Festival Report: Long Grove Strawberry Festival

As much as Brandy loves Chicago, sometimes she just needs to get out of the city and remind herself that not everywhere is a metropolitan paradise.  "Sometimes I forget there are places with wild growing trees that haven't been planted by a land scapping company or the city park authority," as she likes to say.  And as Brandy is not a native to the Chicago area, she also loves any excuse to explore the outter reaches of what they call Chicagoland (a phrase which always makes Brandy picture a theme park with cutesy gangster mascots and a fiery roller coaster ride), so it is perhaps no wonder that when word reached her of the Long Grove Strawberry Festival, she felt it might make for a nice day trip.  Enlisting her friends Bailey and Hawk to come along (both of whom were more experienced in the typical American suburban experience than Brandy), the three landed firm footed in Long Grove, ready for a wonderful afternoon of berry binging.

Long Grove, which is about a 45 minute drive from Chicago, is a small but scenic village with lots of historic buildings dating back to the 1800's that reminded Brandy of her homeland in the Europe.  Eccentric little shops line the meandering cobble stone paths of downtown Long Grove, winding their way across stone and wooden bridges that cover a picturesque stream running past many of the old world style buildings.  In the last few years, the village has become known as a food festival haven, hosting not only the summer Strawberry Festival, but an Apple Festival in the fall and a Chocolate Festival in the spring.  "The thing about getting out of the city is I'm always so shocked by how even the busiest suburban square is so quiet in comparison," Brandy mused as they exited the car.  "I love how the air doesn't seem choked with pollution," Bailey grinned.  "I'm just glad we're going to a food festival that won't be jammed to capacity," said Hawk.

First stop was the booth labeled The Great Grape for some quick, sweet bites.  Bailey indulged in a bag of peanut butter filled, chocolate covered pretzel bites, which though a little messy in the heat, had an awesome hit of salty and sweet.  Hawk and Brandy were more curious about their name sake confection, milk and dark chocolate covered grapes, which came served cold and in a lavender paper cone.  "I don't know... isn't this the strawberry festival?" Hawk protested.  "I think it's clever.  There's going to be thousands of chocolate cover strawberries, but whose going to have heard of chocolate covered grapes?" Brandy countered and ordered up a cone.  One bite had everyone convinced these were a terrific idea; cold inside, but not frozen, so that all their juices came rushing out in the first bite to mingle with the thin layer of crisp, velvety chocolate, these little beauties were a truly unexpected delight.  Though the milk chocolate was tasty, everyone agreed that the slightly bitter dark chocolate was a better compliment to the sweetness of the grapes.

Next stop was the booth for the Long Grove Confectionery, which had a host of strawberry donuts on offer.  Hawk and Bailey grabbed a half dozen, while Brandy sprang for one of the specialties, which had a rich butter cream filling sandwiched inside the donut.  Brandy loved the soft cake like texture of the donuts, and although they appeared to be bursting with strawberry goodness, the flavor wasn't quite as exciting.

Wandering around the charming little village proved to be a much needed dose of perspective for city folk such as Brandy, Bailey, and Hawk.  For an hour or so they wandered along the adorable cobble stone avenues, ducking in and out of shops to see what kind of treasures there were.  Brandy loved the little coffee shop known as Beans and Leaves, so much so that she had to be dragged away when Bailey suspected she might settle in amongst the tins of loose leaf teas and never leave again (the same was true when Brandy spotted a little spot marked High Tea with Geri, which Bailey wouldn't even permit her to enter).  Bailey's favorite stop of the day was at the Long Grove Popcorn Shoppe, which sported a wide variety of sweet and salty flavors of popcorn (though sadly they ran out of the strawberry flavor very early on in the day).  Bailey grabbed a bag of Chicago Mix (a combo buttered, cheddar, and caramel corn for those unfamiliar, like Brandy), which she happily munched on as they continued to wander.  Although there wasn't any food to be found in some shops, Hawk loved getting lessons in his heritage from an Irish gentleman at Paddy's on the Square, who talked the group through some Irish history and some of their possible lines of ancestry ("You're descended from a great warrior," he told an amazed Bailey, "And your ancestors were some of the original natives of Ireland," he told Hawk.  "And my ancestors probably built the first pub in a cave somewhere," Brandy joked).  There was also a Scandinavian market, whose cooler full of imported sodas caught Hawk's eye.

