Monthly Archives: September 2011
CloverEats! amazing waffles at Evanston’s Walker Brothers Pancake House.
I’ve blogged before about how brunch is probably my favorite meal of the day. There’s nothing nicer on a lazy Sunday than sleeping in, getting dressed up, and heading out for hot coffee and sweetcakes. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Walker Brothers especially, and for a while, went there every Sunday with my dad. The lines can get really long on weekends, so be sure to go either really early or really late!
I love the bright windows and stained glass!
If I’m at Walker Brothers with a group, I always split their amazing Apple Pancake. However, when I’m by myself, I prefer either Potato Pancakes or Chocolate Chippies. Today, I went for a Bacon Waffle. It was AMAZING.
Bacon + waffle + syrup = crazy delicious!
Strawberry crepes.
The service is always surprisingly fast (especially considering how crowded it sometimes is), and though there’s a line to get seated, it always moves quickly. I have had so many good times at Walker Brothers; check it out sometime!
Cream, coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice!
80% off Restaurant.com’s already-discounted coupons (until 9/30)!
Spoofee’s post: http://www.spoofee.com/deals-Restaurant_com_80_Off_Coupon-740775.htm
Ann Arbor restaurants: http://www.restaurant.com/rdc_site2.net/listings.aspx?StateID=&zip=48105&
Ann Arbor on Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=restaurants&ns=1&find_loc=Ann+Arbor%2C+MI
Hooray!
Bloody Mary with Alleliah at Dixie Kitchen, Evanston
CloverSips! Pho at Buffalo Grove’s Pho U!
There was a time when I thought Pho was gross. My friends would spend winter nights craving pho, taking the El up to Argyle for a pho run on Saturday afternoons; when I finally tried pho, I had no idea what the big deal was.
A little window to the kitchen.
Fast forward a few months. One day, cold, hungry, craving vinegar, my boyfriend and I wandered into a small pho restaurant in the suburbs. I couldn’t believe how delicious pho suddenly was – the soup was flavorful, the vinegar was tangy, and the meat was filling. I learned how pho can be loaded up with sauces – hot Sriracha chili sauce, Hoisin sauce, vinegar vinegar vinegar, and all sorts of sprouts! I love condiments and customizable dishes!
Load it up, load, load it up!
Pho U is by no means Argyle’s Tank Noodle, but it does a good enough job in the suburbs. The one waitress was attentive, and impressively waited on six tables by herself. There was even a little playpen at the back of the restaurant for children; McDonald’s, you’ve got competition!
Just some baby dumplings here.
Now, I love pho in a similar way to how I love naemyung – they are like two twins, one hot and meaty, one cold and pickly, both deliciously vinegary. Pho U has a nice location, and if I’m ever in the area again craving pho, I’m definitely going to hit it up.
Yelp!
CloverEats! Italian at Northbrook’s Francesco’s Hole in the Wall
The door has a cute brick design.
Some restaurants are called “Hole in the Wall” in order to facilitate a cute, homey image of themselves. Other restaurants are called “Hole in the Wall” because that’s exactly what they are. Francesco’s is the latter – despite being open for many years now, the restaurant remains a single room, and its parking lot is always packed.
Pre-Facebook "wall photos."
My parents and I waited about half an hour for a table, sipping our drinks in the hallway while perusing the family photos lining the walls.
Hand-written menu.
Interesting wall decorations; crowded.
The single room was packed with noise. Instead of menus, there was a board on one of the walls, with the day’s specials handwritten. Now starving, we dove right in and started eating. The Osso Buccho was highly recommended on Yelp, as was the Lobster Ravioli, and so that’s what we got. Our waitress was friendly, and convinced us to get a salad as well, which was simple but quite nice.
The simple but fresh salad our waitress talked us into getting.
So tender! Fall-off-the-bone tender!
Pasta!
Ravioli!
And dessert!
