Hey, I'm WBZ reporter Monica Eng, and I want you to think of one of your favorite foods,

one that instantly transports you to a happy memory or place in your life, maybe a favorite holiday dish, or

that burger near your high school. Now, imagine losing it forever. That's what happened to Nancy

Rossman, when Mandis the Chicken King closed 40 years ago.

It was a place in Portage Park, a spot her dad used to take her to.

And Mandis fried up chicken so good that it still haunts her.

It was a light, crunchy, absolutely divine chicken sold in just a neighborhood joint, and it was crackly,

and it was crunchy, and I don't think I've ever eaten chicken that tasted like theirs.

So Nancy wrote into Curious City for the recipe and other Chicago favorites.

For me, this is a huge challenge. Is it even possible to

reconstruct a dish that hasn't been sold in Chicago for more than 40 years and get it so close

that Nancy tastes flavors she hasn't experienced since her childhood? It's not like the recipe's on

Google. Finding old recipes is hard. So hard,

I called on the help of specialists. Pros. Recipe Bounty Hunters. Monica Cass Rogers and Bill

Daly. Cass Rogers writes a blog called Lost Recipes Found. Daly's a food reporter for the Chicago Tribune, our partner for this story.

Here's a highlight reel of their advice.

Archives first, then talk to people who know in organizations like the culinary historians.

A, did the restaurant really exist? Sometimes people get the names wrong. Do they have it in the right location?

You can do people searches. You might find an obituary. The obituary might list next of kin. I've actually found

recipes that way. Suddenly you're talking to them about, oh, your father had this restaurant

40 years ago. Do you remember this recipe? And off you go from there. Okay.

Archives, former workers, next of kin, got it.

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