The Simple Things

The other day I found myself free to wander the city for a whole day with no real agenda. It was quite lovely, minus the fact that it was chilly and breezy! After wandering around Lincoln Park I ended up at Treasure Island ("America's Most European Supermarket" or at least that's what it wants you to believe). I love the variety of foods available at Treasure Island, but it's not very European. I've been to several grocery stores in Europe and believe me, this store is just too Americanized to claim that title!

Anyhow, while wandering the aisles I found fresh (fresh! It was still warm) baguettes, pâté and a wedge of raclette cheese. I was in heaven! To complete my little French plat I bought a bottle of La Vielle Ferme red wine.




I didn't even wait to tear into the bread!! I started eating it on the bus! I was covered in crumbs (because I am a messy American, how do the French break bread without making a mess?) and felt like I was back in France for one quick moment.

I discovered that I don't really like pâté that much, it's fine, but I prefer fois gras, and that raclette is one of my all time favorite "fromages". I now wish that I hadn't had a headache the day my host mother made the Raclette dish. I would have eaten more and she would have made it more often! Nothing beats a great stinky cheese!

Tapas Las Ramblas

One thing I love about Chicago is that I am consistently finding new places to dine.

Today's discovery: Tapas Las Rambles.



An adorable little tapas restaurant in Andersonville. The decor is warm and colorful and the food is to die for. I don't even know where to start!

First, I love tapas. The opportunity to try several different things makes me happy.

Not a single dish here disappointed me. I only wish they had everything I wanted! I would have loved to try the Catalan avocado dip and the fois gras dish, but both were gone, instead I tried the lamb meat ball, stuffed mushrooms, queso de cabra al horno (goat cheese baked in a basil tomato sauce) a steak with mashed potatoes and red peppers, a chicken, mushroom, sausage dish and (my favorite) scallops seared with a saffron aioli sauce and vanilla oil. To wash it all down I had a ginger/cucumber mojito. It was just all so tasty and tender.

To finish I had the caramelized banana with walnuts and ice cream (and even sampled the flan!).

It was so delicious. I will be visiting again!

Thomas' Bagel Thins

I have always *liked* bagels, but I have never *loved* them until now. I've found Thomas' Bagel Thins. They are the perfect amount of bagel. Normal bagels are too big. I always feel like I've eaten an elephant if I dared to eat a whole one, or even half of a regular sized bagel. They come in three flavors: Plain, Whole Wheat and Everything. I've tried the first two. They are very, very tasty and perfect in the morning with a cup of coffee!!!

La Patisserie P

I have found a bakery, wait, no, it's a patisserie!!!!

La Patisserie P is an adorable French/Asian bakery in the north part of Chicago.

I loved the options.










Croissants, Chocolate filled Croissants, tarts, cupcakes, and more. I loved it. So many options and so yummy! I will have to keep going back until I find everything!

Hon Kee

Have I told you about my friend Sophie?

She's from Cambodia and always has great restaurant suggestions. I LOVE grabbing lunch with her. We always try something new and different. She's the one who encouraged me to try cow stomach.

Today, we went to Hon Kee. Hon Kee is a very, VERY traditional Chinese restaurant. When you walk in you are greeted by ducks hanging in the window. Then, you are greeted by the owners of the restaurant. They smile genuinely and say hello in very broken English. It's quite charming.

The menu is extensive and is far from the typical American Chinese menu. There aren't even egg rolls listed! Instead, half of the menu is in Chinese and you can find tons of options including roasted duck on rice, which I had.

It was very tasty but a little too traditional for me. Meaning, they leave the skin on and give you some of the less choices cuts (according to American taste). It was tasty, but as Sophie pointed out, Asians use all cuts of meat, while here most American expect only the best. It's an interesting cultural difference.

While enjoying my duck I watched one of the owners prepare noodles. It was very fun. She was taking a big bowl of noodles and stretching them out and wrapping them in to little portions. I was fascinated.



I plan on visiting Hon Kee again. I hope next time I can watch them prepare the duck, I think...

Red Mango

Spring is in the air.

I swear all of Chicago was out and about toady.

It is absolutely marvelous!

In celebration of the fantastic weather I treated myself to some frozen yogurt at Red Mango located in Lakeview.

I had the original with chocolate chips with almonds. Yummm! Their frozen yogurt is very tangy, but good! I think I will have to go back and try all their flavors!

