Donuts, Spa and Pizza in Chicago

I think the heading says it all – what more can a girl want? I even had my good friend Cortney along for the ride as I enjoyed the good life in Chicago.

We were staying at the Trump International Chicago, which will always remain one of my favorite hotels. Donald sure knows how to give you the royal treatment and the staff tells me he comes by once in a while to make sure they are doing their job right. They certainly did for us, whether it was giving directions or bringing extra bath salts and neck warmers to our spa room.

I started the day with a little yoga so I wouldn’t feel quite so guilty about what I was about to put in my body – donuts, lots of them. My first stop of the day was at Firecakes Donuts, the latest in Chicago’s gourmet donut trend.

I met with one of the owners, Tony Bardwell, and realized that maybe the donut stop wasn’t so bad for my health. Firecakes uses all natural ingredients, importing cocoa from France, getting Pure Tahitian Vanilla Extract and using fresh fruits. Their selection will just changes slightly with the seasons and currently includes:

Honey Glazed

Apple Fritter

Maple Glazed Pineapple & Bacon

Butterscotch Praline

Lemon Verbena Meringue

Chocolate Hazelnut Long John

Valrhona Chocolate Iced

Classic Jelly

Triple Valrhona Chocolate Cake

Old Fashioned Buttermilk

Coconut Cream

Vanilla Iced

Valrhona Chocolate & Espresso Cream

Peanut Butter Cup

I wanted to try as many as possible, which is not the thing to do before heading to the spa! Tony was kind enough to give me a large box full. With the help of some friends when I got home, I got to try most of them (they were out of a few by the time I arrived at 10:00 am). The Maple Glazed Pineapple & Bacon was a hit with all, but my favorites were the Triple Valrhona Chocolate Cake and the Coconut Cream.

I got back to the Trump hotel with time to spare before my spa treatment. Cortney wasn’t getting a treatment, but was ready to enjoy the facilities of the Spa at Trump, including the steam room, sauna and indoor pool.

I had worn my comfortable robe right from my spa room and decided to check out the amenities in the locker room. I wrapped up my hair in a towel and covered my face with the aloe lotion. I also put some of the oil and lotion on my body and then proceeded to go into the steam room and then the sauna. I finished with the scrub (all of these products are complimentary to spa goers) in the shower.

I stayed in the relaxation room enjoying the Chicago skyline and some tea before it was time for my treatment. I was asked if I wanted anything else to drink as I was brought into the Nail & Foot Spa and the options included cocktails and tea. I stuck with the tea as the neck warmer was placed around me and I dipped my feet into the warm water to begin my Crystal Devine Foot Treatment.

It was truly divine, from the scrub with a sugar mixture to the ginger mask and the warm crystal massage. I followed this up with the Bio-Pearl Hand Treatment, using essential oils and a sweet-water pearl wrap in a warming mitt. Pearl powder lotion was applied to my hands before my manicure was done to match my toes.

I was thoroughly relaxed after my two hours in the spa, as was Cortney. We definitely had a hard time saying goodbye to the spa (and the spa room), but we packed it up and left the hotel for our lunch at La Madia.

I was truly impressed with this restaurant, owned in part by Chef Jonathan Fox. It was a pizzeria for grownups, with suggested wine pairings and unusual offerings in a comfortable, yet upscale setting.

We had the Pizza Fondue, a cheese and tomato sauce mixture that you dip bread into. We also shared a Chopped Italian salad, with gorgonzola, spicy walnuts and shaved pears in a tasty balsamic vinaigrette.

The pizza we chose had cherry tomatoes, burrata cheese and summer squash. It was delicious, as was the Rome Apple Tart & Almond Cream dessert, with Vanilla Bean Gelato. We also had the Chocolate Polenta Cake, but I found it to be a bit too lose for polenta.

We left the restaurant completely stuffed and made the long ride home, wondering I would put on the agenda for the next Chicago adventure.

Chicago Comfort Food and the Spa Life

I was just getting over an illness, but itching to travel, so when the opportunity to go to Chicago and do nothing except eat, drink and spa came up, my bags were packed and I was ready to go.

My friend Cortney picked me up for our second adventure in Chicago together.  Our first stop was The Local Chicago, just opened in December, 2012. Even though this restaurant is by the same owners as Chicago Cut Steakhouse, the two could not be more different.

The Local Chicago is all about a casual atmosphere and old fashioned American Comfort food, offering fare to the “locals” such as a Thanksgiving Dinner every Thursday.  It is open from 6:30 am to 2:00 pm, offering one menu for lunch and dinner.

We started lunch with the unbelievable Blue Cheese Fondue Chips, which were soft and crispy. We also tasted the Jalapeño corn bread and it was easy to see why Oprah fell in love with it. Alongside the comfort food were comfort cocktails, with ingredients like house-made grenadine and hibiscus gin.

