You may have read the pink cupcake post that I wrote after Mini Whipped’s 3rd birthday. I bent to her wishes to create a world of pink and produced triple pink cupcakes for her celebration, dug deep in to my wardrobe to find pink clothes and even choked down Pepto Bismal colored pink pancakes with a smile.

When I received an invitation to see Pinkalicious: The Musical, which is now playing in Chicago, I knew by name alone that we would make the show a priority item on our agenda. After reading the synopsis, I quickly realized that I was not the only mom with a pink-loving toddler with an affinity for pink cupcakes.

A few weekends ago, we traveled downtown with a friend and her son to see the musical. Before the show, we had a bit of time to enjoy the lobby craft stations before parking ourselves in second row seats in front of all the action. The lights dimmed, the music started and what ensued was a musical written, designed and performed to tickle every part of a little girl’s psyche. Mini Whipped’s toddler date and boyfriend seemed somewhat amused and behaved well but showed less edge-of-the-seat awe during musical numbers about extreme passion for pink.

I would be lying if I said I was equally enraptured by the show. I was more entertained by studying the faces of the younger members of the audience who were indeed the target market. After about 40 minutes into the action, the natives were beginning to get restless. But, whoever wrote this expression of pink fervor must have been familiar with children’s attention spans because just about then, the cast appeared in even “pinker” costumes and burst into a reprise of all the musical numbers.

Dancing, glowing pink cupcakes, flashy wigs, knee socks, best friends, a jazz singing doctor, crisis, solution, conclusion. Pinkalicious was a memorable event for Mini Whipped and me.

If you are interested in going to the show, you can buy two tickets for $35 through October 28th. Click here for tickets and use the code PINK.

Daniel Schiller is a practitioner of many trades, currently an adjunct lecturer at a university, and a social communications consultant. In particular, he enjoys working with arts organizations and companies on their social communications strategies. He lives alone with two cats.

Everything must have a starting point.

And so it does at the Dining Room at Kendall College, a Chicago institution of higher learning and training for the culinary arts. On a recent Monday evening, I joined a party of six for the featured pre-fixe five-course offering. We were fortunate to have an actual 2010 graduate of the culinary arts program joining us. He was able to offer the perspective of being a part of this exciting program. From the moment you enter, be prepared to abandon any preconceived notions about this being a live classroom. The Dining Room works like this: Back-of-the-house (kitchen) culinary arts students handle all levels of seasonal menu formation and implementation; Front-of–the-house (restaurant/guest-facing service) is comprised of a few culinary arts majors on rotation as well as the Hospitality Management majors. On this note (on a Monday at least) the guest experience was seamless. We were promptly and sincerely greeted, shown to our table, presented with our opened wine and water glasses.

First, a bit of background on the Dining Room’s guiding philosophy- they are a member of Green Chicago Restaurant Co-op. While skeptics may think this is simply ‘green washing’, I think there is substance and commitment behind this group. With the backing of many notable names in the Chicago dining/restaurant community, GCRC works to enable restaurateurs to proactively offer fresh, locally produced, seasonal ingredients. In terms of menu formation, this means you can expect to enjoy fresh, seasonal greens, local meats, and locally sourced dairy, etc. As for the vegetarians in our group, it appears this philosophy was utilized in making those selections also. All too often it seems the vegetarian option (the supposed green option) is sourced from the farthest locals, thus making it extraordinarily high-carbon. Again, not so with the Dining Room, we’ll deem them philosophically pure on this point.

So as you might expect, the menu is prepared daily, and on this given day it featured:

First Course: Salmon Tartar- well presented if not entirely local and nice segue into the Second Course.

Second Course: Spring Asparagus salad with wild mushrooms- seasonal and fresh.

Third Course (Main): Roast lamb rack with potato puree and caramelized carrots- another excellent execution of seasonal, local cuisine.

Fourth Course: Cheese course- a nice touch and something under-represented on the Chicago dining scene I feel. Although I will note I did not try the blue cheese and have to wonder about its placement on this pairing.

