Chicago is big on many things but one stands out more than any other– pizza. There are many flavors and styles to choose from and they all depend on what type of person you are. I have created a short list matching pizzas to personalities. So, if you were a pizza what would you be?
Call Me Cheesy – Head to Pizzeria Uno on the corner of Wabash and Ohio and order their Four Cheese Pizza: mozzarella, cheddar, romano and feta with basil pesto and plum tomatoes. This deep dish pizza pie will satisfy any appetite and also make those cheesy jokes that much funnier.
The Sausage King – Try out the butter crust pizza at Lou Malnati’s on Wells Street . You can order crumble or patty sausage – but go for the patty and your pizza will have a layer of sausage on top. Also, for the gluten free eaters, they offer a gluten free pizza with the sausage patty as the base.
The Oprah Fan – If you tend to agree with Oprah, and many do, then try out Pizano’s on State Street . They received the best pizza vote from Oprah, so it must be good. Try out their famous butter crust– same family as Lou Malnati’s – and the spicy pepperoni pizza. Add a beverage and you’ve got Oprah’s favorite meal, just don’t jump on the couch.
Popeye – For those of us who remember to eat their spinach, head to Giordano’s on Rush Street . Their deep dish spinach pizza is incredibly fulfilling and will make you strong to the finish. Olive Oil not included.
The Vegetarian – For a more “natural” experience with your food, order the Shroom Pizza -woodland mushrooms, spinach, béchamel, wild herbs, goat cheese & parmigiano-reggiano - from Crust in Wicker Park . Their “Eat Real, Drink Real” philosophy blended with traditional Italian flatbread pizzas makes for a great dining experience.
The Meat-a-tarian – Meat, meat, and more meat. Gino’s East on Superior Street piles it high with their Meaty Legend deep dish pizza. The combination of Pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, and bacon will make any meat lover go crazy. As an added bonus, bring a marker because they let you write your name on the wall.
East Coast – For all you New Englander’s who rather eat foldable, crisp, thin crust pizza, head to Coal Fire on Grand Ave. Their coal fired oven bakes the pizza at 800 degrees so the crust is crisp and burnt around the edges. Try the Fiorentino, mozzarella topped with tomato sauce, layered with hot Calabrese salami and roasted red peppers.
Meatball – If you’re feeling like a meatball, head to the Chicago Oven and Pizza Grinder on Clark Street . Their pizza isn’t in the usual form, but in a pot pie which you order by the half or full pound. This giant lump of pizza will definitely fill your appetite.
GQ - For guys like me, we eat at Pequod’s on Clybourn Ave. Their pan pizza was voted top 25 in the USA by GQ Magazine. Don’t expect a fancy dining room – a long bar, lots of high top seating, and plenty of locals. Try their sausage and fresh basil pan pizza – just what you need to boost your ego before a night out on the town.
Cheeseburger – The debate over the best after hour food has finally ended. Ranalli’s on Clark combines a greasy cheeseburger with thin crust pizza. They deliver late which makes it is an excellent choice for after a night out on the town.
Hopefully this will be useful in deciding where to eat and also provide a little insight to what pizza you really are. In case you would like to know, I am a Cheesy-GQ-Sausage King.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Food for Thought
I was recently asked by a guest what was the weirdest food I’ve ever eaten. After a moment I realized that over the years I have experienced so many interesting foods and ethnic cuisine that I can’t really come to one conclusion. Often times I order blindly or ask the server to pick my dish and don’t ask what it is until I’ve eaten it – a rule I received early on in my life from a cousin of mine. Instead of making my own decision, I thought it best to describe some of the weird and unusual things that have come across my plate over the years and let you be the judge.
My first taste of the unusual came from Suntory Restaurant, which unfortunately has been closed for a few years now. My cousin, as mentioned above, ordered all the necessary Japanese dishes that one needs to eat for their first taste of the food. As we worked through the meal, we came to one particular dish which was slimy and to me very unappetizing. After I choked it down she laughed and told me it was a sea slug.
Next would have to be dim sum in Chinatown at the Phoenix Restaurant. I’ve gone several times for dim sum on Sunday and each time there has been a language barrier between the staff and I which always results in me pointing at particular dishes and not really knowing what I’ve eaten. It creates an aura of mystery and danger along with your meal. At the end you can make up whatever unusual food you like and say you ate it because no one could prove you wrong.
Japonais restaurant in River North also makes the list with their deep fried crab heads stuffed with rice and uni rolls. It still has the eyes and everything, and no it doesn’t taste like chicken – it tastes like a potato chip. As for the uni (sea urchin) it has the texture, taste and consistency of pureed liver.
