Chicago Part I: Windy City Tour

Last weekend was Labor Day, which means one thing: three-day weekend! To celebrate, my friend Carrie and I road-tripped to Chicago to visit Karen, another friend from graduate school.

Karen took us on a mini-tour of Chicago, showing us all of her favorite spots and sights. She really outdid herself!

Saturday morning started with brunch at Crepe Town, which was right around the corner from Karen’s Wrigleyville apartment. Crepe Town was so cute! When I hear the word crepe, I automatically think French, but Crepe Town seemed to have an Asian-fusion theme.

The decor was modern, clean, bright, and fun. The Austin Powers theme song played in the background while we ate.

Crepe Town had a variety of sweet and savory crepes, and you could even build your own. We all chose sweet crepes. I tried to build my own crepe with Nutella, banana, and blueberries, but instead, the waitress brought me the Red Bull, which had Nutella, strawberries, and blueberries. It was still delicious!

 

 

Next, we did a little learning and exploring, thanks to a Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Cruise. 

Normally, I love to explore different places on foot, but Karen (and several other people) suggested taking an architecture cruise. Our cruise left from the Navy Pier and sailed up and down the Chicago river, which forms a sort of sideways Y. See?

Chicago is famous for its architecture, and is hailed as the birthplace of modern American architecture.

Cruising along the river was so relaxing, while our tour guide was engaging and informative. I definitely learned a few things!

The cruise allowed us to take in the views from a different perspective. You could definitely see more from the boat than from the sidewalk! This is an example of new school (left) and old school (right) modern design.

Interesting fact: Bertrand Goldberg, the architect who designed the building on the left, studied under the architect who designed the building on the right. When Goldberg began designing his own buildings, his designs completely bucked the style of his teacher, and he became famous in his own right!

Here’s another view of Marina City. Chicagoans call Marina city the “Corncob Towers”…I’m sure you can see why!  The upper, scalloped levels are condos. Below that is a parking garage, and below that, restaurants (including Smith and Wollensky). On the very bottom level is a marina where residents can dock their boats!

I just love city skyscapes!

Fun fact: The Lake Street bridge is famous because it’s hailed as the only place in the word where all known forms of transportation intersect one another.

In the air: The bridge is directly on the flight path of planes flying into Chicago’s O’hare International Airport. On land: The bridge accommodates train, automobile, bicycle, and all forms of pedestrian traffic. Under water: Boats cross under the bridge on the Chicago river, and Chicago’s subway system runs directly underneath the bridge.

After our cruise and a little walking and shopping on Michigan Avenue, we stopped at Portillo’s for a Chicago-style hot dog. Portillo’s is a Chicago chain that seems to be home to several different food concepts, but we went in search of one thing only—a Chicago-style hot dog. Portillo’s has been hailed “the best!”

Hi, Karen!

A Chicago-dog with “everything”: relish, mustard (no ketchup!), onion, tomato, hot peppers, a pickle spear, and a sprinkling of celery salt.

Very much enjoyed…

Lunch was followed by more shopping on Michigan Avenue. We shopped until we dropped! By the time we were finished, we were absolutely pooped!

Somehow, we rallied ourselves for a late dinner at SUSHISAMBA, an upscale Brazilian-Asian fusion restaurant serving small plates and sushi. I didn’t take any pictures because the restaurant was so dim, but it was definitely an unusual and amazing dining experience!

We started with a round of cocktails. I enjoyed the signature Palmia, which was a blend of Herradura Silver Tequila, Cointreau, lime, and muddled mint.
Next, we shared four selections from the dinner menu:

• Yellowtail Taquitos with shiso avocado and garlic ponzu
• Tuna Ceviche with coconut, ginger, and serrano pepper
• Sea Bass miso with Peruvian corn
• Celebration Roll with spicy snow crab, topped with assorted sashimi

We also shared a small bottle of sake with dinner.

Is any girls’ night complete without dessert? We shared the mochi, which are soft Japanese rice cakes filled with ice creams. We were served four flavors: green tea, coffee, mango, and strawberry. The green tea was our favorite!

The mochi were everything-all-at-once addictive: chewy, creamy, melty, cool. I think I’ve seen them frozen at Trader Joe’s, and I’ll definitely be picking up a box on my next trip!

