111567 Mon Oct 14 16:45:13 -0700 2002 12 7 Chicago Area 0 604317 soooo. . . . Anyone gonna tell me what I (and a few others) missed? Mon Oct 14 16:45:13 -0700 2002 0 zim 1 604319 Besides good company, good food and fun had by all? Mon Oct 14 16:59:05 -0700 2002 604317 0 dougk 2 604341 La Creole is out-of-the-way for most of us – and way worth the trip. Something that always amazes me at these chowfests is that I almost invariably end up eating something (or even several things) that I have never had before. Sunday night, the new things were particularly good. None of this stuff has ever been in my gullet before: -- Malanga is a root that is a lot like potato – it’s also the world’s most hypoallergenic food (even people with extreme allergies can eat it, or so I’ve read). It fries up nice and we ate a lot. -- Pain Patate: a kind of sweet potato pie/cake thing, but much denser and purple, with a touch of ginger. I’m not a huge dessert guy, but this was my idea of a good thing to eat at the end of the meal (or, in my case, at the end of serial meals throughout the three hours or so we were at La Creole). Not too sweet, but very creamy. -- Red Snapper Eye: Actually, this wasn’t on the menu, but VI pulled out the ocular organ from his slab of snapper, offered it to me, and I – frat-boy style – took the dare and wolfed it down. Becoming addicted to that familiar “pop.” There was also a lot of stuff I’ve had before but really liked a lot on Sunday: -- Ox-tail is something I’ve had in soups, but it was never better (and I mean that!) than at La Creole. Maurice, our genial host, told me that he boils it a lot to “get all the fat out.” I don’t know, these bony bits were full of rich goodness and tasted plenty fatty (and I mean that in a very good way). -- Goat was very nicely prepared – it was toothsome, and crisp, and musky, and meaty. -- The scalloped potatoes tended to be kind of the wallflowers at this dance, off in the corner, sometimes ignored, but they were really very good. Light, creamy, and an excellent complement to the goat. -- The red snapper was some of the best I’ve had. Many people oohhhed and ahhhed as they ate. I think I saw three fishies come out to feed us. We all owe Rene a huge “thanks” for “discovering” La Creole, and setting all this up with Maurice. Thanks Rene – The Wife and I had a great (and greatly filling) time – and it’s always good to see hounds en masse at table. Pix are included at the Chowadventures site. There are now 35 photos on this site (La Creole is represented on photos 21-35 – just click the Photos tab and then page through to get there). Link: http://home.attbi.com/~dchammond/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html Tue Oct 15 01:10:59 -0700 2002 604319 0 David C. Hammond 3 604351 David, thanks for the overview and pix. I really wanted someone else to do the original narrative so I could just pip in. Now, that you've done that, I can pip. Much credit goes to ReneG for even finding this place in a section of town not well traveled by most citizens. Then, for coaxing out such a vast array of food, wow! Like the Rumanian dinner, this was special not just for what we ate. As one of Dave's pictures shows, there was about 10 people wrangling up food for us. The really put on a show, offering not just typical Haitian dishes, but a meal. This was like Thanksgiving a month early, so boutiful was the table. There was no way anyone could leave less than stuffed, and I for one ate myself into an enjoyable stupor. Once again, this was a only in chowhound land experience, to get to try the food, served with such care and attention, in a way that just does not happen without proaction. That really supercedes how well any one dish was. I really am a carb guy I have come to realize as I laddled helping upon helping of that sweet potato bread on my plate. I also had more than a few plaintains and malanga fritters. I also had to eat both kinds of cakes and a slice of pie. Yet, when I had to get out relatively early, Rene admonished me, Dat Donut opens in an hour, where was I going? VI Tue Oct 15 09:56:39 -0700 2002 604341 0 Vital Information 1 604465 I hate to be the one to post something negative, but there's one thing I really dislike about Le Creole, it's too far from my house, 20+ miles, even though we both have City of Chicago mailing