Do you ever crave something so specific that you have to leave town to get it? Luckily this afternoon all I craved was an Intelligentsia latte which I only had to walk two blocks to get.
There are times though that I crave things that are so specific and I can't find them here. And 'here' is a pretty big place with lots of different cuisines, but there are a few things I will not find on these Chicago streets. The first is pad lao. This is a sweeter version of pad thai that when you add some heat to is just perfect. This is one of the only non-breakfast foods that I will eat for breakfast. I will eat it cold standing in front of the open door of the fridge because I like it so much. Next time I go to Madison, Wisconsin I will stop by Vientiane Palace Lao-Thai Restaurant and get a couple of orders to go. I could eat it for a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and be content.
The other dish is from Eduardo's in DeKalb, Illinois. They have the best vegi-enchiladas and they make them with tvp (texturized vegetable protein). The first time I had this dish was in 1993 and no restaurant (except the Chicago Diner) used tvp. Plus they have great margaritas. Also, keep in mind that it wasn't until 5 years later that DeKalb got their first Thai restaurant, which was like a culinary shock wave in this once sleepy University town.
There are others, like the sandwich I had in the Hague of aged cheddar slapped on a whole grain baguette with a smear of butter. High tea with my grandparents when I was 12 or 13 in Hot Springs, Colorado. Oysters with my friend Sheska and her girlfriend in Seattle. I've got to stop, but I'm sure you get the picture. Each of these moments is engraved on my tastebuds. Most of these foods are also wrapped up in my memory with the people I was with.
I am lucky to live in a neighborhood that has so many different cuisines all within walking distance. I've developed a craving for a few dishes: the medium fatty tuna from Sushi Mirai, the jalapeno miso soup from Coast, the vegi combo plate from Adobo Grill, the smoked fish and apple sandwich on rye bread at Milk and Honey, the falafel, medium spice please, at the Sultan's Market, and cold beet soup from the local Polish deli, but I'm sure there are more. If you want to come exploring you are more then welcome to join me.
1 comment:
You are making me hungry! One of those "food moments" for me was when you and I had that fabulous sushi and saw Andrew Dan Gumbo (or however you spell his name).
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