Cafe Rakka Rocks My Socks!

I'm not the only one I know who likes good food, Adam is quite the foodie and I appreciate all the great places he's introduced me to over the last 5 years.  (wow, can't believe how time flies!)

One such place was introduced to him by a friend, I forget who though.  It was the go-to spot when he was working at an old bar that closed down in what seems like a past life.

Cafe Rakka, located at 81 St. Mark's Place near 1st Ave, serves just about the best gyro in NYC.  I've had a fair share of them over the years, but theirs is just too tasty for words and it keeps us coming back for more.



Their food is fresh, flavorful and really affordable.

I always go for their gyro sandwich ($5.50), which has a mix of chicken and lamb with lettuce, tomatoes and onions.  In the past I always opted for sauce on the side.

Looks like I've been missing out on their awesome tahini sauce, which is sesame based and has no dairy. 



 

My friend, Tommy, also got the gyro sandwich but had them put the sauce directly on it.  Looks so much tastier with sauce!

They also have a killer hot sauce that really enhances the flavor of the whole thing.

It's a messy but delicious meal.  But be prepared to eat this with a fork since it always falls apart.  They put the meat at the bottom and they really pack it!






Adam wanted to try something different, since he always gets the gyro.  He went for the shish kebab platter this time.

I warned him that it's huge, but I didn't think he was expecting this massive portion of food for just $12.

It came with a hearty portion of grilled meat, lamb I believe, with flavorful cous cous and a huge portion of hummus.  Cut pita bread was served on the side to enjoy with the hummus.

I thought this was a steal for $12.   I really liked each of the sides and thought they went together well.  I would totally order this the next time I came, but I'd probably end up taking most of it home as left overs.

What we didn't order, but is really good here, is the lentil soup - so check it out if you stop by.

I love me some Cafe Rakka! 

Rock, Rock, Rockaway Beach!

Considering how gross it is outside with NYC setting a record for most rainfall yesterday, I figured a little food porn and sunshine might brighten the day.

Over the last two months, I've made my way down to the Rockaways on my trusty bike on a number of occasions.  I know everyone is calling the Rockaways Hipster Beach or McCarren Beach - but its still a lot of fun and there are some really great eateries to check out.

We usually go for a nice swim before eating, but on occasion I'll have to spoil my appetite for an Italian ice, which vendors sell up and down the beach.

Zac is enjoying a rainbow ice, while I'm indulging in the coconut.  I'm a HUGE fan of anything coconut, yum!

Is there anything better than a sweet, cold icey on a super hot sunny day?  Perhaps a cold and good wheat beer... yes that is definitely better than an ice but alas I didn't have a bar nearby and I think there is a restriction on bringing alcohol on this particular beach.  Not that everyone wasn't doing it anyway.  But I sure as hell don't want a ticket...  

Recently discovered there was a plethora of tastiness to be had on the boardwalk through this article.  Also, this.

Adam enjoying some tasty food!

Sometimes it takes a while to get food.  We usually split up the purchases since there are multiple vendors and not everyone wants the same thing.  

I'm a sucker for anything fried, so I've been hitting up the Motorboat and the Big Banana, which has fresh fried seafood and apparently frozen bananas.  I hate bananas so I would never get one, but I trust they're good for those who like gross, long, mushy yellow phallic fruit.


After eating here a few times, the best thing to get is an order of french fries, since they're fresh cut and truly delicious, along with some sandwiches. 

Here we have the shrimp and fries platter ($7.50).  It's more fries than shrimp, but they're really good shrimp. 

I got the fish sandwich ($7.50), which is out of this world!  The bread is buttered and toasted, as all bread should be.  The slaw on it is fresh, sweet and crunchy.  The tarter they make has a nice kick to it.  Overall, its a superb fried fish sandwich.

Zac to the right is ready to take on this colossal meal!  They give you these fun tooth-pick forks to eat your fries with, which is what is in Zac's mouth over here...

Saw hello to my not-so-little sandwich!! 

Adam didn't feel like eating fried shrimp or fish, so he opted for the thai joint, Ode to the Elephants, which might just be the best name ever for anything.  I super <3.

The only prob with this place was how long it took the kitchen to turn out everything.  Zac and I ordered our food, got our food, got a pitcher of beer and picked at our food longingly until Adam showed up with two items.  It was really ridiculous, but its sunny, warm and they don't serve whine with our food, so we were patient.

