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SEPTEMBER 2022
CRISP • 2940 N. Broadway Ave. CHICAGO, IL; 773-697-7610.
Put this place on your radar. They serve Korean fried chicken, Buddha bowls and Korean Burritos just to name a few menu items. I ordered some of their chicken wings, which were huge and an order of their chicken tenders. It was very good! I loved the selection of sauces they have. The Seoul Sassy, Crisp BBQ and Buffalo sauces were my choices; some sweet and some with heat. The flavors were incredible.
GRILL HOUSE • 3061 Dundee Rd, NORTHBROOK, IL;
847-205-2200. This place comes highly recommended. Their staff is attentive, efficient and they have a great team working the dining room. Order your food at the counter and they bring it out to your table. Their menu is huge offering burgers, chicken, family meals, gyros, homemade soup, pasta, ribs, salads, souvlaki and so much more. I’ve had the Greek chicken, spinach pie and their skirt steak sandwich which was outstanding. They do a big carryout business and they cater.
J & J FISH & CHICKEN 2037 Mannheim Rd. MELROSE PARK, IL;
708-397-4142. Have patience when you order at the drive thru window. It is worth the wait, because everything is prepared fresh and made to order. I tried the 3 Wing dinner; it came with two slices of white bread and fries and choice of sauce. Plus, I tried some of the Hush Puppies which were cooked to a golden brown and absolutely delicious. Next time I will have to try one of the fish selections.
LUCKY DOG 1819 W. Lake St. MELROSE PARK, IL; 708-345-5365.
Fast food place with a drive thru offering fast and friendly service. The menu includes, burgers, Italian beef, ribs, chicken and so much more. I ordered a Double Dog with the works; mustard, onions, pickle, relish, sports peppers and tomato. It came wrapped with fries. That really hit the spot. I also tried their homemade chili and washed it all down with an orange soda.
REDSTONE AMERICAN GRILL 13 Lincoln Center OAKBROOK
TERRACE, IL; 630-268-0313.This is a spacious restaurant with a large outdoor patio. It’s a good meeting place for cocktails, lunch or dinner. I enjoyed lunch on their outdoor patio. It was lovely. We ordered some soup, salad, and an order of the Fish’ N Chips which were beer battered cod with fries. The fish was light, flaky and the batter it was covered in was tasty. For dessert, I tried the Key Lime Pie that was smooth and creamy topped with whipped cream. It was the best Key Lime pie I’ve ever had.
SMOQUE 3800 N. Pulaski Rd. CHICAGO, IL: 773-545-7427.
It’s all about the BBQ! They are known for their brisket, pulled pork and ribs. On Tuesday through Thursday, they offer a Brisket Taco Kit which comes with 3 crispy tacos, cilantro, onion, queso fresco and salsa. The container of chopped brisket that came with the kit was plentiful and so delicious. To go with our tacos, we had some of their macaroni & cheese, cole slaw and cornbread. Dine in, carry out and catering is available here.
TRACKS BAR & GRILL 10 8 W. Main St. CARY, IL; 847-639-6064.
I went on a weekend and the restaurant was packed. It’s a comfortable and causal place for everyone. They are known for their burgers; they have over 30 burgers on the menu. They also offer a Big Bucket of Burgers which is a bucket of sliders and fries. I tried one of their Classic Burgers topped with American cheese served on a brioche bun. That burger was so juicy and delicious. I almost couldn’t finish it but I did. It came with choice of fries or homemade potato chips. I tried both.
Corsair Distillery has been awarded the “Tennessee American Single Malt Distillery of the Year” designation by the New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC). “The American Single Malt category is one of the fastest growing categories in spirits, and a category with many very innovative brands. To be recognized by the NYISC is a huge honor” said Lorna Conrad, Master Distiller at Corsair.
In addition to the “Tennessee American Single Malt Distillery of the Year” designation, two of Corsair’s flagship brands were also individually recognized. Triple Corsair Distillery’s Marathon Location Smoke American in Nashville, Tenn. Single Malt Whiskey was awarded a Double Gold and a 96 point rating, while Dark Rye American Rye Malt Whiskey was recognized with 95 points and a Gold Medal.
The New York International Spirits Competition NYISC (NYISC) had over 1400+ spirits from 39 countries and 34 States in the USA with top spirits buyers judging the products by their category and price. The judges were thrilled by the high quality of spirits submitted from so many regions and “This is one of the premier beverage competitions globally. To get a nod let alone three is very exciting. We try to push the boundaries and innovate everyday. We always try to perfect our spirits. These awards show our hard work is paying off” said Conrad.
