M&A Bakery -- Ravenswood

I'm almost afraid to say anything about this bakery, hidden in a rundown strip mall on the corner of Lawrence and N. Ashland. Not that I am a stingy person ... I just don't want it to become abused. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm the only person who reads this damn blog anyway, so here's what I have to say about M&A Bakery: IT'S THE FUCKING BOMB.

While doing my laundry in the strip's dilapidated laundromat on Saturday, I walked next door to see what was in there. The windows of the place are black and it's hard to see through the door. Anyway, I walked in and about 4 Bosnian men were standing around shooting the shit with cups of coffee and freshly baked pastries. In the glass cases at the front of the store, once you walk past the cute patio-looking seating area, are beautiful breads, rolls, bagels, sweet treats (including doughnuts, baklava and more). The solicitors moved back when I came in and the woman at the counter who barely spoke English looked a bit surprised. I guess not to many Black people come in there? Or ... did I interrupt a serious conversation?

Anyway, I set my sights on this blueberry bagel and asked for cream cheese. The woman rang up my order, which totaled ... a whopping $0.86!! I couldn't believe the bagel AND tub of Philly Cream Cheese -- not some generic brand -- was less than a fucking dollar! I gave her four quarters and told her to keep the change. I broke a piece of the bagel off and swirled it in the schmear. It was that perfect combination of flaky and chewy. The blueberry flavor wasn't overwhelming -- didn't taste or look artificial. I can't wait to have a dinner party and buy some of that amazing looking foccacia or dunk those Danish pastries into some coffee!

That 2%: you can't beat this price with a stick. Dunkin' Donuts, jam it! Starbucks, go back to Seattle!

Agami, babe.

(left - Column at Agami)
Driving home from my new place after moving some delicate items like my ficus bejamina, I decided to stop for a bite. The first place I stopped was Driftwood (1021 W. Montrose) because I thought they had food (which it turns out they do not, although there is a Mexican restaurant next door) and it was down the street from where I'd been staying. Driftwood is a dog-friendly bar where blue collars bring their own sticks for a friendly game of pool. The bar smells like dried dirty piss, an earthy stench, but it's a dog-friendly dive so that's somewhat expected. Looking around, the bar seems like it could be cool if it was washed down. There's a jukebox, darts, Golden Tee 2008, and lots of plasmas.

When I came in, some weathered-looking men were discussing the price of condos and how to flip them. I guessed they were contractors of some sort. I sat down and watched the scruff behind the bar ask me for my ID with a skeptical side glance. After checking my age, he got me what I asked for: the special of the night, $2 High Life can. Also got a shot of JD. Total was $7 so I'm like, "THAT'S a $5 shot??" and the ass is like, "That's a pretty stiff shot! And that's the running price of shots!!" I gave him a blank look wishing I had a shotgun and he waited for me to produce said amount of cash. Mind you, everyone else in the bar had running tabs from like last Monday night, but for me he waited. After paying, I turned my attention to the Bulls/Clippers game, which I watched until both drinks were empty, or about 25 minutes. Never in that time did the DB come back over to see if I needed a refill or anything. I give this spot a squirt in the eye of diseased semen. Yes, bad milk.

Things turned around, however, as I got a call from the sushi craver in me and made my way to Agami Sushi Bar & Lounge (4712 N. Broadway). Parking is easy there on the corner of Bway and Leland. The decor is a bit scary (see photo above) with dendrite-looking columns and "Bruno in fatigue" looking colors. It was also abysmally empty; I went inside and was one of 5 diners. The bartender greeted me with a friendly smile and asked if I wanted to sit at the bar. Totally. Drink specials were $3 Sapporo drafts, $3 small hot sake, and $5 large hot sake. The food special was a $29 4-course prix-fixe dinner. I opted for a rose sake wine drink on ice that I can't recall, but it was good. The menu is fairly priced with $2 Miso Soup, $4 Edamame, and $9 calamari ... but I was there for the sushi.

Not trying to overwhelm myself with specialties, I opted for simplicity. The Boston maki was shrimp with spicy sauce. The Vienna maki was tuna. Both had regular "California maki" stuff in it like cucumber and egg. Both were extremely tasty ... but the best part was the bartender. Her name is Ruth.

Ruth is a multi-pierced, multi-tattooed thin 5'6" woman in her early 30s who migrated from Iowa in the 7th grade. She was warm, attentive, informative, and honest. We chatted about all types of things that you can only discuss with bartenders and therapists. In non-disclosure conversation, I found out that Monday night was hopping! This was unusual to me since most places don't do good business on Mondays, especially restaurants, many of which are closed. Also, isn't it the cardinal rule that you don't eat sushi on Mondays because they don't get in fresh shipments until Tuesday? Ruth reported that Agami operates at a really high level, so the seafood is always fresh. Like, everyday. If it's not, the sushi technicians (they are engineers of their craft, of course) take that item off the menu. I went to see the sushi bar in the main seating area and noticed that all of the fish was carefully wrapped in plastic and looked healthy, vibrant. After I'd had my fill, Ruth treated me to a pomegranate martini with her secret ingredient: egg white. The addition made the drink a bit thicker, but more substantive and frothy with the head of a good beer. (We exchanged information too, but that's neither here nor there *wink*.) I left feeling healthy, full, and happy.

That 2%? Ruth. The sushi is good too, but really, I'd go back just to hang with her. And I will.

Back from Outer Space! (but that look has changed to pissed)

Hey kids,

Well, me and the missus had some issues including but not limited to the sale of heroine from our basement by a man called Taco. Needless to say, we have since vacated our lovely Near West neighborhood. I'm both disappointed and happy, frustrated, exhausted, lethargic, cranky ... where was I? Oh yes, good times loom ahead in the distance. That's what I'm supposed to feel.

And for all I know, it's true! In about 45 minutes, I will sign a different lease situating me smack in the middle of Ravenswood. This is an unusual neighborhood with a mixed bag of folks. It's further North than I've ever lived in this City of the Big Shoulders. I went to Walk Score to see what was in my area so as to continue this spiffy blog and found lots of things to explore within a mile radius. Cookies!

There are grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, movie theatres, schools (not going there), parks, a CEMETERY (glad I didn't take the apartment that overlooks that, although it might have been fun to break out Ouija!), libraries, bookstores, drug stores (not that kind.:( ), hardware stores, and clothing/music stores to explore. Never a dull moment awaits us! Or maybe it does. Gotta find that 2% of happiness that I believe is out there.

One of the best things about this area is the proximity of my two hilarious friends who will explore the land with me and help report on the sour milk and the chocolate milk. But first, to move. I'll check back in next week. Ciao.