Sweet Potato Home Fries

I love sweet potatoes.

Have I told you this already?

Well if not, I do. I am consistently trying to find new ways to cook sweet potatoes.

I found a winner folks.

I was inspired by Paula Deen's Sweet Potato Home Fries Recipe.

Of course, I did modify it, as I do with most recipes, but it is great starting point. You do what you want with it, but I added a dash of salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin and paprika when the sweet potatoes are in the oil and then when you take them out to drain on paper towel I sprinkled them with a little sugar.

They are just too yummy!

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

I am sick of winter.

I imagine you are too.

But one thing about this dreary weather I do enjoy is making hearty meals. A couple days ago I made Alton Brown's Baked Macaroni & Cheese.

It was the first time I've used one of his recipes, but it was very good, and very interesting. You may have noticed (if you clicked on the link and read the recipe) that Alton calls for one egg to be added.

I know, a little weird.

But, it was really good, the egg makes the dish very light. I would haven't have thought it would be something to add to Mac & Cheese! I didn't add the bread crumbs. That is just one thing I won't do to Mac & Cheese. I can't see adding bread to a pasta dish. It is just crazy.

Here's what mine looked like:




It tastes even better than it looks!!!!!

Queso Dip

I just made Queso Dip from this recipe. It was very easy and very yummy. I did make a few adjustments. First, when the butter is melting I added a few dashes of pepper flakes. Then when it comes to the salsa I added several tablespoons instead of just one. I like my queso a little on the spicy side, but even with these adjustments it was still pretty mild. I think the next time I will use hot salsa instead of medium. If you like your queso mild just follow the recipe and use mild salsa. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Pho Xe Tang (Tank Noodles)

Since moving to Chicago I have become very adventurous when it comes to food.

I've baked a souffle, eaten turtle, and today I had cow stomach.

Really.

Cow stomach.

It was kind of unintentional.

I went to Pho Xe Tang where my friend from Cambodia convinced me to get the "number 42" because it's simple.

She failed to mention that there was more than just noodles and slices of beef. At first I thought the stomach bits were squid. They kind of have the same texture and chewiness. Surprisingly, it wasn't that bad, but once I knew what it was I was kind of freaked out.



Anyhow, the restaurant in general was very tasty, the decor was very simple, and actually a bit tacky, but tasty food makes up for that. I also tried a very unique smoothie made with Jack Fruit. The smoothie also came with chunks of cantaloupe and these funny little jelly/tapioca things at the bottom.

All in all it was a very interesting meal. I can't say that it was fabulous, but I enjoyed the adventure of trying something new and different.

State

Every Thursday State offers $6 entrees, needless to say, I am often there on Thursday evenings grabbing a bite with friends. The food is very tasty. My favorites are the steak salad and the flat breads. The only thing about State is that it is very much a "scene". People dress up like they are coming to club when the come to eat here because as the evening ages the restaurant becomes a club. It's kind of cool, but at the same time the club thing is way over rated. I guess what I am trying to say it that the building and restaurant lacks personality and originality, but the food is very tasty.

Eggs

I have another confession.

I kind of like eggs.

I know, for years I couldn't stand them, but now, I don't know. Something about eggs has won me over. Don't get me wrong, I don't think our relationship has progressed so that I will be sucking eggs down raw, but I do think that omelets, poached eggs and I will become better friends.

Plus, there is that whole challenge of cooking the egg. When I make the perfect omelet or poach an egg and it remains whole, I feel very satisfied eating it.

Of course, there is always one type of egg I will ALWAYS love:


I can't wait for Easter...

Cheese Souffle

I did it! I made a souffle!














I am so excited!

It was so yummy!

And so tall and fluffy!

And surprisingly easy to do!

I followed Julia Childs recipe for a cheese souffle ( I did have to cut the recipe into 1/3). It was fun! I even whipped the egg whites by hand! I am just so excited by this whole experience! I may actually start cooking seriously!

Garrett's

I have a guilty pleasure. Garrett's Popcorn!!

Garrett's has several locations in Chicago and is THE place in Chicago to find Chicago Style Popcorn. Have you noticed that Chicago has a large selection of "Chicago Style" food? I wonder why that is? Hmmnnn...

