engaged!

on the afternoon of Friday, July 27th, 2012, Rob successfully outplanned a planner and pulled off the greatest surprise of all time.

grab a drink and find somewhere comfy to settle in, this story's kind of a long one...

the decision:
about two weeks prior, I'd been on the phone with a dear friend explaining the big reason we sadly wouldn't be able to attend her best friend from college's wedding: flights were too expensive.  it was shaping up to be about $600 each, and we were trying to be responsible and save that cash for a longer, more intentional trip later in the year.  all parties involved were pretty bummed about it.  I literally hung up the call with her, and Rob's phone rang...on the other end was his Dad, asking if we planned to use a Southwest voucher he'd sent us via email a couple months back.  the Fox boys fly often, so we'd assumed it'd been used when he'd gone to LA or when Rob's bro Brian had come to visit us in Chicago.  apparently it was still up for grabs, and would expire soon.  a sign that we should be Cali-bound?!  yup.

from what I'm told, the gears started turnin', and Rob decided that California was a more appropriate place than Chicago for a proposal: we're new to the Windy City and don't have much sentimental connection there just yet, California would allow things to be more predictable, and Rob realized that we'd be able to share the news with many more loved ones in person if we took the plunge 'at home'.

*****

the ring:
I've dealt with a lot of friends getting hitched.  I've planned a handful of bachelorette parties.  I've even been a part of a proposal.  I've attended countless weddings.  however, its no surprise to anyone to learn that we were a bit gun-shy about marriage, although we both knew we were in it for the long haul.  we've both dealt with divorces in our families, and with our jetsetter mindset and Rob's MBA program, we'd never really been settled enough to even consider it.  with that, I can truthfully say that I never really gave much thought to what I wanted in an engagement ring.  call me a liar if you want to, I just knew I wanted something different and that it should be cushion cut, the sparkliest of them all.  so when Rob called up Summer, expecting that she'd simply send him a link and a size, she ... um ... came up short.  (insert panic gif here)  she did some sly digging at me, and he secretly traced my longtime right-hand ring while I was sleeping.  in hindsight, there was exactly one instance when I was gchatting with each of them when I was on sudden radio silence, but otherwise, I was totally in the dark.

Rob visited an area of Chicago called Jeweler's Row, and just wasn't feelin' it.  it seemed a bit smarmy and he wasn't interested in the hassle...so off to the diamond masters at Tiffany he wandered.  on his first of three visits, he kept his earbuds in his ears and just wandered, hoping not to be bothered.  one of the employees approached him and asked "excuse me, do you go to Thunderbird?" thanks to a clue from the polo he'd been wearing.  they got to chatting, and Rob learned that her name was Melanie and that her boyfriend is currently working toward his MBA and is part of one of the same rotational programs that Rob applied for a couple years back.  meant to be?  methinks yes.  Rob told Melanie what he knew I'd want in a ring: a cushion cut aquamarine.  she kindly explained that aquamarines are very soft and don't make for good center stones unless they're surrounded with sturdier metal/stones.  he knew I wouldn't love a SuperBowl-lookin' ring, and ixnayed the aquamarine on the spot.  they looked briefly at a couple of options.  there was no pressure from Melanie, and she gave Rob her card to get back in touch if/when he decided that he'd like her help.

when he decided everything was a 'go', he headed back to the store only to discover that Melanie was off that day (naturally, right?!).  instead, he worked with one of the managers, Krissy.  as I understand it, choosing the band was a cake walk, but he spent over an hour deciding between three different diamonds, all within .01-carat of one another, even enlisting the similarly small hands of a different Tiffany employee as a size guide.  thorough.  and typical of my man.  once he'd finally decided on my rock, he had another hoop to jump through: getting the ring sized.  which typically takes 10-14 days and is only done by the New York store.  no exceptions.  it was Monday.  we were due to leave for California on Thursday morning, which is obviously significantly fewer than 10-14 days.  because she's so rad and liked Rob a lot, Krissy pulled some major strings and managed to get a 2-day sizing turnaround.

those two days passed, and it was Wednesday.  Krissy, Melanie and Rob had been in touch via email about when my ring would be back in store for pick up.  with the best of intentions, Rob let them know that he'd probably arrive around 4:30p or 5p.  in typical fashion when you've got a deadline, something came up at work and he received a call from Krissy at 5:55p, saying she hoped she wasn't pressuring him, that everything was okay, and asking if he was on his way or if he'd head in before Thursday's flight.  since we were due to fly at 8:20a, Thursday wasn't an option!  he slammed his laptop shut and hauled ass across town while they (graciously) kept the store open for him.  he arrived as security guards were procedurally escorting employees out of the store for the night - ack!  once he had the ring safely in his possession, he managed to get home and unbeknownst to me, pack it in his suitcase among some of my things.  trickster.

