Del Seoul
2568 N Clark St., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

Del Seoul.

Ever since it opened only a few months ago, Rob and I have heard nothing but rave reviews about Del Seoul, one of Chicago’s first Korean Street BBQ restaurants.  After salivating over the menu, we knew we had to try it out for ourselves.  We finally stopped there one weekend night—right before we were about to see a movie later, hence the not-so-glamorous car pictures below—and it completely lived up to our expectations.  Rob got the BBQ chicken banh mi sandwich, which was huge but a great take on traditional banh mi sandwiches.  I tried two sesame-chili shrimp tacos and one grilled beef short rib taco, all of which were excellent.  I was concerned that the shrimp tacos would have too much spice, but fortunately I didn’t find them to be too overwhelming at all.  Del Seoul’s free ingredients and ridiculously cheap prices will definitely have Rob and I coming back for seconds sometime soon.

-Anna

Anna’s tacos: two shrimp and one beef short rib.

Rob’s spicy bbq chicken banh mi sandwich.

The Counter Burger
666 W Diversey Pkwy., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

The Counter Burger.

NOTE: There was no post last week due to both of us celebrating Easter/Passover.  We hope all of you had a great holiday!

When I first heard of The Counter Burger, I was intrigued with the California-based chain after finding out on their website that there are over “312,120+ different burger combinations” to choose from.  Tonight, Anna and I finally had an opportunity to give The Counter Burger a shot, even though there are far more superior burger joints in our fine city.  Anna opted to try the Old School, a signature burger that included Tillamook cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and red relish.  I, however, was ambitious and decided to build my own custom burger.  My toppings included Tillamook cheddar cheese, lettuce, red onions, roasted red peppers, honey cured bacon and sweet BBQ sauce with a pretzel roll.  We also ordered a “Fifty-Fifty” plate of sweet potato fries and onion strings.  Overall, our burgers tasted really fresh and were not heavy at all and the sweet potato fries were delicious.  If you don’t have the patience to wait two hours for a burger like some of us do, The Counter Burger is a quick option that is worth trying out.

-Rob

The build your own burger menu.

Anna’s Old School burger.

Rob’s burger creation.

Lincoln Hall
2424 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

If you’re from New York, new venue openings probably don’t excite you much since it happens all the time.  But if you’re an obsessive Chicago show-goer like Rob and myself, new venues are an occasion to celebrate.  In tonight’s case, Rob and I went to see Ted Leo & The Pharmacists play the grand opening event at Lincoln Hall, a new venue from the fine folks behind Schubas.  Ted Leo and his band of Pharmacists put on a great set (as always), but the real issue at hand here was how does Lincoln Hall stack up against Chicago’s many other music venues?  In two words: it’s perfect.  The sound was crisp and clear and still sounded great from the back of the room.  Speaking of the room, the capacity for the floor section is about 200 people.  Rob and I stood on the small staircase at the back near the soundbooth (mainly because I’m 5’2”) and had an amazing view of the stage.  We ventured up to the balcony as well (which has another bar and a flatscreen TV showing the stage action) before the show but the railing was blocked and it was too crowded to get a decent spot.  The bar in the front room of Lincoln Hall is decorated great, with sleek wood tables and a view of The Biograph Theater across the street.  If there are upcoming shows you’re interested in seeing at Lincoln Hall, Rob and I both highly recommend it.  I’ve honestly never heard live music sound that good in my life.  Lincoln Hall is a wonderful new addition to Chicago’s music scene.

-Anna

Ted Leo and his new mohawked hair at Lincoln Hall.

The stage at Lincoln Hall.

Pequod’s Pizza
2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

When people think about Chicago, immediate thoughts include Bears football, Barack Obama, and deep dish pizza.  Everyone knows about well known pizza spots like Gino’s East or Pizzeria Uno, which are fine and all, but tonight Anna and I visited Pequod’s in Lincoln Park to try their deep dish pizza for dinner.  Pequod’s has been in business since 1970 and is known for their famous caramelized crust, that looks burnt, but is purposely baked in cast iron pans that have been “blackened by decades of seasoning,” according to their website.  We ordered a 12” medium deep dish pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms.  It was pretty amazing, and one of the best deep dishes I have ever tried.  If deep dish pizza isn’t your thing, Pequod’s also serves thin crust pizza, sandwiches, and pasta.  Their prices are pretty reasonable, our entire meal (after tax and tip) was $25.  Plus, their kitchen is open until 2am and they have a decent beer selection, thus making Pequod’s a great spot for late night cravings.

-Rob

Check out that carmelized crust.  So good!

Pequod’s mascot is a whale that wears underwear on its head.  Don’t ask.  Also the pizza is served in a pan that is on top of a whale-shaped cutting board, which Rob is holding.