Mizu sushi house - Dining in Orland Park, Illinois.

Mizu sushi house

9664 West 131st Street,
Orland Park, IL 60462
http://www.mizusushihousepalospark.com

Sushi with a flair.

This suburban sushi restaurant located in Palos park/Orland park area is a little gem. To break the norm and light up suburbia (pun intended), Mizu has a very unique way of plating up their sushi; with bouquets of silk flowers on your plate and flashing LED lights to compliment the nightclub-like ambiance.

The sashimi is cut extra thick and is always extra fresh. One thing I do love about America is that they generally use Alaskan salmon, which is very soft in texture and subtle in flavor. So when it's cut thick and fresh, it literally falls apart in your mouth. (It also soaks up the wasabi and soy sauce real well, if you love that extra kick like I do.)

In saying that, there's really nothing too special about their menu, nothing you won't see at other sushi restaurants anyway, but the presentation is out of this world, and we always appreciate that over the mundane.

For a suburban sushi restaurant, this place is ticking all the boxes.

If anything, I rate this place the best place to get salmon sashimi in Orland Park.

Joe's Kansas City BBQ (Formerly known as Oklahoma Joe's) - Dining inKansas City

Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que
3002 West 47th Avenue,
Kansas City, Kansas 66103
(913) 722-3366
http://www.joeskc.com

I had no idea what Oklahoma Joe's was until my good friend Tara, told me about it as we were picking up our order at the counter.
Before then I thought we were just picking up some food at a busy service station right by her place.

You see, President Barack Obama ordered $1,400 worth of takeout here and shipped it out on Air Force One (like a boss), 

and every year since 2004, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que has been the Zagat #1 Rated barbecue restaurant in Kansas City. 

The Daily Meal website and USA Today both named Oklahoma Joe’s Kansas City's ribs "America's Best Ribs".

Then in 2009, Anthony Bourdain named this place as one of “Thirteen Places to Eat Before You Die” in an article for Men’s Health magazine.

..What kinda rock was I living under?!

I've been in Kansas City for about two hours after I broke into my friends house, parked my luggage in the guest room and had a nap on the couch with her dog.

It was only a few minutes later after she arrived home that she suggested we go grab some food. 

She told me that she had put in an order for pick up at this place right around the corner, so off we went, driving to this gas station called Shamrock at an intersection on West 47th Avenue, near Roeland park were she lived. 

To my surprise, the gas station was very busy.
There were plenty of cars parked on the lot, a few of them pumping gas, and the rest I had no idea why they were there until I started to smell an amazing aroma of BBQ smoke which filled the air, overpowering the smell of gasoline you normally would smell at a gas station.

We walked around the corner of the building revealing the entrance into Joe's, and it became apparent that this place is extremely popular judging by the long line of people waiting inside which snaked around the convenience store part of the service station - a very odd setting for a world class BBQ restaurant.

You could literally grab some spare spark plugs and anti-freeze while you wait for your ribs to arrive. 

Without hesitation, Tara headed straight for the pick up counter and got our food within 5 minutes of being there. 

(A tip if you don't want to wait in line - call in your order and pick it up as 'to go'.)

Arriving back home, Tara went through all the items that she had ordered for us; 

a full slab of ribs, the all famous Z-Man sandwich, BBQ beans, and fries - This is happening!

...Insert line break here, while I drool over this sweet memory.

The ribs, oh my goodness, the ribs couldn't wait to fall off the bone. The smokey flavors combined with the complexity of the baste (or the rub) and whatever they used to smoke it with was just out of this world. If you could taste BBQ heaven, this was it. 

The BBQ beans, wow! Who would've thought beans could be this amazing! It has definitely ruined my life knowing that I'll never find beans like this again.

Don't even get me started on the Z-Man sandwich. 

What a wonderful way to present slow smoked beef brisket and have it party with melted Provolone and onion rings between a kaiser roll IN YOUR MOUTH!

Even the next day, the ribs still tasted amazing - I seriously believe that this might be the best BBQ ribs on planet earth, 

and for the price? 

$21.99 for a full slab. God bless America!

Operating out of a gas station, this place was no less than extraordinary. 

It was here that I fell in love with Kansas City.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/cityscape/article1310928.html#storylink=cpy

Architectural boat tour - Things to do in Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois is home to 2.7 million residents, along with 9.5 million others who live in Chicagoland, which refers to the greater metropolitan area making Chicago the third most populous city in the united states of America (after New York City and Los Angeles).

So, needless to say there are plenty of things to do in Chicago.

