BellyQ_Chicago

West Loop has the best places to eat.  Recently one of my childhood friend was visiting Chicago so I took her to Belly Q because I had heard a lot about it but never tired it.  I must say, it was the best choice.  Their unique menu has so much to offer for everyone.  We started of with Mac n Cheese, which was nothing like our regular Mac n Cheese.  It was their version with Japanese noodles, thai curry, and cheddar ; it was extremely delicious and the quantity was excellent for two people.  For my main entree I got my favourite Seared Tuna ; Oh my God so flavourful and extremely delicious.  The tuna was perfectly seared and extremely tender to eat with coconut grit and shrimp dressing.  The quantity was excellent and I kept eating even after I was full  Even though we were full, we had to order desert because so far everything at this restaurant was great, so we ordered Vietnamese Cinnamon Donut with Blueberry Jam.  I am not  fan of blueberry jam but this desert was out of this world.  Not to sweet, but perfect!  Even if you are not in the West Loop area I still recommend you to make a visit just to enjoy this restaurant, and I promise you that you will walk out feeling overly satisfied.

Nookies_Chicago

I have heard about Nookies from different people and they recommended the place so I made a visit for brunch.  I was really craving Salmon so I ordered Salmon Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries because it looked interesting.  The quantity was great but the taste not so much.  The fries were perfect and very fresh but the wrap was fresh but not as tasty as I thought.  I love flavour but when there is to much going on then it can ruin the taste and that is what was going on with this wrap.  It was a combination of chipotle mayo and cucumber relish blend together that ruined the taste of the wrap.  I do plan to go back and try their breakfast, however I was disappointed about the wrap.

Benihana_MOA

Went on a weekend trip to Mall of America and I loved it.  The shopping is great, the sales are awesome, and restaurants are amazing.  We went for dinner at Benihana and it was great.  I had Hibachi Tuna Steak which was extremely filling and very flavourful and cooked to perfection.  It started off with vegetables, miso soup, rice, and then tuna steak.  Cooked right in front of us, the chef put on a great show and the food was extremely delicious.  The service was excellent as well and the drink were made perfectly.  This is the first time I went to Benihana and it was a great experience.  I wish there was a Benihana closer to where I live but next time when I am in a city which has Benihana then I am definitely going there.

Starbucks

Starbucks is the name that speaks for itself.  But I had to blog about the their newest creative way of selling a new item on their menu "cookie straw".  My husband is not a fan of Starbucks but he really thought, "cookie straw" was something different and wanted to try it.  He ordered their new flavour caramel ribbon crunch frap and had it with the cookie straw.  I really thought that after a while he would have to get the normal straw but even after one hour the "cookie straw" was working.  We were both really impressed.  Love Starbucks for their new flavours and creative ideas.

Nandos_Chicago

Peri Peri is in Chicago WestLoop.  I have been to Nandos in Canada but wanted to try it in Chicago and I must say that it was delicious.  The new location in the WestLoop is very trendy, large space, and very different from their other locations.  I went for the pre-opening and the staff was great, the service was awesome, and the food was just beyond delicious.  They have added some new things to their menu which are definitely worth the try.  I am looking forward to go back with some friends and family and I know that they will enjoy it as much as I did.  If you are in the West Loop area then be sure to check out Nandos.

Elephant and Castle_Chicago

Spent the weekend with some friends walking and shopping around Chicago downtown.  After a long day we wanted to go sit somewhere and enjoy drinks and some snacks.  As we were walking around we came across Elephant and Castle so we decided to try it out.  Ordered a few drinks and Nachos for all of us to share.  Nachos were filling but the drinks were not what we expected.  They were water down and we didn't enjoy it.  We had our drinks re-made a few times but it was the same thing.  I am sure there are other pubs in Chicago downtown with better drinks.

RedMango_Chicago

Summer is here and so is my craving of having ice cream everyday.  While walking around west loop I saw Red Mango last night and stopped by.  They have amazing flavours but my two favourite were Nutella and Cookies & Cream.  Ice cream with almonds and peanuts and chocolate syrup on a warm sunny day is perfect.  Next time you are in a WestLoop area, be sure to stop by at Red Mango.