Fifth Course: Poached Pear with Panna Cotta- let me preface this by noting that generally I don’t do dessert. Typically, I find most desert options to be over-sweet and heavy on the palate. Not so with this offering, as it was an appropriate flavor level to compliment/supplement the meal.

Overall, I deem Dining Room very well worth the visit. I have a hunch that some in my party were motivated by thrift in attending and it is worth noting that an evening’s dining here is quite reasonable. Whatever their motivations, I know they enjoyed a very well planned and executed meal. You will find the service to be topnotch, perhaps a little fussy in some respects, but you will leave well tended and sated.

Certainly I am not the first reviewer to take notice of the Dining Room. It was featured in the 2010 Michelin Guide Chicago- to date marking the first and only culinary school to be featured. Michelin has been rating restaurants stateside for some time now- with Chicago, New York and San Francisco establishments featured. If you are looking for additional resources and reviews, you might also view Zagat Chicago 2010/11, as well as watch this footage of WTTW’s Check Please!

All told, you can expect a topnotch dining experience with the Dining Room. But note this is foremost an educational institution, so you should expect that you will be dining from a set menu. Also, as an educational institution they operate limited hours with two seatings per evening:

Dates: 4/15 to 5/14 and 5/20 to 6/18
Hours: Aside from the Monday night series- Tues to Fri 6 & 730pm seatings; Saturday 6 & 8pm

You may bring your own wine, subject to a $10 corkage or partake of the full bar. Next visit, I think I might like the staff to make the wine suggestions. All told, I would recommend you visit the Dining Room if for no other reason than to enjoy the cuisine and the experience. An added, though equally important, reason is that by visiting you support the training of a new generation of culinary artists and hospitality managers. Both are professions that actively support and enhance the vibrant cultural scene we enjoy in Chicago. If you visit, please let me know if you found my review helpful.

Vietnamese food was an entirely new experience to me when I moved to Chicago over a decade ago. My worldly friend Josh introduced us to Argyle street, which is lined with Vietnamese eateries, bakers, grocery stores and butchers. As I mentioned just a few posts ago, it is like a world travel experience, just over a mile from my home.

I find the flavors of Vietnamese food intoxicating: thai basil, cilantro, lime, savory dipping sauces, pickled radish, marinated meats and perfectly flavored broth. It is comfort food of an ilk quite far from my childhood favorites but equally as satisfying. In my book, a bowl of Pho (the traditional beef and noodle soup) trumps chicken noodle to cure all ills.

Tank Noodle Restaurant is our standby when we need to scratch our itch for Vietnamese food. It is casual, fast and family-friendly with an extensive menu. (For a bit of a fancier Vietnamese dining experience, try Hai Yen) At busy times, you might have to wait for a table at Tank Noodle but it moves fast. Once seated, don’t attempt to wait for your own server. They have a unique system where everyone seems to serve everyone. Just wave someone down and order up your feast.

Though everything I have tasted at Tank Noodle is good, I would highly suggested the Self Wrap Grilled Beefs, Shrimps (#16) appetizer and I have read that the Vietnamese Sizzling Crepe (#12) is delicious. I like to look around at what the many Vietnamese guests are eating and try to follow suit. There are over a dozen varieties of Pho. I usually order the one with all the grizzly bits and parts like tripe and tendon. The more faint of heart can stick to flank steak and meatballs.

For first timers, it will be a learning experience figuring out how to eat the soup. Just watch those around you. Tear off a few leaves from your beautiful plate of greens, sprinkle on some bean sprouts, give the soup a squeeze of lime. Consider some hot sauce and then grab your chopsticks in one hand and the flat-bottomed spoon in the other. Lean your head over the bowl and inhale the therapeutic vapors.  Dig in.

www.tank-noodle.com

4953 N Broadway
(between Argyle St & Ainslie St)
Chicago, IL 60640
Neighborhood: Uptown
(773) 878-2253

There is a wonderful Vietnamese eatery in Chicago called Ba Le Bakery. They make their own baguette style bread and offer a number of tasty sandwiches. My favorite is barbecue pork topped with daikon radish, cilantro and jalapeno. Though I return for the sandwiches, I spend most of my time scanning the ten feet of refrigerated cases dedicated to sweet puddings and drinks. The large plastic cups are clear and showcase various bright colored concoctions, often with odd shapes floating within. Most of the time, the staff can’t really explain to you what they taste like or what is in the drinks. For some this may be a turn off but it makes me want to sample every last one.

