NNTP-Posting-Date: 30 Dec 2000 06:07:32 GMT X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Xref: usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu chi.eats:8717 Hi all, Got the wife and 18 month old kid here in the Chicago 'burbs (Downers Grove) visiting my family for the holidays. Finally got to experience one of the ultimate Chicago food days on Thursday... Woke up to snow covered streets and trees... Wife, son and I hurried to get ready to catch the last morning express train downtown from DG Main St at 8AM. Had enough time to stop by the newly opened Krispy Kreme in Woodridge on Route 53...yes it WAS closed the day after Christmas (grr...) but we ordered just one glazed donut each. 8AM train got us to Union Station before 8:30. By 8:45 we were inside a Chicago landmark...Lou Mitchell's, a diner/breakfast/lunch counter kinda place if there ever was one. Outstanding and HUGE breakfast...they pass out donut holes when you walk in, put a couple of boxes of Milk Duds on the table (Lou used to pass them out to the ladies), and had pancakes, eggs, great coffee, etc., that was exceptional. My scrambled eggs, hash browns and sausage were served right in the skillet! And 2 scrambled eggs? Hmm, methinks they came from SuperChicken. We were FULL! Took the subway down to State Street to do some after Christmas shopping at Marshall Fields and others. Hopped the El a couple of miles north and made the walk to the infamous "Mr. Beef", featured on the Tonight Show with JayLeno and more. Somehow we manage to knock down 2 sandwiches, my wife had the straight Italian Beef and I had the combo beef/sausage. I'm an Italian beef fan and this ranks right up there with the best. The place is a neighborhood joint at best as far as atmosphere, but you can just feel the history sitting at the communal tables. As the stroller proved barely navigable through the unplowed sidewalks, we hopped another bus to Navy Pier where we caught up with my parents and sister and her 3 kids. We spent 3 hours at the Chicago Children's Museum chasing our kids around (how better to work off the food?) and then took a shuttle over to Michigan Avenue at dusk, where we walked the streets for a mile, stopping to shop occasionally. One stop we did make after being outside awhile was the Ghirardelli Chocolate and Soda Shop. Yes, this is Chicago, not San Francisco, but heck, a better cup of hot chocolate could not be found! We wound our stay on Michigan Avenue with a quick trip up to the John Hancock Building observatory...96 stories up for a beautiful view of Chicago at night! As for dinner, 2 paces beckoned to complete the Chicago experience...the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the Hancock? Nah, we weren't dressed for it and with 9 of us didn't have the $$ either. Billy Goat Tavern? Can you say cheezbooga? Nah, that's better at lunch or maybe right at 5PM. We were getting close to 8 by now. Hmmm....PIZZA! So many choices, but none better than Geno's East for a real deep dish sausage pie and a homemade brew. Despite the line at the door, our party of 9 was seated quickly and we had an incredible pizza experience, with their cornmeal-influenced crust, zesty sauce and thick cheese. I'm partial to thin crust (and a Home Run Inn fan above all), but a great deep dish pizza MUST be experienced on occasion, and Geno's East, the original Uno and Due, and Giordano's all do it differently, but each superbly. Following dinner, we made our way back to Union Station as the others drove home. We had a long quiet train ride back to DG knowing that this day...the city, the weather, the people, the atmosphere, and for this day...the food...was something special. My only regret was that I didn't set the VCR to tape Friends and ER (hopefully they were repeats!). - Bob H from RSM, CA
Chicago, IL