Earl's Kitchen and Bar: A More Affordable Halal Steakhouse

Restaurant: Earl's Kitchen and Bar

Address: 1538 N Clyborn Avenue, Chicago, IL
Buffet or a-la-carte: A-la-carte
Date of visit: 11/23/18



Background:
Salam/hey guys! Today I will be talking about my experience at a place where you can get halal steak in Chicago. The place is called Earl's. Earl's is a steakhouse chain that is based in Canada. I first heard about Earl's after seeing someone post about how they use Creekstone Farms beef (100% halal btw) at their restaurants. It turns out that they use Creekstone Farms beef at their US locations (I don't know about Canada locations). I looked up hoping that there would be a location in Houston, but there's one in Plano, near Dallas. Hopefully they'll expand to Houston in the future.
Originally, I was not supposed to go here. When I was planning my trip, I did polls for a few days leading up to the trip to determine which places I would try when I spend the day in downtown Chicago on the 23rd. I was originally going to Epic Burger and Tahoora, but that was for if I was going myself. I was in fact spending the day with my cousin from Cleveland. His favorite food item is steak, and he isn't a burger fan. So I thought of going to Prime and Provisions in downtown, but for some reason they were not open for lunch since it was Black Friday. I looked on Yelp and zabihah.com for places that had halal steak. I then saw that they had an Earl's in Chicago, so I reserved a table for two. After Friday prayers in downtown, we took an Uber to the restaurant .


Let The Experience Begin!
While the address mentions N Clyborn Avenue, the actual entrance is located on the northeast side of a roundabout that is to the right of the intersection of N Halsted Street and W Blackhawk Street. After confirming the reservation that I made, we were helped to the table by the friendly host. After taking a few minutes to read the menu, I was ready to order.



Let's Eat!
I decided to be adventurous and order the beef bibimbap. Bibimbap is a Korean dish that consists of rice, sesame chili sauce, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and a soft boiled egg served in a hot stone bowl. I ordered it because I never had a proper Korean dish in Houston (Coreanos is a fusion of Mexican and Korean; Bento Hut in Atlanta, which had chicken bulgogi, closed down), and that there's no halal Korean BBQ spot (though it's the highest in demand after BBQ and steakhouse). I am also confident that this location uses the Creekstone beef since there is no mention of any other beef supplier in their menu. The price was $17 + tax. My cousin got the 6 oz steak frites. It's a 6 oz sirloin steak that comes with fries and garlic bread. I decided to teach him the finer points of steak eating by making him order it medium rare. The price? $17.50 + tax. To wait, I watched UH get their butts kicked by Memphis.

Menu: https://earls.ca/locations/lincoln-park/menu/kitchen
The menu of Earl's is one of huge variety. At one end you have Asian food items like the bibimbap. At another end, you have pizzas, and at one end, you have steaks. As mentioned, Earl's uses Creekstone beef for its US locations. But this location also uses halal chicken from Crescent. I found out a few days after the actual trip there. I don't know if they also use the halal chicken at the other locations. When ordering, just mention to them that you want it cooked separately and that the grill would be cleaned, and they would be happy to help.

Now in order to eat the bibimbap, read through the captions underneath each picture.

Step 1: This is how the dish comes. The red stuff on the left is the sesame chili sauce.

Step 2: pour the sesame chili sauce into the bowl

Step 3: Mix it. This is what the result should be like. Do not eat before mixing.

The Verdict:
For someone who's having a proper Korean dish for the first time ever, I thought the food was good. The spice level was adequate, and the food quality was high. My cousin really enjoyed his steak frites. He said that the steak had a lot of flavor.
The service was wonderful. The folks there are really friendly and really accommodating. They always had a smile on their face when talking with customers. 

Conclusion:
Earl's is a good spot to try if you want halal steak and/or Asian fare in Chicago without having to pay a lot at places like Prime and Provisions or Roka Akor (Chicago locations only have halal and not the Houston location 😒). The really friendly folks will definitely take care of you. I'll head to their Plano location, hopefully during my next trip to Dallas, and try their steak.

