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Rica Arepa

I’ve been to Rica Arepa a few times and I always forget to take some pictures or write about it. They have multiple locations but I frequent the one on North Lincoln here in Chicago. Their staff is always friendly and you can’t help but have a good time.

I started the meal with Mini Cachapas Con Queso

Mini Cachapas con queso

This simple fried maize flour dish is like little pancakes folded over with cheese in the middle. They are slightly sweet and make for a great snack.

Being that I had a long day ahead of me, my second dish was the Rica Arepa Breakfast

Rica Arepa Breakfast

This dish comes with an arepa, scrambled eggs, ham, avocado, and cheese. I combined all of these with bites of the arepa and it is deceivingly filling.

I forgot to snap a picture of it but Rica Arepa’s Venezuelan Lemonade is a must at this stop. It is easily one of my favorite drinks on a hot day.

I hope you get the chance to stop by Rica Arepa as they are one of my favorite spots in Lincoln Park.

https://www.ricaarepachicago.com/

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Chicago Q

I can’t say that I’ve ever sought out barbeque in Chicago but recently I had a hankering for some slow cooked meats. Doing some research I landed upon Chicago Q. Chicago isn’t the place I think of when I think about having good barbeque. I tend to think first of Texas then maybe to Kansas City but almost never do I think of Illinois let alone Chicago.

Anyway, I stopped by Chicago Q early on a rainy Saturday night. The place was pretty much empty which to me either means it is not good or I showed up way too early for the dinner rush.

I ordered the ”Flight” from the Low and Slow section on their menu as well as some wings and cornbread. I had mashed potatoes as my side with the flight.

The Flight from Chicago Q

The Flight is served with three meats. Pulled chicken, pulled pork and chopped brisket. You also get to select one side. The mashed potatoes were amazing and came in this nice little cast iron skillet. I also had a piece of corn bread which was a little bit too dry for my liking but not horrible. With enough butter it was pretty good. All of the meats were fantastic. I wish the portions in the flight were slightly larger. I would have liked to see a little bit more meat and less potatoes personally. The chicken wings were dry rub, cooked perfectly and had just the right amount of heat for my pale complexion.

Overall, the food here is great. The drink menu is spectacular and the service was top notch. The barbeque itself will never compare to that of Texas or Kansas City but when I have the desire to consume smoked and slow cooked meats this will definitely be one of the places I visit in Chicago again.

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Dreamland Bar & Diner

I recently visited the great state of Washington. This is my first time in the Pacific North West. The rain did not disappoint. I was soaked on my second day as I ventured around the city on a guided chocolate tour!

But, that’s not what this article is about. On a break from the rainy weather, I wandered into Dreamland Bar & Diner an eclectic place of great cocktails and what might have been a midday dance party.

In search of some late lunch, the chicken sandwich piqued my interest. Served with a great portion of french fries this looked to be just what I needed to get me through the rest of the many miles I was planning on wandering for the rest of the day.

The french fries were perfectly seasoned and cooked perfectly so that the outside was a little bit crunchy but the inside was still a fluffy potato.

The chicken sandwich however left a lot to be desired… What appeared to be a great breading and seasoning was in fact a bland chicken thigh that had been deep-fried, slapped on a bun, and topped with melted cheddar cheese.

Dubbed the “Big Daddy Cluck” on the menu, this sandwich was classified as the ‘galaxy’s most feared emcee born on the floor of a saloon at stampede’. Allegedly served with buttermilk bacon slaw, a Macrina sodo bun pickled jalapeno, and sweet pepper jelly. For $18 I could have gone to the grocery store, bought all of these ingredients, and made my own chicken sandwich with the limited supplies in my AirBnB.

While Dreamland provided great vibes, an amazing selection of cocktails, and a bathroom hallway that will make a sober person drunk I cannot recommend that you get a chicken sandwich here. Maybe try their Crunchy Wrap Supreme instead?

See you again soon Seattle.

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Galit

On North Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park Chicago sits Galit. A small restaurant across the street from Lincoln Hall. This James Beard award-winning Mediterranean restaurant serves a chef’s tasting menu to each of its guests. The menu is made up of five courses.

For the first course, the Hummus course I had the traditional “Tehina” hummus which was served with their delicious bread.

Tehina Hummus
Galit’s Bread

The second course, called “Salatim” consisted of some more amazing spreads as well as vegetables and some assorted pickled vegetables.

Spreads and vegetables

The hummus course and the Salatime course are served at the same time and the portions are perfect for two people.

After the first two courses came the Mezze course. I ordered the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab which was lamb in a crispy saffron crust served with dill leaves. The flavor in this small dish was amazing.

Iraqi Kubbeh Halab

For the main course, I chose to have the Turkey Shawarma. While the flavor was great I do believe that the meat was slightly overcooked. The char on the ends gave the whole dish a very strong burned taste to it. The shawarma is served on top of a pea puree and accompanied by orange blossoms which make a really great pairing.

Turkey Shawarma

For dessert, I had to get the Turkish Coffee Ice cream. Not your traditional coffee flavors here and I highly recommend it.

Turkish Coffee Ice Cream

Galit was a great date night spot with the chef’s tasting menu. All of the portions were great and the value for the evening was great. I would return to this restaurant if they created a new menu for me to try in a heartbeat!

Galit Website

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Andy’s Thai Kitchen

Stopped by this local cash-only spot for a little Sunday dinner. Greeted by a very friendly staff who seemed overjoyed that we were visiting their establishment.

I ordered the Kao Soy and Chicken Satay. The Kao Soy is a yellow curry dish with egg noodles, chicken, onion, sour mustard, crushed peanuts lime, and some crispy noodles to top it all off.

Kao Soy

The portions were HUGE! The Kao Soy had just enough heat but wasn’t super overpower and every bite had a massive amount of flavor. Easily one of the best yellow curries I have had in a long time.

The chicken satay came with 4 screwers. The peanut sauce wasn’t very peanut forward but had decent flavor. The 4 pieces made a great appetizer for my meal.

Overall, a great place to get some cheap Thai food in Chicago! They also have a great selection of vegan and gluten free options.

Andy’s Thai Kitchen
https://andysthaikitchen.com/
950 W. Diversey Parkway
Chicago, IL  60614