Todor "HotForTea" K.'s Profile

I was in awe standing in front of the wall of chocolate. They have chocolate bars from all over including Germany, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Scotland, wait, back up, Scotland?!?!? Yes, who would have thought that the land of Haggis also makes a great chocolate. I recommend the white chocolate with lemon and pepper. Yes, pepper as in the spice. Just let the white chocolate melt and fill your mouth with lemon flavor and at the end you get hit with a slight taste of pepper. Then time for one more piece.

Some of my favorite chocolates are:
Kshocolat - Honeycomb & Vanilla (Scotland)
Alois Dallmayr - Champagnertruffel (Munich, Germany)
Scharffen Berger - Extra Rich Milk Chocolate
Gnosis Chocolate - Pomegranate Acai

Nutella fans will be pleased as well since they serve it and goes great with the bretzel.

I will be back soon for the Milka chocolate since they were out on this visit.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/

Lots of vendors and lots of food. Eli's Cheesecake is at The Taste of Chicago again with their delicious treats. You can find them at booth #22. This year they are offering Frozen Chocolate Chip Toffee Crunch; Oreo Cookie Cheesecake with Vanilla Ice Cream; Turtle Cheesecake; Plain Cheesecake (with or without strawberries)

This year Julius Meini is also there offering their Vienna Torte. They are located at the Chef's Table at the 2009 Taste of Chicago.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com

I visited the Green City Market a few times last year. There is a great selection of foods including meats, dairy, canned fruits and veggies, etc. The best part was the section of baked goods. We picked up some stuff and made a picnic with it after we visited the museum.

The weather looks nice today so we can head back this morning.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/

Party Time Palace recently opened in Des Plaines at Golf Road and Elmhurst Road. It is a great place to hang out with young kids or hold a birthday party. The have it all here from mini golf, to a train ride, bouncy house, air hockey, Toddler Play Area and a bunch of arcade games. What makes this place different from some of the other places is that they have a Mechanical Bull and a large room for laser tag.  

They have several family specials and also take field trips and groups.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/

When you visit A La Turka Turkish Kitchen make sure to check for the daily specials which run about $9. They have a full liquor bar and play Turkish music. The staff is friendly and helpful. They recommended the baklava and I am glad I listened and ordered these 4 pieces of sweet flaky nutty treats. To make the experience that much better I also ordered the Turkish tea which is served in a clear glass and has a rich flavor and nice aroma with a slightly bitter taste, but in a good way. On weekends you may want to make reservations since it gets busy evenings.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com

Late Night Thai is in the same location that River Kwai occupied for about 20 years. I guess a Turkish Restaurant was also located here for a short time. The inside is much nicer now then when it was River Kwai. The menu selection is OK and the prices not too bad for the size of the portions.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/

The buffet at Gaylord India Restaurant is consistently good however the selection hardly ever changes. For meat lovers there are two choices of dishes, one of which is tandoori chicken and a lamb dish. If you are lucky you may find mango ice cream which is a nice touch after a heavy meal.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/

I just discovered Ambrosia Euro American Patisserie and I must say that I am now a big fan. The quality is fantastic. We had an entire fruit tart and it went very fast.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/

CJ's Hot Dogs & Gyros is always full of high school students from Hoffman Estates High School which is across the street and mechanics from the many auto dealers in the area.

I always order the #1 and have never been disappointed. It includes a pita with a mound of freshly sliced Gyros topped with onions and Tzatziki Sauce on the side. It also comes with fries and a drink all for about $6.00

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/

This is a nice addition to all the other Indian buffets in the area. They have the standard dishes however if you like beef this is one of the rare places that has it on the buffet table. You can have a great Indian/Pakistani buffet while listening to Bollywood  videos on the large flat screen TV which is a nice touch. They also offer take-out on the buffet if you dont have time to eat there and prefer to enjoy your meal at home or work.

Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/