![]() ![]() "Sometimes you just want to eat something without having to learn about it first, and then say, 'Man, that was freakin' good.'" "In Chicago, it's not specifically Italian," he notes, adding that this kind of pizza isn't something you have to study or think about. This is the pizza Leonard grew up eating in northwest Chicago, and it's the family-run businesses with teenagers working in the kitchen that he remembers and loves - places like Barnaby's, Villanova (a newer discovery for him) and Vito & Nick's. The two met in Chicago when Leonard was opening a Budlong outpost inside Revival Food Hall, which Anderson was managing. That's the kind of pie Leonard will introduce at Grabowski's, where he's partnering with fellow Chicagoan Justin Anderson, who also oversees the Source's central bar, Isabel, and the entire food hall operation at Zeppelin Station. The pizzas were usually built on a thin, crispy crust with cornmeal on the bottom and were cut into squares so that more customers could get a piece. Instead, he prefers "tavern-style" pizza, which evolved at bars that would put out free pizza for customers to keep them in the house to spend more money on booze. Most people think of deep-dish pizza when they hear the phrase "Chicago style," but not Leonard, who has never been much of a fan of the heavy, saucy pie that draws more tourists than Chicago natives in its home town. Jared Leonard, founder of the Budlong Hot Chicken and AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q, is turning to another of his Chicago food obsessions for his next concept, Grabowski's, which he plans to open later this summer in the recently vacated Comida spot at the Source (3330 Brighton Boulevard). For the rest of us, it's a name used for hardworking, blue-collar Chicagoans, the kind who just want a cold beer and some pizza (nothing fancy just a cracker-thin crust, and cut it into squares, for the love of Mike) at the end of the day. It's not ever meant to burn your tongue it's just meant to make you sweat, your nose will run a little bit," he said.Ĭraveworthy Brands acquired the brand in 2022 and intends to refresh, grow and begin franchising beyond Chicago starting in 2023.What's a Grabowski? If you're a Chicago Bears fan, Chicago ex-pat or Mike Ditka follower, you probably already know. "It's spicy, it's got a well-rounded flavor. Classic is the entry level spice, a good intro to the Nashville style, then Hot, which is quite a bit spicier. Mild is just fried chicken, nothing added to it. The chicken has a beautiful, crisp outer shell, and maintains quite a bit of juiciness. It sits for up to a day, then gets fried in peanut oil, which has a high smoking point. But before the fryer, the chicken is dry-brined in salt and pepper, then dragged through a wet slurry, and finally, dredged in seasoned flour. Named for an old farm that used to exist in Lincoln Square in Illinois, The Budlong is proud to introduce Chicago to "Nashville Hot.“ "Nashville hot chicken is a fried chicken that has a cayenne pepper paste applied to it after it comes out of the fryer," said original Budlong creator Jared Leonard. Based on recipes from places like "Prince's Hot Chicken" and "Hattie B's" in Nashville, The Budlong has taken some of those ideas, made them their own, and have, in the process, created a wonderful little fried chicken joint. If you like spicy, then Nashville hot is for you. The Budlong, a fast-casual concept, originated in the Chicagoland area in 2016 with one purpose: serving the best hot chicken you’ve ever tasted, and Craveworthy Brands now operate 5 locations, with Franchising opportunities available starting in 2023. And save room for some homemade banana pudding for dessert. Sides are made-from-scratch daily – including buttermilk biscuits, creamy mac ‘n’ cheese and scratch-made farm slaw – better than your Southern mother’s recipe, we get told a lot. The Budlong serves a variety of made-to-order (and plentiful) chicken sandwiches, available in both breast and thigh (our personal favorite, trust us.), 5 hot sauces ranging from mild to berserk!!!, tenders and salads. Each Budlong plate is served atop buttered Texas toast, with house-made Budlong pickles. ![]() The Budlong crew use locally sourced, anti-biotic & hormone free chickens – hand-breaded and fried-to-order from our own top-secret recipe. Our Hot Fried Chicken is enjoyably spicy, deliciously crispy & firmly Southern-rooted. Welcome to The Budlong, a Nashville Hot Chicken Joint. ![]()
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