Grub Couple: Eating & Exploring

Chicago Restaurant Week at Epic 2013

2013-02-06T21:25:00.000-06:00

February starts off with a BANG! Chicago Restaurant Week is like New York Fashion Week for all the foodies in the city. We researched where to go and thought Epic Restaurant would be a good place to start. Let me tell you one thing, the place is GORGEOUS! The city lights shine inside amazingly and the aura of the place just makes you feel baller. As for the food, there were hits and misses.

Crab and Shrimp Louie with Avocado and Tomato

The Crab and Shrimp Louie was a great start as it freshened our palates. It was an excellent starter and didn't overload us at all. Both of the seafood meats were full of flavors and juices that complemented the tomatoes and avocados.

Lamb Carpaccio. Pickled Huckleberries. Manchego Cheese. Pecans

The lamb was beautiful. Perfect texture and full of flavor. Both the huckleberries and cheese blended well with the lamb and the pecans gave it a bit of a crunch factor.

Baby Spinach. Grilled Apples. Goat Cheese. Almonds. Tarragon Vinaigrette

I could have eaten just the grilled apples and goat cheese with each other and would have been satisfied. That being said the spinach gave it a fresher taste and a softer texture to go with the apples and goat cheese.

Lobster Bisque. Calvados Cream. Chervil

The Lobster Bisque had a lot of flavor to it. It seemed like it was missing a crunch but the flavor was definitely delicious.

Braised Short Ribs. Scallion-Potato Puree. Baby Carrots

Despite being the entree, this was my least favorite dish. That being said, I actually really enjoyed the baby carrots a lot. They were full of flavor, had a perfect soft texture, and made me smiled. The reason I didn't like the short ribs was that it was overcooked. It tasted like a frozen TV dinner except it took longer to get out. I was indifferent about the potato puree.

Grilled Salmon. Crispy Risotto Cake. Spicy Tomato-Mint Sauce

This entree was also overcooked. Tasted a little dry and didn't have much punch to it. In theory it looks like it had a lot of potential, but the execution just did not hit it.

Milk Chocolate-Banana Cake. Rum Anglaise. Mango Sorbet

Nothing smashing about it, but not bad. The mango sorbet was mediocre here. Emma and I actually had Mango Sorbet bought at Dominick's and it was smoother and we finished a pint in one night. Maybe my expectations were too high after tasting some delicious mango-filled Filipino dishes. It didn't blend that well with the chocolate to compensate it either.

Overall, it was an okay experience but could have been better. It seemed like the veggies and fruits were prepared better than the meats. The service was great and our waiter was very personable and friendly. Despite having an awesome scenery, the food just doesn't match up to the setting.

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together,

Stays Together"
-Grub Couple-

Happy New Year!

2012-12-31T23:00:00.000-06:00

It's New Years Eve and what better way to celebrate the end of the year than going out to grab some grub! Wayne and I wanted to celebrate with a bit more flair so we decided to go to Sprout in Lincoln Park. I've always wanted to try this place, along with The Girl and The Goat, Grace and Alenia. :) So I was pretty excited.

Now, you would think that Sprout would be geared towards more vegetarian chic dishes but nope! They're more contemporary French/American cuisine. Plus the Executive Chef is Dale Levitski from season 3 of Top Chef. Chef Levitski also opened up a restaurant called Frog n Snail (which I also would like to try) that focuses on more European classics. However, Sprout does cater to vegetarians by having a vegetarian New Years Eve dinner offered along with their five course meal special.

When you first walk into Sprout, the first thing you may notice is how small the restaurant is. Despite that minor detail though, the atmosphere has a classy yet comfy feel to it. We had a 7:15pm Reservation so the restaurant was a little slow at first. But it began to pick up halfway through our meal.

We were first given a pumpkin squash appetizier to start off with. It had nuts and a gingerbread topping. I thought it was really neat was that it came with a cute itty bitty spoon and that it was served in an actual egg shell.

After the little pumpkin egg we were then given the Lobster. It had butternut, armagnac, cream and crab. I have to say that this was my favorite dish out to the meal. The smooth butternut squash base added a nice touch to the lobster. It was as if the squash flavor softened the lobster so the seafood taste was subtle instead of overpowering. While the slices of chips added a nice crunch to the soup without taking away from the flavor. I felt that every element of the dish complimented each other, creating a nice symphony of flavors on the palate.

The gnocchi dish was Wayne's favorite. It had black truffle, cauliflower mash, kale and Ossau-Iraty. Fun fact, ossau-iraty is a creamy, rich yet smooth French cheese made from sheep's milk. Apparently the cheese is produced traditionally. As the sheep get to graze in mountain pastures. I also liked how the served the gnocchi with three pieces. I'm not a huge fan of gnocchi because it can be too filling, but the smaller portion was just right. As the dish gave enough to make your mouth savor it, but not too much where it was overwhelming.

