Chicago my heart & stomach are yours.
Let me introduce myself *clears throat dramatically*, my name is Liz and I am a podcaster that covers politics, wellness, and activism. Part of my wellness convos is to ask people ‘What’s in Your Cup?’. I invite people to ask themselves what do they need right in that moment to improve their day and week. Another way to think about this question is to identify the things that are filling your emotional cup in the moment. So, if I asked myself this question I would say my cup is filled with Joy, Peace & Memories. Shall we begin?
I have never felt so at home in a brand new city. Perhaps it was the way the ‘L’ (aka elevated train) clanging overhead or the sky high buildings that reminded me of times I’ve wandered the streets of NYC, but Chicago felt nice; like slipping on a old glove. The streets were easy to navigate *shoutout to the maps app*, and the architecture made wandering exciting. But lets fast forward to dinner…
The train was late, due to an electrical delay, so after freshening up all I wanted to do was hit the bookstore and grab a bite to eat; let’s say the Italian Village did not disappoint. I dinned in my hotel room, but after seeing the beautiful restaurant with walls that transported me to Tuscany, I felt like that was a mistake. Its not the place for dressed down jeans, while I am sure they would not have minded, the ambiance made me want to put on a red lip and a jazzed up jacket. Anyway, back to the food. The salmon was perfectly cooked, over a bed of spinach, and the tomatoes roasted just enough for a girl like me who hates raw tomato. Hold the salt and pepper please, this meal needs no additions, except maybe a little pasta or rice to soak up the meld of juices at the bottom of the plate; guess that’s what bread is for.
Transportation is easy when you have a Hop on, Hop off ticket. The two hour bus tour loops around must see places around the city; including my brunch stop Kanela Cafe. Come early or RSVP a table, but you are going to have a little wait to enjoy these yummies. Its a quaint spot on the corner of everything. May I suggest starting with the Kanela sticky bun *insert hapy dance* because I do not have enough words to praise this big bun of gooey delight that is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. It won’t leave you feeling like you need to run to the dentist nearby, but it gets you ready for some savory crab cake benedict.
Let me start off by saying I am not an egg or avocado fan, but saw the picture of this lovely on instagram and had to try it. I ate this happily. The burst of yoke is needed to soak the english muffin holding the crab cake. The avocado adds some creaminess and fiber that fills your belly. The server says it is one of the most popular items on the menu and I can see why. The crab cake is crisp, yet not greasy; if I had one compliant it is imitation meat but thats only a complaint if I am trying to find something wrong. Two of these benedicts are more than enough to fill you, especially after the sticky bun. However, the star might be those herbaceous home fries, but let’s face it I’m a potato kind of girl.
My friend told me to visit Stan’s Donut and I must say it wasn’t bad. I took a chance on the lemon espresso donut, I wanted more espresso flavor to come through, but appreciate that it wasn’t overly lemony. The gold star goes to the cinnamon sugar cake donut *devoured the next day for breakfast over some tea. The cinnamon sugar donut is everything that I wanted, not crumbly, not overly sweet, just the right amount of chewiness and softness. Don’t sleep on Stan’s, but I think I prefer Brooklyn Bakery donuts; just saying.
Coming to the end folks, and the best is most certainly for last. I take a break from the Loop and head over to Hyde Park for some soul. Lets start with the wonderful African American centered shop. Silverroom is a boutique that specializes in creative jewelry & accessories plus hosts arts shows & music parties. They have everything from incense , clothing, to books for children and adults.
Drum roll please. If I had to encourage you to stop by one spot, it would be Soul Shack. The yams are FIRE! sweet and meaty in texture. The perfect complement to the mac & cheese, which was not overly cheese but had a more creamy texture that was soulfully comforting. The cornbread, which was amplified by the yam juice that sweetened the savory treat was delicious. The hot out the grease chicken was a telportation device to home and familiarity. I was in my grandmother’s kitchen with the first bite that made me wiggle and dance. Everything was to hot to inhale swiftly, but I sure tried. The greens were not an all time favorite, I must confess, but Soul Shack makes up for it with the banana pudding *Be still my heart*. Light, creamy, flavorful, filled with soft wafers that add the right amount of texture. I was too full from dinner to finish all of the banana pudding, but lets just say it also works for breakfast.
In closing Chicago was a lovely must see and must visit again kind of city. I didn’t have time to visit the museums and many tourist attractions, but I feel like I got to see Chicago’s soul. There are some other fun stops, like the American Girl shop at the Water Tower and the Dr. Seuss art shop. I could also rave about Amtrak and the perfect roomette where I write this post, but I will just leave you with some awesome food to think about.
Happy Eating!
IG @CoffeeConvosLiz
