FOODIE REVIEW: FLAVOR RESTAURANT

Nadirah’s Perspective:

Two weeks ago, hubby and I ventured to a restaurant named Flavor for a birthday brunch. This restaurant is located in the South Suburban area of Flossmoor at 3315 Vollmer Rd., IL 60422, within a mini mall.   Although the menu reads with Southern/Cajun style flair, this place also offers great breakfast options.  This was hubby’s first visit but this was my third time here and I will share some photos from my current and past visits. 

During this recent visit, I indulged in an entrée of Turkey Meatloaf ladled with Cajun style gravy of tomato, peppers, and spices that was served with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies, consisting of carrots and broccoli.  The portions served at this place are always plentiful and flavor was definitely present.  I was a little leery about the Cajun style sauce atop of my meatloaf but I will admit that it complemented the dish very well.  The vegetables weren’t spectacular due to the lack of seasoning but I did enjoy the fact that they were steamed to perfection (not mushy).  The mashed potatoes were ok but again, with the Cajun sauce, everything melded well together in this dish. 

TURKEY MEATLOAF WITH MASHED POTATOES AND STEAMED VEGGIES 

Honestly, the stars at this restaurant are the variety of dessert-like breakfast pancakes/waffles: Red-Velvet, Georgia Peach Cobbler, Sweet Potato and Banana Foster.  All I can say is, “Ummmm, Ummmm, Oh my goodness, this is SOOOOO GOOD!!!” I am not exaggerating when I say it is like eating dessert as your main meal. Syrup or san syrup, you can eat these decadent pancakes/waffles with pure enjoyment over the sweetness and whopping size of your plate. 

SO SORRY BUT I WAS EXCITED AND  FORGOT TO TAKE THE PIC FIRST ... RED VELVET PANCAKE!!!

Overall, throughout my three visits, I have experienced some hit and misses over particular dishes and it was probably due to our time of going … Father’s Day Rush.  However, I can confidently suggest to you all my main staples when I get there: Fried Green Tomatoes with Grit Cakes, Mini Salmon Croquettes, any of the breakfast skillets (Eggs, Smothered Potatoes, your choice of meat and veggies), and without a doubt, the Red Velvet Pancake or Waffle.

Enjoy your meal and pleasant wait staff at Flavor!

Troy’s Perspective:

Veggie Omelet with Spinach and Bacon

The omelet that I ordered at Flavor had just that … flavor. The light, fluffy omelet really excited my pallet and was thoroughly enjoyable. I ordered the veggie omelet due to the mix of vegetables that were offered and I added the complement of spinach and bacon for additional taste factors. The small cut potatoes that accompanied the meal were well seasoned, cooked to perfection and gratifying.  The meal was pleasing and I would recommend it to anyone. The restaurant seems to be a family-owned restaurant that was very accommodating to the large group that I was a part of that afternoon. Our waiter Matthew was very hospitable and systematically helped out our party to enjoy our experience.

VEGGIE OMELET WITH SPINACH AND BACON AND SEASONED POTATOES 

Being the greedy person I am (on the weekends), I left the restaurant with a Jerk Chicken Skillet with Scrambled Eggs. This was something that I really took a chance on because I never order jerk chicken from a place that does not specialize in Caribbean cuisine. As I mentioned earlier, being a bit greedy on the weekends, I was very intrigued with the ingredients of the skillet and the element of jerk chicken as an option. I cannot say anything negative about the meal at all!  The jerk chicken was perfectly seasoned, the eggs were fluffy and not overcooked, the veggies in the skillet were prepared to perfection and the potatoes were just as good with the skillet as they were with my omelet. This was a meal that I ate at home and did not heat up. I enjoyed the meal so much that I ate the entire meal without taking a picture or asking my wife to try. If you like something with spice and ingredients that are nice, the Jerk Chicken Skillet is awesome and a must try.

