Franks & Dawgs

Try Franks & Dawgs.  It's on Clybourn between Racine and Sheffield next to Ann Taylor Loft and across from Crate & Barrel Outlet. It is very good.  Slightly expensive when you think about the fact that you're getting a hot dog, brat or sausage, but it is absolutely delicious.  Chelsea and I went there during a day full of errands and it was definitely an upscale hot dog shoppe.  You have to enter in the back because there's usually a line that forms between the building that holds Franks & Dawgs and the Ann Taylor Loft building.  Once you get in there are tons of dogs to choose from and the sausages are all homemade.  I opted for the Turdoggin which was amazing!  It was a turkey and date sausage with pork belly, an herb aioli and carrots on top.  When you order, you have to pick a wall of shame actor to stick on your table so the people can bring your food out for you.  Chelsea and I chose Charlie Sheen (when I took Kevin there (had to go back - it was so good, we chose Mel Gibson).  The fries were good - not amazing but good.  The truffle fries there looked very good but I have yet to order them.  Check out their site and go!  It's so good!

When Kevin and I went he had the Crazy Kimchi Dog and I ordered the Black Sheep.  Turdoggin was better than both. 

 

The Tasting Room and Bespoke Cuisine

I had a cooking class at Bespoke Cuisine a couple weeks ago and decided to try The Tasting Room for some wine before the class.  It's at Randolph and Ogden pretty much.  I really liked the restaurant.  I sat at the bar and the bartender was helpful and informative but not pushy.  I tried the Otis Redding Riesling Flight.  They have a very large book of flights to choose from but I felt in the mood for something light and sweet so Riesling is perfect for that!  The second one was my favorite!  I took a look at their menu and it's more small dishes, but this is a great place in my opinion for people to catch up with their friends!  I want to go back and try the food!  This was definitely the best part of my night.

I headed over to Bespoke Cuisine - a block from The Tasting Room on Randolph - for the "Eat like Giada" class.  I was really excited about that class until I read the day before that we would be breaking up in groups to make the appetizers, so you wouldn't make them all.  I got there and met a friend, Lauren (who I met at Cooking Fools pasta making class) and we signed up for the stuffed mushrooms and almond cake team.  We broke up into our groups shortly after a quick talk from one of the owners and the teams each had a chef to work with to show us how to do everything.  I'm a little more advanced than a food assembler, so this class was kind of a joke.  I can pull off mushroom stems, mix the filling together and put it inside the mushrooms no problem.  Also, I have no issues using a Kitchen Aid mixer to make a cake, so I really learned nothing from this class.  I was extremely disappointed in the Bespoke class and Giada, the recipes they chose of yours weren't that good. I was so surpised because I usually LOVE everything that Giada makes.  I think the best recipe was the almond cake but for some it was too almond-y.  I would not recommend making the Tuscan Bean Soup Sips or the Mozzarella Mini Meatballs (too cheesy - and that's hard for me to say).  I did like the Shrimp Pesto Skewers and I think the Marscapone/Chive sauce would be good with regular potato pancakes, but the zucchini wasn't needed in the Zucchini-Potato Pancakes.  The Stuffed Sweet Peppers I was indifferent to as well as the Basalmic Chicken Wings.  The Stuffed Mushrooms would have been good without the olives (sorry, not a fan of olives - but SUPER easy to make) and the Lemon Artichoke Crostini was too lemony.  (If it does not have a link that's because I could not find the recipe on Foodtv.com.  Please email me and I will provide you with the recipes that Bespoke had sent us after the class). 

If you are looking for a place to eat appetizers, waste some time with friends and stand around talking for $80, this place would be great, but if you're looking for a cooking class, I suggest Cooking Fools, The Chopping Block or Cook Au Vin where you'll really learn something. 

 
 

Dairy Queen

Stella had her first dairy queen of the season!