Brown's Chicken & Pasta

Regional Fast Food
-Chicagoland's Fried Chicken franchise

Brown's Chicken and Pasta was recently sold off at auction to a former exec. The fried chicken franchise known by most people in Chicagoland (and many throughout the country, though for different reasons) has had a storied past to say the least. It was sold for just over half a million and the company has 38 locations two of which are owned by them and the rest franchised. I decided to get at this post today since I saw a free coupon for an order of their famous fried mushrooms on the cover of this past Sunday's Chicago Tribune and also since they are starting over yet again. Of course it will always be hard to escape that cold winter day back in 1993 in Palatine, IL when the Brown's Chicken Massacre took place. It was a horrific story and one that captured national media attention from the day it happened in '93, up until the killer was finally found in '02 and then sentenced to life in prison in 2007. Whenever I hear the name Brown's Chicken I cant help but think of the murders and the same goes for Palatine. But I am posting because I like Brown's Chicken and am always tempted to stop for some of it if not most definitely the mushrooms.


Location in Skokie, IL

Birthplace: Chicago, IL
Type: Franchised
Founded in: 1964
How Many Today: About 40
Locations in: IL, IN
Menu item that made them: Fried Chicken

The companies history as told by me

Originally founded by John Brown and Frank Portillo in Chicago they had expanded to many locations by the 70's. After nice start up success they added pasta to the menu in the 80's and also added it to the name. The 90's were tough with the massacre and then they tried to rebuild their image after that and added a "Chicago way" part to the menu that included Chicago fast food favorites like Italian beef and hot dogs. Frank Portillo is a brother of Dick Portillo who is the founder of the famous Chicagoland Portillo's restaurants. At some point there was a battle between its owners and it went bankrupt and and were sold earlier this month. The new owner was quoted on his purchase saying “Brown’s is an iconic, Chicago-based brand that we feel can be brought back and be everything it was and more, if done right, We’re focused on doing the right steps to stabilize and maintain the company.” I think he's right and if handled properly this is a nice purchase for what they got it at. Just don't change a damn thing with the fried mushrooms. Got it? Good.


Brown's famous fried mushrooms...my favorite app. in fast food

I have always been a fan of Brown's and used to get it as a kid when there was one in my vicinity that I could get too on my bike. But then after the murders they kind of disappeared for a while and then made a comeback when they added the beef, hot dogs and stuff and more of them started popping up again. But just like any franchised place it all depends on how each location is run. It was probably close to a decade in between visits for me but I like Brown's alot when the location is ran right. When the chicken is hot out the fryer it's some of the best in fast food chicken right there with Popeye's for me and way way better than KFC. Their slogan is "It tastes better" and it really does. But it's those magical mushrooms that keep me coming back since my first visit in forever a year or two back. They take fresh never frozen 'shrooms which are batter dipped and fried to a perfect golden brown. I pop them like popcorn, cant get enough. I'll even get some of the mostaccioli with a meatball or two when I'm hungry. Different locations can have slightly varying menus with stuff like livers and gizzards available at some stops. Don't let what that nut job did stop you from getting some fried chicken that just tastes better. Simple as that.


Brown's fried chicken

Click HERE for the company website.

Indiana Amish Country

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
-Eating like an Amishman in northern Indiana

As much as I love the summer, I am a big fan of the fall. It's the time when the Midwest is at its most scenic with the changing of colors in the plants and trees and the crisp air is refreshing and it becomes a great time to take a cruise and take in the views. A great place to do this is Amish Country in Northern Indiana. Located in Elkhart county it's about 130 miles east of Chicago and a great place to spend the day or the weekend. There is no doubt that its prime time is in the fall when the apples are fresh, the pie is abundant and people are taking in the sites and views of The Heritage Trail. It's a 90 mile ride that takes you on a winding loop thru the various towns of Amish country and the region. In seeing places like Middlebury, Goshen, Shipshewana and Elkhart you will be taken along rural highways, scenic byways, have to yield to the horse buggy's still used by the local Amish communities and ride down small town Main streets and get a feel for what life used to be like. They're still living in a past part of time here and it's a great experience to get a feel for and see the way of life in these parts. Check the website HERE for info on the trail. It was selected among the "100 places to see in your lifetime" by Life Magazine.