I was thrilled to hear they are very allergy conscious here and don’t share the same fryers or pans with different types of food so when Cortney was enjoying her scallops with butternut squash risotto, I didn’t need to worry that my Dr. Pepper Ribs (as good as it sounds) and fries were cooked anywhere near them.

We finished the meal with a sampling of a trio of their most popular desserts – chocolate mousse, warm chocolate chip cookies and Oreo mint ice cream pie and thanked our hardworking waitress, Linda.

Within a few minutes we were pulling up at the Trump International Hotel Chicago. This was my third visit, but I will never get tired of the first class treatment. It would be even more than usual as Cortney and I were spending the night in one of their Spa Rooms.  

In addition to direct access to the spa without having to take an elevator, we had a room full of extras that come standard in these rooms, including thick robes; an oversized bathtub with salts, oils and scrubs; and a heater for our nightly eye and neck warmers. We also had a wonderful view. 

We relaxed for a bit before meeting Michael Koury downstairs at Rebar to hear about the cocktail menu introduced for the spring and summer. He told us about his new ice program, which included large cubes infused with everything from smoke for whiskey to rosemary and thyme for herby cocktails. Even the new pastry chef was getting into the mix with ice pops.

He said the focus would be on citrus and champagne. We tried a few of the drinks, including the White Sangria (St. Germain, sauvignon blanc and vodka) which macerates with peaches and apples in a big glass jug at the bar.

In addition to the drinks, Rebar has mixed up their famous sushi for the summer by using soybean paper instead of seaweed so the outside doesn’t overpower the inside.  

We had a Trump Ransom (Ransom Gin, Peach Ciroc Vodka, rosemary-infused simple syrup, Blood Orange San Pelligrino) for the road before grabbing a cab to City Tavern.

To be honest, I probably would have picked a different restaurant for dinner had I realized that City Tavern also specialized in comfort food, but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it.

The cocktail menu was a bit too eclectic for my taste (I learned I’m not a fan of Arrak), but the wine was interesting and diverse enough to make up for it.  I really liked the Ship of Fools Pinot Blanc from Traverse City.

As at The Local Chicago we had a sampling of a number of things on the menu.  The pork belly sliders were quite good and came with the best (house-made) potato chips I’ve ever had. The meatloaf was perfectly paired with a great mac and cheese, but the best at City Tavern is definitely the fried chicken, coated in maple and honey, then vinegar to give it the sweet and salty.

For dessert we only had room left for small bites of the apple pie with cheese and the chocolate pudding with homemade fig newtons.  Kelin, who had been serving us all evening, suggested a prosecco to top off the night and it certainly did.

When we arrived back at the Trump Chicago, our beds were turned down, chocolates, water bottles, slippers and the warm neck and eye pillow were waiting. We drifted off to sleep, thinking that the only thing better than this was the day ahead at the spa.

Taking in More Views and Tastes of Chicago

One of my Chicago bucket list items for the longest time was to have dinner up on The Terrace at Trump and watch the fireworks over Navy Pier. It didn’t go exactly as planned, but it did turn out even better than I expected.

I was with Cocktails and Joints publisher Dale Winespeare for some meetings (and eating) in Chicago. We were staying at The Trump and had plans for dinner at The Terrace. Unfortunately, it was a windy night and it was closed off, but we ended up with a tour that finished in front of a perfect window table., which still provided a perfect view.

We didn’t have to make any decisions as Executive Chef Michael Fiddler was ready with a sampling of the menu he created for the summer season. We started with some cocktails from the creative menu, I with a delicious Exotic Ginger (Belvedere, St. Germain, Cointreau, muddled ginger, white cranberry juice and lime) and Dale with a Berry Genever (Bols Genever, lilac, lemon and muddled blackberry) he really enjoyed.

My first taste turned out to be my very favorite item on the table. The Garden Salwich was a combination of burrata, fried eggplant, pequillo, pesto, tomato compote, arugula and smoked olive oil aioli on a grilled polenta bread, drizzled with balsamic. It was filled with fresh ingredients.

At first I thought the sliders and potatoes sounded a bit boring as compared to some of the other offerings, but when I tasted these Wagyu Beef concoctions with Prairie cheddar cheese and homemade ketchup, served with potatoes in blue cheese, I quickly changed my mind.

Dale got to try the fish dishes, which included Thai Fish Tacos. The fish was in a curry sauce that also had papaya and coconut milk. He really liked them, but not as much as the Lobster Babies. These lobster sandwiches contain shallots and tarragon for an extra special taste.