Passport Not Required: Part III

I can't believe another entire week's gone by and I'm still writing about last weekend! As always, thanks for sticking with me as I explore the life/work balance.

Today's the perfect day to write this post, though, because it's my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad!

After we recovered from our trip to Findlay Market last Saturday, my parents and I continued our Cincinnati adventure at Laszlo's Iron Skillet, a Hungarian restaurant in Newtown. We've been talking about trying the Iron Skillet for years, and finally, the time was right!

A little family history... 

My dad's father, William Molnar, was Hungarian. His parents, Joe and Elizabeth Molnar, emigrated from Hungary at the turn of the 20th century. My Italian grandmother, Angie Molnar, is an excellent home cook (and one of my kitchen inspirations). When she met my grandfather, she learned how to cook the Hungarian dishes that he loved. During their life together, she spoiled him with homemade cabbage rolls, chicken paprikash, spaetzle, and delicious nut rolls.

That's Grandpa Bill and Grandma Angie in the middle, with friends during a trip to Europe in the 1980s. Don't they look like they're having a blast?

Here they are in Switzerland, on the same vacation.

My family has been lucky enough to enjoy Grandma Angie's Hungarian home-cooking for years, but we still couldn't wait to try the Iron Skillet!

Laszlo's Iron Skillet

Laszlo's Iron Skillet was established by Laszlo and Elizabeth Molnar in 1973. Using family recipes handed down through generations, the Molnars quickly became known for their German and Hungarian specialties as well as fresh breads and pastries. Like the recipes, the restaurant itself has passed from generation to generation, and is now co-owned by Laszlo and Elizabeth's children, Lazlo Molnar, Jr. and Monica Lippmeyer.

The Iron Skillet's menu includes a plethora of American and European dishes, and features the Eastern European specialties for which the Molnar family is well-known--cabbage rolls, goulash, paprikash, and schnitzel.  According to our waitress on Saturday night, everything, including the breads and pastries, is made fresh in-house. Impressive, especially when you consider the size of the menu. And they're doing a nice job of it, too--everything we tried was delicious!

We started with a basket of homemade buttered rolls, which had a texture similar to brioche but tasted like sourdough bread. Next, our waitress brought cold cucumber salad with parprika and hot slaw. We loved the cucumber salad, and it's on my try-this-at-home list!

Dad went with an Italian dish. He had the Chicken Piccata, a chicken breast cutlet served with a white wine-lemon-caper sauce and Parmesan risotto, and he enjoyed it.

But in my world view, when you have a chance to eat authentic Hungarian food prepared by a real, live, honest-to-goodness, straight-from-the-mother-country Hungarian chef, you just smile...

Do you think the M stands for Molnar or Magyar?

and order the Goulash, like I did...

The Iron Skillet's Szeklar Goulash, a combination of pork goulash and sauerkraut served over spaetzle and topped with sour cream.

or the Schnitzel (like Mom). 
 

The Hungarian Schnitzel, a veal cutlet, seared and topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms in a paprika-sour cream sauce, served over schnitzel.

And maybe the Cherry Strudel, too, which we shared.

The cherries were fresh, a combination of tart and sweet. And would you just look at that flaky crust?!

My parents and I really enjoyed our experience at the Iron Skillet. I'd love to go back to try the Mushroom Paprikash, or maybe for a cabbage roll (my all-time favorite Hungarian dish). Mom and Dad both said they'd like to visit again next time they're in Cincinnati, but something tells me it'll be awhile...there's too much left to explore in Cincinnati to go back to the same place twice!

Local Weekend in Indianapolis

Last weekend, I went to Indianapolis to visit an old friend. I love to explore new cities!

On Friday evening, we ventured downtown to Massachusetts Avenue. We walked up and down Mass Ave, chatting and catching up on life. For dinner, my friend suggested Bazbeaux, a local restaurant serving creative pizzas and a nice selection of beer.

We spotted this Tesla Roadster at the pub across the street. (Last summer when I visited Indy, I got to ride in one of these!)

While waited for a seat on the patio, I had local beer, Upland Brewery's Dragonfly IPA. I enjoyed it! It was nice and crisp and hoppy, but also tasted light enough for a hot summer evening.