You can learn more about the NYISC and it’s current and past winners at: nyispiritscompetition.com.
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Trending on Menus
The katsu sando may be the next sandwich megatrend. Classically, it’s a crispy breaded pork or chicken cutlet (katsu in Japanese), sandwiched between slices of soft Japanese-style milk bread (that’s the sando part) with a sweet-tangy sauce. But these days, creative takes on the katsu sando are quickly crunching their way onto menus from coast to coast.
This signature Honey Teriya-q Katsu Sando comes from Chef Eric Stein of Church’s Texas Chicken. “Chicken sandwiches are all the rage right now,” says chef Eric, “and Kikkoman has so many great products that I knew I would be able to pack lots of flavor into this version by using a variety of different sauces and marinades they offer. And I’m pretty partial to the combination of the tempura batter and panko for creating a unique coating for fried chicken.” Hot trend, big flavor, craveable crunch…this sando’s got it all.
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Ferrero Chooses Chicago's Historic Marshall Field Building for Innovation Center
Ferrero North America, part of the confectionery company Ferrero Group, announced plans to open an Innovation Center in Chicago's Marshall Field and Company Building. The new 45,000 square foot facility will bring together Ferrero's R&D teams throughout the U.S. and also house employees from Ferrero's Old Post Office location representing Fannie May, Nutella Café, Keebler, Famous Amos, Mother's, and other distinctive cookie brands in the Ferrero portfolio.
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Taking Off: Jet’s Pizza Opens 400th Location
Through a dedication to our customers and a commitment to our employees, Voss Equipment created a legacy of longevity.
See how we can help increase your employee’s efficiency, call us today. 708-674-6811 VossEquipment.com
Cello Cheese Releases Extra Aged Copper Kettle
Building on their one-of-a-kind, award-winning Copper Kettle Parmesan Cheese, Cello is releasing an Extra Aged Copper Kettle Parmesan. Aged for over 30 months in a copper vat for a bold, rich parmesan flavor, Extra-Aged Copper Kettle is the perfect addition to elevate any recipe or cheese board. This latest franchise is owned by Bryan Gilbert and Dan O'Donohue, and located in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago. John Jetts, the President and CEO of Jet's America, along with his business partners and cousin, Jeff Galloway, V.P. of store operations and Jim Galloway, V.P. of franchise sales went there to celebrate the opening.
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FOOD BUSINESS SAVINGS TIPS
With inflation occurring at a fast pace, here are some ideas and ways to save important dollars for your food business, presented by our advertisers.
ENERGY SAVINGS FROM CENTURY ENERGY
Clients have enjoyed continuous savings and budget predictability by engaging with us at Century Energy Solutions. They take time to understand every client’s appetite for budget risk and design energy strategies that balance pricing and risk tolerance. Their 120 years of industry knowledge and ability to quickly shop their client’s power and gas business with only top tier suppliers puts them into a hyper competitive situation and forces them to switch from thinking “How much can I make on this customer” to “What’s the least amount I’m willing to do this for?” ultimately results in the best prices for our clients. Typical savings on ComEd rates are 20%. You can see the Century Energy ad on page 31 of this issue.
REDUCING INSURANCE COSTS AND RISK FROM GALLAGHER
As inflation continues to creep upward and business profit margins are stressed, it is essential for businesses to analyze all outlays to optimize their use of capital. Many businesses have correspondingly began to reevaluate all of their expenditures including their insurance program which, for some businesses, is a significant investment. Below are a few of Gallagher’s recommendations in preparing for a successful insurance renewal. • Start early. Start working with your broker four to six months ahead of your renewal date so you’re able to avoid premium surprises and optimize your renewal marketing resu • Improve your risk. Work with your broker and carrier to strengthen your risk readiness by identifying and remediating safety vulnerabilities so that your broker can showcase positive risk factors to underwriters evaluating your business • Relationships matter. Develop relationships with your incumbent and alternative underwriters. • Re-consider structure. Consider leveraging ancillary lines or alternative structures, such as captives and other layered and shared solutions • Partner well. Work with a knowledgeable broker partner with the resources and expertise to achieve the best results for your business.