Before we had actual dessert, we tried some of the Adult Ice Pops. I thought the Passion Colada was a bit too sweet, but the Sangria Rouge was excellent, as was everything in the next course, from the Mandarin Vanilla Float (Goose Island Vanilla Soda and Combier Orange Liquor) to the Caramel Nutella Cones (with Twelve Caramel Ice Cream and salted hazelnuts).

I stayed in a one bedroom suite at The Trump for the night, working out in the morning and holding off on breakfast for our next stop – Glazed and Infused.  It’s not difficult to get me to have any type of cake for breakfast, though no one has ever presented me with a selection like this! Pastry Chef Christine McCabe presented us with a selection of doughnuts like I’ve never seen before. Then she sat down to explain about how she uses natural ingredients, fresh fruits and makes the doughnuts so they absorb less of the Tran fat free oil.

The feast in front of me contained Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Ganache; Old Fashioned Buttermilk; Raspberry Jelly-Filled; Peanut Butter & Jelly; Luscious Lemon (Dale’s Favorite); Apple Fritter; Crème Brulee; Chocolate Four (my favorite); and Maple Bacon Long John (the customers’ favorite).

I was happy to have a few hours to walk and work before my final meal of this Chicago trip. That last eatery was Mercat a la Planxa inside the Blackstone Hotel. It was my second experience eating at a Chef Jose Garces restaurant.  (I ate at Distrito while in Scottsdale).  Like that restaurant, Mercat a la Planxa had a menu filled with unusual Latin food and drinks. 

From 2 Sparrows to the Trump

I checked out of The James in Chicago, but there was still more to taste in the city. Breakfast with my Cocktails and Joints Publisher Dale Winespeare was scheduled at 2 Sparrows and I couldn’t wait to check out this unusual spot.

This is a breakfast and lunch only restaurant with the food driven by what’s local, fresh and in season. The owners, Gregory Ellis and Steven Fladung, grew up in Chicago and both bring in a host of restaurant experience that was mostly earned at the famed Charlie Trotters.

In addition to the locally-driven food, 2 Sparrows has a great menu of cocktails, wine, beer and spirits – many of which are from small, regional developers, such as North Shore Distillery and Metropolitan Brewing.

While the food and drink menu does change often, I can tell you we loved what we had. That included Buttermilk Pancakes with honey mascarpone, blueberry and fresh maple syrup; Maple & Bacon Doughnuts; and “Pop Tarts” filled with Nutella and topped with raspberry icing.

Of course, a breakfast like that needs to be washed down with cocktails and there is no shortage of exciting ones here. Our favorites were the 553 (North Shore Gin #6, St. Germain, blueberry, sage and ginger), Split Compliment (Moon Mountain Vodka, cherry, Sombra Mezcal, Sioux City Ginger Beer and lime) and Black Heart 75 (Journeyman Distillery Gin, Santome Prosecco Rose and orange marmalade). While it wasn’t quite my taste, Dale really enjoyed the Bloody Norseman (North Shore Aquavit, House Made Bloody Mary mix, lime, beef jerky and a pickle).

We went from 2 Sparrows to take a look at one of Chicago’s newest accommodations, Hotel Lincoln. This is one of the most unusual hotels I’ve seen, matched by a sister property I had lunch at in Arizona, The Saguaro Scottsdale. It’s a combination of ultra-modern and nostalgic and I look forward to staying there soon. They also have a rooftop bar and lounge with a view that will make you believe you’ve landed in the Caribbean rather than the Midwest.

Dale and I then checked into our rooms at another favorite hotel of mine, the Trump International Chicago.  I had been here once before and the rooms, service and food are as you would expect from a property with the Trump name on it. From the moment you pull into the circular driveway of this massive hotel, you are made to feel like royalty and the management extended my feeling by putting me into a beautiful one bedroom suite with breathtaking views of Chicago from both the bedroom and the living room (also loved the chocolates on the bed with a letter from Donald Trump welcoming me).

I settled in for a bit and soaked up the luxury before Dale and I headed off to lunch at Volare Chicago. It was my first trip to this Italian restaurant and I was very happy that Dario, our waiter, was so helpful with wonderful suggestions. He started us with Insalata D’Anguria, a delicious and unusual combination of watermelon, string beans and dry ricotta in a balsamic reduction. He suggested adding a little truffle oil and that made it just perfect.

For lunch, I had the Fettuccine with Porcini Mushrooms & Veal. It was served in a light cream sauce and just terrific. Dale loved his Grigliato Miste, a mixture of seafood that included scallops, calamari and shrimp with a bit of a blackened taste.

Dessert was just as good as lunch as I had a light and tasty Napoleon while Dale went for the Panna cotta with saffron.

We decided to burn off some calories and walked back to the Trump Hotel. There was a bit of time to get some work done before an evening I had been waiting for as we were having dinner up on The Terrace at Trump International Hotel Chicago, which includes views of Chicago and the fireworks at Navy Pier. 