addresses. Everything else about Le Creole was just about the perfect Chowhound experience, delicious food, some of which I had never tasted before, warm, friendly, efficient staff and the company of ever interesting and surprisingly diverse Chowhounds. The Le Creole experience was enhanced by the fact that ReneG had not only done his Le Creole homework, going to the restaurant multiple times, discussing menu ideas with co-owner Maurice and educating himself about the cuisine. Rene also booked the entire restaurant, resulting in a one-off experience that is difficult to match. David H did an admirable job of outlining Le Creole's food, but I thought I would mention just a few items. The snapper, in addition to its eyeballs, was delicious, crisp fried and served in a habanero-laced sauce. The fried malanga was crisp and spicy on the outside with a soft creamy inside that had a flavor reminiscent of okra, delicious. I also enjoyed the ox tail, but my favorite was the goat. Le Creole's goat preparation reminded me of carnitas in that the meat texture was soft on the inside and crisp and spicy on the outside. Possibly the best goat or carnitas, for that matter, I have had. Service at Le Creole is a family affair with head chef and co-owner, Therese, who is married to Dominque, past master coffee maker, on hand along with their son, Yves, Master Cake Baker, and his wife Marie, who was our patient, kind and efficient waitress. Also on hand were Kettia, Therese's daughter and her daughter Serena and George, a co-owner. Of course Maurice, co-owner and host extraordinare, was on hand to guide us through the Le Creole experience. Once again, thanks to ReneG for taking the time to set up such an enjoyable Chowhound outing and to my fellow Chowhounds who made Le Creole such an enjoyable experience for my wife Ellen and I. I posted pictures, a few of which I stole from David Hammond, link provided. Enjoy, Gary Link: http://www.sptsb.com/click_on_image_for_full_sized_pi.htm Wed Oct 16 12:58:58 -0700 2002 604317 0 G Wiv 2 604469 Gary, thanks to you and to David for the photos and extensive description. My questions are: How much of what was served during the dinner, if anything, is on the standard menu at Le Creole? I gather the place is BYOB. What type(s) of wine and/or beer might one bring along to Le Creole with the greatest likelihood of pairing successfully with the widest number of items on the standard menu? Thanks. Wed Oct 16 13:21:52 -0700 2002 604465 0 Harry V. 3 604474 One of the reasons I held back on doing a full report on Le Creole was that I had no idea what half the stuff was, especially as it related to the menu. Interestingly, the Le Creole menu features a bunch of dishes NOT served on Sunday: American soul food and jerk chicken. As to the wine, there's a funny story here, but I think you will have to come to a chowhound gathering to get it. Before the meal, I did an Internet search to see if there was any references to a wine to drink with Haitian food (to see if something in my limited cellar would work). I found no articles (granted I did not spend a lot of time on this, Zim), but I recently came into possession or Robert Parker's massive wine compendium (6th ed.--thanks Mom). His writing about Alsatian Muscats made them sound like a perfect wine match for Haitian food. In fact it seemed like any Alsacatian wine would work. Ultimo, I think I saw you brought a Pinot Gris. Work? Wed Oct 16 14:04:53 -0700 2002 604469 0 Vital Information 3 604631 Harry, Much of what we had at Le Creole is not offered on the menu, at least it’s not on the menu they gave us to take home, though that may be the takeout menu and not the regular restaurant menu. Rene might be the only Chowhound who has been to Le Creole during regular business hours, he would be able to give you a more definitive answer. As Vital Info, the Mayor of Chicago Chowhound, said I brought an Alsatian Pinot Gris, which I didn’t think worked all that well, a bit on the light side. I had planned on bringing a dryish Riesling, but didn’t realize I was out, so I brought the Pinot Gris, which I had on hand. I also had a couple of bottles of Shiraz in the trunk of my car, but we never got around to them. Retrospectively I think the Shiraz, or a Cotes du Rhone, would have worked well. Beer wise, the Bells Two Hearted Ale was a winner, but