Considering I was on vacation to Miami and the Dominican Republic for 9 days in June, I sure did still do a lot here in Chicago. As always, many great openings this summer and endless amounts of fun…so much so, that I’m going to split up this recap into two parts. Here’s Part 1:
Chiya Chai Cafe
Chiya Chai Cafe– If you follow me on Instagram (vegtourist) you’ll have seen the caption that I added to this picture; “Being Indian, I am extremely picky when it comes to a cup of chai. Chiya Chai Cafe opens tomorrow in Logan Square and their masala chai is amazing and truly authentic. The one pictured here is a blueberry lavender chai with cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and nutmeg. Seriously delicious and unlike anything I have had. Trust me, this is a must-visit place.” I truly mean those words. Finding traditional, authentic chai (not the crap that Starbucks claims as chai) is for some reason near impossible. I’ve attempted to have a cup of chai at many Indian restaurants here in Chicago and am always baffled at how not even one of them has been remotely good or even close to tasting like authentic chai. Well, I don’t need to worry anymore as I have found hands-down the best possible chai I’ve maybe ever had in my life (bold statement, I know). I have already been craving the spicy masala chai since I had it for the first time at Chiya Chai Cafe a few weeks ago. They should definitely expect me to be a regular there. If you are looking for the real deal, you can’t miss this place.
Federales
Federales– Oh boy! An invite to a VIP opening event for the highly anticipated restaurant and bar Federales in the West Loop? You better believe I was going and super excited about it. What’s not to love about tacos and/or tequila?! With a huge outdoor seating area and a retractable roof on the covered area, this place is definitely one of the newest hot spots in the city while Chicago is enjoying some amazing summer weather. Add to it some tasty eats and fun drink concoctions and it’s just happiness all around. At our event, there was a cute little build your own taco station, supplemented with lots of chips, salsa and guacamole. The veggie tacos (fire roasted rajas, potatoes and onions) were good and I will say that it is a pretty limited menu in general, and especially for a vegetarian and/or vegan choices, so just double-check the menu before you go. But, if you are coming to drink and have some chips and guac, you can’t ask for a more fun spot, especially when the weather is nice and you can sit outside.
Peninsula Garden Party 2016
The Peninsula Garden Party– Last year I attended one of the most epic parties I have ever attended in my entire life at The Peninsula (read more about that here). It was funny because I thought I was just showing up to a small media dinner…wow, was I wrong! So, this year when I received a save-the-date for the annual Peninsula party a few months in advance, you better believe my calendar was blocked off for that day. This year’s theme was a garden party, and as per usual, The Peninsula spared no detail. It’s always so well done, so amazing and so creative, that it’s hard to almost take it all in. Everything from the food to the decor to the entertainment is truly beyond imagination and I am always so grateful to have the opportunity to attend. The Peninsula just completed renovating all of their hotel rooms and suites and we had the chance to check them out. Can I just say mind blown?! The two bedroom suite with office, kitchen and dining room was beyond anything I have ever stepped foot in. I was kind of hoping they wouldn’t notice if I just moved in 🙂 Honestly though, the new rooms are magnificent (even just the regular rooms…ha ha) and I can’t rave enough. But then again, I just can’t rave enough about anything The Peninsula does, so I get it.
Taste of Randolph
Taste of Randolph– One of my favorite Chicago summertime festivals! I think I have gone every year for like the past 8 years straight. It’s always a great time listening to some fun bands, having a few drinks and eating some great food. And, as the restaurant and bar scene has literally exploded along Restaurant Row on Randolph in the last five years, this has also upped the tasty food offerings at the Taste of Randolph. Aside from the fact that this street festival just attracts a large crowd in general, I always manage bumping into friends and making new ones. Nothing to complain about there. This street fest is every June so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for next year’s event and hopefully I will see you there. More like, it is highly likely I will see you there!
Zucchi Olive Oil Tasting
Zucchi Olive Oil Blending Class– The cool, unique things I get to experience just because of my blog still blow me away many days. Take for example, an olive oil blending class at Quartino’s Restaurant through Zucchi Olive Oil. The founder and expert olive oil blenders came here all the way from Italy to showcase their premium olive oil products, as well as teach us how to examine, taste and learn more about olive oil. Who knew that just like wines, olive oils can have so many different notes, aromas and tastes, everything from banana to tomato to green apple? Surely not me, until I tried them in a side-by-side comparison. We also then blended our very own olive oil for our own cooking purposes (I decided to blend mine for pizza/bruschetta uses, so I used more of the tomato and spicy olive oil blends for my concoction). What an interesting, educational and fun little experiment. It’s definitely opened my eyes to the level of quality, taste and proficiency that go into producing amazing olive oil and I really enjoyed learning about it from Zucchi Olive Oils. I don’t think I’m quite ready to add master blender to my list of skills just yet though.
Please Note: While I was invited to these events, all opinions are my own.