Gallagher is one of the world’s largest insurance brokerage, risk management and consult-
ing firms. As a community insurance broker and trusted local consultant, they help people and businesses move forward with confidence. With more than 39,000 people working around the globe, they’re connected to the places where they do business and to every community they call home. Managing risk with customized solutions and a full spectrum of services, helping you foster a thriving workforce, and always holding themselves to the highest standards of ethics to help you face every challenge—that’s The Gallagher Way. Find Gallagher’s ad on page 26 of this issue.
LOWERING YOUR HR, HEALTHCARE AND WORKERS COMP COSTS WITH EMPLOYCO
With inflation at a 40-year high and a recession looming, now is the time to reduce your company’s expenses.
KEY AREAS TO LOOK AT:
Band together with other companies for buying power. At Employco USA, they combine their clients in to a large group with over 36,000 people for substantial buying power. With Employco, you can save up to 30% on your Workers’ Compensation premiums. For health insurance, we provide the same buying power and offer reduced premiums with better coverage. Offer voluntary benefits. Offering coverages like Short/Long Term Disability, LifeLock, Life and Insurance not only help with employee retention, in many cases they don’t cost the company any money. With Employco, you can offer these benefits to your employees with no cost and no minimum participation limit. Improve your cash flow. With Employco, all of your premiums, taxes and payroll are paid on a per payroll basis with no deposits. You can see the Employco USA ad on page 19 of this issue.
Quick Tips to Combat Inflation, and Using Technology to Save Time and Money from SpotOn
1: Optimize your menu by removing items that aren't selling, consolidating ingredients, and replacing high-cost ingredients. 2: Consolidate vendors or source locally for discounted pricing. 3: Adjust labor and operating hours so your doors are only open during profitable days and shifts. 4: Stay in line with local competition when you raise menu prices. 5: Avoid double-dipping and raising prices and decreasing portion sizes at the same time. 6: Monitor guest satisfaction with any changes to your menu, price, and staffing. 7: To save time and money running your restaurant, consider SpotOn to help you increase revenue and gain better insights with new technology, including handhelds, QR ordering, point-ofsale, labor management, reservation and waitlisting, and more. You can see the SpotOn ad on page 44 of this issue.
NOTHING TO FEAR... Call Care to Fix Any of Your Roofing Needs
SATISFIED CUSTOMERS INCLUDE: Buona Beef + Four Corners Tavern Group + Bravo Restaurants (Ginos East) Best Foods (Unilever) + Pompei Bakery + Turano Bakery + Phil Stefani Restaurants Chicago Prime and Avante Banquets + Scooby’s Hotdogs + Devanco Foods + Angelo Caputos Brookhaven Marketplace + Gene and Georgetti + Burrito Parilla + Chicago Pastry Mission Barbeque + Starbucks + Paisans Pizza + Wrigly Rooftops + Scatchell’s
Orders Rolling in for Custom-Decorated Cakes
Chicago’s JR Dessert Bakery has been in the wholesale dessert business for more than 40 years, but has never seen this much interest in custom decorated cakes before.
The bakery primarily caters specialty desserts to food service businesses throughout the Chicagoland area including hundreds of well-known restaurants and cafe’s. “Custom cake orders would always trickle in from our retail customers,” Bakery Manager Natalie Kaplan says, “but nothing ever like this.” The world of social media has played a big part in that. According to Natalie, customers can spend five minutes online and find anything they want. “They send us photos from Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and ask for an exact replica,” she says. The bakery now has a decorator dedicated to their custom cake orders who just recently designed a Hobbit themed graduation cake, an 8-year-old’s Chewbacca birthday cake and a sunflower inspired wedding cake to name a few. Now more than ever, their wholesale customers are steering custom cake orders to JR as well. “ They just don’t have the staff. Plus, it doesn’t make economic sense for them to bake one cake,” she says. “We can just add all custom orders into our other production.” The price of anything custom is usually triple or quadruple the cost of JR’s normal menu items, but that doesn’t seem to be deterring customers from ordering. “Most customers don’t even blink at the price and if there is an issue, I suggest using one of our stock items instead, which are much more economical. In the end, we try and have something for everyone.”
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With nearly 30 dressings, sauces and dips to choose from, Butcher Boy single-serving dressing cups off er on-the-go fl avor Butcher Boy single-serving dressing cups off er on-the-go fl avor that pairs perfectly with all your customers’ favorite foods. that pairs perfectly with all your customers’ favorite foods. Save time and cleanup for yourself while providing your customers Save time and cleanup for yourself while providing your customers with the quality they demand and the safety they need. with the quality they demand and the safety they need.
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