*****

the proposal:
there's a beautiful rose garden in San Jose where Rob and I used to often meet for lunch on workdays.  we'd have a euro-style picnic: snag a couple hunks o' bread and cheese and some deli meat, a bag of pistachios and something salad-y.  when he suggested we fit a Rose Garden picnic into our 'free' time on Friday afternoon, I thought nothing of it because it wasn't at all unusual.

after a morning run and a (much-needed) visit to the chiropractor, we stopped at a little Italian deli near the Rose Garden for the requisite sammies and snacks.  when we arrived at the Garden, we giggled at the quincinera photoshoot and headed to 'our' bench...only to find someone else's stuff on it.  again, this was not at all unusual, and I suggested we sit elsewhere to eat.  after finding a different bench in the shade, Rob claimed that he needed to use the restroom and took off in the direction of our bench, only to reappear seconds later saying "some crazy lady is moving the stuff off of our bench...come on!!!".  after he was happily settled in the right place, we ate and chatted as usual.

its very common for us that one will say "close your eyes and put out your hands" for a little surprise.  we've done this forever...and usually its something silly like the CDs we've borrowed from the library to burn and return, or a little piece of candy, or a goofy little trinket.  so when Rob asked me to assume the position for the first of two surprises, I thought nothing of it (again) and was presented with two little caramels.  I was then told to close my eyes and put out my hands for the second surprise, so I did...

I heard rummaging, and Rob asked a couple times, "are your eyes closed?", which sent me into a mini-rant on how I can't understand why people would want to ruin their own surprises and how people that hunt for hidden Christmas gifts in the house boggle my mind and yaddayaaadaayadda.  I went so far as to lift up my sunglasses to show him that my eyes were, in fact, closed.  neener neener.

my hands were out, my eyes were closed, and nothing was happening...or so I thought.  when Rob (finalllly!) told me to open my eyes, there he was on one knee with the most gorgeous and perfect ring I've ever seen.  the first words out of my mouth?!  "oh. shit."  all class, all the time over here.  after a few nice words, I got to reply "of course" and hug my new fiance!

after squeezing him like crazy, Rob wiggled out of the hug and stepped to the side a bit so I could see that we'd had two photographers capture the entire thing!  he'd been in cahoots with Summer and (her new fiance!) Chambers to have the entire proposal documented.  their disguises were so good that I literally didn't recognize them for about 10 seconds.  there was much hollering and hugging.  to celebrate, Chummers had picked up mini bottles of wine and some of our favorite Psycho Donuts.  and the self-proclaimed 'uncraftiest of them all' Sum made the cutest little banner to commemorate the event.  absolute perfection.

gardeners extraodinaire (is it any surprise I didn't recognize them?!?!  really?!)

despite their best efforts, there was not a drop of miniature champagne to be found in all of San Jose...so we 'settled' for moscato.  I think it's better that way.

clockwise: key lime pie (my fave), passionfruit (Sum's fave), kooky monster (Rob's fave), custard-filled something (covered in Oreos, so Rob's fave), Spiderman, Elvis (Chambers' fave; bacon + pb + banana + jelly)

*****

hindsight is 20/20:
- the bags on our bench when we arrived were theirs, and I definitely should have recognized one of them!
- the night before, when we were talking with Summer and Chambers about their upcoming wedding, Chambers got a goofy ass look on his face when I said 'if we ever get married...'
- when I was getting ready for the day, I whined that my hair was out of control and pulled it back into a French braid.  I randomly asked "does this hairstyle look dumb?  I feel like I should be riding a horse or something".  these boys  are sweet, but usually the opposite of helpful in style situations.  both immediately replied: "um, it is a little...equestrian looking...??"
- while I was sitting on the bench with my eyes closed and hands out, ranting about snoopy people, I pulled up my sunglasses to show Rob that my eyes were closed.  his quick reply of "put your sunglasses down" was a nice way of expressing that "we don't want pics of you looking dumb"
- the aforementioned gchat radio silence + random email from Summer were  for info harvesting purposes 
- the Friday before Summer and Greg got engaged, I publicly posted a subliminal message subtly referencing the rad Sunday that was ahead.  Sum told me that, at the time, she was pisssssssed at my gif choice, but it all made sense after she got engaged.  so what did she do?!  mimicked me, hardcore.  except hers was under the guise of just being excited that we'd be home for a Friday Fat Night, so I thought nothing of it.  I really shoulda known...but I'm glad I didn't.

