Chicago Girl Eats

Just a girl from Chicago trying to figure out the world through food. Follow author Jenna Smietanski on Twitter via @ChiGirlEats or "Chicago Girl Eats" on Facebook and Pinterest.

[chigirleats-blog]

I’ve been trying to eat healthier things lately which has been easy since quarantine. I usually eat out a ton since Chicago has so many wonderful restaurants, but now I’m stuck at home and left to my own devices. Since I’m making healthy meals out of what I have laying around the house, I figured I’d share some of the better ones with you as they come up. This one is one of my new favorites: I made it two days in a row since I’ve been too lazy to go to the grocery store.

Ingredients:

2-3 handfuls of green beans, boiled until tender

1 cup of cubed potato pieces (about 1 russet or 2 smaller varieties) boiled until soft

1 can of chunk light tuna, drained

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

lemon zest (fresh or dried) or other preferred seasonings

Instructions: Drizzle tuna with olive oil and generously sprinkle with sea salt and lemon zest or other desired seasonings; mix to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Put the green beans and potato in a larger bowl and salt to taste. Add tuna mixture and mix together until green beans are coated in tuna and potatoes have broken up a bit. Serve right away. 

[chigirleats-blog]

The Do’s and Don’ts of San Diego

When some close family friends decided to retire out west I jumped on the chance to head back to California. It had been years since I had visited San Francisco but I still hadn’t made it to southern Cali, much to my dismay. With friends living about 20 minutes outside downtown San Diego this was the perfect opportunity to travel, and best of all it meant 5 glorious days in the warm weather and sunshine while my friends back in Chicago were pulling out their winter coats and searching for lost gloves.

  Coronado

Do: After flying into San Diego International Airport take a quick drive over the bridge to Coronado for food at Sheerwater, located at the famous Hotel del Coronado. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous and Sheerwater is nestled between the Victorian structure and the ocean. I was feeling pretty jet lagged after stepping from the plane so I settled on their seasonal fruit and brie plate for lunch which turned out to be the perfect way to ease into vacation mode. The plate was layered with melons and stone fruits, then two massive slices of cheese, then crowned with two massive pieces of banana bread. It was a lot of food but it didn’t weigh me down when walking on the beach and around the hotel grounds. My mom went with a blue crab cake BLT on toasted brioche which was fantastic but huge so I would definitely have needed a nap after it. Our friends took advantage of Sheerwater’s duets lunch deals and went with a pizzetta and salad (though personally I would have been all over the lamb burger which looked amazing).

Don’t: Hotel del Coronado’s other restaurant 1500 Ocean is also visually stunning but is definitely a hotel restaurant. Skip paying $32 for chicken (sides are not included) and instead opt for a dinner picnic on the beach while watching the sun set (much more romantic and much more economical).

  Old Town San Diego

Do: One of my favorite parts of the trip was Old Town. Be prepared to walk though as parking is scarce, public transportation getting there is a nightmare, and the maze-like layout means lots of wandering aimlessly. The shopping was fantastic though and only enhanced by the preparations for Dia de los Muertos. I could have easily spent a thousand dollars on beautifully painted wood skulls, La Catrina figures, and gorgeous religious carvings. My souvenirs ended up being two monkey pod bowls, a small oval one with beautifully detailed purple peacocks painted on it and then a larger round one with all these big bright blue flowers on it. Epic score! After shopping we headed to Fiesta de Reyes to hit up the taco stand (al pastor = happiness) for some snacks to have while watching the traditional Spanish dancers. After relaxing there for a bit we headed towards the car to drop off our shopping bags before it was margarita time. Fred’s Mexican Café had an adorable patio so we decided to stop there for some cheap margaritas and a platter of nachos which was vaguely reminiscent of stuff served in college bars, but also had the same unpretentious fun quality about it. I would love to eat my way down the whole street, stopping at every brightly decorated bar and trying snacks and lots and lots of margaritas. It’s good to have goals.

Don’t: While Old Town is a fun look into life in the earliest Spanish settlement in SD it’s also a tourist trap. Drive the short distance to Mexico for authenticity and don’t expect too much culture, but do expect lots of cheap eats and booze.

  Gaslamp Quarter San Diego

Do: I wish I was 25 again because I would have loved bar hopping here on a Saturday night. Sadly, I am not 25, I was not on vacation with friends, and I was here on a Sunday afternoon. Mistake.

Don’t: Don’t go here with anyone over the age of 30 or during the day. It’s a waste of time and also kind of horrifying how many vacant storefront properties there are. Go at night and avoid the Detroit references.       

  La Jolla

Do: La Jolla was easily one of my favorite areas outside of SD, probably because it’s an area for super wealthy people. It’s clean and the beaches are hidden and adorable and people can swim with sea lions. Yes, people snorkeling and kayaking are basically sharing the same small coast space with all these absolutely adorable sea lions. We had lunch at George’s at the Cove and watched from our table on the upper terrace as the sea lions flopped over rocks and splashed in the waves. Definitely order seafood; I had chili shrimp tacos with mango salsa, my mom had Mexican shrimp cocktail, and a friend had their fish taco special that day. All were fantastic. Almost nothing in the world puts me in a better mood than sitting in the sun, feeling the breeze off the blue ocean, and stuffing my face with good food. It was also fun browsing the cute little shops that line the main street but the ocean is by far the main attraction.

Don’t: While super relaxing La Jolla can be super stressful. There’s minimal parking, the beaches are tiny and get crowded very, very fast, and for eating anywhere remotely close to a peak time reservations are required. Also don’t expect to get much on a small budget.

  Temecula

Do: I never knew that grapes could grow in the desert but much to my surprise they actually thrive here. Temecula is an awesome day trip, providing there’s a designated driver. One of our friends had that unfortunate responsibility and missed out on a lot of the fun getting to try new wines. My personal favorite was Wiens Family Cellars. The woman that served us the tastings was super friendly and knowledgeable which just added to the fact that all the wines were stupidly good. I could have just stayed there all day and worked my way through their entire wine list. After loading up there make sure to stop at Thornton Winery for lunch on their gorgeous patio, but any lunch there MUST include their baked brie, which is wrapped in puff pastry and drowned in a honey walnut sauce. Because one cheese is never enough though we all decided to split a flat bread with gorgonzola, figs, and pancetta which was easily one of the best things I ate on vacation. We ended with a shared order of calamari in a Thornton brut lemon herb beurre blanc which was also delicious, even though the cheese laden foods stole the show.

