Peter Stromquist

Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • BBQ King Smokehouse Review – Huntley, IL

      BBQ King Smokehouse Review A friend wanted to check this place out, had never had brisket before and wanted to see what all the hubbub was about.  So we drove out to the Huntley edition of the BBQ King Smokehouse, we could have opted for his other location, in Woodstock IL, as well.  This […]

  • Wendys Pretzel Burger Review

      Wendys Pretzel Burger Review I haven’t been in a Wendy’s in years, but their new offering, the Pretzel Pub Bacon Cheeseburger caught my eye. I like bacon. And cheese. And pretzels. How bad can it be? The “official” ingredient list: Fresh, never-frozen beef, warm beer cheese sauce, Applewood smoked bacon, smoky honey mustard, crispy fried […]

  • Petes Hamburger Stand Review

    My Petes Hamburger Stand Review.  For over 100 years, 112 to be exact as of this year, Pete’s Hamburger Stand has been opening Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, summers only, to sell their unique hamburgers to a hungry public. Why unique?  Because they are BOILED. But in the interest of accurately, I think “simmered” (in water) […]

  • Golden Dome Cafe Review – Fairfield, Iowa

      Back in the “before times” I was making one of my annual treks through Iowa, and the route took me thru Fairfield, population 10,000 and home to Maharishi International University (MIU),  is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features a “consciousness-based education” system that includes the practice of […]

  • Asadoras Argentinas Burgers Review – Oswego, IL

    My Asadoras Argentinas Burgers  Review comes with a spoiler. It’s terrific! I’ve had a great deal of satisfaction lately in exploring unique restaurants in small towns in the Upper Midwest.  You stumble on to them and are almost tempted to say “what the heck is that doing here?” Such was the case in Oswego, IL, […]

  • Smokin Coop BBQ Review

    Smokin Coop BBQ Review Smokin Coop BBQ Review Belvidere Illinois. Out in the West Texas town of El Paso, I……wait. Never mind. On a country road between Chicago and Rockford, IL, there’s a guy doing BBQ every summer, Mon-Sat, lunch, and dinner. Completely “al fresco” there are picnic tables and chairs scattered under the trees […]

  • Taylor Maid-Rite Review Marshalltown

    Taylor Maid-Rite Review Marshalltown “Maid-Rite” restaurants started as a single outlet in Muscatine, Iowa, in 1926. For those unfamiliar with the term, the “Maid-Rite” is a loose meat sandwich, cooked on a steam table with onions, mustard, and “secret seasonings,” piled on a steamed bun with mustard and pickles. Locations come and go, but as […]

  • Sicilia Italian Bakery Chicago Review

    In this neighborhood that I have written about before, with great businesses like The Original Nottoli & Son, Italian-centric merchants flourish. One is the Sicilia Bakery, which sells all kinds of delicious goodies as you’ve never imagined, creative takes on the traditional Italian cannoli, plus cookies, Italian ices, coffee, a multitude of breads, and sandwiches. […]

  • The Original Nottoli & Son Review Chicago

    The Original Nottoli & Son Review Chicago The area around Harlem Avenue, just south of Interstate 90, about twenty miles NW of downtown Chicago, has truly become the area’s new “Little Italy.” There are literally dozens of Italian-centric delis, markets, bakeries and restaurants. I’ve looked at a couple of them before, including another deli named […]

  • Ginos East Frozen Pizza Review

    Ginos East Frozen Pizza Review Gino’s East is a downtown Chicago restaurant that specializes in one of the versions of “Chicago Deep Dish.”  They opened just off the magnificent mile in 1966.  They subscribe to the version that is “crust, cheese, toppings, sauce.” Other versions  in the same segment are more focused on the amount […]

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