BREAKFAST SKILLET WITH TURKEY SAUSAGE  
(FIRST VIEW)

SECOND VIEW

CHICKEN AND WAFFLE

MAC AND CHEESE  (STOVE TOP TASTE)

SHRIMP AND GRITS LOADED WITH GREEN ONION, BACON, AND CHEDDAR CHEESE

2014 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW'S FIRST LOOK FOR CHARITY

MFF REPRESENTING AT THE AUTO SHOW

Nadirah’s Perspective: On February 7, 2014, hubby, my brother, and I (MFF) had the pleasure of attending the 2014 Chicago Auto Show’s First Look for Charity located at McCormick Place.  The tickets were $250.00 but please understand that portions of the money go to a charity or charities of your choice that are previously selected as participates.  We chose the Jesse White Tumbling Team and were invited to a pre-event reception hosted by Secretary of State, Jesse White.   Oh, did I mention that the event provided a plethora of free food and drinks throughout the night, while you have the extending honor of sitting in the multitude of fabulous and expensive automobiles. So ladies and gentlemen, without further adieu, let’s start with my favorite subject … FOOD! With over 30 venders in attendance, some of restaurant participants included: Andy’s Frozen Custard, Devon Seafood, Garrett Popcorn Shops, David Burke’s Primehouse, Real Urban Barbeque, Roy’s Restaurant, Savor Restaurant, Texas de Brazil, Union Sushi & Barbeque, ZED 451, etc.  I will admit that I almost had to be rolled out by the end of the night due to my gluttonous behavior.  Yes readers, I tried to eat at every vendor I saw and smelled.  From Slow Braised Beef Steak to Spicy Shrimp Dumplings, almost every entrée presented was delicious. However, the award-winning dish of the night was … wait for it … Maple Black Pepper Bacon Skewers presented by David Burke’s Primehouse.  Now before I receive comments asking, “YOU WERE EATING PORK?” YES, I WAS EATING BACON AND I ENJOYED EVERY SWEET, CARMELIZED, AND TENDER MOMENT OF IT ALL!!! It got so bad that I became a regular at the food station that the chefs offered to take pictures with us. So thank you Chef Rick Gresh and Chef Jeff Sauer for your hospitality, willingness to take pictures and enduring my bacon cravings.  YOU GUYS AND THE MENU WERE AWESOME!!!
 

Besides the food selections, the cars were amazing too. I’m not a car connoisseur but I did enjoy sitting in a fully loaded Bentley and Rose Royce.  The leather was like (in a lovable Jewish mom voice) “butta.” My only dislike was the fact that there was one particular guy going around in that section of luxury cars asking us not to get in the cars with our drinks.  Keeping in mind that having drinks in hand is allowed everywhere else in the facility, I did find that to become quickly annoying. Granted that I didn’t see him give anyone else this directive but I didn’t spend the evening following him around just to make sure that he would. 

All in all, this Black Tie Affair is worth the money and the trip. Donned in tuxedos and after five attire, glamour is the aim and enjoyment is the game.  Food, drinks, music, and two car giveaways are just some of the perks of attending this phenomenal event. I promise you that once you attend the First Look Charity Auto Show, you will not want to go to the public option.

HUBBY, CHEF JEFF SAUER, ME, AND CHEF RICK GRESH

MAPLE BLACK PEPPER GLAZED BACON SKEWERS

I'M TAKING OVER THE BACON!!!

AND CHEF RICK GRESH IS GOING TO LET ME

Troy’s Perspective:

The Chicago Auto Show’s First Look for Charity was nothing less than spectacular. The night was filled with fantastic food, exhibition of exquisite cars and lots of fun. Being my second time attending this affair, I was once again blown away by the black tie affair. “Dressed to impress,” everyone looked stunning in his or her formal attire.  We started with a gathering in the Jesse White reception suite where my brother fell in love with the mozzarella and tomato quiche provided. We were also graced with the presence of our Secretary of State, Jesse White and a living legend with the ladies, (brilliant lookalike) Fabio. Both were happy to take pictures with my wife, brother and I, which created a magnificent start to the night to come. As mentioned earlier, this was our second time attending this event, so my lovely wife came with her map and game plan not to see cars, but to taste the food … she was ready.

The Food

I would blog about all the food stations visited, but I know my wife will have that covered. I will only announce to you my favorite food station. David Burke’s Primehouse assembly line style food station was nothing short of spectacular. The tasting started with a green Cesar salad that was rather tasty and pleasing to the pallet. Next in line was a tasting of his renowned beef that the Prime House is famous for serving. The Guava BBQ Glazed Beef Short Rib was tender, juicy, well seasoned and cooked to perfection. Then you move down to the bacon with maple syrup - WOW!!! The presentation alone was by far mouthwatering. The best part was watching my wife close her eyes and savor the moment of the sweet, salty and delectable flavor of the well-prepared bacon treat. My brother, wife and I went back at least four times. We just could not get enough. The executive chef of David Burke’s Rick Gresh noticed the repetition of us in line and was gracious enough to let us take a picture with him. By far David Burke’s Primehouse is a must go to if you are ever in the Chicago-land area.

The Cars

The First Look for Charity is always a great event to attend if you are a car enthusiast. My brother absolutely loves cars from how they are assembled, to the power of the engine, to the handling and drive of the vehicle. He really takes his cars seriously. The first look also gives you the opportunity to take a close look at the more high-end cars that the general public only view from a distance. I enjoyed the opportunity to physically sit in and admire the comfort and feel of the Rose Royce Wraith and Bentley Azure before I acquire my very own. It was a time that I thoroughly enjoyed with my family and look forward to next year.

Only Obstacle

There is only one downside that you have to ready to endure… the walking.  Attending this event requires you to walk a minimum of about 5 miles. This includes the walk from the parking lot, coat check, the charity reception, visiting various food/beverage stations, and viewing numerous cars of your choice. Don’t forget you have to do everything a second time as you leave the event. I felt so bad for all women in their high heels. My wife’s feet were scorching by the end of the night; but thanks to the Cadillac vendors providing pink slippers to the women, it did help to relieve some pressure. That was a lifesaver for me.

The night in itself was beautiful and I look forward to attending next year. If you ever have a chance to donate to a charity of your chose and attend the First Look for Charity Chicago Auto Show do so because you will not be disappointed.

WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION

SPICY SHIRMP DUMPLING,  BRAISED SHORT RIB,  AND BACON SKEWER

KICKING OFF THE NIGHT AT JESSE WHITE'S RECEPTION

CHICKEN SKEWERS, VEGETABLE BRUSCHETTA, MOZZARELLA/TOMATO QUICHE

FABIO'S LOOKALIKE ... GREAT GUY THOUGH

LOOKING HOLLYWOOD

I WOKE UP IN A NEW BUGGATTI

BENTLEY

LAMBORGHINI

HOTTI IN AN AUDI

JUST CHILLIN

IS THIS OUR NEW POP CULTURE? & QUICK, FAST AND IN A HURRY!

IS THIS OUR NEW POP CULTURE?

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Nadirah's Perspective:

     Happy New Year Readers!!! January came and will quickly leave behind thoughts of how our culture as rapidly changed.  If you were born in the 70's, raised to the music/television of the 80's, kicked it in the 90's, flipped out over the new millennium (remember Y2K), and eased into present time, you will understand our standpoint of the consistent but questionable change we've witnessed.  Every era of time we experience is introducing us to a new Pop Culture. Whether beehive hairdos, moonwalking dance moves, flower power, afros, the Beatles, Tupperware, remodeled cars, rock & roll, Hip Hop, Andy Warhol, and so on and so forth, every person has witnessed a significant change in our concept of Pop Culture. However, is today's "Pop Culture" iconic or just plain insane?