Hot Doug’s Sausage Emporium and Tepaltuco Mexican restaurant are next on my list. This past holiday season I was fortunate enough to taste the reindeer dog and duck fat fries at Hot Doug’s. I had a wonderful appetizer at Tepaltuco called Grasshopper – and yes it is just as it sounds, fried grasshoppers.
The Taste of Chicago is the largest celebration of food in the city – it is a two week festival in Grant Park that goes from June 26th to July 5th. With so over 50 food vendors there are bound to be unusual items. At this festival I’ve indulged upon alligator on a stick, Irish egg rolls, banana and chocolate egg rolls, fried chicken and waffles, crawfish (both live and fried), and cheesecake on a stick (not that unusual but I wanted to include it because it is on a stick).
More recently I’ve headed to the trio of inventive/scientific restaurants: Moto, Schwa, and Alinea. These are by far the most interesting places I’ve very been to. At Moto I have eaten the menu, carbonated grapes that “pop” in your mouth, packing peanuts made from corn syrup that instantly dissolve leaving a little tingle, and a shot of donut soup which tasted like a warm Krispie Crème donut. Schwa is a very impressive BOYB restaurant that forever changed my perception of the meaning “bite your tongue” with their pickled beef tongue dish. I had to eat at Alinea because of their notoriety and also to taste their Pigeonneau a la Saint-Clair. This is their most controversial dish made of squab legs – a young domestic pigeon. Up until that point I had chased, yelled at, and even imitated pigeons but never eaten them – it was surprisingly tasty.
I’ve tasted some unusual things while in Chicago, some good some bad some I’m still not sure about. Hopefully this will help in deciding where to dine and what foods are available for the venturous. If you have any comments or questions regarding any of the above, please let me know.
My first taste of the unusual came from Suntory Restaurant, which unfortunately has been closed for a few years now. My cousin, as mentioned above, ordered all the necessary Japanese dishes that one needs to eat for their first taste of the food. As we worked through the meal, we came to one particular dish which was slimy and to me very unappetizing. After I choked it down she laughed and told me it was a sea slug.
Next would have to be dim sum in Chinatown at the Phoenix Restaurant. I’ve gone several times for dim sum on Sunday and each time there has been a language barrier between the staff and I which always results in me pointing at particular dishes and not really knowing what I’ve eaten. It creates an aura of mystery and danger along with your meal. At the end you can make up whatever unusual food you like and say you ate it because no one could prove you wrong.
Japonais restaurant in River North also makes the list with their deep fried crab heads stuffed with rice and uni rolls. It still has the eyes and everything, and no it doesn’t taste like chicken – it tastes like a potato chip. As for the uni (sea urchin) it has the texture, taste and consistency of pureed liver.
Hot Doug’s Sausage Emporium and Tepaltuco Mexican restaurant are next on my list. This past holiday season I was fortunate enough to taste the reindeer dog and duck fat fries at Hot Doug’s. I had a wonderful appetizer at Tepaltuco called Grasshopper – and yes it is just as it sounds, fried grasshoppers.
The Taste of Chicago is the largest celebration of food in the city – it is a two week festival in Grant Park that goes from June 26th to July 5th. With so over 50 food vendors there are bound to be unusual items. At this festival I’ve indulged upon alligator on a stick, Irish egg rolls, banana and chocolate egg rolls, fried chicken and waffles, crawfish (both live and fried), and cheesecake on a stick (not that unusual but I wanted to include it because it is on a stick).
More recently I’ve headed to the trio of inventive/scientific restaurants: Moto, Schwa, and Alinea. These are by far the most interesting places I’ve very been to. At Moto I have eaten the menu, carbonated grapes that “pop” in your mouth, packing peanuts made from corn syrup that instantly dissolve leaving a little tingle, and a shot of donut soup which tasted like a warm Krispie Crème donut. Schwa is a very impressive BOYB restaurant that forever changed my perception of the meaning “bite your tongue” with their pickled beef tongue dish. I had to eat at Alinea because of their notoriety and also to taste their Pigeonneau a la Saint-Clair. This is their most controversial dish made of squab legs – a young domestic pigeon. Up until that point I had chased, yelled at, and even imitated pigeons but never eaten them – it was surprisingly tasty.
