Chicago Restaurant Week: Smith and Wollensky

Happy Saturday! Kristen here. So yesterday was the start of Chicago Restaurant Week, and to kick it off and to celebrate my dear friend Melody's 23rd birthday, we went to Smith and Wollensky! And it was wonderful. To start off, it was a great deal. $22 for a three course meal next to the River?? Yes, please! Not only was it a great deal, but we got lucky and were seated by the window, giving us a great view. Thank the Lord for a clear sunny day! 

Got some garlic rolls shortly after ordering. We both tried to eat only one piece so we wouldn't be too full, but we couldn't resist and ate two each. 

First course: Split Pea Soup

Second course: Melody had the Butcher Burger while I had the Pan Seared Salmon. 

I don't have a picture of our dessert, unfortunately, but we got coconut cake, and it was very very good. We were stuffed after eating half of our entrees so we took our leftovers + coconut cake slices to go. 

What Melody and I have going on is actually pretty cool and uncommon, in my opinion. We met in 8th grade (10 years ago!) and have been friends since, with the exception of a short break in between. Post college, we got back in contact, and now we grab lunch almost every other Friday in the city. I don't think I have many friends I keep in contact to this extent! <3 

What a fun and tasty way to spend an afternoon! 

xoxo, Kristen

overexposed and over contrasted

Okay, let's be real. Eunice and I are terrible at updating this blog. Actually, me specifically. My excuse? I was living life. But it's time to get back at it. A big thank you to Jay Ko (KoKo) for blogging!

I'm feeling extra productive today. Productive as in waking up at 6:30, getting a donut and coffee from Glazed and Infused, and going to the Laundromat to do 4 loads of laundry. It's such an inconvenience not having an in-unit washer/dryer. It's definitely a non-negotiable for my next apartment.

Here are some overexposed and over contrasted photos of mostly food to get me back into blogging.

Next post coming up SOON. 

xoxo, Kristen 

Bar Pompi: The Legendary Tiramisu

Ciao Amici,

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting Bar Pompi, a fairly famous dessert café in Rome, Italy. Established in 1960, for over 50 years Romans have been traveling half-way across the city just for their tiramisu. 

I have tasted many tiramisu(s) over the years and have enjoyed all of them. When I heard about Pompi’s tiramisu, I was a little skeptical of the reviews. How could a simple dessert, a tiramisu non-the-less, be life changing? I could understand sipping a fine single-malt scotch whisky that was aged 30 years in a French oak casket to be “life changing” … but tiramisu? I had to try this legendary tiramisu for myself. 

I WAS WRONG… VERY WRONG!

Pompi’s tiramisu made me question my fundamental understanding of what tiramisu is supposed to taste like. Can a dessert be creamy yet firm, sweet yet not overpowering? The answer is Yes, a resounding YES! As I placed the first scoop of the pistachio tiramisu into my mouth, I felt a light creaminess on my tongue that resembled whipped cream. The pistachio flavor immediately hit me like a slap in the face from an angry girlfriend. The pistachio had bravado and lingered for a few seconds but didn’t overpower the taste pallet. I felt a sense of balance in the tiramisu that created harmony in my mouth and in my life. The second, third, and fourth scoop created a cascade of flavor in my mouth that is hard to explain. Like a fine glass of scotch whiskey, the taste slowly matured from a sweet note to a creamier note. Before I knew it, the tiramisu was all gone. Similar to listening to a Taylor Swift song, once isn't enough and I had to hit the repeat button. I ended up eating a strawberry, banana, and a traditional tiramisu before eventually stopping because of a stomach ache. Was the stomach ache worth it? Yes! Should I have continued eating more tiramisu? Probably, but unfortunately I wasn't man enough to handle another serving of that seductive tiramisu. 

Until next time, 

Eat well and be happy ~ KoKo

Bar Pompi from the outside

A wide selection of desserts

 The pistachio tiramisu on the left and the traditional tiramisu on the right

The banana tiramisu on the left and the strawberry tiramisu on the right

Bar Pompi:

Via Albalonga 7b/9/11, 00183 Rome, Italy

http://www.barpompi.it/index.html

Introducing KoKo, guest Food+Restaurant writer

Hello Friends,

Kristen and Eunice have graciously allowed me to post as a guest writer in the Food+Restaurant section of their critically acclaimed blog, KnockBox. It is a pleasure and an honor to be given the privilege to be a contributor in their visionary work. As a gastronomy aficionado, I share their passion and adventure for unique tastes from around the world. Although my current situation prevents me from traveling too much to try different foods, I will try my best to provide thoughtful posts whenever I get a chance.

Life is an adventure, so eat well and be happy! Cheers Mate!
~KoKo (Jay Ko)