Birthday Weekend

Being without your friends and family on your birthday sucks- but I managed to have a really good birthday weekend.

 On Friday, we hopped on the red line and made it to the Field Museum (the museum based around archeology and field studies)which is south of the downtown loop. It was the farthest south we have been so far, and there was a fantastic view of the city and frozen Lake Michigan. We made it there pretty late in the day, so we were a little limited on time (but it was a free day for residents so any time there was better than nothing. If you come to Chicago, scope out the free/discount museum days). This museum really has something for everyone- prized gemstones, animal replicas, tibetan artifacts, insect collections, amazing dinosaur bones, fossils from all walks of life, native americans relics, mummies and more. I loved the beautiful adorned and carefully preserved ancient Native American clothing and Nathan loved the dinosaur bone exhibit the most.  Most importantly, it was nice for Nathan to have a break from learning about beer and it was nice for me to have his company.

Above: One element of the  Tibetian relics exhibit 
Right:Big art wall at the end of the evolution of living beings exhibit 
Left: Sue- largest preserved dinosaur 
(T-Rex) skeleton in the world; 90% of the bones shown are real
Below: mummies from the Egyptian exhibit

After the museum, we headed back north to our neighborhood and visited a local Lakeview bar called Northdown. We trampled through the snow farther than expected to make it there, but it was worth it! The staff was so friendly (we ended up making friends with the owner Tom- who had just gotten back from Austin and had a friend in the Siebel Brewing Program as well). Tom and Megan gave us samples of several beers off of their draft list that we had not tried before. (For example I tried the Alpha King from Three Floyds, a beer brewed with mirepoix, and a local Berliner Weiss style). I recommend this bar to anyone in the area- they were relaxed, fun and accommodating. The bar has a dark artistic feel, the food is good, and it was not too expensive. We are definitely going back!

After I got off work on Saturday, we celebrated my birthday by whipping out the New Glarus Brewing Raspberry Tart beer that Nathan bought on one of his field trips to Wisconsin. (New Glarus Blog post coming later this week!) It was delicious- perfect for my birthday because I typically love this style of beer!

We then headed to Bar Pastoral, a local cheese and charcuterie bar that specializes in wine and pairings. It was cozy and the cheese and cured meats we ordered were great. If I could afford to eat here all the time I would- you can watch the pantry chefs put together your cheese board while you drink a great selection of wine and beer at the bar. Our server seemed knowledgeable and the baguettes were amazing! We were determined to not spend the entire evening there- there are too many things to explore!

     Above: Bar Pastoral duck sausage and Bresola cured meats- we had already eaten half of it when I took this picture!

And good thing we left there- because we stumbled into a dive bar that we had walked past several times called the Dram Shop. I would never of stopped in this place alone (its tiny and dark and typical bars without "concepts" do not usually excite me) but Nathan insisted that we give it a try. We were greeted by a cute black lab- the regulars claimed he was the bar's mascot. The dog was really friendly and so was the colorful crowd! (We have been back again since and they seem to have a group of regulars-one older lady in gawdy clothing, a middle aged hippie chip, a middle aged gray haired man that knows everyone in the bar and a rotating group of young people that resemble ourselves.) They always have $3.50 Guinness draft beers, hockey on television and good music on the juke box. I cannot pin point it, but it just seems like the fun is infectious around this place. In conclusion, I am really glad we took a chance on this one!

PIZZZZZAAAAAAA- Chicago Style!

And for what you have all been waiting for.......a post about Chicago style pizza! We did a lot of research on where to go to eat the legendary Chicago style pizza. There are a lot of places to choose from but we heard over and over again from Chicago natives to go to Lou Malnati's(when said fast it sounds like illuminaties-I had no idea what people were actually saying). We walked around for awhile in 10 degree weather looking for this place- so when we found it we had big expectations. Anyway,the atmosphere and the service was not anything special but wow- the masses were right on (I honestly do not think you can really screw up meat, sauce, bread and cheese, but some people manage to do it). Lou Malnati's makes authenthic pizza from the same recipe that was used at the first Chicago pizza joint in 1943. They start with a thin and crispy crust in a Chicago pizza pan(almost like a crispy buttery cornbread). Then they layer on the mozzarella cheese- which oozes from the middle. They top that with a layer of sausage(looks like a giant italian sausage patty), and finish it with special tomato sauce made with whole chunks of pear and plum tomatoes, parmesan cheese and spices. The pizza was really delicious. The crust was hearty yet crispy enough to let the other ingredients shine through. The cheese was melted perfectly- not messy. The sauce was really nice and the pizza was not greasy as we had expected. It as balanced- it was very rich but not overwhelming. Plus,we got a lot of food for our money. Basically, this pizza was all it was cracked up to be- maybe the best pizza I have ever eaten! I am still full......

