September 2013

In American

Hershey’s Store in Chicago

September 11, 2013

In a lot of the tourist book, they highlighted the Hershey’s store on the Magnificent Mile. For some reason, I imagined it as exciting as the M&M store in New York, but sadly, I was a bit disappointed when I arrived. Also the Hershey’s Store in Niagara Falls was larger.

This is not to say this is a horrible store to go to. If you’re in the area, stop by. If not, don’t go out of your way to come here.

There’s lots of see and buy at this store. It’s only one level, so it’s not very large inside. There are high ceilings with lots of natural light that make the interior seem larger.

What I found quite cool large candy bars and large syrup bottles.

There’s also a little cafe area where you can buy cupcakes, cookies and other confections. There’s hot chocolate and other drinks too.

Overall, it was nice to stop by to see all the cool candy products. Some items were a bit pricey, but in the end I didn’t purchase anything since nothing really appealed to me.

Address:
822 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL

Website:
http://www.thehersheycompany.com/about-hershey/visit-hershey/retail-stores/chicago.aspx

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=822+N+Michigan+Ave,+Chicago,+IL+60611,+USA&sll=49.2399859,-122.95816940000002&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140337636478&t=m&dg=opt&hnear=822+N+Michigan+Ave,+Chicago,+Illinois+60611,+United+States&z=16″]

In European

Chambar: Awesome Mussels and Meat

September 10, 2013

Chambar is located in Gastown near Stadium Skytrain and are known for their amazing mussels and European-inspired dishes.

We came here for CanuckGirl’s surprise birthday party as we heard they have great food. Plus, I haven’t been here yet, which I found surprising. I was pretty excited to come try their famous mussels.

We started off the night with a Rosé wine. I don’t remember what type it was, but the waiter was kind enough to help us pick the wine. Good choice.

Boeuf et morilles ($16) has Chicago style beef striploin, candied chanterelles, cippolini onion rings, pine nuts,and grated parmesan. This dish was so good! Many “mmmm” and “omg” were heard when we put this in our mouth. Highly recommended!

Thon rouge et petit pois ($31) has seared yellowfin tuna, sweet pea & mint puree, eggplant chutney, spiced quinoa & pickled kohlrabi. My friends really enjoyed this as well. It was a bit expensive, but it is yummy.

Coquotte Mussels ($24) has white wine cream, smoked bacon lardons, and spring onions. It was also very yummy and everyone at the table had to have some. For a group of 7, we ordered 4 buckets. Everyone was very happy with it and it comes with fries.

Frites come with the mussels and they are crazy crunchy. So good! So addictive.

Overall, all the food was fantastic! It was expensive, but its definitely worth it. I would definitely come again. Be sure to make reservations online to make sure you have a spot since it can get busy during peak hours.

We Rate Chambar:

Address:
562 Beatty St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.chambar.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=562+Beatty+St,+Vancouver,+BC+V6B+2N7&sll=49.2399859,-122.95816940000002&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140337636478&t=m&dg=opt&hnear=562+Beatty+St,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6B+2N7&z=16 “]

In Fast Food

Bacon Habanero Ranch Quarter Pounder

September 9, 2013

While visiting the Rock n Roll McDonalds, I just had to have a burger that’s not available in Canada. Bacon Habanero Ranch Quarter Pounder was just the burger that I wanted to consume with fries and a coke. I really wanted to see if it would be spicy or not.

The Bacon Habanero Ranch Quarter Pounder has a quarter pound patty of beef with white cheddar, Applewood smoked bacon, tomato , leaf lettuce, and a spicy-cool habanero ranch sauce, on a toasted bun.

To my disappointment, the habanero flavour wasn’t very strong at all. I wanted to see a noticeably amount of spice, but it didn’t really sting. The bacon was delicious and crispy. It was a decent burger with a nice habanero ranch sauce, but needs more spice.

Website: www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/home.html

In Chicago

Rock n Roll McDonald’s in Chicago

September 8, 2013

Rock n Roll McDonalds is their Flagship store in Chicago, Illinois. It’s quite famous and attracts lots of tourist every year. It’s a few blocks away from the Magnificent Mile. What makes this location unique is that its 3 times the size of a normal McDonalds, has a Rock n Roll Exhibit and a mini McDonalds Museum.

Near the entrance, there are a few statues there that you can pose and take pictures with.

Peek-a-boo! It’s Ronald McDonald and I. Of course I had to take some fun pictures with those statues.

The bottom floor has lots of seating and the counter to order food. Stairs and escalators are located in the middle of the floor that leads to the 2nd floor.

Upstairs is the McCafe serving lattes, gelato, and baked goods. It’s very relaxing, so you could spend a lot of time just chilling here because there is so much natural light. I saw a few people just on their laptops working here.

On the second floor, there is a little Museum area where you can view old memorabilia. I remember collecting all those Inspector Gadget toys too.

On the walls are stories about the McDonalds Franchise.

Overall, it was a pretty cool location with awesome memorabilia to look at. If you’re a tourist, it’s a fun place to just stop by and have a snack. It’ll probably be one of the best looking McDonalds you’ve been to.