Lately, we have been watching recorded episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. The foul-mouthed foodie travels the world exploring various cuisines. Though it isn’t the basis of the show to eat bizarre foods, he doesn’t shy away from Korean chicken butt soup or squirrel pot pie from the Ozarks. I am not easily persuaded into eating odd animal parts but I do love trying new foods and flavors.

Most of the drinks and puddings at Ba Le include various gelatinous substances , sometimes coconut milk, mung bean, tapioca, fruits, herbs and flavorings. My “swamp juice” was called Mu Chom. When I asked what it was in an effort to differentiate it from the others, the lady at the register told me, “It’s Vietnamese.” Um, thanks. The ingredients list read, sugar, jellow, pandan leave flavor, herbal leave. Hmmm

Mu Chom was overly sweet with a slimy, slick liquid that held suspended “jellies.” Though I usually enjoy pandan flavor, this dessert was not my favorite. They usually never are. But, that doesn’t seem to stop me from spending $3 on a new concoction each time I visit. Since I can’t make a living traveling the world like Anthony Bourdain, I suppose $3 buys me my own small culinary adventure right here in Chicago.

Our kitchen is glowing with the love of others. We are so fortunate that our lives are filled with people willing to offer support through delicious food. I haven’t cooked once in two weeks!

My dear friend Stephanie was even able to treat us to warm comfort food from Colorado. Her secret? Johnny Casserole. Chicagoans…grab your pencils or bookmark this page. Live elsewhere and know people in the Windy City? THIS is your solution for new moms, healing friends and lazy dinner parties.

David, the owner of Johnny Casserole, cooked this food, arranged delivery and showed up at my door himself. He even called to follow up and find out if we liked his food. I am quite sure that in the coming months or years, he will be so successful that I will be able to say, “I first got his casseroles when he delivered them himself!”

We all agreed that the biscuit-topped chicken pot pie was the best we had ever tasted. It wasn’t too goopy and was filled with broccoli, chicken and carrots. He even included a small cup of buttermilk to brush on top before baking. Though we haven’t tried the Shephard’s Pie yet, my palate awaits with eager anticipation. And, it won’t be long until I order his Mac & Cheese, otherwise known as For Your Thighs Only. Peruse the full menu here.

Thank you Steph for introducing us to Johnny. Thank you Johnny for warming and filling our tummies. You got it right buddy… here is to a big future.

This is primarily a food-centric blog.  But, as I have written above, Whipped is about food, drink and conversation from around the table. I foresee I will be talking about Fuerza Bruta around many a table and so will you once you go and see it!

Last night, I was lucky enough to be one of the first in Chicago to experience Fuerza Bruta.   Upon arrival, the audience was led through the historic Auditorium Theatre right up to the stage where we stood together for the duration of the performance.

Fuerza Bruta is a thrilling, experiential, new style of theatre.  It has the inventiveness of Blue Man Group during their opening season (before they made themselves boring), the physical beauty as well as the visual and auditory stimulation of Cirque du Soleil and the energy of the best concert you have ever attended.

Together with the performers, the audience moves around the stage surprised and engaged with each “act.”  It got a little messy at times and for some perhaps it was all too close for comfort.  But, I found that the proximity to the action and the physical interaction between performers and audience created an unbelievable exchange and crescendo of energy throughout the show.

Fuerza Bruta moves seamlessly from being beautiful and breathtaking to loud and dynamic.  The show is sexy, unexpected, sensual, active, vibrant, entertaining and colorful.  Though it is full of tricks, it didn’t feel gimmicky.  I left the theatre feeling a bit more alive than when I entered.

