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Pucca

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    Chicago, IL

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  1. I'll be in town next weekend, which coincides with the 9th Ave International Food Festival. Has anyone been recently? Is it worth checking out, and if so, which are some of your favorite street vendors? I know that I should start early. Any other tips? Thanks!
  2. Biscuit Girl, I went to Singapore for the weekend a couple of years ago and posted my report here. Hope this helps! Have fun!
  3. I'm trying to finalize our Labor Day weekend in San Diego. During our trip, we'll be going to the Zoo, Petco Park, La Jolla, Del Mar Fairgrounds, Coronado Island, and possibly Cabrillo Monument. We'll be staying on the southern tip of Mission Blvd. On my list to hit will be: In n Out Fatburger South Beach Bar & Grille for fish tacos Exordinary Desserts Garlic fries at Petco I'm on the fence about these, so if you have better suggestions, please let me know! Rubios - should I try their fish tacos or shrimp burrito? Sombrero - I'm interested in trying carne asada fries, and this was one of the recommendations Hash House The Linkery Definitely want to dine w/an oceanview. Here are some of the ones that I have come across so far: Brockton Villa or George's at the Cove in La Jolla Kono's Cafe, World Famous, Canes Bar & Grille I've also read about Rimels and El Pescador Fish Market in La Jolla. Where do you recommend shopping for a picnic? Also, since most of my list is on the casual side, what to recommend for a dinner date, something on the nicer side ( i.e. average entree less than $25)? And finally, what is something edible that is uniquely San Diego that I can bring home to my family and friends? It MUST survive the flight back to Chicago, and I do not want to check in my luggage. Thanks!
  4. Where should I go for a good lobster roll? We'll be staying downtown without a car, so we will need a restaurant that is T assessible. I have received rec's for Skipjacks and Neptune Oyster Bar from co-workers. Thanks
  5. I love Nuevo Leon! I always order the tacos de sabinas - flour tortillas filled with strips of ribeye bursting with flavor, beans, and chihuahua cheese. Yum, I am salivating like Homer just thinking about it! I like a little heat in my food, but I always request them to be made w/o jalapenos b/c the taco has plenty of flavor on its own. Sweets and Savories is another favorite of mine. I was so impressed on my first visit that I returned later that week for their Sunday brunch. Their duck fat frites are not to be missed. They are traditionally served with a tasty fig ketchup, but we were fortunate to have a truffle mayo as a special from the chef. These were so heavenly. You can also get discounted gift certificates on restaurant.com.
  6. I just realized that I never replied after my visit. Sorry! I enjoyed Lexington Market, especially since there is not one like it in Chicago. It reminds me of St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. The crabcakes at Faidley's were delicious. My friends from Baltimore thanked me for taking them to this little gem & loved Faidley's. We enjoyed a Polish from Johnny's, and brought home some cookies from Bergers. Those were quickly devoured! I also really enjoyed the Utz crab flavored potato chips - they had a slight kick to them that I found quite addictive. Thanks for the tips.