Anyhow, Garrett's is very tasty. They offer many flavor including caramel, cheese, butter, plain, and caramel with a variety of nuts. You can even have several flavors mixed. If you mix cheese and caramel you come up with Chicago style. But I have to wonder, why would you ruin the lovely caramel flavor with cheese?















This is a great treat to share with a friend, or just when you need a little pick-me-up.

It is a little pricey, $5 for a small bag, but very yummy and great when you need just a little reward from your long day of work!

Souffle

I think I want to try to make a souffle.

I'm a little frightened. They seem difficult.

Perhaps I will use a recipe from Julia Child? I am now the proud owner of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" I could follow a recipe step by step!


















One question, sweet or savory?

Ann Sather and Giordano's Revisited

This past weekend I had a couple of visitors. Needless to say I took them to a couple of my favorite places; Ann Sather and Giordano's. Once again I was impressed with both places and just had to tell you all about it!

At Giordano's we went for the thin crust pizza instead of the Chicago style and let me tell you, it was just as tasty!!! Really, it was so yummy!!! I almost prefer it to their Chicago style!

Ann Sather continues to amaze me every time I visit. This past time I had the Salmon Eggs Benedict. It was so good. The salmon was smoked and salty and so tasty!!!!

Everyone needs to treat themselves to breakfast at Ann Sather. You will NOT be sorry!!!

Five Guys

Have you heard of Five Guys?

Well if you haven't it is my pleasure to introduce them to you. Five Guys is a Washington, DC based burger joint. The best way to describe Five Guys is: simple.

They use fresh ingredients and make your burger and fries to order. You can get whatever you want on your burger from a list of toppings. Then they call your number out and you receive your order in a brown paper bag.


Your burger and fries come out hot and you leave happy and full.













Chicago has several locations and all of them maintain the Five Guys top quality burgers, fries and service. I suggest you find a Five Guys and enjoy, with 200 restaurants opening in 2010 you are bound to find one near you!!!

Sidecar

I have a new favorite cocktail. The Sidecar.













Made with Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It's simple, tasty and comes from Paris or London (depending on who you ask) and I am happy with either. Next time you are feeling nostalgic, European or in the mood for something new, give a sidecar a whirl!

Giordano's

Pizza!













Who doesn't love pizza? It's cheesy, packed with amazing toppings and has a great crust.

In Chicago you have a couple of choices for good Chicago style pizza. Ok, I take that back, you have several choices for traditional Chicago style pizza. So many that I hardly know where to start.

Let's start with Giordano's. It's the name all Chicagoans know. There are several location throughout the city, but the location I visit is on Rush Street. The pizza is very deep, very cheesy and takes nearly an hour to prepare. I love it.

















Giordano's is a little touristy, but the pizza is very tasty and if you aren't up for adventuring out to find "a little whole in the wall pizza joint" I suggest you visit Giordano's and give a Chicago classic a try!

Wow Bao

One of my favorite things about Chicago is the variety of food you can find here. Even in fast food there is a wide range. Wow Bao is one of my favorites! It is THE way to experience fast-food Chinese. They offer several types of steamed Asian buns including Curry Chicken and BBQ Pork and even dessert Bao! I have tried all of the Asian buns and loved every single one. They also offer a wide variety of salads and noodle dishes to accompany the bao.













One of my favorite things about Wow Bao is the drink variety. They offer several types of teas and carbonated drink but I have to admit my favorite is the Pomegranate Ginger Ale. Now this isn't they typical ginger ale, it is REAL ginger ale with the great kick of ginger. I love it!!!

Francesca's

When I was little I thought my name should have been Francesca. Why? Good question, I have no idea.

Anyhow, there is a little restaurant called Francesca's here in Chicago. In fact, there are several. A few weeks ago I took my mother and my aunt to the Bryn Mawr Location and was very pleased. It is everything a family Italiano restaurant should be. The deco alone is a reason to visit, light and modern, but welcoming.

They start you out with fresh bread and olive oil to dip it in. Yum! I love simple ingredients! You can really enjoy the taste of each!

I ordered the Pollo Arrosto alla Romano, which was basically half a chicken roasted with garlic, shallots, rosemary, lemon and olive oil and served with roasted potatoes. It was so yummy. The chicken was moist and had a fantastically delicate balance of all the flavors. It was fantastic!














We followed it with pistachio ice cream. Yum!

