Cheap Eat: Pastoral

So last week I was craving a lunch that was fresh, different but would still fit within my lunch budget. I had heard my co-workers rave about Pastoral so I decided that I would check it out. I don't know how they do it but Pastoral manages to stuff tons of delicious gourmet ingredients into their salads and sandwiches and sell them to customers at shocking prices. Granted this is not your McDonalds dollar menu, (not knocking it - I love a McD's hot fudge sundae as much as the next girl) but for getting a sandwich like the BLTA - house-made proscuitto bacon, mayonnaise, fresh tomatoes, avocado and field greens - for around six dollars or the Fromager's Salad - field greens, goat cheese, fresh tomatoes, spiced almonds and balsamic vinaigrette - for just over seven dollars is a great bargain for lunch in Chicago.

When I returned from my delicious lunch I did some further investigation on Pastoral's website. I found that they even offer wine classes and cater picnics that are quite reasonable in price. Since Pastoral's Loop location is so close to Millennium Park, I definitely see a picnic order in my future to go along with the free concerts in the park on Monday nights. :)

Selection of gourmet sauces and condiments

 Cute :)

 A SMALL section of the cheese case - I was so excited to see that Pastoral offers cheeses from all over the country, specifically from Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor!

 Pastoral's storefront

 Fromager's Salad - field greens, goat cheese, fresh tomatoes, spiced almonds and balsamic vinaigrette

Cheap Eat: Cozy Noodles n' Rice

I've decided that since I'm back in Chicago I'm going to commit to doing a weekly "Cheap Eat" blog post (in addition to other posts...hopefully) to showcase all of the amazing food stops that Chicago has to offer.

For my first Cheap Eat entry I chose Cozy Noodles n' Rice in Wrigleyville. I stopped in with my brother after a Cubs and fell in love with the quirky decor (see pictures below) and eclectic Thai menu. I ordered the Pad Khee Mao which was described on the menu as stir-fried spicy wide rice noodles with chicken, basil leaves, carrots, green beans, tomatoes, baby corn and bell pepper. I subbed the chicken for beef, added a bit of extra spicy sauce and viola a delicious and filling noodle feast.

My brother ordered the Dumpling Noodles - stuffed shrimp dumpling, Chinese broccoli, bean sprouts, egg noodles and BBQ pork. It looked delicious although I didn't sample it because I was too engrossed in my own plate of Thai happiness. :)

The restaurant itself is quite cozy and seems even tighter because it is wildly decorated with collectibles galore. However, Cozy Noodles n' Rice does offer a really nice outdoor seating area that if we weren't in a rush I would have taken advantage of.

The best part of the meal though I have to say was the price. Both of our dishes cost only $7.50 each - a steal for a filling meal that's sure to provide leftovers. In addition to having great prices, the restaurant also offers a number of coupons and deals on their website making Cozy Noodles n' Rice an easy choice for anyone - whether on a budget or not.

Here we go again...

So it may not come as a big shock to some of you but in less than two weeks I will be moving back to that beautiful city that inspired me to begin blogging in the first place - Chicago. After spending the past year in Wisconsin, I've been called back to the big city to take a job that I'm very excited to start. I am of course nervous and slightly stressed about all the things I need to do to prepare for my move, but I know that this is what's best for me. So get ready Girl and the Goat, Gilt Bar and Jam because you three are at the top of my list of must-visit places upon my return. :)

Girl and the Goat 

 Gilt Bar

Jam

The Map Room

The Map Room in Chicago is rated number 47 on the 125 Places to Drink a Beer Before You Die. I did not know this when I happened into the travel-theme Bucktown tavern over a year ago but I can definitely see why  - especially since it has consistently ranked as one of my favorite bars in Chicago.

The atmosphere is cozy and inviting - its walls are lined with old National Geographic magazines and vintage board games that you can enjoy while sampling from the eclectic selection of beers on tap, or if you're in need of a jolt, the variety of espresso and coffee options will please even the biggest coffee snobs. And if you look up while sitting at one of the Map Room's highly-coveted high tops, you will see that the ceiling is covered in flags of the world. This sprang from the original idea of the Map Room to try to carry beers from as many countries as they could. That idea grew into the creation of an atmosphere where all travelers, near and far, could feel welcome. According the their website, the Map Room wanted "to be that kind of place, where all different people felt welcome, where ideas could be exchanged, where people could come to get some good social nourishment." I would say that they have succeeded in their mission and continue to grow in their knowledge of beer and provide that insight to the people that love it. So in the words of the Map Room, "Don't Be Lost" and make a stop in as soon as you are able. Cheers!

Ashkenaz Deli

Chicago has a lot of really great delis to visit - it's one of the things I miss whenever I leave and Ashkenaz Deli is no exception. It's a Jewish-sytle deli nestled in the heart of the Gold Coast that has apparently been around for quite some time although I had never noticed it before my recent visit. From the outside Ashkenaz is quite unassuming from the outside, looking no different than any other old-school Chicago deli, but as soon as I walked in my nose is filled with the aroma of freshly-baked bagels and my eyes panned the display case filled with a plethora of home-made salads. Although it was a slightly pricey item I ordered a bagel and lox with homemade cream cheese, tomatoes and onions. In my opinion, how a deli does a bagel and lox is a true testament to their overall quality as a deli. I must say, the sandwich was delicious and served as a bright spot in an otherwise cold and dismal Chicago winter day.