Deciding to go inside and enjoy a little air conditioning, the trio headed for the historic Village Tavern.  There they sampled three delicious specials: freshly made Strawberry Daiquiris, a Strawberry BBQ Chicken sandwich, and a Strawberry BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger.  Brandy loved the sauce that topped to the two sandwiches so much that after their lunch, they headed to a little booth down the road for Smokin' T's, which was selling the stuff by the bottle and by the jar, along with some of their other signature sauces.

They were so full by time they made it to Sweet Whimsy Pastry Shop that they could do nothing but stare in wonder at the gorgeous desserts on offer, like the gigantic strawberry macaroons and strawberry filled cream puffs.  The same was true when they spotted one booth offering corn on the cob slathered in strawberry butter, which Bailey and Brandy had a very hard time passing up.  They settled for stopping by another booth offering mountains of different chocolate covered fruits (pears, apples, and even jalapeno peppers) along side bricks of amazing looking fudge (sadly, they were in such a food induced haze that Brandy forgot to notate to whom the booth belonged), where Brandy purchased some Blueberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Mint, English Toffee, and Chocolate Walnut Fudge to take back with them.

A break from the city was definitely welcome, but the three were glad they headed out when they did, avoiding the downpour that arrived in the late afternoon (this was a bonus to Bailey's plan of keeping Hawk away from the strawberry pie eating contest, which he vowed to win.  "I think it's for children," she protested, to which Hawk replied, "Good!  I'll definitely win then!").  Halfway out of town, they were already making plans to return for the apple festival in the fall, at which Bailey and Hawk hoped their favorite beverage, cider, might be on the docket.  "Ah, days like this almost make me miss living in a quiet little village," Brandy sighed, "Although, if I really did move out to the suburbs, I'd be probably be dying for a day trip into the city every weekend.  Still so much brunch to be tasted..."

Remember to visit Bunny and Brandy's Facebook page for more pictures of the festival!

From the Kitchens of Bunny and Brandy: Boozy Pancakes with Prairie Vodka

There certainly is a lot to celebrate about summer in Chicago, whether it be the little things, or the big ones.  Brandy's favorite reasons to celebrate include, but are not limited to: 

1. It may be humid, but at least there's no more Polar Vortex
2. It's Pride Month, which means rainbows are everywhere, and who doesn't love rainbows?
3. The Cubs and White Sox may not be doing well, but there's always the World Cup if baseball gets too frustrating
4. We are well into brunch season now, which means its socially acceptable to start drinking during breakfast (only on the weekends, of course)

Brandy, for one, finds a certain joy in not just drinking during brunch, but also using spirits in her food.  "Whiskey and bacon go perfectly together, as do French toast and orange liquor.  As long as one is using a good quality spirit, cook with it or drink it.  Anything goes at brunch!"

It should come as no surprise then that recently when Brandy was sent a bottle of Prairie Organic Vodka to try out that she not only decided to whip up one of their suggested cocktails (a cherry limeade type drink that is perfect for parties, barbecues, or weddings), but also decided to create a brunch recipe to match!  Brandy found that the vodka, which is made to exacting standards and has a naturally smooth finish and notes of melon and peach, was the perfect vehicle to bring out tart and sweet fruit flavors, even when cooked, so when she modified the cocktail recipe into a pancake, much to her surprise, the result was a bright, flavorful, and unique breakfast that would be perfect for, say for instance, a pre-Pride parade brunch!

You can find additional information and recipes at Prairie Vodka's website.

Here Comes the Lime Punch

3 cups Prairie Organic Vodka

2 cups simple syrup (2 cups sugar and 2 cups water, cooked until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.)

8 cups (two liters) cold seltzer water

3 cups lime juice

2 limes, sliced

Ice, as needed

6 cups fresh or frozen sweet black cherries (optional)

Add Prairie Organic Vodka, simple syrup and lime juice to dispenser. Add seltzer and lime slices, and stir gently to combine ingredients. Top with ice. To make cherry limeade, add 6 cups of fresh or frozen sweet black cherries to simple syrup while cooking.

