Revealing: Our City Home ~ Kitchen and Dining

The kitchen is what hooked me.  For a girl who likes to cook, having a real hood over the stove (one that vents the air outside and not right back in your face) is priceless.  The husband was starting to complain that my meals with fish were leaving a lingering smell, er, stench in our current kitchen.  Well no more! What with the newfound storage here, the gas range and grill, and pretty countertops and backsplash, I anticipate making myself quite at home in this kitchen, and asap.

And as you can see, the kitchen overlooks the dining area, which then leads into the living room, so it's a very open floor plan and one which takes careful consideration with design plans.  As all the furniture shown here will go, our first furniture purchase will undoubtedly be a dining table and chairs.   I'm loving the combination of a dark wood table with light chairs ~ perhaps leather or upholstered.  If any of you have this combination currently, I'd love to hear what you think.  Are the chairs hard to keep clean if they're in a white or ivory?

Love the eclectic use of chairs and bench here
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Traditional decor with a modern dining set.  Note to self ~ invest in a pretty mirror
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The wood colors are similar to ours, as is the dining area's proximity to the kitchen
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How cool are these chairs?  Love.
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So that's the plan ~ and thus concludes the home tour for now. :)  I'll share more pics as the plans for other rooms progress, but our first order of business is undoubtedly to focus on this living space first.

Thank you so much for your sweet comments as I shared these with you.  I can be a pretty private person, so sharing these pictures and hearing your support and feedback was extra special for me!

Revealing: Our City Home ~ Living Room

Our living room  looks out onto the balcony, or as I refer to it now, the "porch".  The green paint must go.  I'm finding inspiration for the living room today in this:

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Soft gray walls, neutral furniture in light beige and ivories, with pops of color.  The space is elegant while maintaining its comfort and livability.  I love how fresh the linen curtains look with the wall color ~ an inspiring combination.  And the chair?  I lust for it.

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And here again, this soft color palette is inspiring to me ~ as I don't often see grays and beiges meshing with such cohesion.  This shows me it's possible.  That's what I'm after.

What do you think?

Revealing: Our City Home ~ Untouched

I have an announcement dear readers.  The husband and I are packing our things and moving, yet again!  You see, we have found this pretty lil' condo we just couldn't pass up in this buyer's market.  We're pretty proud of ourselves as this will be our first real home and we plan to settle in for many years.  And as this is the fifth move between the two of us in under two years, we are definitely ready to settle down.

Can I share some pictures of our place with you, straight from the listing, untouched?  And can you pretty please leave comments with any and all ideas you have to make this place a home?  I'm so excited to get my little fingers on every nook and cranny, and would love all the inspiration I can find!

So today, the balcony revealed:


I'm excited to have just a sliver of private outdoor space

 Check back often as I'll share these sneak peeks room-by-room throughout the week.

Now, what would you do with this space?

Delicious Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe was brought to my attention by my friend Christy who is just starting a blog of her own. Christy has a great story; as a mother of three and a willingness to share her trials and tribulations losing the baby weight and fueling her family with healthy meals and clean eating, I invite you to hop over to The Essential Lifestyle to say hi. :)

These lettuce wraps were a big hit between the husband and I.  Maybe it just felt refreshing to eat a light meal which could be enjoyed just as easily on a patio in the summer. Or maybe they are just downright delicious. And simple. And healthy. Doesn't get much better than that.

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Ingredients - Serves 6

1 Rotisserie Chicken (though I used chicken breasts I quickly cooked up)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 head of butter lettuce

1 can garbanzo beans

1 small onion chopped

1 red pepper chopped

3 gloves garlic minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Handful fresh parsley chopped

1 – 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro chopped

2 – 4 Tbsp horseradish mustard (I mixed Dijon mustard with a little horseradish as a substitute)

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add in chopped onion and saute for about 5 min. Add salt and pepper to taste, then add your garbanzo beans to warm. Add red peppers, garlic, and fresh parsley and cook for about 5 min more.

In a bowl shred the chicken. Add the mustard to the chicken – you want the chicken to be lightly covered. Finally, add in the cilantro. You can add as little or as much cilantro as you like.

Assembly:

Pull the leaves off the butter lettuce, rinse and pat dry. Put your chicken mix in the leaf, then top with your vegetable mix.  And enjoy!

(For a vegetarian option, you could opt to leave the chicken out as the garbanzo beans are a good source of protein.)

Happy Tasty Tuesday~

Maude's Liquor Bar ~ The New Hotspot on Restaurant Row

Nestled in-between some of my favorite places on Restaurant Row, Maude's Liquor Bar opened rather quietly compared to some of her neighbors (remember the anticipation surrounding Girl & Goat?!).  Don't take this to mean Maude's doesn't deserve the same fervor however.  She has quickly become the new hotspot in this part of town, and very rightly so.