A beautiful drive especially in the fall


The colors are splendid and there's a smell of smoke in the air


Historic building along Main st. in Elkhart, IN


You'll see many buildings, houses and farms from way back when


along with some amazing scenic stops where you have to get a picture


The trip is a relief from the city life while it lasts

Of course your going to get hungry taking in the views, and it wouldn't be a great ride unless there were some great food stops along it so you know there are. When I did this trip last fall we hadn't really planned to do the trail so we didn't start it until later in the afternoon and by the time we were getting done the sun was setting. So we didn't have the option to stop at a bunch of places and decided to eat when we were finishing up the drive. That came around Middlebury which is home to one of the areas more popular attractions the Das Dutchman Essenhaus. Seen below it is a huge piece of property with a restaurant and buffet (pictured) which extends into a large giftshop and bakery. They offer many food options to take home including pies and a huge amount of homemade products like apple butter and pickled veggies which are made on site in the wholesale food facility and sold on the premises and shipped around the country. About 3/4 of a million people visit each year and there is an Inn with a conference center and other non food related shopping options in the village.


A tourists favorite in Middlebury, IN

The size of the restaurant/bakery/giftshop is unexpected and thus huge. The restaurant offers family style dining and includes a buffet and a takeout menu and can seat more than most. The menu of the buffet on the night we visited was tempting but we didn't have the time to dine in and ordered a few menu items some to consume quickly before we hit the road along with some other stuff to take home and eat later that night and the next day. I enjoyed the stuff I got and while it wasn't blow your taste buds to new proportions good, it was very comfortable. Just some good home cooking like they do in households around Amish Country. Here's a look at what I got and what I thought.


Chicken pot pie

^Classic comfort food it was perfect for the night we were there. It was the end of October and the cold was coming in and you could feel it in the air and the pot pie did the trick. Not the best one ever, it was filled with a minimal variety of ingredients but those were the right ones. Lots of chicken and a real nice gravy inside the pie were its strong points.


Chicken noodle soup

^Everything I said about the pot pie holds the same for the soup. Lots of chicken and noodles in a real clear tasting chicken broth. Nice stuff on a crisp cool fall evening.


Meatloaf sandwich


Its a case where simple works great

^The meatloaf is said to be one of the more ordered menu items and is made fresh daily the same way the recipe was made by the owners mother. Since I was going to be ordering some other things that caught my eye to take home, I thought the meatloaf sandwich would the perfect thing to get before I took the drive back. It's offered with toppings of choice but I went with just the sauce. Very comforting it took me back to my youth when it was one of my favorite wintertime meals.


Beef and noodles

^This is a dish I have loved since a kid and if I see it at a place like this I'm going to get it. Classic Amish comfort food. It became a no brainer when I asked the waitress what the most popular ordered item was and she told me the beef and noodles. I thought they were really good, great for comfort food. Hidden beneath the pile is a layer of mashed potatoes and gravy. They don't hold back size wise so for $7.99 along with a bunch of rolls it was a great deal. I'll get it again.


Apple Pie

^The bakery was pretty amazing. They had all sorts of homemade pies and baked goods along with 100's of canned goods made and then jarred on site. Pretty much anything you can think of. I didn't know what to get, I wanted it all. They had every baked good you could want so I settled for the most loved, half an apple pie and a package of dinner rolls I used later in the week. The prices were noticeably cheap compared to most places like this I have been. The pie was an excellent treat the next day and I cant wait to get back.
________________________________________

-Exploring NW Indiana


Demotte, IN

On another trip thru Northern Indiana I found a place that I fell in love with upon my first visit. It was in Demotte, IN and it was an old school butcher shop in the heart of the town. Yestermeat's is what the sign said with "The way it used to be" underneath to let you know how they run their butcher shop business. So I parked the car and went on in to see what was up.


