Wined and Dined in Chicago!

To say that Chicago is a foodie town is an understatement... it is a Food Paradise!

Last weekend, Jeff and I embarked on 2 day Bachelor/Bachelorette Party extravaganza in the Windy City!  Our fabulous weekend began with a huge group dinner at The Italian Village on Friday night: http://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/.

This restaurant produces amazingly authentic Italian cuisine.  I first visited The Italian Village with my Mom back when I was 21.  It was the highlight of our weekend, and ever since then I have been dying to return for another great meal!  Seven years later, I finally returned with a group of 18 friends and family and was seated in a private room.  From the moment we sat down, we were encouraged by our spunky Italian host to order some cocktails and relax... which we did without an argument ;-) Soon after, Jeff's Godfather (how appropriate, right?!) began ordering bottle after bottle of expensive Italian wine... and my glass glasses were never empty for the rest of the night!  Yes, I was double-fisting more than one kind of wine all night long, and it was nothing less than extraordinary!  You should try it!

On to the food... ohhhhh the food!  First, our tables were adorned by several platters of appetizers - antipasti, cheesy bread, etc. etc.  Then, we were served a salad course, and finally came the entrees, which were nothing less than spectacular.

Here is what I ordered:

Duck Risotto

This was one of the Specials that night, and it was so delicious!  Along with large juicy pieces of duck, this risotto was full of prosciutto, peas, and creamy/cheesy goodness.  Yum!

Not only did we experience the highest level of hospitality at The Italian Village, we were also given a private tour of their wine cellars!  Talk about being treated like celebrities... or a group that just dropped hundreds of dollars on wine ;-)  

Here is just a fraction of what we saw:

Hello wine from 1970!  

I think we all agreed that this was the highlight of the night... aside from the many $100+ bottles of wine we enjoyed over the course of the evening.  We were feeling pretty good by the end!

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Chi-Town Dining Part II: Saturday Night @ Carnivale

Saturday was a night of celebrating my status as a soon-to-be-married Bachelorette!   My Maid-of-Honor planned out an amazing evening, which began with dinner at Carnivale, http://www.carnivalechicago.com/, which boasts fabulous authentic "nuevo latino cuisine" that has its roots in South & Central America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Asia.  Upon entering Carnivale, there is a spacious waiting area next to a good-size bar.  Having a reservation, we decided to wait until we were seated to order drinks.  Good thing we made reservations, because this place was packed!  Entering the main dining room, we were greeted by a large open space featuring a vibrant fusion of colors, high ceilings, and lively music to match the lively crowd.  

Carnivale was the perfect venue for our group of women.  Our evening consisted of energetic conversation, delicious cocktails, and melt-in-your-mouth cuisine that my 'death-bed meal' would be made of!

I will not keep you waiting... here is what I thoroughly enjoyed from first sip to last bite:

Cocktail: Mojito

This was THE BEST Mojito I have ever had!  It was a perfect start to the night... not too strong, with a delicious balance of fresh mint and lime juice.  Yum!

Appetizer: Ceviche Tasting - All five

 I would have taken a picture of our platter, but we had 7 hungry women digging in at one time!  Nothing was left of this one :-)

Entree: Costilla de Res

Braised short rib, Three Sisters Farm cheese polenta, carrot escabeche, candied pepitas.  

I wanted to lick my plate, it was that delicious!  Again, this was THE BEST short rib dish I have ever tasted... no knife required!  Oh, and the polenta... there are no words that can describe how amazing everything on this plate was, even that okra :-)  Note to my Fiance: I will be requesting this on my death bed in the future, whenever that may be... just so you know ;-)

Dessert:  Too stuffed for chocolate?!  I think not!

Chocolate Cake: Dark chocolate, raspberry jam, almond ice cream, cocoa nibs... enough said.  

My friends reserved the first bite for me... I didn't argue with that ;-)  

My amazing Maid of Honor is on the far right in this picture.  I can't begin to tell you how special my Bachelorette Party was, and I owe her a debt of gratitude for planning such a magnificent evening.  It was a night that will be difficult to top, but when she decides to tie-the-knot, I will do my best to make her experience just as memorable.

Thank you to all who came to Chicago to help Jeff and I have one last hurrah before our wedding... we love you all and will never forget the great times we had :-)

Salute to great family, friends, food, and fun!

Librarian turned Foodie