This is How Trump Does It in Chicago @ Sixteen

Calm down! We're not talking politics, we're talking food. With Mother's Day coming up, I found myself reminiscing about that one Summer Monday that my mom told me to be like Bueller...take a day off! In keeping with the Ferris Bueller theme, we traipsed around like tourists ( my mom is technically a real life Chicago tourist now) and of course, it wouldn't feel completely touristy without a meal in a hotel restaurant. Sixteen at the White House (hahaha) Trump Tower Chicago got the vote.

Six course tasting menu it is, because Muma said so! My worry about the tasting menu is that I might be leaving hungry. Read along to find out if we ended up getting a deep dish pizza after...

To start, the chef sent out the amuse-bouche: it was a sweet corn tasting scoop, with a sliver of green apple to add brightness and make you feel all summery. It definitely  amused.

Let the courses roll in..

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Summer Squash and Avocado: Everytime I say gazpacho, I think of Samuel L. Jackson when he said "hotspatcho." There is such a thing as too cold or to luke warm...this one was just right!

Was this the palate cleanser? 

Dover Sole with Roast Cauliflower , Green Chickpea, Almond and Green Garlic Panisse: Adding the theatrics of the finishing touches in front of you really makes the meal feel special. Bonus points on her nicely manicured nails. I wonder if that's a uniform requirement.

Prime Hanger Steak with Charred Brassicas, Onions and Maitake Mushroom: 

No words, just chewing and wanting to lick the slate. 

Roast Medallion of Foie Gras, Onion Marmalade, Endive, Walnut and Fig: Oh PETA don't hate me, but I just love foie gras! I hope the ducks felt like they had a really good meal as their livers got fattened. Ok enough gross mental images. Just look at that beauty waiting to melt in my mouth!

The cheese plate with black fig compote and frisse. I could not tell you what kind of cheese it was, but supposedly it was of the domestic and imported variety. It's cheese people! it's delicious!

DESSERT TIME!

We were given a choice between Black and White Chocolate Cake ( you can see what it looks like on the blurry side) or my pick...

Raspberry Shiso Coulis with a cannel of  ice cream
I wish there was a better way to say "YUM." I guess I could just ask the chef.."Please chef, may I have some more?" I'm always disappointed when my desserts are smaller than the size of my hands, but my disappointment quickly dissipated with every bite. It was a dainty spoonful of gargantuan flavor! 

This dessert part due is compliments from the chef. We must have been very good eaters that the chef rewarded us with even more sugar! Macarons and chocolate truffles. 

If you're counting, you're math skills are correct because it definitely was more than 6 courses. The chef sent out a few surprises. I was geeking over every course they brought out, and the service was way above my expectations. The servers and this butler looking guy almost looked like they were doing a well choreographed dance. My spirit was clapping inside me. It was a truly amazing experience...and I was actually satiated. No 4th meal type deep dish pizza needed here. I'm glad Bueller took the day off...I guess Momma knows best. I'm ready to go back! Who wants to come with me?

And this view is also delicious...

I should have written a shorter blog, that just said " It's amazing and it's a can't miss; must try experience!" Trump has my vote...on food. Bravo! This deserves...

10/10 lbs!

Memorial Day Sunday Funday! Part 2 @ Nomi Garden

For your full Noshing experience: Summertime by Billie Holiday

                                      

If you've skimmed through The Eat List, you've read about Nomi's Creamsicle Tumbler. Well, as luck would have it, we were a block away from Nomi, when my friend declared that she's "thirsty." I hurriedly led her to the watering hole, in the guise of being conscientious. In reality, I was really leading myself to get some dessert. Elevator take me up!

I looked at the menu confused. Nothing is standing out to me! During my confusion, I could not for the life of me remember what THAT dessert was called. All I could remember was that it had some citrus type flavor in it. Ah! I think it's the Whipped Choco-Macchiato? It's got lemon in it.

Then this arrived in front of me. Umm, how deep into my food coma was I the last time I came here?! I don't remember it looking like this! I sat there for a long while, trying to convince myself that this is it. The convincing was halted by the sight of my chocolate dome collapsing like the demise of "Death Star." 

( Nerd alert!) 

My spoon sped up the collapse of the dome, and inside was the creamy lemon panna cotta, which was nestled on a bed of caramel. It was one heavenly spoonful. The chocolate crumble trail, provided a nice crunch contrast to the creamy texture.

As I shamelessly licked my spoon clean, I concluded that this was not an outdoor summertime dessert! The whole time I was eating it, I had a sneaking suspicion that my face looked like this...