TheBoundary_Chicago

Bulls game, company of amazing friends, great service, and awesome food...what more can you ask for on a Thursday night.  The Boundary Chicago is a great bar in Wicker Park area.  We ordered Fried Peppers which were extremely delicious and each bite size pepper made me want to have one more.  Mac & Cheese Squares were beyond delicious.  I love mac & cheese but having them baked was a dream come true.  And lastly Bang Bang Shrimp was just out of this world.  A perfect combination of shrimp, chilli, and sriracha sauce just kept giving an extra kick with every bite.  I hight recommend this place for everyone who enjoys great food and chill ambiance.

KohanSushi_Chicago

I was out with some friends near the UIC area and we were looking for a place to eat.  A few of us were craving sushi so we ended up at Kohan Sushi since its open really late.  We started with Mushroom Stuffed with Crab Meal, and it was extremely delicious.  I am not a mushroom fan but this appetizer was very flavourful and extremely fresh.  Then we ordered a few rolls, Kohan Dynamite, Double Dragon, and W3.  I have to say that the sushi was nothing to brag about.  W3 is the only roll that came with a different presentation, lit of fire which was great to watch but the taste was okay.  I was also not to impressed about the service because as we were deciding on what to order, the staff stood there and watched us and wanted us to hurry up and order.  We were about two hours before closing so I don't understand the rush.  If you are walking around in the area and want are craving sushi then this place is good to stop by but if you want some quality sushi then I would not suggest this place.

OliveGarden_Chicago

Olive Garden is a very well known place for everyone.  However, I don't even remember the last time I went to Olive Garden before today.  They have a "buy one take one dinner" special going on so I decided to check it out.  I was very impressed by the menu that they had for the special promotion.  I was also surprised by the quantity.  Usually specials are small quantity but these portions were their regular dinner portions and they came with unlimited salad and breadsticks.  I ordered Cavatappi with Asiago Garlic Alfredo, and it was extremely delicious.  The roasted garlic on top was a perfect touch to add that flavour.  For take home dinner I ordered Penne with Basil Garlic Marinara, and I took a bite as soon as I got home.  It's delicious!  I forgot how delicious Olive Garden's food is.  I will be going back again for sure.  Just a few more days left for the "buy one, take one dinner" so if I were you, I would hurry up and take advantage of the promotion.

MagnoliaBakery_Chicago

Walking around Chicago downtown I came across Magnolia Bakery.  It was extremely busy but the staff was still able to provide excellent service.  It's a very cozy place, extremely clean, great staff, and extremely flavourful cupcakes.  I tried German Chocolate cupcake and I made a huge mistake by only getting one.  I should have gotten more because they were extremely delicious and fresh.  It had a unique coconut caramel pecan icing.  I highly recommend this place if you want to enjoy fresh, and flavourful desert.  I certainly plan to go back very soon.

DevonSeafood_Chicago2

What a great feeling to dine at Devon Seafood yet again!  This time it was for my birthday and Devon staff just made it all better.  I had received a birthday treat from them for a complimentary entree so my husband and I decided to go there.  Upon making reservations I had informed them that it was for my birthday and upon seating us down they gave a class of champagne to celebrate.  This was a great gesture on their part but it didn't end there.  I had salmon which for entrée which wad delicious and was recommended by our waitress.  It was great and the quantity was excellent and it came with mash potato and grilled beans.  I highly recommend this for everyone.  Their biscuits and delicious and my husband and I kept asking for them so our waitress was nice enough to pack some for us to take home.  For birthday they gave us complimentary desert.  I ordered ice cream, which is usually two scoops but the waitress gave us three scoops since one of the flavours I got, Hazelnut, is their special.  I truly had a great time at the restaurant.  The staff was great, the service was beyond excellent and the food was just flavourful and extremely delicious.  I think I will be making Devon Seafood my birthday tradition from now on.

FlipCrepes_Chicago

Another trip to French Market in Chicago just for crepes.  Flip Crepes offers many different type of crepes and they are delicious.  I ordered Banana Nutella with crushed walnuts crepe and it was made fresh, tasted delicious, and was extremely filling.  Each bite was flavourful and had chocolate, banana, and walnuts in it.  If you enjoy crepes or have a sweet tooth then this is the place to be.  You will be extremely satisfied.  I highly recommend Flip Crepes to everyone.

