Can someone please tell me where September went? I blinked and kind of missed it!!! Even though it flew by, I still had the opportunity to do some great things:
Brightwok Kitchen
Brightwok Kitchen– I love getting invited to new restaurants that have opened or are opening in the city. I always feel special and “in the know” before everyone else has the chance to check it out. A perk of being a foodie on the circuit here in Chicago I guess! The newly opened Brigthwork Kitchen in the Loop is right up my alley; a fast-casual Asian restaurant with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, where all the sauces are vegan AND gluten-free. How’s that for accommodating all dietary restrictions? I had a blast trying out the new spot with a bunch of my foodie friends. I had the brown rice bowl with tofu, lots of veggies (bell peppers, onions, broccoli, bean sprouts, kale, bok choy and zucchini) with the chili coconut curry sauce and loved it. So flavorful, healthy and filling. My kind of veggie meal!
Chicago Gourmet 2015
Chicago Gourmet– I was SO thrilled to have the opportunity to go to Chicago Gourmet again this year (read about last year’s adventure here). In contrast to last year event where I focused more on meeting with and interviewing celebrity chefs, this year I spent more time trying the food and drinks. Isn’t that what the festival is for??? ha ha. I had all kinds of items from avocado and feta dip with harissa dusted pita to heirloom tomato and burrata toast to mini pies on a stick and the list goes on. So much great food, one foodie stomach. It is a bit of sensory overload, but there is a reason it is called “Culinary Heaven.” The good news is that I had the chance to attend the first “Rise and Shine Gourmet” the following morning and get in an awesome yoga workout with brunch in Maggie Daley Park. That sort of evens out from the day of indulgence, right?
Rosebud’s 40th Anniversary Party
Rosebud 40th Anniversary Party– The Rosebud group of restaurants are quite popular here in Chicago and it was such an honor to be invited to their 40th Anniversary party. A great crowd had gathered at the restaurant Carmine’s to commemorate the celebration. There was a fabulous buffet of some of the most popular dishes of the Rosebud restaurants and I’m happy to report that the favorite among the group that night was one of the vegetarian dishes, the “eggplant stack” with fried eggplant, mozzarella, tomatoes and arugula. Even I was blown away at the flavor and freshness and can’t wait to go back for more. I definitely enjoyed some of the other vegetarian options available, but that eggplant stack was a game changer. Try it out next time you are in the area and let me know if you loved it as much as I did!
Nonna’s Sandwiches
Nonna’s– Located in the ever-growing West Loop, this adorable Italian sandwich shop is awesome. With made-to-order sandwiches, homemade pastries and delicious desserts, you can easily get items to go or enjoy them at the counter (it’s a little too late for patio season now…boo, you’ll have to wait til next year). Nonna’s sister restaurant is Formento’s (which I still have not been to, but hear awesome things about) and both share the same kitchen. I tried quite a few vegetarian items at our lovely dinner at Nonna’s, but there was one stellar sandwich that stole the show for me, the wood-fired zucchini sandwich with mozzarella, basil pesto, romaine and pickled shallots on a baguette. It was so tasty and something I have never had before. I love trying different and new kinds of vegetarian sandwiches and will definitely back for this one again.
BeHealthful Retreat
BeHealthful Retreat– My dear friend Sarah, of The Balanced Babe, just hosted another amazing BeHealthful Retreat bringing together health and wellness experts in the Chicagoland area for a fabulous day of seminars, yoga and pilates classes, demonstrations, food tastings, spa services and so much more. It was such a fantastic event to remember to focus on yourself and your own health and wellness. I sat in on a few seminars discussing how to eat clean as well as being true to yourself and following your passions. I also spent the afternoon getting pampered with chair massages, mini facials, a manicure, and sampling some lovely vegetarian salads, granola bars and the list goes on. I really felt like a million bucks leaving that event and can’t wait for the next one. Hats off to Sarah and all the hard work she put in to pull off such an amazing event.
Lure Izakaya Pub
Lure Izakaya Pub– Four of my dear foodie friends have recently come together to develop a new blog and outlet called FabFoodChicago. They hosted their first event after launching the blog at Lure Izakaya Pub, a Japanese restaurant in Lakeview. It was such a great time with about 30 foodies who spent more time taking pictures than actually eating the wonderful food. I was joking calling it a “foodie and photo frenzie.” We had a blast, but more so, I had the chance to try some unbelievable vegetarian Japanese food. The chef very thoughtfully curated some great dishes for me (and my friend Connie who eats mostly vegetarian) and we had a blast photographing and eating through all the courses. One of my favorites was the cucumber rolls with fresh beets in a green tea matcha and mint broth. It was something I have never had before, but truly enjoyed because of the delicious flavor and freshness. Oh, and the deep-fried avocado nuggets dusted with spices were the bomb too. Both are must order items when you go to Lure Izakaya.
Please Note: While I was invited to these events, all opinions are my own.