Had a craving for corned beef today, out in the old stomping grounds of idyllic Barrington, IL. So it was off to the Bread Basket, one of the two old standbys for locals in the village. (The other being “The Canteen“). Been here dozens of times, back in the day, it was a favorite of my daughter when she was coming up.
I opted for the corned beef on rye, and the waitress told me “some people like it cold,” to which I retorted, “no, it’s supposed to be warm.”
End of discussion.
It was a good sandwich, lean corn beef, probably from Vienna, many restaurants in the Chicago area use that supplier, and they have a great product.
My only “beef?” The restaurant uses “extruded” fries. That’s a potato product, a slurry of mashed potato-like batch is whipped up, and then “fry-shape” pieces are shoved through a mold and flash frozen. They get a certain crispness on the outside, and are smooth and soft inside. Just not my favorite.
But! I was there just before closing, so the waitress gave me a go-cup of coffee, gratis. Score! (Great coffee, too, btw).
Barrington Restaurants