Cherry Limeade Pancakes

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

3/4 cup of Prairie Vodka (or another good quality vodka)

1/2 cup of pure lime juice

cherry jam, jelly, or fruit spread (store bought or home made)

Optional for garnish: candied lime peel or fresh pitted cherries

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Add the eggs and butter, mix until roughly combined, then add the vanilla, vodka, and lime juice and continue mixing until the batter is smooth and free of any lumps.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and grease with cooking spray or butter.  Drop batter in 1/3 cup portions into the center of the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the under side had turned golden brown and started to bubble along the edges.  Flip the pancake and cook on the other side another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.  Set aside on a plate and cook the rest of the batter (depending on the size of your pancakes, the batter should yield about 9-12).

To serve, spread the cherry jam/fruit spread on pancakes and stack them 3 to a plate.  Top with fresh cherries or candied lime zest.

The writers of this blog were sent this product at no charge for the purposes of this review.

Postcards from Bunny: Connie's Night Out Re-Cap

It's been a good while since we last checked in with the globe trekking Bunny, who left her comfortable seat at Chicago's brunch table a few years ago to explore the hidden wonders of the world with her intrepid archaeologist husband, Benedict, but recently Bunny was able to make a quick stop in Chicago in between flights from Portugal and Buenos Aries.  "It's funny, but when I'm away from Chicago, all I crave is hot dogs, butter burgers, and of course, Chicago style pizza!" Bunny told Brandy once, which is what gave Brandy the idea to send Bunny to one of Chicago's most storied institutions during her brief stay in the city.

Connie's Pizza is currently celebrating over 50 years of existence as a Chicago institution with its' first location opening in the South Side back in the 1960's.  Still owned and operated by Jim Stolfe and his family, Connie's original location was purchased with a classic Oldsmobile and a few months of free labor (Jim couldn't afford to change the sign, so the joint stayed Connie's even though Connie herself went into retirement after handing Jim the deed) and soon blossomed into seven Chicago locations, a frozen food empire, and the honor of serving crowds at all of Chicago's major sports arenas at some point in its history.  Now with the opening of their newest location on State Street in the Gold Coast, Connie's is hoping to reacquaint the North Side of Chicago with their brand of fresh, home made, and authentic Italian-American cuisine.

Part of this initiative was an event called Connie's Night Out, in which a group of some of Chicago's most influential foodies were invited to come and see what Connie's could bring to the table, so to speak.  "Now that you've gone, my time is taken up almost exclusively by covering brunch in this city, but while you're here, you can cover dinner," Brandy explained to Bunny, "Don't worry.  I'll send Bailey along with you so you don't have to dine alone."  "Well," Bunny mused, "I have been dreaming of deep dish... alright, if you insist!"

Upon arriving at the enormous State Street location, Bunny and Bailey went straight to the bar.  Bunny ordered up a Blue Lemonade to start off, a fun little summery concoction with an equally summery appearance.  Then she switched to The Paradise, which boasted a citrusy zing topped off with a hit of sweet strawberry and a cooling mint.  "An unusual combination, but it works really well!" Bunny exclaimed, "And it's so pretty!"  Bailey, who is one of Chicago's leading Cider experts, ordered up an Angry Orchard Traditional.  When the bartender suggested she try it with a shot of Fireball whiskey, she couldn't help be a little skeptical, but one taste of the mix and Bailey realized how perfectly paired her favorite beverage was to the spiced spirit.  "This might be my new birthday drink!" she said as she went in for a second sip.

To start off the feast, slices of wood fired pizza began to make their way around the table.  Bailey and Bunny sampled the classic Margarita, the spicy Calabrese, and the fresh Al Prosciutto Rucola, all of which came straight from the amazing center piece of the restaurant, a wood fire oven which had been custom ordered from Italy and rebuilt brick by brick into its new home.  The charred flavor from the wood oven was a perfect match for Connie's custom crust and served to enhance all of the various toppings, but especially the rich prosciutto and peppery arugula on the Al Prosciutto Rucola.

Next came the barrage of appetizers: Calamari, Spinach Dip, Caprese Towers, and Bruschetta.  Bailey took a special liking to the creamy Spinach Dip, which came with wood fired flat bread chips, while Bunny adored the light and crispy Calamari.  The Caprese Towers were probably the most beautifully presented and most traditionally Italian, while the Bruschetta boasted a variety of fresh and boldly flavored toppings.

