Chicago

Mado
Chicago, IL
August 16, 2009

Best meal of the Chicago trip: There were 6 of us and we shared everything so we all got a bite or two of each plate, plus our own entrees. The standouts were the pork rilette, my white fish, and the vanilla pudding, which was like creme brulee with a little rice stirred in. The restaurant was BYOB so we had some great wines to go with the meal. Good times!

Charcuterie platter with pork rilette, tuscan chicken liver paté, and country paté plus accompaniments

beets with ras el hanout crème fraiche and pistachios

shishito peppers fried in olive oil with sea salt

whitefish baccala with spring onion and chilies

wood roasted pig’s head, pickled white peaches and wild amaranth

whitefish with cucumbers, pea shoots and mint

mixed grill of pork sausage and pork heart with frisée, pickled cherry peppers and nectarine

vanilla bean rice pudding with raspberries

almond and cornmeal cake with apricot jam, goat cheese - mascarpone cream and candied almonds

migas bark

Other standouts from the trip, Hot Doug's, Lou Malnati's, Manny's and Pollo Express.