One in particular I'd like to write about is the Architectural boat tour which runs along the Chicago river and interprets more than 50 buildings.

This spectacular tour takes you on a journey through time from how this city was founded and became Americas most prominant crossroad and transport hub.
How the city resurrected and earned it's nickname as the 'Second City' after the great Chicago fire which happened in 1871 and leveled Chicago for over 3.3 square miles as architects from around the world rushed to Chicago to push boundaries and pioneered techniques in construction that set new heights in science and design. (pun intended)

There are plenty of companies who run this tour that usually goes on for 90 minutes, and costs about $40 per person, which isn't cheap but in my opinion totally worth it.

What you get out of it is a higher appreciation for Chicago, its history and its geniuses behind the artful redesign of this city that will stick with you as long as you stay here.

It's a relaxing boat cruise along the Chicago river which snakes through the city, allowing you to see more of it in detail in less time and effort, and if it's a beautiful day out then you can soak up some sun with cocktails in hand while expanding your knowledge - that's my kind of classroom!

I did this boat cruise very early into my visit, and even three months later I'm still finding myself appreciating the little details I've learnt of the different buildings and structures as I past them.

This tour starts up at spring and runs through the year until the river freezes, which is around about late December or early January. The best part is that these tours are lectured by volunteers, which means they have genuine passion for this city and its history, and aren't shy to show it off and impress visitors.

You'll learn about the rise of steel frame constructed buildings from the 1880's (also known as 'Chicago School' or 'Commercial style'), and frame tubes from the 1940's (also known as 'Chicago Second School') which allowed skyscrapers to reach new heights.
How having the (now compulsory) riverwalk changed the demand of real estate along the river that were once believed to be of lesser value, and
to how Chicago became the master and mecca for architects from all around the world.

If you're an architectural buff, you'll be pleased to hear names such as Louis Sullivan, Bertrand Goldberg, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, and of course, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe being thrown around during the 90 minute lecture as you pass iconic buildings such as the Willis Tower, Navy Pier, Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Merchandise Mart, Lyric Opera, 333 W. Wacker, Marina City and many, many more.

Witness and learn how these architects went crazy with the gothic revival styles such as Neo Gothical, Neo Classical, Greek Revival, all the way to Art Deco and Modernism, pushing the limits then believed wasn't plausible.

So, enjoy the company, enjoy the ride, and enjoy taking pictures of these amazing structures from a view point which showcases Chicago at its finest.

You haven't been to Chicago until you've been on an architectural boat cruise!



(I also highly recommend First Lady Cruises which is ran by The Chicago Architecture Foundation who can be located at 112 East Wacker Drive, right underneath the bridge that leads to N. Michigan avenue.)

NYE 2014 in Chicago! - Featuring DJ BtBoy and DJ/MC Duke!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

What a year it has been!
Lots of ups and downs and plenty of changes which all make valuable lessons and allow the necessary progressions in life.

I've been so fortunate to travel a lot this year, with the US being the seventh country I've visited in past last twelve months.

The real highlight was being able to resurrect my old passions again, one being a DJ and MC.
I've played at two events in Chicago; Halloween and NYE, which was a huge blessing.

Unfortunately, I purchased my GoPro late in this trip so not much on the Halloween party, but here's a short video on the NYE party at Sakura lounge in Chinatown Square. [Cermak, Chicago]

To skip to the actual video, please proceed to 1:25 mins. Enjoy!

Sushi Dokku - Dining in Chicago.

SUSHI DOKKU
823 West Randolph Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607
Email: info@sushidokku.com
Phone: +1 312 455 8238
Fax: +1 312 455 8237
http://www.sushidokku.com
*Winner of the Michelin bib gourmand Chicago in 2014*


I had the opportunity to experience this restaurant in the first few days of being new to Chicago.

Tucked away in near west side near university village (UIC), more well known as 'Little Italy', we stumbled upon this place by accident.

The original plan was to try out a restaurant called 'Girl and the goat', but we couldn't get a reservation which suited our time so we ended up walking down the street and stumbled upon Sushi Dokku.

Walking through the door, I was taken by the brightly lit sushi bar on one side and the dark rows of dining tables on the other. In Japanese fashion, everything was set out to be uniformed and simplistic, a balance of form and function. In other words - Zen.

We sat at the bar right by the cooking stations. To make things easy, we all ordered the same dishes - the special of the day 'Clam ramen'.