  7. I started getting a cold the day we arrived, which definitely prevented me from enjoying the full flavors and aromas of everything we ate. Our first stop upon arrival was Chinatown. We had lunch at Congee Village, and ordered two kinds of congee: 1) sliced fish with lettuce and 2) beef. The beef congee was the better of the two. The fish came in very small bite size pieces that contained bones and scales. The fried dough was cold and disappointing since we arrived only minutes after opening. We expected them to be fried fresh to order. It was a disappointing start after a starving walk. Next, we stopped at Egg Custard King Cafe. We tried the almond and strawberry flavors. The egg custard was so warm and the crust was buttery and flakey. After a little shopping, we went to Joe’s Shanghai for their legendary xiao long bao. We ordered both the crab & pork and the pork dumplings. Wow! The skin was just as thin and delicate as I remember in Hong Kong. The dumplings burst with so much soup! Check out gravity working on these delicate little pouches. I only wish there was something in Chicago that came ½ way close to these delicate little packages. Before departing, we went to the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. I had a taste of the taro but couldn’t decipher much flavor so I went w/the almond cookie. There were chunks of almond cookie mixed in w/the dough. It was pretty good, but made it a chewy type of ice cream – although not as chewy as Turkish ice cream. For dinner, we went to Hearth. I went in with pretty high expectations. The room felt like a broiler. I was wearing a short sleeved thin shirt, so I couldn’t even strip myself of any layers to cool myself down. This discomfort definitely contributed to a less than ideal experience. I’m sure this was only worsened by being sick. I ordered the winter salad of mixed greens and candied walnuts topped with a sherry vinegrette. For my main, I had the pan seared skate w/ roasted winter vegetables garnished with pomegranate seeds. I just didn’t really feel like anything I ate was special. Service was attentative. For dessert we decided to go to Magnolia Bakery. I picked a yellow cupcake w/vanilla frosting. The cupcake was a little dense but also light – not moist but not dry. The frosting was a little more sugary than the buttercreams to my memory. It was fine, but nothing to write home about. Service could be improved. On our second day, we lucked out with being seated immediately at Baltahazar w/o reservations for breakfast. I had the roasted pepper and carmelized onion quiche with mixed greens. My fresh squeezed orange juice was so fresh and sweet. The quiche was delicious w/melted gruyere cheese in every bite. The busboys were great and on top of things, but our server was absolutely clueless. The computer system was down, and she seemed so disoriented without it. Even the busboys were getting frustrated with her. We were dressed in our coats and waiting for change when a new order of food was starting to be placed on our table b/c our server was messing up orders and table numbers. I bought a chocolate croissaint next door, and it was deliciously buttery! For a late lunch we went to Lombardi’s. We ordered a house salad, calzone, and small margherita. The pizza was the highlight of the meal. The San Marzano sauce, fresh mozzarella, and crust were a divine combination. I am still dreaming of it now. We had such a big, late lunch that we didn’t have dinner. On our last morning, we headed over to H&H Bagels to pick up some bagels to bring home w/us. We went to Zabar’s to pick up some more goodies for bringing home w/us. I could’ve spent hours there! I bought a potato knish, chocolate babkas and cinnamon rugalach. The chocolate babka was my favorite. I had no idea what to expect, and it was phenomenal. We went to Popover Café for lunch. We ordered a basket of 3 popovers served with strawberry butter. They were huge! I liked the inside. I hadn’t eaten in 20 hours, so I ordered a burger that was overcooked. I think their breakfast fare looked better than the lunch options. All in all, I had a great time. I wish I wasn’t sick and that the weather could’ve been a little milder. Thanks for all the tips!
  8. Yum, what's that swirly loaf? Yes, this is my first visit as an adult. As a kid, I'd been to NY a few times to stay w/family, but they never took me out much.
  9. Which signature NYC, edible goodies do you recommend that I bring home w/me to my friends and family back home in Chicago? The only thing I could think of that might travel well are black & white cookies. Thanks! I will definitely be posting about my trip when I return! Thank you for all your help.
  10. Thanks for all the helpful replies. One more question: Which bakery do you recommend for black & white cookies? My sister likes Dean & DeLuca (is this still a worthwhile stop? which location?). I was also recommended Rocco's on Bleeker St, which I understand has a layer of apricot jam in between the cookie and the icing? Thank you!
  11. I couldn't get through to Babbo to make reservations, so I asked my hotel's concierge to help. All they had available was 10:15pm. So onto plan B: It's between Po, Olives, English is Italian and Hearth. I'm so torn. There will be three of us girls in our mid/late 20's. Want to keep it under $75 incl tax & tip excl drinks. Open to tasting menus, but if a la carte, then we'd order 1-2 appetizers and 1-2 desserts to share. I can't seem to find much written up on Olives or English is Italian. Advice? Thanks! Also, which is your favorite cupcake destination?
  12. Hello! I found your forum through a poster on my local foodie board. I'm coming to Baltimore tomorrow, and first thing on the agenda is to get crabcakes at Faidley's. While I'm at Lexington Market, what other vendors are not to miss? (I've used the search function, but there weren't many results) I'd like to bring a Baltimore Culinary treat home to my family & friends - any specific recommendations? I'll be in Baltimore until Monday morning when I have to travel to Arlington for work, so I don't want to buy anything too fragile or that will go bad until I return home on Tues night. Thank you!
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