This Week's Evan's Eats
Tusk - East Burnside; and a quick trip down memory lane.
After an eventful Friday evening of festivities and Halloween shenanigans, my partner and I found ourselves yearning for a meal out the following night. Friday, (10/28/22), was our good friend’s birthday, which doubled as a Halloween party. Killing two birds with one stone is a very considerate way to celebrate, and it allows me to fall victim to my usual gluttonies and improper indulgences, which happened to fall on Saturday night. Thanks for that, Virginia! This week’s meal brought us to Tusk—a restaurant that specializes in Middle Eastern styled cuisine with Spanish infusions. It would seem North America is experiencing a renaissance for this style of food, and I am entirely for that.
A Scroll Down Memory Lane
Growing up in the northern suburbs of Chicago, and having a Polish mother, my palette was definitely molded to what you would find in stereotypical Midwestern homes with families of these backgrounds. Throughout the years, my mother has been an integral cornerstone to my appreciation for food, and for as long as I can remember, and to this very day, her dishes are hands down the best meals I have ever had. I’m not being biased. Your mother does not cook as well as mine, and that is simply a fact. Sorry… but not really. Love ya Ma!
I remember on Friday nights, my dad would come home from work, and we would all hop in the car to head to a place we still love today—Buffo’s. The owner of Buffo’s just so happens to be one of my dad’s closest friends from when they were growing up in Highland Park, Illinois. They went to the same high school, eventually found themselves playing on the same intermural softball team, went to a handful of Chicago White Sox/Bears games, and drank beer on the weekends together. Leonard Innocenzi and his wife, Joy, are still close family friends of ours, and I have known Lenny since I have had the ability to walk.
Buffo’s is an Italian American restaurant that makes, in my opinion, the best thin crust Chicago style pizza, not only Chicago, but arguably, the entire country. Buffo’s also makes great Italian beef, cheeseburgers, mozzarella sticks, hot dogs, chicken tenders… you get the idea. This was our place on Friday nights. All four season. No exceptions.
Saturday was reserved for a place called the Dogout. This place has great hotdogs, and gyros. If you haven’t picked up by now, the weekends were spent indulging. My parents were no stranger to that. I unfortunately have inherited that gene, which means I too have to eat rich, delectable meals in order to survive. A pity, I know.
During the middle of the week, my mother would make things that were seasonally appropriate. Chili with cornbread in the winter. Turkey Burgers and corn on the cob in the summer—Dad would be on the grill, of course. Spatchcock chicken with potatoes in the fall, and grilled Salmon with salad and homemade dressing in the spring. What I am trying to emulate to you—reader—is that my background and expertise when it comes to Middle Eastern foods was not something I inherited nor really had experience with until I met my girlfriend, Isabella.
A More Recent Lane
When Bella and I started dating some years ago, I was invited to her father’s birthday dinner. Where we went for dinner was actually somewhat of surprise to me, but I think that is in part due to the palette I had developed in my years leading up to dating her. India House was where her dad requested we meet. Had I tried Indian food before? Likely. Do I remember it? No. What I remember from that evening: 1.) Meeting Bella’s father was intimidating, and 2.) the vast amount of flavors and complexities in said flavors that is what we call Indian cuisine. This, of course, made me question why I had never come to even try food of this area of the world, and furthermore, what other types of cuisines can I try that will delightfully surprise me? Bella opened a door for me that evening, and to this day, we find ourselves routinely ordering Indian food for take out or heading to one our local favorites.
Now, you’re probably thinking, you dunce, Indian food and the Middle Eastern food are not the same. Hey! I know that. Patience, please. The whole point of me sharing this was to explain to you that I am still riding that wave of exploring foods that aren’t necessarily as appreciated in the United Stated in comparison to things like, oh I don’t know, pizza, cheeseburgers, brats, hot dogs—a Chicago boys basic food pyramid. Now do you see where I am coming from or are you still reading this and splitting hairs? Well it looks like you’re still reading so, whatever.
Tusk Review
Upon arriving at Tusk, we found the ambiance to be chique, modern, and simplistic. An open dining room that has a direct view into their kitchen. I personally love when restaurants have open kitchens, and you should too. It becomes apart of the experience to see the person who is making your food, and furthermore, you feel like you are apart of a performance unfolding before your very eyes. After all, why do restaurants insist on this dichotomy of back of house, front of house? Patrons are there to enjoy something that was curated by the entire staff. Being someone who has worked in the food industry, having closed doors to a kitchen presents stark differences as to what the patrons see in the dining room, and what is presented as their meal in comparison to the kitchen, and the person who made their meal. Having an open space for individuals to see and feel what the kitchen does is like feeling the heartbeat to a restaurant. Tusk’s heartbeat is a healthy one.