BOKA

I am officially that girl that is always taking pictures of my food. In this case, it was a little embarrassing because it was so dim and we had to turn the flash on! Anyway- here are pictures of Nathan's meal at Boka.

Nathan took me to the very popular award winning Boka for Chicago restaurant week and our pre-Valentines Day. Restaurant week, for those of you who do not know, is a week where many local dining establishments offer a 3 or 4 course dinner for a flat-rate price. Basically, it was established to encourage economic growth in big cities (or small foodie towns) around America during the coldest months of the year. Those who work at restaurants usually loathe its arrival because it invites people who do not eat out a lot to restaurants that they usually cannot afford and they do not behave or tip well. Its also simply exhausting. That being said, I was not working in the industry a few weeks ago to remind me of these negative emotions. And obviously, we are lovers of fine food on a small budget, so it was a perfect opportunity for us to eat at Boka. 

Boka serves contemporary American cuisine with an emphasis on local organic ingredients. We arrived to a warm welcome, the host was very nice and the atmosphere was very simple and modern. The service was spot on- attentive but not overly involved in our meal. The focaccia bread that first arrived was fantastic- warm and salty (good bread is a good sign of what is ahead). For the first course, I had a Wild Mushroom Soup with Black Garlic Confit Chicken Thigh, Bok Choy, Shallot Marmalade, and a Parmesan Crisp. Nathan had Seared Diver Scallops with Bamboo Rice, Cello Spinach,  Pickled Buddha’s Hand, and Curried Celery Root. My mushroom soup was fabulous and Nathan's scallops were to die for. (I was shocked they had scallops on the menu because they are usually rather expensive). For my entree, I ordered the Celery Root Cannelloni with Broccolini, Hand Dipped Ricotta, Portabellas, Crosnes (Chinese Artichokes), Golden Beets, and Aged Balsamic. I was a little disappointed in this one- there seems like a lot going on (a lot of ingredients) but it was a little bland and boring to me. Nathan once again made the right choice and ordered the Faroe Island Salmon with Seafood dumpling, Sweet Potato Sauce, and a Broccoli Hash. We both got the Black Cardamom Carrot Cake with Orange Sorbet for dessert. This was my favorite part of the meal and am usually not a big dessert eater. 

In conclusion, it was a really nice dining experience. I imagine food from the normal menu is even better ( that is usually the case.) Restaurants like Boka inspire me- if you ever get the opportunity to dine here- do it! 

A few pictures.....

Sorry, I have been working a lot- which is great! I finally am meeting people and feel more apart of the Chicago community. But, I have been too busy to have a lot of time to post- more posts coming soon!  In the meantime here are a few pictures that kind of some up the fun we have had during the last week!

Above: Awesome lab painting at an awesome gallery in Wicker Park:

Below: One of the groups of tap handles at Goose Island Brew Pub.

Above: Kitty relaxing on the comfy warm floor of our Chicago apartment:

Below: Nathan enjoying the Dark and Curvy (a dark weissen) at Piece Gastropub in Wicker Park.

IF YOU GO OUT TO EAT: READ THIS!!

As I enter back into the world of waiting tables- it been about 7 months, which is a long time for me- I enter back into the world which my income depends on the generosity of others. It seems to be me about half of the lovely people I know have worked in the service industry at some point. And then there is the rest of you- those incredible people who somehow missed out by getting marketing internships, became a teacher directly after going to college, or those of you who just got their shit together way before the rest of us. While this blog post was written for you to read, it was really written in celebration of the badass restaurants folks that I have had the pleasure to meet over the years.  I have to admit that the restaurant industry has been incredibly good to me- and that is why I have stayed around. It allows me to travel, work with interesting, outgoing, multitalented people, make money pretty quickly, and most importantly teaches me how to be humble enough to serve someone that might treat you like dirt. That being said, we are depending on your tip to make a living. I have heard many of my non-restaurant worker friends complain that our system is just screwed up and that owners should pay workers living wages instead of expecting tips. I have also heard the argument from many fellow servers that automatic gratuity should be included on all checks. While I understand this logic, my concern with these theories is that the service you get will decline.

 You have amazing power to give monetary feedback about your experience and a good server always takes that pretty seriously.
Do not be one of those notorious people that tells your server "Wow this is the best service I have ever had" and leave a 10%tip. This is confusing and frustrating. Kindness goes a long way- but it rarely pays the rent. So I thought I would put together an honest and accurate guideline for tipping, shown below.

Guidelines and Expectations for tipping:
(Obviously you cannot expect the same level of service at a dive bar and a fine dining restaurant, use your judgement people!)
20%+ tips=Your server is knowledgeable and accommodating, they make eye contact, they make you feel comfortable but are not invasive, they are friendly but not overly flirty, they are quick but not frantic, they are genuine. They gave you great service even if you did not spend a lot of money. You will come back and bring your friends and request that server.
18+% Your server's actions were satisfactory- they did a good job but did not blow you away. They were efficient. You did not need to ask for anything and they were nice. Perhaps they were just too busy to give you 100% but they did their best. You will go back.
15% Your server was pretty good most of the time but left you hanging after they realized you were not going spend a lot of money. You server was a little bit inattentive. You went to a buffet where the server only cleared your plates and handed you the check. You might come back.
10% They were absent, rude or completely sucked. You are never going back.

As a diner - here are a few things to think about:
-Do not get mad at the hostess because there were only early or late reservations available. If a couple makes a reservation at 7 pm they cannot seat another couple at the table reserved after 5 or 5:30 pm to assure the spot will be open. They are not trying to screw you over, they are controlling the flow of the restaurant.
- If your food took forever and the server apologized about it (which they should always do) 65% of the time, something might of gone wrong in the kitchen. So there is a large chance that it is not your server's fault and you should not tip them any less. When you tip them less it creates conflict between servers and kitchen staff.
-On that note, people who work in kitchens are probably the most underpaid hardest working people in the world. Give them your praise. They bust their asses in a hot atmosphere, work long hours, and are subject to burns and bruises.  If you get the chance to buy them a beer- do it!!
-Guys: if you are going out to eat please do not expect the female servers to flirt with you or give them your number. Go to a strip club.
-Always consider that the busser, bartender and other service staff are being partially paid by the server- which in the industry in called "tipping out"- so if you leave them $15 bucks they are probably only leaving with $10.
-Do not come in to eat a 3 course meal at 9:55 when the restaurant closes at 10. Their is a large chance that the kitchen, bar and service staff will resent you. There is hours of work to be done that cannot be started until every customer leaves.
- As a manager, it is great to hear feedback, both negative and positive. Ask for the manager if you have a problem- they are the people that can definitely do something to change your for the better. Managers hate when someone complains on Yelp about terrible service or terrible food but no one ever complained in person.

Happy Valentines Day! Share the love!

Brunch time!

We have longed for a schedule that allows us to eat brunch for a very long time. Both of us have had such strange schedules that Saturday and Sunday morning brunch was never an option.  So, this last weekend we made up for lost time. On Saturday morning, we went to a little greek inspired brunch restaurant that I had wanted to go to called Kanela (meaning cinnamon in greek) in our neighborhood. It was very busy when we arrived, but we did not end up having to wait.  We started with loukoumades (little pastries with lemon honey syrup and toasted walnuts).I ordered a Rumchata Latte (Rumchata is a cinnamon rum liquor) and the duct confit hash ( duck confit is duck cooked in its own fat- very rich). Nathan ordered the French Toast Flight special. The food came out quickly and  fantastic as predicted. The cake-like french toast was obviously made from sweet breads (red velvet with vanilla custard in the middle, orange, lemon poppy seed and banana nut bread). Nathan enjoyed the orange sprinkled with cinnamon the best and I enjoyed the red velvet most. I also could not help to notice everyone around us also enjoying their beautiful food and giant bloody marys. The service was impeccable. So far, I would dare to say the best dining experience we have had in the city. I was so impressed at Kanela that I spoke to the manager and will hopefully be training to join their team (they are opening another location close to Nathan's school) in the next few days. It should be a good opportunity to make money- so we can continue to go out to eat!

