Subscrybe App in Logan Square Part 2

A few weeks ago, Brandy discovered some of the joys of Logan Square with help from the Subscrybe App and had such fun doing it, that she simply had to return for another culinary tour of the neighborhood.  This time, she brought along Starr, otherwise known as Chicago Foodie Girl, who was also anxious to put this modern miracle to the test.

Subscrybe is an app currently available in the iTunes store that gives their subscribers a pass to their neighborhood with weekly and daily redeemable deals at local businesses.  Monthly subscriptions are $59.95 and weekly subscriptions are only $19.95.  Currently, the app is featuring their inaugural pass to Logan Square, but plans for other neighborhood and cuisine specific passes are in the works,

The first stop that Sunday afternoon was the newest location for Bow Truss Coffee, which was offering a wide variety of their signature drinks through Subscrybe.  Brandy chose the Sumatran Pour Over, in which the slow brew process not only created a beautiful color in the beverage, but also helped to bring out the fruitier notes in its flavor.  Though it was quite a warm day, Brandy rather enjoyed taking a moment to savor the splendid coffee while she and Starr caught up on all the latest food gossip.

Next stop was the rustic gastro-pub Table Donkey and Stick.  After an appetizer of Pork Rillettes with peaches and a fresh baked loaf of bread (which was delectable), both Starr and Brandy redeemed the option for the Alpine Burger.  The burger came on a real pretzel bun with an aged Swiss cheese and caramelized onions, as well as sides of horseradish cream, apple mostardo, and instead of fries, mini potato latkes.  Brandy was simply entranced by this burger and everything about it, from the soft, slightly salty bun to the savory and sweet apple mostardo (which she piled on the the burger at the server's suggestion) to the crispy, buttery little potato cakes, to the mild cream she dipped them in.  "How often can we redeem an entree here?" she asked Starr mid bite.  "Weekly, I think," she answered.  Brandy thought this over.  "I might need to buy multiple passes so I can have this burger a few more times," she said at last.

Following that up, the two adjourned to Webster's Wine Bar, a beautifully dark and mysterious spot facing the square itself that offered any glass of wine $10 and under via the Subscrybe app.  Seated on a banquette by the window, the ladies perused the extensive wine menu while their helpful server made a few recommendations and brought over small sips of wines for them to try.  Brandy finally settled on a 2014 Edmunds St. John "Heart of Gold" Vermentiono blend from El Dorado, California.  The buttery colored white wine listed notes of pineapple, orchard fruit, and mayflowers, which sounded like an appropriately light follow up to the delicious, if heavy burger.  Though a little dryer than Brandy normally likes, the wine was certainly very fruity, bright, and refreshing.

This left the ladies just enough time to run into Yusho for a couple of their signature soft serve cones, made with jackfruit, matcha powder, and banana puree.  This variety is only available in the summer, as the soft serve changes seasonally, but this unique combination of flavors and texture is definitely worth stopping in to try before its gone, and luckily, its one of the redeemable options on the Subscrybe app.  The jackfruit flavor is subtle, but very creamy, with an almost caramel like taste.  The delicate cones began to melt rather quickly on that hot day, but the two ladies were so glad they had decided to end their day in Logan Square with the iconic treats that they happily licked the drippings off their fingers without complaint.

If you would like to try out Subscrybe for yourself, use the code BUNNYBRANDY to get $15 off either a monthly or weekly subscription.  That brings the price of the weekly subscription down to just $5 for a whole week's worth of meals, treats, and drinks!

The writers of this blog were given services from Subscrybe at no cost in order to facilitate the writing of this post.

Food News: Subscrybe App Premires in Logan Square

One of the things Brandy loves best about her brunch adventures across Chicago is being able to discover new neighborhoods and all of their hidden gems.  "I just adore the personalities of each section of this city, from refined Old Town to vibrant Lake View to chic River North and friendly Albany Park.  It seems every few blocks is it's own delightful little ecosystem!"

One neighborhood Brandy is particularly fond of, but doesn't get the chance to visit often is Logan Square, home to some of her favorite brunch spots like Bang Bang Pie Shop, Longman and Eagle, Boiler Room, and Township to name a few.  But recently, Brandy came upon an app called Subscrybe, a weekly or monthly "neighborhood pass" that brings users a slue of offers in their chosen neighborhood, helping them to discover new favorites while driving traffic to deserving local businesses.  Just recently launched in late June in the Apple App Store, Subscrybe currently offers a weekly pass for Logan Square for $19.95 or a monthly pass for $59.95.  Included with these passes is redeemable items around the neighborhood such as gourmet coffee drinks, glasses of wine, full sized dinner entrees, and of course, delectable brunch dishes.

Deciding to give the Subscrybe a go, Brandy headed down to Logan Square during this past holiday weekend to see where a day of culinary adventures would take her.  She started off at one of her all time favorite brunch spots, Jam, where of the five options available to her through Subscrybe, she went with the Pork Belly Eggs Benedict.  As per usual, Jam's presentation was flawless, and the rich meaty hunks of pork belly mixed with delicate poached eggs and the tender house made biscuits was simply perfect.  After finishing her meal, it was as easy as handing her phone to the waitress, who plugged a code into the Subscrybe App, which took the dish off her bill.  "Remarkable!" Brandy exclaimed, "Let's see what else this do-hicky can do!"

Taking a little walk in the sunshine, Brandy headed down to Brew Brew Coffee Lounge, where a whole host of delicious drinks were available to be redeemed through Subscrybe once per day (most of the other deals were redeemable once per week).  There she picked out a refreshing Berry Frappe, which was at once both decadent and fresh tasting.  Enjoying the mellow atmosphere of the independent coffee house, Brandy happily nursed her cool beverage for a little while, and headed out once more.

Her last stop of the day was to Yusho, a Japanese fusion restaurant with some pretty interesting sounding options.  The one that caught Brandy's eye was the Chicken and Beer Ramen, which centered around an impressive Chicken Scotch Egg and a broth made from the aforementioned fermented beverage.  Brandy was simply head over heals in love with this bowl of ramen, which she happily slurped up until she simply could not slurp any more.  Luckily, all she had to do to have another bowl of this ambrosia was come back the following week and redeem another offer from the Subscrybe App.

Brandy was quite delighted with her new little toy.  "I think I shall have to some more exploring with this Subscrybe-whatchama-callit.  One day of basking in the delights Logan Square has to offer is simply not enough.  Good job this figurative Key to the Neighborhood is good for the rest of the month!"  To be continued...

Has Brandy peeked your interest in the Subscrybe App?  Use the code BUNNYBRANDY to get $15 off your first pass (which brings the monthly pass down to $45 and the weekly pass down to just $5!)

The writers of this blog were granted access to this app at a discounted rate to facilitate the writing of this post.