My New Go-To Vegetarian Restaurant

3 Jan

It seems that most people think the only vegetarian restaurant in Chicago is The Chicago Diner. Though I do enjoy the restaurant, there are definitely other options for people who don’t eat meat (and even those who do!).

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One of my recent discoveries is a place called Native Foods. It is a chain restaurant that has a few locations across the country, and it just so happens that three of these locations are right here in Chicago. Venture into the Loop, Lakeview or Wicker Park, and you’ll find Native Foods.

Though some people may be put off by the fact that this place is not an old-fashioned sit-down restaurant, I like the ease and quick service that their Panera or Pompeii-esque setup provides. Their staff is friendly and extremely helpful if you have questions about the menu.

Native Foods boasts a vegan menu with a wide array of items that are also gluten free. With restrictions like that, one would think their food would be bland and boring. However, I am continually amazed by their generous portion sizes, the amount of flavor in each dish, and the amount of fruits and vegetables in each meal.

One of my favorites is the Ghandi Bowl. Broccoli, carrots, kale and green onions are layered on top of a mixture of jasmine and brown rice. The vegetables are cooked exactly the way I like- steamed so that they aren’t too crunchy, but not so much that they lose their essential crispiness. A curry sauce is drizzled on top, but it’s not overly pungent, and not spicy at all. The Tempeh adds another texture into the mix, and a handful of cranberries sprinkled on top adds a surprising (but delicious) sweetness.

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Taste of Persia

10 Dec

Since I don’t feel safe traveling to the Middle East at the moment (and wouldn’t be able to afford the plane ticket even if I did), I spent my evening taking a journey to Noon-o-Kabab, a delightful Persian restaurant near my old college. This small restaurant has tripled in size since it opened, and I keep coming back for their great vegetarian options (the close proximity to my school was also a plus!).

We started out with some baba ghaunnoj (eggplant with olive oil and garlic) and feta with pita bread, and moved on to some delicious dolmeh, which is technically an appetizer. But with only two people to enjoy these grape leaves stuffed full of rice, vegetables and spices, we made it half of our meal. We also enjoyed the dolmeh felfel (bell peppers with basmati rice, tomato sauce and herbs). Though the two dishes sound like they might be too similar to eat in the same meal, the different combinations of spices made them remarkably different and very enjoyable together. While the dolmeh felfel was a little sweeter, the dolmeh was more savory and filling.

After filling up on Persian food at Noon-O-Kabab, we crossed the street to visit Nazareth, a Middle Eastern bakery. There we filled an entire box full of pastries and cookies for only about $1. What made these desserts especially delectable was the fact that they were sweetened with honey instead of sugar, the only drawback being that the honey left my hands sticky. But I guess sticky hands are a small price to pay for a good meal and honey pastry not too far from home.

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Into the Wine Cellar

19 Nov

About 15 minutes outside downtown Galena is one of the town’s major attractions: Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery. I decided to stop in for a tasting and tour after a late lunch and found it to be a lot of fun, although very crowded. It was too late in the season (and much too dark!) for vineyard tours, but I was still able to take a tour of the premises and learn the history of the company.

For just a few dollars, I was able to taste six wines of my choosing. While the Frontenac Port and Muscat Canelli were definitely not to my liking (too strong and too sweet!), I was pleasantly surprised by the Oktoberfest and Merry Merry Cranberry. White wine is not usually a favorite of mine, but perhaps the name “Oktoberfest” just made me feel festive. It made me feel like I should sip it after taking my dog for a walk on a crisp fall day, while wearing a wool sweater and crunching yellow and orange leaves.

I was surprised by the Merry Merry Cranberry because it did not taste like a wine at all- it tasted like sparkling cranberry juice. It is rare that I enjoy a carbonated beverage, but this particular wine (complete with a Santa label) put this cranberry-loving Grinch in the Christmas spirit after the first sip. 

After my tasting, I enjoyed more free wine (the American Reisling) and listened to the history of the company and took a tour of the various buildings on the property. By the time the tour was over, our guide had opened three more bottles of wine, and this designated driver had to be careful not to consume too much.

Galena Cellars has three locations in downtown Galena, downtown Geneva and the vineyard in the Jo Daviess countryside outside Galena.

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Traveling Through Food

4 Nov

Sometimes food is a unique way to experience a culture and country without traveling far away. You can read about my experiences making classic Italian food with my grandma here.

