Taste of Chicago has been happening since 1980, but this year was my first attending the five-day festival. I went Saturday on a whim, excited to try restaurants I haven't gotten to while living on the city's far north side (without a car, no less). Approaching the throngs of excited tasters, I was brought back to my sole experience attending Lollapalooza in Grant Park (which had ended in overwhelming and a bit of people-induced claustrophobia). Nevertheless, she (I) persisted.
My friend and I didn't grab a map right away; instead, we allowed the festival to take us where it would. Our first instinct led us to comfort—barbecue from Lexington Betty Smokehouse, a special treat since it primarily caters and does pop-ups. The brisket slider was a delight, with just the right sauce and meat-to-bun ratio. And as a mac and cheese lover, I had to try the signature side, and wasn't disappointed, with a super smooth and cheesy bite with occasional crispiness.
After priming our senses with a familiar appetizer, I was ready for an adventurous choice from Rickshaw Pakistani & Indian Street Eats. I wanted to sample a little bit of everything, and was eager to try the option that seemed to offer just that: the Street Chaat Cup, with a samosa. It had a bit of the cuisine's expected spice, but that didn't overpower the herbal flavors of the sauce and the heartiness of the chickpeas. The small samosa was the highlight, just barely crisp and delivering a melt-in-your-mouth effect that I found surprising and delightful for the potato-based dish, which can sometimes become flaky and dry on the inside.
Next, my friend led us to the booth featuring that day's chef of honor, Chef Diana Dávila of Mi Tocaya. The menu offered visitors the opportunity to take a chance on unlikely flavor combinations. We decided between the Costillas de Puerco en Chamoy (Smoked pork baby back ribs in local strawberry-achiote adobo) and the Costra Taco de Nopal, which featured a taco and sautéed cactus. We went for the ribs, and the strawberry didn't feel even a bit out of place. (I guess we're already used to a tomato-based rib sauce, so even though a new fruit felt like a bit of a stretch, we were here for it.)
I got a bit too excited and slammed my rib before I could take a photograph. Luckily, the person behind us in line was accommodating enough to let me snap a pic of his, though not without joking, "That'll be $5" for the photo. He then mentioned that his kids also follow the "phone eats first" philosophy. (Our generational cross to bear, I guess. Sigh!)
We worked our way down the festival's main street, banking right to visit the food trucks. At this point, I got a bit more overwhelmed, due to the added heat from the trucks' exhaust and a narrower street packed with attendees. As I took a few cleansing breaths on the sidewalk, I reevaluated our goals. I had seen a kid eating deep-dish pizza, which piqued my interest. And I'd seen a few tweens holding Instagram-worthy rainbow-colored ice creams. My friend was still in search of the perfect wing, but we were battling summer heat, packed lines, and the occasional sold-out booth (good for you, BJ's Market, I hope we meet again soon).
I headed to Lou Malnati's to try its pepperoni deep-dish slice and was thrilled by the fresh tomatoes on top and the thick layer of cheese beneath. Maybe I'm the last one to the party, but I'm still making my mind up about Chicago deep-dish pizza (I'm from Jersey originally, so I usually do a thin crust). Since living in Chicago, I've tried Giordano's and Pequod's, but Malnati's certainly held its own. And, dare I say, my cheese-pull was one for the books (my journal).
Of course, this food fest was jam-packed, and we missed out on some true greats that have already haunted my must-try list for years (I'm still thinking about Oooh Wee! It Is!, one of Ayo Edebiri's Chicago recommendations). But I believe we made the absolute best of an unplanned and unhurried evening, finishing up at The Original Rainbow Cone Ice Cream Shop.
I wanted to experience the vibrant, mixed colors and textures of the full Rainbow Cone, but I just didn't have the physical capacity for all that (maybe next year, after some preseason training). I opted for the Rainbow Cone Taster Cup, and my friend let me try her Cookies and Cream taster, which is my go-to order at a new ice cream spot. The Rainbow includes Chocolate, Strawberry, Palmer House (New York Vanilla & cherries), Pistachio Almond, and Orange Sherbet. Oh my. It was delicious, fruity, and summery, and I could imagine myself taking down the whole shebang on yet another ridiculously hot day soon. But that's what this event was all about: Getting just a taste of something great that will keep you coming back for more.
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