Grading:
Service: 9/10
Food: 8/10
Total: 17/20 = 85% (B)
Pricing: $$$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Earl's Kitchen and Bar

Address: 1538 N Clyborn Avenue, Chicago, IL
Phone: (312) 929-3952
Website: https://earls.ca/locations/lincoln-park
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earlslincolnpark/
Timings: Mon-Thu: 11:30 AM - 10 PM; Friday: 11:30 AM - Midnight; Sat: 10 AM - Midnight. Sun: 10 AM - 10 PM
Caters: Yes

Reservations accepted

Feel free to comment below, send me a message on Facebook, or email me!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Bento Hut: A Halal Pan-Asian Restaurant in Northern Georgia

Restaurant: Bento Hut
Address: 349 Decatur Street Southeast, Atlanta, Georgia
Buffet or a-la-carte: A-la-carte
Date of visit: 8/28/16



Background:
Salam/hey guys! Today  will be talking about a restaurant that is popular in downtown Atlanta, and has a huge variety of options available. This place is called Bento Hut. The name suggests that it is a Japanese place, but it offers a lot more than just Japanese food. I will explain in detail in the Menu section. I first heard about this place when they followed me on Instagram. I saw the menu and I was mind blown. Since it was planned that I was coming to Atlanta, I decided to give it a try when I get to hang out with a childhood friend. Fast forward to August, and I was in downtown Atlanta. I went to CNN Center after trying grits for the first time (they were NASTY, one of the worst things I've ever eaten in my life). It is basically where the global CNN headquarters are. I then went over to the World of Coca Cola after walking through Centennial Olympic Park. There, we overindulged on sodas (they have a place where you can try over 100 sodas), where they give you free Coke when you enter, and when you exit. The best memory I have of the trip was when my friend played a prank on me by telling me that the Beverly soda was the best one. It was literally the worst soda that I have ever tried in my entire life. Turns out it's a common dislike among many. We then walked to the car and then drove to Bento Hut.



Let The Experience Begin!
Bento Hut is located near the Downtown Connector. It was a while until we managed to successfully park. Inside, there was a TV playing, and there were tables. We decided to sit comfortably. After looking at the menu, it was time to order.



Let's Eat!
It took a while for me to decide what to get because there were so many choices that I had. I ended up ordering halal ramen- a first for me. I also ordered quail egg sashimi (yes I'm adventurous) and also chicken katsu. Think of it as a halal version of the ramen you get at Jinya. I never had quail egg before, so I wanted to give it a try. I also wanted to try the chicken katsu because chicken katsu is a rare thing (katsu is usually made with pork a.k.a. tonkatsu). My friend ordered a chicken bulgogi plate. I paid between $10-15 (tax included). The waiting time was 15 minutes and 4 seconds.



Menu: http://www.thebentohut.com/BentoHutmenu.pdf
Literally all I can say is WOW. SO MANY ASIAN OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM! Not even Houston, New York or Los Angeles has many options. It has from Japanese to Korean to Chinese to Malaysian to Thai options! They even have plenty of sushi and sashimi options available to choose from. I seriously believe that a halal Pan-Asian place that has so many options would succeed in Houston.

Clockwise from top left: Ramen, Chicken Bulgogi with Jasmine Rice, quail egg sashimi, and chicken katsu

The Verdict:

The food was actually good. To be more specific, everything was good except the ramen. The ramen was just ok. The first time trying quail egg was good, and I didn't fall sick from eating a raw egg lol B). The bulgogi was fantastic. Lots of flavor in the dish. We both had water.

The people were really nice, so no complaints about the service. They were also helpful when it came to giving us more time to decide what to get as well as giving out some recommendations.

Conclusion:

Bento Hut was a good way to end my Atlanta trip of trying places. They have items you don't see at halal places in Houston. I certainly wouldn't mind visiting here again and trying some more of their dishes as well as the chicken bulgogi.