Meat case with housemade sausage

I was very much impressed with this place. In fact its still one of the best butcher shops I have been to anywhere and if this is how it used to be than that's how I want it to be again. The meat display case was filled with everything and it's all fresh and expertly butchered. The beef was ground that morning and I went ahead and got a couple pounds of ground beef and a few pork tenderloin patties. All pork products are locally raised and top notch in quality.


Pork is plenty at Yesteryear


Next time I stop in I will get the chops

Along with their wonderful selection of fresh meats they had other stuff like bread and buns and jarred items like hot peppers and pickles along with most everything else you need to make a complete meal. Despite theirs doors opening in 1992 this place has all the charm of a business that's been around for generations. They run a catering business that specializes in outdoor parties so you know the grilling is good. They will make party trays to your liking and process wild game for all the hunters of the area and make the sausage and jerky on site.


Picked up one of each on my visit

It's not just butchered meats at Yesteryear, there's also plenty of homemade baked goods. You can get fresh bread, cookies, cakes and of course pie. I'm a sucker for any dessert with apples and cream in it and when I saw the fresh made apple slices on the counter I had to have some.


My type of treat

I'm not exactly sure what the history of apple slices are but I'm interested in knowing. I think that these are a dessert of yesteryear. They were fantastic having just come out the oven I ate a piece on site and order three more to take home. I wish we had a place like Yesteryear Meats in my neighborhood.


Apple Slice from Yesteryear meats
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Das Dutchman Essenhaus
240 U.S. 20
Middlebury, IN 46540
(574) 825-9471
Website



Yesteryears Meats
116 8th St SE

Demotte, IN

(219) 987-6644
Website

Romano's Pizza Drive In

-Exploring NW Indiana

On we go, this time across the border back to Northwest Indiana. I've been to a few places around Highland, IN and they're all old school spots where not much has changed and the visitors keep coming back. I had been meaning to get to Romano's Pizza drive-In in Highland since I drove by it a few summers ago. Its got the classic Drive In look and pizza is one of the big hits. I've never been to a pizza Drive In. But since it opens at 4:30 I never had the chance to try it since I was never in the area after they open. But my time finally came last Fall when I remembered about it while in the area and so we took a cruise on over.


Since the 50's in Highland, IN


The building in the Drive In lot


always gotta try whatever a place is the home of...


a little history lesson for ya (click pic to enlarge)


The Drive In Menu (click pic to enlarge)

The Drive In is no longer in operation and you go inside to place orders and so we did just that. I talked to the 20 something kid working and asked about the pizza and he said its a 30-40 minute wait and I didn't feel like waiting. I asked him whats popular and he told me they sell more of the ham hoagies then anything on the menu including pizza. I also saw the sign about it being the "Home of the Hoagie" and you can tell from the menu that they are the signature items b/c they are on top of the list listing the rest of the offerings. Luckily I was with my friends and we decided to go with a Ham hoagie and also a Romano burger. This burger consisted of two hand made patty's served on a bun with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sauce. I was pleasantly surprised with both the quality and taste. The red sauce gave t a Italian meatball like hamburger. It could of been even better if they didn't use American cheese and had provolone on there instead.


Romano Burger

As I sat waiting for my order I was wondering if maybe the hoagie and this burger are maybe West Virginia regional eats b/c I know that they have alot of old school Italian places like Romano's in West Virginia. The menu also had pizza bread and sauceless spicy pizza which may or may not be a WV connection as well. It was off to a good start when he put two fresh beef patties on the griddle and then it continued with a nice burger and ended with a bang.


