Kasual Life goes to Chicago

Sophia and I made a quick trip to Chicago and had such a great time exploring the city…and mostly eating. While Sophia was busy studying for finals, my cousin (who also went on the trip) and I were doing research on things to do in the Windy City. I have to be honest, the whole itinerary revolved around places to eat.

We decided to take Megabus there because it was so cheap – about $30 round trip! We booked a hotel through Hotwire and landed the Mile North Hotel, which was really cute and right in the middle of downtown Chicago! It had a great view and was conveniently located.

So, where did we eat?

Avec: bacon wrapped dates were THE BOMB! The tomato sauce was spicy so all together the flavors hit the taste buds just right. Sweet, salty, spicy, and umami!

The Purple Pig: they had a bone marrow smear that pretty much tasted like Pho. Good place for sharing food.

Cafe Iberico: So yummy that we ate there twice! Lots of tapas and paella choices. Their squid dish was so amazing. They do not skimp on the squid and each piece was so tender and juicy. I’m drooling just thinking about it now.

Intelligentsia: Had to stop by the Millenium Park location. Such a cute spot.

Bow Truss: Conveniently located near The Doughnut Vault… coffee + donuts = the perfect pair!

The Doughnut Vault: Donuts bigger than the size of my face.

Magnolia Bakery: I think my life changed for the better after visiting here. The banana pudding is like heaven on earth. The wafers are soft and the pudding is so light and airy with a banana taste that’s not overwhelming at all. Prior to coming here, I had never liked banana pudding or really even pudding in general. We went here twice as well to get some for the trip home. There needs to be a location in Columbus!!

Joy Yee: the go to place in China Town. The portions are huge and at such cheap prices! So many bubble tea & smoothie choices as well.

Nico Osteria: Heard great things about this place and the brunch did not disappoint. Sophia really liked her cow tongue dish and my Dungeness crab omelet was so yummy that I wanted to lick the plate! Located in a cute part of Chicago with some fancy shops.

The food was yummy, the company was fun, the weather was nice and cool, and the city was bustling. Overall, one of the best trips I’ve taken there! 

Stay tuned for a post on our favorite paella picks in the city!