DaLobsta_Chicago

I went to the French Market for the first time and I was so impressed.  They have everyone we can think of and food from everywhere.  However, I had a groupon for Da Lobsta and therefore I ate there.  I haven't had lobster roll in a while so this was definitely a treat.  It was fresh and extremely delicious and made to order.  I thought the lobster meat would just be on the top but they fill up the bread very well and I could taste the meat in every bite.  I also had a side order of Lobster Mac n Cheese because they ran out of fries.  I love mac n cheese, and having it with fresh lobster meat was extremely delicious and filling.  I highly recommend this place for everyone.

Carnivale2_Chicago

I knew I had to go back to Carnivale and here I am.  I went for brunch and it was delicious.  I had Huevos Rancheros and it was extremely flavourful.  The quantity was extremely filling, the taste was just out of this world and I would totally go back to this restaurant to try other things on the menu.  I have had huevos rancheros before at different places but this one beats them all.  I highly recommend Carnival for everyone at any day.  I will be going back soon.

RedLobster_Chicago

A well known place with a long wait to get seated but the wait is totally worth it.  It has been ages since I last went to Red Lobster, but I wanted to go because of the Lobster Fest.  The new dish on the menu for the fest is Dueling Lobster Tail, a perfect blend of crab, shrimp, and lobster.  Extremely flavourful and each bite is much more satisfying than the last.  The entree comes with salad and two sides, which is extremely filling.  My husband ordered Salmon and I love salmon so I had to try it. Oh man it was delicious and extremely fresh and full of taste.  I wasn't sure about the desert but we still went ahead and got the cookie desert which was beyond what I expected.  Oh and having unlimited cheddar biscuits, just the made my night.  The quantity of food was enough for me to take togo and have it for lunch today.  I highly recommend Red Lobster if you want to enjoy good service, excellent choice of seafood and very flavourful and filling food.  You are sure to walk out feeling extremely satisfied.

Eggsperience_Chicago

In heard of West Loop a very cozy breakfast place.  I went for my morning walk and then stopped to have a quick breakfast.  The pancakes were fluffy and extremely fresh and I could taste the banana in pancake batter.  The portion was extremely filling and enough for me to take home as well.  Its a good place to be with family and friends for a casual breakfast.  Service is awesome and price is very reasonable.

AlBawadi_Chicago

I am not a big fan of Mediterranean Food, but Al-Bawadi changed my mind.  I had their seafood planner and it was delicious.  Extremely flavourful, each fish tasted different from the other, but my personal favourite was grilled salmon.  Although the food was great I am not sure if I would go back to this restaurant.  The service was extremely horrible.  The staff was not friendly and very rude at times.  I might consider to take food to go but I will probably not sit there to eat due to horrible service.

Ikea_Chicago

When we talk about Ikea we think, furniture but I am talking about Ikea's food.  Went there to get some stuff for home.  Left early because I didn't want to hit to much traffic.  It was a long drive so when I got there I decided to have a quick breakfast, and let me tell you it was tasty and totally worth the price.  For less than a dollar you can get scrambled eggs, pancake, and potatoes, and everything was well cooked and delicious.  And if you are an Ikea club member then free coffee or tea.  What else can you ask for?  Next time you are at Ikea make sure to visit their cafeteria space for some delicious freshly cooked meal.

EddieV's_Chicago

The last restaurant for me to go to for restaurant week in Chicago.  Eddie V's is fairly new and its pretty good.  The service was great, the portions were excellent and the desert was just out of this world.  I started off with Lobster Bisque, which was very creamy.  For my main entrée I had salmon with side of truffle macaroni and cheese.  Salmon was just like any other salmon however, the truffle macaroni and cheese was delicious.  This is the first time I had truffle macaroni and cheese and I loved it.  The portion was great for the side.  The desert I ordered is their house special, Hot Banana Foster Butter Cake with butter pecan ice cream.  It was beyond delicious.  This was the best desert I have had in a long time and is their house special.  I would definitely go back for the desert.