I asked him to order me the chicken satay skewers ($4) cause I was afraid my fish sangwich wasn't going to fill me up.  I sometimes have WAY bigger eyes than stomach, especially after biking 18 miles. 


My skewers were really good, actually cooked over a real fire and the peanut sauce was really tasty.  It was a mighty portion for $2 per skewer and more than enough to share.

Adam accidentally ordered the wrong thing.  He wanted to get the Shrimp Summer Rolls ($6) since they looks fresh and light for a hot day, but ordered the Shrimp and Chicken Spring Rolls ($6) which are these above.  They not so healthy but very tasty!


We all ended up sharing and enjoying the food and drinking a couple of pitchers.  I was so full that I could barely walk back to the ocean to beach myself on my towel.  Maybe not the best look in a bikini, oh well! 

On another occasion at the Rockaways, we had some Blue Bottle Coffee drinks, which were good.  I had their hot chocolate, which wasn't my fave since they use a more bitter chocolate than I'm used to.  Adam raved about the coffee though, so if that's your thang definitely try some of their special slow drip brew.

Overall, the food here keeps me coming back for me.  Sure I have my fill of Caracas Arepas Bar in Williamsburg and the East Village, but some of the other options are fun and different from the usual summer fare.  Plus, sitting by the beach is a major plus.   If only they had better beer/alcohol options.  The bar next to The Motorboat and the Big Banana is limited and expensive.  They raised their bud light pitcher from $12 (beginning on summer) to $15 (current price).  Sorry, but at no point is it okay to charge that much for carbonated pee-water that can't give a buzz to save its life.

There are only a few weeks left of summer, so get down to the Rockaways while you can! 

Celebrating 5 Years at Vinegar Hill House

Adam and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary on Friday by enjoying a lovely meal at Vinegar Hill House.

We've been meaning to go for years, but never had the chance.  Danielle and Mark were raving about it and figured our anniversary was the perfect excuse to splurge on something tasty.

DUMBO isn't the easiest area to get to, especially from Greenpoint, so we took the East River Ferry for the first time.

If you haven't ventured on the ferry yet, you should.  It was only $4 and we loved the ride.  The ferries were so fast that we barely had time to take in the beautiful view of the city.   I wish it was a viable way for me to commute in the morning, but at least I have an easy way to get around the NYC waterfront.

When we docked in DUMBO, we had a bit of a walk to Vinegar Hill House, but I always enjoy exploring neighborhoods I'm not familiar with.

I've been to DUMBO on numerous occasions, I just never walked around extensively, instead I stick to the same streets over and over again.


We tried to get to the restaurant as early as possible since it was Friday evening and they don't accept reservations on the weekend.  We expected to wait but were seated right away by the window.   I wished we had sat in their adorable backyard, but our spot was great regardless.

Unfortunately due to my dairy allergy, I was limited to only a few entrees on their menu. 

We first started with their special appetizer of fresh sardine on a crispy crostini with wax beans, cherry tomatoes and basil.

I was surprised to find only one sardine, considering this was an $11 item, but like I always say "quality over quantity."

This dish was superb!  The fish was perfectly cooked and every ingredient enhanced the oily, fishy flavor of the sardine.  The crostini melted in your mouth and added a nice crunch to the delicate fish.  So yeah, it was worth the $11 and we savored ever bite.

Adam ordered the striped bass, which came with wood grilled eggplant and poblano peppers with a side of yogurt ($23).  It was a beautiful piece of fish, perfectly good and simply seasoned.  Fish this good doesn't need fancy dressings.  Adam doesn't like eggplant, so I lucked out and got to enjoy them instead.

I love eggplant, and these were particularly delicious since they were cooked over a real fire.  You could taste the difference!

This special dish of the night consisted of elbow pasta with grilled squid, cranberry beans, bread crumbs and seaweed ($17).  It seemed like a very simple dish, but as I slowly ate it, the flavors combined in unexpected ways.  Yes, it was very simple with just a few ingredients, but it worked and I enjoyed it.  This is the perfect summer pasta dish.  Light, but interesting with contrasting textures, which I'm a huge fan of.  The squish was cooked perfectly, so it was soft.  The beans had that mushy texture and then the bread crumbs added a crunch.  When you put everything in your mouth at the same time, this dish really sang.

With Adam's eggplant and this dish, I felt satisfied but not disgustingly full - which is how I usually feel after dinner.  Good thing I wasn't too full because their dessert was amazing!