Speaking of wine...It seemed as though Rose was the wine of choice for the day. It seemed that everyone was drinking this wine! I was not a fan of it. It just did not give me the "oh that's refreshing" kind of feeling. 

Needless to say, I found out that the Creamsicle Tumbler was only served for dinner, and indeed the Whipped Choco-Macchiato was not the creamsicle. I was a wee bit disappointed by the lack of lemony tartness that brings a pucker to your face. Nonetheless, it gave me my sugar fix. Guess I'll take a food coma nap while waiting for them to serve dinner! Ha no...I'll just come back.

Sky...Don't you Dare Cry! @ IO Urban Roofscape

For your anti-rain dance:

We've all heard the saying "if you don't like the weather just wait..." Chicago held oh so true to that. Saturday was a high of 80 degrees and it looked like this...

Monday looked like...never mind we know what 30 degrees and snow looks and feels like.

Ok now Chicago! Unravel thy self from that fetal position and pick yourself off the floor. We are bound to have another summer-like day! For those who missed out on that one day in April when it was summer, and have now forgotten what the sun feels like,  I invite you to live vicariously through my Summer Saturday.

Upon hearing Tom Skilling (Chicago's beloved meteorologist) put the words 70 degrees and Saturday together, this text was quickly composed "Let's roof @ Gregory Godfrey." The Godfrey is a new  luxury boutique hotel located in Chicago's River North, whose fourth floor houses this indoor and outdoor roof-ish lounge I/O Urban Roofscape . Ha I just got it...indoor/outdoor, hence the name I/O. Clever! 

With plans set, my inner ray of sunlight was quickly extinguished by the sight of gray skies and the sounds of thunder. My friends and I are not quitters darnit! We did our anti-rain dance all the way up to the 4th floor of the Godfrey. 

Let's get brunchin'

 Mimosa is an obvious choice, but the Margarita was amazing! The glass arrived to our table topped with habanero foam. If I wasn't told, I wouldn't have picked habanero out of a line up. It had a nice refreshing zing to it. I would've mistaken it for carbonated mint and lemon....it was the habanero zing!

My friend and I shared 6 of the small plates.

The Steak Benedict: The free range steak is a nice upgrade from the sometimes chewy, and less substantial canadian bacon. I did not feel like I was gnawing on a chew toy. Staying true to the steak theme, it was topped with bernaise instead of hollandaise. 

Adult Smoked Salmon: It's supposed to be smoked with bourbon and gin. My pedestrian palate really did not taste that. It just tasted like fresh salmon. No Negative Nelly face here. I'm usually not a fan of capers, but this actually complemented the salmon nicely. 

Huevos Rancheros: Where's the guacamole?! I actually did not realize that guacamole was supposed to come with it. Wait was it there? The perfectly poached egg, the salsa, and the crunchies had the perfect texture combo that I'm still not sure if the guac was there...and nobody puts guacamole in the corner!






I/O Prime Beef Sliders: "Oh that has a nice kick!" It's not an overwhelming spice where you would tell your kids not to eat it. It is a welcomed flavor, that I wish I was fed as a child. I hate to admit it, but spicey mayo is a condiment I can no longer dismiss.

Let's get to the good stuff!

Lemon Donuts: The periwinkle glaze is from the violet liquor and lavender honey. I put the fluffy lemon donuts through the spin cycle inside the bowl, just so I could enrobe it with the periwinkle goodness. The donuts were surprisingly light and not greasy at all!

Brioche Sticks (French Toast): Who doesn't like caramelized bananas?! The crowning glory of this breakfast dessert is the foam flowing underneath the brioche Jenga. It appears as the now trendy culinary foam, but when you dig into it, it has a gelatinous consistency. It hit my mouth with a nice limey sensation. Forget the maple syrup...bring me more foam!!!

Our meal ended with us contemplating ordering another margarita pitcher, but we intelligently decided to go work it off at Bloomingdales, with plans of coming back for that second pitcher. Let's just say that the breakables in Bloomies looked more breakable than ever. I felt like a kid obediently keeping their  hands to themselves.

We did not end up going back for that second margarita, bust instead ended up at 25 degrees for some Boozey Milkshakes. We will definitely be back for a second helping of everything at I/O. The vibe was so Miami/Vegas Fake-cation! We might make this roof-ish our summer home.

Well, well...It looks like our hopeful determination (and awesome dance moves) bent mother nature into holding back the sky's tears and giving us some sun....and getting a farmer's tan Ha! Us 1(sortah). Mother nature 0... I guess she was busy turning her tears to ice. Well played MoNa!

