by Laura
One cannot go to Chicago without indulging in a classic deep dish pizza or my favorite Giordano's Stuffed Pepperoni Pizza. Diane and I headed to Giordano's an hour after we checked into the sophisticated, dramatic, and pet-friendly Hotel Allegro in Chicago's
theater district and plopped down into our casual booth. Stuffed pizza takes about 35 minutes to bake so we were pleasantly pleased Giordano's had several well placed flat screen televisions to help us relax and pass the time.
Our server brought out our bubbling cheesy pizza to the table and dished out
our slices briskly cutting the cheese with the spatula. (You will definitely want the server to help you with this, it takes a pro to get that first slice out!) For those of you who are unfamiliar with stuffed pizza , it starts with a double crust filled with your toppings and cheese, then they more sauce and a light sprinkling of cheese on top of the crust. It's genius! Their tomato sauce is so flavorful and the cheese so thick. Diane and I were not sure we could stop ourselves from eating the entire pie, but after our first slices we realized no one could eat an entire stuffed pizza pie. Our knives and forks were going at double time (yes, you need a knife and fork to eat this pizza) and we were so satifised; it was the perfect Chicago dinner!
The diner welcomed us with complimentary donut holes and snack-sized milk duds as soon as we walked in. The donut holes were perfectly sized to hold our hunger at bay, as we waited for our order of Meltaway Pancakes for Diane and Grilled Thick French Toast for me (both with sides of bacon, of course). The great thing about a diner and especially Lou Mitchell's is that we did not have to wait long to enjoy a simple, yet memorable breakfast.
Despite the humble look of Lou Mitchell's, it has our permission to keep boasting as Chicago's favorite diner! With classic fares like omelettes and skillets served in a cast iron pan, and every meal topped off with a complimentary scoop of ice cream, no matter what time of day it is, it's near impossible to leave unsatisfied. Diane's pancakes were topped with whipped real butter and Lou Mitchell's special house recipe maple syrup combining to create the most unique "melt in your mouth" experience! My french toast had a perfectly crunchy texture on the outside, but managed to keep the center soft and warm. Between bites of our fluffy delights, we crunched on crispy brown bacon and took in this midwestern charm found in the decor and Lou Mitchell's staff! Lou Mitchell's is a Chicago landmark and definitely a must eat!
David Burke's Primehouse-- The James, Chicago
by Laura
Diane and I ventured to this modern steakhouse after reading about it in numerous publications and watching a feature on the Travel Channel's program entitled Steak Paradise II. It's always great to be able to get an inside look into a restaurant that claims to have something special. Primehouse boasts one of the secrets behind their tasty, succlent beef: Prime. Prime is the name of David Burke's 2500 lb Black Angus bull that has been behind all the offspring for the David Burke's Primehouse and I'm here to tell you, the beef really makes all the difference. In addition, David Burke has imported blocks upon blocks of Himlayan salt creating a salt wall in their drying room. This process of dry aging not only creats a melt in your mouth effect, but the salt kills bacteria and seasons the beef. We were salivating over the opportunity to try this well marbled, juicy, top quality beef.
At the recommendation of our server, we started with Mini Kobe Corn Dogs, with ground mustard in mustard oil and Moroccan glaze and we were so happy we did. I know these types of fares can be considered too trendy or somewhat out of place at a fine dine establishment but these little bites of childhood on a stick were so tasty we had a hard time saving space for the Burkers we ordered!
That's right, I said Burkers. David Burke's 40 Day Dry Aged Prime Steak Burkers were probably the most flavorful, juicy, complete burger I've had to date. The prime steak held together as it if had always existed in that form and at the same time it was tender and perfectly cooked to the medium temperature I had requested. The Burker served on a toasted bun, soft but still held the sandwich was accompanied by sauteed garlic spinach, crispy shallots, and bacon mayonaise. I had no idea this was the combination of burger dressings I never knew I always wanted. Each bite of the burger was blanced together by each component on the Burker and if that wasn't enough truffle asiago french fries would definitely put you over the edge in to Burker Heaven!
If you are ever in Chicago, run, don't walk to The James and David Burker's Primehouse! They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner so it enjoying this high quality beef doesn't have to cost a small fortune!
by Diane
We made a quick stop at another Chicago tradition for a snack and gift, introduced to me by a good friend back in 2007. Oprah selected Garrett's Popcorn's Chicago Mix (half CaramelCrisp and half Cheese Popcorn) as one of her Favorite Things back in 2002. Although, I have been slow on the uptake, I'm more than making up for it.
For those of you who have seen me eat popcorn, you know it is a messy business! It's impossible for me to just put on kernel in my mouth using my fingers. Instead, I scoop up popcorn in my hand and, I hate to say it, shovel it into my mouth. I cannot help but push handfuls of popcorn it into my mouth all at once and Garret's Chicago mix makes me wish I could do it faster! The salty, creamy taste of cheese popcorn paired with the sweet, buttery caramel corn is the perfect crunchy bite for those of you who crave both salt and sugar at the same time! I had to fight the feeling to jump behind the counter and eat this fabulously creamy and flavorful popcorn right out of the bin. Lucky for all of us who live outside of Chicago, the good people at Garrett's will be happy to send you their light, salty and sweet treats directly to your home.
Traveling is a fun time to discover the traditions of a city and you can learn so much about the people who live there based on the local fares. We loved Chicago and Chicagoans! We've arrived in the D.C. area and I know we will have loads to share about the local fares! Stay Tuned!
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