I love New York and could not be happier than fate brought me here, but Chicago has plenty of impressive qualities and it should not be too overshadowed by the awesomeness of NYC.
My older brother, Brian, lives in Chicago and was unable to make it back to Ohio for Thanksgiving so my parents and I hauled ourselves to him so we could all spend the holiday together. We love each other, it's true.
This visit I went to two of my favorite Chicago restaurants (yes, on top of the mass amounts of--and absolutely delicious--home-cooked Thanksgiving food that I consumed), The Chicago Diner and Cafe Ba Ba Reeba.
The Chicago Diner is conveniently located a five-minute walk from my brother's apartment. Does that justify two visits there within 24 hours? Maybe not, but you've gotta get it while the gettin's good. It's a vegetarian diner but that isn't the draw for me. I can't quite describe why this place has become my go-to restaurant in Chicago, but it probably has something to do with the incredible sweet potato fries, wraps that are so good they make you say, "This is VEGAN?", and of course their famous cookie dough milkshake.Cafe Ba Ba Reeba is more of an event. Brian and I reserve our trip here for when our parents are in attendance. That is partly because of the price tag associated, but mostly because this restaurant is a tapas bar and therefore much more satisfying with more people. More tapas=more delight. Literally every tapas I have ever tried at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba is amazingly delicious. I want to keep eating each bite for the rest of my life...until the next tapas comes and my fixation and adoration shifts just that quickly. I would be remiss if I did not praise their sangria, of which there are many varieties, both classic and regenerated.
If you are reading this and you are in New York City, I do not blame you for cursing my exaltation of places far away. Here are my NYC-equivalent suggestions:
