Chicago Archives - My Inner Shakti

Date Night at Girl and the Goat | Chicago

Girl and the Goat has been on Vishnu’s ‘to try’ list of Chicago restaurants for a very long time. In fact, whenever I’d suggest a date night out, his first question would be, “Does Girl and the Goat have any open reservations?” To which I’d reply, “Yes. 10/11 pm on a random Wednesday three months from now.”

Well, my determined husband happened to be looking at Open Table one day and found a more reasonable reservation for us – (a random) Tuesday at 6:45 pm. With my sister free to baby sit (i.e. watch Kaiden sleep!), we decided to go with it!

To be totally honest, I wasn’t expecting to love the vegetarian food at Girl and the Goat. Why? Mainly because they are known for the meat dishes. But let me tell you – I was blown away by how fresh, well-balanced, and truly delicious every element of our meal tasted. A feast to remember!

Vishnu and I started with drinks (sparkling rose for me and an old fashioned for him) and an order of the sourdough bread with a side of whipped feta and red onion mostarda (a creamy dipping sauce). My rose was on point, Vishnu loved his drink as well, but let’s talk about this whipped feta for a second. I need a tub of this by my side at all times. It was so creamy and tangy and the perfect spread for the crusty sourdough bread…and I’m sure anything else you can find that’s dippable.

Vishnu and I decided to share one more vegetarian item before digging into our entrees. Based on a recommendation my friend Jigna shared with me, we ordered the roasted cauliflower. OH-EM-GEE! I’m totally ordering this as my main entree the next time we eat here. If you’re not a cauliflower fiend, you may be wondering what the hype is all about. You guys! The char on this cauliflower…the tenderness…the pine nuts…and the pickled veggies and jalapenos. It all came together to form the perfect bites. I could not get over how tasty this little dish was! A must order in my humble opinion.

For my main entree, I decided on the green garlic pierogies that came with a sour cream and scallion + tomato relish on the side. The portion size was definitely on the smaller side (4 pierogies per order), but it was the perfect amount for me given we ordered a couple of things to share. My favorite part of this dish was the sour cream sauce and the relish. They paired so well together and when eaten with the tender pierogie and creamy filling, it was pure magic!

For his main dish, Vishnu ordered the crisp braised pork shank. In his own words, this was the most tender pork he’s ever had. Super juicy too. I was able to try the dipping sauces and loved them both – the kimchi one was incredible…so unique! And the naan was the softest and fluffiest I’ve ever tried. I don’t think Vishnu regretted his choice by any means!

Any finally, no meal out would be complete without a little something sweet! Vishnu put me in charge of picking our final course, and of course, I went for the one with all the chocolate. Our waiter even confirmed that it was the best one on the menu! You guys, this chocolate pavlova with sesame whip cream, brittle, and ice cream was out of this world and SO unique. The actual pavlova was essentially one huge macaroon, and the crispy edges were everything! My favorite part (no surprise!) was the creamy chocolate caramel sauce. It wasn’t too sweet or even too chocolaty, but it really brought the whole dessert together.

While the food was clearly fantastic, I should also mention the wonderful service we experienced. Our waiter was incredibly helpful and very timely with everything, and I personally loved how he checked in at all the right moments to make sure we were ‘loving our dishes.’

Girl and the Goat, we shall meet again…when Vishnu finds another random weekday reservation! But seriously, every Chicagoan/visitor needs to try this restaurant. AMAZING all around!

Rewind and Fast Forward

written by Parita 3 Comments

REWIND

As you all know, HFMD (Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease) took over my little guy’s body. Based on what I read and what friends told me, I think K’s version was mild compared to what could’ve been. Apparently, this thing can get pretty severe and painful. He had some bumps on his hands and face, but other than that, he was ok. And luckily, everything started clearing up by Wednesday.

Early last week, Vishnu started complaining about chills and a really bad sore throat. I was positive he caught HFMD from Kaiden, but (again) luckily, I think he had strep. He felt much better after starting on antibiotics. And even though strep sucks, I hear the adult version of HFMD is absolutely awful.