any slightly aggressive beer would work. The food at Le Creole was assertively spiced with a rich full flavor, but not fatty or greasy. For example, the ox tail was rich tasting, without being the least bit oily. As has been said, we had a wonderful time, good food, good company, only thing missing was Harry the Fifth. If you submitted a written request well in advance to the Federal Marshals wouldn’t they at least consider letting you join Chowhounds next time out? I realize you need to keep a low profile, what with the trial coming up the first of the year, but at least give them a chance to consider the idea. Enjoy, Gary Fri Oct 18 09:44:42 -0700 2002 604469 0 G Wiv 4 604814 Thanks Gary, sounds like good advice. My lady and I look forward to joing a Chowhound outing soon - I'm sure the planets will align propitiously in due course. Tue Oct 22 14:37:25 -0700 2002 604631 0 Harry V. 3 604706 I’m not certain but I don’t think Le Creole would welcome BYOB in day to day operation. I’ve certainly never seen it. As for wine, it’s tough to think of something that would go well with red snapper, conch, oxtails, and goat, all with varying degrees of spiciness. Definitely the Alsatians come to mind and I like Gary’s suggestion of Shiraz, that would have been interesting. I had a chance to try several wines (well, okay, more than several) and my favorite match (I suppose compromise would be a better word) for the food was a Duboeuf Morgon Beaujolais 2001. Duboeuf sells two versions of the Morgon and the slightly more expensive one was significantly better. I think more complex wines would be lost with this sort of food. Beer would be an excellent choice and I very much enjoyed a bottle of Gary’s Belk’s Bitter. In my original post on Le Creole I listed the Haitian menu. On any given day most of it is not available but they usually seem to have 3 or 4 dishes: jerk chicken, Creole chicken, grillots (pork chunks served with that spicy slaw), legume, goat, or oxtails. If there is something you particularly want just call them a day or two in advance and they’ll probably make it for you. Of course they would be more than happy to do catering. Let me emphasize that Le Creole is a very basic restaurant--order at counter, TV blaring, plastic forks, etc. Not everyone would be comfortable eating there. Thanks to everyone who made the trip. I think that was the closest most of us will get to eating a home cooked meal at our Haitian Grandma’s house. Sun Oct 20 02:02:52 -0700 2002 604469 0 Rene G 4 604816 Thanks Rene. As you suggest, a young beaujolais is usually a sound default when anticipating an unknown menu. Tue Oct 22 14:51:57 -0700 2002 604706 0 Harry V. 2 604470 Gary, thanks for even more pix, even the ones not cribbed from Hat Productions. Thanks also for explaining the multitudes of people behind the scenes. Your mentioning of the sauce on the fish reminded me of something not yet mentioned, the condiment/cole slaw/vehicle for kamikazee eating eagerly gobble up by chowhounds. Perhaps someone has a picture of this thing, it is hard otherwise to fully appreciate. It looked like a cabbage salad but was intended to be dribbled on the meat dishes. Many of us, like me, cheated and not only put it on everything, we ate it as a salad too. Much of the flavor in this "thing" came from sliced habenero/scotch bonnet peppers. At one point in the night, Therese said that the peppers were not just there for show, but could be eaten too. So, I took a nibble. I survived. So, I took a whole slice. I survived, but there was recovery time, added by numerous gulps of the pain patate. This was, of course, the very moment, that Arirka decided to have her first words of the night with me (btw Arika, sorry for not having more a chance to chat). Later in the evening, the hatted one also decided to to take the plunge. Perhaps he can best, with his superior prose skills, teach us exactly what happens when one tosses down sliced habeneros wily-nily. VI Wed Oct 16 13:30:31 -0700 2002 604465 0 Vital Information 3 604479 I have to say, the first dish of the slaw/relish I got to was pretty mild, leading me into the temptation of diving into the next dish, which to say the least wasn't. Luckily Ultimo had seen fit to share some fine Bells, which helped mightily in my recovery. Wed Oct 16 14:30:32 -0700 2002 604470 0 dougk