Checking Out Chicago’s Latest & Greatest

I try to take one big trip and one quick getaway each month. I often do the latter in Chicago, about two hours from my home. Even though I’ve been in the Midwest over two years now, I never have a problem finding something unique to do in the Windy City.

I started my latest Chicago adventure with a Chef’s Table event by The Local Tourist.  My friend Theresa Carter does a wonderful job with these events, which include everything from seven course formal meals, to pizza and wine pairings -- like the one I attended at Red Flame Pizzeria.  This restaurant/wine bar has many wine selections are reasonable, wide ranged and many are available by the glass.

The Chef’s Table event is a great way to network for business, or make new friends, while tasting food that Chicago’s Local Tourist will stand by.  At Red Flame we had a Brushetta Trio for a starter, followed by a selection of pizzas (including the veg HEAD, with wild mushrooms, spinach, roasted garlic, basil and extra virgin olive oil, and the crazyFLAME, four cheeses topped with arugula salad).  We even had a dessert pizza called S’mores -- flame-cooked dough topped with chocolate spread, graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips and marshmallows!

The food was great at Red Flame, as was the wine, the favorites of which were Otto’s Constant Dream Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Budini Malbec from Argentina, The Velvet Devil Merlot from Washington and Grayson Cabernet from Napa. I tried to pace myself because there was plenty more food and drink to come on this trip, starting with lunch at Rock Bottom Brewery with my friends from Edible Ink PR.

The brews at Rock Bottom (there were nine on the menu) have won over 125 major awards and vary from “I’ll be back Winter Lager” to “Drink Me India Pale Ale.”  You will also find a great cocktail menu that includes martinis, margaritas and some house specials.  We had a selection of starters – loved the Ballpark pretzels, brushed with ale and served with a spicy spinach cheese dip – and then I had a tasty turkey burger with their delicious macaroni and cheese.  The menu is huge and has a selection that would please anyone.

Rock Bottom was just a few short blocks from my hotel for the night, the Trump Chicago. I had seen it tower over the city in its own little conclave, but this was my first time inside. I have to say I was extremely impressed.  I see a lot of five star hotels, but the attention to detail here is just amazing.  You feel it immediately when you walk in to face the concierge, not the front desk.  The area is large and welcoming, and they will pretty much take care of anything you want, from walking your dog (the Trump has its own dog walk), to getting your bottled water inside your room. (And, speaking of bottled water, I loved the way the valet brought my car back cleaned out and with fresh bottled water!)

My room was not a suite, but it was very large and had a kitchenette.  I also marveled at the enclosed shower and tub area. I had the pleasure of taking a tour around the property with the Sales & Marketing Director, Robert Prohaska.  The Spa Suites are wonderful, located on the floor with the extensive gym and spa, so you can keep the relaxation going in your room’s soaking tub when you finish your treatment.  The extras in these rooms (as well as the family suites) are amazing, especially the warmer for neck and eye wraps that comes with your nightly turndown service. I am scouring my schedule for some time for a more extensive look at these rooms! If you don’t have the opportunity to stay at
Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago, I suggest you at least come for a drink at ReBar, meal at Sixteen or, in the spring through fall, The Terrace, where you have breathtaking views of Chicago that include the fireworks over Navy Pier twice a week.

I had a magnificent breakfast at Sixteen, but I didn’t eat dinner there.  That was at one of my other favorites in Chicago, Palmer House Hilton.  I had stayed at this classic hotel a few months ago, but this time I was there to check out the Regional Wine Journey Classes at their Lockwood Restaurant.. They are led by Manager Sasa Sinanagic, who takes patrons through a different wine region each time.  I had come for Spain and Portugal, two areas I was eager to learn more about.  I wasn’t disappointed in the lesson or the wine that Sinanagic chose.

It’s only $25 to taste a selection of wines while you learn about the areas they are produced in. It’s always a small group so there is plenty of interaction. Sinanagic is very open to questions and was more than happy to provide those who wanted with some tasting lessons.  A big hit was the Portuguese Vino Verde, with citrus and green apple notes, this wine is only $24 in the restaurant.  Spain’s Orballo Albarino, full of tropical fruit like pineapple and melon, was also very good.  We were also introduced to wines that many in the group didn’t know, such as Tempranillo and Grenache. Sinanagic believes, “We owe our guests to better educate them to understand wine and food.”

As for the food, you won’t get any complaints from me.  I was in the mood for something a bit lighter and Lockwood Restaurant knows how to do even that in style.  The Butternut Squash and Apple Soup was flavorful and not too heavy and the Black Truffle Risotto was divine.  For more information on Lockwood and the Regional Wine Journey Classes, visit the website or call (312) 917-3404.