Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Crickets!

The Cen-Tex Smoker
The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
edited March 2019 in EggHead Forum
we ate at Rick Bayless’ new place Leña Brava in Chicago (North Loop area) last night. Sadly, The food was underwhelming and the cocktails were atrocious. Had high hopes for this one because it’s 100% live fire cooking. They don’t even have a gas hookup in the restaurant. If they need to boil water, light a fire. They have 7 fires going at all times during service. We ordered the $90 tomahawk ribeye, the wood roasted half chicken, a mushroom tamale, cauliflower purée, and an avocado/crema dish that came with...crickets. Did not see that on the menu and we were all  like wtf????? The steak was cooked well but it was under seasoned and really chewy, the chicken was bland and the cocktails were really bad. The bar only served mezcal, sotol, and tequila. The cocktail I had was so smoky it tasted like an ash tray. Mezcal is an aquired taste and I have not yet acquired it. 

Anyhow, we tried the crickets and damnit if they weren’t delicious. They were like a chile-lime pistachio. Those and the cauliflower purèe were delicious and the best things on the table by a wide margin. 

Dont think i could recommend this place based on our experience but I’m really glad we tried it. I never would have ordered crickets but I wasn’t going to not try them once they were in front of us. 


Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
«13

Comments

  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,549
    Thanks for the writeup @The Cen-Tex Smoker
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,316
    Interesting. From the pics the Ribeye looks too rare. Think that contributed towards the chewiness? 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176
    We found some dried crickets at a store somewhere when we were out wandering and the idea seemed interesting to me. I wanted to try them, but my wife would have no part of it and talked me out of buying them. 
    Seemed like an interesting idea to me. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    That sucks that your experienced sucked.  I haven't been there but have enjoyed my experiences at Frontera and Cruz Blanca.  I have never had crickets but I wouldn't hesitate to try them.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    You are a better man than I. Couldn’t bring myself to try Crickets. Glad they were good. Taking your word for it. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • milesvdustin
    milesvdustin Posts: 2,882
    That steak looks like it was cooked a good rare to me. Was that not what you were after? 

    2 LBGE, Blackstone 36, Jumbo Joe

    Egging in Southern Illinois (Marion)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    SonVolt said:
    Interesting. From the pics the Ribeye looks too rare. Think that contributed towards the chewiness? 
    It could have. It felt a little under but it was still really chewy. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    saluki2007 said:
    That sucks that your experienced sucked.  I haven't been there but have enjoyed my experiences at Frontera and Cruz Blanca.  I have never had crickets but I wouldn't hesitate to try them.
    I wouldn’t say my experience sucked but I wouldn’t go again. The crickets actually added a lot to the meal and we have been talking about it all day. I would try some of his other places- I like his food and cook it all the time. This one just fell flat for me. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    northGAcock said:
    You are a better man than I. Couldn’t bring myself to try Crickets. Glad they were good. Taking your word for it. 
    Not something that I would have ordered but I think the genius of it was them just showing up. We all just kind of looked at each other and said “eff it”. Glad we did. They were really good. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    All looks great from here. Hard to see seasoning though. Never been to any of his places but I know they are highly regarded. You win some, you lose some. Onward and upward. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    pgprescott said:
    All looks great from here. Hard to see seasoning though. Never been to any of his places but I know they are highly regarded. You win some, you lose some. Onward and upward. 
    It was all very pretty. Just not very tasty. Except the bugs. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    man, that's a bummer.  bayless usually has a solid showing.  did you hit anything else interesting while in town? we don't make it downtown to eat all that often - but one of these days i want to hit band of bohemia.
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Check out Amazon. Plenty of crickets there.
    https://www.amazon.com/s?k=edible+crickets+for+humans&crid=US5SK9GJZQOJ&sprefix=crickets+for,aps,146&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_4_12

    Including "chili lime pumpkin seed". =)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    I bought some of those don bugitos when i was in SF.  for the price, it's just a novelty, and not the cheap protein replacement that bugs are billed as.  i felt pretty hip buying them though...