DevonSeafoodGrill_Chicago

Another restaurant for Chicago Restaurant Week, Devon Seafood Grill was simply amazing.  Excellent service, delicious food, and very cozy ambiance.  I started with Lobster Bisque Soup, however I was not to impressed with it.  I didn't think it had enough meat and it was a little salty.  The main entrée Char Crusted Tuna was beyond what I expected.  It was perfectly raw in the middle and the outside was char grilled and it was extremely delicious.  It was extremely filling as well but I managed to finish it because it tasted so good.  Triple Chocolate Mouse Cake for desert was the perfect end to my meal.  It was rich, and extremely delicious.  There were few more dishes that I wanted to try but I will save that for my next visit.  I plan to go back very soon and highly recommend this restaurant for everyone.

Mago_Chicago

I enjoy Mexican food, and am always looking for new Mexican restaurants.  Recently I came across Mago Grill & Cantina in Arlington Heights.  Lively ambiance, great service, and very flavourful food.  I decided to have shrimp fajitas with corn tortilla.  It was different than usual fajita's that I have had in the past.  It came with jumbo shrimp and the centre of the stone mortar has caramelized onions, bell better and cheese.  It was delicious and had a very different flavour than the usual fajita's I have had in the past.  The only thing I didn't like was the size of corn tortilla.  They were smaller than usual and came slightly cold.  Other than that the service and the food was great.  If you are in the area then be sure to check out this restaurant.

Pequods_Chicago

Sundays are my pizza and wine days, usually frozen pizza.  However, yesterday I felt like doing something different.  I have heard about Pequod's famous caramelized crust pizza and wanted to try it.  I got myself a personal pan caramelized crust cheese pizza.  It was delicious and the caramelized crust was something very different.  The pizza had enough sauce for me to taste it in every bite, and was extremely filling.  I think pequod's will become my every sunday hangout.

Catch35_Chicago

I have been waiting for restaurant week to start in Chicago and my first stop was Catch 35 in Chicago Downtown.  Its a very high end seafood place, with excellent service.  From their restaurant week menu I ordered Maine Lobster Bisque, Yellowfin Tuna Poke (tuna tartar), and Flourless Chocolate Cake.  This is the first time I had Lobster Bisque soup and every sip was delicious.  I could taste the lobster in every sip.  Tuna Poke was just out of this world.  It had a sriracha kick to it and tasted extremely fresh and flavourful.  The quality was excellent and very filling. By desert time I was full but had to try their desert.  The chocolate was extremely rich and fresh.  It tasted so good that I took it to go because I had no more space in my stomach.  I was so impressed with the food and service that we made sure that the manager knew how happy we were.  I highly recommend this place if you love seafood.  This is a perfect place for a date or special occasion.

WildFire_Glenview

I went to visit some family in the Glenview area and we all decided to go for a dinner at WildFire Restaurant.  Known for their steak, they also have amazing seafood, great service, and a very jazz type ambience.  Tuna Steak Teriyaki caught my eye immediately as I read the menu.  It tasted delicious and was cooked perfectly with a combination of centre raw and crust border with a kick of wasabi sauce on the side.  It was extremely filling and each bite was so tender and flavourful.  I really enjoyed every second of my meal and do plan to go back again.  If you love steak, seafood, and drinks along with great service then this is the place to be.  I highly recommend it.

EJSushi_Chicago

I love sushi and it has been a while since I last went for sushi.  I went onto groupon to see what deals they had for sushi and found EJ Sushi in Chicago.  It was a good deal so I decided to go for it.  Its a very small place and sushi is pretty good.  I ordered Alaskan roll which was just a regular salmon roll and tasted well.  From their special rolls I ordered volcano roll, however I felt that I have had better volcano roll at other places.  The quantity was good but the taste was nothing special.  However, their fire cracker roll was very different and extremely flavourful and delicious.  It was a little spicy but it was their best roll.  I wish I would have ordered more of the fire cracker rolls.  The place is cozy and the food is good.  However, I was not to impress about the speed of serving food.  Usually I like to have all my rolls together, but they served one roll at a time and it took 5 - 10 minutes between each roll.  I was a little annoyed about that and didn't get to enjoy my food as much as I usually would.  Other than that the place is worth a visit.

