I just got back from Africa, so for dinner, I was looking for something a bit extraordinary. Well, I met my maker at Crisp in East Lakeview.
Time Out Chicago gave Crisp some hearts a few weeks ago, but I was still trying to hate…thinking that there just wasn’t enough room for two chicken places located a few blocks away from each other on Broadway Avenue. I was wrong. This shit is off the lanks. Koreans making chicken wangs?…What kind of joke is was this? I guess Ratatouille had it correct: any fool can cook.
We called a order in and I arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes later to find our food packed up and ready to go.
While I walked towards the kitchen, Doug (the owner) was busy chatting up the good news with the clientele, but quickly rushed over to the register to ring me up. He shovelled pleasantries over the counter while I paid; happily calling me out for picking up a order that was placed by a girl named ‘Mari.’ Thus indicating that I was some sort male Sherpa or food donkey for my better half. Call a spade a spade.
I thanked him and was overjoyed to see what kind of goodies would pop out of the carry-out bag.
We started off with the ‘Original Bad Buddha Bowl’ which was a conglomeration of shredded beef, marinated bean sprouts, spinach, shredded carrots, mushrooms and cucumber. Really effin tasty with the brown rice. A proper dish regardless of the fact that they forgot to add one of their signature sauces. Oh, the bowl is also topped off with a sunny side up egg…cuz that’s how the Koreans do shit.
Step the fuck off, Cadbury.
The wings. Simple concept: deep fried then seasoned. True, anyone might be able to cook, but on the same coin, most people can jack up a wing sauce something proper.
We got orders of the Crisp BBQ and Bud’s Buffalo Wings. My god. The BBQ wings were sweet and tangy, not like anything I’d had before. The wings were also topped off with sesame seeds which lent additional flavor and crunch to the bird. As for Bud Buffalo, I’m a fiend for spiciness, and damn, these buffalo wings represented. Stevie Wonder could have seen the chilies on this shit. I was sucking the flavor coating off the meat like a chickenhead on crackpipe.
Concerned about not getting enough food, we also ordered small bag of ‘Magic Mushrooms.’ These were the biggest letdown as a dipping sauce was also forgotten. I threw some soy sauce on the cuties and made do. Unless these sauces are a orgasm in a ramekin, I’d be hesitant to purchase shrooms again.
Overall, Crisp has a good thang going. Trustafarians and wankstas should continue to bolster Doug’s bird business for years to come. Clearly, he has made a solid move in catering to this sqad rather than the hard guys who roll thru Chicken Hut. Regardless, if war is raged, I’d still bet on the ‘Vatos de Hut’ to hold down the North-Chi cluck cluck biz.
2 Comments
hmmmm, koreans sound so delicious!
Darwensi,
Thanks for the posting on Crisp. First, I’d like to apologize for not including a dipping sauce with your order of Marty’s Magic Mushrooms. Please stop by again and identify yourself and myself or Jae will be happy to make up for our transgression. Secondly, I have an inquiry regarding your comment on the Bad Boy Buddha Bowl. You commented that you did not receive one of the signature sauces — did you receive any sauce at all? We typically provide “kochu jang” (the traditional hot red bean paste) with this dish unless the customer requests a milder sauce. Again, we would be happy to make up for our transgression.
Thanks again. We look forward to seeing you again.
Best Regards,
Douglas Funke and Jae Lee
Crisp