Eating Out in Chicago

The second city is quite lovely this time of year and Mark and I took a trip out to the great midwest for the wedding of a dear friend. Obviously we sought out large quantities of delicious food and went to great lengths to get it.

First, we went to Rick Bayless' new "Street Food" casual spot, XOCO. It boasts a menu of tortas (sandwiches) that each seem better than the last. But who would go to a Rick Bayless restaurant without getting the guacamole? It was smooth and full of flavor, as were the two salsas that accompanied it.
Mark got the chicken with arugula and pickled onions. It was a sensation.
I got the melt-in-your-mouth pork sandwich with pesto. I've been dreaming out it ever since.
It was washed down with the agua del dia, which was Strawberry Limonade.
Then we traveled out to Burt's Place in Morton Grove. We had a few Zipcar fiascos but we managed to get there in one piece and thank goodness we did. These pictures hardly do it justice, but it was amazing. We got sausage, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic.
There were fresh yellow and red peppers and perfectly cooked mushrooms. The sausage was absolute perfection with the cheese and the caramelized crust.
Look at the crust. Yum! If you are in Chicago and are in possession of a car, get yourself out to Burt's Place right away.
Last, but my no means least, is the Doughnut Vault. It is a teeny tiny, closet-sized storefront where you can buy a very limited selection of doughnuts. They follow the mantra that you should do only a few things exceptionally well.
By the time we arrive, there were only vanilla glazed left and we were not disapointed. They were light as air and melted in our mouths. If you look closely, you can see the vanilla bean speckled in the glaze. You better seek this out the next time you are in Chicago.
I also happened to stumble upon this gorgeous creature and she agreed to be photographed with me. Then I tried to steal her necklace and she called the police. Oh well.