The Tamale Man!

There is a lot of great food in the city of Chicago but some of the best that I've discovered thus far comes from the Tamale Guy, or the Tamale Man, depending on what you choose to refer to him as - it is a bit confusing considering his Yelp page is "The Tamale Guy" but his MySpace page is listed as "The Tamale Man".

For anyone that doesn't know, Mexican tamales are packets of corn dough with a savory or sweet filling and typically wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves. The packets are then steamed and ready to eat! The traditional fillings include cheese, pork or cheese but there are many other variations out there.

The Tamale Man sticks pretty close to tradition with his tamales but the unique aspect is that he doesn't actually have a restaurant or even a food vendor cart. He travels around to bars in the Ukrainian Village and other Chicago neighborhoods (I've seen him in Bucktown) selling tamales out of a cooler! This may not sound like the ideal dining option to everyone reading but the tamales he serves really are great. If you don't believe me, just check out his Yelp rating and see what other people have been saying. I'll give you a preview:

The most recent Yelp review is from Katherine in Chicago where she writes...

"Some people see heroes as knights in shining armor.  Mine is a guy pulling a red cooler behind him at 1am. God bless you, tamale guy."

Seriously, make a point of hanging out in the Ukrainian Village just to try to get a hold of some of Tamale Man/Guy's tamales. :)

Pork tamales from the Tamale Man 

(Photo courtesy of Yelp)

Hot Doug's

I have a confession to make. Being from Chicago, people have often asked me where to get the best hot dog in the city and I undoubtedly tell them to go to Hot Doug's - they offer an eclectic selection of hot dogs and sausages that have been praised by most all Chicago food critics. The only problem with my recommendation is...gulp...that I'd never actually been to Hot Doug's. I'd planned to go a bunch of times, but getting there was always pretty inconvenient for me. It's only accessible by the blue line or a bus and lets face it...I'm terrible with bus schedules. Every time I tried to take a bus in college I would end up on the opposite side of town which would result in either a 30 minute walk home or excessive, border-line stalking phone calls to my roommates trying to convince them to come pick me up.

But anyway, excuses aside, I finally bit the bullet and made my first trip to Hot Doug's so that I actually had first-hand experience when recommending Hot Doug's to others. A word to the wise, plan on waiting a longgg time if you do decide to trek it out there. I ended up waiting an hour just to order with a majority of that time spent in the cold in a huge line outside of the restaurant (see photo below as a reference for the line). 

Even though the wait was a bit excessive, the food was just as incredible as I had imagined. I ordered a Chicago-Style Dog, the Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pork Sausage with Vodka-Cream Marinara and Burrata Cheese and the Swedish Potato Sausage with Dill-Garlic Mustard and Caraway Havarti Cheese (pictured below). In addition to my embarrassing display of encased meats, I also added a order of duck fat fries to my platter - yes, those are fries that have been cooked in duck fat and yes, they are delicious. 

I can now confidently say that I would recommend Hot Doug's to anyone that wants to get a taste of the best dogs that the city has to offer - just be prepared to wait awhile, and be surprised by a menu that mixes high-end foods like foie gras with your hot dog or sausage.  

 

 

Changes?

I never thought that I was the type of person that struggled with change, or was much of a worrier to that end. However, I'm discovering more and more that I really do have a difficult time with change and analyzing whether or not I'm making the best choices for myself and the life I hope to lead. The inverse of this problem is that I also find myself to be extrememly impulsive and once I get an idea in my head that's what I'm doing and there really is little that anyone can do to stop me. 


Take for example my recent move from Chicago. I left the city that I love and a job I always dreamed of for a city I barely know. I still don't fully comprehend or accept my move at times, but I did do it which in many ways I am proud of. The problem is, since I apparenty have a more dificult time with change than I thought, I often end up thinking of my leaving Chicago as a breakup of sorts. I get nostalgic about my time spent there and tend to only remember the positives. I also overwhelm myself with the thought that since I left I will never be able to go back. It's this thinking that leads me to believe that Chicago wouldn't have me back after the way I've treated it. But I'm slowly coming to the realization that Chicago and I are not "broken up" and I don't need to feel sad every time I drive in for a visit. We are merely taking a break and like any truly great relationship that we will be together again soon. 


In the meantime, I need to stop comparing every other city to Chicago because, let's face it, that never allows you to move on when you try to do it after a relationship ends (plus the fact that Chicago is the best city in the world). We learn to appreciate the good and unique things that another person has to offer us because it's simply unfair to compare him/her to those that came before. 


So for all those reading, I apologize if you feel as though you've wasted the last 5 minutes reading the rants of a crazy person go on about the parallels between a move and a breakup. I guess it's hard for me not to give a shout out to the city I love. Besides, according to the types of followers I have on Twitter, it seems as though my biggest interests are Chicago and cupcakes- not untrue at times I suppose. :) 


So in closing, I love you Chicago and I know we will be together again soon, but for now I guess I need to see what else is out there. Until then, I'll be missing you.