Yup. Sipping my drink like a lady :)

Haha. He's such a cutie.

The Quail was another one of Wayne's favorites. If you haven't seen our previous posts, Wayne really likes foie gras. So the fact the quail had foie gras made his day. The quail was delicious it was moist but still had a bit of gamy texture with it. I've never actually ate quail before. I've had quail eggs but never quail. I think quail is like duck in its gamy texture. Despite that fact though, the texture complimented the dish quite nicely with the corn grits.

The venison was a very tasty dish. It had Glögg, chestnut, cauliflower and goat cheese. I'm not a huge fan of venison but what was great about this dish was that the Glögg (a nice mulled Swedish Wine) added a nice hint of sweet-fruitiness to the meat without taking away from the texture of flavor of the venison. There was also a goat cheese stuffed prune which was really delicious too.

Last but not least for dessert we got three different types of cream puffs of milk chocolate, caramel and vanilla. There was lingonberry berry jam, and decorative candied sugar web over the cream puffs. To top off our dessert, we also ordered a cappuccino. The coffee was really rich yet smooth. The cream puffs were pretty good, however, I felt like they were kind of rushed. The outside of the puff was kind of crispy instead of fluffy and the decorative sugar webbing was very pretty but difficult to eat.

But to end on a sweet note, we were given free homemade cookies after our meal! It was very nice and they were very yummy!

Thank you to everyone who follows us!

We wish everyone a Happy New Year! See ya 2012!

May 2013 bring more wonderful opportunities and memories along the way!!!!!!!

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together,

Stays Together"
-Grub Couple-

Noodles!

2012-12-14T19:47:00.001-06:00

Tonight Wayne and I went to Urban Belly for dinner around Avondale. We were craving something affordable yet tasty and Urban Belly definitely met our requirements.

When you get to the restaurant it's in a tiny plaza next to a laundromat. At first we thought it was closed because the lights inside are kind of dim. But thankfully for our stomachs, it wasn't. Once you walk in you instantly see its not your normal place to eat. For one thing there's communal tables. In other words, don't be the jerk that sits in the middle of the table. But I think it's BYOB, so you do have the potential to make friends. :) If you can get over that initial shock that you will probably have to sit with a complete group of strangers, it's a great place to get delicious noodles and dumplings. The atmosphere is casual and can be quick because you can order carryout.

Plus I really liked reading about Chef Bill Kim's philosophy for Urban Belly. On their website it says, "Urbanbelly is about the communal dining experience. Meet new people. Eat great food. Feed your belly from the heart."

In my personal opinion, eating good food and being around the people is a form of happiness. I don't believe that materialistic things can make you happy. They can sustain your happiness for a little bit. Happiness is a revolving emotion. Some days you're happy and some days you can't find the happiness. And there are some people are constantly searching for happiness. When in reality, it is right in front of them. I strongly believe that being around good people who make you feel good about yourself/make you better person, can be the best route to happiness. But anyway, I digress...

THE FOOD:
For appetizers we ordered the lamb & brandy dumplings and the duck & pho spices dumplings. And wow, these dumplings were really delicious. The duck dumplings had a little subtle kick of spice. While the lamb and brandy dumplings were fried tasty little pockets. I think my favorite dumpling was the duck though.

YAY dumplings!

For entrees, I ordered the Rice Noodles and Wayne got the Urban Belly Noodles.
The Rice noodle had hominy, kimchi and a spicy pork broth. I thought that the kimchi made the noodles taste really good. Then again I'm biased because I'm South Korean and Koreans love their kimchi. :)

Rice Noodle Bowl

But if you're looking for something with a little more spice then this is the noodle bowl for you. The only downside I saw with the Rice Noodles was the fact that there was too much Tteok (떡) or rice cake. If they had cut them smaller or added less it would have been perfect in my book. As for Wayne's Belly Bowl, I thought it was really tasty. However, I quickly got bored with the taste. Probably since I like my noodles to be a bit spicier. But if you're looking for a safer choice, or something a little bit heartier then this may be the noodle bowl for you.

Urban Belly Bowl

In short our verdict is, if you're too lazy to make your own ramen and want to take a person out for a date (but still haven't made it to the intimate stage) this might be a good place. Or if you just want Ramen Noodles after a long day of work, you should check this place out. :)

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together,

Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Emma's Birthday Dinner

2012-11-03T22:28:00.001-05:00

My 23rd birthday is tomorrow, November 4th. So, today, Wayne and I went out to celebrate my birthday at Graham Elliot. The chef, Graham Elliot, appeared on Top Chef Masters in 2009 and was also on Master Chef as a judge. So we had some pretty high expectations.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was very trendy and chic with sophisticated lighting.
To start off we ordered wines. I decided to get the 2011 chateau pradeaux rose just because it was pink. lols I thought it was really good, it was a little dry but had a very smooth finish.
We decided to do the prix fixe for dinner. Wayne got the butternut, lamb and chai. And I decided to go with the pear, sturgeon and chocolate.

