sweet Vermouth and Campari.  I imagine the House Cocktail, the Tree Fort Punch, was lower in alcohol than the original because the only liquor it used was gin, but it was very good.  In addition to the gin, it used Sencha Green Tea, and Mint.  It was bitter with an herbal and botanical flavor as Negronis do, but it was lighter than a Negroni and had a punch-like flavor.

To finish things off, I had a choice of Mochi or a Horchata Creme Brulee.  While I am a little picky about my Creme Brulees, I like a crust that sounds a noticeable crack when tapped, but I like Horchata (Cinnamon flavored Rice Milk popular in Mexico and South America) and I really don't care for Mochi, so the decision was easy.  The custard part of the creme brulee was very good and I thought that the cinnamon rice noodles added the flavor of horchata very well, I was a little disappointed with the crust and thought that it could have been bruleed more.  Despite this small disappointment, I thought that it tasted good and made for a nice ending to a very good restaurant.  I will definitely return for more adventurous tastes and will invite friends.       

Midland Brewing Company

 

Friends know that I like to visit local breweries.  Midland Brewing Company is in my hometown of Midland, Michigan and has been in operation since 2010.  When it first opened, it was little more than a taproom that served nothing more than beer, some of which were pretty good.  As it grew, they started canning beers for distribution and needed to employ a contract brewer to maintain demand.  They have undergone an expansion in the last couple of years, temporarily closing their brewpub/taproom, so they could expand brewing capacity and to install a kitchen so they could serve food.  They reopened the brewpub last year and it has been upgraded a lot.  The place has the look of a lodge with wooden furniture, wooden floors, and a wooden bar, referencing Midland's logging past.  There are also many logging tools hung on the walls as decoration and to further emphasize Midland's logging past.  

Having been here a few times, I have tried many of their beers and have developed a few favorites.  When I go in, I will order a flight so I can try something new as well as get back to my favorites.  Their serving tray for flights is pretty cool.  It has a chalk board on the front of the tray so it's easy to keep track of which beer is which.  For my flight, I went with favorites Lime Rock 2.0 IPA, Copper Harbor Ale, Margarita Gose, and a new and weird one I had not tried yet, the Peanut Butter Porter (whose actual name was Lumberjack Brawl Oatmeal Porter even though it also contained Peanut Butter).  All of the beers that I tried were pretty good.  The Lime Rock IPA was crisp with a citrus flavor that moderates the bitter.  The Copper Harbor is malty and has a flavor somewhere between a Red and a Golden Ale.  The Margarita Gose is light and tart with a salty finish, and the Lumberjack Brawl was rich and dark with a nice peanut butter finish.  Of the beers that I tried, my favorite fell between the Lime Rock 2.0 IPA and the Margarita Gose.

While I had been here a few times before, I had never actually eaten here.  I did look at the menu, saw the food coming out of the kitchen, and smelled the smells, and things really looked good, so I decided to stop for lunch one day when I was up there.  It does have the standard bar food: burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and chicken wings, but it also has fish and chips, flatbreads, barbecue, a meat and cheese board, and tacos, among other good stuff.  I decided to start things off with some Fried Pickles that were served in a basket with some Spicy Aioli on the side.  The pickles had a nice crispy breading, but still retained their juicy pickleness.  The Aioli was creamy and had a nice burn to it.  It did provide a nice complement to the pickle flavor, though the pickles were also good on their own.   The basket contained a nice number of slices and even though I did share them, there was plenty for all.

There were many good things on the menu that I considered, though I decided to go light and ordered Fish Tacos.  They were done with Ancho-Rubbed Cod, Shredded Lettuce, Pineapple Pico de Gallo, and Chipotle Cream Sauce, on Flame Grilled Flour Tortillas.  Ancho Chiles are spicy, but they are one of the milder spicy chiles, so while they did add some spice to the fish, it wasn't overwhelming and added a nice burn.  The Chipotle Cream Sauce, made from smoked jalapenos added a warm and smoky spice to it.  The pineapple in the pico de gallo moderated the spice and added a nice citrus finush that went well with the cod.  There were three tacos served, which provided a nice and hearty meal.

I like the beer here at Midland Brewing Company, so I will return just for that to see what's new.  the great food just makes it easier to come here.  I will definitely have to return for the barbecue, the charcuterie, and the flatbreads.