I ordered the Guinness Chocolate Cake with cream cheese frosting ($8).  Needless to say I would come back just for this, it was that good.  The cake was moist with a rich, chocolately flavor.  The cream cheese frosting (which I know I'm not supposed to eat) was the best I've ever had in my entire life.  It was so smooth and thick I thought I was going to die. 

Every bite of this was heaven... oh man I can't stop thinking about it!!! AHhHH!!

Adam ordered the Salted Caramel Custard with coconut shortbread ($8).  I really couldn't eat much of this, so only had a little taste.  It was really intense!  The custard really tasted of salted caramel, which I love, but this was super concentrated.  It was really good and went well with the light whipped cream and shortbread cookies that brought out the sweetness in the dish and toned down the salty flavor of the custard.

Adam couldn't finish this dish, so its really the perfect dessert to share with someone.  After a while you get sick of the rich salty flavor, but that's just me.   

Overall, Vinegar Hill House was spectacular!  They were so unbelievable nice to us regardless of how crazy it got throughout the night.  By the time we left there was a huge line outside.  Thank goodness we came early! 

So definitely check this place out for fresh, inventive fare.  I'll definitely be back to try the winter menu and their brunch - all of which I'm sure is amazing.

Thank you Vinegar Hill House for making my anniversary so special.  <3

The Girl and the Goat

As I get more and more into food, not just the eating of it, but the reading of it, I'm noticing restaurant and chef names mentioned over and over again.

So when I discovered that a particular restaurant that my favorite turkey Mark worked at was one of these famed places, I wanted to learn more about his experience working at what many consider one of the best restaurants in the US.

When Adam and I mentioned our interest in Girl and the Goat, it was decided that we would check it out on Sunday during our trip to Chicago.  The amazing restaurant, the brainchild of Stephanie Izard, winner of the fourth season of Top Chef, is just a truly fun place to hang out and eat your face off.  Definitely check out their website and read the "About" section to get a sense of the laid back feel to this place.  It isn't your typical stuffy fancy restaurant.

First off, the decor is amazing!  Burnt wood, delicate wrought iron trimming around the bar and the whole back of the restaurant is an open kitchen so you can actually meet eyes with the chefs that are cooking for you.  The staff was warm, inviting and just a ton of fun to hang out with.  Perhaps I'm being biased here, since we were received with open arms due to the fact that Mark works here - but I like to think they make everyone feel VIP.

Although they have reservations booked solid for 3 months, we showed up about 5pm on Sunday (doors open at 4:30) and expected to just hang out till some room at the lounge became available.  We were in no rush, so we didn't mind grabbing a delicious cocktail and standing around chatting with the staff who came by to meet Mark's strange NYC visitors.

We hadn't even been there 15 minutes when seats at the bar opened up and by the time I sat down at their awesome and comfy bar, the lounge was then free for us to sit back and relax in.  Before I knew what was going on, Mark ordered a number of snacks to keep us busy.  Adam and I just sat back and went along for the ride.  I don't remember the last time I felt this carefree with someone else doing the planning (I'm usually the planner, so it was nice to take a back seat) and hanging out with my favorite people in the whole world, not to mention the cocktail I was sipping was out of this world delicious.  Ahh... this is the life, I thought.

The first dish to arrive was a wood-fired pizza with all these crazy toppings!  I wasn't able to eat any of it since there was a ton of cheese, but it looked and smelled like a pizza that took a tour of India.  Adam loved it, but Danielle assured me that it was the least exciting dish so I wasn't missing out.  The thing is, if this is the least exciting - what was I getting myself into?!

Well... let's find out!

First we had one of every oyster on the menu.  I never had a raw oyster before, but I felt that this was the place to pop that ol' cherry of mine.

This is the aw shibumi with radish mignonette and tarragon.  They were the cutest little oysters I've ever seen.  Not intimidating at all, so I dove right in.

Danielle had to remind me not to chew so much... whoops!




Although it was a bit cool and slimy, as I expected it to be, it wasn't at all gross.  It was a strange texture, one I'm sure people need to get used to - but I'm definitely over my fear of oysters and look forward to trying them when I have the chance. 



To the left are the fried east beach oysters with egg salad and capers, Adam's favorite of the four.  It was so good, I could ate just eaten these all night long.


Next up were the wood fired tomahawk oysters with horseradish, bacon and preserved lemon.

These were really good, super tender with a ton of flavor.  They had their juices still in the shell, so we slurped them down.  The horseradish provided a bit of spice while the bacon and lemon ensured it was a succulent affair.