Romano's #1 seller-the Ham Hoagie

I thought this was a damn fine sandwich and can see why its the best seller. I don't know what type of cheese they use but they basically take a brick of it and wrap a piece of ham around it and cook it up on the flattop until the ham is crisp and cheese melts a little. They then add lettuce, tomato and mayo and press the bun down to toast it. While it would of been nice if they used a little more ham it was a great hoagie. If it was near me Id get here at least once a month for one. Romano's is a spot I'll be back to soon one day to try theur pizza and some other offerings. It fit the description of an old school roadfood joint loved by locals and the food was pretty darn good. just another spot lost in time in Northwest Indiana.


so much cheese that this sandwich would be a #1 seller in WI too

Romano's Pizza Drive In
3808 Ridge Rd
Highland, IN 46322
219-838-1731
opens @ 430p

Koney King

-Exploring NW Indiana

With the one year anniversary of the King of Weird's death coming around your going to see quite a few news stories and such about it. I'm sure to go with that, you'll see a boatload of memorials and plenty more weird people crying that he's gone. So were going to try to go with the flow and so with that today we head to Michael Jackson's hometown of Gary, Indiana to a place I'm sure the Jackson's visited now and then, the Koney King. Like the rest of the town this little popular Coney dog shack is stuck in time back when it was an up and coming U.S city with its steel mills and other urban plants and plenty of work. As you can see according to its sign this particular place has been in operation since 1920 and I'm sure it has some stories to tell.


a locals favorite in Gary, IN

I had read about this place thru LThforum and since I find it very interesting to take a ride thru Gary I eventually passed by it one day while riding thru to Michigan. I had to have a stop in and see what was going on at this last of a dying breed Coney shop in Gary. There was a time when there were quite a few Coney dog shops in Gary much like there are in Detroit and other Midwestern blue collar cities. The inside is fairly simple with a counter and some stools, the menu is also fairly simple and the hot dogs sit on a flattop in the window. The service is very friendly and on our visit there was a group of regulars who had most likely been eating and chatting there for generations.


Koney Kings menu


regular old hot dogs roasting away

After some very friendly dialect between us and the reg's I decided I had to have a dog, burger and cup of chili. You just don't find too many places like this spot anymore and we were quite pleased with the visit. The chili came with onions and crackers and it was a hearty Midwest blend. It wasn't my all time favorite but you could see yourself indulging after a long day of work at the mill in the wintertime. I'm suspecting many people that have lived or still do reside in Gary have been here countless times, its a real neighborhood type spot. The chili cheeseburger tasted old school in that good way meaning it seems like they been making them like that for a long time now.


cup of Koney King's chili


chili cheeseburger

But hey its not called the Koney King for nothing so its all about the Coney dogs. I somewhat surprisingly very much enjoyed my dog and the sum of it as a whole. Sure the hot dog was your standard child's play version but when combined with the chili and cheese and some fresh diced onions it was real chart topper. In case you couldn't figure it out by now I'm not all that sad of the king of pop's death. Quite frankly I think he was straight weird but for those that haven't been to Gary, its a startling place and it's death is more saddening than Jacko's, to me anyway. Luckily there are a few things that remain from when it was a different world and the Koney King and their dogs are one of them.


Koney Dog from Koney King

Koney King
4601 Broadway
Gary, IN 46409-2425
(219) 887-1843

Doug Komos

-Exploring NW Indiana

I saved alot of my out of state stops for warmer days when we were assured the negative degree wind chilled nights were over. So we get back to Indiana for a quick stop at a joint I stopped at one day when randomly driving by. When I saw the sign for Doug Komos Meat/Deli it looked like a place I should pull into and check out. It was a quick in and out since I had already gotten some meats from another place in Indiana to be featured later. But I wanted to see what Doug Komos had going on inside. Technically this might not be NW Indiana but its right on the boundaries and 47 miles from Chicago.