Moving on from sick talk…

Vishnu’s mom and I share something pretty big in common. We both love food – cooking it, eating it, trying new things, watching any food related television, etc. I’ve enjoyed introducing her to new recipes and ways of cooking over the past few weeks. For example, this past Friday, she tried Trader Joe’s cauliflower crust pizza and loved it! I’ve also made a few recipes in the Instant Pot she’s ended up loving.

On Saturday, Vishnu and I went out for some St. Patty’s Day fun. Well, we had very loose plans and decided to go with the flow. We stopped by our friend Rohit’s place as he was having a little get together/party. After a bit of chit chat, we headed back out to meet my sister, BIL, and a few friends at a restaurant turned club. You guys…it’s been a minute since I’ve been out like this. I will say, after a bit of “we’re only going to stay for 20 minutes,” we ended up having a lot of fun. The music was on point, and the company was even better! Vishnu and I stayed for maybe an hour before heading out, grabbing a bite to eat, and making our way home at 9:00 pm (ha!). The best part? We walked everywhere! No car, no Ubers, no cabs. The weather was bearable (a little warm even). Spring is on it’s way (FINGERS CROSSED!).

Sunday included a lot of food prep (for us and for Kaiden), a visit to my sister’s place to play, and Costa Rica packing. Productive x 10!

FAST FORWARD

Vishnu’s mom leaves on Tuesday evening. I’m already super sad. Ha! I think her absence will really hit us when we get back from Costa Rica. The other night, I said to Vishnu, “I don’t remember what it’s like without help.” To which he replied, “I can help.” I meant help for both of us. He cracks me up! We’ll be ok though!

Not really a fast forward but something worth mentioning – One of the reasons we’ll be ok is because Kaiden is finally sleeping through the night (ish)! [Knocking on all the wood.] He’ll occasionally wake up crying unable to go back to sleep, but all he needs is his pacifier (which is by his legs at this point in the night). I really really really hope this continues because I haven’t felt this fresh and awake in a long time!

We leave for Costa Rica on Wednesday. Ahhhh! I’m actually super excited now and can’t wait to explore a new country with my besties! We have a packed agenda full of so many adventures – a 10 hour hike, ATVing, white water rafting, waterfall repelling, and zip-lining. Send LOTS of courageous vibes this way please. I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it!

I’m also super excited for Kaiden to spend time with my parents in Atlanta. As my sister likes to remind me, it’ll be good for both of us. We’re a little attached to each other!

And finally, after a crazy Q1 2018, I’m ready to take back the rest of the year! I’m formulating a plan in my head right now about how to do this and plan to blog about my efforts. This will likely include some hopefully positive changes in the diet, exercise, organization, play, reading, blogging, relationship, and likely more areas of my life. I just feel like everything went off track in small ways over the past few months. Life happens, of course, but now it’s time to make the most of the rest of the year.

Well, that’s all she wrote. Happy Monday! I’ll chat with you in a few days, hopefully more rested and a little more tan. 🙂

Brunch with a Side of Incredible Service at Farmhouse | Chicago

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Given the choice of breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I will always rebel and choose brunch. There’s something about brunch food that gets me excited to eat. For one, who doesn’t love eggs covered in cheese with a side of crispy breakfast potatoes. Or if you’re in the mood for something sweet, a stack of fluffy pancakes with a side of sweet syrup. Ummm…yum!

A weird fun (?) fact about me – I love looking at restaurant menus, even those in different cities I have yet to visit. And brunch menus are a personal favorite!

If you live in Chicago or have ever visited, you know this city takes the brunch game to the next level. There are so many amazing options to choose from. I don’t think we’ll be able to cover them all by the time our next move comes around. Insane!

Farmhouse definitely takes brunch (and food in general) seriously! The menu is filled with fresh, local, and carefully selected ingredients. While not healthy by any means, it’s the kind of food you feel good eating. It feeds your belly and your soul!

I’ve had the pleasure of eating at Farmhouse several times and have yet to be disappointed. However, our most recent dining experience topped them all.

Let’s start with the food…

Vishnu, my friend Jigna, and I started by sharing an order of the cheese curds. OH MY! Little bites of gooey, perfectly battered heaven. These bad boys are fried but still very light. Literally melt in your mouth perfection. This dish is also served with two dipping sauce – homemade ketchup and spicy ‘curd’ sauce. The ‘curd’ sauce, as strange and unappetizing as it sounds, is the perfect condiment for cheese curds and anything else you want to dip in it!

For my main meal, I ordered the Vegetable Hash. Trust me when I say, the name of this dish doesn’t do it justice. My bowl was filled with Fall vegetables like Brussel Sprouts, squash, tomatoes, and green beans and topped with perfectly cooked scrambled eggs (the way I like my eggs!) and a spicy horseradish cheese. On the side, I enjoyed spicy breakfast potatoes that were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

Vishnu ordered the Midwestern Autumn Salad with chicken. He let me sneak a bite of the veggies before he dug in. I loved the flavors and textures, especially the cabbage, apples, goat cheese and pecans. Definitely recreating this at home!

Jigna ordered the Salmon Benedict and judging from the beautiful presentation and the fact that Jigs finished her meal, I think it was a pretty delicious dish.

So that’s the food…as you can see, you really can’t go wrong!

Now let me tell you about our service experience. In one word, it was surprising and heartwarming!

The last time I ate at Farmhouse was back when I was probably eight months pregnant. A college friend of mine was in town and suggested we meet for brunch. I remember our waiter being really funny and kind, but that’s about it. Well, guess what?! We ended up with the same person this time around, and the only way I know is because he actually remembered me! He asked about the baby, so I proceeded to show him a few pictures of Kaiden! And then, to top it off, he didn’t charge us for the cheese curds as a way to say congratulations. Ummm…who does that kind of stuff anymore?! The staff at Farmhouse that’s who! Vishnu and I (and Jigna) were blown away by this small act.

So not only did we have a great meal, but we also left touched by the thoughtfulness (and memory) of our great waiter!

Ernesto’s Chilaquiles at Nookies | Chicago

written by Parita 2 Comments

Three Chicago neighborhoods are lucky enough to call Nookies home (Old Town, Lincoln Park, and Edgewater). Serving delicious and comforting food guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest eater’s taste buds, Nookies’ menu covers the gamut in terms of flavor.

When it comes to eating out, I can be creature of habit. What can I say? When I find something I absolutely love, I stick with it. Consistency, baby!

This is certainly true when eating at Nookies. I’ve now dined there five times, and all five times, Ernesto’s Chilaquiles have been part of my meal in some shape or form. Yes, they’re that good!

Side note – if I were to ever meet this Ernesto, I would give him a hug and then pester him until he gave me the recipe for his chilaquiles!

Traditionally, chilaquiles include fried tortillas, salsa, and cheese served with eggs and beans. Ernesto’s are no different in terms of composition, but they take the cake in terms of flavor. The tortillas and eggs (scrambled but not overly) are layered with generous amounts of cheese and smothered in perfectly spiced sauce. All of this deliciousness is served alongside [the creamiest] refried beans, rice, and sour cream.

One of my favorite parts of this dish include the eggs and tortillas. As Thea (who’s now been to Nookies twice!) said, you really can’t tell the difference between the two. It all just melts in your mouth! I also LOVE the beans. When I say they’re the creamiest, I mean it! I want to swim in them will simultaneously stuffing my face by the handful. Ha!

I felt the need to share about Ernesto’s Chilaquiles because a lot of my readers live in Chicago, and those who don’t will likely (or at least they should) visit at some point. And if/when you get the chance, you must put Nookies at the top of your must try restaurant list.

