Great New Eats

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It’s been a while since I posted about one of my favorite Chicago past times: eating.  This weekend was a score for a foodie like me and I would highly recommend both places.

Friday Night: Fresh Sushi and Noodles on W. Wellington, right under the El.  I walk by this place every day on my way home from the train and have always wanted to try it.  It was sleeting and gross when I was leaving the gym and after a long day of cookie baking, the idea of cleaning up to go out to eat sounded terrible so I stopped by Fresh to grab some sushi for a little stay-in night party.  Fresh is super cute inside (kinda trendy even, which is rare for a random, teeny sushi place) and had a really unique selection of rolls.  The standards were all there (solid spicy tuna) but also some really inventive ones, like the Frutie Tootie roll–crab and whatnot inside and SLICED STRAWBERRIES on the top of the maki covered in a blueberry sauce.  It may sound kinda wrong with the fruit but trust me, it was INCREDIBLE.  I can’t wait to go back and actually eat there–on top of there being fruit sushi, it’s BYOB.  I mean really–everybody wins.

Saturday Night: La Madia.  Ryan’s buddy Josh works there and again, we’ve always been meaning to try it.  We were shopping downtown on Saturday and finally got the chance.  It was the perfect choice–we were tired from shopping and not willing to fight the crowds on Michigan Avenue anymore, for shopping OR food, so being a few blocks off the Mag Mile was perfect, as was the “Not-So-Old Fashioned” that Ryan had.  Josh made the perfect drink–Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey Honey, tangerine and brandy soaked cherries.  I don’t even like whiskey and I thought it was awesome.  The Pizza Fondue was amazing too–this huge puff of bread that you stab and it deflates so you can dip it in a cream infused marinara that tastes like a perfectly light vodka sauce.  I think it was meant for a crowd but Ryan and I housed it between the 2 of us.  We’re good like that.

All in all, it has been such a treat to have time.  Time to bake if I feel like it, time to try out new restaurants, time to spend with people I care about.  Tonight, I’m taking the time to make a little Christmas risotto.  Stay tuned…

High Five of the Day: The guy who proposed while he and his girlfriend were getting their picture taken with Santa at the 900 N. Michigan building.  I heard clapping so I ran to see and sure enough, this guy was down on one knee with a ring.  One of Santa’s helpers told me how it went down: Santa asked the girl what she wanted for Christmas and when he asked the guy, he said “For so and so (insert name here) to marry me” and that’s when I saw the kneeling and the ring.   With all those people around and Santa and cameras…that was pretty gutsy.  And super sweet.  What a great story!