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I honestly can't imagine southern food, Cajun, or BBQ in Chicago being anywhere near as good as what you'll find in Houston, for the same reason that pizza in the south doesn't measure up to cities up north.
Ever hear of the great migration. Between 1910 and 1970, over 500 000 black Southerners, mostly from Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama move to Chicago. They brought their cuisine with them. I have not lived in Chicago for a decade, but there used to be great BBQ joints all over the south side. The now defunct Tiki Lounge in Hyde Park could smoke some mean pork ribs, and I remember a hole in the wall place, don't think it even had a sign, on South Michigan avenue around the 5000 block that made spectacular pork ribs with probably an illegal smoker in the backyard. Another one on Cottage Grove, another one in South Shore. My mouth waters at the thought of those ribs. Definitely better pork ribs than I have ever had in Houston.
You do know that Chicago has about double the number of African Americans in population than Houston has, and most of them are of Southern origin. There is great soul food and southern style BBQ in Chicago.
Smoque in Irving Park is pretty good hipster BBQ, their brisket is respectable, not Central Texas good, but respectable, but you can get great southern style BBQ on the south side of Chicago, along with excellent soul food. I would give Houston the edge in Cajun/Creole food, just because there is much more of it, but Caribbean food is much better in Chicago, and the BBQ in Chicago might be better than Houston, certainly not worse.
Italian food sucks in Texas because there are very few Italians or Italian/Americans in Texas. Pork BBQ, soul food, southern food in general is pretty good in Chicago because there are huge numbers of black Southerners in Chicago, more than there are in Houston.
Ever hear of the great migration. Between 1910 and 1970, over 500 000 black Southerners, mostly from Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama move to Chicago. They brought their cuisine with them. I have not lived in Chicago for a decade, but there used to be great BBQ joints all over the south side. The now defunct Tiki Lounge in Hyde Park could smoke some mean pork ribs, and I remember a hole in the wall place, don't think it even had a sign, on South Michigan avenue around the 5000 block that made spectacular pork ribs with probably an illegal smoker in the backyard. Another one on Cottage Grove, another one in South Shore. My mouth waters at the thought of those ribs. Definitely better pork ribs than I have ever had in Houston.
You do know that Chicago has about double the number of African Americans in population than Houston has, and most of them are of Southern origin. There is great soul food and southern style BBQ in Chicago.
Smoque in Irving Park is pretty good hipster BBQ, their brisket is respectable, not Central Texas good, but respectable, but you can get great southern style BBQ on the south side of Chicago, along with excellent soul food. I would give Houston the edge in Cajun/Creole food, just because there is much more of it, but Caribbean food is much better in Chicago, and the BBQ in Chicago might be better than Houston, certainly not worse.
Italian food sucks in Texas because there are very few Italians or Italian/Americans in Texas. Pork BBQ, soul food, southern food in general is pretty good in Chicago because there are huge numbers of black Southerners in Chicago, more than there are in Houston.
There are more blacks in Chicago because it's larger. Obviously. But quantity =/= quality.
I never said that Chicago doesn't have good BBQ or soul food. I said that I doubt most would call it as good as Houston's.
Transplanted cuisine isn't the same as being at ground zero. Don't ask me why it works that way but it does. Hell, Cajun food in Houston isn't even as good as Louisiana's, and we're right next door to them. You're welcome to your opinion, though.
There are more blacks in Chicago because it's larger. Obviously. But quantity =/= quality.
I never said that Chicago doesn't have good BBQ or soul food. I said that I doubt I'd call it as good as Houston's.
Transplanted cuisine isn't the same as being at ground zero. Don't ask me why it works that way but it does. Hell, Cajun food in Houston isn't even as good as Louisiana's, and we're right next door to them. You're welcome to your opinion, though.
Where have you eaten soul food or BBQ in Chicago? I am not saying southern cooking and BBQ is better in Chicago than Houston, it is about equal.
I could take you places that are easily as good as Goode Company, or Gatlin's, or Just Oxtails or Mikki's Cafe, This is it - except for the oxtail - in Houston. Never mind what folks make at home!
Where have you eaten soul food or BBQ in Chicago? I am not saying southern cooking and BBQ is better in Chicago than Houston, it is about equal.
I could take you places that are easily as good as Goode Company, or Gatlin's, or Just Oxtails or Mikki's Cafe, This is it - except for the oxtail - in Houston. Never mind what folks make at home!
I was escorted by friends my entire time in Chicago, so I couldn't personally name the places I went. What I remember is that I wasn't impressed. What did leave me floored was gyros (which I actually obsessed over for awhile).
Goode Company? Pffft. More like Burns. More like Chi-Chi's (BITD). More like the folks who sell plates in their neighborhood.
It's funny you bring up the southern states Chicagoites come from, because Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama aren't often found at the top of the list for barbecue states, and Chicago certainly isn't really called a barbecue city.
I do need more experience in Chicago, but I stand by my doubt. A northern city can't match itself with a southern city when it comes to barbecue and southern cooking.
The rib tips are ok. Ribs are decent as well. But BBQ is simply not one of Chicago strong suits. I'll say that Chicago has great soul food though. But what city with large Black populations doesn't. Chicago black population is about 500k more which is decreasing as Houston's black population is exploding.
I was escorted by friends my entire time in Chicago, so I couldn't personally name the places I went. What I remember is that I wasn't impressed. What did leave me floored was gyros (which I actually obsessed over for awhile).
Goode Company? Pffft. More like Burns. More like Chi-Chi's (BITD). More like the folks who sell plates in their neighborhood.
It's funny you bring up the southern states Chicagoites come from, because Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama aren't often found at the top of the list for barbecue states, and Chicago certainly isn't really called a barbecue city.
I do need more experience in Chicago, but I stand by my doubt. A northern city can't match itself with a southern city when it comes to barbecue and southern cooking.
Then how come KC and St Louis are known for their BBQ? They are midwestern just like Chicago, and Chicago does BBQ as well. Chicago has strong roots and black roots from the south from blues to jazz to bbq. Even places that play the blues and serve BBQ like SmokeDaddy. It is not as if we are talking about Minneapolis or Boston here where its few and far between. While certainly not up to the highest standards, there are enough BBQ places to go around. Lots of rib places in particular, but you won't find much pulled pork or brisket.
BBQ in Chicago is much better than Italian is done across the the entire south, not just Houston.
There are more blacks in Chicago because it's larger. Obviously. But quantity =/= quality.
I never said that Chicago doesn't have good BBQ or soul food. I said that I doubt most would call it as good as Houston's.
Transplanted cuisine isn't the same as being at ground zero. Don't ask me why it works that way but it does. Hell, Cajun food in Houston isn't even as good as Louisiana's, and we're right next door to them. You're welcome to your opinion, though.
Then where are all the black people in Seattle and Portland and Minneapolis, Denver... It isn't because it is large. It's b/c Chicago has stronger black roots. Arguably more part of Chicago's history than they are in Houston.
Then where are all the black people in Seattle and Portland and Minneapolis, Denver... It isn't because it is large. It's b/c Chicago has stronger black roots. Arguably more part of Chicago's history than they are in Houston.
Also bear in mind that Houston used to be much smaller so it's probable that Chicago had a black population as big or bigger than Houston's in absolute numbers (but not so much percentages) even prior to the Great Migration.
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