I’ve tasted some unusual things while in Chicago, some good some bad some I’m still not sure about. Hopefully this will help in deciding where to dine and what foods are available for the venturous. If you have any comments or questions regarding any of the above, please let me know.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
A Week of Festivals, Art and Ice Cream
The upcoming week brings two great festivals to downtown. The 25th Annual Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest along Dearborn Street June 6th and 7th is the largest free literary event in the Midwest. It features new, used, antiquarian and specialty books for sale, author readings and signings, panel discussions, storytelling for kids and more. Gospel Fest returns to Grant Park on June 6th and 7th from 12 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. This is one of the largest Gospel festivals and features live music, food, drink, along with arts and crafts. Not to mention it is free admission… If Gospel Music isn’t your scene, the House of Blues will feature the Crystal Method June 8th and Ziggy Marley will have a kids show June 14th.
I’m sad to say the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup will not be in Chicago – but there are many places to view the games and plenty of drinks to forget that the Chicago teams were eliminated. Although, baseball is the savior as the Cubs and White Sox are in town. The Cubs will host the Twins June 12th – 14th at Wrigley Field. The White Sox will have 11 consecutive home games at US Cellular Field: June 1st thru 4th against Oakland, June 5th thru 7th against Cleveland, and June 8th thru 11th against Detroit. Our Concierge Team will be happy to assist you with tickets to any game (even if it isn’t in Chicago) or a recommendation for a place to view it.
For a more cultural experience, the Summer smARTshow will be at the Flat Iron building in Wicker Park June 5th and 6th. Browse the work of more than 100 artists as you tour resident artist studios and living spaces as well as guest artist exhibits throughout the building. Follow that up with lunch at the Earwax Café – a carnival style restaurant with a multiethnic, mostly vegetarian menu of breakfast, salads and sandwiches. Have dessert at iCream, a newly opened ice cream shop where you can customize every scoop of your sundae from the type of milk to the coloring.
For those of us with little ones, consider heading to Oz Park, located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, on Saturday June 6th for their annual Chalk Festival. See artists transform the sidewalk into images of Rembrandt and the Mona Lisa. You can also purchase your own “square” of sidewalk for $10 (includes chalk). The festival runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the more energetic kids, head to the Lincoln Park Zoo on June 7th for the United Run for the Zoo. Choose from either a 5 or 10K run or 5K walk – for anyone under 10 years of age they have a free Giraffe Gallop ranging from 50 yards to ¼ mile that passes by the lions, zebras, and kangaroos – proceeds go to fund the habitat of the zoo animals.
Lastly, after a long day of running, chalking, interpreting art, listening to music, watching the game or indulging in ice cream, head back to the hotel and let us organize any in-room spa treatment you wish – from manicures/pedicures, facials, massage and more.
I’m sad to say the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup will not be in Chicago – but there are many places to view the games and plenty of drinks to forget that the Chicago teams were eliminated. Although, baseball is the savior as the Cubs and White Sox are in town. The Cubs will host the Twins June 12th – 14th at Wrigley Field. The White Sox will have 11 consecutive home games at US Cellular Field: June 1st thru 4th against Oakland, June 5th thru 7th against Cleveland, and June 8th thru 11th against Detroit. Our Concierge Team will be happy to assist you with tickets to any game (even if it isn’t in Chicago) or a recommendation for a place to view it.
For a more cultural experience, the Summer smARTshow will be at the Flat Iron building in Wicker Park June 5th and 6th. Browse the work of more than 100 artists as you tour resident artist studios and living spaces as well as guest artist exhibits throughout the building. Follow that up with lunch at the Earwax Café – a carnival style restaurant with a multiethnic, mostly vegetarian menu of breakfast, salads and sandwiches. Have dessert at iCream, a newly opened ice cream shop where you can customize every scoop of your sundae from the type of milk to the coloring.
For those of us with little ones, consider heading to Oz Park, located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, on Saturday June 6th for their annual Chalk Festival. See artists transform the sidewalk into images of Rembrandt and the Mona Lisa. You can also purchase your own “square” of sidewalk for $10 (includes chalk). The festival runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the more energetic kids, head to the Lincoln Park Zoo on June 7th for the United Run for the Zoo. Choose from either a 5 or 10K run or 5K walk – for anyone under 10 years of age they have a free Giraffe Gallop ranging from 50 yards to ¼ mile that passes by the lions, zebras, and kangaroos – proceeds go to fund the habitat of the zoo animals.
Lastly, after a long day of running, chalking, interpreting art, listening to music, watching the game or indulging in ice cream, head back to the hotel and let us organize any in-room spa treatment you wish – from manicures/pedicures, facials, massage and more.
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