Hashbrowns: The Sequel or The Return of the Killer Potatoes

The Slow and Savory Review

Brandy has never been one to repeat herself.  Indeed, one of her sworn promises when beginning to record her culinary adventures through this blog was to never eat at the same place twice, but that promise has proven to be more complicated than originally expected.  "What I wasn't counting on was things like expanding locations and the rise in seasonal menus, meaning most places in Chicago change their brunch items every few weeks," Brandy sighs, "So I've had to make exceptions from time to time."

One exception Brandy decided to make was for Hashbrowns, which she visited at their Maxwell Street location way back in 2011.  As a perennial favorite of the Chicago Taste Festival, founder Ronnie Ruffolo wanted to take his vision of an affordable, home made, casual dining experience a little farther North of University Village, and last year, a brand new location was opened in Old Town, providing the same menu of comfort food favorites to a whole new neighborhood.  Hashbrowns reached out to Brandy to come compare the new spot with the Maxwell Street location, and as a public service, she felt she must accept the offer.  "Technically, it's not the same, I suppose," she said in an attempt to justify her back tracking, "But really, how can one's experience anywhere ever be considered the same?  You'd have to arrive at the same exact time, on the same exact day, sit at the same table, have the same server... there's a lot of variables involved and... oh sod it, I'm going back because I bloody well want to!"

The inside of Hashbrowns' Old Town location certainly had a few things in common with the Maxwell Street location (the modern look with an exposed, industrial ceiling, the brown fabric panels on the walls, the open kitchen at the back), but this space seemed much more open and sunny, which Brandy appreciated, especially on such a beautiful day.  The main dining area could easily seat 100 or so without anyone feeling too crowded in, and with an additional 50 seats on the covered patio, Brandy could easily see this being an excellent option for diners on busy summer weekends with little to no wait time and comfortable seating.

To start off with, Brandy ordered up one of the house specials, the Killer Hashbrowns.  More a casserole than what one would typically expect of the oft neglected potato side dish, "The Killer" appeared more like a thick slice of lasagna.  The shredded potatoes within had a surprisingly firm texture with a nice tartness from the sour cream, as well as an awesomely crispy top, which was made from, of all things, crumbled corn flakes.  "Well, I can certainly see why they call this "Killer Hashbrowns," Brandy remarked, "I think I could easily eat a whole pan of this deliciousness, though I'm not certain my body could survive the intake of all those potatoes."

Next up Brandy ordered the Bridgeport Burger, which coincidentally had the same flavor profile as the burrito she had ordered the first time around (Hashbrowns offers omelets, burritos, and burgers in signature flavor combinations, all named after different Chicago neighborhoods).  "The burrito was quite disappointing all those years ago, so this is a matter of redemption," she commented to no one in particular.  The burger, made from premium New York strip, came simply dressed with some melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese on a pretzel bun and a few of the usual veggie accompaniments.  Though a little dry, the burger packed a great punch of meaty flavor, something that can often be taken for granted.  "I do enjoy a burger that actually tastes of meat," Brandy contemplated, "And its rather refreshing to have one that's not been dowsed in sauces and toppings to disguise it.  Simple, clean, and flavorful.  That is definitely comfort food in my book."  The burger also came with a generous side of hand cut sweet potato fries.  Those too had a nice clean flavor to them, and though not as crispy as Brandy might have liked, she still appreciated the attention to detail put into them, right down to the sea salt on top and the adorable basket they came served in.

Lastly for a little sweetness, Brandy ordered the Cinnamon Blueberry French Toast.  As we all know, Brandy is pretty picky about her French toast, even turning her nose up at concoctions made by some of the most highly regarded restaurants in Chicago, but this French toast was absolutely perfect.  The bread was eggy and soft, but still maintained a little firmness, the coating had a great warm cinnamon flavor, and the blueberries on top added a little pop of tartness.  She was especially glad to see a side of vanilla syrup for dipping, which she remembered as one of her favorite things about her last meal at Hashbrowns.

With the same warm and attentive service, flavorful home made food ("It's a sad state of affairs when a restaurant has to proclaim they don't use anything pre-made or frozen!" Brandy scoffed), and incredibly reasonable prices she'd loved about the Maxwell Street location, but a larger, more open space, Brandy couldn't help planning to make this Hashbrowns one of her regular haunts.  "The only thing left is to stake my claim on one of the tables," she thought, "I'll need something by a window for the summer, but without too much of a draft in the winter, plus enough space to order every type of hashbrown on the menu... hmmm... perhaps a few more scouting trips are in order."

The writer's of this blog were invited to dine at Hashbrowns at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

The Short and Sweet Review

Hashbrowns or Breakfast: Starring Potatoes!

The Slow and Savory Review

It been almost a year now since Brandy started her journey through Brunchland, and if there is one food she has had more often than all the others (more than French toast, and yes, more than benedicts) it has to be potatoes.  Served as an often neglected side, it seems no brunch dish is complete without some sort of potato offering.  Brandy has had potatoes in every which way: shredded, diced, fried, roasted, crispy, soggy, spicy, unseasoned, and everything from Idaho Russets to creamy reds.  Needless to say, there is not much in the world of potatoes that Brandy has not seen.

Except one thing, and that one thing was what drew her to Hashbrowns, perennial attendee of the Chicago Taste Festival and favorite amongst students at nearby UIC.  The first thing that struck her upon walking in the door of Hashbrowns was the extraordinary smell; something sort of cinnamony and meaty and comforting.  She was greeted by a smiling server like she was a regular of the establishment (and indeed Brandy heard this very server greet all her tables like this, even knowing people's orders before they could tell her what they desired).  The decor was a little more modern than Brandy expected, and perhaps a little bare and industrial looking, but with nice homey touches.

Brandy started off with an order of Mini Waffles, which came four to a plate, with whipped cream, powdered sugar, and a delicious vanilla sauce on the side for dipping.  The waffles were perfect in texture, with a nice crisp outside and a light, airy inside.  The sauce packed just the right punch of flavor, adding an almost fruity taste to the confections.  But as Brandy's eternal war cry goes, a few pieces of fruit would have done wonders to heighten the taste.

For her main course, Brandy chose the Brideport Burrito, a flour tortilla encasing scrambled eggs, cheese, and steak, which came served with her main reason for being there: sweet potato hashbrowns.  Never before in the sea of potatoes that is Brunch, has Brandy ever heard of such a thing, which is exactly why she had to try them.  The burrito itself, though the eggs were nicely fluffy and the cheese plentiful, was rather bland and dull.  The steak used wasn't tender at all and had absolutely no flavor to it.  The only saving grace was the side of house made salsa, which added a much needed kick to the dish.  The hashbrowns on the other hand were anything but flavorless.  Apparently the delicious smell Brandy had experienced upon entering stemmed from this lovely offering.  Though not as crispy as she had anticipated, the texture of the hashbrowns seemed to fall somewhere between mashed and diced.  A lovely sweetness came from the caramelized onions that were scattered through out, and the top of the mound seemed to glitter with sugar and cinnamon.  Brandy's favorite memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas came flooding back with every mouthful.

With friendly service on par with what television diners have taught us to expect, Hashbrowns certainly does make a newcomer feel right at home.  Their name sake dish definitely did not disappoint, and in fact left Brandy wishing she had ordered the "Hashbrown Platter," a mix of both traditional and sweet potato hashbrowns for sampling.  Perhaps next time, and if other restaurants keep serving up bland, over cooked, and soggy side potatoes, there most likely will be a next time!

The Short and Sweet Review