I have enjoyed Itto Sushi for years.

And after a few years living outside of Chicago, I was happy to see that one of my favorite spots for great food was still around.

Located in Lincoln Park, Itto is favored by locals.

It’s not at all scene-y or flashy but far enough off the beaten path to not be bothered by hype or tourists!

All of the food is fantastic, authentic with a few twists and turns.

Check out these deep fried sushi rolls.

And one of my favorites, unagi.

But today it was all about the mochi!

Green tee, mango, strawberry and vanilla.

Not just delicious; look at how pretty these are!

I simply worked my way to dessert and enjoyed every sweet spoonful!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

These pancakes were the star of the show.

Fragrant Lemon; light and fluffy, golden and warm with just a hint of sweetness!

Lemon Ricotta pancakes were heaven.

We shared these like dessert.

Smoked Salmon Benedict Two Poached Eggs, Smoked Salmon and English Muffin with Herb and Lemon Hollandaise

Brunch with wonderful friends in Chicago found us at Prarie Fire in the Loop.

A comfy and cozy atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon was a perfect backdrop for delicious food and yummy morning cocktails!

This is a comfort food hangout with a sophisticated twist.

Signature PGC Benedict Two Poached Eggs over Sautéed Spinach, Crumbled Bacon and English Muffin Roasted Tomato Hollandaise

Greek Omlette Feta, Tomato, Spinach and Onion

Look at how fluffy and moist this omlette is!

Fresh Raspberry Preserves and Whole Wheat Toast

The raspberry flavor was so fresh and…..raspberry-y!

This is a great brunch spot.

A must see when in Chicago!

What a gorgeous sunny day in Chicago!

What better to do than lunch and shop on a crispy cool Spring day?!

Where better to go for both than Barney’s and Fred’s?!

A seat next to the window with a glorious view of the Gold Coast was the perfect way to enjoy this beet and goat cheese salad!

Fred’s is a cool upscale spot which features organic and local food as much as possible.

The atmosphere is pure Gold Coast; Comfortable luxury!

The salmon was wild caught, tender and juicy.

The spinach was perfectly cooked and flavorful.

This is a great combination.

I can eat salmon and spinach everyday!

The avocado and tomato salsa made this the absolutely perfect meal for me!

All my favorites on one plate with green onion, too!

Very fresh. Delicious!

My honey had the linguine with clams in a very light tomato sauce.

This dish was garlicky and spicy.

Absolutely fantastic!

We were both jockying between the two plates trying to decide which was better.

It was a tie.

We were so full!

But that did not stop us from completely cleaning our plates!

Of course, we walked around Michigan Avenue for a while.

I shopped, he tried to stop me from shopping, and so it went until we stumbled on Tavern on Rush……..

The waiter warned me and I just assumed he was a wimp. A supermodel in waiter clothing.

How could he think for a moment that I could not finish a piece of cake?!

It was just lovely! and HUGE indeed!

There was no finishing this cake but it was spectacular!

Not too sweet, moist and a chocolate buttercream landscape of heaven!

It was a brisk and windy Chicago day and we spent it on the patio of Tavern on Rush, sipping coffee and nibbling on this cake!

There was people watching and the luxury of a carefree afternoon with my loved one.

A small pool of creme Anglais, fresh strawberrries and a delicate chocolate sauce created the perfect balance of flavor and texture!

Look at this! From every angle a monument to yumminess!

I can’t wait to go back and do it all over again!

Spacca Napoli on West Sunnyside in Chicago is the home of beautiful fresh ingredients, bufala mozzarella and huge wood burning pizza ovens.

“Spaccanapoli” is the old quarter and heart of Naples, Italy.
Naples is famed as the birthplace of pizza.

Mesculin greens with a light balsamic dressing.

The special today; mozzarella bufala with olive oil and sea salt.

This didn’t last very long and it worth the trip for the cheese alone!

Pizza is wood fired and thin crust.

Fresh ingrediants and light sauce create a heavenly balance of flavors.

Literally moving sushi!

On a conveyor belt…..

“I Love Lucy” style!

Yue-Sun Japanese Steak House and Susi in Wood Dale Ill was the scene of this glorious contraption!

The food was excellent and the entertainment value priceless!

The Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago is a very special place for me.

The lounge is cozy and relaxing and I have spent plenty of time with a cup of coffee; alone or with friends, enjoying the atmosphere and the desserts!

This afternoon was no different.

It was a warm and sunny Autumn day in the Windy City and we sat by a window enjoying the view and the sun streaming in.

This apple tarte tatin was warm, caramel and puff pastry perfection.

I personally, took the world tour of coffees! I had 2 espressos, a cappuccino and a cafe latte!

It was a long afternoon and I couldn’t resist the excellent brew!

And, of course, the photos.

With the warm sunlight soaking everything on our table in a golden glow, every shot was glorious.

This is not the recipe for the Four Seasons Apple Tarte Tatin, however, this looks amazing Courtesy of Curtis Stone.

CLASSIC APPLE TARTE TATIN WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM
Serves 4

Ingredients

7 oz / 200 g butter
7 0z / 200 g caster sugar
4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into halves
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 vanilla pods, split lengthways
2 x 7 in / 18 cm pastry disks, rolled to a thickness of 0.1 in / 3 mm
2 vanilla bean ice-cream balls
For the caramel sauce
7 oz / 200 g castor sugar
3 fl oz / 100 ml double cream

Method

1.Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180C.

2.In two 6 in / 15 cm high-sided copper pans, push 100 g of the butter into each pan and sprinkle 100 g sugar over the butter in each pan.

3.Place four apple halves, core-side facing up, onto butter and sugar in pan.

4.Place cinnamon stick and vanilla pod in between the apple halves to resemble a cross.

5.Stretch pastry over the apples pushing pastry down between the apples and the sides of the pan.

6.Prick pastry 4-5 times using a fork.

7.Place tarts in fridge and allow pastry to rest for 1 hour.

8.Over a medium to high even heat, on preferably an electric stove or BBQ, begin to caramelize sugar and butter (NB. you won�t be able to
see the full extent of the sugar colouring but if you gently swirl the pan, you will get glimpses down the side of the pastry of the colour the sugar is turning � this should take around 4-5 minutes).

9.Transfer tarte tatin to preheated oven and cook until the pastry is golden brown, approximately 18-22 minutes.

10.Once the tarts come out of oven, it is best to allow them to sit for around 1 hour to allow all flavours to amalgamate.

To make the caramel sauce

1.Place the sugar in a saucepan over a medium to high heat and allow sugar to dissolve.

2.Once sugar has turned to liquid and begins to change colour, keep a careful eye on it as sugar will change colour and burn quickly.

3.You need sugar to turn golden brown before adding cream.

4.Once cream is incorporated, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

To Serve the Tartin

1.Place pans with tarts over a high heat until the caramel in the bottom begins to bubble.

2.In a swift movement, turn tarte tatin over onto a clean plate, discarding vanilla and cinnamon stick.

3.If the plate is a little messy, it may be easier to transfer tarte tatin to a clean plate to serve.

4.Drizzle caramel sauce around tarte tatin and serve with vanilla ice-cream.

5.One tarte tatin will serve two people.

The Tavern on Rush in Chicago’s Gold Coast is where Chef John Gatsos creates this simple but outstanding flatbread and cheese appetizer.

TAVERN FLATBREAD: Chef�s daily selection of artisan cheese served with freshly baked flatbread and a side of lavender honey.

Lavender honey with seasoned goat cheese is perfect.

Warm and fluffy, doughy and lightly seasoned with fresh parsley, this flatbread melts in your mouth.

A picture is worth a thousand words and on this gorgeous sunny day one photo just wasn’t enough!

Indulge my prediliction for photos of beautiful food!

Le Colonial, Chicago is a treat for the senses.

The exotically luxurious atmosphere is the first hint that you are in for something special.

These Passion Fruit Martinis were incredibly fresh and delicious! Floral and fruity yet light and refreshing on a warm summer night.

Tuna Tartare with wonton crisps was light and satisfying and tasted fantastic with our cocktails….round 2!

Romance was in the air so sharing an entree of vermicelli and seafood in coconut curry seemed like the right thing to do!

What put this dish over the top for me were the copious amounts of fresh basil and cilantro; a garnish, I know, but for me a side dish or side salad!

The aroma of fresh herbs and the delicacy of the spicy coconut broth made my tastebuds tingle!

The music, the martinis, the warm summer breeze…

Hot smoked salmon is the key ingredient to this light, savory dish that is tasty and sooo girlie!

We topped whole wheat crackers with the delicate creamy and sublte flavors of the salmon spread.

My dear, BFF shared her favorite recipe with me and I will share it with you.

Ingredients
6-8oz hot smoked salmon finely chopped
1 Tbspn fresh dill finely chopped
1 Tbspn fresh parsley finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
1/4- 1/2 cup of Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove crushed
A sqeeze of fresh lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

The real secret to the success of this recipe is to mix the mayo, garlic and lemon together very well before adding to the salmon.

Mix well and serve chilled!

Pink and girlie all around when friends just want to have fun!

This delicious pink cocktail was inspired by a magical elixir we had at Le Colonial.

We tried to approximate the light tropical flavors of the passion fruit martinis we ordered and serve them “family style”!

We mixed a high quality, low sugar coconut pineapple juice with a light berry juice mix, and added vodka and fresh lime.

The result was sublime!