While I won’t be ordering anything different anytime soon, the menu is full of other great options as well. I’ve tried the veggie croissant sandwich and the crepes (both excellent), and Vishnu really enjoys the meaty skillets. But if you want the ultimate delicious meal, go with the chilaquiles and thank me later!

Your turn. Are you a fan of chilaquiles? What’s your go to brunch dish?

The Blissful Veggie + Native Foods Cafe

written by Parita 3 Comments

So I have a problem. I like to do ALL the things, in that I’ve always been a ‘I love my plate tipping over’ kind of person. Until I realize it’s not possible to do all the things and do them well. Let’s take The Blissful Veggie (TBV) as an example.

I started TBV earlier this year with the hopes of creating a space for veggie friendly restaurant reviews. Great idea in theory. But when you’re pregnant and have a blog you already post fairly regularly to and have a full time job, it’s a bit much…even for me! Also, I totally didn’t take into account the fact that after you have a baby meals out are kind of a once in a blue moon type of event. At least for the time being. If we don’t go out to eat, I don’t have any content to share!

So with that being said, TBV is coming to an end…for now. However, I still love sharing and writing restaurant reviews so that won’t stop. When we get a chance to try new restaurants, AND I remember to take a few decent pics, I’ll share my foodie adventures on MIS.

* * * * *

With all of that being said, here’s a restaurant review I’ve been wanting to share.

Native Foods Cafe is a vegan restaurant Thea (my coworker and friend) and I frequent a lot. Mind you, Thea is a not a vegetarian, yet she loves this place as much as I do.

Because we’re basically the same person (just kidding, she’s a lot cooler than me!), we always order the same few things and share. On our most recent visit, we convinced our coworker Lamia to come with us. We’re always looking to spread the Native Foods love!

Lamia was happy to go with the flow, so Thea and I decided to stick with our favorites – the Native Nachos + guacamole + the seitan taco meat and a side of sweet potato fries + the spicy and creamy dipping sauce. Because there were three of us this time, we also ordered Native Chicken Wings with a side of creamy ranch. And of course, you can’t go to Native Foods without contemplating dessert. Our contemplation pointed to a ‘duh,’ so we ended up getting the Peanut Butter Parfait.

SO MUCH GOODNESS!

The following pictures will speak for themselves, but the food here is finger licking good.

The nachos are perfectly prepared with a variety of delicious toppings, including the best “cheese” sauce. I also love the balance of textures and flavors – everything just ‘fits’ together. You may think you’re ordering the standard run of the mill nachos, but you’re wrong. These are super unique.

The sweet potato fries are great on their own, but what makes them extra special is the sauce. Every time we eat here, I’m tempted to ask someone the secret to making it taste so good. It’s so creamy and rich with a bit of spice mixed in. Love the sweet and savory play here!

This was my first time trying the chicken wings, and I must say, I’m a fan! Of course, they don’t taste like chicken, but the sauce gets you as close as possible given these are made of veggie protein. Again, the ranch dipping sauce makes these next level good. The balance of spice from the wing sauce and the cool ranch is perfect.

And finally, this dessert. It’s pretty incredible. I mean, peanut butter cream + chocolate + banana bread. And believe it or not, it’s pretty light!

If you live in the Chicagoland area (or are planning to visit), I highly recommend Native Foods Cafe. There’s truly something for everyone, vegan or not!

Your turn – do you have a favorite vegan/vegetarian restaurant in your city?

The Wright Institute: Foundations Weekend

written by Parita 4 Comments

I attended a workshop this weekend hosted by the Wright Foundation [for the Realization of Human Potential]. And when I say I attended, I mean – 6-11 p on Friday and 8a-8p on both Saturday and Sunday. It was full on!

The focus of the weekend was personal transformation and growth, a topic I love and find super interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the workshop, the content, and the people I met. I’m not quite sure if I’ll participate in another (paid) program, but I’m glad I put myself out there and did something that was a little outside my comfort zone.

I thought I would share some of the snippets that impacted and inspired me the most.

