Expanded Review of Kotel Kosher

See my expanded review of Kotel Kosher over at YeahThatsKosher.com
http://yeahthatskosher.com/2012/05/kotel-kosher-downtown-chicago-review/

At-home bakers hail state's new Cottage Food Act | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times

At-home bakers hail state's new Cottage Food Act | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times


Illinois/Chicago take notice.  Think about things like this when you are considering things like the new food truck rules.

Kotel Kosher: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Kotel Kosher: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

First the good:
It is great to have another option for lunch downtown in Chicago.  It is nice that they have salads, and not just sandwiches.  I also like the fact that they have Bissili and not just chips.  The location is perfect for me at least, just far enough from my office for me to feel like I am getting away for a few minutes, but not to far. 

Then the bad:
The variety of sandwiches is extremely poor.  You only have the choice of tuna, egg salad, turkey, or club (which includes turkey) all served on rye.  The sandwiches are served plain, not a piece of lettuce or tomato in sight and there was no ketchup available.  Also, there did not seem to be very much meat on the sandwiches.  Finally, I was there on Wednesday at 12:20 and they were already out of salads.  They have Starr Kosher Catering making the food for them, really how hard is it to make fresh sandwiches???

Finally the Ugly:
Get rid of the classic Jewish groceries.  No one shops at the train station for egg noodles!!!!

The verdict:
This place has potential if they get their act together.  They need to start making their own food, with more options and larger portions otherwise for roughly the same price people will go to the Loop Synagogue for food from Sandwich Club.

Burger of the Week: Spinach, Oninions and Mushrooms

Burger of the Week

1/2 lb All Beef Patty
Homemade Garlic Aoli
Wilted Spinach
Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions
Ketchup
Toasted Sesame Seed Kaiser Bun

On the side:
Oven Sweet Potato Fries
Grilled Asparagus

The homemade aoli is just Alton Brown's mayo with garlic added: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mayonnaise-recipe/index.html

A (Slightly) Healthier 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese

So I have been on a bit of a health kick.  I did a slightly healthier version of my original grilled cheese which can be found here: http://peikescookbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/grilled-3-cheese-sandwich.html
I made a few changes:
1. I switched up to the white bread for a the whole wheat honey walnut bread I made earlier this week. See here: http://peikescookbook.blogspot.com/2012/04/finally-i-had-my-first-semi-success.html
2. I used cooking spray instead of butter.
3. I used Gouda instead of pepper jack.
4. I added some spinach.
5. I toasted both pieces of bread on both sides

I'm not going to die in space. I am going to die the way god intended, in my early 50's with a heart full of pastrami-Howard Walowitz

Red Snapper with Zucchini and Brown Rice

Red Snapper with Zucchini and Brown Rice

 
1 Large Red Snapper Filet With Skin Still On
1 Medium Zucchini
Zest and Juice of ½ a Lemon
2 Tbsps. Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1 Cup Brown Rice
 
Cook the brown rice to package instruction, about ½ an hour.  

Cut the Zucchini into quarter inch slices.  Add some olive oil to a skillet over high heat and once the oil starts to shimmer but not smoke, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Keep moving the zucchini in the pan.  Season the fish on both sides liberally with salt, pepper and the lemon zest.  Once the zucchini start to brown add the fish to the pan skin side down.  Once the fish is cooked about three quarters of the way through pour the lemon juice over the fish, turn the fish gently with a large spatula and finish cooking.  The skin should be brown and crispy and the flesh should be opaque.

Serve immediately.