For years I've been hearing the hype surrounding the legendary Shake Shack. Having never lived in a city that had one (and never being that keen on waiting in a long line for a burger when I am on vacation), I just never got around to trying this hot spot. Flash forward to tonight. My first Shake Shack experience has happened and as a result, I am regretting the last 10 years that I've avoided it. This place is freaking epic (and it's not just because they make a bomb burger). Let me start ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: Hutch
Can we have a moment of truth? I feel like since moving to Chicago a little over a year ago, I've sort of confined myself to this River North restaurant bubble. This past weekend, I was determined to pop that bubble and check out a restaurant I've been hearing a lot about. It's called Hutch, and if you haven't heard of it before, you can start thanking me now (yes, it's that good). Hutch is located at 3301 N Clark Street in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. I decided to head up there ... [ Read More ]
My Date Night at Enolo Wine Bar
Since my fiancé, Dan, and I got engaged, we’ve hardly been able to spend any time together. Between his work and travel schedule and my flights back and forth to Boston to plan our wedding, it’s been tough! Last week, we had one night where we were both free (and in town) so I knew I wanted to plan a romantic date night for us to just unwind, catch up and enjoy some incredible food. A few of my friends had mentioned that Enolo Wine Bar on Clark Street is a great new spot to grab a glass of ... [ Read More ]
The Night I had Dinner w/ an Owner of Gibsons Steakhouse
There are a lot of really cool things about my job! For one, I get to eat A LOT. I'm always invited to try out the newest and best restaurants plus, I get the pleasure of teaching cooking classes to like-minded foodies. It really is a dream! Despite all the exciting things I get to do on a daily basis, the other day, somehow, my job got even more fantastic. I got to have dinner at the iconic Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse with one of the Managing Partners, John Colletti, and boy did I get ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen Chicago
Simply put, I only write about "blog worthy" restaurants. As a result, it's been a while since I've done a restaurant review because I really haven't had any truly standout meals lately. My restaurant review hiatus came to end last week when I discovered a new, healthy, fast casual restaurant. Enter, Doc B's Fresh Kitchen. This Gold Coast gem was established to become an extension of your own kitchen (meaning you know the dishes you're eating use sustainable ingredients that aren't over ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: RPM Italian
After months of living in Chicago, I finally got to head over to RPM Italian. I've heard amazing things about this River North hot spot (like how it's owned by by Guillana and Bill Rancic), so I was really excited to try it! I won't lie, I was a tad skeptical before going since my past experience with celebrity owned restaurants haven't always been stellar. Luckily, this time, the hype did not disappoint! Everything from the food to the service was simply perfection. If you're an avid reader, ... [ Read More ]
Pronto ‘Za: A Unique Twist On Pizza Delivery
Last week I got this insane craving for pizza. I didn't want the thick (and often times super dense) Chicago style pizza, I wanted something more unique. Since I haven't found that "perfect" slice yet, I decided to take to Google and Yelp to help me find a place. Then, I stumbled upon the menu at Pronto 'Za and I was sold. First of all, the fact that a plain cheese pizza isn't on their menu until you scroll all the way to the bottom tells me these people are super creative. They had some of ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: XOCO
A couple of months ago, I had the privileged of eating at XOCO, located at 449 N Clark Street. This Rick Bayless hot spot had been the talk of my office ever since I started back in July. Having been to Bayless's other two Chicago spots, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo (both located next door to XOCO), I had pretty high expectations. As expected, the food was really incredible. What I think is even more amazing, is how dedicated Bayless and his team are to creating a environmentally ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: Japonais by Morimoto
The other night, I had the privilege and pleasure of dining at the new Japonais by Morimoto. This River North restaurant recently re-opened and has completely transformed and upgraded the atmosphere, food and ambience. Frankly I couldn’t be more impressed. From the moment I walked in until the moment I left, every detail was executed perfectly. When we sat down, our waiter, Maro noticed I was wearing black pants and offered me a black napkin (love it) and then asked the table about our culinary ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: The Grid
This winter has been horrendous. Whether you live in Chicago like me or even down in Florida, the temperatures have never been this low. In my 27 years on this earth, I have never in my life experienced a more awful winter. Growing up, I was always told when life hands you lemons, you've got to make lemon meringue pie (I don't like lemonade) and therefore I've found a silver lining in all of this pain-staking cold. Enter, The Grid. This River North gem is located at 351 W Hubbard and is ... [ Read More ]