Don’t: Frangipani Winery is stunningly gorgeous. Every picture I took here turned out so beautiful, while every glass of wine I drank here was so painfully bad. My group didn’t even finish the tasting because everything was so bad. Also the guy working the counter was super slow and super rude, but his dog was super cute and friendly to make up for it. I would suggest stopping here, taking a picture from the patio, cuddle with the puppy, and then get out of there before getting suckered into drinking anything. Actually a lot of the wineries were pretty bad. Everything was super sweet and syrupy so I’m assuming it’s a regional thing with the soil and type of grapes that thrive there.

  Encinitas

Do: I LOVE ENCINITAS. Everything was super cute and super funky and fun and lots of crazy shops and cute little restaurants. It was almost like Boystown area in Lakeview. We had dinner at Q’ero which was a tiny (my kitchen is the size of this place) Peruvian restaurant. There’s nothing super fancy about the food here and almost everything comes with rice and/or potatoes (OMG HAPPINESS). I had papa rellena which is basically a giant heap of mashed potatoes filled with ground beef, raisins, and spices (aka the best happiest comfort food ever created). It took every single ounce of will power for me not to order every empanada they offered so I could save room for my entrée aji de Gallia (shredded chicken in a chili sauce with rice or potatoes). While not the most appetizing thing I’ve ever eaten it was so good and still looked appetizing enough for me to post a million photos on Facebook. Everyone else had basically giant pieces of steak and pork that looked like the portions in the Flintstones cartoons and they all looked and tasted amazing too, but my chicken definitely won for most epic dinner. The real winner of the night though was the Lucuma mousse cake which was sweet and earthy all at the same time which sounds like an odd combination but ended up working out extremely well.  

Don’t: While Encinitas is a really cool place there are also lots and lots of…interesting…people wandering around too. Especially at night I was definitely on guard. Sitting by the window at Q’ero we got to watch as everyone from bums to businessmen walked by and there were a lot of people from every walk of life that looked like they may have been off their medication (or needed to be on some). Though this may be why I liked the area so much; the people watching was almost as great as Chicago’s.  

[chigirleats-blog]

Reasons to bake for your coworkers

I will be the first to admit I get a little crazy when I'm at work (huzzah for being type A). Every now and then I like to bake for my coworkers to show them that I'm not always some crazy girl mumbling in a corner about deadlines and finance issues and how I'm borderline stalking the creative team. It's flattering to have people ooh and aah over pastries but my personal favorite are the inner office reviews. This is an email I just received which totally made my day:

Jenna Smietanski's Cupcakes: A Review by Bryn Rich

Pumpkin

Like the comforting embrace of a favorite sweater or the sun’s warmth kissing your cold cheeks on a crisp fall day, Jenna’s pumpkin cupcake will help you ignore the reality of a miserable, cold season and live all of your Yankee Candle-inspired fall fantasies (if only for a few bites).  The smooth, slightly spicy frosting spread across the cupcake’s dome is a true work of art, making this baked good resemble God’s delicious newly-finished mahogany coffee table.  Make yourself at home wherever you are with this tasty treat. 5/5

  Apple

Imagine yourself as an astronaut, looking down on Earth from the International Space Station.  What lies before you in that ink-black void held, holds, and will hold everything and everyone you have ever known.  Jenna’s apple cupcake offers an equally striking emotional experience, combining charmingly familiar flavors with the fragile sweetness of youth and innocence lost.  Just as fossilized plant and animal remains go through some scientific stuff and become glorious diamonds deep beneath the Earth’s surface, bits of apple wait for you within the cucpake’s body.  Do yourself a favor and find this buried treasure before it runs out, because there are only a few left on what used to be Maria’s desk. 5/5

*This email made dragging three cases of cupcakes (the devils food in the picture were the first gone so sadly no glowing review) on the orange line in the rain totally worth it.

[chigirleats-blog]

Eat This: BellyQ

My latest article on the tea smoked duck at BellyQ is up! If you haven't been to BellyQ yet you need to get there immediately!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-bellyq-duck-eat-this-dining-20131017-20131017,0,4730822.story

[chigirleats-blog]

Coffeehouse Etiquette

I was in my favorite Starbucks this morning. I had caught the orange line train that turns into a brown line so I was super early getting downtown and was super pumped because that meant I had enough time to visit my favorite coffee chain friends who make my triple venti caramel macchiato (yes, I am one of those people) taste like nectar of the morning gods. I was in a good mood: the sun was shining, Starbucks was practically empty, and my favorite barista as there. It was going to be a good day!

Just kidding. As soon as my venti chalice of caramel flavored happiness was set down on the counter and I reached for it some woman was at my side, ready to pounce.

Woman: Is that my coffee?

Me: No.

Woman: Are you sure?

Me: My name is on it.

Woman: What is it?

Me: Triple Venti Caramel Macchiato

Woman: Are you sure?

Me, turning my cup slightly so she can see the writing: Yes. Unless your name is Jenna and you ordered a triple venti caramel macchiato too.

And then she proceeded to still stand next to me and examine the sharpie writing on the cup which clearly states, in black PERMANENT MARKER my name followed by a giant 3 indicating that I’m a notch above the normal addict (for further proof of this sickness see post http://chigirleats.tumblr.com/post/26903991052/an-open-letter-to-my-least-favorite-barista). This woman invaded my personal space and stared at my cup as if she were trying to will the letters and numbers to shift to whatever she had ordered. Like maybe, just maybe, if she had been good enough and believed enough and wanted it enough she could focus every fiber on her being to create an early morning coffee miracle. Good thing before 11am I am a succubus of despair and, if deprived of caffeine, will become a black hole that vacuums up any glimmer of hope. No matter how hard she was going to will that macchiato to change into whatever sad drink she had ordered, it was not going to happen; my morning demons would make sure of that.

But as I was walking away from Starbucks, sipping on my hot victory drink of wonderfulness and ranting to my mother (I am still like a small child and feel the need to tell my mother when I am slighted, though to be fair my rants of anger usually revolve around food, like my fish was over cooked or someone got a better dessert than me and wouldn’t share) it got me thinking about why people are so crazy at Starbucks. And then at Dunkin Donuts. And then at independent coffee shops. Why does waiting for coffee turn people who are presumably good, decent creatures into beasts of destruction? How can we cut back on all the madness? Here are some suggestions:

Pay attention: Seriously people, get off your phones and start noticing what is going on around you. Your work email will be waiting for you when you get into the office and that good gossip about your brothers best friends college roommate that no one ever liked anyway will still be there too, only if you wait five minutes to get your coffee there may be breaking developments.

Stop ordering ridiculous things during peak times: If it is 7:50am and your barista is looking at you like you just grew another head, probably one with horns, and it started speaking one of the many dead languages of the world you probably should not be ordering that. Or, if you feel the need to order something so completely removed from the actual world of coffee, do it at like 10:00 when all the sane people are properly caffeinated and less likely to murder you while listening to you make the baristas plan a suicide pact after work.

Do not block the counter where the coffees are placed: I may be a tiny little 5ft tall girl that is wearing a pink polka dot shirt to work but if you come between me and my coffee I will cause you a world of pain. If you do not back away from the counter so I cannot get at the coffee I will kick you so hard your knee cap will fall out. If that isn’t possible I will find something else equally as unpleasant. Stop hogging the counter and start being considerate.

Start using common sense: Your plain black coffee and your elaborate breakfast sandwich will take vastly different stretches of time to be ready; while your coffee is ready in a couple seconds that does not mean your bacon egg maple waffle donut wrap will be ready instantly too. You shouting that they forgot your wrap monstrosity will not make that come out faster either. The only thing that will happen is that your wrap will mysteriously fall to the floor and get covered with coffee grounds before being snugly wrapped up and bagged.

Start saying good morning: You don’t need to have an entire elaborate conversation with your barista but a simple “good morning” would be nice. They are humans who are up at insanely early hours and who deal with insanely crazy people on a daily basis. Also, they are the ones that will remember your favorite drinks or expedite yours on super busy mornings. Stop talking over them or just walking up to the register shouting your order at them.  

[chigirleats-blog]

I’m sorry I ditched you for Chicago Gourmet.

Actually, I’m not that sorry. I can’t even muster up the tiniest bit of regret or empathy or sadness or anything. I feel like I should feel bad; while you were doing laundry I was having the time of my life. Based on last year (http://chigirleats.tumblr.com/post/32651471685/10-reasons-chicago-gourmet-is-the-best-thing-ever) you should have known that when Chicago Gourmet rolls around there is nothing in the world that is going to stop me, short of me getting run over by a bus as I dart across Michigan Avenue to Millennium Park in a food trance that cannot be broken except by the consumption of an insane amount of food and booze.

But to be fair you don’t stand a chance when trying to compete with the city’s ultimate foodie festival. Being from out of town I know you don’t understand why, so maybe this will enlighten you:

When I come through the door you don’t greet me with wine. Your run of the mill hey-how-was-your-day greeting is nothing compared to the festival saying “We’ve missed you, here is your gift bag and wine glass that you can use to sample a bazillion different wines that each taste like sunshine and happiness* and will slowly melt all your stress away and make you forget that every day isn’t wonderful.”

Your dinner is good…but that’s all. No offense to your eggplant parm which really is quite tasty, but Chicago Gourmet has a seafood tent. Yes, an entire tent of seafood wonderfulness. And just when you think you may die of happiness all the sudden the chefs all switch and a new batch of chefs come in and make more treats from the sea and then everything is even more wonderful.

As far as I know, you don’t make macaroons. You know who does? Café des Architectes. And they make them in sweet AND savory flavors. Have you ever had a ginger carrot foie gras macaroon? No? Well you need to. I’ve had them and I will tell you that they are EPIC.

You’ve never encouraged me to double fist when drinking. One of my favorite things about Chicago Gourmet, aside from the food, is the liquor vendors that will load you up with a bunch of tiny plastic taster cups of various drinks and then give you recipe cards so you can replicate these stupidly good cocktails. I try to remain relatively lady like when drinking around you, which I guess is ok, but nothing says “this is going to be an epic day!” like walking around balancing multiple adult beverages and downing them as you wait in line for a giant pile of food.

Are you practically force feeding me donuts with espresso cream from Firecakes? No? But I thought we were friends! Clearly the festival organizers love me more than you do. Friends make friends eat donuts!

I’m stopping this list right here. I don’t want to put a damper on our friendship even more than I have already. I guess I’m sorry that I abandoned you. I’m sorry that I chose chefs that make foods I can’t even imagine. I’m sorry I chose wine that makes what’s in my cabinet look like canal water. I’m sorry I made new friends at the festival, ones who do nothing but talk about food and eat food and drink wine and are basically just like me in every way. I’m sorry I’m a little crazy, which I am only realizing now that the magical effects of lobster and pork belly and wine are wearing off. 

[chigirleats-blog]

New Trib Article: Mini Caramelized Baskets

Check out my new article in the Tribune today on Public Landing's Mini Caramelized Baskets!

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-09-11/features/ct-dining-0912-eat-this-basket-20130911_1_historic-gaylord-building-public-landing-restaurant-basket

[chigirleats-blog]

Eat At Union

To my friends, relatives, acquaintances, and complete strangers that need to be eating sushi with me right now:

For the past few weeks I have been craving sushi pretty much nonstop. Please stop with your invites to get pizza, wings, or the usual center of my existence: tacos. If it’s not a sea creature doused in eel sauce and maybe accompanied by some ginger then I basically want nothing to do with it. Please, please, please take me for sushi, preferably to Union. Should you argue that you don’t want to make the trek from the comfort of your own neighborhoods to the crowds and congestion of River North, here are some things that may change your mind:

1.       Happy Hour: No, I’m not talking about cocktails, I’m talking about food: $1, $2 beef skewers, $4 shrimp tempura rolls, every Monday through Saturday from 5-6:30 (for more restaurant deals check out http://chigirleats.tumblr.com/post/42871962626/every-week-is-restaurant-week). The only way food gets better is if it’s discounted!

2.       But since you’re already thinking about cocktails now, you probably want to check out the Sparkling Flower (http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/ct-dining-0829-drink-this-flower-20130828,0,6789306.story) because, much like bacon, hibiscus makes everything better.

3.       Starbucks is serving their pumpkin spice lattes again so I guess, much to my dismay, that summer is over and fall is officially upon us. You know what one of my favorite fall items is? Sweet potatoes. You know what Union has? Agedashi potato appetizers! These are basically a sweet potato tater tot that rest in a yummy broth and taste like clouds of happiness.

4.       Speaking of happiness, they also have prosciutto wrapped scallops at their barbeque bar. If that’s too run of the mill for you there’s always kangaroo or alligator, but seriously, how could anyone in their right mind pass up prosciutto wrapped scallops?

5.       Their California maki comes with spicy mayo. While I don’t think the mayo is that spicy it does add another dimension to the already awesome flavors and just makes these one of the most addicting things ever to exist. I need to eat these every day.

6.       Not a fan of seaweed? No problem. Check out their specialty rolls that are wrapped in things like radish or collard greens.

7.       So you’re probably thinking that everything so far sounds epic and you’ll never be able to choose what you want to get, right? Just get everything. Ok well maybe not everything, but one of the sampler platters should work for you. There’s a black rice sushi sampler, a barbeque bar sampler, a chef’s selection of sashimi, and an ice cream trio!

8.       Taro mochi cake. It sounds kind of strange to use a veggie in dessert but then again carrot cake works so why wouldn’t this? This isn’t the sweetest pastry in the world but it reminds me of a dessert I had at Girl & the Goat (a high compliment since G&G is one of my all time favorite restaurants in the entire world). It’s got these light, subtly sweet tones that give you just enough satisfaction after gorging yourself on all sorts of savory foods.

9.       If you’re still craving more fall flavors after the sweet potato there’s also an ice cream bar with pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin brittle!

10.   Dinner is accompanied by real music like Men At Work’s “Down Under,” which is still stuck in my head from my last visit. Nothing makes you appreciate your amazing dinner like musical references to vegemite.

All this being said, who’s in for a weekend trip to Union?

230 W. Erie St. http://www.eatatunion.com/  

[chigirleats-blog]

A Foodie's Required Reading List

As all of you must know by now, my love of food has pretty much taken over my entire life. I was recently reflecting on how I never really write anything else these days aside from blog or newspaper pieces revolving around everything edible and then it hit me: my reading habits are now starting to be consumed as well. My sickness has transcended magazines like Food & Wine or Lucky Peach and has now entered book territory. And so, my fellow foodie friends, here’s what you should be reading:

  Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain: If I was to pull a Freaky Friday with anyone on the planet I would want to switch lives with Anthony Bourdain as he is now, traveling the world and eating local cuisines that most of us can’t even dream of because we’ve never encountered anything even remotely close. I would not, however, wish to trade lives with a younger Anthony as he deals with drug addictions, crazy coworkers, and the dos and don’ts of the restaurant industry.

The good: You will not be able to put this book down; it’s such a fascinating read and it’s written incredibly well.

The bad: You will regret so many life decisions, like ordering fish on Mondays or getting something cooked well-done.

  Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip—Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by Steve Dublanica: On the other side of the kitchen door from Bourdain is Dublanica, telling tales of his adventures in front of the house as a waiter. He fluctuates between the usual complaints about clients and coworkers alike and does scatter in some stories that will make you regain your faith in humanity. This is a great look at every aspect of a server’s life and perfect for anyone who has ever worked a customer service role.

The good: Tt’s a light read that hits all your emotions and you feel like Dublanica is personally telling you these stories over a drink or two (or ten).

The bad: There are parts that make you just hate people.  

  Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond: In this book Almond drags the reader along with him on a journey to visit the smaller manufacturers of chocolates that have managed to survive the years and marketplace dominance by the larger brands (like Hershey). There’s a lot of awesome information in here regarding the chocolate industry but Almond definitely lets the reader into his life and after reading this it feels like you were alongside him the whole time.

The good: There’re so many new chocolates out there to try!

The bad: Good luck finding all of these new chocolates that you are now craving, and also getting over your cravings for the discontinued candy bars he pays homage to (cookies n’ mint Hershey bars, how could they take you away from me????).

  Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Drink: This is my favorite anthology of all time. It’s such a random collection of stories and writers that cover quite an expanse of time, so every era and background and lifestyle is touched on.

The good: There is something for every foodie in here and the writing is all absolutely fantastic.

The bad: This is such a great collection of writing that the next time you pick up any food article you will inevitably be disappointed.  

  Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell: While this is marketed as fiction it seems more of a memoir than anything else. Orwell’s descriptions of kitchen life at the beginning of the 20th century feel all too familiar after reading Bourdain and it seems that not much ever changes in the food industry. There’s still a kitchen caste system and absolutely insane work hours and…interesting…working conditions. While the narrator lives in poverty for much of the book it’s somehow never depressing and keeps the reader completely engrossed.

The good: This offers a really interesting look at life outside societal norms and you get sucked in to the stories of the characters.

The bad: There are anecdotes in here that will forever be in the back of your mind whenever you eat at posh restaurants: consider yourself warned.

  The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones: This is a really easy read about an American food writer’s journey to China for work as well as personal reasons. I guess having a plot is a good thing but in all honesty I could have just read a book with only Mones’ descriptions of the meals. The food is by far my favorite character in here and you will cry the next time you order Chinese takeout and it is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like the meals in the book. Food porn alert: there is one scene in here involving crab and tofu that I still fantasize about.

The good: This book offers an amazing look at traditional Chinese cuisine.

The bad: You will crave Chinese food the whole time you’re reading this and when your Americanized Chinese takeout arrives you will die a little inside.  

[chigirleats-blog]

Get your drink on

Check out my review of Union Sushi's The Sparkling Flower in today's Tribune Dining section!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/ct-dining-0829-drink-this-flower-20130828,0,6789306.story

[chigirleats-blog]

Forget pizza and hotdogs, Chicago is all about ice cream.

 I was reminiscing with my grandma over two bowls of Baskin Robbins, scoops of chocolate and cookies & cream for her, scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough and Reeses for me. We were talking about my Grandpa’s tendency to wander off for hours, sometimes by himself but mostly with my grandma and I in tow. Sometimes I was taken with to go get ice cream, one of my favorite things in the entire universe, and if I was really good we skipped the McDonalds or the Baskin Robbins and drove around the city to get some of the best ice cream Chicago has to offer.

Rainbow Cone (Est. 1926): Much like me, my friend Rachel has memories of being little and standing in seemingly endless lines while waiting for a Rainbow Cone. Of course in our memories it’s always blazing hot outside and the ice cream starts melting instantly, necessitating the development of a licking technique to keep the drops from running down your hands and arms and face and coating your clothes in splotches of orange, brown, and pink. The best scoops were always loaded with orange sherbet, chocolate, and strawberry, with a little palmer house and almost no pistachio. I remember being a  little kid and being appalled that they offered other ice cream flavors—black walnut, butter pecan, NY vanilla, cookie dough, cookies & cream, chocolate peanut butter, bubble gum, and banana—because why would anyone ever get anything other than the original rainbow? Why choose just one flavor when you can have them all? 9233 S. Western Ave www.rainbowcone.com

Gertie’s Ice Cream (Est. 1901): If you are going to get a sundae in Chicago it’s basically mandatory that you go to Gertie’s. My grandparents used to take me there all the time in the summer when they didn’t feel like making the long trek to Rainbow Cone and I used to love sitting in the giant booths with my giant old fashioned sundae glass and just feeling like I had time traveled. When I finally got my drivers license I used to cart my younger cousins around, taking them to play mini golf and then, if they were good, rewarding them with trips to Gertie’s (only after they finished all their Lindy’s chili, of course). Personally I like to go super old school and load up on the hot fudge, though everyone once in a while I get a little crazy and order the maraschino cherry sundae (because you can never ever have enough cherries) or the sweet sixteen (basically a  banana split with chocolate marshmallow syrup). I also love that every single ice cream comes with a Nabisco cookie; even though I’m not really a fan of them I love the idea that details like that will never change. Also, how can you not love going to a place that serves Green River all year round and refers to straight soda pop as “phosphates” still? If you ask for a soda it’s going to have a scoop or two of ice cream in it, just a heads up. 9 Chicago and suburban locations www.lindyschili.com

Cupid Candies (Est. 1936): In high school days off were mainly spent on the bus heading to either Chicago Ridge or Orland malls, then trying to make the most out of what little money I happened to have on me. I always managed to stash away a couple extra dollars to spend at Cupid’s at the end of the day though. While they are best known for their chocolates in the 1950’s their Oak Lawn and Orland locations added old fashioned ice cream shops to their candy stores making this the perfect way to refuel after a day of shopping. Much like with Gertie’s you do not want to pass up on their sundaes, splits, malts, and of course a Green River for good measure. Not much on the interiors of any Cupid’s locations has been updated so it’s very much like the land where time stood still, making this the perfect, unpretentious place to take the family and friends and unwind over a marshmallow sundae before taking home candies such as giant chocolate tortoise (yes, this is a real thing and yes, you want to get this immediately). 3 Chicago and suburban locations www.cupidcandies.com

[chigirleats-blog]

Put down the tourist drinks (a fall preview)

Up until now Drumbar has felt like a hotel bar. You open the drink menu and things like a strawberry margarita are the first items that hit your eye. While I can knock back a pitcher of margaritas like no other, I don’t want to go out downtown, to a rooftop bar, inside a LUXURY boutique hotel, and order something I could have made at home. No thanks.

Thankfully Alex Renshaw left Sable to come revive Drumbar’s beverage program and make things a little less…touristy. Here’s what you should be drinking:

Blind Leading the Blind: Put down the strawberry margarita and instead get a mix of strawberry, lemon, vodka, px sherry, and cynar. While fruity, this is still an incredibly strong drink and not easily guzzled. Be prepared to take your time and enjoy!

Out & About: One of my friends commented that this cocktail tastes like a starburst candy and in a way it definitely does. Based on the list of ingredients—including bourbon, punt e mes (Italian vermouth), campari, and chocolate bitters—you’d never think this was going to be a sweet cocktail but somehow everything comes together perfectly. This was definitely my table’s favorite.

Wizard of Oz: I knew I had to try this drink just because my mom is completely obsessed with anything Wizard of Oz related and I am obsessed with anything containing cynar. Not a lot of bars use it, or use it correctly, so I like to think of cocktails containing it as a test. Lucky for me Renshaw aced the exam in combining cynar with Manzanilla sherry, lime, orange bitters, and nutmeg. This took a couple sips to get used to but once I did I absolutely loved the drink and immediately after wanted another.

Some of the other house cocktail options fell a little short of our tables expectations though and are definitely acquired tastes (I’m looking at you, Overnight Delivery). If none of these strike your fancy though there’s an entire list of traditional cocktails such as whisky sours, pimms cups (yay!), and gimlets. Either way it looks like Drumbar is changing for the better and challenging hotel guests and locals alike to move outside their comfort zone and put the margaritas down.  

Drumbar is at 201 E Delaware Pl, 18th Fl. www.drumbar.com 

[chigirleats-blog]

Eating Outside the City: Lockport

My uncle had been trying to get me to go to lunch with him for the longest time and while usually I’m all about food outings in this particular case I had been dragging my feet. My uncle and I have very different definitions of what good food is. He grew up with my Czech grandma dominating the kitchen, making the usual post-WWII American housewife foods with some eastern European fare thrown in for good measure. I grew up with my mom dragging me around Chicago and trying every new food she possibly could. Needless to say, whereas my uncle is happy going to the same restaurant and ordering spaghetti in red sauce and meatballs all the time, I get frustrated driving an hour outside of the city to visit him just to get something I could have gotten at my local diner (Huck Finns, one of my favorite places to go at 4am for some drunk food…nothing says “classy” quite like pancakes with a side of fries and maybe a donut to go).

Lately though my uncle had been raving about getting a turkey plate at this restaurant by him, Public Landing, and this giant pile of foodie happiness sounded like Thanksgiving. One of my all time favorite things ever is Thanksgiving (http://chigirleats.tumblr.com/post/36362775307/3-thanksgivings-later) so I HAD to try this place.

My mom, uncle, and I made the trek out to the southwest suburb of Lockport to an adorable little restaurant at the base of the Gaylord Building, a historical property which houses a small museum focused on the history of the I & M Canal. The building from 1838 was a former construction warehouse during the creation of the canal and then housed a variety of commercial businesses before being beautifully restored and converted to the restaurant, museum, and gallery space that occupies it today. The building is made from the limestone that is quarried throughout the region and the restaurant’s patio and landscaping reflects the use of this material as well. The patio overlooks the path along the canal so on a nice day the people watching outside can rival restaurants downtown.

We sat on the patio (which happens to be dog friendly and even has a menu for them!) and immediately ordered glasses of the sangria we had seen when we had walked past the bar. The white had pineapple with it and tasted very tropical, while the red was more traditional but equally as refreshing. Again we all have very different food interests so, being unable to decide on one appetizer, we ended up ordering the Appetizer Trio. I selected the asparagus fritti which were breaded spears with ranch for dipping which was good but nothing super exciting. My uncle went with a traditional shrimp cocktail which was a solid safe choice, but my mom went with the shrimp ceviche which was my favorite choice out of the trio. They followed up the appetizers with baked French onion soup which was phenomenal but I passed on my own bowl in order to demolish the loaf of pretzel bread given to each table. I could make a meal out of just the soup and bread given, but then I wouldn’t have gotten to eat the main course:

I decided to forgo the turkey plate for the potato encrusted walleye which was served in a citrus sauce with pineapple relish, wild rice, and sugar snap peas. Things you should know about me: A. I love fish B. I love potato C. I love pineapple anything D. I LOVE PEAS. As you can see, I’m already biased about this dish. The texture was a bit off with the softness of the fish, potato, and relish but other than that there were no complaints from me. I was still jealous though when my uncle’s roasted Pennsylvania turkey breast arrived sitting on a giant plate of stuffing, green beans, and mashed potatoes (it usually comes with sweet potatoes but my uncle gets the regular potatoes which are really, really good there) and then doused in gravy. There’s a small bowl of cranberries on the side so this plate is, in fact, thanksgiving. I stole a bite of my mom’s maple bourbon pork chop which was served with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus which was really, really well executed. I’m insanely picky about pork chops and tend to avoid them all together because they are usually too dry for my liking but this one was exceptional and, if you’re a pork chop fan, should not be missed.

After dinner we ordered another round of drinks, this time off the seasonal menu. I had a prickly pear lemonade which was subtly sweet and refreshing while my uncle had some sort oh huckleberry spiked ice tea drink that was basically an adult snow cone. Trust me when I say get the snow cone.

Stuffed nearly to the brim we forced ourselves to get dessert. My mom and uncle went with more traditional desserts, a crème brulee and a chocolate cream pie, which were both very tasty, but my dessert blew theirs out of the water. There’s a separate portion of the dessert menu reserved for “mini caramelized baskets.” Yes, you read that right. They make baskets out of sugar and then fill said baskets with wonderful ingredients of happiness. I went with the original which featured Godiva white chocolate mousse, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and a strawberry puree. I was very, very happy with this choice but next time I’m hitting up the bananas foster basket because who doesn’t love caramelized bananas with coffee ice cream served in a sugar basket.

 So to recap:

1.       Go to Lockport.

2.       Bring your friends so you can try more. Or if you don’t have friends bring your dog.

3.       Grab a seat on the patio.

4.       Get the soup.

5.       Get cocktails.

6.       Get the caramelized basket for dessert (or the trio of them for $17)

7.       Take a long nap because after all the food and fresh air you will be ready to sleep for days.

All right kids, there will be a pop quiz on Monday. Study hard, especially the cocktail menu.

Public Landing: 200 W. 8th St, Lockport, http://www.publiclandingrestaurant.com/

[chigirleats-blog]

What one rum can’t do, three rums can

“When Don the Beachcomber said ‘What one rum can’t do, three rums can,” I took that to also mean ‘What one rum can’t do, three rums—and a gin and a whisky and a brandy—can.’” –Paul McGee, mixologist for Lettuce Entertainment and brains behind the bar at Three Dots and a Dash

  Three Dots and a Dash opened on July 31 and as soon as I heard that after nearly a year of waiting it was finally here I dragged three all too obliging friends with me to suck down cocktails filled with tropical happiness and revel in 1930’s tiki awesomeness. Our experience went something like this:

5:00pm: Me, literally running to Hilary’s desk, freaking out over the fact that it was almost 5:01 and we were not out of the office yet. We crammed ourselves onto a full elevator and proceeded to book it out of work.

5:11pm: Hilary and I arrive at the alley where the entrance is hidden. I proceed to send Stephanie the most cryptic text ever with instructions about going down an alley and entering into a dark hallway and all sorts of things that probably made her slightly concerned for her safety. Hilary and I proceed down the staircase under the skulls and through the dimly lit passage ways to the bar which reminds me of something out of the movies Blue Hawaii (1961) or from Lena Horne’s scene in Ziegfeld Follies (1945). Everything is retro tiki themed and walks that fine line between over the top and awesome, but always stays on the classier side. It is River North, after all.

5:14pm: I text Stephanie where we are sitting before proceeding to take A MILLION PICTURES OF EVERYTHING because yes, the interior is that cool.