*****

other:
with all the excitement surrounding getting engaged and sharing the news, things still haven't really sunk in yet.  it might be in part because we've spent approximately 22 total hours together as fiance and fiancee (the spelling.  why?!?), but we're really excited to celebrate together this weekend.  

my ring was a little snug (left hand = fat hand), so we sent her off for resizing yesterday (sniffle)...but again, Krissy is working magic and I should have it back on Saturday :]

I am over-the-moon pumped to marry the coolest guy I know.  he constantly surprises me, but I don't think this one can be topped.  I'm so unbelievably lucky and happy and grateful.  we don't know much yet, just that it won't be your average wedding, it likely won't be in the US, and that we're looking forward to making the whole thing very 'us'.  yay!!!

10,958 days and counting (subline: holy crap, I turned thirty)

((warning: concidentally, there are thirty pics in this very very long post, which is pretty fitting if you ask me.  and it's my blog, so you practically did...))

as a new Chicagoan with a mission to enjoy all that this amazing city has to offer, my thirtieth birthday was (shockingly!) centered around food.  

we started with lunch at Blackbird, a restaurant that's been perched (see what I did there?  perched?! like a bird!??!) near the top of my 'must try' list.  

since Rob and I really need no excuse to imbibe, and actually had an excuse, we ordered (left to right):

Something Borrowed and New: XXX Shine (white whiskey), stewed citrus fruit, Bittermans Hellfire Habanero Shrub

Blackbird Orange: Murphy's Law Reisling (wine), Bianco Vermouth, Pharoah's lemon peel, orange-ginger puree

I still don't understand like two-thirds of the ingredients, but the drinks were good.  really flavorful, citrusy, and not overly sweet.

I ordered from the lunch prix fixe menu, and got an appetizer, entree and dessert.  Rob spotted one thing he wanted and didn't need to look any further...

our appetizer: kombu cured fluke (fish) with spring mojo verde, spruce tips and lardo

the fish was really light and delicate, and a bite with a little of everything was awesome.  you can barely see the flakes of salt, which added a ton o' flavor.

my entree: wood-grilled sturgeon (fish, again) with green cabbage (braised), enoki mushrooms (those little fried 'trees'), walnuts and kaffir lime (sauce)

wow - this was super flavorful.  a little smoky, with lots of different textures.  sturgeon is pretty meaty, so I actually had a difficult time finishing the entire thing.  I was a pinch disappointed by how salty it was, but good nonetheless.

Rob's entree: short rib burger with smoked provolone, capers, pommes frites (fries!) and a (pickled) spring squash salad

sweet jeebus, I will never not want this in my mouth.  so meaty and tender.  those fries...gah.  I would go back just for this dish.

our dessert: espresso chiffon (cake cubes) with blood orange segments, honey and turnip ice cream

I tend to gravitate toward the 'odd' when it comes to food.  my m.o. is to never order something I can ever make myself.  I often ask for the strangest item on the menu, because life is too damn short to eat boring food.  so yes, you read that right: turnip ice cream. and did it ever taste turnip-y!  the candle was a cute little touch, too.  the little white chunks had the shape, size, and texture of a macademia nut, but tasted kinda earthy.  odd.  and awesome.

after lunch, Rob packed up his work stuff and we headed home for a pre-dinner nap.  on our way to dinner, we headed up to the 96th floor of the Hancock building for a drink at the Signature Room.  the building is so tall you can actually feel it sway in the breeze.  the views are stunning, as expected.  the drinks are stronnnnnng. (have I mentioned that one of my fave things about this city is that I never ever ever have to worry about drinking and driving, since we don't even have a car?  cabs are cheap enough)

looking North, toward our neighborhood

we actually tried to spot the buildings near our place, but we live a handful o' miles away, so it wasn't easy...besides, we were focused on the beverages (and making our dinner reservation!)...

take a guess as to who ordered what...

