LTHNLG Non-Picnic - Captain Porky's - 9/17 - 12:30 PM

The Minions Have Spoken!! I hereby decree that the picnic has been relocated to CP.

See y'all on the 17th. As always, bring a friend.

Dave148 - Esteemed Coordinator - LTH North Lunch Group
JennyIL
Cathy2
Helen?
Katie
EddieK

jnm123
diversedancer
Sandy

I would like to join you.

JennyIL

Going to be out of town. Enjoy.

-Will

Hi,

We could play let's pretend? Captain Porky's now has an expanded dining room with air conditioning, soda fountain to refill drinks and flush toilets.

The food is served crisp and hot to the table. If someone feels inclined for a last minute addition, they can run up to the counter and get it.

If you wish to stick with the outdoors event. I will come, though I will be actively doing a rain dance hoping to move venues!

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

We could play let's pretend? Captain Porky's now has an expanded dining room with air conditioning, soda fountain to refill drinks and flush toilets.

The food is served crisp and hot to the table. If someone feels inclined for a last minute addition, they can run up to the counter and get it.

If you wish to stick with the outdoors event. I will come, though I will be actively doing a rain dance hoping to move venues!

Regards,
Cathy2

As Esteemed Coordinator, I will happily yield to the majority.

Last year the only ones really happy were the mosquitoes who feasted on us. Our esteemed coordinator insisted that it was all part of the picnic experience. I hated it! If you go back there, count me NOT a fan, I will not be there.

If, however, you go with Cathy's suggestion and eat inside with the Captain in comfort like civilized people, I'll be there.

EddieK wrote:I hated it! If you go back there, count me NOT a fan, I will not be there.

If, however, you go with Cathy's suggestion and eat inside with the Captain in comfort like civilized people, I'll be there.

Ha ha ha! Exactly the response I was expecting from my esteemed co-conspirator, Eddie "I hate picnics!" K.

Count me also as in for the indoor gathering, out for the outdoor one.

Geez - tough crowd this month. You win.

::: sitting back, watching the world go by :::

You know how things transpire on their own accord that put a smile on your face and a little extra spring in your step...?

I shall be at CP's on the designated date & time. My Maine native shrimp, little ones, were fantastic on my vaca, but these big 'uns are at the 'toppermost of the poppermost'!

1. does "special order desserts" mean they must be ordered ahead of time? would there be any interest?

2. I plan to RSVP at the last minute, possibly with a friend (I have several friends who have come to BBQ events, though they won't come for most "ethnic" foods).

3. for the record, it wasn't just the mosquitoes. I really enjoyed having a bike ride, lunch with friends, then a second bike ride to work off some of the calories. Can I do something similar, such as park in the forest preserve, bike to Porky's, eat, then bike again? Have to look at the logistics.

diversedancer wrote:1. does "special order desserts" mean they must be ordered ahead of time? would there be any interest?

You could call and ask.

I plan to come, with one guest, but she will order separately, she's not into strange BBQ. Her name is Sandy, she came to the BBQ on Lake-Cook road (where everybody ordered separately).

Speaking of which, I'm up for group ordering, but, thinking of last time, I wouldn't mind at all if we skipped the greens and focused on fried fish and shellfish. I can get collard greens at Cracker Barrel, if I want, which I don't.

Well, y'know, as long as we're being opinionated this month.

I haven't been with the LTHNLG more than a couple years, but this will be our third trip to CP's while I've been around. And in that time, I've winnowed down what I know is good and what is mediocre or I just don't like. I think the BBQ is barely passable. Agree with Katie about the greens, nothing special. In fact, the greens at Cracker Barrel are excellent.

My go-to's are, of course, the jumbo fried shrimp, and on a secondary note, the fried blue gill. The shrimp rivals the best I've ever had (EddieK will heartily second that), at The Fish Keg and Don's Dock, and I just like blue gill when I can get it.

Yes, as long as we're opin-ing (Katie, you rabble-rouser Bolshevik), I love the company & conversation but I'd rather trust my judgment and my own tastebuds when ordering. That being said, I'm always up for an on-the-spot trade on a 1:1 basis.

jnm123 wrote:(Katie, you rabble-rouser Bolshevik)

Ha ha ha!

I may be a rabble-rouser Bolshevik but (you may want to look away here, Dave) the truth is practically all of us are constantly plotting the violent overthrow of the ruling class.

Frankly, I prefer being able to order for myself too. I know this is a constant tension within the group. Sometimes group ordering and sharing works well, I think; sometimes, it does not --- in my opinion, anyway. I think Wells Brothers in Racine might be the best example in my mind of when group ordering has worked well for us.

I agree with you, Jay, about the BBQ at Cpt Porky's. I got a BBQ beef brisket sandwich last time, aside from the group order, and it was a disappointment, not worth the money. From now on, I'm sticking to the fish and shellfish at CP's (which is partly why I say, no more collard greens for me).

I also agree with you, Jay, overall, about ordering. I'd rather order for myself and share with others as we see fit than let someone else do the ordering and pay for types and quantities of food that I wouldn't have paid for if it'd been up to me.

How appropriate group ordering vs individual ordering is seems to me to depend on the place, and I hope we will continue to be flexible about that.

