OT Chicago

In the world? That's a big statement but you know what, I’m not going to dispute it. Great food experience.

And not going to dispute how pricey it is either. They add the tip in advance too. Not sure if they added 15 or 20%, I didn’t want to look at the bill too long. Might disrupt my digestive process. That river walk is super nice too. That River Walk is as nice or nicer than river walks in Paris, London or Seville, in my opinion. In terms of cleanliness of the water, surrounding areas, food options, safety, etc. Never been to San Antonio’s River Walk, heard it’s nice. The 5 story Starbucks Roastery on Michigan avenue is pretty cool too. Only 5 of those in the world. Coffee based cocktails were fantastic. Glad you enjoyed it.

Texas is THE place for beef.

That looks awesome! But I never sleep on Chicago and Kansas City for beef either.

August, wow that is the finest looking BBQ steak. Perfect med rare. The next time I throw a dinner party, I want to hire you.

Questions:

Looks like you packed it with BBQ rub?

I don't see grill marks. Did you cook it on a grill or flat pan?

Hmmm good tip. making a mental note. Thanks.

I'll say this about Lou's PHX location, if your deep dish pizza is delivered in less than 45 min, then it might not be the same product as the one found in Chi-town

Gino's East and Lou's are different enough that you can like both, or have a strong preference

Gino's crust is floated on cornmeal

Lou's on butter

Gino's sauce is smoother and sweeter

Lou's is chunkier, spicier, and more rustic almost Provençal

Both are very generous with their toppings, but Lou's is a cheese lover's delight

Try Gino's Meaty Legend to see what it's all about

At Lou's try their Chicago Classic

Gino's has a younger vibe

Lou's is more family friendly

Giordano's is known for their stuffed pizza

Bongiorno's Cuccina makes a decent thin crust which some claim is the real Chicago preference, as does Gino's

Spacca Napoli makes Neapolitan style if you can believe that

I'll ignore pan pizza for now, since it's not considered deep dish

Bon Appétit!

Hot and humid is definitely not fun. Fortunately, we only get maybe a few weeks in the summertime, at most, of that type of weather. Sometimes it's really only about three or four weeks, in total. I couldn't live on the Gulf Coast or anywhere like the Ohio River Valley, and certainly not anywhere like Washington DC. That type of humidity would kill me.

I remember once I was in Washington DC, staying in a hotel in Crystal City, which is right across the Potomac River from Georgetown. I left my air-conditioned hotel and walked across the Francis Scott Key bridge, and by the time I had crossed the Potomac and was into DC, I was drenched. I had to go back to my hotel and change and then take a short cab ride to where I was going.

Fuck that!

you are too kind

were you able to sample a Chicago style Italian beef sandwich from Al's, Johnnie's, or one of their competitors?

Went to Johnnie’s for a beef sandwich, another must. I ended up sharing with my wife. We were stopping to eat every few hours, sometimes I wasn’t even hungry but just wanted to sample more and more stuff.

ever find a steak worth writing about?

enquiring minds want to know

Gibsons was the move, thank you for the suggestion. Beats Michael Jordan’s place, imo. I had the 48 oz Porterhouse, shared it with the table. 2 teenagers and a 28 year old. They helped me make short work of it. Almost went to Shulas Steakhouse as I happened to be walking right in front of it but stuck to your suggestion of Gibsons. Went to both Malnatis and Giordanos, different nights of course. I think Malnatis wins, just my opinion. Went to a place called Byron’s hot dogs near Wrigley, bomb. Chicago IS a great food town. It’s hard to make a mistake. The creme filled croissant at Stan’s Donuts is fantastic. Had some great ramen in the Wicker Park area.

I averaged 17,000 steps a day during my visit, that should help burn some of the calories I consumed. Thanks again, I appreciate you.

Thank you and thanks for the tips

Excellent. Thank you! You nailed it. A great steak is what I was aiming for.

lol. I was concerned initially but so far everything is super cool.

Boom. Thnx

Onikoroshi is right on the money…

Lou Malnati’s pizza is worth the drive.

Hit Malnatis the first night here!