Chicago + Food + More Food

Day 1 started with three meals plus cocktails, Day 2 we worked up to four meals plus cocktails/wine. Day 3 we were only able to fit in 2 meals, no cocktails.  I guess we peaked early.  I need to talk to that guy who won all those hot dog eating contests.

Day 1, Friday

The Purple Pig. Crispy pig’s ears. Crispy Kale (ok, so now I know that when kale is deep-fried it is the most delicious food on earth.)  Same with pig’s ears.  Or old gym socks.  If you fry it, I guess I’ll eat it.

Still partaking in the deep-fried portion of the menu we move on to chorizo-stuffed olives.

Razor clams.  These were actually a little rubbery when they arrived.  But in case you’ve never seen a razor clam, here they are.  In other amazing stories, we were told by our waitress at the Girl and Goat (coming up) that a customer once claimed she had accidentally eaten the shell of a razor clam.  Yet, she wasn’t bleeding from the throat.  Or a professional sword swallower –as far as anyone knew.

BBQ dinner at “Q“.  Both of the pictures are terrible, I know.  But the lighting was bad and all our hands were covered in rib sauce. I forgot to care enough.  I do feel bad now with some perspective.  But, forgive me and check out the menu.  And drool.

This is my plate of the Award-winning “competition, full-slab St. Louis ribs”.  The ribs continue beyond the water glass and onto the floor.  It was crazy.  The bread and butter pickles are house-made and the four sauces are house BBQ, spicy BBQ, mustard sauce (for the Kobe brisket–we had that too–see, how could I be expected to concentrate on picture taking) and a thinner, savory sauce for the pulled pork sandwich.

And of course we started with House Bacon Cheddar Hush Puppies.  Knowing it was a bad bad good idea.

Day 2, Saturday

Lunch Part A:

I know this kind of looks “whatever” but it was delicious!  Spicy chicken tortilla soup at the Neimann Marcus cafe (Thanks Martha!).  It was like a super-deluxe Campbell soup.  I asked for the recipe and the waiter laughed.  Which I took for a “no”.  (update, look what a Google search revealed!  RECIPE.  Will try ASAP. Ingredients include cheddar cheese spread–see-I knew there was comfy canned soup feel)

Lunch Part B:

Pastoral.  A local cheese store.  Our cheese monger is slicing off a soft piece of buttery Stichelton.  Which is Stilton made with raw milk.  AOC Stilton, is only allowed to be made with pasteurized milk.  Did you know that? Just below the cheese board is a very yellow washed-rind cheese made with Guernsey milk.  It was incredible.  And the label is somewhere in the garbage.  I guess its just sweet memories for me.

Dinner.  We stayed at the Hotel Palomar which has a restaurant in it called Sable.  So it was either Chicago Deep Dish or Sable.  Sable won.

Might have been the Sweet Corn Crème Brûlée.  All the dishes were good but this was “let me lick the plate” delicious.  Sweet corn in a baked custard that is caramelized and sprinkled with sea salt.

OR might have been the cocktail menu:

Here are three we enjoyed with loud slurps:

War of the Roses
Pimm’s, Bombay Dry Gin, St-Germain, mint, fresh lime

Drunken Angel
Yamazaki 12 year, Punt e Mes, Mathilde Pear, fresh orange juice, Regan’s orange bitters

Board of Directors
Noilly Prat Dry, honey, Green Chartreuse, lemon

The Girl and the Goat, 11:45 pm, The only reservation I could get calling a month in advance

The March issue of Saveur called The Girl and the Goat, “America’s Best New Restaurant”.  If you want a proper review, then go HERE to read the  piece by Dana Bowen.   The food was amazing.  Lick the plate delicious.  Worth-eating-a-fourth-meal-at-midnight good.  Consider moving to Chicago inspiring.

We had:

kohlrabi salad . fennel . evalon . toasted almonds . blueberry . ginger dressing

grilled baby octopus . guanciale . wax beans . radish . favas. pistachio-lemon vinaigrette (IN PHOTO)

smoked goat rilette empanadas . masala . ramp yogurt

AND one scoop Shiitake gelato and streusel. Dangerous.

Day 3, Sunday

We visited the Chicago Art Institute.  Toulouse-Lautrec inspired me to eat more sardines.

It was a beautiful hot day and on my way back to the hotel I saw a 7-11.   How could I resist?

And to pair with my Slurpee I stopped in at Pastoral again for a sandwich, The Quack Attack.

The Slurpee/obnoxiously artisinal sandwich combo was kind of perfect.  Good Bye Chicago!  I’ll never eat again.  (Til dinner.)