Quick Trip to Chicago

I made a quick trip to Chicago last month. Very last minute. It kinda cracks me up that I’ve been back to Chicago THREE TIMES since leaving the city last June. Out of all the places my new job could have sent me…seriously??

To be fair though, this third trip was more about me than about work. I knew I had some leftover holiday to take and I knew I wanted to see some people and celebrate some things so I went. And I had a nice time. But I don’t think I need to go back for a while now…

Sleeping

I stayed at The James hotel off Michigan Avenue, an excellent location if ever there was one. My room was all white and modern BUT it was also a bit scuffed up. I used Hotwire to book my room and saved A BUNDLE. I forget now if I’ve written about my Hotwire arbitrage skillz but if not, I will in a later post. I like The James BUT I don’t like the food at The James, even though it is David Burke. Every sandwich came with too much untoasted bread and too many undercooked fries. Also, every sandwich was pretty expensive. So stay at The James if you want a nice central location, but eat elsewhere. Also, book via Hotwire. I saved $100 a night off the regular rate at time of booking. With taxes and fees, my room cost $153.87 a nght, which is a great rate for a hotel of this caliber and in this location. The Verdict: A good choice, but in need of a facelift. Try The Thompson instead.

Eating & Drinking

I wish I could tell you that I did some good eating and drinking while I was in Chicago, but honestly…I didn’t. I don’t know if it was bad luck or just laziness on my part. (OK, it was laziness.) I didn’t even go to Eataly, for the love of God! Here’s where I ate and drank…

Kanela Breakfast Club, Wicker Park: I met my friends Amy and Larissa at Kanela Breakfast Club in Wicker Park for a Saturday brunch/lunch. Kanela is in a beautiful space largely kitted out by the oyster bar that was there before Kanela. I liked that oyster bar, but when they opened, I thought to myself “People in Wicker Park don’t eat oysters.” I was right. They didn’t last long. Judging by the crowds at Kanela, people like it here. I did not enjoy my chorizo breakfast burrito at all, and that was after waiting an hour to receive it. The Verdict: Skip it. But I don’t know…everyone else seems to like it here so there’s that.

O’Callaghan’s, River North: My friends Bob & Aileen were celebrating their 10 year anniversary so I popped over to O’Callaghan’s with them for some Guinness to kick off the festivities. Super friendly bar staff, although very dark interior. It was quite empty when we visited but I am sure it gets packed during the week. The Verdict: If you want a nice Irish bar in downtown Chicago, you could do worse than O’Callaghan’s.

Star of Siam, River North: I used to walk by Star of Siam every day on my way to work, but yet I had never been. Well, a sudden craving for curry led us here during my visit and boy am I glad we stopped in. I loved it! I loved the decor! (All warehouse-y and spacious and nice decorated with Thai things.) I loved the service! I loved the food! Why have I not eaten here before? Star of Siam is in a bit of a strange location…you have to walk down a flight of stairs to get there from Wabash…but it seems to be a destination in its own right. The Verdict: Go if you’re craving Thai in downtown Chicago.

Lou Malnati’s, Rush Street: I woke up on Sunday morning and was kinda jonseing for a pizza. Don’t ask. I am ashamed of myself. I was there as soon as they opened and enjoyed my deep dish mini pan pizza in silence. UNTIL…I ran into my old colleague Leslie who caught me stuffing my face at 11 am on a Sunday morning. Lucky for me, her and her dad were planning on doing the same. The Verdict: A guilty pleasure.

Soho House, West Loop: I met Karen out for some drinks and snacks at Soho House and she gave me the grand tour. Amazing how much it feels like Shoreditch House. I mean, I guess that’s not amazing because it is the same owners and everything but they’ve really got this design thing nailed. The ground floor of Soho House was packed, the upper levels less so. The ladies’ room on the pool floor was flooded, so that was kinda gross. Also, I ordered almonds and pickles to snack on and the dish came with just three pickles. (Granted, when I pointed this out, they brought me a WHOLE BOWL of gherkins.) The Verdict: I like Soho House. Despite The Pickle Incident.

Joe Stonecrab, River North: Joe’s was right around the corner from The James so we popped in here for dinner one night. I order the ahi tuna and kicked myself later. I should have stuck with what Joe’s does well…stonecrab or steak. My ahi tuna was straight out of the fridge. No sign of searing but maybe they did sear it…in a very cold, cold pan. Many people like Joe’s, but after eating here many times with those many people over the years, I’m just not a huge fan. The Verdict: Meh.

So there you go…that’s my last trip to Chicago for a while, I think. Unless I become a property magnate and then maybe I will maintain residences around the world. That would be awesome.