Looks like a formidable meat market


The fried chicken is what caught my eye...nice price

Since I would not be headed directly home I wasn't able to cop any meat for my fridge but I did have a nice look around. Its a shame we don't have more spots like Komos in Chicago. On top of a bunch of good pieces of meat they had many prepared meat dishes like kebabs and Kiev's too. I made a quick mental note and decided that the fried chicken was worth a try even if I wasn't going to eat it all. You know fried chicken is one of those things that is just as good cold the next day as it is when you first got it. While this wasn't the best fried chicken I ever had it was some of the most valuable. It came out freshly fried and considering I got eight pieces of that for five bucks it made it all the better. Stay tuned as the months grow warmer there will be quite a few stops around the popular Chicago weekend summer vacation destinations.


Nice little (actually large) meal deal


Who doesn't like fried chicken?

Doug Komos Meat & Deli
13410 Wicker Avenue
Cedar Lake, IN 46303-9088
(219) 374-7773

A couple of NW Indiana Burger Gems

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Indiana

Even though I grew up in the late 80's & 90's I've always had a fascination with Drive-In's like that of someone who came from the 50's or 60's. Not only are the structure and layout along with the great signs they boast reasons they attract me but obviously its the food too. I also happen to be captivated by Northwest Indiana as a whole. Its a place I love to ride around and explore and imagine what this once bustling metropolis used to be like in its prime.

If this site interests you along with going to the places (mainly food) that survived time then your like me. The kid Seth Thomas aka "dev null" really had a passion for it and I enjoyed his pictures and stories.


Old Post Card from an old Drive-In-Highland, IN (Pic from: rootsweb.ancestry.com)

When Highland was once in its prime it was a place that boasted many Drive-In's. So much so that I count at least eight from a post on this topic over at LTHforum. Many of the buildings that survived boast the Mid-Century modern style of architecture. The days of what I described above are long gone but a few of these old school burger joints including, Johnsen's Blue Top Drive-In, have survived and remain a must stop if in the area or cruising on Highway 80/94. It rests on a busy stretch of Indianapolis Blvd, about two miles south of the interstate. Its almost impossible to miss the real deal Drive-In sign.


What a Sign! I cant help but stop when I see one like this

This amazing Picture above is by Peter Engler (ReneG) posted at LTHforum


I pulled in on a quiet Monday afternoon

Its pretty obvious to see that Highland, IN was once a burger destination back in the day. I cant imagine how many drive-In and burger joints there were but you get the idea from the ones which have survived in this town of around 25,000 located in NW Indiana that the number is quite a few. If your heading into Indiana for any Fall roadtrip with your family and friends or partner then I would suggest stopping at Blue Top or if your even in the mood for a quick day trip Highland is about 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. On my first and so far only visit I had a very pleasant experience. I went there thinking that they would serve a 30's style thin patty burger but instead they offer big burgers and they let you know it on the menu. More on who "their burgers" are later in this post. On top of a Drive-in they also have an indoor area with plenty of memorabilia from the old Rt30 Speedway.


Hey, who hasn't been on youtube? that list is more impressive


Johnsen's Blue Top Drive-In Burger Choices

There was an interesting selection of burgers when I looked at the menu, obviously a burger is what I was going with. What really caught my eye though were the prices. It seems to me like a deluxe meal price of over ten bucks is a little high for a burger drive In in NW Indiana. They do include fries, soft drink and a scoop of sherbet or ice cream, which seems to be a old school trend of the areas burger shacks, but still its a steep price for lunch in that area. They also offer smaller sizes of each of their burgers. I had to pass on the signature Big Ben double cheese and instead went with a "Highlander" while my buddy ordered a ranch burger. The Ranch came on a sesame seed bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon and ranch dressing. It was quite enjoyed by my buddy and as you can see below its a big burger and they do a good job in prepping them.