I rolled myself out of that tasty little place! At a moderate price point($15- $25 per entree) I will be sure to visit again! I don't know a lot about Italian food, but I know that Francesca's has a great variety of very yummy Italian dishes.

"They're flat and they're French..."

I don't have a review for you today, but in the name of all things tasty I am giving you a few of my favorite clips of Julia Child. She just cracks me up. Enjoy!

Pirate's Booty

I have a confession.














I ate Toi's Pirate's Booty. She left a bag in my apartment. I just couldn't resist trying it. Let me tell you, I am not sorry. It is very tasty and so crunchy. In fact, the crunch is my favorite part. I think I will be venturing out to Whole Foods to try all the flavors. It says a lot when I like something that is white cheddar flavored and I detest cheddar flavorings.

Pirate's Booty is my new favorite snack.

Toi, I owe you a bag. White Cheddar or something else?

Zanzibar

Every neighborhood needs a cute little cafe for people to gather. In the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago Zanzibar is that place.

Found on the corner of Bryn Mawr Ave and Kenmore Street, in a cute little brick building, you will find a welcoming cafe that offers fair trade coffee, warm panini sandwiches, tasty pastries, ice cream treats and very friendly service.

I can't pick one thing I love the most. It is all tasty. The last time I stopped in to use the free WiFi I enjoyed a cup of harvest coffee and an almond croissant.











No matter the time of day, Zanzibar is the place to be. It is always welcoming and always has something tasty to try.

Bloody Mary

I was brave and tried some thing new.

It didn't work out so well.

But at least I tried it!

Bloody Mary is a traditional, classic drink made with Vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and a garnish of lemon and or a celery stick.

I usually like traditional things, but really Bloody Marys are not for me. I felt like I was drinking a meal in a cup. It is so thick and spicy I basically chugged it so I didn't have to taste it.

Sorry Bloody Mary, we will not be hanging out again.

Cesars - Home of the Killer Margaritas

Margaritas, I love you.

No I really do. You and your traditional salt rim, Tequila base and triple-sec with lime juice have worked your way into this country girls heart. Originally, Tequila and I didn't see eye to eye, but now we are friends. In Chicago, I haven't found a better place to get a great margarita than Cesars - Home of the Killer Margarita.

They call them "killer" because a small is a large and they only go up in size from there. You can get them frozen and with several different flavors, but really you don't need to. They are delicious in their original form.

Cesars also has great dining. Focusing on Mexican cuisine you can find very yummy things on their menu. I love the Mini Wraps. Three spinach tortillas filled with chicken, steak or turkey (I go with the Turkey) and spinach, mushrooms, onions, cheese and tomatoes. Served with guacamole and chipotle dips. I will admit they are the only thing I've had on the menu because they are so good I never want to try anything else!












And of course Cesars wouldn't be Cesars without the free Tequila shots that always find their way to the table! I love this tasty dinner spot. It's great for later dining and has great prices. Entrees are anywhere from $9 to $16. Not bad for the terrific dining and drink experience you will have here!

Ann Sather

How do I begin to describe this Chicago, Lakeview neighborhood, classic?

Delicious?

Yes.

Yummy?

Yes.

Friendly?

Yes.

Unique?

Definitely.

Ann Sather, a Swedish restaurant and catering company has its original store on Belmont, only a short walk from the Redline. There are currently four locations, but the only one I have had the pleasure to visit is the Belmont location. Everytime I go I am impressed with the food and the friendly service.

Ann Sather is known for its cinnamon rolls. Large, gooey, and so yummy they are a must. I will willing stand in line forever to get one of these warm, tasty rolls.

The menu is pretty extensive with anything from Omelets to several versions of Eggs Benedict to pancakes and even some unique Ann Sather breakfast dishes including a stuffed french toast that is to die for. Filled with marscapone and topped with granola and fresh berries, I don't know a better way to start the day unless you want to try the Crab Eggs Benedict with a tasty hollandaise sauce. A tradition english muffin topped with a cajun crab cake and a poached egg. I don't eat eggs, but I love this take on Eggs Benedict.













Don't forget to get your sides of cinnamon roll and fresh fruit!













You can also stop in for lunch which is equally as tasty, but when you can get all those tasty breakfast choices why bother with lunch?

Ann Sather is one of my favorites. I will be visiting again soon. The prices are reasonable and within this girl's budget!!! Love it!!