Strawberry Mojito: the usual mojito ingredients with muddled strawberries

Lake Shore Martini: Grey Goose vodka, Marquis sparkling wine, raspberry liqueur

my drink bordered on paint-thinner, it was so potent.  it was fun to look out over the city and find our fave spots with a drink in hand.

the sun was so bright from the west that half of the pics were silhouettes..whatevah.

a quick cab ride (with an awesome Romanian cabbie...so funny) later, and we pulled up at iNG restaurant (it lives right between Moto and Next...holy shit.  the Fulton Market area is a gee-dee food mecca.)

iNG is a tasting restaurant, with a set 6-course menu featuring really cool and creative drink pairings.  it's a sister restaurant to Moto, which features waaaaay more courses.  to be perfectly honest, I'd never even heard of iNG until Friday.  Rob did a ton of research and knew a lot about it, but had suggested that I just go with the flow and do the digging later, so I did.  as if I weren't excited enough for a 6-course paired tasting menu (my mouth is watering just typing that.), Chris Jones from Top Chef season nine friggin' greeted us as we walked in.  not kidding.  what a surprise ... everything Rob had read said that he typically didn't work in both kitchens, so it was such a cool twist.

I watch a ton of Top Chef, and always joke that the appetizers I make at home are amuse bouches.  you can probably imagine how stoked I was to have a little bite placed before me (with a glass of champagne, since they discovered it was my birthday!).  instant baller status.  these little popcorn balls were filled with honey and seasoned with Old Bay seafood seasoning.  such a fun, yummy start to the meal.  

nothing about this place it typical.  the menus were folded up as cubes, and I almost destroyed mine trying to get it open.  Rob had no trouble with his, which was pretty ironic.  the menu only listed a few key words for each course, to leave a little bit lot of mystery.  we were encouraged to go as quickly or as slowly through the courses as we wished, and took full advantage (more on that later...).

we decided to kick off (continue???) the celebration with some fun beverages before diving into dinner.  per our server's expert suggestion, we tried (left-right):

my champagne

Domaine du Salvard's Cheverny: Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc blend

The Kimura: vodka, St. Germaine (elderflower liqeuer), aperol and grapefruit

that Cheverny was so awesome.  it had the perfect blend of Chardonnay's buttah and Sauv Blanc's bright and floraly notes.  the Kimura was really complex, despite the simple list of ingredients.

after beverages, we alerted Scott that we were ready to get our show on the road.  most of the meal was focused around the South African miracleberry, which affects the tastebuds that pick up sour/bitter notes and makes them register sweetness.

our first course was called strawberry rhubarb, and featured the most melt-in-your-mouth olive-poached salmon.  holy crap.  the rhubarb element was in the rhubarb-jalapeno vinaigrette served in a little pipette, alongside the ginger-dressed arugula salad and the carbonated orange.  we were instructed to try each component individually, then together.  next, we should let a little bit of miracleberry dissolve on our tongues, and then repeat the process.  it was awesome.  sweet stuff was a little sweeter/brighter, and the acid in the vinaigrette and ginger dressing totally changed.

please pardon the dark pics, but that up there is a shot of two test tubes on the rocks.  one contains sour ale, and the other holds Lambic vodka, green chartreuse, cherry, and lime.  as with the food, we were told to try each part, then mix them up however we liked in the rocks glass, and then try it with the miracleberry.  pretty damn cool.  the ale was definitely sour, and really played off the ginger in the salad. 

our second course was called the thaw, and blew me away.  pork belly sat atop a kombu noodle with maitake mushrooms and puffed rice, and was dusted with a 'snow' of ...get this...pulverized packaging peanuts (a.k.a. cornstarch).  kombu broth was poured over the top and the snow melted into deliciousness.  the pork belly was a little crispy, even after spending some time in the broth.  there were so many flavors happening at once that it should have been a disaster, but it just flowed so well.  this course was served with a hoppy Belgian pale ale called Atomium by Brouwerij Van Steenberge.  we typically don't love Belgian beers, but this one was really tasty and not too 'white'.  I'd drink it again...

