December 22, 2018Born and raised in the tropical island nation of the Philippines, it is ambiguous to think that temperatures in the 40’s would even come close to being a ‘heat wave’. Over a decade living in mid western United States somehow molded my perspective, and such a day resounds an opportunity to roam. Truly, a great day to embark on a short culinary day trip.
To celebrate my wife’s natal day, we decided to take the day off and explore the Windy City of Chicago. This time of the year, the city is adorned with bright lights and polychromatic displays to celebrate the special day of Christmas. In addition, Chicago has over 8000 restaurants to choose from. That gives us 8000 more reasons to pack our bags, and journey over 250 miles in search of gastronomic treasures.
First stop on our journey is the small town of Galena where we chose to have our first meal of the day at the Courtyard Restaurant located within the beautiful DeSoto House Hotel.
Parading through the double doors, we were promptly embraced by a warm cozy sensation as we admired the hotel’s Christmas-themed decors that brims with beauteous elegance. The aura was quite enchanting and magical, a true feast for the senses.
Further down the hallway is the Courtyard Restaurant where a 30-foot gargantuan fully decorated Christmas tree takes center stage in the middle of this lovely four story atrium adorned with Christmas decorations and beautiful centerpieces.
For breakfast, we tried their Benedict Florentine, Homestyle Hash Skillet and pancake. The Benedict Florentine was beautifully cooked with the runny yolk from the poached eggs complementing the creaminess of the hollandaise sauce. The sliced tomatoes and sautéed baby spinach added a welcome taste of freshness over the toasted English muffin. Overall, delicious. The homestyle hash skillet, however, failed to stand out as it was a bit too salty for our taste. The buttermilk pancake was quite a treat as it was delicious, fluffy and tasted really close to home.
After that warming breakfast, it’s time to wheel up to our next stop at Chicago. Three more hours and we’ll reach our next culinary destination.
For lunch, we decided to check out the Purple Pig Restaurant at the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. This esteemed restaurant is a recipient of multiple awards including the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Award since 2011. By definition, Bib Gourmand awardees are good quality, good value restaurants that serve great food without breaking the bank.
The Purple Pig Restaurant exudes a vibrant and exceedingly energetic atmosphere that is both dynamic and exciting. Unsurprisingly, the place was packed, so we agreed to be seated with others on a communal table.
We tried three items on their menu. First, the beef tendon chicharrones seasoned with salt and vinegar. These deep fried crispy treats reminded me of the pork skin chicharrones I’ve had in the Philippines. Delicious and goes really well with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce. In this case, the vinegar flavor has already been infused. The dish was good, but just a little short of amazing.
Second item we tried was the Porchetta Sandwich. This delicious, fatty, fragrant and tender pork sandwich was brilliantly prepared and served with kimchi slaw, giving it a slight acidity and an irresistible spicy Asian kick not overpowering the decadent pork flavor. The bread was buttery and crunchy giving it a heightened textural appeal.
Third and last item on the menu we tried and my personal recommendation was the English Muffin & Truffle Sausage Sandwich. The English muffin was fried crisp in foie gras butter for that dense flavor profile. Runny yolk from the over easy fried egg plays well with the subtle sweet salaciousness of the truffle sausage. The membrillo sauce adds a satisfying level of sweetness and subtle heat to the experience.
After such a satiating lunch, we have one more restaurant to venture, Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab, also located at the Magnificent Mile of Chicago. This prime fine dining destination is the top restaurant among the thousands of restaurants in Chicago on TripAdvisor. Over three thousand reviewers can’t be all wrong. I’ve also received a gleaming recommendation from a friend of mine to give this place a try when I have the chance to visit Chicago.
We had a reservation for 9pm, but arrived an hour early. As expected, the restaurant was jam-packed even on a week night. But here’s a tip for everyone. Reservations are for the restaurant’s main dining area. They also have several tall tables at the bar area. If you are dining with one or two people, you don’t have to endure the long wait list but just enjoy your meal near the bar at the main entrance.
For dinner, we ordered a couple of their mouth-watering specialties. First was their delicious, exquisitely tender bone-in filet mignon. This grilled juicy 2-inch thick prime cut of beef was definitely the highlight of our dinner. I had mine cooked medium, but it was more of a medium rare as I cut closer to the bone. Be sure to give it a little pinch of the five-spice seasoning blend they serve on the side for added flavor. If I’m not mistaken, the five-spice blend includes coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried minced garlic, dried shallots and sugar.
Second item that we tried was their grilled seafood platter. You really can’t go wrong with seafood at Joe’s. This generous helping of fresh and deliciously grilled seafood was probably one of the best that we’ve tried. The lobster tails, jumbo shrimp and scallops were all cooked beautifully and grilled to perfection. The smokiness penetrated the flesh giving it an elevation of flavor. Everything was seasoned perfectly and a squeeze of lemon completes the already heightened seafood flavor. Make sure to also try their delicious Jennie’s Mashed Potatoes. It was buttery and creamy with toasted bread crumbs on top for that added crunch and contrast in texture.
One of the things I adore when it comes to dining in a big city is the seemingly endless dining options they offer. The scenes of gastronomy continues to unravel as restaurants evolve to constantly satiate the yearnings of culinary enthusiasts from all over. As the day comes to an end, I express loads of gratitude to my Creator for the wonderful experience, and to my loving wife as I celebrate the day she first stepped into this world.
