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This begins with two confessions:
Despite living the majority of my life 5 hours away from Chicago, I’ve never actually been to Chicago. But one of my best friends Lexi moved there last fall so I knew it was finally time to explore the Second City.
No, I did not eat Deep Dish. I KNOW, I KNOW, please believe me when I said I tried!! I tried with all of my drunk might to acquire the cheesy, delicious legend (cut to: me yelling in the back of the Uber on the way home on St Patrick’s Day "I NEED DEEP DIIIIIIIIIIISH” at the top of my lungs, to my friend’s horror) but it was too late. We settled with Jet’s Pizza. It was just as good as pizza can be when you’re drunk- so amazing.
As with everyone it seemed, I was in need for my first break in 2019. Work was hectic and only getting busier, Washington was staying true to reputation and entering its third month of rain, and can full blown cabin fever. What a better remedy than St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago with one of the best people in the world?
Friday
brunch, the bean,and a sea shell filled with alcohol
I landed at O’Hare at 7am (yes, I’m one of those people who actually enjoy red-eyes) and was whisked away to the city by Chicago’s finest Uber. Talk was minimal and there was no crazy odor. Life was good.
After months, I was finally reunited with Lexi, one of my best friends. After happy screeches, hugs, coffee, and make-up it was time to his the town.
First Stop: The Hampton Social
Location: West Loop
Time: Lunch
Our Order: Fresh Pond Bay Cocktail, Served in Giant Sea Shell, Deviled Eggs, Jar of King Crab, BLT Steak Salad.
Rating: 9.2/10
Holy. Shit. This restaurant looks like Martha Stewart lives there and I don’t hate it. It’s a breath of fresh air from the inherent grungy/earthy PNW aesthetic I’m used to. As soon as you walk in, you see the Inta-Famous “Rose All Day” pink neon sign and, while my reflex was to roll my eyes, I knew this is exactly where we should be, snapped a picture, and sat and my perfectly pinterest approved table.
The menu is chalk full of some of my favorite foods and my eyes darted across all of the options when I saw one of the most glorious menu notes I’ve ever beheld: Available in Large Format Sea Shell. “We’ll take it!” the two of us basically shouted at our wonderful waitress, at 11am. It was literally everything I wanted it to be. Giant, beautiful, delicious, and gave us a solid buzz to walk around the city.
The Deviled Eggs were great. The Jar of King Crab was amazing- “luscious King Crab in a mason jar with garlic butter and grilled sourdough.” That’s basically pornographic language IMO. The Steak salad was delicious and the perfect portion to split.
We then explored the city: walking down River-Walk, around the gorgeous downtown buildings, to the bean (which was surprisingly awesome). After that, we needed a drink.
Second Stop: The Palmer House
Location: Monroe St
Time: Happy Hour
Our Order: Old Chicago Passage Maple Manhattan + Cherry Mint Creek
Rating: 7/10
One of the most beautiful hotel lobby’s I’ve ever been in. I felt like I stepped back into the 20’s and I was 100% okay with that. Lexi had a couple of free drink coupons there (I can’t remember why but I’m going to say a man was trying to woo her so he gave them to her, which she then used with me weeks later). I got the Old Chicago and the bourbon was a lot smokier than I prefer. Lexi’s Cherry Mint Creek was delicious. Can’t ask for better free drinks
After a strong as hell bourbon, it was time for fancy hipster coffee. We still had some afternoon and all night to get through so we needed caffeine like tipsy white girls need…
Third Stop: Sawada Coffee
Location: West Loop
Time: Afternoon
My Order: Black Camo Match Latte
Rating: 8/10
This is hipster paradise in the best way possible. Half back-of-the-warehouse bbq smoke house, half coffee shop that was decorated by a skateboarding tattoo artist (seriously though, the artwork throughout was awesome). It was truly a place to behold. I also never thought the scent of smoked meat and espresso pared so well together. We didn’t get any of the meat but we did get lattes. I re-discovered I don’t like matcha. So while it way technically very good, just not something I like.