    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    Hugo's here used to have crickets on its menu as an appetizer.  I think caliqueen tried them once,  and liked them too.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,164
    I would have been really impressed if they brought them to the table in a cricket bucket with a half slice of white bread on the bottom 


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    ohhhh yeah - i had a little lizard as a pet when i was a kid.  bought a thing of crickets to feed it with, left the lid open.  bedroom full of crickets, unhappy mother...
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 34,708

    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike

    "The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand." - Deep Throat
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hoosier_egger
    hoosier_egger Posts: 6,808
    DoubleEgger said:
    I would have been really impressed if they brought them to the table in a cricket bucket with a half slice of white bread on the bottom 


    We always used a cut piece of potato. Catch bluegills for days on crickets in a little farm pond
    ~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan  - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, Ardore Pizza Oven
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,988
    Some of the stuff that you folks eat, I just don’t get it ;)

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hoosier_egger
    hoosier_egger Posts: 6,808
    SGH said:
    Some of the stuff that you folks eat, I just don’t get it ;)
    That's just nutts that you would say this.  =)
    ~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan  - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, Ardore Pizza Oven
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    blind99 said:
    man, that's a bummer.  bayless usually has a solid showing.  did you hit anything else interesting while in town? we don't make it downtown to eat all that often - but one of these days i want to hit band of bohemia.
    We had a good meal at Beatrix in North Loop (they have a few other locations as well). We are eating at Eatily tonight. After last nights $450 we will be a little more reserved tonight. Eatily is fun, reasonable, and the food is really good. We are good for one or 2 bigger nights out but we try to be good stewards of the company cash too. If we aren’t with customers, $150 a person is on the high side for us. We have drinks on top of that at other places so it adds up fast. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    SGH said:
    Some of the stuff that you folks eat, I just don’t get it ;)
    Cricket anus is delicious. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Where are you staying at?
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    saluki2007 said:
    Where are you staying at?
    We usually stay a Palmer house but they didn’t have enough rooms for my whole team this time. We ended up at Hilton Garden Inn Magnificent Mile. It’s not quite the Palmer House :). The Weber grill is the house restaurant. I’ve had a few drinks there but haven’t eaten there.  
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    saluki2007 said:
    Where are you staying at?
    We usually stay a Palmer house but they didn’t have enough rooms for my whole team this time. We ended up at Hilton Garden Inn Magnificent Mile. It’s not quite the Palmer House :). The Weber grill is the house restaurant. I’ve had a few drinks there but haven’t eaten there.  
    Yep, know exactly where that is.  Have you ever been to Jake Melnick's?  It's just a couple blocks north of there.  Great chicken wings and bloody marys.  If you go that way you have to stop into Streeters Tavern.  It's a nice local bar that's below the street.  The Beacon Tavern and The Pink Pig are near your hotel too.  Great places to eat.  
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    Quartino across the street from you is a pretty good spot for a group
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    saluki2007 said:
    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    saluki2007 said:
    Where are you staying at?
    We usually stay a Palmer house but they didn’t have enough rooms for my whole team this time. We ended up at Hilton Garden Inn Magnificent Mile. It’s not quite the Palmer House :). The Weber grill is the house restaurant. I’ve had a few drinks there but haven’t eaten there.  
    Yep, know exactly where that is.  Have you ever been to Jake Melnick's?  It's just a couple blocks north of there.  Great chicken wings and bloody marys.  If you go that way you have to stop into Streeters Tavern.  It's a nice local bar that's below the street.  The Beacon Tavern and The Pink Pig are near your hotel too.  Great places to eat.  
    Thank you! We will hit a few of those tonight. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    blind99 said:
    Quartino across the street from you is a pretty good spot for a group
    Thanks! 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dmchicago
    dmchicago Posts: 4,519
    Eataly was my go-to for meat for my last 2 years in Chicago. Great place and a foodie heaven.

    Enjoy!
    Philly - Kansas City - Houston - Cincinnati - Dallas - Houston - Memphis - Austin - Chicago - Austin

    Large BGE. OONI 16, TOTO Washlet S550e (Now with enhanced Motherly Hugs!)

    "If I wanted my balls washed, I'd go to the golf course!"
    Dennis - Austin,TX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories