Darn you, Rick Bayless. Your churros made me want to move to Chicago. And your hot chocolate was such a luxury.
Chorizo-Egg Torta and espresso for breakfast.
Pork torta for dinner. I should just live in this restaurant.
For more information, visit http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco.html.
Deep Dish Pizza - Edwardo’s and Lou Malnati’s
Edwardo’s Natural Pizza
I was glad to see Toasted Ravioli on the menu. I had it once in St. Louis, but had not seen it anywhere else.
For a non-greasy deep dish, it was good. And their Spinach Stuffed Pizza is famous. But to me, grease is the point for deep dish. So, in order to satisfy my graving for deep dish, Lou Malnati’s was still the place to be.
Lou Malnati’s
Malnati Salad was surprisingly unique and tasty. I can really appreciate when a restaurant put some effort into making a decent salad, instead of putting some dressing on a bed of lettuce and calling it a salad.
The crust was awesome, vine-ripened tomato sauce was fresh, and sausage was tasty. I just LOVE this pizza.
Chocolate Chip Pizza. Do I really have to tell you how good it was?
For more information, visit http://www.edwardos.com/ and http://www.loumalnatis.com/.
Portillo’s
If you want Chicago Hot Dog, the locals would recommend this place. Portillo’s had a big food court inside - sandwiches, pasta, pizza and of course Chicago Hot Dog. I miss that dog.
For more information, visit http://www.portillos.com/portillos/.
Al’s Beef
Italian Beef Sandwich? Hands down Al’s. The beef was so tender and delicious!
For more information, visit http://www.alsbeef.com/.
The Publican
Everyone in Chicago was raving about the Sunday brunch at The Publican and it did not disappoint. I loved the decor and the food was beyond good. Spicy pork rinds became a popular bar food these days, but I did not particularly enjoy the taste of it.
However, Fried French Toast was exceptional. Yes, FRIED. The crunchiness was perfect!
How about pork belly for brunch? With an egg on top? With grits? Totally yummy!
For more information, visit http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/.
Hoosier Mama Pie Company
I am not a pie person but I would eat this pie any day! This chocolate cream pie had a delicate taste. Do not devour it. Take a few seconds for each bite. Really taste it before swallow. So good!
For more information, visit http://www.hoosiermamapie.com/.
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate
Corned pork belly Reuben sandwich with house-made sauerkraut, Roth Kase gruyere cheese and toasted pumpernickel bread with remoulade. Hands down yummy. I really had no idea how this would taste like. It tasted good, finger licking good. I made a mess eating it but it was a delicious mess.
This hot chocolate was HOT, I-want-to-drink-one-gallon hot.
For more information, visit http://www.hotchocolatechicago.com/.
Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Katrina founded Vosges Haut-Chocolat with the concept of Travel the World through Chocolate. Yes it was expensive, but it was worth it. Her chocolate was creamy and rich but not overwhelming nor too sweet. I wished the taste could stay in my mouth forever!
For more information, visit http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/.
Fox & Obel
The bakery. The bakery. The bakery! Smelled so good and this almond croissant was the bomb. Cinnamon swirls was excellent as well. This market also had a bistro and cafe. Everything was fresh and tasty!
For more information, visit http://www.fox-obel.com/.
Intelligentsia Coffee
The locals are really proud of their coffee. But to me, Seattle still has the best coffee (not Starbucks). Sorry! But I love the heart and the spirit! And I appreciate that they treat coffee seriously.
For more information, visit http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/.
Cupcakes! - More Cupcakes and Molly’s Cupcakes
They were both delicious. Please do not ask me to pick one!
More Cupcakes
It is a cupcake boutique. Look at how the cupcakes were displayed! Adorable!
Each one was in a Chinese takeout box. How cute! My apology for neglecting to take a close-up picture of the cupcake. It was chocolate mousse and I ate it before anyone else had a sight of it. Lemon meringue was also very good.
Molly’s Cupcakes
It was a fun store. The girls were dancing while making cupcakes and serving customers. And they had board games! I got their famous Ron Bennington (peanut butter + butterfinger) and pumpkin flavor since it was in season. So delicious!
For more information, visit http://www.morecupcakes.com/ and http://www.mollyscupcakes.com/.
The Purple Pig
What can I say? Pig is a beautiful thing. I tried a few adventurous (different body parts of a pig) dishes at this restaurant. First was Pig’s Ear with Crispy Kale, Pickled Cherry Peppers & Fried Egg. Um, YUM!!! I know it is hard to imagine but it was so flavorful and well balanced.
Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs. The bone marrow itself did not have much of a strong taste, but the bread and herbs complimented it well. Put some bone marrow, herb and sea salt on the well toasted bread. Very delicious!
Milk Braised Pork Shoulder with Mashed Potatoes. The meat was so tender and nicely paired with mashed potatoes.
Pork Blade Steak with Nduja & Honey. The meat was juicy and had a taste of sweetness. I find it hard to get a pork chop/steak that is cooked well and the meat is usually dry. So, compliments to the chef!
The waitress recommended the Sicilian Iris and I love her for that. Ricotta & Chocolate Chip filled Fried Brioche. Life cannot get better than this. I went to heaven and came back. It was that good!
For more information, visit http://www.thepurplepigchicago.com/.
See previous post about Chicago – part 1.