Website: www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/home.html

In Chicago

Slurping Turtle: Ramen in Chicago

September 7, 2013

The Slurping Turtle is located in the River North area and is a few blocks away from Michigan Avenue. Their logo is pretty cute and I was craving some Japanese food. Even though I was on vacation, I have a crazy addiction for Japanese food.

Slurping Turtle was created to show guests Chef Takashi’s childhood culinary experiences in Japan, as it is reflected in their menu.

The interior has a long communal table through the centre of the restaurant, with some booth seating on the side. Lots of seating.

Duck Fat Fried Chicken ($9) is soy-sesame marinated chicken deep-fried in duck fat. The fried chicken was very very moist inside and sinfully delicious. The is even a slaw on the side to balance out the greasiness.

Tonkotsu ($14) has homemade thin ramen noodles, silky pork broth, braised pork shoulder, pickled mustard greens, and other veggies. It’s a huge bowl and very popular among customers.

Roasted Garlic Ramen ($14) has homemade wheat ramen noodles, clams, mussels, garlic oil, and veggies. There are a lot of clams and mussels, which is pretty great. After eating this, I was really really full.

Overall, it’s a pretty cute place to come get a bowl of noodles for lunch. The ramen was good, but it wasn’t as authentic as you would find in Japan. The interior is very nice but for a $14 ramen, it was a bit expensive.

We Rate Slurping Turtle:

Address:
116 W Hubbard St
Chicago, IL

Website:
http://www.slurpingturtle.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=116+W+Hubbard+St,+Chicago,+IL+60654,+USA&sll=49.2399859,-122.95816940000002&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140337636478&t=m&dg=opt&hnear=116+W+Hubbard+St,+Chicago,+Illinois+60654,+United+States&z=16″]

In American

Lou Mitchell’s: Free Donut Holes and Milk Duds in Chicago

September 5, 2013

Lou Mitchell’s is one of Chicago’s oldest restaurants specializing in diner food. They only sell breakfast and lunch till 3pm everyday. It’s located in the loop and serves up American food.

There was a lot of seating inside but during the weekday, it wasn’t too busy at all.

What makes them different is that everyone gets a donut hole and a box of milk duds. As the owner is Greek, he offered a nice sweet treat to welcome his customers as a symbol of his generous hospitality.

The reason they chose Milk Duds to give away is because they were originally manufactured in Chicago and the owners was a customer and a friend to Lou.

Corned Beef Hash comes with eggs cracked on top and a side of toast. It’s only supposed to be 2 eggs, but looked like 4 eggs. I got a choice of different bread but I chose rye bread. The dish was good but a bit greasy, which isn’t strange cause it’s a diner and breakfast food should be sinfully delicious.

One egg comes in a pan with roasted potatoes. Jenn also added $0.50 for raisin toast. She wasn’t too hungry, so she settled on this.

Overall, it’s a great place to go to if you want American diner food. It’s not fancy food. You may not remember the meal, but you’ll remember the donuts and Milk Duds.

We Rate Lou Mitchell’s:

Address:
565 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL

Website:
http://www.loumitchellsrestaurant.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=565+W+Jackson+Blvd,+Chicago,+IL+60661,+USA&sll=49.2399859,-122.95816940000002&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140337636478&t=m&dg=opt&hnear=565+W+Jackson+Blvd,+Chicago,+Illinois+60661,+United+States&z=16 “]

In Bakery

Brothers K Coffee House: Coffee in Evanston

September 4, 2013

Brothers K Coffee House is a cafe in the university town of Evanston in Chicago. It’s where Northwestern University is located. When I was in the area visiting my friend, we decided to come grab a coffee before we explore the rest of Chicago.

The cafe was opened by Brian and John Kim. They take pride in using Fair Trade Organic and Direct Trade coffee in their shop.

They have another coffee house in the area called “Other Brother Coffee House”. Both these cafe’s are popular among students and freelancers.

Latte tasted really good and had some cute latte art on top.

Soy Latte was good as well.

Overall, it’s a really cute little cafe and it’s a great place to just hang out and get some work done. The coffee gave us a nice little buzz to get our day started. It’s cheaper and better than Starbucks.

We Rate Brothers K Coffeehouse:

Address:
500 Main St
Evanston, IL

Website:
http://www.brotherskcoffee.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=500+Main+St,+Evanston,+IL+60202,+USA&sll=49.2399859,-122.95816940000002&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140337636478&t=m&dg=opt&hnear=500+Main+St,+Evanston,+Illinois+60202,+United+States&z=16″]

In American

The Publican: Homage to Beer, Pork and Oysters in Chicago

September 3, 2013

The Publican plays a homage to beer, pork and oysters. The restaurant is owned and operated by Executive Chef and James Beard award winner, Paul Kahan. We made a call before we went to dine here and sure enough, they did have space available.

The interior is style like a European beer hall with lots of communal seating. There are some standing tables in the centre, but set up in a square are long tables. They can seat about 100 people in the restaurant. There are portraits of pigs all around the restaurant.