Thanks to my grandma for giving me a story and letting me share her great recipe!

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Segovia: Perfect Daytrip from Madrid

29 Oct

After multiple days in Madrid, I was eager to get out of Spain’s capital  and venture into a much smaller city. My choice for a daytrip was Segovia. Just an hour train ride from Madrid, it’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon when you need to escape the big  city bustle. Segovia’s charming old city center was named an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

I caught a train to Segovia for about 6 Euros, and just over an hour later, I was in the famous medieval city. It was not initially charming, in fact, it was kind of ugly. However, I was determined not to waste my day, so I jumped on a bus that I hoped would take me to the historic city center from the train station.

Once I saw a giant Roman aqueduct in the middle of the street, I figured I had reached my destination. I jumped off the bus, and headed straight for the ancient landmark. I was amazed that not only could I just walk up to the aqueduct and touch it, I was also able to climb up it and take a look down. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to climb inside this one, but it was still really neat.

After I marveled in the amazing construction and views from the top of the aqueduct, I climbed down and headed to one of Segovia’s other noteworthy landmarks – Alcazar de Segovia (literally, Castle of Segovia). Like many Spanish castles, it started off as an Arab fortress, and was repurposed in the Middle Ages. This castle was a favorite of Isabella de Castille, one of the monarchs who led the Spanish Inquisition. This castle is actually way more beautiful than it looks in photos here - unfortunately the best angle was completely under construction while I was there.

After I’d seen my castle, I set off to explore and take in Segovia’s sights. The beautiful Segovia Cathedral (the last Gothic cathedral build in Spain) topped my list of things to see, but wandering around the main plaza, twisting cobblestone streets, and old Jewish Quarter were also fascinating.

This was such a convenient and relaxing daytrip to take from Madrid. I highly recommend taking time to visit Segovia if you’re spending any length of time in Madrid!

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Tuesday’s Travel Tip: Preparing on the Road

25 Oct

When Andrew and I took a weekend trip to Galena, the last thing we expected was to be unprepared for a long car trip…

Always remember to fill up your gas tank the moment you see a gas station. We noticed the tank was getting low, but figured we’d stop a little later. Little did we know that Route 20 is completely deviod of gas stations for what seemed like 100 miles.

Just as the car was beginning to sputter and Andrew was preparing to walk down the road in search of fuel, we spotted a Citgo. If it had been any further, we would havebeen stranded for a while.

While we were filling up the tank, I grabbed my cell phone, which I had been using to navigate. I was completely surprised to see that I had no service, and therefore no directions for the rest of the trip. Because I had been rushed earlier that morning, I had forgotten to print out directions and assumed my cell phone’s GPS could take care of us.

It never even occured to me that I might not have phone service for this short trip. We actually had to buy a map, and I successfully navigated the old fashioned way to Galena.

You can watch us nearly get lost here.

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Venturing into the Aqueduct

17 Oct

Many people assume the ancient Romans build their famous aqueducts only in Rome. This misconception is a common one, and not only was I lucky enough to get to see several of these Spanish aqueducts, I was also able to climb inside one.

While on a free walking tour in Granada, my tour guide asked our group if we would like to go on an adventure. Not being one to turn down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I immediately voted yes with a few other brave souls.

Having no idea what we were about to do, our guide led us to the base of a nearby aqueduct, and explained that we should all take off our shoes. After everyone had complied, he explained that we were going to climb down a hill (more of a 90 degree drop) and walk into the aqueduct.

Watching the others slide down the hill on their butts, I was thankful I hadn’t worn a dress. I slipped and skidded, but made it down the super-steep drop unscathed.

Once everyone had successfully made it down the hill, we waded through a freezing cold, rocky stream. We were cautioned to test the rocks before putting our weight on them, because they could slip. Carefully, we proceeded into the dark tunnel, which was pitch black by the time we’d taken ten steps inside. A few of us snapped our cameras constantly just to provide extra light so no one would fall on the slippery rocks.

Our guide explained some of the history behind the aqueducts, and we headed back. It was slow going, as it was pitch black and our feet were numb from the freezing water and sharp rocks. To get back to our shoes, we had to climb back up the impossibly steep hill- a nearly impossible task!

Despite some discomfort and difficulty, this was a great experience! When traveling, I think it is a big mistake to pass up an opportunity that seems hard or weird…if I had skipped this mystery adventure, I definitely would have regretted it later!

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