the third course was baozi gyro, a fusion of Greek and Chinese flavors.  each of three jazzed-up Greek flavors was nestled on a tender bao bun.  braised lamb and hummus were awesome, I absolutely loved the tzatziki (with fennel, an olive tapenade and crispy parsley!), and Rob's favorite was the tabbouleh.  another Belgian ale make this little dish feel like a whole meal (you'd be shocked how filling these seemingly little portions can be!), this time a brown ale from the Abbaye de Leffe.  the beer was caramel-y and butterscotch-y and has definitely been added to my list of faves.

up next was april showers, a deconstructed chicken pot pie which looked like bars of sudsy soap!  the little dollops of 'shampoo and conditioner' were added at the table from those travel-sized squeezey bottles.  such awesome and thoughtful and fun touches.  one bar of soap was butter-poached capon (male chicken), and the other was a leek confit.  the suds were a pastry cream foam flavored with carrot and celery.  the shampoo was actually a spinach and cauliflower puree, and the conditioner was a puree of turnip and garlic.  I remember this course being the most filling, and taking a long time to eat...I just kept hopping around from bite to bite, mixing and matching.  the wine paired with the dish, a 2010 J. Hofstatter Lagrein from Alto Adige, Italy, was rich and refreshing.  I'd never heard of a Lagrein before...it was rad.

look at that teeny tiny carrot!

our fifth course, the first of two desserts (!!), was may flowers: a lime curd layered with andiginous hazelnut and tea cookie, and topped with edible flowers.  it was like a new-and-improved version of crushed Oreo + chocolate pudding mud pie, minus the gummy worms.  this course was served with a hefty dose of miracleberry and lemon slices.  the idea here was to try the potted dessert on its own, which tasted limey and tangy and sweet.  the addition of hazelnut was awesome and made it almost a little earthy.  then, we let the miracleberry dissolve on our tongues for about 45 seconds before biting into the lemon slice - it totally tasted like a pink lemonade!  then, with the berry still coating our tongues, we dug into the dessert again...and it tasted like an orange creamsicle.  in.sane.  the wine served with this dessert, a (hold on here, this name's a lonnnng one:) a 2009 Reisling Kabinett by Paul Anheuser Schlossbockelheimer Konigsfels was light enough that it didn't overpower the amazing flavors, but could stand on its own.

lastly, we had an easter egg hunt: black forest cake, with brandied cherry nibs, white chocolate shell, liquid-nitrogen-created chocolate drops, with phylo 'grass', a cherry gastrique and cherry dust.  so. much. chocolate.  the textures really played well together.  the cocktail pairing here was a Makers Mark whiskey with a touch of Kirsch, cream and vanilla, and served with a vanilla-chocolate truffle with a Cadbury gel.  such a perfectly sweet way to finish off an amazing meal...

after our five-hour dinner (whoopies), a long chat with Chris (sidenote: I joked with him at one point, joking that "sorry by ya'lls food sucks", which he though I meant seriously and resolved to send out course after course until I changed my mind...eeek!), and some quality time getting to know our amazing server-slash-up-and-coming-chef, Scott, we were invited to take a tour of the kitchen!  VIP treatment...it was so fun.  we chatted with the executive chef, Nate Park, about how their systems worked and how he comes up with the ideas for dishes.  after such an tremendous experience upstairs, it was really fun to peek behind the scenes and be able to compliment the team first-hand.  after our 6:30pm reservation, we finally left (stuffed, buzzed and really happy!) around midnight...

update/ed note: so I found a video explaining all of the courses in a waaaaaay better manner than I've done above.  I'm not going to bother going back to change any of my words above because I prefer to leave this account just as I experienced it, and I do notice a few little tiny differences, but here are the pros themselves explaining what we ate.

*****

the shenanigans continued on Saturday with one of my favorite activities: day drinking.  few things top getting buzzed in daylight (paired with snacks, natch), getting to bed at a decent hour, and actually being able to function the next day.  boom.


we started with a long and boozy brunch at Stanley's with our friends, Chris and Jen.  then we made our way to Big Star, a sister restaurant to Blackbird, for some killer tacos and $1 Schlitzs (I know, right?!?!).  we wrapped up the afternoon at Northside Bar & Grill before hitting the couch with a movie and some leftover pizza.  perfect. Saturday.

