Chicago Eating Adventures.

Happy Friday everyone! While in Chicago, we ate at several wonderful places that I am excited to share with you. We ate at one place called Graham Elliot that didn't live up to all the hype, but the atmosphere & cocktails were great! And the popcorn they serve before dinner....OUT OF THIS WORLD! We had 4 full baskets! If you've been there and loved it, please let me know. Maybe I just went when the menu was having an "off" night. Little bit of explanation about the trip...Each year, my mom & her two best friends from college take a couple of trips. Several years ago, they started inviting me. I've been to Vegas, NYC, and no Chicago with them...it's a blast traveling with those ladies! Plus I get to spend time with my mom, which is always a fun time since we like to do a lot of the same things. Here's a yummy post to start your weekend off right!

Our first stop once we got to Chicago - Landmark.

This restaurant was my favorite of the whole trip...nice, classy, yet unpretentious.

The food is made with fresh, in-season ingredients, and the chef is creative and inventive!

For appetizer, I got one of the best summer salads I've ever had!

{Red and golden beets, chioggia-frisee salad, balsamic emulsion, walnuts, fingerling chips.}

This isn't the best picture, but it shows how BIG the entree was...

See the pork chop in the backgroud? My mom and I shared this entree.

THAT is how HUGE it was! However, I cannot convey in words

how tasty this meal was! Every element of it came together so well.

You must get this if you go to Landmark!
{Barbeque glazed heirloom pork chop, bacon spaetzle, sweet onion marmalade}

We met and bonded with the chef, so he brought us out some new

sorbet flavors he was about to start serving.

{Fresh raspberry & Pineapple ginger}

After Landmark, we went to have drinks & watch the sun set at The Signature

Room on top of the John Hancock Building. Had to include this pic :)

Champagne & sunsets are  perfect combo.

Beautiful view.

The menus at Graham Elliot were on old record sleeves! So creative and vibey!

The famous truffle oil infused popcorn w/Parmesan cheese, sea salt, and chives!

 

My cocktail was the Eliot Spritzer...loved it!

{Pear essence, orange bitters, something with a long name, and champagne}

We had afternoon tea at The Drake Hotel, such a fun thing to do!

So elegant inside!

Our tower of treats! Sorry the pics are a little blurry..

Don't know what happened!

I chose the Pear Caramel Tea, which was amazing!

Sweets.

We had drinks at on the rooftop of The Wit.

This is a place you must go as well...

Great views, fun crowd, and good cocktails & small plates!

Loved the decor at The Wit. Look at the light fixtures!

View from atop the ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

We also ate at Gino's Pizza, which is the best pizza in Chicago in my opinion! Before seeing "Million Dollar Quartet," we had dinner at a small Italian restaurant called Sapori Trattoria. Loved the intimate atmosphere and fresh pasta! We stayed at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, right off Michigan Ave. I absolutely loved stay here! It was so classy and conveniently located. They also had a breakfast menu to-die-for in the restaurant attached! We had huge, fresh yogurt parfaits, whole grain orange granola pancakes, and belgian waffles topped with caramelized bananas! If you're on Michigan Ave. stop by this place for breakfast. You won't be disappointed! What are your fave Chicago places?