Grading:

Service: 9/10

Food: 8/10

Total: 17/20 = 85% (B)

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Bento Hut
349 Decatur Street Southeast, Atlanta, Georgia
Phone: (404) 614-6199
Website: http://thebentohut.com/
Facebook: none
Timings: Mon-Fri: 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM and 4 PM - 10 PM; Sat: 12 PM - 10 PM; Sun: 12 PM - 9:30 PM
Caters: Yes
Online ordering and delivery available

Feel free to comment below, send me a message on Facebook, or send me an email!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse- The only halal Japanese restaurant in Texas

Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse
8482 Highway 6 North, Houston, Texas 77095
Buffet or a-la-carte: a-la-carte
Date of visit: 11/29/13

Photo Credit: (http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/04/c4/82/da/bonsai-fusion-japanese.jpg)

Background:
Salam/hey guys! Today I will be reviewing Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse. This restaurant has a major first. This is the first (and currently the only) halal Japanese restaurant in all of Texas. This is the nearest restaurant to my house. I was craving for some Japanese food, and I had enough time to try some place before I attended the ICNA convention near the Galleria. I heard of this restaurant from an advertisement in one of the newspapers at the local mosque. I have been here before, but it was a really long time ago. I wanted to see how it changed and decide whether it is worth spending that sort of money. So after bidding goodbye to my parents, I took the 5 minute drive to come here.

Let The Experience Begin:

When I arrived at the restaurant, I proceeded to the door. Now why did I mention this? Because when I tried to open the door, IT WAS LOCKED! I actually came after the posted opening time. Isn't there a rule like "This door is to be remain UNLOCKED during business hours". 2 minutes later, one of the waiters opened the door and let me in. Inside is very dark. There is a bar and tables set up. I asked him whether the food is halal, and he said yes. As always, I take his word. There are a couple of tables that have TVs in front of them, and stoves too! The tables sit around 5 people. This is called hibachi. In hibachi, a highly skilled chef comes and cooks the food right in front of you. In other words, it is like Benihana's but with halal food. The chef performs tricks with the food and the knives, such as flipping them and cutting up the food at an insane rate. So I decided to do the hibachi even though I was by myself. A few minutes later, I got the menu, studied it, and then decided to place my order.

Let's Eat!

I decided to order the New York Strip. Each meat comes with fried rice and vegetables. For the temperature, I got it medium-well. This means that the meat is slightly pink. (Click on this to see the types of steak that are common). I got I also got some free miso soup (dashi stock mixed with miso paste). While waiting for the chef to come, I turned on the TV and watched some basketball highlights. I paid a good price of $11.91 (Tax included). When he came, I turned the TV off, got my phone out, and began to take a video. 

Hibachi Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRAy_j2a4AA

Hibachi Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w61oP6W9ZU

The menu (click to view): Lunch Menu 

Dinner Menu (There is more than a page. Just click the arrow to proceed)

Sushi

Well good news, no alcohol is used in the cooking even though it is very common in Japanese food! The alcohol that is used is called sake, which is a rice wine. It is often used to give flavor to the rice when it is cooked. I do not know as of yet what they use on the Sapporo steak. This, however, is definitely the most expensive restaurant I have ever been too in my life! Nevertheless I am happy that there are more halal Japanese items than just sushi.

Miso Soup

New York Strip with fried rice and vegetables

The Verdict:

The food was worth the price! The miso soup was one of the most flavorful soups I have ever had in my life. The steak was perfectly cooked medium well. The fried rice was actually tasty, and the vegetables were also delicious! Now I wish I had the money to come often! I am happy that there is no alcohol in the food, and I was able to enjoy it. 

The service was normal. Everything was done as it is expected for a restaurant, despite the locked door during business hours.

Conclusion:

Bonsai is a great restaurant to eat at, and everything is done to accommodate Islamic dietary laws. I will recommend this place for lunch as it is much cheaper than dinner. Only go for dinner for special occasions like birthdays or graduation parties. I will definitely come back for lunch and give my money to them. 

Grading: Because the food is cooked on the table, there is no waiting time. Also, the standard grading for service is 8. I give more points if the people are courteous, professional, and friendly. I deduct points if the people are rude, use profanity, mess up the order, or are unprofessional.

Service: 7/10

Food: 10/10

Waiting time: N/A

Total: 17/20 = 85% (B)

Pricing: $$$$ out of $$$$ 

Restaurant Information:

Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse

8482 Highway 6 North, Houston, Texas 77095

Phone: (281) 856-0075

Website: www.bonsaifusionsteakhouse.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonsai-Fusion-Japanese-Steak-House/310497929045975?id=310497929045975&_rdr 

Timings: Mon-Thu: 11 AM - 11 PM; Fri: 11 AM - 11 PM; Sat: 12 PM - 11 PM; Sun: 12 PM - 10 PM

Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below!

Cheers!

Zain Mohammed