It's amazing how each oyster was so different, not just in size and texture since each was a different variety, but the preparation helps you understand how versitle this shellfish really is.

Next were the grilled fanny bay oysters with soy cucumber mignonette.  These were HUGE and much meatier than the other three.  Adam had the giant one the far right and it was almost too much for him.

I liked all the oysters and couldn't really pick a favorite since they were each so unique.



Danielle was adamant about us trying her favorite dish, the Pinn Oaks lamb tartare with english pea tapenade and tuna aioli.  She had been raving about this all weekend, but to finally be faced with it was a bit overwhelming.  She reassured me that it wasn't as scary as it sounded and to get over the fact that this was indeed raw lamb.

I thought "why not... what have I got to lose?"  and so I dove right in.  Adam was taken back a little, but he soon followed and there we were, all eating some crispy flat crackers with a dollop of raw lamb and sweet peas.

And you know what - it was UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE! 

I have NO idea how something so small and delicate could induce a food coma in a single mouthful.  It is far too difficult to describe how delicious this was, but it really is a life changing experience.  This alone is worth going for, but trust me everything else is delicious too.  We ended up eating 3 orders of this dish throughout the night.

At this point, a table was free for us to sit down and enjoy some larger plates.  Adam and I thought "there's more food to be eaten?  Oy vey are we gonna be full!"

They sat us at the best table in the house, right near the kitchen so we could see where the magic was happening.

We really couldn't be happier at this point, sitting down at a communal table with two other couples enjoying food.  Given we already had a few cocktails/beers in us and a appetizers that already blew our socks off. 

It was turning out to be the greatest night ever, and the rest of the night didn't disappoint. 

Adam and I liked facing the kitchen watching what the amazing chefs were cooking up.  We were near the staff entrance to the kitchen, so everyone would stop by to say hi to Mark and introduce themselves to us.

It was so fun meeting the people who make this place magical.

So thank you everyone for making our last night out the best ever!

Mark, since he's the expert on the food here, took the initiative and ordered a number of dishes for us to share.  They're focus is on large appetizers so you can try a little of everything.  There were a few items that really spoke to me, so he was sure to add those to the order, but for the most part, Adam and I just let him do his thang.  In chronological order, we have....

Hiramasa crudo with crisp pork I had no idea what this was at the time.  It tasted a bit like yellowtail sashimi, which I'm a huge fan of, but this was far and beyond much better than any sashimi I ever ate.  The yellow sauce was tangy while the pork belly gave it a salty crunch.  The caperberries tied the whole thing together.  Truly a delicious dish!belly, aji chili and caperberries.

Next up was the braised beef tongue with masa, beef vinaigrette and salsa verde.  Yes, I was nervous to try this dish since beef tongue sounds gross... but I already had lamb tartare and raw oysters, I figured I just had to open my mind and pallette and go all the way on this culinary journey.

And whadaya know... it was delicious!  The texture was a little off-putting, but it was really tasty.  A must try if you come here!



Now this dish was new on the menu... what do you think it is?

Duck tongues.  Yup, those are fried duck tongues with some pesto type sauce and tomatoes or something.  I have no idea but it was tasty.  We all agreed that this needed a little something more to pop, or perhaps this could be an addition to another dish. They didn't hold up to some of the other fare, but I still enjoyed the butter crunch of fried tongues.  Tasted a bit like duck skin to tell you the truth, the tastiest part of the duck ;)

Out came the grilled baby octopus with guanciale, wax beans, radish and favas in a pistachio-lemon vinaigrette.

I love octopus, so I was all about this - but it might have been a little salty compared to all the other food.  I ate up all the tasty tentacles, my favorite part - yum!

It was a bit dark where we were sitting so I was surprised to see how colorful this dish was on film.  Don't you just love food porn!




A few of the following dishes I wasn't able to try due to the cheese factor, but I was still working on finishing the ones noted above.

Here are the chickpeas fritters with romesco, hazelnut hummus,  sesame and goat feta.

Everyone raved about this and it did look really good.  Oh well - stupid allergy prevented me from having some fritter fun.

This was another new items on the menu, escargot ravioli.  I did try one of these since they said there wasn't any dairy in it, but it did have a bit of creaminess inside that made me think there was a bit of cheese.  They were really large so the snails must have been some big mofos...


Danielle said this was her official new favorite.  I wasn't the biggest fan since I was worried about cheese, but I do love me some escargot so understand her love for this dish.

Now these were amazing... the grilled pork ribs with tomatillo-mushroom slaw and grilled scallion vinaigrette.