I don't know quite where to begin ~ as Maude's tackles food, cocktails, lounge, and design, and does so all with a chic effortlessness.  Just like the French girls whose style us American girls envy.  How can one look so put together without looking like she tried?  Let me introduce you to Maude.

She is rather petite, I'd speculate to say max seating of 50 downstairs. With beautiful sofas flanking the walls, white painted brick walls and white subway tiles, and gentle sparkling chandeliers, she is what the design world calls "vintage modern".  Mixing vintage pieces (check out the chairs!) with modern amenities, and doing so absolutely flawlessly.

And best of all, Maude's mixes this designer's dream Parisian ambiance with fantastic food and drink.  The "smashes" are the obvious best-seller on the drink menu, and transport one to summer porch-sitting, not a bad thing for us Chicagoans in the middle of winter.  They are fresh and light and muddled ~ one part whimsy, one part sophistication, and voila.

The food is delightful and for the most part best shared with your table.  My favorite arty friend and I shared the lyonnaisse salad, French onion fondue, and escargot, and left with full bellies and big smiles.

I'll be back to take others here, explore the rest of the menu, and venture upstairs to check out the lounge setting.  Great for a date night, a girls night, or catching up with a good friend, the intimate setting and flawless execution of details make Maude's a place not to be missed.

Maude's Liquor Bar
840 W. Randolph
Chicago, IL 60607
Tues - Fri 4:45-2am, Saturday 5:45-2am

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Chicago Restaurant Week 2011!

proud to hold the sign at 2010's Launch Party

It's that time of year again readers.  Remember when I squealed in delight over this subject this time last year?  Well I'm at it again - Chicago Restaurant Week 2011 begins February 18!

With over 200 restaurants to choose from, the deal only sets you back $22 for lunch and $33 or $44 for dinner for the 3-course prix fixe option.  And for those who enjoy a little bubbly, you'll have the opportunity to start the night out with a glass of champagne at those restaurants featuring the Champagne First option.  You can visit the Chicago Restaurant Week website for the full listing of restaurants and all the details, but here's my take on a summary:

Running Feb 18 -27, Restaurant Week brings Chicago some excitement to the long winter, just when we need it.

Highlights from last year? Blackbird, Province (review here), BOKA and Gemini Bistro, all impressed me and are on the list again this year.

On the list this year for me: Oceanique and Cafe des Architects, to name just a couple I've landed on so far.

Have you picked which restaurants will make your 2011 Restaurant Week list?

Chicago Dining Wish List 2011

One of my favorite ways to take advantage of living in this charismatic culinary city is to frequent new restaurants from time to time.  I love finding a new favorite, experiencing a different ingredient, food, cuisine or approach to food altogether.  And I love the anticipation of going to said new discoveries.  The anticipation is half the fun.

So what better way to anticipate, than make a list of places to look forward to going?  The only problem?  Narrowing my list down to a meager 12 restaurants, one for each month, which makes the list feasible to accomplish.

In no particular order, here they are:

Purple Pig - I cannot believe I haven't been here yet.  There are few on this list I feel that way about.  I sampled a pork sandwich from Jimmy Bannos Jr. himself at Chicago Gourmet last summer and it sold me.  If this is what he can produce under a tent on the grass, what can he create in his kitchen?

Davanti Enoteca - It doesn't get much better than Italian cuisine in Chicago's Little Italy.  Add in the fact they are serious about their wine?  Sold. I'm hopeful this will be just the rustic Italian journey I need right about now.

Schwa - I'm intrigued, and quite honestly, expect to be blown away. What more can you say about a restaurant which prides itself on the artistry of fine cuisine, with a Chef whose resume blows most out of the water.

Nightwood - Now this is an approach to food I enjoy. Proud to cook with local, seasonal ingredients (hand-written menus daily!), Nightwood boasts of simplicity and care in their cooking.  My definition of comfort food.

Sunda - I'm a sucker for New Asian cuisine (Spring was always on my list of top Chicago restaurants until it closed), so I'm looking forward to (finally) getting to dine in this hip, New Asian foodie oasis.

NoMI - I don't know what's more alluring, the acclaimed French-inspired menu focused heavily on seafood, or the artistic decor and amazing city and lake views.  With NoMI you can have both.  And that's the point here - the intention being a sensory experience in food and beyond.

Takashi - The French-American-Japanese cuisine has me intrigued, not to mention the buzz around this unpretentious and in vogue Wicker Park gem.

graham elliot - I know, graham elliot has long been famous for their popcorn and other culinary delights, not to mention the acclaimed chef behind them.  I don't know why I've waited so long.  But this will be the year.

grahamwich - (I can double up on Chef Elliot, right?) Let's see if Graham Elliot can take the whimsy and humor he's known for and apply it to his sandwich joint.  If grahamwich is to Graham Elliot as XOCO is to Rick Bayless, I'll be a happy eater.

