Re-Cap: Chicago

As you can imagine, Deanna and I had a great time in Chicago. How could we not? Two old friends escaping reality for a few days? Two foodies in a restaurant town like Chicago? Two shoppers stationed on the Magnificent Mile? Exactly.

I'll spare you my Marc Jacobs bag and new pendant from Bloomingdales, or the bag Deanna dreamed about for two days before going back to buy it, but I will share some of our dining adventures, which began with dinner at Cafe Spiaggia.


Gnocchi with wild boar ragu and polopetti



Also from Cafe Spiaggia:

walleye and summer vegetables


While in Chicago we had to go to Table 52, of course, and we planned to be there on one of the two nights he serves fried chicken. (It made not seeing Oprah not so heartbreaking.)

Famous Art Smith's famous Table 52



and his mouth watering fried chicken

But our favorite dinner was at The Purple Pig, where we shared several delectable small plates. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera, so my only pictures are cell phone photos...



pork liver pate

salt roasted beets with goat cheese mousse and pistachio vinaigrette

and missing from these mediocre photos is one of the milk braised pork shoulder we shared, which is the most tender and tasty pork I think I have ever had in my life.

Lunches were less eventful, but we had one remarkable one, our best, when happened upon Feast in Bucktown.

Greek lunch plate with rosemary chicken and hummus

And my daily morning coffee and cinnamon muffin top from King Cafe didn't suck.



cinnamon muffin top



It certainly was a formula for success: 4 days to shop , 3 nights away for an equal amount of exceptional dinners (that we planned and made reservations for in advance)(try getting a reservation at any of Rick Bayless's restaurants...go ahead, I dare you), for 2 old friends.

Oh, and the highlight, the 1 thing that put me over the edge? A visit to the Mother Ship, the original Crate and Barrel which, truth be told, brought tears to my eyes.


The Mother Ship



N. Michigan Ave entrance to C&B

Now, I've lived.