I have something to share with you.

New Restaurants, a new hotel and a dinner with a friend from high school who I haven’t seen in over 20 years!  Throw in some successful client visits and you have a great trip.

Acanto
I had business a few blocks from Acanto and decided good Italian was on the menu for me.  I wanted something simple but with great flavor.  Cacio e Pepe Risotto, the special of the day. Cheese, Pepper, no frills but is the perfect combination.  It would fill me up but would not be too heavy.  A simple, classic dish.  I had a table with a view of the restaurant so I was able to people watch and see the outdoor activity. Dinner menu looked fantastic….will need to remember this spot for another trip!

Cherry Circle Room
I met a dear friend from boarding school that I have not seen in over twenty years.  It was a wonderful reunion and I was happy to reconnect with her after all this time.  She chose the restaurant and what a great pick she made.  We started with drinks(mine was the Old Cuban), and then shared a beet salad with goat cheese.  I will admit I am not usually a fan of goat cheese but this was absolutely delicious, in fact, I would order it again since I enjoyed it so much.  For dinner we each ordered a main dish, I had the halibut with the squid ink pasta, added a side of creamed kale and of course we had to finish our meal with an “adult” milkshake.  I cannot wait to continue to “eat” this city with her!

Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine
I have known about this spot for a while but never stopped in for lunch.  Since my hotel was so close it was the most convenient place for me to grab a quick bite – eat at the hotel and get some work done before my next meeting.  It probably took me ten minutes to make a decision because of all the great options.  I finally chose the Sinfully Healthy sandwich-  roasted local turkey, Fromager D’Affinois, mango chutney, whole grain Dijon mustard and field greens on cracked wheat.  What a perfect sandwich!  I enjoyed it so much I have been buying the cheese with a fig preserve to eat on crackers at home.  As a side I picked up the bacon potato salad which I thought I would love but it was just not my thing.  Good thing there are numerous other sandwiches I want to try so I can return again soon!

Renaissance Chicago
 Love when I have a great experience at a full service hotel.  The doormen were great, the concierge was fantastic, the front desk was awesome and I had access to the lounge for a quick breakfast.  I had an upgraded room and even had a view.  Hope this hotel is available at a decent price the next time I am in town!!