Vincent - This American Bistro with a Dutch twist has had too much hype over the past year to dismiss it.  I'll gamble it's worth the trip to Edgewater to find out.

Henri - If Henri is half as good as his sister next door (The Gage), I'll be a repeat customer.  Though Henri I'll reserve for a special occasion, and will go to explore elevated French American dining in an uber sophisticated setting. Oui oui.

Longman & Eagle - I've heard so many great things about this Logan Square spot, I'm hoping it lives up to expectation. The farm-to-table, nose-to-tail aesthetic has pleased me in the past (think Girl & Goat, The Bristol), so I'm thinking it's a winner.

We'll see if my picks for 2011 pique my tastebuds as much as I anticipate. Here's to hoping. :)

What's on your 2011 Dining Wish List?

City Girl's Favorite Restaurants of 2010

This year was a great year for Chicago restaurants.  The Michelin Guide came to Chicago, and bestowed honorable 3 stars to both L2O and Alinia.  Stephanie Izard opened up the now acclaimed Girl and the Goat.  Top Chef Masters featured Chicago chefs Rick Tramonto, Tony Mantuano, and Graham Elliot Bowles.  The James Beard awards included Alinea for Outstanding Service and Koren Grieveson of Avec as Best Chef: Great Lakes.  Not to mention the James Beard nominee list was riddled with Chicago culinary forces.  And what's most important, I continued to eat my way through this heavenly city.

Here I share my top 12 Chicago restaurants for 2010.  Some places are long-standing favorites, and continued to impress me last year.  And some are brand spankin' new... or at least to me they are.  Let's see with another year of continued eating, which restaurants will reign supreme.

12: La Madia (reviewed here) ~ has become a restaurant I both recommend and frequent time and time again.  Their thin crust pizzas are made to perfection, and the modern casual atmosphere is refreshing for a pizza parlor.  Not to mention, they have great specials and events sent out to those on their mailing list.

11: The Bristol ~ This boisterous eatery is sure to please the foodies. With it's focus on local and seasonal, they dish out serious delights.  I did overdo it on the bone marrow here, to my own chagrin, and perhaps this is why they aren't listed higher. 

10: de cero ~ One of the best ways to start a night out on the town, de cero makes the list for their amazing duck nachos, taco platters, and lethal margaritas.  I always have quite the good time when we go here.

9: Perennial (reviewed here) ~ Perennial's brunch makes my heart flutter.  The dishes are elegant, yet unpretentious and downright tasty.  Thinking about the smoked salmon and bagel chips makes me salivate.

8: Girl and The Goat (reviewed here) ~ If you haven't heard the hype by now, I'd have to question if you live in Chicago.  This was THE restaurant opening in 2010, and for good reason.  Chef Stephanie Izard showcases her talent for succulent food, including, yes, even the pig's face.

7: One Sixtyblue (reviewed here) ~ I'm a sucker for a good soup, and the cheddar and beer soup here was both elegant and bold.  I'd go back here for a good old fashioned date night with modern dining.

6: The Publican ~ Whoever says The Publican is so 2009 is highly mistaken.  This is the place to go with the boys, the girls, the double date, or the business partner.  I can't think of a reason not to go. Chef Paul Kahn is a mastermind with pig.

5: Bonsoiree (reviewed here) ~ The invite-only Undergound dinner just sounds so cool, it's amazing expectations can be exceeded.  But each course built up to the epiphany of the savory dessert, and I licked my chops and wished the bowl of my carrot and ramp creme brulee was just a little deeper.

4: Terzo Piano (reviewed here) ~ Oh Terzo Piano, I adore you and everything about you.  The food, the venue, the drinks, the cooking classes here - they're all top notch.  If I were making this list in June, with the beautiful piazza fresh on my mind, chances are Terzo would be my number one.

3: XOCO ~ I was afraid Rick Bayless was a little overhyped until I started dining at his restaurants. XOCO is solid, bold, bad ass street fare. The XOCO salad with pork carnitas?  Yes please.  Just save some room for a churro and Aztec hot chocolate on your way out.

2: Spiaggia (reviewed here) ~ Spiaggia is one of those experiences I'll forever hold dear to my heart.  It's fine-dining at it's best ~ service, food, ambiance ~ everything is special.  I still rave to anyone who will listen about the gnocchi with truffles that melts in your mouth.  And I'm a sucker for the Obama favorite, the wood-roasted diver scallop.

1: Avec ~ Having just celebrated New Year's Eve here, the skate wing with duck sausage is still on my mind.  Hence this long-standing favorite is bumped to Numero Uno.  Never a dull taste bud when dining at Avec.

Coming soon, a look at my Dining Wish List for 2011~