LL-L "Delectables" 2011.03.21 (01) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 21 March - Volume 01
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From: Roger Thijs, Euro-Support, Inc. <roger.thijs at euro-support.be>
Subject: LL-L "Delectabels"

Some time ago I asked for help on this list for finding a recipee for "onion
bricks". I got it once served in a restaurant downtown Evanston, IL, around
1982 and I never found it somewhere afterwards. Thanks for all comments on
the list, but apparently nobody recognized it really.



Since I have to be at an exhibition ("ProMat") in Chicago this week, I
planned this Sunday for doing some research.



In the plane my neighbour, actually from Baltimore, told me it was served in
his region in a restaurant chain "Bleu... and someting I forgot". This gave
me some hope.



Saturday evening I did some prospective walks in the blocks around the
convention center South of Chicago. Many blocks have most houses "for sale"
or "for leased" with all windows nailed with wooden cover plates. A Burger
King was still left operational in the area. I ordered a value meal with
fish, as well as onion rings. They actually replaced the fries with onion
rings, instead of giving the rings as apetizer or side dish, what I'm
used to get.



Sunday morning I toke the light rail to Evanston for seeing if could find
back the restaurant of 1982. However it was raining heavily and
intermiittently. I only could get one street far from the downtown station
"Davis", could recover and dry a bit in a Barnes & Noble at the end of that
street, returned in heavy rain to the station, with a stop at at little
restaurant "Dixie Kitchen". I had a "Southern Sampler" for lunch, a variety
of tasty stews and red beans over a layer of rice, for 10.95 (+ drink, taxes
and tip).



Since I couldn't do very much, I returned to the hotel and googled a bit. I
found:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackney's

"The Onion Brick
The onion brick is created with cutting fresh onions, a mix of secret
ingredients, and flour. It can be ordered as a full brick or half."

"Hackney's is a chain of Irish family restaurants and bars located in the
Chicago suburbs and the city."
"Hackney's has received numerous favorable reviews from Chicago Tribune,
Food Network, and Chicago Sun Times."

So it still exists and I should find it in Chicago.

On the menu our brick has an other name:

http://www.hackneys.net/fileadmin/pdf/menus/regular/hackneys-printers-menu.pdf

Hackney's Original French Fried Onions,

our signature dish, named one of the top 3 in the USA

full order 6.95 half order 5.95



This evening I went to their restaurant at the corner of Polk Street and
Dearborn street in Printer Row, just South of the Loop. The window at Polk
street is nailed with a wooden sheet cover. The front at Dearborn street
urgently needs an upgrade. I hesitated but finally entered. Inside it was
very much alive at the bar as well as at the eatery tables. A completely
white skinned public of about 100 filled the space completely.



Inside the waiter confirmed the "French Fried Onions" are standing for a
"onion brick". So I ondered a full one.



What I got was a block of onions of 20 cm long by 10 x 10 cm. The call it an
appetizer, but if one manages to eat this all, it is impossible to have it
followed by any main dish ("entree" they call it in the US).



It was less black caramelized than the one of 1982, the rings were spiccled
wit some dots of browned flour (and not encapsulated in a complete crust as
the ones of Burger King). The whole block could easily been broken into
pieces, while the other one of 1982 needed to be hammered;



Anyhow it was delicious.

Regards,



Roger



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