5:16pm: Our waitress, Julia, comes by and is just adorable. She’s probably as excited to be at Three Dots as we are. She runs through the drink menu with us, explaining the traditional side as well as mixologist Paul McGee’s original creations. The menu is just insane, with each drink looking better than the next. Rum is my drink of choice so I was having the worst time deciding and Julia was kind enough to offer up her recommendations: Three Dots and a Dash, Saturn, and Poipu Beach Boogie Board. We go with the Three Dots and the Boogie Board and anxiously await their arrival.

5:23pm: The drinks arrive and may actually be some of the prettiest drinks I’ve ever come across. My Three Dots was served in a little ceramic coconut glass with the name written on it and a little skewer of pineapple and in-house made maraschino cherries (so yummy). It’s an original Don the Beachcomber drink from the 1940’s and is made up of aged rhum agricole**, Guyanese rum, honey, falernum, lime, allspice, and angostura bitters. It tasted like drinking Hawaii. I honestly don’t even know how else to describe it. Hilary’s Boogie Board was in a tall skinny glass which displayed the beautiful pink colors, and was garnished with a pineapple slice and flower. This Paul McGee drink was made from rye whisky, overproof rum, guava, maraschino, grenadine, pineapple, and lemon and marked on the menu with a little skull, indicating that this was one of the more potent drinks available. In spite of the warning this tasted like an adult slurpee which made it super easy to suck down, at least until that nice little buzz sneaks up which necessitates massive amounts of snacks (which I will get to later).

5:25pm: I sent pictures of the drinks to various friends and relatives. Responses include “Sooo jealous,” “Ooh what is that,” “You went without me,” “OOO looks yummy,” and “When are we going? I’m free tomorrow or Sunday.”

5:28pm: Stephanie and Bryan finally get there and immediately fall in love with the place, which is easy to do. Major props to Bryan for not running out instantly, as the three of us ladies spent at least a good five minutes in uber girly mode, gushing over the waitresses’ dresses, the flowers in the drinks, etc.**

5:40pm: By this time we are all stealing sips from each other’s drinks. Stephanie went super old school and got a Mai Tai (1944) which came in this glass that looked kind of like a flower pot, especially with the entire top covered in giant stalks of mint leaves giving it a stunning aroma. This original Trader Vic drink is made from aged rhum agricole, Jamaican rum, lime, curacao, macadamia orgeat, and, of course, mint. I’ve sucked down a really good amount of Mai Tai concoctions in the past, but this one was easily the best. Bryan went with another little skull marked cocktail, the Jet Pilot (Stephen Crane, 1958), made from dark Jamaican rum, gold Dominican rum, overproof rum, lime, cinnamon, grapefruit, falernum, absinthe, and angostura bitters. There’s a Dutch candy that is a small square of licorice covered in a sugary spicy coating and that’s exactly what this drink reminded me of. It’s probably not safe that something this loaded with booze tastes like candy…

6:00pm: Thoroughly liquored up at this point the four of us made an excellent life choice by getting snacks. While the food menu is only nine items it was still incredibly difficult to choose between them as they all looked like the best drinking food options ever. We settled on pork belly buns (sliders) with cucumber kimchi (this whole kimchi trend we have going on in the city right now makes me endlessly happy) which came in an adorable little stack and were pretty delicious (though mine was a tad over cooked, but I will let that slide since it was opening night); the other snack was luau chips with pineapple guacamole. Our server, Julia, probably put it best when she compared the chips to chicharones. They had the same light and puffy consistency but were made with wheat instead of pork and were the perfect vessel for the guacamole which had a nice sweetness to it.

6:30pm: Unfortunately my friends had other plans so we had to leave, which ended up working out well for me because it gave me time to go home and schedule drink outings with more people and movie nights to watch Blue Hawaii and South Pacific (the original Rogers and Hammerstein version, none of this remake nonsense).

Recap: Go to Three Dots and a Dash (435 N Clark St, http://threedotschicago.com). Drink a lot. Get snacks. Make any friends that did not go with insanely jealous. Schedule day to take them. Rinse. Repeat.     

  *Rum vs Rhum: Rum, as in your average Bacardi or Captain Morgan, is made from molasses where Rhum Agricole is the French keeping things classy as always and using pressed sugarcane juice. When vacationing in the Caribbean you’ll be able to tell who colonized the island back in the day based on their r(h)um. Impress your friends with that little nugget of knowledge!

**On a side note this place isn’t as girly as it may sound right now. The tones in the restaurant are actually very masculine and there’s a lot of whisky and bourbon drinks if super pretty and loaded with flowery garnish isn’t exactly your thing. Plus, Bryan has a very Mad Men-esque vibe to him, so if this place gets his stamp of approval you know it’s got some serious appeal. 

[chigirleats-blog]

Falling for Fabio (and Siena Tavern)

I had been dragging my feet about trying the food at Siena Tavern for a while now. No offense to Fabio Viviani but I tend not to trust celebrity chef turned entrepreneurs/dictators of mini food oriented empires, especially after a recent soul crushing experience at Huber Keller’s Burger Bar in Las Vegas. As a Top Chef fan* however, I was finally lured in to a tasting with the promise of meeting Fabio on his recent trip to Chicago.

The first thing that really struck me about Siena Tavern was the atmosphere. Unlike a lot of Italian restaurants nearby the interior is very bright and warm but still has this sort of clean and shimmery quality to it. It’s upscale without feeling pretentious at all and I would have no qualms about bringing a book there and parking myself for an hour or so, with a nice glass of wine to accompany me of course. I would also have no second thoughts to bringing a group of my coworkers for an afterhours outing or my family for a nice weekend dinner.

I was seated near the windows which over look their patio on Kinzie which was perfect for kicking back and relaxing; the chairs were plush and incredibly comfy, the giant windows let in tons of light, and the view of the patio and street was perfect for people watching (nothing says summer in Chicago like lost tourists and business people sitting outside screaming into cell phones about increased goals or whatnot). The glass of wine recommended to me, Santadi Vermentino di Sardegna, took the atmosphere up to that next level. It was perfect for summer; it was light and had hints of apple and vanilla without being overly sweet. The wine list is impressive, boasting bottles mainly from Italy with a few California ones thrown in for good measure, all which span a variety of price ranges. The beer selection on the other hand tends to be more locally focused, with breweries such as Goose Island, Revolution, and Two Brothers represented. They do have a Siena Draft listed though which is produced just for the restaurant that I need to go back to try, along with the Siena Sangria and each one of their 15 cocktails listed which all sound fantastic.