Yes, Katie--Wells Bros. and then Boston Fish Market (I don't think you were there) were classic cases of sharing being good. Also, that Korean BBQ Kogii Kogii place in Lincolnshire worked well also.

With broiled/steamed/raw/sauteed flesh, I'm OK with just that, but with deep fried, I want some green plant fiber to cut the perceived grease & starch. I liked the greens, would be happy with salad too, but it seems I'm the only one. So tentatively, I'll probably order separately too.

Since others have also talked about separate orders, I'll suggest compromise: each order our primary entree separately and "must have" sides, like my salad or greens, but add a shared order for sides such as (per group decision) hush puppies, jambalaya, zucchini, okra or others. Crab cakes are per each, so maybe ordered solo or 1 cake for two people. I definitely would NOT want a full order of any of those, but would like a little bit of some or all of them. As additional incentives, being sides, diners would less likely feel slighted if they got less than what they felt was their "fair share" of any of the items, and (hopefully) a large order would be a better price value than multiple small orders.

Though I prefer a picnic, dining in does make it easier for anybody, myself included, to pick up another order to take home after learning what they like.

Did anybody mention if it is still order and pick up at a counter, or table service?

When I went to rsvp last night, I discovered that I had never submitted a post I wrote earlier (paraphrased here):

The "special order desserts" means on any given day they have some or all, but will almost certainly run out at some point. So if anything is a "must have", call in the morning to have it held, or at least have it put aside when you arrive. I confirmed that can be done.

I've eaten at Captain Porky's or picked up carry out many times since it is not far from my home in the north end of Libertyville.

I too would prefer to order on my own since I love good grilled or sauteed fish but don't care much for it breaded. However, the jumbo deep fried shrimp at Porky's are just the best or as J wrote, "toppermost of the poppermost." (That's a term that's new to me but I will happily steal it.) When I order a shrimp dinner there, I choose garlic potatoes and greens since I don't care for their steak fries or cole slaw which are the other choices.

Did anybody mention if it is still order and pick up at a counter, or table service?

It's the same as it was since they've been at this location, that is "fast casual," order and pay at the cashier and they will usually bring the food to your table. You get your own drinks at the fountain.

I plan to come, with one guest, but she will order separately, she's not into strange BBQ. Her name is Sandy, she came to the BBQ on Lake-Cook road (where everybody ordered separately).

When I first dined at Porky's, I was impressed by his aquarium smoker which usually means good barbeque but was disappointed by the ribs, tips and brisket which I would rate as poor. Quite smokey but rather dry and tough. And, I didn't care for his BBQ sauce. One can get much better BBQ at Big Ed's which is about 7 miles south of Porky's hence closer for most of us. I also feel the BBQ at City Barbecue (that's the one on Lake Cook Road where we dined) is much better than Porky's but not as good as Big Ed's.

As to desserts, I love Porky's Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding which has always been available when I was there. Here's a link to their website where you can click on the YouTube video labelled "Chicago's Best D..." https://www.captainporky.com/ where Dino's daughter, Notah, shows how they make the bread pudding.

Please make me a +1 as my friend Sylvia will join us and order on her own.

As an interested observer, I'm fascinated with the discussion about the greens at Captain Porky's. I make a point of ordering the greens when I go because they are so good. It's a way to feel less guilty about the fried shrimp that I usually order. I also love their garlic potatoes.

Hope you have a great non-picnic!

Hi,

I happen to like their greens, too.

Last year, there was a lot of food that did not really interest me. I will gladly get what I want.

Helen might be coming.

Regards,
Cathy2

EddieK wrote:However, the jumbo deep fried shrimp at Porky's are just the best or as J wrote, "toppermost of the poppermost." (That's a term that's new to me but I will happily steal it.)

Story behind that phrase--in the early days of the Beatles, circa 1962-63, there was a British music TV show called 'Tops Of The Pops', and when the boys were in the back of the van going to nowhere gigs in the snow & rain, John Lennon would try to keep the others' spirits up by having them say, "Where we going, Johnny?" And he'd reply, "To the toppermost of the poppermost!"

See y'all tomorrow. Hope you're all heavily medicated...I know I'll be.

J

The LTHNLG is both educational and rebellious.

jnm123 wrote:Story behind that phrase--in the early days of the Beatles, circa 1962-63, there was a British music TV show called 'Tops Of The Pops', and when the boys were in the back of the van going to nowhere gigs in the snow & rain, John Lennon would try to keep the others' spirits up by having them say, "Where we going, Johnny?" And he'd reply, "To the toppermost of the poppermost!"

That's a great story!

jnm123 wrote:See y'all tomorrow. Hope you're all heavily medicated...I know I'll be.

Ha ha ha!

Sylvia will not be able to make it.

Another fun gathering with great food. Those fried jumbo shrimp really are the toppermost of the poppermost.

Wanted to go, couldn't justify the travel time out of my workday.
Did Dino have any of his foraged mushrooms or homemade goat cheese for frying?

WILD MUSHROOMS WILD MUSHROOMS WILD MUSHROOMS

WILD HEN OF THE WOODS MUSHROOMS ARE ALIVE AND BACK AT CAPTAIN PORKYS !!! FRIED WILD MUSHROOMS. SAUTÉED WILD MUSHROOMS WITH SCALLOPS AND OR SHRIMp.