Chicago Food

I must say that while in Chicago, we ate quite well. Everything from an unbelievable multi-course dinner downtown to White Castle was included in our tour. Here is a rundown of some of the tastiness...

Thursday:

delicious cheeses, breads, and wines Chez Eleanore

a yummy flatbread at In Fine Spirits

mini cheeseburgers at White Castle

Friday:

tasty breakfast burritos Chez Eleanore

deep dish Chicago style pizza at Gino's East

the best latte I've ever had at Intelligentsia Coffee

amazing sushi at Tank

Saturday:

my favorite french toast (with ham, gruyere, and maple mustard syrup) at Southport Grocery

yummy vanilla cupcakes too...

Martinis with killer blue cheese stuffed olives at the top of the John Hancock building

The Best Dinner Ever at Graham Elliot (pictures and descriptions to follow)

Sunday:

croque madame at Bistro Campagne

Yes, I did gain at least 5 pounds in 4 days!

Here are some pictures of us at Graham Elliot. If you are ever in Chicago and wanting a dining experience, you should go. He takes ordinary menu items and interprets them into the most fantastic bites you have ever had!

We met the Chef Graham Elliot Bowles as we entered the restaurant! Apparently we made quite an impression because he sent over complimentary appetizers and dessert wine.

The roast chicken was so good...

As was the truffled popcorn they brought us!

The food is so good you want to dance!

Spring pea soup with a mint marshmallow... sounds bizarre, but it was like eating fresh peas with a spoon. As the marshmallow melted, the soup took on a new flavor and consistency

Wagyu beef with arugula salad, cippolini onions, and a really good sauce. Amazing!

Besides the food shown, we enjoyed "foie-llipops"- coins of foie gras on a lollipop stick with orange pop rocks stuck on the edges. They made your mouth sing! The richness of the foie gras combined with exploding orange pop rocks.... how do they think of these things?

Also a whitefish sashimi with passionfruit sorbet and radishes, a tasty seared scallop appetizer, a new take on caesar salad with a brioche twinkie stuffed with marscapone cheese, an asparagus-goat cheese terrine, the best salmon ever, and 4 different desserts. As I said, this was such an incredible experience. Thank you, Graham Elliot!