Our next stop was perhaps the most basic: Hot Yoga. Honestly, after a 5 hour red eye flight, food and drink, it sounded incredible. It was lead by wonderful man in an oddly narrow space but I was grateful for the exercise. We left looking like an irresponsible parent left us in a car for too long but there was no rest for the basic- we had to quickly glam up for our dinner reservations.
Fourth Stop: Imperial Lamian
Location: River North
Time: Dinner
Our Order: Calamari, Duck Xiao Long Bao, Black Pepper Beef with a side of rice and green beans, with Sesame Balls for dessert (plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a back up dessert)
Rating: 8/10
We were tired, we were hungry, we were ready for some good ass Chinese food. The crispy calamari appetizer was INCREDIBLE. I hold that slippery, little, delicious squid near and dear to my heart and this restaurant did them justice. The Duck Bao, however, was really disappointing. It came in a mint flavored bao bun that overpowered any duck flavor there.
For our main was black pepper beef and it was honestly awesome. What is better than spicy, saucy beef over white sticky rice? Then, it was time for dessert. All night, tables were being served giant orbs of white chocolate that were then melted by a dark chocolate ganache which revealed an almond cake topped with ice cream. It was food. It was theater. It was everything I needed.
The waitress came over and Lexi frantically read the dessert menu, selected the item that ended with “Ball.” Because that’s what it had to be, right? All of the tables around us, one by one, had they orb of amazingness delivered to them and presented in a Top-Chef worthy dance of chocolate until it was finally our time…to have three tiny sesame balls filled with red bean paste plopped in front of us. My heat sunk, Lexi’s jaw dropped. She had ordered the wrong thing. While I tried to put on a brave face, this was the darkest moment of my life. I haven’t had a very hard life.
We laughed, we cried (okay, fine, just I cried), and I ordered just some ice cream. Lexi said the sesame mostly savory, slightly sweet, but all gummy balls were good. I trusted her.
Either way, it was time for some fancy ass cocktails to end the night and heal the white chocolate hole left in my heart.
Final Stop: Three Dots and a Dash
Location: River North
Time: Late Night Drinks
Our Order: Camp Anawanna + Hawaii Style Mai Tai
Rating: 8/10
Say Tiki Speak-Easy Three times fast, I dare you. This place was so cool! I’m so on board with the Speak-Easy trend that’s been happening over the past couple of years and this is definitely a good place to go! Pro-Tip: MAKE A RESERVATION! We didn’t and had to wait outside for a long time and hard to cram inside for space. Everything else, was awesome! The drinks tasted great and, I mean, who can beat the creativity and citch?
This was our last stop of our whirl-wind day and to say I was looking forward to slipping into a coma on Lexi’s couch is an understatement.
saturday
St. Patrick’s Day debotchery
I’m going to keep this short and sweet to save Lexi’s and I reputation: We drank a lot, didn’t eat anything too special, and had a bunch of whiskey and fun.
sunday
recovery and roister
When I woke up on Sunday morning I felt tender emotionally and physically, the entirety of my mouth and throat felt like the Sahara desert, and I was still a little drunk. Sounds like the perfect setting to get ready for our brunch reservations at a Michelein Star restaurant, right?
I put on my most business yet casual outfit, chugged as much water as I could manage without rejecting it, and embarked on the Olympic sport of drawing on winged eyeliner while shaking from a combination of dehydration and intoxication. Once I managed to make myself look as a passably responsible adult, we meandered to the Fulton Market District to my first Ailnea Group restaurant- Roister
Restaurant: Roister
Location: Fulton Market District
Time: Brunch
Our Order: Cheddar Grits, Open Faced Breakfast Sandwich, Friend Chicken Sandwich, Smoked Banana Split
Rating: 12/10
Roister truly perfects what other trendy or “hipster” restaurants have been trying to achieve for the past 3-4 years: a true representation of elevating food to it’s finest form then putting their own spin on it.
The hearth at the center of their open concept kitchen made the meal feel more like theater and yes, I immediately added it to my must-have list on my dream home. This also inspired us to order a smoked banana split at 1pm. It was 100% worth it.
The rest of the day was recovering and showing Lexi how to make colorful pasta from scratch. It was the perfect way to end a weekend in a wonderful, windy city.
I’m coming back for ya, Lex. Maybe just not until my liver has fully recovered.
xoxo B.