After unwinding with my glass of wine for a bit Fabio came over for a quick hello before a business dinner meeting. I wasn’t sure what to expect and was a bit apprehensive about meeting him. On Top Chef and Life After Top Chef he had seemed larger than life, an outgoing TV personality that was so career and brand oriented that he hardly seemed real. And I have zero patience with fake, image driven people. This could have gone badly.

Thankfully, Fabio is actually a really chill guy. Right off the bat he apologized for not coming to see me wearing his chef’s jacket, which kind of caught me off guard. I just wanted to say “Chill, I’m not going to hold it against you that you’re not pretending to run the kitchen like I’m sure a lot of people think you do, despite having multiple restaurants in multiple cities.” He explained he was hosting a business meeting at the restaurant, but while I was there he just seemed to be hanging out with the staff, chatting with random people, and just taking it a little easier. You could see that even if he’s not in the kitchen restaurants are where he’s most in his element.

So after being won over by Fabio’s chill demeanor (as well as his infectious grin—it’s hard not to like someone who just seems perpetually happy about everything) the food started coming out. I had asked the kitchen staff to let me taste whatever they thought were the best representations of what Siena had to offer and they definitely delivered.

First up were coccoli. These puffy pieces of fried dough were impossible not to love. In spite of being fried they weren’t greasy or heavy—quite the opposite in fact—and they were brushed with a bit of truffle honey to give them a hint of sweetness. They were accompanied by little pieces of melty stracchino cheese wrapped with prosciutto di parma, and when everything was eaten together it was almost like a deconstructed pizza plate. The creaminess of the cheese definitely helped balance out a bit of the saltiness from the prosciutto and it was easy to see why this was the best selling antipasti option on their menu.

From the crudo bar I had the hamachi which turned out to be an excellent choice for a summer snack. The fish was dressed with truffle honey, very thin slices of serranos, a spicy balsamic, and a scattering of pieces of crispy fried shallots. I love spicy food so I was intrigued by the use of this balsamic with such a light crudo, but the kitchen proved to have a very delicate hand with it and it was just enough to accent the dish without over powering. The serranos added just a pop of flavor and color and were a nice addition, while the crispy shallots added some texture but were a bit too over powering for my liking (being the incessant blabbermouth that I am I blurted this out to Chef David Blonsky rather sharply. My apologies for seeming rude, I just really loved the fish!) so for the most part I scraped them off. My only comment on the truffle honey is that I want to eat this on every dish all the time. Yes, it’s that good.

Next up was the squid ink linguini with grilled lobster tail, spicy lobster cream sauce, and shaved green onion. I honestly don’t know how to describe this dish other than perfect. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the lobster was perfectly grilled, the sauce was a perfectly balanced mix of creamy and spicy, and the slight scattering of green onion added the perfect dash of color and additional flavor. I was trying to be on my best behavior and not be a total Gavoon (as my Italian friend Linda loves to call people who are uncouth) by unhinging my jaw and shoveling food into my face, but it took every single ounce of restraint for me. Yay for pasta induced happiness!

Going back to Chef David Blonsky, I have to note here that he totally gets Italian cooking. We chatted briefly about how the best Italian food is really simple, but at the same time is really hard to make because if you don’t have the best ingredients your entire dish is garbage. It’s really a nice example of his skill to be able to transition over to the mentality of Italian cooking after working with more pub style restaurants such as Bull & bear and Public House. Major kudos!

And then it was dessert time. Personally I love junk food but am horribly snobby about it (too many years of working at a bakery will do that too a person) so I was a bit skeptical about the bomboloni that was brought to the table in a little white paper bag, accompanied by tiny little squeeze bottles of sauces. For the most part, donuts are pretty dull. If I was choosing off the dessert menu I would have gone for something like the varied gelatos (olive oil lemon pistachio, lavender, etc) or tiramisu (it’s totally cliché but I will order tiramisu any time it’s offered, I love it that much). Once again Siena surprised me by offering up fluffy little pastries of happiness that were made perfectly. There was nothing dry or greasy or even obnoxiously sweet about them. The squeeze bottle of sauce were probably the best way of serving these, giving diners the option of picking chocolate nutella, whisky caramel, raspberry chianti, vanilla cream, or blending these together for their own custom mix (chocolate raspberry was epic). I felt kind of like a kid, getting to play around with my food a bit and not feeling the slightest bit self conscious about it.

To end this, I have to thank the amazing staff for this absolutely fantastic evening. Everyone was incredibly nice and accommodating and the food suggestions were all spot on. Everyone was very knowledgeable about what Siena tavern had to offer, so I would definitely recommend asking them for suggestions. Just don’t forget to order the bomboloni.    

  *My favorite seasons of Top Chef were by far seasons 2 and 4. The chefs from 2 were all hilarious together and I definitely had a culinary crush on Sam Talbot. Season 4 was obviously awesome because it was in Chicago, but between Stephanie Izard and Richard Blaise I wanted to jump through the TV and just eat everything.

[chigirleats-blog]

Eat This: Bacon Butterscotch Donut

My Tribune article on Nightwood's Bacon Butterscotch Donut is finally online. Here's what you need to be eating at brunch this weekend:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-07-26/features/ct-dining-0725-eat-this-doughnut-20130726_1_doughnut-butterscotch-nightwood

[chigirleats-blog]

HELP!! I'm the VP of Marketing for a huge hockey club out in West Dundee and we are having a huge festival Aug 24th and I'm looking for food trucks. I've only found 1 and I need a few more, mexican, etc. The few I've contacted don't want to drive out to West Dundee. Any suggestions? Also, where did your list of trucks go that you had posted? Thanks! Jeri

Hi Jeri, please email your contact info to [email protected] and I will get back to you.