| « Feuerzangenbowle This! | The Third Westernmost Portillo's » |
Random Wed Mar 06 2013
Taming the Inner Chill
It's reached that time where you can be caught mid-day, looking out the window/walking down the street/avoiding the spray of a bus, that you find yourself proclaiming in impassioned disgust, "I'm so over this." -- this being winter and you need a break.
And, because short of catching a plane to Florida to beat the winter blues (which, sorry, I will be doing next week), Irish beef stew and hot adult beverages offer a nice recourse. Since traipsing around Chicago during the winter in style is downright impossible, we've rounded out some casual places to visit to get rid of that inner chill.
Pick Me Up Cafe, the vegetarian friendly late night spot located in Wrigleyville for their Vegan Irish Stew (on special now until the end of the month). Get it because they normally don't do things with beef and red wine reductions and pair it with a Hot Cider with Jameson because drinking at a cafe seems rebellious.
3408 N. Clark St.
The Grafton Pub and Grill, the craft beer and Irish bar located in Lincoln Square for their Homemade Beef and Guinness Stew --one of most popular menu items I'm told -- and a Hot Toddy. (Because if you're going to have a hot toddy and a Guinness stew, let an Irishman make it.)
4530 N. Lincoln Ave.
Revolution Brewing Chicago for their Flemish Beef stew with garlic cream cheese mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts and butternut squash; highlight it with an Eugene Porter (which is also included in the stew) or The Straight Jacket ale.
2323 N. Milwaukee Ave.
And if you want to forgo the food and head straight for the liquid heat, I hear the glogg, a classic Scandinavian drink of muddled wine with spices, at Simon's Tavern in Andersonville is delish.
5210 N. Clark St.
Images courtesy of Chuck's Collection
