It was an 8 restaurant Sunday morning invasion at SPiN Chicago on State Street . We thought, by the name that this was like some bullshit bicycle exercise establishment but we were a little off. It’s the River North Ping-Pong emporium with paintings from Chicago artists on the walls over all three levels.
No one throws a Sunday Funday like Time Out Chicago. Mac & Cheese Fest, (Bridgeport) Taco Fest (Goose Island) Battle of the Burger (Daley Plaza) were all thoughtful worth the price of admission. The sponsor partner for these events is usually Cholula Hot Sauce. They all seem like a gluttonous adventure unto you’re there. Then you realize the portions are a proper party size and the ticket punch system means you certainly wont be overserved.
The best grilled cheese of the day for me was the Jerry’s Nacho Grilled Cheese.
SPiN Chicago is of course the brainchild of Susan Sarandon. The actress launched the first ping-pong social club location in New York back in 2009.
Here’s a full list of participants and their neighborhoods
Gayle’s Best Ever Grilled Cheese (The Loop)
Margarita
fresh baked white sourdough bread, fresh butter, butterkase cheese, fresh tomato, fresh made basil pesto (no pine nuts) with or without local bacon.
Tomato Pesto Soup
Local tomatoes, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, salt, pepper and pesto (basil, romano cheese, garlic and pine nuts)
Same Day Café (Logan Square)
Grilled Cheese
cheddar and smoked gouda on homemade rosemary bread.
Jerry’s Sandwiches (Andersonville)
Jerry’s Nacho Grilled Cheese
housemade nacho sauce, roasted poblano, pickled poblano, cilantro and tortilla chips on boililo roll w roast tomato-chipotle dip.
Spin Chicago (River North)
The Chris Farley
two applewood smoked ham grilled cheeses w two year old cheddar, smoked gouda and hook sauce put together over slow roasted pulled pork, spice, bbq sauce and sliced fresno chiles.
Community Tavern (Jefferson Park)
Community Grilled Cheese
fontina and gruyere w fresh jalepeno, cornichons, blueberry jam and arugula
Son Of A Butcher By Whisk (Logan Square)
Bad Hombre
Oaxaca cheese, arugula, fried avacaodo and chipotle, mayo on telera bread
Whisk (West Town)
BBQ Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
housemade KC style BBQ, 12hr slow cooked pork butt and cheddar on sourdough
The Blind Barber (Fulton Market)
The Blind B
sweet soy-braised pork belly, foie gras, picked daikon, cucumber and picked fresno chiles
Other Notes
-Jam Jar Wines was on hand with Sweet Shiraz and Sweet White varietals. and a #LetsJam GIF photobooth powered by The Bosco
-The Time Out Chicago beer list included Baderbrau South Side Pride, Off Color Apex Predator, Schlafly Pumpkin Ale, 21st Amemendent’s Hell or High Watermelon, PBR and Grapefruit Sculpin
-Same Day Cafe won the popular vote for best grilled cheese
-Nkosi
