The best breakfast I have EVER eaten!

I don't say something was the best ever...ever but I am saying it today!

I had the absolute best french toast I have ever had in my life this Sunday. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it and am trying to duplicate the recipe so I can serve it here at home.

We tried a Chicago brunch staple this past Sunday a small local hang out called Orange. There are several in Chicago area...we had difficulty finding the one we were actually planning to try and ended up in Lincoln Park at the Orange there. After our meal it really didn't matter, we were just so glad we found it. Orange is a small, nothing fancy restaurant that specializes in brunch and they have mastered their speciality let me assure you.

When we arrived I noticed an item on the menu the peaked my interest...

Orange Rosemary French Toast

now for a minute the flavor combo seemed a bit odd for breakfast but I like all those flavors so I decided to give it a try. This french toast is made with Brioche that has been soaked in a citrus rosemary sweet cream infusion and then baked until crisp. The citrus rosemary sweet cream is then reduced and drizzled over the top. My first bite was so shocking...it was sweet and savory, smooth and creamy, buttery and rich. You didn't need to add anything...no butter or syrup necessary. This plate of deliciousness melted in your mouth with the perfect balance of flavors.

There were other menu items...cinnamon bun pancakes, mix your own fresh squeezed juices with a big contraption that fed whole oranges into it producing beautiful glasses of fresh squeezed juice in seconds. They offered several egg dishes that looked great as well and where else have you eaten breakfast that offers a flyte of pancakes? But for me I got lost in French Toast heaven....

Hot Chocolate - Wicker Park - Chicago

With a name like Hot Chocolate we had to at least try their desserts...A cocoa induced comma is not entirely out of the real of possibility here.

This warm cozy Wicker Park bistro with the many hues of chocolate on the walls and furniture was the perfect place to end our day's food adventure. We sampled several hot chocolate drinks that were a dessert in themselves. The medium hot Chocolate was anything but ordinary...deep and rich chocolate with that smooth silky texture you only get by mixing the very best of ingredients. I ordered a Black and Tan this chocolate cocktail consisted of rich hot chocolate resting on a layer of hot fudge in the bottom of the glass and a homemade marshmallow on the side. This should have been where I stopped but as long as you're in you may as well get all the way in...we ordered several desserts a Peppermint White Chocolate pudding that all agreed was the prize winner of the night. We tried several other choices as well...a dark chocolate cake with a salted caramel ice cream, and apple tart and creme brulee but hands down the Peppermint White Chocolate pudding was the winner.

Hot Chocolate is known for not just great dessert but for great food as well. Next time we are in Chicago we will catch their brunch which I am told by many is one of the best in town.

Carnivale - Chicago

Latin Vibe, fun and fab food what more could you ask for for a party?

It isn't often in a city like Chicago that we will return to a restaurant more than once with so many great places to eat but Carnivale is one we have been to several times. It never disappoints both for food and fun. You can't help but be in a party mood here, the bright colors, latin theme and carnivale atmosphere make you want to party.

Our food was outstanding as always and this time we discovered a new drink that I want to learn how to make here at home. It was called a Caipirinha a smooth mixture of Ypioca cachaca, limes and simple syrup that was so yummy and went down way to easy!

The Ropa Vieja a combo of sweet plantains, braised beef, spicy mayo and queso fresco and the Camarones al Ajillo, shrimp in a roasted garlic sauce were the perfect start.

Once again our table sampled several dishes from the extensive menu and none of them disappointed. The Pernil, a rum glazed pork shoulder was the perfect blend of savory and sweet served on a bed of Puerto Rican rice and beans. The Arrachera, a grilled skirt steak with a chimichurri sauce was knock your socks off flavor and a portion large enough for two to share.

The Grocery Bistro Chicago

Traveling to Chicago guarantees you're going to find some outstanding food, this past weekend didn't disappoint.