If you are severely claustrophobic or can’t physically stand for an hour, you might not want to go.  Everyone else, wear comfortable shoes, open your mind to a new type of theatre and prepare for an hour like no other.

Watch a video preview here and buy tickets here.

A crispy outer layer emits an audible crackle as your teeth sink in peeling away thin flakes.  Just underneath this crunchy exterior you meet airy layers of dough.  Soft, pull-apart, buttery dough.  At the center of the almond variety is a fragrant, sweet paste that has eased and oozed against the unforgettable innermost layers.  The memory of my last bite lingers for weeks.  This croissant romances me better than a Frenchman along la bord de la Seine.

The talented, married duo Dimitri and Kelly Fayard own Vanille Patisserie in Chicago.  I have had the great fortune of watching Kelly create her masterful wedding cakes that are not only visually stunning but memorably delicious.  And, I have heard great tales of Dimitri and his chocolate and sugar sculpture.  Macaroons, tarts, wedding cakes, mousse cakes, pate de fruit, pain au chocolat…. are you convinced?

Go here:   Vanille Patisserie, 2229 North Clybourn, Chicago, Illinois, 773-868-4574

I have been meaning to visit Paulina’s Meat Market for ages and finally just found my way there for the first time.  Within minutes of entering the aromatic meat emporium, Mini Whipped was offered a piece of fresh cut balony.  From the depths of my brain arose an old, dusty memory….standing on my tippy-toes, reaching up to receive a hotdog or fresh cut of baloney from the old butcher shop my mother used to frequent.  We would lightly fold the baloney to bite out eyes, nose and mouth making a happy meat face. Baloney for the kids?  Old school and I like it.

The friendly older gentlemen at Paulina’s charmed my daughter and me while we bought some natural peanut buter and Lucini olive oil from the grocer and chose select meats.  I suppose the pepperoni was the give-away but when I got home and found my new friend had wrapped all my selections together and labeled them “pizza meats,” my loyalty to Paulina’s was sealed.  The Canadian bacon and pepperoni had been heading for my pizza and though the hickory smoked bacon was planned for breakfast, I took inspiration from my white paper wrap and threw it on the pizza too.  (meat lover’s pizza recipe to come!)

Even if you aren’t in the neighborhood, Paulina’s Meat Market is worth a visit.

Paulina’s Meat Market
3501 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, Illinois

Dear Hot Doug,
I never thought I would find another Yesterdog and I guess I still have not.
But claiming that they are still my sole hot dog love? Well, now my heart is caught.

I am not the first nor the last to sing praises. I know you have many a suitor.
Still, I have decided to come forth and proclaim my love! (hiding slightly, behind my computer)

It is not just the taste of your offerings that have me dizzy with delight.
I love the consistency, the options, the dry humor, the steady pace…. your operation is tight.

I know what to expect when I get there and it is worthy of the long line.
Fresh sausages, homemade toppings and the most PERFECT corn dog every time.

Our special dates are Fridays and Saturdays when you make those duck fat fries.
If I said I didn’t care for them or could live without, I would be telling you bold-faced lies.

Your sausage emporium really does it for me. I am addicted to your perfect treats.
There are no two finer words in the English language than the words ‘encased meats.’

Hot Doug’s
3324 North California
Chicago, Illinois

Warm and simple decor, an amazing beer selection, perfectly prepared food and communal seating. These were the keys that opened my doors. As my friend and I burst into laughter, I felt a strangers hand on mine…

“It seems we were seated in the wild corner of the restaurant.”

Into our lives walked new friends with whom we had more real conversations in the first hour than some have after a lifetime. Talk of enchanted New Zealand forests, green rooftops, budding romance… all the while our palates were dancing with delight. She shared one of her oysters. I kept the shell.

This year, I will remember to engage. I will face people without judgement. I will feel happy to be alive. I will seek sensory experiences. I will remember that despite all difficulties and hardships, the world is my oyster and is full of pearls. Happy New Year Friends.