Chicago

Last weekend found me gallivanting all over Chicago. I had never been to this Midwestern city and admittedly knew little about it. Because I was there for Lollapalooza, I still know pretty much nothing, which I regret, but I did learn a few things:

1. It’s a foodie town! I thought that it would be along the lines of Boston, which isn’t a foodie city at all, but people really love to eat and have a lot of pride in their local delicacies.
2. They have better hot dogs than New York (it pains me to write this, even with last night’s Gray’s Papaya still churning in my stomach)
3. Deep dish pizza is to pizza what the chimichanga is to Mexican food. In other words, if you’re in the mood for pizza you’re not in the mood for deep dish because it’s its own entity entirely. And New York pizza is 100000000% better in the pizza category. I truly feel triumphed for having discovered this firsthand.
4. I really, really, really hate their accent
5. EVERYONE WEARS CARGO SHORTS
6. Bratwurst is a most fantastic snack
7. Their 2-team baseball rivalry is just like Yankees vs Mets and I completely appreciate that

So, all in all, Chicago is a very beautiful city, larger and with more culture than I expected. Being lakeside definitely adds to the charm of the city. That being said, I spent most of my time there in a Myers Rum induced haze dancing to various bands and eating a lot of bratwurst in the middle of Grant Park (which is lovely, by the way).

A bit more on the food I ate. Chicago-style hot dogs are truly the best in the world, which I know is a bold claim. First of all, they use their own type of dogs, called “Vienna Beef”. I wasn’t sure if this was a company (there is a logo), or a style, or what and no Chicagoan I asked could tell me so I took the obvious next step and Wikipediaed it. I expected it to be somewhat along the lines of what Hebrew National or Sabrett or Nathan’s is, and I was mostly right. It is a local company but also is THE company for Chicago-style hot dogs, which made sense because the logo is prominently displayed wherever hot dogs are sold. It was the best tasting dog I’ve ever had. So, you have the Vienna Beef dog, sweet pickle nuclear green relish, diced tomatoes, chopped onions, a pickle (in the bun! Amazing), mustard; all in a poppy seed bun. It tasted divine and in ways reminded me of a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. I had mine at a nice little joint on the Diversey stop on the “El” Red Line called “Hoagie Hut” which will forever remain in my conscious as the birthplace of one of my favorite food experiences. Thank you Hoagie Hut.

Next stop: deep dish pizza. Ok. I was equally excited to try this as I was the hot dog. Our friend, a native, took us to Lou Malnati’s, which is a famous pizzeria and his favorite in the city. I split a plain cheese pizza (they don’t call them pies….AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHERE AM I?!?!?) with my friend and dug in. Deep dish pizza has a deep (duh), thick and buttery crust. The cheese is on the bottom with thick, lumpy tomato sauce on top with some parmigiana sprinkled on top. I’m conflicted. I know it’s a huge source of pride for Chicagoans and I know Lou Malnati’s is super famous but……it just wasn’t that good. It wasn’t BAD, but it wasn’t pizza, that’s for sure. I remember remarking that my ancestors were rolling in their graves watching me eat it. It was good enough despite the sauce being too sweet and I would definitely eat it again and enjoy it immensely but….it didn’t blow me away. It wasn’t Vienna Beef. It’s the type of meal where you’re like “oh, I’m totally in the mood for deep dish pizza” and thus has a very specific quality to it but in no way if you want pizza do you want deep dish. They’re not the same thing and if people want to make it so well then, fine, New York murders it. But on its own, it’s a unique local specialty and definitely worth having. I feel better having got that off my chest.

I regret not having time to try other distinctly Chicago things and especially not trying to go to one of their finer restaurants (there are many, and they are great) so maybe one day I’ll find myself back in the Second City specifically for that reason. Until then, I will be sublimely enjoying my thin crust pizza pies and myriad Neapolitan pizzas, reveling in the knowledge that I know for sure that my city has the best pizza. I will devour Gray’s Papaya while thinking of Vienna Beef the way one thinks of Javier Bardem during a one night stand. But Chicago, kudos, you proved me wrong on many levels and that alone is reason to make it back there.