The meat fell right off the bone!

This dish was finger-licking good.  Some of the best ribs I've ever had, ever.

The sauce on top was really tasty with a bit of spice to it.  I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and be a happy girl!

Another dish I couldn't try - the roasted cauliflower with pickled peppers, pine nuts and mint.  This was totally covered in cheese, so I stayed far away from it.

Mark mentioned that some of the best dishes were the vegetarian ones, and he always recommends this one to people who steer clear of the veggies.

Adam called this veggie crack since it was apparently one of the greatest things he ever ate.  Tasted like popcorn?  I'll take his word for it.

One of my fave dishes came out next, the seared scallops in brown butter XO with bok choy, shiitakes and white asparagus.  I don't know what the XO stands for, but felt it important to mention.

These were the most perfectly cooked scallops anyone ever ate.  They were sweet, succulent and everything that's right about simple ingredients coming together and making a dish sing.  I absolutely love scallops and this dish is the best I've ever had.




Mark thought it appropriate for us to try some goat, since it is the Girl and the Goat after all.


I believe this was the goat loin since it was so tender and juicy.  It was served with a tomato-based sauce that enhanced the sweet flavor of the goat but didn't take away from it.

It was a nice portion, so we each got about three slices.  It was so soft, you could use a spoon to eat this, no knife necessary.

I wish I had some bread to eat up the tasty sauce.  I usually hate goat, but this was really good!

Perhaps I like goat after all?

And finally our last entree was Mark's favorite, which inevitably because Adam's as well.






This is the confit goat belly with bourbon butter, lobster and crab topped with some fennel. 

You read correctly, that's bourbon butter and yes it tasted a bit like bourbon, just not as strong.

It was a serious dish, but not my favorite.  I was still swooning over the lamb tartare (Danielle totally called that one).

The goat belly was the best fried piece of fat I ever put in my mouth.  Its like the bacon of the gods.  Mix that with the best quality seafood and butter with a kick and you got yourself a dish that makes your toes curl in ecstasy.  So yeah, I see why the boys loved this dish. 

We were all stuffed to the brim in amazing food, but I had a chocolate itch I desperately needed to scratch.  After a few too many cocktails, I said this aloud and Mark ordered the bittersweet chocolate cake with shiitake gelato and toffee creme fraiche.

I seriously didn't think I had any room left in my stomach, but apparently I did...

We all inhaled this amazing dessert, although I didn't try the gelato - sounded really interesting though!

The service, decor and staff are enough to make people keep crawling back to the Girl and the Goat, but its the food in all its glory that keeps my mouth watering every time I think about my experience here.

I can't begin to thank Danielle and Mark for the incredible feast.  Adam and I still talk about this dinner and probably will for the rest of our lives.  I'm so grateful that I got to share the single most amazing culinary experience of my life with my best friends... I love you guys!

Savory Chicago

Two weekends ago, Adam and I ventured to Chicago to visit our lovely, amazing friends Danielle and Mark.  I went there for the first time in March, but this was Adam's first time to the Windy City.

Needless to say we spent Thursday morning until Monday night pigging out on the best food, drinking amazing cocktails and beer and just having oodles of fun.

We did a lot so I'm going to get right to it...


Toast

This was just about the cutest eatery in the world... with lots of toasters on display and toast-related art everywhere.

We caught the tail-end of brunch on Thursday and enjoyed a varied selection of great food.

Adam went with the stuffed french toast, in three different varieties: puréed fresh strawberry, mascarpone and Mexican chocolate ($9)



It was a HUGE portion and we all had to help Adam eat his delicious fluffy french toast.  I have no idea how they make this, but its great and the thickest I've ever had.  Apparently the mascarpone was out of this world, but I'll have to take Adam's word for it.




I ordered the Crabby Benedict ($13) but was surprised by how much fresh, real crab they used.  It was a might portion that I could barely finish.

Eggs were runny and magnificent as was the fresh English Muffin that tasted homemade. Everything about this screamed BRUNCH!





Mark ordered the breakfast burrito, which was a flavored tortilla stuffed w/ scrambled eggs, chihuahua cheese, diced jalapeños, tomatoes, onions and cilantro, accompanied with their house salsa and sour cream. ($9)

You can't really see what's inside, but it was a massive burrito that even the hearty Mark had trouble finishing.  Definitely worth every penny.



Danielle ordered the Crepe with apple, pear and brie with a drizzle of honey ($6).  It looked so pretty, I wish I could have taken a bite!

