Check out Episode 2 of the new food podcast,
Chicken 'n Waffles!

If this picture doesn't make you hungry, you are not my friend.

Once upon a time, I got married. I was searching high and low for the perfect wedding cake, and, you know, one that didn't cost more than the dress (in my case, the wedding sari). Then I walked into the magical world that is Southport Grocery and Cafe and tasted their vanilla cupcake, which you may remember from this post. It is so popular, it has its own section on their website!

Follow up:

It was the perfect cupcake. Just the right amount of light, fluffy cake-ness with a frosting that was not too heavy and yet not too light. I never knew something as plain as vanilla could make me happy, but alas, it did. I could wax poetic about that baked good for days!

Now, fellow Chicagoans tend to either love or hate this place. Sure, the wait for brunch on a Saturday morning is horrendous, and some people don't think their cupcakes are all that, but those people are drunk. Southport Grocery and Cafe rocks...the menu is creative and fun and delicious.

I didn't have much time for lunch the day I dropped in, but I had to taste my favorite burger ($11.00) in Chicago, just to wash away all the Aussie burger memories I had of a greasy fried egg and flavorless beetroot slice. Seriously, Australia. The egg I can maybe see, but beetroot? At least pickle it, for goodness sake! The burger, as always, was awesome. It was cooked exactly to my specifications (medium), wearing a nice strong white cheddar and of course, the best bacon on the planet, Nueske's. A little sour cream and caramelized onion, and I was one happy lady.

Pure Burger Nirvana.

The only downside was to see that the cafe had switched from serving homemade tater tots with caramelized onion dipping sauce to serving smashed potatoes with cheese. They were good, but no tots. I heart the tots.

Adam went with the soup of the day ($6), which I believe was tomato bisque. It was served with these great cheese-garlic oyster crackers, and tasted rich and sweet, just the way I like it.

Tomato soup with cheese garlic oyster crackers ($6)

We finished with some grilled coffee cake ($5) which was a sour cream cinnamon walnut coffeecake filled with cream cheese and, well, grilled.

Grilled coffee cake ($5)

A great concept, but I felt like putting straight up cream cheese in the center made the entire dish a bit too savory for my liking. I wish it was at least cream cheese beat with a powdered sugar, perhaps even some butter to lighten up the mixture. I hear coffee cake and I think sweet, so I guess that is what I was looking for. But it still didn't stop me from eating it all by myself.

I really need to come back from brunch. Like, tomorrrow. More later!
~LTG!

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Southport Grocery and Cafe
3552 N. Southport
Chicago, IL 60657
773-665-0100
http://www.southportgrocery.com