(pictured top:
 Rumchatta latte and loukoumades,
left: french toast flight,
right:duck confit hash)





On Sunday, Nathan got to pick the restaurant. We ended up at Stanley's kitchen and tap room. It was a dive bar and restaurant that was recommended to him by his school. It is the official bar of the Blackhawks and the bar of Chicago Texas Exes. I happened to wear a UT sweatshirt on Sunday so I fit in perfectly with the decorations. They had a bloody mary bar (with Titos vodka) and southern style brunch buffet (I usually hate buffets for a lot of reasons) so I was skeptical. I was pleasantly surprised- they had amazing fried chicken, smoked salmon and an awesome salad. Our waitress was terrible considering all she had to do was be nice and bring us clean plates. But I do not think that will stop me from returning- those 22 oz. bloody marys will lure me back- I am sure of it.

Throwback:Austin Style

So my friend Ryan O'Hagan that I met and worked with at SALT the Bistro in Boulder texted me the other day because he is going to Austin in a few weeks. Of course, I am not there but he knew I would have a lot of recommendations for food and drink in the area. If you know me well, you know that I am really really excited with the food and drink scene of Austin. It has a huge population of transient young people who come from all over,  and I think the foodie scene is catching up to it's famous music scene. So- here is to those I love in Austin and those who might visit soon! Here are a few of my recommendations:

Drink-
Dive Bars- White Horse and Yellow Jacket Social Club (east side), Black Sheep Lodge (s.lamar)
** I would say Hole in the Wall but I am angry that East Side Kings have taken over**
Beer Bars- Draught House Pub (off the beaten path but my favorite bar ever), Bangar's (Rainey St.) and Pint House Pizza (Burnet) **not my personal favorite but those I respect love it**
Best Beers to drink while in Austin- 512 Pecan Porter, 512 IPA, Hops and Grains ALT and anything from Austin Beer works!
Coffee- Jo's (S. Congress), Epoch (north loop)
Craft Cocktail Bars- East Side Showroom (east side), Drink. Well. (north loop), Fire House Lounge (6th) and Midnight Cowboy (6th)** must make a reservation- 2 drink minimum**

Food-
Casual Fine Dining-
Uchiko  (north lamar)-**Japanese Farm House- Award winning Uchiko is pretty much amazing. They have a huge following for a good reason. The decor is perfect and warm- the food is innovative and delicious. I recommend saving your money by opting to not drink and getting an extra dessert because they will blow your mind.**
Barley Swine ( south lamar) **Innovative incredible small plates that will shock you. I was blown away by the Red Fish Mousse with breakfast radish and popcorn. One of the best meals I have ever had. The beer list rocks. You can watch the chefs in the open kitchen. Buy them a beer.**
Mexican Food- Juan in a Million (east side), Habanero's (s. 1st),
Tacos (yes- their own category)-Torchy's Tacos (everywhere), Taco Deli (barton skyway)**Dona sauce is addictive**, El Chilito (east side)
Barbeque- Franklin's (east side)** worth waiting in line** and Freedmans (west campus)**try the smoked banana pudding**

Fun- Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Park, Jazz at the Elephant Room, UT Campus and Blanton Art Museum, Alamo Draft House Movie Theater, Music- just look around and you will find it!

           (Franklin's BBQ above; Uchiko on the left)

Korean Crisp

Nathan really wanted to eat wings, so I did some research and found this crazy little Korean place down the street from our apartment called Crisp. It was packed and considering that there are about 20 other restaurants on this block, that was saying something. We ordered 10 Whole Jumbo Wings- half Spicy and half Seoul Sassy (a soy, ginger and garlic sauce). They came out truly giant and delicious. I think these were some of the best wings I have ever had. Only complaints were that they were incredibly messy (they also had crappy napkins) and were not spicy enough. We ordered some cabbage kimchi  (for those of who not familiar with Korean food, kimchi is fermented spicy vegetables). I have never really eaten authentic kimchi, but I can imagine that this was pretty close to it. It paired perfectly with the wings because the acid from fermentation really cut through the fat. Even the crispy french fries were good. I came to Chicago imagining that it would be a cultural melting pot of good food- and this experience did not let me down.

City Winery - Tim O'Brien and Bryan Sutton

Last night we went to see Tim O'Brien and Bryan Sutton at the Chicago City Winery. Chicago City Winery is a beautiful quaint venue and restaurant that serves wine that they produce on site. They buy grapes from all over the world and then crush them and ferment and package several varietals in house. The wine was pretty great. The beer list was pretty terrible but I guess that makes sense- it leads you to drink wine instead and spend more money. We sat at a tall table in the back and really enjoyed the show. It was a little less rowdy than other bluegrass shows we have been to, but after an exhausting week -it was nice. (I kind of admired the two enthusiastic hippies, whose dancing would not be stifled by any setting, dancing in the back). Our server was a little inattentive and the food was pretty average. Yet, the beautiful melodies of Tim O'Brien and Bryan Sutton's made up for it. Watch the video to get an idea....

Staying warm in the windy city.....

So, we have been here almost a week now. I heard so many horror stories about Chicago winter that I had no idea what to expect. Nathan and I both invested in hardcore awesome winter coats from a reliable skiing store in Austin (it is hilarious to think that the only people in Austin, Texas that are going to experience a winter at all are going skiing). Anyway, it was 8 degrees when we arrived. 8 degrees is colder than I have probably ever experienced. But, we got all dressed in our winter gear and went walking to the grocery store right off the bat. Half way because we needed to and half way because I think we wanted to test ourselves. Because of our coats, hats, long johns and sweaters, we were fine. I was surprised how comfortable I was considering the circumstance. Just shows you that anyone can survive in the right weather with the right clothes. So, the next fews days I set out again, and it snowed the entire time I was out. It was beautiful and surreal. I was once again surprised at  how comfortable and durable my clothes were, and how warm and dry I was. So, Thursday I sat out again- yet it was not snowing, it was raining. I figured it might stop quickly, it was just a little drizzle anyway but noooo. Cold rain really gets ya...gets through your boots,socks and gloves. I was freezing and I learned my lesson- cold rain sucks way more than snow.

            Anyway, besides the awesome gear people seem to wear around these parts,I found another secret weapon against the cold....hot soup!  On one our our first adventures around our neighborhood we found this awesome little place called the SoupBox. Basically it is a little spot that sells 12 different kinds of hot fresh soup (they make them all daily and you never know what will be on the menu). They let you sample as many of them as you care to. They also have delicious warm sour dough or multi- grain bread and grilled cheeses for like 3 bucks. Nathan ordered the lobster bisque and I had a broccoli white cheddar soup and vegetable chili mixed- they call it the mix of the day. Both were great. The bisque had a perfect texture,not too thin and not too thick and creamy. You could taste the warm sherry and shells in the broth. (For those of you who do not know, most bisques are not true to their name- they must have been flavored by cooking down crustacean shells and sherry in broth). The service was great. I had already made a mental note of this when Nathan mentioned, "for a group of young guys they are really attentive and have given great service." I even noticed one of the young men who was serving us told his co-worker to go open the door for a woman on crutches that was approaching. (Yes, I notice those little things.) All in all, a great little warm lunch experience. I enjoyed it so much I have been back since.

Welcome

Welcome to PeoplewholovetoeatarethebestPeople. There are not very many people in this world who do not like to eat- so this blog is a celebration of food, drink and those who cook it, serve it or enjoy it! I am not an exceptional writer but I am great at eating!

As most of you know, Nathan has taken a huge step in furthering his brewing education and therefore we have moved to Chicago for awhile so he can attend Siebel World Brewing Academy here. (The picture above is at Siebel Academy in 1909 that we saw at the Chicago History Museum). I have some extra time on my hands and a big appetite for awesome food, beers from another part of the country, and a new experience. So, I thought I would document it....here goes nothing! I hope you enjoy the ride.

I made this chicken for Nathan on his first day of school for dinner- I am better at eating out than cooking!