What’s Your Favorite Food or Drink You Tried in 2012?

Tell us where you ate the item and why it’s a must try in the comment section.

Why order a hot dog when you can have a fowler? From movie-inspired sandwiches to Chili Bombs at an Evanston hot dog shop. North Shore Foodie Finds has trekked to some interesting eateries in search of the strange and delicious.  We want to know, what are some of your favorite food or drinks you tried in 2012? Tell us in the comment section below. To get your brains churning and possibly your bellies rumbling, here’s a look at what North Shore Foodie Finds devoured in 2012: 

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

North Shore Foodie Finds

The Wall of Weird Sandwiches at Little Louie's

Why order a hot dog when you can have a fowler?

There are two menus at Little Louie's at 1342 Shermer Rd. in Northbrook — one with standard burgers and hot dogs and everything else you would expect from a fast food joint. The other menu is less typical, offering items called McLovin, Ace Ventura and La Bubba Rosa.  The weird wall of sandwiches at Little Louie's has about 20 different items inspired by flavors, movies and whatever else might be on owner Peter Weiss's mind at the time.  "Everything that up there is good and it sells," Weiss said. "Some people come in and just order off the wall."  The 45-year-old business hasn't always offered quirky, movie-inspired sandwiches. Weiss came up with the idea after he bought the restaurant 15 years ago.  "I'm all about flavors," Weiss said. "…

•  10 Comments
• Photos (3)

One Hot Dog Joint Steps Up For Another

After a car accident put Josh's Hot Dogs temporarily out of commission, two local business owners make sure Westmoor School students still get their hot lunch.

Minutes after a car slammed through the front door of Josh’s Hot Dogs on Sanders Road Tuesday morning, owner Josh Kaplan was on the phone with the Westmoor School parent teacher organization.  His restaurant was scheduled to prepare a hot lunch for students at the elementary school this Thursday, but with a front room full of broken glass, it looked like the meal was off.  “He was so concerned about us getting our lunch, I think he even said he would try to find some other restaurant that would let him cook,” said PTO member Melissa Prober, who oversees the purchase and delivery of a bimonthly hot lunch at Westmoor School. Fortunately, the problem was solved when Prober called up Pete Weiss, owner of Little Louie’s, who agreed to whip up …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Northbrook's Small Businesses Are Optimistic As Village Vacancy Rate Drops

Despite the overall stagnant economy, Northbrook's smaller retailers are not all stuck in the dumps.

What does it take to shepherd a small business through today’s tough economy? Several local mainstays seem to have the answer in Northbrook, where bike purchases are up and sales of books at the indie bookshop are steady two years after the official end of the Great Recession. Depending on the product, the state of locally owned retailers ranges from outright boom to decline. And in several cases, business is surprisingly good given the gloom-and-doom stories afflicting specific industries. Take the Book Bin in downtown Northbrook. The venerable independent bookstore run by Janis and Lex Irvine threw a successful 40th-anniversary bash on Sept. 22. Crowds mobbed the cramped aisles to snag 40-percent-off books. Because the Book Bin has built…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (3)

Jennifer Fisher

9:49 am on Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I agree, the Book Bin is a great local bookstore. 40 years is an impressive tally.   more ›

PATCH PASSPORT: Northbrook Offers Pro Bike Racing, Top-Tier Shopping And Monastic Stillness

Patch is your guide as you become a tourist in Chicagoland.

Its great reputation for good schools and parks is just a fraction of what makes the village of Northbrook such a unique place for visitors and residents alike. It has one-of-a-kind venues like the Ed Rudolph Velodrome and Techny Towers monastery.  Read more Patch Passports to the Chicagoland Area.  ATTRACTIONS Techny Towers Here's something you don't see every day. Established by the Society of the Divine Word organization more than 25 years ago, Techny Towers is a unique, spiritual destination for everyone. Located at 2001 Waukegan Road, the conference and retreat center offers space for meetings, workshops, fundraisers and other events for educational, cultural or civic organizations. The location also offers 50 guest rooms with private…

• Photos (9)