Everything in this dish is well balanced. The broth was intense enough to cut through the rest of the ingredients but also allowing all the different tastes to shine through - a characteristic I highly regard when it comes to ramen as the flavors can quickly become muddled together if not layered correctly. The ramen noodles was also cooked to perfection.

The best part was seeing the chef cook it in front of us. We saw how meticulous he was with his measurements and timing, the layering of the ingredients and the final presentation as he personally served it to us.

I'll definitely be back to try their Nigiri, Sashimi and Maki rolls. I'm also impressed by their Sake menu which is always a great indicator of an outstanding purveyor.

This was a quick visit so we kept it simple and light, as the guys had a marathon to run the next day.

I highly recommend Sushi Dokku if you're after the next generation modern style Japanese cuisine.

Getting there:
Simply hop on a Green line or a Pink line CTA 'L' train and get off at Morgan-Lake, then walk three blocks towards N Green St on Randolph and it'll be right on the corner, you can't miss this little gem.

Hub 51 - Dining in Chicago.

Hub 51
51 W Hubbard
Chicago, IL 60654
312-828-0051
http://www.hub51chicago.com


Located in River north a few blocks down from the magnificent mile, Hub 51 is the suit and tie version of your regular American bar types, but with the familiarities like sport on the flat screens, craft beer on tap and seats by the bar.
Dubbed the 'eclectic American restaurant', Hub 51 boasts a fine menu with well curated ingredients. From the appetizers and the entrees, all the way to the drinks menu which cleverly targets the majority of Hub 51's clientele which are mostly trendy young professionals and business people.

So, after thoroughly reading through the menu, we decided to order salad.

We realized that this could be frowned upon, ordering a salad, especially at a venue like this, but our waiter was extremely excited for us to try it - quite the opposite of what we were expecting his reaction would be.

We ordered the Sonoma salad and the Asian chicken salad.

The Sonoma salad included baby spinach, grapefruit, avocado, walnuts, sunflower sprouts and seeds, dried cranberries and mustard vinaigrette. We also added grilled salmon which made this salad extra spectacular.

The asian chicken salad included peanuts, lemongrass, kaffir lime and red onion. The chicken is prepared southeast asian style, which means that it's grounded then cooked so that it absorbs the scent of the herbs and juices in the salad to create an explosion of flavors once it hits your palette. 

I was thoroughly impressed by these salads which is a great indicator of an outstanding chef, and I can't wait to see how the entrees are like upon my next visit.

The service was also top notch and the venue was trendy, relaxing and comfortable which suits everyone from singles, couples and groups.

I highly recommend Hub 51 if you're looking for a trendy bar with quality food and service.

On the train from Kansas City (free writing)

I arrived at Union station in Kansas City at 7am this morning. The line for Chicago was already long, with more people adding up as the minutes went by. 

We only boarded the train at 8am, almost 20 minutes behind schedule.

I fell asleep for the first hour or so after becoming comfortable in my seat. How could you not, they were basically reclining chairs. 

Missouri came by fast, along with the first stop for a quick cigarette break. Not for me though, I needed a coffee.

I regret not grabbing a Parisi coffee at Union station, and also not grabbing breakfast in the dining car on the train, so the hell am I going to miss out on lunch!

I got up off my seat, picked up my bag and headed for the dining cart. Disappointed, I saw no patrons. 

Asked the lovely gentleman, clearly from Chicago by the way he spoke, he directed me down stairs to this lonely little dark corner canteen with an impressive menu printed on an A3 sheet of paper - I had no idea you could reheat so many items.

I ordered a Hebrew National hotdog, 100% kosher, with sweet relish and mayonnaise. A cup of coffee with half and half, and a bottle of water. 

She packed up my order neatly in a cardboard box, I gave her my money then walked up to the lounge car to enjoy the scenery. The sides and ceiling of this car were all glass, allowing a vast amount of natural light to beam through, the perfect dining experience especially with the seats facing out wards.

A country man [from Fort Maddison, Iowa] and his son is sitting behind me, talking to an amish couple about gaming [hunting], the labour market and how someone should come up with a country song about a red barn, because everyone likes a red barn. 

However, his knowledge about this land is impressive. He's a well travelled man. He loves pointing out the scenery to us, explaining the geography and the history behind the towns, plains and ridges as we passed them.

There's a few Amish people on this train. Some with young families and some traveling with relatives and partners. Most would do a double take on me. 
Wait till start talking, yep, I'm the funny looking man that also sounds funny, trying to get home to Chicago.

P.s. I highly recommend traveling via rail in America. It's cheap, convenient and you get a chance to relax and take in the lovely scenery. It's a great way to meet people too.