Sunday was for recovery, eating (mostly) healthfully, and scoping out bikes for tooling around our city. between the unreal food options and the fun, friendly people, this place just keeps growing on me...

if you couldn't tell from the post above, Rob absolutely KILLED it with the birthday celebrations...I am so so so appreciative and so very lucky to have him in my life. I couldn't imagine a better way to celebrate my 10,958th day on this planet.

for the love of food: Chilam Balam (05.05.12)

we didn't have big plans for Cinco de Drinko this year, and actually had no plans at all (for once!)  on Saturday.  after people-watching from an outdoor table at Einstein Bros on Clark Street, we wandered through the Lincoln Park farmer's market, swung by a sneaker store, and took a nap.  we are lucky enough to live within three blocks of two (TWO!) restaurants of former Top Chef contestants, and had been itching to try Chilam Balam, an upscale-ish, tapas-style Mexican place focused on sustainably- and locally-grown ingredients.  Chuy from Top Chef Texas (season 9) was a founding owner (and a Cali boy by birth!).  Their menu changes with the season, and the restaurant is teeny tiny.  seriously, its barely twice the size of our living room.  we'd read that unless you show up right at 5pm, to count on a two-hour wait.  we showed up at five on the button, and were seated right away, noticing that a couple that showed up just six minutes later was quoted a decent wait...

as with many restaurants in Chicago, it's BYOB.  here though, if you bring tequila, they'll mix it up with their virgin limeade to make killer margaritas ... or if you bring a bottle of wine, they'll make proper sangria from their virginal version.  neither of us know squat about tequila (any other alcohol, however, and we're self-appointed professionals...duh), so we grabbed a fifth of the only non-Cuervo option at a little market on the way.  proportionally, it was a good choice...and the tequila itself was pretty decent too (with no wicked hangover!). 

we chose four dishes and a dessert to share, and waddled away stuffed.  first up was artichoke soup with fried artichoke leaves, lime, chives, and serrano.  you read that right: artichoke. soup.  it tasted like a happy place in cream form: a little earthy and like blended up artichoke meat.  the serrano pepper added just a touch of perfectly-timed heat.  even Rob could handle it (!) and said that it 'just faded out' at the right moment.  I've already looked up a recipe and made a couple notes of how to add the extra flavors.  it took every ounce of my limited decency not to lick the bowl. 

our second dish was bay scallop ceviche, with tobasco verde, english peas, red onion, and tobiko, served with plantain chips.  again, the kick was just right. microgreens made us feel fancy and added a little extra freshness, and we both swore there was avocado in the dish somewhere because it was so smooth.  the plantain chips added a little crunch, but were more complex than regular ol' tortilla chips.

a big ol' beef short rib tamale was served next, with pasilla tomatillo sauce, bbq bean salad, and mole sauce.  this place does spice right.  I can't say it enough.  and the bbq bean salad was no ordinary backyard-bbq salad.  this was like barbequed black beans and chick peas.  didja hear that?!?!  chick peas!  in a Mexican dish.  deadly.  the textures were spot on, and the mole added just the right oomph.  I'd order this again, fo sho.

Rob loves loves loves carnitas, so when the server offered up lamb carnitas, braised overnight in what can only be described as unicorn tears and granted wishes.  it was served with homemade corn tortillas and a little pickled veggie salad with thinnnnnly sliced serrano peppers (what's the name of that stuff, anyhow?!).  this is one of those things where, individually, each part was awesome, but the sum of the parts was amazing.

after all that delicious and savory goodness, we wrapped things up with sweet empanadas   with creamy peanut butter filling, served with a seasonal rhubarb compote, and Oaxacan chocolate dipping sauces.  I can think of few things better than silky peanut butter, crunchy cinnamon sugar, and slightly cinnamon-y Mexican chocolate.  Rob didn't love the compote because it fooled him by initially looking like it'd taste like strawberries, but housed his share of the empanadas in a hurry, so he must have liked those!  I tried (key word, there) to savor mine and make 'em last, and spooned out every last bit of the chocolate.

this place was so rad.  I'd say it ranks in the top three restaurants in which we've eaten out here, and the bill didn't hurt as badly as I'd feared.  we'll be back, definitely.  it was a damn good, perfectly mellow weekend.

for the love of food: Taco Joint (02.20.2012)

Rob snagged a Groupon for tacos and margaritas at a place called Taco Joint, and we needed to use it or lose it. for a Monday night, the place was PACKED (other folks musta had the same soon-to-expire-Groupon). after a 20-minute wait, we were seated and ordered.