The waitress was nice and explained how the menu works. It’s family style, so everything is shared. She suggested about 2 plates per person. We had 4 people, but we only chose 6 items.

Complimentary bread service available upon request. So, it won’t come until you ask. What arrives is rustic bread with butter. I found the bread to be quite burnt on the outside, so most of us avoided that part.

Beets ($9) were very delicious. You can really taste the freshness of the beets. There were some grapefruit and pistachios accompanying the dish.

Tomatoes and Burrata has some balsamic drizzle on top with sprouts.The tomatoes were very cute and had so many different colors. The creamy and rich burrata is a great combination.

Taste of Three Hams ($21) has their 3 signature cured hams with their distinct tastes. It is served with nordic creamery goat butter and peasant bread. It’s a nice item to munch on if you’re having a few drinks.

Loup de mer ($28) has a yummy sauce with a nice crispy skin.

Pork Belly ($26) comes in a thick slab with potatoes, shrimp and corn. The pork belly is just cooked so nicely and falls apart. One of our favourite dishes of the night. Highly recommended.

Farm Chicken ($25) with summer sausage & frites. The fries were very crunchy and oh so gooood. Chicken was very moist and the outer skin had a nice smokey flavour. The sausages were ok, but wasn’t very moist but more dense.

Overall, The Publican was a great place for dinner. When you come here, you must have pork! Some of the dishes can be a bit heavy and greasy, but you can wash it down with some beer.

We Rate The Publican:

Address:
837 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL

Website:
http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=837+W+Fulton+Market,+Chicago,+IL+60607,+USA&sll=49.2399859,-122.95816940000002&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140337636478&t=m&dg=opt&hnear=837+W+Fulton+Market,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60607,+United+States&z=16″]

In Bakery

Saint Anna Bakery & Cafe: Pies and Milk Tea

September 2, 2013

Chinatown in Chicago was a place I wanted to check out. Usually on my travels, I just have to stop by to see how it compares to Vancouver’s Chinatown. I usually find that no matter where in the world you go, every Chinatown has a similar odor of fresh produce and dried medicine.

I wanted to grab a little snack, so my aunt suggested Saint Anna Bakery & Cafe for some egg tarts or little baked goods. People usually come here for egg tarts and pork buns.

On the inside, there are display cases for cakes and the baked goods. There are lots of round tables where you can order other items off the menu that aren’t buns or tarts like noodles and rice dishes.

Chicken Pie and HK Style Milk Tea. The chicken pie was good. Nothing fancy and inexpensive. I found the milk tea to be a little bit too sweet, so ask them to do it half sweet.

Curry Beef Turnover and HK Style Milk Tea. The outer layers are nice flaky and crunchy with the savory fragrant beef curry on the inside.

Overall, it’s a nice hole in the wall restaurant. No fancy decor, but has some good food.

We Rate Saint Anna Bakery & Cafe:

Address:
2158 S Archer Ave
Chicago, IL

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=2158+S+Archer+Ave,+Chicago,+IL+60616,+USA&sll=49.2399859,-122.95816940000002&sspn=0.1721632379598321,0.3516140337636478&t=m&dg=opt&hnear=2158+S+Archer+Ave,+Chicago,+Illinois+60616,+United+States&z=16 “]

In Chicago

Street Food Artistry in Chicago

September 1, 2013

On August 11th, 2013, during our vacation in Chicago, we took a visit to Street Food Artistry – a one day event celebrating of Chicago’s hottest street food and art scene . It was located in Zhou B Art Center. Being a tourist, it just seemed like the festival was in the middle of no where. There was a lot of old buildings in the area.

Admission is $10 for adults and once you get inside, food items from the trucks go to a maximum of $5. For some reason, we just walked in without paying the $10 admission. We were very confused.

Attendees could enjoy a Food Truck Pavilion with some of Chicago’s favourite food trucks, an art exhibit showcasing local artists, a marketplace with designers and handcrafted pieces, and the Street Music Stage outside the gallery with entertainment.

While we were there, there was someone playing the electric violin and a belly dancing lesson. It was actually a pretty fun time.

Some of the food trucks and vendors that were there were:

Dia De Los Tamales
Gelato De’Oro
Getta Polpetta
Baby Cakes
Curried
Herby Pop
Porkchop
Cheesie’s Pub and Grub
Izzie Sparkling Juice
Jerk
The Fat Shallot
Puffs of Doom

There were so many delicious options that I was a little bit overwhelmed.

The Street Food Artistry was a pretty cool event. If you did a bit of digging around, there were a few deals online for discounts and something on Groupon. It’s still a fun time if you really love to eat at food trucks and check out local artists.

Website: http://streetfoodartistrychicago.com/

Porkchop

Since I was feeling a bit full from the previous meal, I decided to check out Porkchop Food Truck. It looked and smelled pretty good. As you can tell by their name, they sell a majority of items with pork. Yum! Too bad they didn’t have any pork belly today.

I wish I could have went to more food trucks, but I really couldn’t fit any more in to my stomach.