Boiler Room
2210 N California Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Logan Square

Boiler Room.

From the first day it opened several weeks ago, Rob and I have been dying to try out Logan Square’s newest bar/pizza place, the Boiler Room.  We finally stopped by earlier this week and although we had a few complaints (cash only, too crowded, etc), we were mostly pleased by the latest addition to our neighborhood.  Designed to look like a boiler room/train car, the restaurant features some of the best decor Rob and I have ever seen.  From the train cables that hold up the booths, to the industrial light fixtures, to the recycled CTA doors that lead to the men and women’s bathrooms, the Boiler Room owners definitely went above and beyond when they designed their establishment.  Food-wise, the Boiler Room excels as well.  Rob and I both tried two slices, the purist (fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic) and the boiler room (PBR Meatballs, giardinera, oregano).  The purist was a classic slice with a great flavor that we would both definitely get again.  The boiler room was good too, but it was a bit too spicy, which took away from the flavor of the cheese and meatballs.  Still though, the PBR meatballs make it a worthwhile slice.  Overall, between the excellent beer selection (see our drink choices below) and cheap slices ($3-4 each, pies are $20), Boiler Room is a great new addition to Logan Square.

-Anna

Rob’s Lion Stout and Anna’s Seadog Blueberry Wheat, complete with real blueberries.

The Purist on the left and The Boiler Room on the right.

DMK Burger Bar
2954 N Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lakeview

DMK.

Anna and I both had a craving for a burger earlier this week, so we opted to try out the DMK Burger Bar in Lakeview.  This modern and sleek burger joint is co-owned by MK’s Michael Kornick and Pompei’s David Morton.  The menu features a variety of grass-fed beef, turkey, lamb and veggie burgers that made choosing a burger very difficult since everything sounded so good.  Anna ended up ordering a beef burger that was topped with New York pastrami, French gruyere, sauerkraut, and Leroy’s remoulade, while I went with a beef burger that included chili-rubbed onion strings, Amish blue cheese, and spicy chipotle ketchup.  We also shared two small orders of fries, one portion of sweet potato with lemon tobasco aioli and the other was smothered with Wisconsin cheddar cheese and scallions.  Overall, the service and food was great.  It’s also worth noting that every burger on the menu is $8, which is a reasonable price considering the quality of meat you’re getting.  DMK also has a great selection of craft beers and wine available too.

-Rob

Anna’s pastrami burger.

Rob’s chili-rubbed onion strings burger on the left, sweet potato fries in the background, and Wisconsin cheddar and scallion fries in the foreground.

Rootstock Wine & Beer Bar

954 N California Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park

Rootstock.

Rob and I have been wanting to try Rootstock for months now and we finally got around to it this weekend.  For those that are not aware, Rootstock is a bar that specializes in unique beers and wines.  It was fairly crowded when we arrived around 10:30 on Saturday night, so we were seated at a longer table that seated six and told that they might have to seat another party with us.  Thankfully, that didn’t happen, and we were able to enjoy our drinks without strangers sitting next to us.  Although Rootstock has an appealing food menu, we weren’t hungry and decided to just get drinks.  Rob went with a North Coast Brewery Brother Thelonious beer from California, a dark ale with hints of chocolate, black fruits, brown sugar, and grassy hops.  He enjoyed the chocolatey taste a lot, although it was a little bit heavy and definitely a beer to be sipped and not drank quickly.  I went with a glass of pinot noir, a 2006 Churton Malborough from New Zealand, that had volcanic soil induced spice, strawberry, and a velvety texture.  It was definitely one of the better pinot noirs I’ve had recently.  With Rob’s beer priced at $6 and my glass of wine at $9, Rootstock is a cheaper option for those that are interested in unique beers and wines that tend to cost a bit extra at other restaurants.  We definitely plan on checking out Rootstock again in the future.  

-Anna

Rob’s beer and my glass of wine.  Straight, No Chaser.