june-2011

102
don’t have too much time to take it all
in—you’ve got to eat.
Tonight’s dinner is at Rick Bayless’
much-lauded Frontera Grill (8). You can’t
go wrong with anything on the menu at
this upscale Mexican cantina. The food
is fresh, fl avorful and perfectly accented
by a spicy cocktail called the Michelada
Moderna—like a Bloody Mary but made
with beer. Feeling adventurous, you try
the goat taquitos, which arrive sprinkled
in queso fresco and turn to butter in
your mouth. Linger over dinner, taking
in the clubby digs before you retire to
the cloudlike king bed at the Elysian.
DAY 2 | Those green roofs you saw are
only a fraction of Chicago’s copious green
space. Today you explore deeper, starting
with brunch at North Pond (1), a James
Beard–winning eatery inside Lincoln
Park (2). This place has been using local,
organic food on its seasonally inspired
menu since before such conceits were
hip. Watch a parade of big, shaggy dogs
walk around the pond as you dig into
Jeane e Tremblay
PRINTS AND DRAWINGS
DEPARTMENT, ART INSTITUTE
OF CHICAGO MUSEUM
“My summer evening guilty pleasure
is Margie’s Candies in Bucktown. It
opened in 1921 and exudes history
(and kitsch!). My all-time favorite is
the coconut ice cream sundae.”
JUNE 2011 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
THREE PERFECT DAYS
CHICAGO
your crispy trout. A er the meal, you
stroll through the park, taking time to
check out the Green City Market (3), a
massive farmers market with vendors
selling a host of locally grown or produced
goods, from carrots to cheese to
wheatgrass juice. Sipping a healthy brew,
you wander past Lincoln Park Zoo, home
to 1,200 species and an antique carousel.
Gradually you’re drawn to the grand old
buildings of Lincoln Park. You dri into
independent book and music shops (remember
those?) and begin to see why this
neighborhood is so beloved by locals. The
sun fi lters through the trees and onto
your face, and you to realize it’s well past
noon and you’re hungry again.
Part of the reason you’re in Chicago
is the storied deep-dish pizza. Uno’s and
Gino’s East are the most famous, but locals
tell you that Lou Malnati’s (4), with
its light, fl aky “Bu ercrust” topped with
thick sauce and fresh mozzarella, is the
best. So you hop in a cab, brave the gregarious
crowds and fi ll up on rich pie
topped with perfectly spiced sausage.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM THOSE IN THE KNOW
ILLUSTRATIONS BY PETER JAMES FIELD
Grant Achatz
CHEF, ALINEA, AVIARY AND NEXT
“One of my favorite places in
Chicago is a Japanese
restaurant called Katsu. It has
been open for 23 years, yet very
few people know about it. The
sushi is some of the best I have
had outside of Japan.”
GO DEEP The deep-dish Buttercrust pie at Lou
Malnati’s pizzeria, prepped and ready to bake
Now you’re ready to explore another
trendy neighborhood, Wicker
Park (5). Once a working-class burg, it’s
now a haven for creative twentysomethings
who—much as you’re about to
do—fri er away a ernoons in vintage
shops and boutiques ranging from
high-end (Alexis Bi ar jewelry) to
aff ordable (Akira clothing). You peek
into the Flat Iron Arts building at the
intersection of Damen and North avenues,
fi lled with artist studios open
to the public, then stop by the actual
park to cool off by the granite and
cast-iron fountain, which was erected
in the 1890s and restored in 2002.
You head off to dinner at Girl & the
Goat (6). Helmed by Top Chef winner
Stephanie Izard and nominated for a
James Beard award, Girl & the Goat is
one of the ho est restaurants in town.
The menu is divided into vegetable, fi sh
and meat sections, and the dishes are
Laurel Gray
CONCIERGE, THE RITZ-CARLTON
“I like to do a lot of vintage
shopping, and one of my favorite
places is LuLu’s at the Belle Kay.
It’s great for accessories, hats,
shoes, jewelry, things like that.
I’ve gotten some good stuff there
over the years.”
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SECOND CITY (OPPOSITE BOTTOM)