Our fears tell us more about who we are, what we can expect from the world, and what the world can expect from us. This plays into loss aversion – anticipating the pain of loss more than the pleasure of gain. Said differently, playing to win versus playing not to lose.
More than happiness, we should seek out well-being, meaning, and incremental self-improvement.
We are the gift to the world. Period. Not our accomplishments, the outcomes of our decisions, etc.
Our goal should be to live life unedited.
Weird is good!
Never confuse impossible with inconvenient! –> LOVE THIS
In order to get people to listen to you, YOU have to listen to you.
Your pain is part of your gift. Denying the pain is denying the gift.
You’re the corner of humanity you have to take care of and be responsible for. Otherwise, you are projecting your insecurities and unfinished BS on to the world.
There’s pain in focusing on your own satisfaction. –> So much truth to this.
Don’t be afraid to unleash the dam [of emotion] because even dams return to become a stream (or river).
When things get good, people stop taking risks. We should flip when things are good!
The more authentically you live, the more you’ll live your purpose.
By being vulnerable and opening up, you’re recruiting allies for your team.

I hope you can find some inspiration in one (or more!) of the above bullets! Happy Wednesday!

Where/what/who do you draw inspiration from?

The Halloweekend That Wasn’t

written by Parita 5 Comments

Halloweekend 2016 wasn’t very Halloweeny, but it sure was fun!

Roshni and Samir’s flight was delayed by about an hour on Friday night, so Vishnu and I watched the Cubs game until it was time to head to the airport. After picking them up and dropping their bags off at home, the four of us headed to Duck Duck Goat for a very late dinner that was worth every delicious bite. We shared six different things between the four of us, including green beans topped with crispy shallot and cashews, gyozas, veggie fried rice, spicy tofu, a pineapple dessert, and a few other things. In my opinion, the fried rice and pineapple cake stole the show!

Our friend Rohit, who also stayed with us this weekend (his brother rented out their place on Airbnb for the Cubs games this weekend), met us at the restaurant. The five of us sat around and chatted for a while before heading home to talk some more and finally fall asleep around 2 am.

Needless to say, the next morning started much later than any of us anticipated. By the time we left the house, it was 3:00 pm! Our first stop was Oven Grinder for a late lunch. A late lunch that turned into dinner because of a 3.5 hour wait.

We didn’t wait around the restaurant for 3.5 hours though. We grabbed a bit at Del Seoul and then walked around Lincoln Park for a bit. Our main objective was to find Halloween costumes for me, Rosh, and Samir. Vishnu figured his out late last week. We finally settled on a Dr. Seuss theme for the three of us (Dr. Seuss himself + two cats). Not too shabby for a very last minute costume search.

So after all that, we headed back to Oven Grinder for dinner. *A word of caution to those who haven’t eaten here yet – try to go at an odd time (apparently the best time is 9 pm on a Sunday). The wait is ridiculous. Not always over 3 hours, but you’ll almost never walk in and be seated immediately. Be ready for that!

Dinner was awesome. I’m not a huge deep dish pizza fan, but I love the saucy Oven Grinder pie. With the exception of Vishnu who went for the meat sauce, the rest of us got 1/2 pounders with light cheese, veggie sauce, and a white crust. YUM!

So this is where our plans veer off track. We were supposed to go home, get ready, and meet Rohit and a few of our other friends for a fun Halloween night out. Instead, we got home, sat down [for a supposed minute], turned on the Cubs game, and passed out! OOPS!!! In a roundabout way, it all worked out because Roshni had a cold that took a turn for the worse, and it probably wasn’t a great idea for her to be out until the wee hours of the morning. In all honesty, it worked out for me too. Due to some lingering stomach cramps, I wasn’t feeling too hot either. Such is life!

The next morning started fairly early since we all got 13200948730 hours of sleep! We ate breakfast and watched football until everyone was hungry again for some Seoul Taco (not to be confused with Del Seoul!). So good!

Then, before we knew it, it was time to drop Samir and Roshni off at the airport. 🙁 But not before we took a picture (the only non-food pic of the weekend)…