Once seated, we reviewed the menus. Appetizers and cocktails to start. Libations are a necessary element whether they posses alcohol or not. They show you features outside of what you primarily arrive for—food. If you were to look at a restaurant and its options as a being, you would find the kitchen is the heart because I just told you that—now you’re the dunce. The patrons are the blood, and the dining space/building is its body. It’s food is it’s soul and personality, and the libations are essentially features that we look for when deeming something attractive. For example, a nice smile, or soft eyes. Tusk is basically that one person you know that is extremely attractive, and that person also knows this, but they do not care to flaunt nor allow for that to get in the way of being respected as a person.
Drinks
Bella ordered bubbles, and as for me, I ordered the Ritual. To pair with this, we requested the Baked Cheese—a Oaxacan style queso with matbucha, smashed potatoes, served with warm flatbread. Our drinks and our baked cheese came out in a timely fashion, and the pairing was delightful. The Ritual is a mezcal based cocktail with sage infused cachaça, honeynut squash, black walnut, and lime. My first impression of the drink was pleasant. The smokiness of the mezcal in tandem with the honeynut squash was as if a margarita decided to invite you over for a cozy Sunday supper and wrapped you in heating blankets while reading you a bed time story. Each sip would start off as if I was tasting a mezcal margarita infused with sage, but the most interesting part of this beverage was the slightest note of pumpkin it would leave on the back of my tongue as I exhaled. A melding of two worlds. Acidic and sweet. Simply put, I would go back to Tusk for this beverage alone.
Appetizer
When paired with the Oaxacan baked cheese, you basically could have called the meal right then and there. Queso is a familiar word for a chonky greaseball like myself. That gooey mess that is packed with meaningless calories, but endless flavors, is something you need to be careful with. By the time you are three quarters of the way through the dish, you can see your reflection staring back at you on the plate. A pudgey, cheese smeared face, a mouth full of potatoes and your next bite of warm flatbread that is a vehicle for all these elements to culminate in your already stuffed face. Its quite a humbling experience. Needless to say, the flavor profiles of both the cocktail and this appetizer suited me well. I was already feeling pleased with our decision.
Shortly after the baked cheese came a dish I didn’t remember ordering. The gentleman holding the dish said, “This is a gift from the kitchen,” and promptly placed it in front of us. Now, in all fairness, I believe they saw my pocket size moleskin journal I take everywhere with me, and they likely thought that I might write a review… Tusk, you guessed correctly, and that extra dish you presented us was also great.
Now, when it comes to hand outs, I am not one to graciously accept them, especially when they come in the form of food. When I use the term “graciously,” its not that I am denying the food. What I mean is that round two of my gluttony has begun. I was not informed on what the dish was called, but plainly put, it was a salad with some soft nuts, almost like risotto, as well as some hummus. Nothing too over the top, but certainly a nice gesture.
Main Course
After a great start to the meal, it only got better with the main course. I was stuck between three choices, but ultimately went with their Olive Finished Wagyu Tri-Tip. It came with cauliflower, spiced ginger and a garlic vinaigrette on a bed of arugula and other greens. Usually steak isn’t something I order, but after being advise from our waitress, it seemed like a no brainer. I felt like Bill Hader in Pineapple Express after taking my first bite. “I feel like a, like a slice of butter... melting on top of a big-ol' pile of flapjacks.”
I wasn’t the only one melting—the steak was also doing so with every bite I placed in my mouth. It almost felt disrespectful to eat such a beautifully prepared dish, but as you are aware, I don’t take hand outs graciously, and keep in mind, this was something I ordered. Needless to say, I did in fact disrespect this dish by eating the entire thing.
The simplicity of the steak with mixed greens and vinaigrette left me pleasantly satiated. This is something I would prepare at home, but my execution would definitely fall short by comparison. When you have the ability to combine simple ingredients, such as this dish, and have it turn out the way it did, it truly speaks to Tusk’s ability to really perform in such a beautiful fashion. I would recommend Tusk to anyone that has a pulse.
Evan’s Eats Report Card: Tusk
Ambiance…………………………A
Wait staff………………………….A+
Drinks……………………………… A
Appetizers………………………. A-
Main course……………………..A
Expense……………………………. B+
Overall Experience………… A
Oof now I want to try that drink and that queso :)
I love Mezcal and that steak looked incredible. Now I’m hungry, gotta go!