Aug. 13--Although there is no shortage of terrific burger bars in Chicago, Leadbelly Burgers is one of the best. The enormous burgers, built with house-ground beef and sturdy buns baked fresh daily, are stacked with a smorgasbord of ingredients. Heaping baskets of specialty fries (trimmings include Polish sausage and pork belly) and plenty of craft beers on tap also make this rock 'n roll-themed establishment sing. What ultimately tips Leadbelly into the upper echelon of burger joints, though, is the medley of handcrafted milkshakes, which can be made boozy.
At the Gladstone Park location (Leadbelly also has a Portage Park spot), ask for the "Whip It" adult shake ($7.45) a spiked sensation of chocolate ice cream, coconut vodka, whipped cream vodka and a dash of pulled sugar, topped with a tart cherry and a generous helping of sweet whipped cream.
"Similar to how the Devo song 'Whip it' was put together based around three songs, we decided to take three unique ingredients and 'whip it' together," said Leadbelly co-owner Steve O'Brien.
His wife and business partner Nicole Masse O'Brien came up with the idea. A "huge fan" of Fannie May Trinidads, she wanted to create a "fun version of that flavor" in a milkshake, Steve O'Brien said. At first she tried vanilla ice cream with white chocolate liqueur, but then decided the drink needed more of a chocolate punch and added the chocolate ice cream and a dash of whipped cream vodka to play off the coconut.
"Just like the song, so simple, so fun and so popular," said O'Brien.
And, in case there was any doubt, they whip it good.
5691 N. Milwaukee Ave. (Gladstone Park), 773-775-6650, www.leadbellyburgers.com.
Pickett is a freelance writer.