barbacoa (braised beef brisket garnished with cilantro & onion and roasted red jalapeno salsa): yum, spicy. I liked it, Rob didn't love the spice.

al pastor (marinated grilled chicken breast garnished with Serrano-pineapple pico and tangy tomatillo salsa): tangy is a good description for this one.

cochinita (Yucatan-style pulled pork garnished with pickled red onions and spicy habanero salsa): would definitely order this one again...holy cow.

arabe (grilled Puebla-style Lebanese-influenced taco with marinated pork loin and chipotle salsa, served on a Mexican style pita): yuuuuum.

estilo baja (Victoria Beer-battered tilapia garnished with a creamy-arbol cabbage slaw): pretty classic and tasty.

the margaritas + chips and salsa were pretty legit too. overall, the tacos were probabaly a bit spicy for Rob's liking, so we'd ask 'em to hold back on the sauces a smidge in the future. we haven't found much Mexican food here, so its nice to have a decent go-to.

for the love of food: Sepia (02.19.2012)

as part of Restaurant Week, we decided to check out some fancier spots that'd typically be too spendy for us to even want to consider. I watch Top Chef like its a job, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about over terrines and giant plates topped with a tablespoon of rich food. I'd heard good things about Sepia via various blogs, and snagged an early evening reservation on the first Sunday of RW. the restaurant was built in an old 1890s print shop, and actually features original flooring. its dark and cozy, and a modern-day printing company still uses the upstairs space.

cool tile

cocktails

r & r smash (templeton rye, carpano antica vermouth, cherry heering, brandied cherries, rosemary, lemon, old-fashioned bitters): so so good. I learned that templeton rye is a whiskey, and it was crazy-good with the brandied cherries and lemon. so good.

boston martha (magnolia & oolong tea infused michael collins irish whiskey, yellow enartreuse, honey, lemon, eggwhite, orange bitters): tea and whiskey was yummy. topped with frothy eggwhites, it made me think of a more mellow pisco sour. it was sweeter than the other drink, so it was fun to sip different drinks with different courses.

r&r smash ... boston martha

course one

cavatelli, duck sugo, grana padano: this was really really rich. and the portion teeny tiny. the sauce was light but creamy, and the the little pastas were like mini-gnocchis.

salad of fennel, blood orange, baby arugula, ricotta: when we scooped up a little of each component on the fork, this was yummy as hell. it was fresh and bright and really light.

course two

hot smoked rainbow trout, dill, apple, buttermilk: the smoke made me think of camping, and the apple + dill + buttermilk combination killllllllled it. the portion was generous, and the skin was crispy.

fig-stuffed pork tenderloin, sauerkraut, potatoes: bites with fig in 'em were deadly and juicy. the fig-free bites were less impressive, though I liked bites of pork and sauerkraut and potatoes. Rob was happy that we got more food in the second course, and the housemade bread and butter was awesome.

course three

chocolate port mousse, chocolate cake, meringue, almonds: hellllllo. little bites of marshmallow-y meringue with super-chocolatey cake, a light chocolate mousse, and candied almonds? yeah, I'd eat this again.

rose yogurt bavarian cream, coconut cake, dried fruit: so light and delicate, the coconut cake was almost like a souffle. the cream was delicious, and I could actually taste the rose (read: it tasted like roses smell...does that make sense?!)

overall, the food was tasty. rich. different than our typical fare. the drinks were pretty damn good. service was exceptional (to the point that the frequency of check-ins made Rob a bit uncomfortable). looking around, it seemed as though other young-professionals had the same idea, as no one really looked like they were 100% comfortable in the surroundings. they stored our coats in a heated closet, for God's sake. I don't think Sepia is a place we'll frequent, or really even visit again, but it was fun to try something fancy and new.

for the love of food: Cafe Ba Ba Reeba (02.18.2012)

we kicked off Restaurant Week at a little Spanish place that I'd heard lots about in the blog world. I was pumped, to say the least. Rob was excited that we'd be eating tapas, since he loves appetizer-style small plates. our prix fixe menu consisted of our choice of one pinxto + two tapas + one paella + one dessert from their extensive menu. our strategy (is there ever not one with us?!) was to order things we typically wouldn't if we were paying a la carte, so we kinda honed in on the most expensive options on the menu and really really got our money's worth at this place...

we chose...