BobChinn's_Chicago

Bob Chinn's Crab House is heaven for everyone to loves seafood.  I went for dinner with my entire family and tried many different dishes including their Lobster dipped in garlic and butter.  This is the first time I tried lobster and it was simply delicious and extremely flavourful and fresh.  Few other things we tried were crab cake nuggets with cocktail sauce and oh my god it was fresh from their kitchen to our table and so soft from the inside that it melts in your mouth.  Usually when I go to a restaurant I have one dinner roll before the dinner however, at Bob Chinn's I had at least four dinner rolls which were seasoned with garlic and butter and served extremely warm and fresh.  I could have had dinner rolls as my entree if they didn't have so many other delicious things on the menu.  I also tried Stuffed Basa which was out of this world.  The crab meat stuffing melted in my mouth after every bite.  After trying so many things I was extremely full but I wanted to try more dishes that were on the table.  I plan to go back for sure very soon.  If you love seafood then this place will satisfy all your cravings and you will walk out feel full and extremely happy.  I guarantee you would want to go back over and over again.

SilverSpoon_Chicago

Small underground place, family owned restaurant, but very authentic and delicious Thai food. I ordered my usual tofu panang curry with sticky rice with thai iced tea.  The food was very delicious and a little spicy.  Initially I found that the curry didn't have enough sauce so I asked them to add more but other than that everything was great.  Its a hole in the wall type restaurant but delicious food.  Don't expect a great service or formal seating but do expect great Thai food.

Toast_Chicago

Small cozy place, friendly staff, and great food.  I tried chilaquiles for the first time.  It was the special for the day and recommended by the staff.  It was something very different and an excellent blend of eggs, tortilla, rice, and hollandaise sauce.  However, it was missing a little spice so I had to ask for hot sauce.  I plan to go back to this restaurant again to try on different things.  I was impressed by chilaquiles so I do plan to try it at different places now.  If you are in the area and want to have breakfast and a cozy and friendly place then Toast is the place to be.

TheGreatAmericanBagel_Chicago

I have always loved Great American bagel but I find that there are not enough locations in the city of Chicago.  I went for my morning walk and came across it and had to make the stop.  I decided to try their Jalepeno and Cheddar Bagel with light cream cheese spread.  It was delicious as always.  Extremely fresh, warm, toasted just perfect, and each bite was better than the one before.  It is on a pricy side but the taste is totally worth it.  I recommend everyone to stop by at least ones.

Knife&Tine_Chicago

I heard about this place from a friend of mine so I went over the weekend for brunch.  Very cozy place, friendly staff, and delicious food.  We had to wait a little to get seated but it was worth the wait.  I heard that they are known for their Creamsicle French Toast made with orange curd.  Even though I am not a big fan of orange I have to say this french toast was delicious.  However, my personal favourite was Cinnamon Roll Pancake.  I love cinnamon roll in general and getting it in pancake form was beyond delicious.  Very sweet, could taste the cinnamon and cream cheese frosting in every bite.  Excellent blend of warm pancake and semi cold frosting.  I highly recommend this place next time you are in the Lincoln Park area.  However, it would be wise to make reservations prior to going.  I certainly plan to go back to try another item from their menu very soon.

Pegasus_Chicago

What is going on with greek restaurants in Chicago?  I met up with an old friend for lunch at Pegasus for lunch and was extremely dissatisfied with the food and service.  For starters we got Haloumi Cheese which was not fresh at all and tasted bitter.  I have had Haloumi cheese before and I know that its not this bitter.  For entree I ordered Spanakopita which tasted even worse.  It was not warm, and didn't look fresh at all.  I probably took a bite or two and then I was done.  I complaint about the food to our server who apologized but said that he can't do anything about it.  The manager was not available so he couldn't do anything for us.  I walked out of the restaurant hungry, and upset because I just paid for a meal which I didn't even eat.  I don't think I will go back to this restaurant again and I definitely do not recommend anyone else to go there.

DocB's_Chicago

Talk about freshness, that's what Doc B's is all about.  Fresh food from their kitchen to our table.  I am not a big fan of Kale salad however, I had Tuna with Kale salad as an appetizer, and I feel that now Kale is my favourite vegetable.  Best Kale Salad ever, and with ginger dressing it hits the spot.  I found their Wok Out Bowl very interesting so I tried Tuna with Brown Rice.  It was very filling, flavourful, cooked perfectly, extremely fresh, and the spicy thai flavour was like having cherry on top.    The service was impeccable.  I walked out after my dinner extremely satisfied.  I plan to visit again with my family because there is something on the menu for everyone to enjoy.  I highly recommend this restaurant if you want to try variety of things made with fresh ingredient and extremely flavourful.  I guarantee you that you will want to come back again and again.