For the next course, two of the house salads were brought to the table: a classic Caesar and the daunting Antipasto Salad, which came with tons of cheese, sliced meats, olives, tomatoes, and peppers.  "This is less of a salad and more of a charcuterie plate!"  Bunny giggled.  Both ladies actually favored the simple Caesar, which had a nice light dressing and delicious garlicky croutons.

Next came the pasta dishes, a Penne with Vodka Sauce and a Spaghetti with Marinara.  Both featured pasta imported from Italy cooked to a perfect al dente as well as delicious sauces made fresh in house.  Bunny loved the simple marinara, which was full of chunky tomatoes and garlic, while Bailey fell in love with the creamy vodka sauce, which had an almost sweet flavor.

After that came two of the signature entrees, Chicken Marsala and Sausage and Peppers (by this point, the girls were getting pretty full, but powered on through bravely.  "We shall leave no food untasted!" Bunny proclaimed)  The chicken was incredibly moist with a nice earthy topping of mushrooms, while the sausage had a perfect snap and a slight flavor of fennel that matched well with the sweet onions and peppers as well as the spiced potato wedges on the plate.

As the piece de resistance, the Connie's staff had everyone at the table design their own individual pizzas, choosing from among the seven different crusts and a wide variety or veggies, meats, and cheeses.  Bailey went with the Artisan crust, which resembled a light focaccia style bread, and topped it with mushrooms, peppers, and sausage, while Bunny went for the Stuffed crust, which was somewhere between a deep dish pizza and a calzone, and filled with with mushrooms, onions, spinach, and crushed garlic.  Both ladies were barely able to manage a slice of the amazing pies, but luckily, the staff was prepared with take home boxes.

Lastly came the desserts: Cheesecake, Mini Cannolis, Tiramisu, and Connie's original Ice Box Cake.  The Cannolis rivaled that of any from a bakery in Little Italy, while the Cheesecake had a nice denseness to it, and the Tiramisu an indulgent lightness.  The real standout, surprisingly, was the Ice Box Cake, made from Executive Chef Guilio Fulgenzi's grandmother's recipe, which consisted of layers of vanilla pudding, chocolate, bananas, and graham crackers.

As they attempted to extradite their now bursting bodies from their seats, Bunny took one last look around Connie's and the glisten of a tear formed in her eye.  "I must have missed Chicago more than I realized," she told Bailey, who was looking concerned, "It's funny, but with all the traveling I've done over the last few years in search of hidden history, I almost forgot just what a rich history I was leaving behind here in Chicago!"

The writers of this blog were invited by the restaurant to sample their food in exchange for an honest review.

From the Kitchens of Bunny and Brandy: popchip BBQ Apple Biscuits

The worst thing you can do to Brandy is hand her a delicious looking snack and tell her its "healthy."  You'll be treated to the most withering eye roll you've ever witnessed, and that's only if you're lucky.  At Brandy's advanced age, she seems to no longer care about what's "good" for her.  "All I want is something that tastes good," she says, "If it tastes good and keeps me alive a little longer, than I suppose that's a bonus."

Recently, Brandy was introduced to the world of popchips, the healthy snack that is a wonder of science.  Made from pressurized and heated potatoes, popchips are never fried or baked in order to preserve both their "half the fat" guarantee as well as a crispy and crunchy texture that is full of flavor.  Coming in varieties like Sea Salt, Cheddar and Sour Cream, and Sweet Potato, popchips certainly took Brandy's fancy in a hurry, especially since their "share" bags now come with 15% more chips to love.

Inspired by the healthiness and deliciousness of the Barbeque flavored popchips, Brandy devised a a clever way to use the chips in one of her favorite brunch staples: biscuits.  The popchips not only add flavor to these tender morsels, but also a fun bit of crunch and texture.  For more popchip recipe ideas, be sure to visit their blog, or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

BBQ Apple Biscuits

2 Granny Smith Apples
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 "share" bag (3.5 ounces) of Barbeque flavored popchips
1/3 cup of shortening
3 tablespoons milk

Empty the popchips into a gallon freezer bag, seal, then crush the chips until most of the chips are reduced to a course powder (leaving some small chunks in tact is ok as they will add texture to the biscuits).  Set aside.