For dinner, we decided to share a couple of Bazbeaux specialty pizzas.

My friend ordered the Tchoupitoulas, with spicy shrimp, andouille sausage, red and green pepper, and tomato. I decided on the BBQ--with homemade barbecue sauce, chicken, red onion, and cheddar cheese.










After dinner and a little more walking, we stopped in at The Rathskeller, a German restaurant and beer hall. The Rathskeller had an impressive beer list featuring numerous craft beers from Europe and the United States. I chose a Delerium Tremens. Here's how the menu described it:

Starts with a creamy head with a sweet and spicy nose. The palate brings white grapes mixed with wheat. Finishes with orange zest and clover.

Here's how I describe it:  

Pretty, with a nice creamy head and a nice mouthfeel. I could definitely taste citrus, but it wasn't overwhelming or bitter. And there were just enough hops to keep me happy! (And the cutest beer bottle ever, right? Can you see the dancing elephants?)





While enjoying our beer, we also enjoyed some live music from Red Wanting Blue, a Columbus, Ohio-based band. I'd never heard of them, but they were a lot of fun--eclectic, with catchy beats and lyrics.


On Saturday morning, I started out with a short little run around my friend's neighborhood. For the past couple of years, running has been one of my favorite ways to explore a new place (besides eating, of course!). Not only does it help me stay active so I can enjoy a few treats, it provides a little slice of "me time" where I can process things I've seen and done, decompress, or just relax. My friend lives in a particularly beautiful area of town, so I had a blast oogling all of the big, gorgeous homes.


For brunch, we hit up Cafe Patachou. No pictures, but a fun little place. Self-serve coffee bar, freshly-baked breads, awesome granola, and great menu. I love little cafes like this one, and brunch is my favorite meal to eat out! I couldn't order everything I wanted to try, but my must-try-this-at-home list is growing.

Our first stop after brunch was Fountain Square, which is an artsy, developing area of downtown Indianapolis. There was an eclectic assortment of independent galleries, secondhand shops, restaurants, and wine bars, lending an edgy, exciting vibe to the area. 

We visited the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art to check out the PostSecret exhibit.

Stunning, moving, amazing.

Yes, you.

He checked out a vintage hardware store while I shopped at a second-hand clothing store. I spotted this inspirational message on the side of one of the buildings.
















 Then, we moved on to Monument Circle.

And the Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis campus.

After all of that walking, we stopped for a late lunch at TaTa Cuban Cafe. I've never had authentic Cuban food, so I was pretty excited! We shared the black beans, and each ate a piece of this massive Cuban sandwich.

The soup was simple, but tasty. Beans cooked from scratch. Onion, salt, cumin, lots of fresh cilantro. It didn't blow my socks off, but I did really like the cilantro addition. Next time I cook black beans at home, plenty of fresh cilantro will definitely be involved!

The sandwich, however, was fabulous! Buttery bread pressed crisp, succulent roast pork, thin-sliced ham, melting Swiss cheese, thick sweet pickles, and mustard combined to make a helluva sandwich.









After lunch, we walked over to the Indianapolis Convention Center for some people-watching. Gen Con, a huge gaming convention, was happening in Indy last weekend. It was majorly entertaining to watch everyone leaving the convention center, many dressed to the hilt in various costumes. The highlights included many, many cool tattoos, a spectacular version of Lara Croft (I was duly jealous, I assure you), as well as a couple of fine specimens of the Indiana Jones ilk.


Later on, we decided to do a little wine tasting and a late dinner before I hit the road for Cincinnati. At my suggestion, we returned to Fountain Square to visit a wine bar we had seen earlier, only to find that it wasn't even open yet!

We spotted this cool Citroen, though!













Not to worry--we simply crossed the street and found ourselves at the New Day Meadery's newly opened tasting room. We decided to stay.

This proved to be a very good decision. It was National Mead Day, after all.

For $5, we got to sample a hard cider and 6 different kinds of mead, all brewed using local, artisanal honey. A few of the varieties we tried were also brewed with locally grown fruit.