Everyone raved about how good the brie was, again makes me jealous but I'm used to it by now.  ::sigh::


Overall, Toast was fantastic with fresh, tasty food, a wide variety on their menu and great service.  No wonder Danielle and Mark are regulars!

Handlebar (which I went to last time)


After a long, brutally hot day, we wanted something easy for dinner.  We went back to Handlebar, which was good the last time I visited Chicago.

We started with some fried pickles, a new favorite of ours.

These were cornmeal battered with a side of home made vegan ranch dressing.  However, I had NO idea this dressing was vegan until now.  I totally missed out :(



I didn't want anything too heavy since we were going out drinking, so I opted for the fish tacos.  There was a little too much red cabbage, but that's easily remedied by taking some off.  The fish was really tasty and perfectly flacky.  I wasn't feeling the vegetarian chili that it came with, but loved the black beans Adam got by accident with his dinner.  I threw that on my tacos and went to town.

A super tasty dinner!



Danielle felt the same as me and ordered the Handlebar Salad, which has arugula, pears, walnuts and Parmesan with champagne honey mustard dressing.  Ohhh so fancy!

She also ordered a side of the smoked Gouda mac n' cheese.

Apparently its out of this world, but super rich so Adam helped out the best he could.  Needless to say I did not try this dish.

Adam ordered the blacked catfish filet, which was a surprise to me since he never eats catfish.

He was really surprised at how good it was.  It was such a huge portion that he had trouble finishing his fish, let alone the massive sides that came with it.

Handlebar is the place for hungry people!






The next day we ate breakfast at home then went for a walk around downtown Chicago.  After a while we were really hungry, but there are so few choices in the "Times Square" of Chicago near Michigan Ave.  We decided to be true tourists and hit up P.F. Cheng's right off the main area.

It was nice and air conditioned, so a welcomed brake from the 90 degrees outside.  It was HOT!
I had no idea what to expect... I don't normally eat in chain restaurants. 

We did family style and ordered three main dishes as well as the Chicken Lettuce Wraps (which I apparently didn't take a photo of, but swore I did... strange).  Here's what we got:

• Singapore Street Noodles: Shrimp, chicken, vegetables and rice noodles stir-fried in a curry sauce - this was okay.  I didn't like the curry flavor on this.  I like all the veggies and meat, but this was only good when mixed with the other food.
• Orange Peel Chicken: Tossed with a mild chili sauce and fresh orange peel - this was actually really tasty.  The chicken was all white meat and perfectly cooked.  It didn't taste like the orange peel chicken I get at a Chinese restaurant, but it was still good. It had a bit of a sweet and sour tang to it. 
• Coconut Curry Vegetables: Stir-fried vegetables, crispy silken tofu and peanuts in a mild curry powder and coconut milk sauce - This was by far the best meal.  Adam didn't like the tofu (which I thought was fantastic), but the sauce and veggies in this were unbelievable.  We kept throwing this sauce on the noodles, which was so good.  Definitely the best dish and of course Danielle picked this one out.  She rocks!!! Always, always trust Danielle (especially with wine).

Overall I had a fun time at P.F. Cheng's.  It was definitely touristy, but this is what your supposed to do on vacation, right?  Hey - we had tasty food at a good price in a pricey part of town on a super hot day.  We were hungry and it was there.  I think of it as a win-win!

Later on, we ventured to the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building, which is the perfect place to get a good view of Chicago.  It's a wonderful place to sit back in awe of this great city and sip an overpriced beer or cocktail.  You're paying for the view, so we don't care that everyday is $9 beer day.  

 
We ordered some drinks and some desserts.  I got the White and Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake with mixed berry coulis, which was really amazing.  I didn't expect this place to have any good food since they suck at drinks.  What a nice surprise!

Danielle and Mark ordered the Nutella Bread Pudding with caramel sauce and toasted hazelnuts.  Although it doesn't look that appetizing, it was actually really good.  It was a warm cake with an ooegy gooey center.

We had the best seat in the house and saw an electrical storm in the distance over Lake Michigan.  A magical second night in this grand city!


Afterwards we were hanging out at a few cool bars in Wicker Park, when the Tamales guy showed up selling his oh-so-delicious fare.  I ordered a bag and we pigged out on fresh, hot, chicken tamales.  The perfect drunk food... it was so good we were licking our fingers as we made a mess everywhere!









The following day we hit up an amazing brunch place and enjoyed oodles of organic beef.