classic white sangria: Rob prefers his drinks sweeter than I do, so we met halfway and chose this to drink. it was really good, and full of apples and oranges and lemons...

short-rib stuffed piquillo pepper: so, so good. they had a little kick to them, but not so much that Rob-the-anti-spice didn't like it. the short ribs just melted in our mouths.

ahi tuna poached in olive oil on avocado toast: these were mild and mellow, but still pretty rich. I would have liked a little more acid (listen to meeee, all TopChef-esque).

scallops, spaghetti squash, cranberry vinaigrette: these were amazing when all the parts were combined on one fork. I've not had much experience with spaghetti squash, but I'd really like to be its friend now. the cranberry pulled the saltiness out of the scallops and really made the dish cohesive.

beef tenderloin & blue cheese: Rob was hesitant to order these, since he doesn't care for blue cheese. in this case, it made the dish. tender meat + salty creamy cheese, served with housemade kettle chips...holy tastebuds, Batman.

spiced lamb kebabs with lemon, mint & tomato: these had just the right amount of spice, and the tomato sauce and torn mint highlighted the flavors. I love each and every one of these components separately, so slamming them together was awesome.

pork ribs, dry rubbed & sherry glazed: OH. MY. GAWD. these fell off the bone as soon as they touched our lips. the serving size was generous (5 decent-sized ribs, if I remember correctly) and the glaze was perfect.

paella with shrimp, sea scallops, mussels, green beans & cherry tomatoes: of everything we tried, this was the least exciting. I'm not exactly obsessed with paella in the first place, and I'm certainly no expert...but this dish was a little bland/flat. we still did our best to polish it off, though!

dulce de leche with tres leches cake: you could smother my hand with dulce de leche, and I'd probably be willing to chew off my hand. for realz. this was so rich and sweet and terrific, and the tres leches cake was a perfect 'background' for it.

pistachio olive oil cake with marinated oranges: Rob was initially drawn to the banana ice cream, but swapped his order to this at the last second, and it was incredible. the olive oil cake was super moist, and the macerated oranges were the perfect balance of sweet and tart. the marinade wasn't overly sweet, which I was grateful for.

overall, I love love LOVED Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. we left with full tummies and looking forward to our next visit. the menu was long, and I can't wait to try more. all of the pics that I took came out too dark :[

(sidenote: our friends Chris and Jen took us to another tapas place up in Wrigleyville on Saturday night...so unreal. I can't choose a favorite just yet...I'll have to go try 'em again)

weeks 1 & 2

week 1:

after our eventful flight out, we got to spend a little time feeling like squatters as we lived out of suitcases. our stuff wasn't scheduled to be delivered until the following Wednesday, so Rob and I hit the gym on Saturday morning in efforts to get into some sort of rhythm. our little gym has awesome Fly Yoga classes, so I anticipate we'll become regulars in no time. our first big night out as Chicagoans followed after, with awesome burgers (and tots!!) at Cortland's Garage (I highly recommend the Cortland Street) and the Burwood Tap for an all-you-can-handle wristband event.

the next week was a blur of cardboard and delivery people. its unreal how long it takes to unpack and organize and feel settled. I'm still working on it.

since he worked a lot that week, Rob was off early on Friday, so we took advantage of the opportunity to check out Toro Sushi, a highly-recommended sushi joint where the wait is long and the rolls worth it. its a BYOB place (so many around here - love.) and we showed up right when they opened up for dinner and were seated right away. SO. GOOD. for my own future reference: we tried the MJ, yellow submarine, park west, crazy horse, spicy salmon, and kamikaze rolls...amazing.

week 2:

the next weekend kicked of Restaurant Week, for which we had f.i.v.e. different reservations (to be detailed in a separate post). workouts were a bit fewer and further between during the week, but our tastebuds were beyond satisfied. since the restaurants offered prix fixe menus, our wallets weren't too irritated either! we got to try some awesome restaurants that're typically out of our price range, which was really fun.

Rob worked from home on Friday, so we rented a car for a quick n' snowy 4-hour adventure to IKEA for some 'storage solutions'. our little place is starting to come together, though I won't be posting any pics until I'm happier with the progress.

this week, I'm planning to go out and get lost in our own little part of the city. you'll be shocked to learn that I've been a bit...fixated...on getting settled and feeling like we're ready for company (our first guests arrive on Friday - yaaaay!), so I'm hoping to get out and a bout a bit more...