*This just in...70F degrees on Easter Sunday!

And a Blog is Born: Little Goat Sunday Rooftop Tapas

       It's a nice day to start a blog! It's the first day of real spring like weather, sunny, a high 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and most importantly...Im on a roof!!! It was my version of a rain dance, but instead of rain, I was demanding asking for the return of the long lost historical artifact called spring and summer. If you were one of the people traipsing, slipping and sliding, and falling on your behinds in and around Chicago this past winter, you had better join me in that "summer dance!"

      Now the roof I was on was not just any roof, it was Chef Stephanie Izard's Little Goat roof. If you've never been, put your wallet with your (insert some big spender credit card name here)credit card down! It's not that type of roof! Think of it as having a fabulous, but down to earth bff, and she just happens to love to cook, and invite you over on this gorgeous day for a Rooftop Tapas Party! This event is part of their Sunday Suppers. 

    As I walked into the roof dining room, I was greeted by the sight of Stephanie toiling away in the kitchen. I must admit I was a little chef-struck, and I was transported back to watching Top Chef Chicago. So geeked!

The menu today was served family style, accompanied with sangria      (it was booze, no questions needed):

                   

I'm not going to get all foodie on you and describe every morsel. You would be asleep by then. Instead, I want to take you through the whole experience, and browse through the "Nosh" that made me want to accost someone for more! 

Crisp White Anchovies
If you asked me if I would like some, I would answer with a hard NO! Not even if you entice me with the words "deep fried tempura batter." I'm glad no one asked me, and just served it...and I can't say no to something that looks this good. It looked and tasted like it had some parmesan cheese on it

 Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Fritters
Where was Stephanie when I was a vegetable hating kid?! She does wonders with cauliflower! You can find another of her genius versions of a cauliflower dish at her other restaurant, Girl and the Goat.

Duck Tongue Salad

Speaking of vegetable hating, I don't hate this at all. My friend and I looked at each other with skepticism when we saw the word "duck tongue." As I shoveled every bit of this dish while agreeing to my friend's description of the duck tongue as "crispy fat," my mind traveled, thinking of the anatomy of a duck. It just dawned on to me that... gasp! I just french kissed Donald duck!!! and it tasted like a non greasy piece of crispy bacon fat.  That Daisy Duck is one lucky duck!   The picture beside quack quack,  came as a surprise. It was not on the menu. It was steak with MOJO. Although it's pronounced moe-hoe, this sauce' got mojo! It's like a citrusy pesto. It definitely elevated the perfectly cooked steak. Hmmm, good idea to fancy up your balcony barbqs. 

Ham and potato or Skate Croquettes they looked the same...One was filled with with cheesey goodness, the other was deliciously creamy. Beside the croquette picture, the sangria has creeped in and I've made friends with THE Goat, sharing my Shrimp Skewers with him/it/her. It would be rude not to. The shrimp was coated with some breading that's not Panko. I can't put my finger on what it was, (corn flakes perhaps?) but it was a good crispy balance to the perfectly cooked shrimp. Is it ok to describe shrimp as juicy? because it was delectably juicy!

The grand finale...What's a meal without dessert? I'm the type that would be willing to skip the meal and have 3 courses of just pure dessert.

Marcona Almond Olive Oil Cake and Salted Chocolate Crackers
I've only heard of Olive Oil cake from the constant hum of the Food Network Channel as my background noise.  I really did not taste the Olive oil in it, but it was really (brace yourselves, for the word) moist. It had a drizzle of something citrusy or was there?(or was it my sangria mixing in with everything), and topped with whipped cream. It would have been perfect, if it came with ice cream. The crackers, are not the crackers you and I were thinking of. They did not taste nor resemble a saltine. It had a wafer consistency, almost like a Pizzelle, and dipped in chocolate. Need I say more? Yep! MORE!!!

As I loosened my belt, I tried to suck in my belly full of food because THE chef came out to mingle, shake hands, and oblige to a billion pictures. I should've "selfied" with her (hehlk!)  Yah I was too excited to form any intelligent words to ask her the typical questions of... what her inspiration  behind the theme was, what was her fave dish of the night, did you do a rain dance because it's beautiful out, and yada yada yada. Amateur here! Guess I'll just have to go back. Sunday Supper is definitely a must go. It's so worth the money ($65+.) Overall, it was deliciously poetic to start the roof top season...and this blog! on the very same roof that I ended last summer at.

Where to next? Leave me a comment as to where I and the cast of characters in my life should Nosh next!