MeliCafe_Chicago

Had a late start at work today so went for breakfast with some co-workers at Meli Cafe in Greek town.  Cozy place, great service, and a very flavourful menu.  I decided to go with Banana Bread French Toast.  I am a fan of banana bread and french toast, and combining it just sounded very delicious and tasted even more delicious than what I thought.  I could taste the banana, pecans, and caramel in every bite and the bread was very soft and fluffy.  The quantity was perfect for breakfast.  There were more items on the menu which I would love to try and therefore I do plan to go back soon.  I highly recommend this breakfast place for everyone.

PizzaParlor_Chicago

Great place, excellent service, and flavourful food with many selections.  I had grilled calamari for the first time and they were delicious.  The chipotle chimichuri sauce added an extra kick to it.  I definitely prefer grilled calamari over fried ones any day.  I also had Nachos for appetizers and what i liked about it was that they were bite size.  It was easy to eat and very tasteful with chipotle sauce and bbq sauce.  Their BLT Pizza (without bacon)was out of this world.  Something very different and unique taste of salad and pizza combine.  I highly recommend this place.  It greats place to hang out and have either full dinner or just drinks and appetizers.  You will be very satisfied with the taste and the cost of the food.

Athena_Chicago

Walked to Greek town for lunch and went to Athena Restaurant.  I have to say I expected much more from this restaurant.  I ordered Vegetarian Pita from their lunch menu but barely finished it.  The veggies had no taste and it was extremely dry.  The rice however was good.  I added hot sauce to it and was able to finish it.  I am not sure how their dinner would be but I am not sure if I would go back to this restaurant.  If you are in Greek town and want to grab lunch, then I would suggest to go try another place.

Seasons52_Chicago

For my husband's birthday I wanted to take him somewhere romantic, and a place that offers flavourful food.  I came across Seasons 52 Restaurant in Chicago Downtown and found the menu very interesting.  The staff is very friendly and upon seating us they handed him a birthday greeting card, which I thought was very thoughtful of them.  For starters we had Lump Crab Wedge which was very delicious.  However, I wish they had more crab than lettuce.  For the entrée I ordered my favourite salmon, which was extremely delicious but nothing different than what I have had before.  The desert however was a different story.  The shots desert was extremely delicious and touched the spot.  We tried four different kinds and my favourite was the cannoli.  Have a cannoli as a shot desert was very interesting.  I do recommend this restaurant if you want to enjoy a cozy dinner with loved ones, family, or friends.  I did expect the food to be more flavourful but overall I walked out satisfied.

Cone_Chicago

Everyone loves Ice Cream.  I was walking by and came across Cone Gourmet Ice Cream and decided to try it out.  It's a small and a very cosy place.  The ice cream tasted fresh and delicious.  I tried my favourite mint chocolate chip with sugar cone.  They dipped in fresh chocolate and sprinkled it with nuts.  It tasted delicious.  I highly recommend the place, they have some in-house special flavours which are definitely worth trying.

Carnivale_Chicago

Talk about Latino ambience and music, colours, delicious food, great drinks, and awesome service.  All these things combine gives you Carnivale Restaurant in Chicago.  I went to carnivale for dinner with family for new years eve and it was awesome.  They had their menu shortened for new years eve but I didn't have enough seafood choices so the chef was nice enough to provide salmon for me.  On a busy night like new years eve, chef is ready to offer something not on the menu for the night - I call that great service.  The food was savoury delicious.  I have had salmon at many different places, but here it was different.  It was cooked perfectly, and the taste was very different with their in house special sauce drizzled all over it and a bit of spice kick to it.  I was full but I had to try their carnivale ice cream cake made of guava, pistachio, and vanilla bean ice cream.  I am not a fan of pistachio but their ice cream cake was out of this work.  It taste so good that I finished it even though I was full from dinner.  Carnivale is a MUST go to place in Chicago.  Go with family or friends and you will be very impressed.  I highly recommend Carnivale Restaurant to everyone.