Special update- Holiday in Chicago 2012

Deep dish onion and pepperoni pizza

slice of pizza

Palm Beach Mahi Mahi with crab potato hash and sweet corn bisque

Chicago style hot dog

Linguini & clams 

Well this is a special post , as normally i would talk strictly about 1 meal or 1 evenings events. This is about my vacation i was on last week in Chicago and besides being 1 of the most visually stunning cities i have ever seen or visited , it is a city rich in world class cuisine. On Night 1 we went to McCormicks and Schmicks for a nice seafood dinner. I know what you're thinking, K Dawg you have a McCormicks and Schmicks in Boston why would you go there. The answer is simple, it was near the hotel and the city was H O T T T that night, and quite frankly i don't go to the one in Boston anyways so it was a treat to go there. I had some amazing Mahi mahi(pictured above) and a fabulous peach cobbler for dessert.  After dinner we walked around the city and took in the amazing view along the Chicago River. Day 2 , started off with a bust, lousy hotel 71 breakfast buffet. I can't stand these type of meals  (with the exception of Amreins in South Boston). But there was a huge rebound at lunch at the recommendation of several friends we had deep dish pizza at Giordano's (right near the Sears "now called Willis" Tower) This pizza (pictured above) was amazing, very filling and delicious. The crust is different than any pizza i had before, and the sauce is a little sweeter than what i am used too. I had 2 slices and that was a mistake, because this is a VERY heavy pizza.  That night after some more site seeing, we went to Harry Carey's Italian Steakhouse for supper. That place is quite a site to behold, we got there at 7:00 and was told there would be a 45 minute wait, but 10 minutes later we were at our table. The lobby of the restaurant is great, its filled with pictures from all sort of celebrities having there picture taken with Harry when he was alive, or the huge bust of his head in lobby next to the hostess station. Normally when i go to a steak house i get steak, but i was still pretty full from the pizza at lunch, so i got something i have never had before, the linguini and clams. It was amazing, the sauce was a garlic and oil with a lot of clams mixed in. Also very filling but busting with garlic flavor. 

Day 3 was a quiet day, did a nice architecture boat tour, that was a great way to see the city from the water.  For lunch we went to the billy goat tavern, kind of let down but i was a lil tired from a lot of walking. But i did try another Chicago specialty dish, an Italian Beef sandwich, which is an overstuffed Roast beef sandwich in a sub roll , with peppers and the whole sandwich is dunked in Au Jus before they give it to you, bread and all.  It was tasty but WAY too big , and i didn't want anything too big since i was having dinner with my friend Christina who lived in Chicago.  Christina recommended a fantastic Cuban restaurant 90 Miles Cuban Cafe , which was new to both of us. The plantains were delicious, and we ordered an extra plate...i want some now thinking about them. I can't recall the dish i ordered but it was a pulled beef dinner, with peppers, white rice , plantains and black beans. 

After dinner Christina took us too Mario's Italian Lemonade where we both got Italian ices, i got lime and Christina got watermelon. They were fabulous, i never had an Italian ice that was so flavorful. Then she took me over to see the United Center and a nice drive along lake Michigan. 

Day 4 was spent visiting the town outside Chicago that my Grandfather Mike Boyle, lived in back in the 1920's , where he worked on the street cars.   Then after that we visited some nice museums,and then went to the Navy Pier for supper, and to watch the beautiful fire works show they put on every Wednesday and Saturday.  The pier was great with all the typical junk food booths available, as well as a smaller Harry Carey tavern.  They play great music, and the view of the city from the pier at night, is truly magical.  

Now as we were leaving to go home it dawned on me i didn't have a Chicago style hot dog, and while i wouldn't have called the trip a failure if i didn't get one, i did want to try one while i was there. Thankfully O'Hare airport had an American Dawg ( i think that was the name) and since i never eat on planes and it was lunch time while we were waiting , i decided to throw caution to the wind and ordered a hot dog with the works. Normally i am very basic with my hot dogs , raw onions, relish and mustard (Never ketchup/catsup !!) , this Chicago style came with Bright green relish, onions, mustard, tomato, cucumber(which i don't like) , peppers, and celery salt.  I have to say this combo works! It was very tasty. I would probably never go to that effort if i was cooking a hot dog at home, but i would order it again the next time i go to the Windy City. 

I am home now, and hopefully will be going out to eat soon and i will get back to making some local recommendations.  But for now i will simply say I would recommend Chicago to anyone looking for a vacation. It has the big feel of a big city but not so big that you feel like you would get lost in the hustle & bustle. 

Thats all for now have a great night and a good meal.

xoxo

Kevin M. Boyle