Chicago - Part 1

The only good thing about friends moving away from you is the opportunity to visit new places. A few months ago I had that opportunity, and I headed to Chicago to visit my old roommate Carrie and see what the city had to offer. I have to say I’m not a fan of the humidity — it might be worse than Houston — but the food was amazing! I had lots of “Chicago-style” everything and came home a few pounds heavier after only 3 days.

I arrived Friday night and immediately headed to Lakeview to drop my stuff and grab some grub. We went to Rocks, a local bar with a great patio area. While I’m not usually one to order dinner at a bar, I trusted Miss Carrie and followed her lead. I changed my outlook though when we got there after 9pm and saw this dinner crowd still lingering over their meals. It is usually a good sign to see that people aren’t just eating to head out but instead actually enjoy the food and atmosphere.

bit of Texas in Chi-town 

We both ordered familiar and trusted Shiner beer and something new to me — Buffalo Tator Tots. Having spent years in Oklahoma City (headquarters of Sonic) I know my way around a good tot, but I had never been given the option to add buffalo sauce. Boy have I been missing out! Carrie ordered them and I think I ate half of hers they were so good. The tangy, spiciness of a buffalo wing with the crispness and starch of a tot made these the perfect munching food. Expect these at my next Super Bowl party because they were great! B

After indulging in a few more beverages, we hit the hay and woke up the next morning to check out the town. We stayed in Lakeview for brunch and headed to Ann Sather’s Diner. It was featured on Rachel Ray and while I’m not a huge fan of hers, the woman knows her stuff. This was the perfect, homey diner that makes you love the community aspect of a neighborhood like Lakeview. We got lucky and were there early enough to wait only a few minutes for a table. This must be the place to go because by the time we left, the line outside was at least 20 people deep. But with food this good, I can understand why. You walk in and are immediately met with the smell of cinnamon and baked goods. With brightly painted murals, small tables right next to one another, and an open bakery counter in the back, I felt like I was a part of the family there. We even struck up a great conversation with the two older men eating next to us as we borrowed their salt in exchange for a taste of our cinnamon rolls. The feeling of community was as heavy in the air as the humidity that day.

Line outside Ann Sather's as we left

Having smelled the heavenly cinnamon I knew I had to start with a cinnamon roll. I prefer savory to sweet for my morning meals, but couldn’t help myself with that aroma wrapping around you like a towel fresh out of the dryer. Two cinnamon rolls were quickly brought to the table and each was tall, round, gooey and the size of a grapefruit. They were perfect! Cooked just enough to be airy with melted cinnamon butter and icing that stuck to your fork. They were so delicious they made the world seem happy. I quickly devoured mine while Carrie got about halfway through hers. I don’t even want to think about the number of calories, but trust me they were worth it.

Half of one cinnamon roll!

After that decadence and knowing I was about to step out into 80% humidity outside, I decided to stick to the lighter side of breakfast with scrambled egg whites, fruit and orange juice. The fruit was good — your average melon, grapes, strawberries — but the eggs were doused in butter and had to be practically over-salted before I could eat them. But they sure do look pretty in the picture. I ate maybe a third before giving up and stealing more of Carrie’s fruit.

These weren't delicious, but made for a pretty picture

Carrie had the eggs benedict. Apparently Chicagoans do not add tomato or spinach to their benedict, something that they are obviously missing out on. I didn’t try them, but Carrie said they were stingy on the hollandaise and after the richness of the cinnamon roll she didn’t get too far before calling it quits. Based solely on the cinnamon rolls, service and atmosphere I want to give this place an A but to be fair and truthful I will have to go with a B.

After our hearty meal we headed around town and got a chance to visit Millenium Park, the “Bean” where I photo bombed other people like crazy, and the aquarium. I’m amazed at the number of parks in Chicago. For such a busy area it utilizes the space well. If you’re looking for some indoor fun I would recommend their aquarium. It’s not as good as Dallas’s due to our awesome rainforest exhibit, but seeing the new baby beluga and the jellyfish exhibit was fun. Considering the line was close to 100 people long to get in it must be the thing to do. After much sight seeing and walking around we decided to head home and rest our tired feet for the day. Being a car-friendly Texan I forgot what walking a city can do to your energy levels. Come back next week for more when I tackle Chicago style hot dogs, beer and deep-dish pizza!