We started off our weekend of food with dinner at The Grocery Bistro on Washington just west of Halsted. This bistro that sports communal tables and a casual atmosphere makes some truly great food at very reasonable prices. It is however bring your own bottle, so if you want wine with dinner you'll need to bring it along conveniently there is a nice wine shop right next door that is accustomed to diners arriving just before their reservation searching for the perfect bottle of wine. We managed to sample a wide selection from the menu.

Each appetizer was not only beautiful to look at but flavorful, I had the homemade duck sausage with oven roasted parsnips and apples and it was delicious. We were not disappointed as our entrees arrived the Pork Cheeks were out of this world, perfectly seasoned and cooked. The Rabbit and Hanger Steak both were both equally tasty as well.

Dessert was fun from the spiced donuts to the

huckleberry apple crisp. My only complaint was that the music was too loud and really didn't seem to fit the environment, I asked several times if they could turn it down so we could

converse over our meal, each time they said they would but never did.

The first finds on Capitol Hill in Washington DC

Aaron & I took a trip to Washington DC this last spring, it was a great time for a mom & son to spend time together. While we were there we found some very eclectic fun places to eat, all of them a bit off the beaten path but accessible via the Metro and short walks. As a family we find ourselves always on the hunt for great coffee houses, being coffee addicts finding a great cup of coffee is not just something we enjoy, but often times is a necessity to maintaining civility and stamina on a trip. Our trip to DC wasn’t any different and after visiting several coffee houses in the city we found a couple worth mentioning along with some truly great places to eat.

Often a trip to DC means spending all your time in the mall area eating overpriced tourist food but with a little planning, a Metro map and an adventurous spirit we found some really wonderful fun neighborhoods with interesting shops, beautiful buildings, great outdoor markets and wonderful people. Next time you travel to our nations capitol take some time and check some of these unique eating establishments along with their delightful neighborhoods.

One of our first finds happened as a result of our search for a coffee house we had heard about in the Capitol Hill area. Peregrine Espresso on 660 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC 2000 It’s located is a really fun area just off Capitol Hill, the Eastern Market is held on this street and while returning for our second coffee fix we stumbled upon this wonderful market. It is part farmers market, part wonderful art show…not the ticky tacky stuff of flea markets but really great art. Peregrine is a small, busy, very modern coffee house that just happens to make amazing coffee. We tried several of their drinks from straight shots of espresso to mochas and lattes. Each drink reflected true skill and commitment to fine caffeinated beverages.


Our search for Peregrine lead us to our next truly great find. Just around the corner from the coffee house we noticed a boulangerie that was always packed. It was light and airy with long communal tables that friends and strangers shared. It had the look of a typical European Patisserie that you find on almost every corner and it called us to come join in the feast. Turns out they are actually started in Brussels and there are several located throughout Europe, Washington DC and New York City. As we passed the windows the food looked amazing so we ventured back into this fun neighborhood to give La Pain Quotidien 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
at 7th Street Washington, D.C. a try. We knew we were in the right place when there was an appetizer of a basket of artisan breads and French jams on the menu! They were wonderful, as was our meal. Fresh, locally grown food that tasted as if it was from your garden. I had a beautiful salad and quiche, Aaron tried a sandwich with local organic turkey that looked wonderful. The menu reflects their philosophy about food “Nothing but the finest ingredients make it to our communal table—farm fresh produce, fragrant herbs, artisanal cheeses and, of course, our handmade organic breads.”

Need I say more?

Both these great finds can be found just off the Metro: Eastern Market stop.

For the love of food and travel!

I have thought often about starting a blog, one that will entice the reader to travel and to be open to trying local foods. My favorite thing is to travel to a place I have never been to before and discover the food of the region, not by eating at the restaurant next to the tourist hotel, but by digging deep into a town, walking it's streets and meeting the people who live there, finding the out of the way unique experience. I work hard to avoid the chain restaurants whenever and wherever possible, opting instead for the locally owned, sometimes funky places that make for some of the most wonderful experiences in both eating and finding the true personality of a city.

I have collected great restaurants and food stories over the past several years that as time and my current travels allow I will post in hopes that you will branch out and enjoy traveling with your own fork.