On Sunday, the latest episode of CNN's Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown debuted with Chicago as its subject. The chef-turned-author-turned-TV personality praised the city, calling it one of the country's "last great no bullshit zones" and a "big, brash, muscular, broad shouldered motherfuckin' city."
In the spirit of the title of the program, Bourdain laid out that he wasn't going to highlight the "best" of the city or an "iconic feature of Chicago life," as that kind of content is reserved for the Travel Channel. The show made an attempt to show what Chicago is really like for those who live here, and sort of fails in the process. He dined at Longman & Eagle with a Second City improvisor, ate with Lupe Fiasco's family at his mother's home, chatted and drank with regulars at Old Town Ale House (which, ironically, was featured in his show The Layover on the Travel Channel four years ago) among several other classic Chicago spots.
We're not trying to tell Bourdain, CNN and company how to run their show; what we are saying is that his depiction is trite, and we have some suggested unknown parts that could, to paraphrase Bourdain, act as "happy metaphors" for the city he loves.
Pho 888: While Bourdian would love the spicy variations of pho at the nearby Tank Noodle, he’d likely appreciate the hole-in-the-wall ambiance of Pho 888. The small Argyle restaurant serves some of the best beef pho in the area, specializing in flavorful tendon, tripe and flank steak. If you add too much hot sauce, you can always cool down with a post-meal boba smoothie.
The Green Lady: This underrated bar serves locals a great array of drafts with knowledgeable staff who are friendly to regulars and seem to always know what beer you’re looking for. There’s thirty rotating taps and you probably can’t go wrong with a single one.
Fat Willy’s Rib Shack: Did you know that across from the Regal Western movie theater around the corner from Owen & Engine (yes, Owen & Engine) there’s really great barbecue? Thick steak fries and pulled pork dominate the menu—and you can drench it all in as much sauce as you’d like. Grab a PBR tallboy to pair it with, helps wash all that grease and fat right down.
Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap: This Little Italy stalwart has been around forever and is frequented by neighborhood residents who order the lemon chicken, served with potatoes drenched in citrus. The servers have seen the area change over the years and always recognize a friendly face—Bourdain could have chatted them up.
Richard’s Bar: Old Town Ale House is definitely a bar full of character, but it pales in comparison to that of Richard’s. The beers are cheap, they serve up pickled hard-boiled eggs and beef jerky and there’s so much smoke embedded in the walls from generations past that you can literally smell it. Old Town Ale House is definitely filled with history and eccentric patrons, but it plays second fiddle to Richard’s in terms of capturing an old school Chicago experience.
Red Hot Ranch: This late night stand offers one of the best burger you can get in the city. For a mere $6 you can get a double cheeseburger with fries—and it totally hits the spot. Maybe Bourdain shouldn’t visit this one—some secrets you’ve gotta keep for yourself.
Crazy Bird Chicken: When you think of food in Chicago, fried chicken isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But this Lawndale joint serves up fried birds and mountainous piles of fries unlike anyone else in town. On Fridays and Saturdays, the spot makes smoked rib tips in a small aquarium smoker that are capable of knocking your socks off. Bourdain gave some love to the breaded steak sandwich at Ricobene’s, but everyone in the damn city is at least mildly aware of that Bridgeport spot. In terms of grease joints that are “unknown,” this one takes the cake.
Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar: There are so many great things about Maria’s that it hurts. For starters, it’s a “slashie,” a term coined by Chicagoans for bars that double as liquor stores. Until recently, you could also get Pleasant House pies brought straight into the bar while you drink—that will soon be replaced by the owners’ new spot, Kimski. The Polish/Korean hybrid cuisine is set to be something that exists exclusively in Chicago.
Medici’s on 57th: In the episode, Bourdain ventured to Hyde Park and ate at Valois Restaurant, which is a perfectly great spot. It’s not exactly unknown, though—President Barack Obama praised it as his favorite restaurant in the neighborhood and even ate there with former Governor Pat Quinn a couple of years ago. If Bourdain wanted to capture a bit more of the character of the hood that’s home to the University of Chicago, he should’ve hit up Medici’s on 57th. The food is solid, but the Sharpie scribbles all over the tables and booths are a real treat. Patrons have been leaving rants and poems on the Med’s dining surfaces since it opened in 1963.
One of several Polish dive bars: They don’t make bars like these anymore. Bourdain really missed out on a huge chunk of Chicago culture when he didn’t visit one of the city’s numerous Polish dives. Yes, these aren’t your prettiest watering holes (that’s not pub grub you’re smelling) and their best beers don’t come out of a tap, but these serviceable taverns are home to some of the friendliest bartenders in the city. Couldn’t you picture Bourdain tossing back a few Żywiec and shooting a game of cheap pool? Or belting his way through an '80s song at Alice’s late night karaoke? Podlasie Club, Zakopane or Stella’s Tap all would've been worthwhile options as well.