Johnsen's Blue Top Ranch Burger


Ranch Burger comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon and ranch dressing

My burger was much better than I expected it to be. I didn't think it would suck. I just wasn't sure it would be any good. In some mentions of the place it says the food is ok but the atmosphere on a busy night and the old school decor were the real reasons to go. I like it enough that I would easily go back just for it. The addition of a nice crisped burger patty to a well made BLT was perfect. The bacon was crispy and the bread was toasted to perfection. Unless your stopping for your burger at the local McDonald's or Burger King you wont find any pre made frozen patties at these spots. Fresh butchered ground beef cooked to order is what your going to get when you order a burger. Its because of this I found it to be more than acceptable.


Johnsen's Blue Top "Highlander" burger


The Highlander comes with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo on toasted bread

If I'm having a good old fashioned burger than this is about as far as I want to go as far as creativity and it worked real well. Its a club sandwich with a meat patty instead of turkey. In a time where everyone is in a rush to make some crazy burger by putting everything on it or some fancy burger where they put stuff you've never heard of on it, Highland is filled with a couple joints that haven't changed a thing in forever. I would highly recommend a stop at Blue Top if your in the area or passing thru. At least check it out and have one of their much talked about malt's. Now I'll show you why its worth a day trip from Chicago up to this stretch of Indianapolis blvd if your a burger guy like I am. There just so happens to be another old school burger joint just down the road from Blue Top.

Miner Dunn Hamburger's (Highland, IN)


Since 1932: Lit up at night (Pic from Roadsidepeek.com)

When you leave the parking lot at Johnsen's if you swing a left onto Indianapolis you'll end up at the once thriving burger chain called Miner Dunn Hamburgers. I think a poster from LTHforum put it best when talking about Miner Dunn and Johnsen's Blue-Top "Places like this, and Johnsen's Blue Top just up the road, are gems if only for their nostalgia factor. But, in the case of Miner-Dunn (I haven't been to Johnsen's yet), the burgers are good, too. Not the beefy, dripping rare steakhouse burgers we get in Chicago, but precious in their own right." If your from an older generation and come from the Chicagoland area you might even remember Miner Dunn and their hamburgers and signs that were once prevalent in the Chicagoland region. The MD burger and its logo have been around over 70 years since the first one opened on Calumet ave in Hammond, Indiana. I'm almost certain this location in Highland is the only one that still exists.


The menu boasts...Its not "Dunn Right" unless its a "Dunn Deal"

Miner Dunn is just another great example of a place that doesn't change anything (as long as the menu is good) is one that can last thru time. Nothing has changed here, its old and most of the people eating there are old too but there's also plenty of HS kids and families as well. The burgers served here are the same as always and also my go to style. The term "30's style" burger was coined by Mike Gebert and its the way burgers were made before they became big behemoth monsters thanks to the fast food joints and such. Its a thin patty with cheese if you want and mustard, onions, pickles and ketchup if you like it, I'm not five y/o so I don't. I like just the first three ingredients on mine. It should be served in a regular old bun and placed in butcher paper and wrapped up to get a little steam action. Nothing has changed about the way MD makes theirs and they are exactly as described by me. One thing that's a little different is they also include relish on theirs. Again, not my style, but I tried it since its their way and always has been. You get an order of really good fries and a small orange sherbet with a meal deal.


The fries at Miner Dunn are some of my favorite anywhere

Miner also happens to be the place that (I think so anyway) Johnsen's is calling out when they talk about the size of the burger. I enjoy this style very much and I must say that because of this I like MD better. In fact on what was still my only visit I was so impressed that MD could easily make the list of my favorites in the country. If anything just for the fact you can feel like your back in the times when the once thriving burger joint was a favorite of the area. However I wouldn't send someone to a food joint because the decor and atmosphere are great. The burger is the bomb and I've been thru a few in the last year. Check it out sometime soon. Before you know it treasures like these two will be extinct across the country.


Miner Dunn's cheeseburger meal is classic Americana

Johnsen's Blue Top Drive In
8801 Indianapolis Blvd
Highland, IN 46322-1553
(219) 838-1233



Miner-Dunn Hamburgers
8940 Indianapolis Blvd
Highland, IN 46322
(219) 923-3311