Peel the apples, then cut into a small dice and toss with the brown sugar.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and crushed popchips and combine.  Add the apples and milk and give a quick stir.  Begin incorporating the shortening in small chunks, taking time to mix (with a wooded spoon or by hand) until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

Preheat an oven to 475 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Roll small balls of dough (about 2-3 inches in diameter) and place them on the baking sheet, flattening slightly with the palm of your hand (alternatively, you can roll the dough out on a floured surface and cut into rounds with a cutter for more uniform biscuits).  Bake the biscuits for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve warm with honey butter.

Yield: 12-18 biscuits

Tea Time with Brandy: Muller Corner Yogurt

As elaborate as Brandy's brunches can get, sometimes she likes to take a step back with a simple, easy breakfast.  "My stomach and my wallet can't handle a lavish feast every day of the week," she likes to say, "Besides, it's supposed to be about the simple things in life, isn't it?"

This kind of retrospection is perhaps why Brandy's favorite breakfast as of late has been yogurt.  Simple, yes, but with the right kind of mix-ins and toppings, it can be a healthy and tasty way to start the day.  Brandy's yogurt of choice has been of the Greek variety for its thick, smooth texture and milder tanginess than other types of yogurt, and she especially loves mixing in fresh fruit, jam, or crunchy nuts for some variety.

Having made it her personal mission to try every yogurt on her local grocery's shelves, Brandy's eye was recently caught by a new product from Quaker, their Muller Corner Yogurt, which came in both traditional and Greek varieties, each with a little pocket of interesting mix-ins kept separate in the corner of the package.  "Hmmm," Brandy mused while blocking the aisle for several other shoppers, "Very interesting.  I suppose I really should try all the flavors for...scientific purposes."  And with that, she proceeded to load up her cart with six flavors to try out throughout the week.

The nice thing, Brandy found, about the Quaker Muller Yogurt was that most of the flavors fell nicely into not only the breakfast category, but also the snack and dessert categories.  Of the more traditional breakfasty types, Brandy rather enjoyed the Granola and Strawberry flavors.  The granola had a nice soft crunch that stood up nicely to the yogurt, though she would have preferred the Greek yogurt to the tangy traditional vanilla flavored one.  The strawberry had a lovely freshness to it, although it veered a little too far on the sweet side for Brandy's liking.

In the snack category, Brandy thoroughly enjoyed the Caramelized Almond, which had the crunch of the nuts as well as a nice burnt sugar flavor.  Falling in as her least favorite of the pack was the Raspberry /Blackberry flavor, which Brandy found had a rather unpleasant texture to the bits of berry in the jam.

Lastly were Brandy's two favorites, which would do nicely for a dessert in a pinch.  The Choco-Balls flavor had delightful little crunchy white and dark chocolate covered candies to mix into the yogurt, which didn't overwhelm with sweetness or richness.  Brandy's ultimate favorite, though, was the Chocolate Cherry flavor, which came with chocolate shavings already mixed into the yogurt as well as a corner filled with a darkly sweet cherry pie filling-like jam.  "Not bad for something professing itself to be healthy!" Brandy said.

Having put all of the Quaker Muller Corner Yogurts to the test in a week's worth of healthy and light breakfasts, Brandy was once again ready to indulge in her usual rich, fatty, and sugary brunches.  "It was nice to have a break," she said, "Sort of a week long palate cleanser.  Now, time to wrap some bacon around a stick of sugar coated butter and deep fry it!"

Join Bunny and Brandy on Twitter and let us know which flavor of Muller Yogurt you'd like to try by using the hashtag #MullerQuaker

The writers of this blog were provided with product at no cost by Influenster in exchange for an honest review.  For more information, check out www.influenster.com

Hashbrowns: The Sequel or The Return of the Killer Potatoes

The Slow and Savory Review

Brandy has never been one to repeat herself.  Indeed, one of her sworn promises when beginning to record her culinary adventures through this blog was to never eat at the same place twice, but that promise has proven to be more complicated than originally expected.  "What I wasn't counting on was things like expanding locations and the rise in seasonal menus, meaning most places in Chicago change their brunch items every few weeks," Brandy sighs, "So I've had to make exceptions from time to time."