Flying Saucer is just about the cutest, coziest diner in Humboldt Park offering fresh, organic fare with a bit of a Southern Comfort style to it.

Danielle, although disappointed that they didn't offer the special she fell in love with during a previous visit, went for the organic sirloin steak and eggs ($12.25), which included an organic heartland farms sirloin steak served with two eggs , toast and one side.

It was a really nice sized steak that was just too damn hard to finish.  It was a might meal for the price!














I was a real pig and went for something I don't usually eat since I could and I'm on vacation therefore calories and dairy restrictions don't count.

Yup, this (above) is chicken fried steak with sausage gravy, a homemade buttermilk biscuit and two eggs over medium with a side of home fries.  I ate all I could eat and there was still half of my food on the plate.  I tried though, oh how I tried to finish this beautiful dish.

I love sausage gravy and yes I am very aware of how dangerous this is for me to eat.  I DON'T CARE - it's freaking delicious! Although I didn't get hives since I was really careful about not eating all the gravy, just enough to add some flavor to the fried goodness of the steak.  If only I could transport this place back home... yes, that would be very nice indeed!

The boys ordered the special steak bowls, which were HUGE.  I think they came with eggs, cheese, beans, grilled steak, sour cream and avocado with a few tortillas.  It is totally possible there was more to this, but they seemed really happy with it.

Adam got the avocado on the side for me since he's not a fan.  I loves it!

They looked really good, but the whole cheese and sour cream would have killed me.  Plus I was dealing with my own artery clogging goodness.

I love that we all got steak for brunch.  We're all fairly healthy people, some more than others in our group - you guys know who you are - so it was a real treat having steak and knowing that it was organic so they tasted extra good from happy cows.  I mean, I know they're not happy cause they're dead, but I'm a carnivore girl, and do my best to eat meat that's sustainable and humanely raised.  I do what I can, and just think how the world would be if everyone did that too... happy cows = happy people = happy world.  Yup... this is how I rationalize it.  Now off to other foods...

We were so full for so long that we had a late dinner at a really cute sushi place, Butterfly.  Oddly enough we were all craving sushi since we visited the Shedd Aquarium on Thursday... we're so barbaric!  On a side note, the Shedd Aquarium was awesome and totally loved the Jellies exhibit, so check it out!


Butterfly is BYOB, so we went across the street and bought a lovely bottle of white wine for me and Danielle to share, the boys opted for some fancy beer.  I, of course, let Danielle pick the wine since I officially SUCK at wine selection.  She picked a real winner if you ask me.

We started with the seaweed salad ($4.50) and edamame ($4).  The seaweed salad had a touch of citrous flavor to it, but couldn't figure out why it was SO amazing. Best I ever had.   


We also ordered the Shrimp Pot-stickers ($5.50), which were really good.  It's a shame it only came with 5, which is the usual amount, but they tasted so good I could have eaten these all myself.

Me and dumplings make a happy couple, so much so I'll probably turn into a dumpling when I get older. Yum!





Above is an order of the small assorted sashimi ($17) which included salmon, tuna and yellowtail.  Fresh and delicious!








Since Danielle and Mark tried pretty much all their special Maki Rolls, we let them decide what was best for the table.

We're glad they did cause they picked the best rolls ever!

The one on the left is the Ninja Maki, Snow crab meat, asparagus, avacoda wrapped with seared super white tuna, wasabi n black tobiko, scallions n spicy-honey mayo.  It was by far the best roll I've ever had in my life.  I don't think sushi rolls will ever be the same after this.  Seriously, it was that good.  Light and sweet with a hint of honey.  The crab was so delicate and blended perfectly with the crunch of the asparagus.  

The roll in the middle is the Sunset Maki, shrimp tempura, cucumber, mayo wrapped with salmon and mango.  It was the second best roll since the mango made it fun and sweet.  I also love salmon so it was a super win for me.

The roll on the right is the Red Dragon Maki, spicy shrimp, cucumber wrapped with tuna and avocado.  On its own, this roll is great, but next to these other rolls it wasn't as good in comparison.  I liked it, but the others were just too good!  

We did our best to finish this massive quantity of deliciousness.  I think only one of the Red Dragon pieces was left.  

Truly fresh, good and well-priced sushi and the BYOB make this place even kinder on the wallet.

That night, we went out pretty hard and needed a quick bite to eat to hold us over until we enjoyed the great culinary experience of our lives, the Girl and the Goat, which we were hitting up on Sunday night.  

