THE TASTE OF: CHICAGO

The Taste of Chicago

There are so many ways to travel that I would need enough fingers on my hand to give you examples. From the much hated (and used) express mass tourism, to slow travel, archaeological tourism, historical tourism or, my absolute favorite, the king of kings that will leave you with a very good taste in your mouth: gastronomic tourism.

In every place I visit, soaking up everything around me is a must. From its air, aromas, sounds, nature, music, researching a little of its history and finishing off by immersing yourself by trying a very strong cultural trait that characterizes each place on this planet, such as food.

Chicago was not going to be any different. Today in The Taste Of, I show you the city that was my home me for a year, and that I fell madly in love with for many (many) reasons that I will tell you about later, it also won me over through its gastronomic offer. And the thing is, have you really been to Chicago if you haven't tried its food? The guys at The Bear would tell you absolutely not.

I took advantage of my return to this city, and that LOLA had never been to Chicago or the United States, and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to stuff myself with food, spend a fun day, and take the food tour that I always wanted to do back in the day.

Al's Italian Beef Sandwich

Our guide, a 10, gave us a culinary history tour that not even the history books would dare to contain so much information. With a fun touch, and in the most American style of humor, we began our route at one of the most iconic stops on our tour: Al’s # 1 Italian Beef. Al’s housed the classic beef sandwich, the sandwich that has become so famous thanks to The Bear. With different ways of eating it, this sandwich of Italian-American origin could be defined as a sandwich made by your grandmother. Essence of those stews and casseroles, this sandwich breathes home.

Al's Chicago Hot Dog

On our tour, and continuing with the Al's menu, we were also able to enjoy what is my favorite today: The Chicago Hot Dog. You might think it's a normal hot dog, with perhaps a different type of meat, but little else. You couldn't be more wrong. A hot dog that has absolutely everything but that constitutes a perfect symphony of flavors in your mouth. Everything it has is there for a reason, and without some of its ingredients it would no longer be, simply, an authentic Chicago Hot Dog. With a bun covered in poppy seeds, it houses a beef sausage, onion, tomato, large pickle, piparra pepper, mustard and relish sauce. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water...

Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Pizza

Last but not least, and probably the most well-known: the Deep Dish pizza, or the typical Chicago pizza. To try such a delicacy (which would feed an entire family for a week) we went to the origin of its creation: Lou Malnati's. Deep dish is a pizza that looks more like a pie or quiche than what we might imagine of a pizza. Following a totally different logic, they call it “upside-down” pizza, since they place the ingredients out of the typical order and, literally, upside-down. It is a pizza with a very thick crust that is placed in a pie pan and filled with mozzarella, tomato and pepperoni with meat. A delicacy that fills you up just by looking at it and that is worth trying.

And you, would you dare to try these dishes?