I know what you're thinking: Where's the Windy City glam? Hot dogs, ham sandwiches and crawfish aside, where is the culinary spectacle?!?
First off, let me say that Hot Doug's Chicago-Style Dog, Butcher & Larder's Homemade Ham Sandwich and Blue Bayou's Crawfish Boil were spectacles unto themselves -- albeit sans gourmet finery.
I may have skipped out on the city's molecular gastronomy glitz and showmanship, but I got plenty of elegant eats, including White Sturgeon Caviar with Blini, Creme Fraiche, Chopped Egg, Red Onion and Capers. As pictured above, this grand nosh was had at Pops for Champagne, accompanied by a bottle of sparkling Rack & Riddle Blanc de Noir.
I also made sure get my cocktail fix in with a visit to the bar at Sepia, where Josh and Bill shook and stirred many a libation, including a beauty with a painful name -- Death & Taxes. This lovely was so darn easy going down, a careful composition of Sheep Dip Blended Malt Whiskey, Metaxa Brandy, Oregano Earl Grey Syrup, lemon, grapefruit and Creole Bitters. Potent and altogether perfect.
And to ensure that I didn't get too tipsy, we also ordered a few savory nibbles off the menu, such as Grilled Baby Octopus with Olives...
But the height of Chicago sophistication was truly found at the heights of the John Hancock Center, when Gourmet Rambler whisked me to a party at a pal's high-rise home on the 66th floor. Needless to say, the bubbly was iced and the view was mesmerizing...
If only I'd had a Hot Doug's Chicago-Style along with my flute of fizz, while I watched the skyline twinkle and took in the fireworks off of Navy Pier.
Now that would have been elegance at it's highest form -- not unheard of, and to my thinking a future must-do combo in the Windy City!
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