I had to be at the shoe store I was doing an event at early, so I made sure I got to the bakery/cafe I wanted to check out early. I got there too early: 10 minutes before they open! Ooops. I pulled up to Baker Miller in Lincoln Square. I hung out in my car until they opened: and turns out I wasn't even the first one there! I maybe should have stood in line with these folks:
I have been following Baker Miller for a while, it is the original owners of Bang Bang Pie Shop. They decided that they wanted to make their own flours, so they left Bang Bang and started Baker Miller. They ground their grains and make flours and grits which you can buy in the store and online. I have been following them on facebook and instagram, and the photos are stunning. I had it in my head that I was gonna get the grits with corned beef, pickled cabbage, coriander mustard and and soft egg. I got up to the counter and asked the super helpful counter lady. I told her I was fluctuating between the grits and the ploughman's breakfast. She said Ploughman's, so that is what I went with.
I am so glad I did. A perfectly soft cooked egg, 4 bread soldiers, a local sausage and perfectly dressed arugula. They also make from scratch marmalade and hand churned butters. I took a bit of the satsuma marmalade and the cherry honey butter (apparently I am on a honey butter kick). All of it was bursting with flavor. Simple and well done. A perfect and hearty breakfast. Next time I am gonna get the Toast Platter: as they have toasters on each table!
In summation: bright and airy space with hearty, healthy goodness within.
I then went to work and slung shoes all day. Busy and fun, as it always is at the store I was at. My friend Natalie came to the store to meet me and take me to a new candy store down the street from where I was. I needed to find some new fun gummies for the Vlog. Many awesome things were purchased, and then Natalie had the fantastic idea to grab dinner at one of the best vegan restaurants around.
The Chicago Diner has been around since 1983. It is a full on diner: burgers, fries, shakes and the like. However, it is 100% vegetarian, mostly vegan. Natalie is vegan, and I am a huge fan of this place. It is so hard for me not to get the same thing here every time, and today was no exception. Country Fried Steak: vegan style. Battered seitan, country gravy, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. It is so so delicious: veganlicious I would say. I sent a picture to my husband Ben and he was super jealous. Natalie and I also shared a vegan peanut butter cookie dough shake. That is some sweet lovely stuff right there. Thanks, Chicago Diner, for making vegan food so delicious.
In Summation: even your non vegetarian friends will love chicago dinner.
Okay, this is when I probably should have gone back to me hotel and kept it mellow. Instead I met up with the fantastic Rajani and Vijay at a new place in Logan Square. Lost Lake Tiki is a bar that is connected to a American-Chinese take out counter called Thank You. So you can order from your server at Lost Lake anything from Thank You. One of the many reasons I love Rajani and Vijay is they eat like me: they want to try anything and everything and are always up for it. My favorite thing is when Vijay said: we should just order one of everything. So we did.
This is the cocktail I had: It's called the Pool Rules. Bourbon, Rum, Curaçao, Cinnamon, Allspice, Vanilla, Angostura Bitters. Cutest fish glass!!
Here is the link to the : and photos of everything!
Holy Moses. Our favorites: the long beans, the fried rice and the Mongolian beef. This place is also open til 4am on the weekends, how fantastic is that!
In Summation: Makes me want to move back to Chicago for the good food.
Tomorrow: meeting up with my girls Bridgid and Diana, so it's gonna get good.
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