     Justin Beiber and Lil Wayne sipping on seizure-inducing $800.00 syrup, Lohan revolving doors through rehab, food addictions, blue meth addiction due to the glorification of TV's Breaking Bad phenomenon, Crocodile Heroin, addiction to idolizing entertainers, addiction to reality television shows, smart phone addictions (Crackberry/Apple picking assaults), addiction to violence through games/movies/music, sex addiction, social networking into the wee hours …. are you seeing a pattern? 

     Don't get me wrong, we all have our vises. Unfortunately, our current fast-paced technology is catapulting our vises into full-blown addictions.  For example, this past weekend we experienced internet withdrawal because our modem/router broke.  Everyone in the household felt naked and went damn-near crazy.  Now with our crisis averted, we made it our business to do two overdue blog posts on our newfound revelations. 

     Perhaps we could justify this state of addiction to the ever-changing new generations and our ability to upgrade technology at the speed of light.  Nevertheless, society has to bare witness that the world is moving too fast and too crazy for our young-minded children and even adults.  ATTENTION PLEASE PEOPLE,  let's try to stay atop of what we and our children are listening to, eating, doing and watching; in the hopes that the problems that these current addictions/pop culture icons are causing do not multiply into a catastrophe-filled pandemic.    

JUSTIN BEIBER'S DRUKEN MUGSHOT 

QUICK, FAST AND IN A HURRY!

Troy's Perspective: 

     America’s Pop Culture is full of addictive traits from food, friends, entertainment, lifestyle, relationships and self. We want everything fast, quick and in a hurry. America’s addiction to food is expanding along with our belt sizes. More children are obese along with abnormal health issues than ever before. Our relationships with our spouses, friends and family are becoming increasingly distant and dysfunctional due to social media and texting. We rarely have heart to heart conversations and when we do, they tend to be filled with disrespectful words, such as, N*gga & B*tch. We strive for ease and comfort, but become stressed out from our environments and overwhelming pressures that build and become unbearable. We value our self-worth by the capital that we are able to acquire and pay no mind to the inner connection to our spirit. The God-given gift of health is placed on the back burner for daily instant gratification of our senses of pleasure. We are in a hurry to satisfy all of our sensory needs, but lack the will and want to please the need to exercise for our own health. 

     Where is our love for self and others? Is "Love" a lost art that has to be taught to our children because they are not taught by the world in which they live. Relationships come and go like the wind. People are getting married before they learn their spouses’ middle name or even meet their parents; and couples get divorced before the change of the season. We are un-friending family, holding grudges on Facebook and kids are getting bullied via social media. People tend to love money before self, family and the world in which we live. Entertainment (music and movies) focuses on the marketing of sex and drugs, which is brainwashing the importance of life itself. Rich, fatty, sweet & salty fast foods diminish our health but the American pallet craves the taste of these evil indulgences. 

     Television, Internet, Smartphones, Xbox and I-Pad’s invade every American household. We have more accessories in our homes than books to read. The microwave is the focal point of cooking and the daily urge to buy something consumes us all. Water was something that we could go to the nearest water source and drink to replenish our dehydrated bodies. Nowadays, we have to consume water from plastic bottles that yet feed us another toxic source creating changes in our DNA.  Chemicals are being pumped into animals/vegetables for bigger, faster production and in our air to keep away mosquitoes. When I grew up, kids played outside until the street lights came on. Dreading to see the lights shimmering in the darkness created panic until the next day of play for the kids as their parents screamed their names from the front porch. The First Lady now has to beg kids and create campaigns for kids to go exercise for 60 minutes a day. Pills, thrills and squeals!!! We seek pills for solutions to our problems. Fast thrills come easy resulting in squeals from within from not knowing where we fit into this equation of the world's puzzle. Quick, fast and in a hurry … take a minute to think about our future. Now what are you going to do about it?

CALORIES, CALORIES, CALORIES .... YUMMY!!!