The boys stayed in to sleep and work, so Danielle and I hit up Milk and Honey Cafe for what should have been a quick brunch.  However, the way they're set up tends to take longer than if you had table service.  You essentially wait in a long ass line to order food at a counter.  While waiting, a very nice woman will give you a number for a table that you then give to the counter when you order, so the runners know where to bring your food.  So everyone just stands in a long line for 20 minutes while people order... its really annoying. 
 
 I (above) ordered the crabcake sandwich, which came with homemade potato chips.  It was really amazing. with HUGE crabcakes on the softest french bread and a tangy tarter sauce.  I never should have ordered something so large since I tried to finish it and we were supposed to get ready and eat in just a couple of hours.  Oops!





 
Danielle ordered the salad special which had arugula, watermelon, pine nuts and feta and some grilled bread.  It looked light and tasty, perfect for a hot day and in anticipation for the feast that was before us.

Danielle needed something a little heavier to accompany the salad and ordered the vegetable strata, which she said was delicious.  It did look really good with lots of lovely layers of veggies and cheese.


I also ordered a strawberry frosted cookie, which wasn't as good as I hoped it would be.  I wanted something really soft and chewy, but it was hard cookies with some super sweet frosting in the middle... not the great thing I've ever eaten. 

After brunch, we did a little shopping at Penelope's, my fave store in Chicago, and got ready for "the" dinner of a lifetime.  I'll be writing a separate blog post just on that - so stayed tuned.




We went straight to Map Room after our epic dinner.  Adam has been wanting to hit this place up for some time since its considered one of the best beer bars in American.

One thing I don't really talk about in this blog is my love for good beer.  Adam and I have even ventured to Belgium just to drink some of the best beers in the world.






Needless to say we like our beers large and in charge.  Westmalle is one of the best out there and recommend trying it and enjoying this fabulous trappist beer.   Map Room has a great selection of imported and domestic beer.  I love me a place where I can try something new and expand my palette.  We had such a great time here and stayed until closing.  So check it out if you're in the area.






We weren't feeling so hot in the morning, for obvious reasons, but wanted to take advantage of the ONE nice day we had while in Chicago to check out the beach.  So we picked up some sandwiches at Jimmy John's, Chicago's better version of Subway, and ate on the beach.   I don't like crappy sandwiches since I grew up in NYC the home of awesome delis (Katz's) and even bodegas that can make a mean sandwich 24 hours a day on the cheap ($3.50, yes I'm spoiled on cheap food).  But Jimmy John's was actually really tasty.  I liked their bread and the put more meat and fun veggies to spice things up.  I ate the entire sandwich, surprisingly!

Adam gives Jimmy John's a thumbs up!

I ordered the Beach Club, which was fresh baked turkey breast, provolone cheese, avocado spread, sliced cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.  I got it without the cheese, and I believe everyone except Mark got this.  

They also have really good potato chips to go with it.  Not the cheapest sandwich but perfect for the beach and a hot day when your head may or may not be pounding from the night before.

Sadly, our last meal in Chicago was the least exciting for me, since it was the deep dish pizza Adam just HAD to get.  I promised I would tag along and try a bite.  

We passed The Art of Pizza on the way to the beach, so figured it was fate and checked it out on the way home.  


Adam's lovely friend recommended this place from when she lived in Chicago.  Turns out that when you go there, you can get pizza by the slice, which was awesome for me since I didn't have to order a slice myself.   It was a Monday and the place was super slow, so the pizza looks like it may have been sitting there for a bit. Our big mistake was not ordering a fresh pie, which would have been amazing, or as Danielle would put it - "hot and melty!"   This place had great reviews and funky decor, so we'll have to go there more prepared next time.



The slices weren't hot and so you didn't get that gooey factor with the cheese that is so essential.

Next time we're doing the whole pie and going to town with the toppings.

I had a happy little garden salad which was a bargain at only $4.50 and it was gigantic...




Sorry Chicago, didn't have time to really enjoy some deep dish in all its glory.  We were rushing to get home to pack and hit up the airport, so pizza by the slice was all we could do.  Just got us curious for a fresh pie which we'll definitely eat the next we go.









So that was our gluttonous adventure together in Chicago.  I always eat well with my food friends, leaving me hungry for more.


Thank you Danielle and Mark for being the greatest of hosts while we were visiting.  Adam and I had an amazing time and can't wait to visit again.  I already have a list of places to take you guys when you visit.  So come hungry!