While we sampled, we got to chat up the owners, husband and wife team of Brett Canaday and Tia Agnew. They were both awesome--so personable and passionate about their work! They explained a little about their brewing process as we sipped.

 Before walking into New Day, I didn't really know what mead was. It turns out that it's wine, only it's brewed with honey instead of grapes! How does that work?

From what I understand, yeast is added to a mixture of honey and water. The yeast consumes the sugar from the honey, leaving alcohol behind in its place (just like with wine brewed from grapes).









We started with the Dry Hard Cider. Then, we sampled two more dry meads: the Dry Peach Honey Wine and the Dry Blueberry Honey Wine. Finally, we tried four semi-dry (sweeter) meads: Dry Red Rasberry Honey Wine, Semi-Dry Mead, Semi-Sweet Plum Honey Wine, and the Semi-Sweet Black Raspberry Honey wine.

Overall, I preferred the drier meads. My favorite was the Dry Peach Honey Wine, which tasted nectar-y without being sweet. The Semi-Dry Mead was really interesting. It was complex like honey, only more open, sort of like when you drink Scotch with a few drops of water.

Unfortunately, they were out of their Dry Mead, which I would've loved to try. Fortunately, now I have a good excuse to go back the next time I'm in Indianapolis!


For dinner, my friend suggested Napolese, an artisanal pizzeria by the owners of Cafe Patachou. More pizza? But my friend insisted that Napolese was someplace special.

 

When our waitress set these down, I knew this was my kind of place. Gotta love a place that serves complimentary olives instead of bread and olive oil!

We shared a salad. Spinach, summer squash, roasted tomatoes, fennel, Parmesan, and lemon-basil vinaigrette.










We each chose a pizza to share. We knew we wanted to go home with plenty of leftovers!

Mine: Buffalo mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, basil.

His: Homemade sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, aged provolone.

Pepperoni? Where?

When my friend politely mentioned that the pepperoni was missing from his pizza, the waitress brought this! Seriously?!

I tried a piece--it was seriously good pepperoni.





OK, I love pizza, and I've eaten a lot of really good pizza (much of it in Italy). This was the best pizza I've had outside of Italy. Chewy, doughy crust and the freshest, most delicious ingredients you could possibly imagine, all blistered in the brick oven. Delicious!

It was a wonderful little vacation, full of good company, good food, and good beer!

Why I Am Alive

Recently, my friend Carrie and I went to hear Anthony Bourdain speak at the Aronoff Center downtown.

Before the event, we enjoyed a meal at Via Vite overlooking Fountain Square.


We sat on the patio and enjoyed a nice view of the square.

I had a gin martini with basil and cucumber. My drink was served in an old-fashioned glass over ice. In the heat, the ice melted quickly, resulting in a watered-down cocktail. I really enjoyed the flavors of my drink, so I was a little disappointed that it ended up so diluted by the end. (Maybe I just didn't drink it quickly enough?)

My friend and I shared a salad with warm Boucheron goat cheese, raspberry truffle vinaigrette, and pistachios. She had had the salad before and told me how amazing it was, and she was right. It was amazing. I had never tried truffle, but now I see what all the (culinary) fuss is about! The truffle was deep and earthy, balancing well with the sweet-tart raspberry in the dressing, the peppery-bitter greens, tangy cheese, and pistachios.

To complete my dinner, I had the gazpacho, a special seasonal dish served with crab salad. Mmmm!


Anthony Bourdain was wonderful. I no longer find it easy to live in the moment, and as a result, my memory isn't what it used to be. Images and details don't burn themselves into my brain the way they once did. I've already forgotten most of the snark (except the Sandra Lee bit), but two things he said made a lasting impression.

I wish I could give you an exact quote. I'll do my best:

"How can we live in this world, with all that is has to offer, and not want to experience everything?"

I don't know, Tony. I've asked myself the same question. But to hear someone else voice it so plainly and eloquently? Right then, we were the only two in the room, and Anthony Bourdain had a direct line into my soul. My throat closed in, and my heart bloomed wide open, and for a second, I knew unquestionably why I am alive.

And that I must go, and live, now. Every moment, because life is happening all around me, and there is so much of it, and so little time.

The second lasting impression: I must go to Vietnam. I am adding it to my life list.