Poor Starving Blog

If new bloggers want anyone to read their site, they probably should update it frequently, right?  Makes sense to me, but I violated my own rule this past week because my Mom was in town for a visit.  It was so nice to see her and to let her have some Grandma-time with the Lima Bean.  Before coming, she specifically requested that we don't make any fuss over her and don't bother with fancy cooking or cleaning or other "guest" preparations.  Well, I of course cleaned and stocked the house with plenty of baked goodies and treats, but I must confess I took her at her word on the cooking part.  We did a LOT of eating out this week.  Mostly just casual, easy meals but we did eat our way around town.  So I don't have much in the way of cooking to report this week and my stove must wonder where I am, but I do have some restaurant chat.  Here's a sample of the places we went:
 
*Joey's Brickhouse:  Joey's is a new place at 1258 W. Belmont.  I have a soft spot in my heart for Joey's because I think they are trying really, really hard to get this new place off the ground and because they have treated us very well both times we visited.  The menu is diverse and we always like the food.  I will say that Joey's food tends to surprise me with how it is spiced sometimes...it's not always the flavor or spice balance I'd expect...but it's Joey's take on things and fine for a change.  Nice decor, but on a beautiful night sit outside on the sidewalk.  This week I tried their gazpacho (soup of the day) and their warm artichoke dip.  Both were excellent.  We have also had rave reviews about the lamb shank and the pork chop at our table.  And if you're doing dessert, go chocolate fondue.
 
*Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.:  I can't believe I ate here.  It's one of those chains that I normally would dismiss as too themey, too kitschy, too commercial.  We had taken Lima to Navy Pier to see the Children's Museum (which incidentally is wonderful and worth a visit for kids 10 and under).  She absolutely loved the Children's Museum and looking at all the sights on Navy Pier, but come 11:30 her toddler stomach needed some sustenance.  Bubba Gump's has great outdoor seating, a beautiful view and was completely accommodating for a toddler.  I didn't have high expectations for the food, given my anti-theme restaurant bias, but it was really good.  We tried the shrimp po'boy and the grilled fish sandwich...simple but tasty when washed down with a fresh strawberry lemonade.  Perhaps the ultimate seal of approval came when Lima stole a shrimp off my plate and tried to down it whole.
 
*Calliope Cafe:  Absolutely awesome sandwiches, salads and snacks.  My favorites are the Southwestern Cobb Salad and the Turkey Avocado Sandwich, but friends and family also swear by the pork tamales, the buffalo chicken sandwich, the pesto chicken sandwich, the orange walnut spinach salad and pretty much any of the daily specials.  It's a cute, casual place with an outdoor patio and it's worth a stop for a quick lunch or dinner.
 
*Que Rico!:  Que Rico! is one of our favorite Mexican Places.  I love sitting on their sidewalk and sipping a margarita...feels so decadent.  Their queso fundido with chorizo is heavenly and I'm a big fan of the chicken flautas.  Everything we've had there has been exceptional.  Try their special desserts too...the brandied peaches and cherries with ice cream is unbelievably good.  I didn't find a web site for them; they're at 2814 N. Southport.
 
So this is just a quick sample of some of the places we went.  Nothing fancy this time, but good all around and we were lucky to be able to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.  My Mom left this morning so for anyone actually reading this, I promise more regular blogging is to come.