Happily married, proud parent, systems analyst, sql server enthusiast, command-line and vbs junkie, graphic/video noob and an overall good guy!
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SQL Saturday - Phoenix Event Organizer
January 13, 2010 - Being in Illinois we had to fest on Deep Dish Pizza. Since we were not from the mid west I decided to contact a local and who better then Adrianne Curry herself via twitter - http://twitter.com/AdrianneCurry. She recommended Maurie's Table which was an excellent choice. We ordered the Deep Dish Everything and of course wings. Good choice!
January 13, 2010 - I must admin these were some of the best biscuits and gravy I ever had.
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Hero's West was not our first choice. In all honesty we are in Chicago and we were craving deep dish pizza! My row buddy (her name escapes me) on the flight recommended a pizzeria which sounded fantastic, but unfortunately it was in the opposite direction of where we were heading. So as we were heading towards the hotel we quickly decided upon Hero's West 1) because we were familiar with it and 2) it was relatively close to the hotel. It's a cool place, definitely a sports focused venue judging by the decor. Oh yeah and the name: Hero's West "Sports Grill" kind of gives it away.
We were seated quickly as the place was lacking on the clientèle, I guess Monday nights are not very busy. I hit the facilities and realized that it is best to allow your hands to warm up before you, well you know. Needless to say as I returned back our table a pitcher containing the golden Belgium beverage: Stella Artois was awaiting. It helps with the decision making process.
The overall feel of the place was cool. I can guarantee that during a Sox, Bulls, Cubs or Bears game this place can get loud and intense very quickly. Definitely a great place to hold a large get together with friends or family. Just watch your steps during the winter season, I nearly lost my balance a few times walking through the parking lot.
The service was prompt at first but started to lag after a while as she forgot a few of our request. Which was quickly mended with our subtle reminders.
All of the burgers on the menu are said to be made with fresh USDA Choice Angus Chuck that are char grilled. According the menu their standard burgers are one pound of beef and the minor league versions weighing in at 1/2 lb. It was a toss up between the I-80 burger and the Macon Bacon Burger. The I-80 came with sautéed onions, red peppers, jalapenos and pepper jack cheese topped with onion crisps. The Macon Bacon Burger on the other hand is considered their Bill "Lam" Burger which is topped with cheddar cheese, 2 strips of thick cut hickory-smoked bacon and finished off with crispy onion rings with a side of BBQ sauce (hot or mild). I totally missed that, otherwise I would have ordered it hot. You also had a choice of onion rings, fries or a combo of both. I wanted everything!
The bacon sealed the deal for me so I ordered the minor league version of the Macon Bacon Burger. As I skimmed through the menu I did not notice anywhere mentioning that the burgers are served with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles etc... So I assumed at this point it would automatically show up on my plate. Wrong! This was a purest burger, only containing meat and cheese. I suppose I could have asked for some garden veggies, but I wasn't going to.
Adding some ketchup, mustard, Tabasco sauce followed by a generous drizzle of some BBQ sauce I folded up the bacon strips and rearranged the onion rings. With the onion rings piled on, the burger was now stacked pretty high. As I squeezed the buns together the sauces began to trickle out on to my hands and plate. The first bite was juicy. The combination of BBQ sauce mixed with Tabasco provided a nice kick. As I continued on reaching a little past the half way mark the burger suddenly became dry making it hard to swallow. Some parts towards the end seem overly cooked and nearly hard. So my enjoyment quickly did a 180.
I added the remaining BBQ sauce in hopes to conceal the dryness which helped to an extent, but it didn't help the areas which were hard. As hungry as I was I finished it along with the onion rings which were the highlight of the meal. The onion rings were perfect, crispy, crunchy and flavorful. Had I known I would have just ordered the onion rings and would have been a happy camper.
The burger wasn't bad at first, but towards the bitter end it was dry and didn't seem to have much spices or seasoning. Also it didn't come with any lettuce, tomatoes or onions other than the onion rings. Having to douse it with the remaining BBQ sauce to cover up the dryness really killed the experience. The onion rings were great, but the fries seemed old and stale. I am pretty sure I won't order it again.
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During my stay in the state of Illinois my will power was easily overcome by the bold aroma of Starbucks coffee. The escents consumed the hotel lobby making it difficult to just head on out the front doors. I seriously thought I could resist the temptation but it sure was cold out there. Nothing like a hot venti hazelnut latte or a bold cup of café verona to warm you up on a cold...cold day!
So here is my little tribute to America's cup of coffee from around the world.
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