One exception Brandy decided to make was for Hashbrowns, which she visited at their Maxwell Street location way back in 2011.  As a perennial favorite of the Chicago Taste Festival, founder Ronnie Ruffolo wanted to take his vision of an affordable, home made, casual dining experience a little farther North of University Village, and last year, a brand new location was opened in Old Town, providing the same menu of comfort food favorites to a whole new neighborhood.  Hashbrowns reached out to Brandy to come compare the new spot with the Maxwell Street location, and as a public service, she felt she must accept the offer.  "Technically, it's not the same, I suppose," she said in an attempt to justify her back tracking, "But really, how can one's experience anywhere ever be considered the same?  You'd have to arrive at the same exact time, on the same exact day, sit at the same table, have the same server... there's a lot of variables involved and... oh sod it, I'm going back because I bloody well want to!"

The inside of Hashbrowns' Old Town location certainly had a few things in common with the Maxwell Street location (the modern look with an exposed, industrial ceiling, the brown fabric panels on the walls, the open kitchen at the back), but this space seemed much more open and sunny, which Brandy appreciated, especially on such a beautiful day.  The main dining area could easily seat 100 or so without anyone feeling too crowded in, and with an additional 50 seats on the covered patio, Brandy could easily see this being an excellent option for diners on busy summer weekends with little to no wait time and comfortable seating.

To start off with, Brandy ordered up one of the house specials, the Killer Hashbrowns.  More a casserole than what one would typically expect of the oft neglected potato side dish, "The Killer" appeared more like a thick slice of lasagna.  The shredded potatoes within had a surprisingly firm texture with a nice tartness from the sour cream, as well as an awesomely crispy top, which was made from, of all things, crumbled corn flakes.  "Well, I can certainly see why they call this "Killer Hashbrowns," Brandy remarked, "I think I could easily eat a whole pan of this deliciousness, though I'm not certain my body could survive the intake of all those potatoes."

Next up Brandy ordered the Bridgeport Burger, which coincidentally had the same flavor profile as the burrito she had ordered the first time around (Hashbrowns offers omelets, burritos, and burgers in signature flavor combinations, all named after different Chicago neighborhoods).  "The burrito was quite disappointing all those years ago, so this is a matter of redemption," she commented to no one in particular.  The burger, made from premium New York strip, came simply dressed with some melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese on a pretzel bun and a few of the usual veggie accompaniments.  Though a little dry, the burger packed a great punch of meaty flavor, something that can often be taken for granted.  "I do enjoy a burger that actually tastes of meat," Brandy contemplated, "And its rather refreshing to have one that's not been dowsed in sauces and toppings to disguise it.  Simple, clean, and flavorful.  That is definitely comfort food in my book."  The burger also came with a generous side of hand cut sweet potato fries.  Those too had a nice clean flavor to them, and though not as crispy as Brandy might have liked, she still appreciated the attention to detail put into them, right down to the sea salt on top and the adorable basket they came served in.

Lastly for a little sweetness, Brandy ordered the Cinnamon Blueberry French Toast.  As we all know, Brandy is pretty picky about her French toast, even turning her nose up at concoctions made by some of the most highly regarded restaurants in Chicago, but this French toast was absolutely perfect.  The bread was eggy and soft, but still maintained a little firmness, the coating had a great warm cinnamon flavor, and the blueberries on top added a little pop of tartness.  She was especially glad to see a side of vanilla syrup for dipping, which she remembered as one of her favorite things about her last meal at Hashbrowns.

With the same warm and attentive service, flavorful home made food ("It's a sad state of affairs when a restaurant has to proclaim they don't use anything pre-made or frozen!" Brandy scoffed), and incredibly reasonable prices she'd loved about the Maxwell Street location, but a larger, more open space, Brandy couldn't help planning to make this Hashbrowns one of her regular haunts.  "The only thing left is to stake my claim on one of the tables," she thought, "I'll need something by a window for the summer, but without too much of a draft in the winter, plus enough space to order every type of hashbrown on the menu... hmmm... perhaps a few more scouting trips are in order."

The writer's of this blog were invited to dine at Hashbrowns at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

The Short and Sweet Review