There is no denying I love good food…of all kinds. And when I go to the big city, I want to experience some really good meals with local ambience. I had some specific goals in mind for my Chicago trip and was able to fulfill them all. Now, I am not going to tell you about all my Chicago dining experiences…just a couple.
First and foremost is The Chicago Hot Dog. I looked forward to this one when I first planned my trip. What makes a Chicago Dog so special? Well it is unique and has to be made with certain ingredients in a certain way. Here is the recipe:
A Chicago-style hot dog is a steamed, boiled or grilled all-beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun, originating from the city of Chicago. The hot dog is topped with mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish (often a dyed neon green variety called "Nuclear Relish" or "Emerald Relish"), a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers, and celery salt. No variations are allowed and definitely no ketchup.
Oddly, I could only find these dogs downtown. I am sure they are available in other places, but I could not find them, even in Wrigleyville or in sports bars. So, how do they taste? Fantastic!! A little spicy thanks to the sport peppers, but definitely delicious. But be warned, they are messy to eat. Don’t try eating and driving with these babies. But, when in Chicago, put them high on your list.
Now, when I go to big cities, I love to eat in sports bars and enjoy sporting events with the local fans. And that is easy to do in Chicago as it is a sports-crazed city. So when I went over to Wrigleyville, there was only on place I wanted to eat…Harry Carey’s Tavern.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, Harry Carey, now deceased, was and is a Chicago icon…the voice of the Chicago Cubs for oh so many years. At his tavern, I had a “Holy Cow” burger, named after his favorite broadcast expression. It was very good…but more than that, this tavern was filled with sports memorabilia, photos of famous folks and even a bust of Harry. 
But most important, the place was filled with sports fans, even though the Cubs were not playing that day. They were watching baseball and hockey, especially their Blackhawks who are in the NHL Playoffs. Such a great atmosphere for me to be a part of Chicago, even if only during lunch hour.
The final place on my original list was Ditka’s Restaurant. This restaurant owned by another Chicago icon, Mike Ditka. Now, for those who don’t know, Mike was a tight end for the Chicago Bears and later coached them to a Super Bowl Championship in the 80’s. He is a fiery, no-nonsense guy who you don’t want angry at you. But, he will also be honest and straightforward with you with no BS…no matter who he offends. He is currently a football analyst on ESPN and I always enjoy listening to his opinions.
Ditka’s is located downtown on Chestnut Street. It is not a true sports bar, although there is a very nice bar where I am sure you can watch games while enjoying a meal. Ditka’s is first an foremost a restaurant with a great menu and a very upscale decor…even though there is sports memorabilia (mostly football of course) everywhere.
I had a dish called a “Meatloaf Mash”…a thick slice of meatloaf, sitting on a slice of jalapeño cornbread…covered with BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes, and thin sliced onion rings. Oh my God, was it good! And I am not a meatloaf fan. My friend Susan had salmon which she said was absolutely perfect. I washed my meal down with two classes of Mike Ditka’s Ale, also very good.
From what I can tell, Ditka’s serves outstanding food, and I hear their steaks, although expensive, are to die for. I highly recommend you put this place on your list. And yes, that is me in the picture after lunch…my stomach was flat before I went in.
There is one other great meal that I at, but won’t go into detail…it was on the 95th floor of Hancock Building. The view was spectacular to say the least…all of Chicago was laid out before me. But the most memorable part was actually being with friends who I had not seen in a while and whose friendships I cherish.
As you can see, I lived and dined well in Chicago. And I haven’t even mentioned some of the other great meals I had, including some homemade ones. Don’t you just love it when all the elements of a vacation come together so perfectly leaving you with amazing memories that will last a lifetime?
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