Our waiter came out with a complimentary tasting from the chef. We weren't too impressed by it. I think it had shishito in it and some type of foam. The tasting dish provided the taste bud pallet with a mixture of textures and flavors. It just wasn't something I'd reach for to taste if it wasn't given to me though.

For our first course, my pear dish was amazing. All of the elements of the dish complimented each other. The prominent flavor of the roquefort, the sweet and juiciness of the pear and the surprising mostarda. The dish consisted of: pear, roquefort, peppercress, and mostarda.

Roquefort is one of the world's best known blue-cheeses. The flavor was pretty mild and ends with a little bit of salty after taste. I also know that peppercress comes from the mustard family. But I had no idea with mostarda was. After looking it up on Google, I found out it was an Italian condiment made from candied fruit. Weird! But it was pretty tasty with the dish. It is kind of like a ball of jelly.

Wayne's butternut dish was a butternut-like soup with noisette, chestnut and sage. I thought his dish would be more like a butternut squash soup, but instead it was just a broth. Noisette is when unsalted butter is melted over low heat and it begins to brown as a liquid in the process. The chestnut was like shavings and added a bit of a crunch compared to the liquid. It was pretty good. I expected Wayne's dish to have a little more butternut flavor. Instead it was just a hearty brown broth with textured chestnut shavings. Again, I wasn't too impressed by it. But Wayne thought it was pretty good.

For our main course I had the sturgeon with rutabaga, apple coleslaw, and Gruyere. Now I gotta say, the best dish for the night was my sturgeon. The sturgeon was perfectly cooked. It was a little fishy but because it was cooked to the T, it was savory and smooth for a fish dish. The rutabaga was kind of breaded and provided a little bit of contrast to the texture of the fish. It was almost like a crab cake in presentation and texture.

Wayne got the lamb with an eggplant, pistachio and yogurt. I thought the eggplant puree was pretty good under the lamb. Wayne and I both thought the lamb was pretty good in texture, it just was a tad bit salty. I think the eggplant was mixed with like chickpeas or something with pistachios. The puree added another texture to the lamb's meaty flavor. However, I felt like the dish needed one more thing crunchy or sweet to add another dimension to the dish. But it was still pretty decent.

Then for dessert we got the carrot with maple, ginger and raisin and the chocolate cake with gianduja and mexican. They both were pretty good. I thought my chocolate dish would be a little more chocolatey. The cake was kind of bitter instead of sweet. Which I can understand, because it's dark chocolate and gianduja is pretty bitter. I just thought they should have added an element to counter the bitterness with a sweeter chocolate or puree or something.

We ended the night by getting another drink at Union Sushi Bar & Grill. If you ever get a chance to go there, you should! It's like sushi/robata grilled tapas. Also it sounds silly, but I thought they would at least say happy birthday to me. Wayne had specifically put on OpenTable that we were out celebrating. Oh well.

So note to self: if having expectations for a fancy restaurant either forgo the expectations and just eat and be happy OR just go to my favorite fancy place and all of my expectations will be met.

All decked out in my orange dress & my black rabbit fur coat from South Korea.

Honestly guys, MK Restaurant was the best ever. Seriously though I've never had a better experience. It seemed like everyone (to the waiters to the busboys were on their A game.) When I had gone there with an ex, almost everyone at MK said happy birthday to me. And when Wayne and I had gone to celebrate our 1 year, they came out with a desert plate saying happy anniversary. I mean when we're shelling out the big bucks, I expect a great experience/accommodations for our money. Because honestly, it's the little details that matter the most. I'm honestly surprised that MK doesn't have higher ratings on yelp.

In short, our experience at Graham Elliot was nice for a birthday celebration. It just didn't hit m expectations for a really fancy restaurant.

BUT I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world though because I got to spend it with the most amazing guy ever. And honestly, that's all that matters to me. :) Thank you Wayne for taking me out for my birthday. I love you. <3

As always,
"The Couple that Grubs Together, Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Drunken Pig in Chicago (not from The 5 Year Engagement))

2012-10-01T21:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Wayne and I went to the soft opening of Drunken Pig, in Rogers Park for dinner. Wayne knows the Executive Chef/Owner, Johnny. Johnny was really nice. What was cool about Johnny was how open and you could tell he really put some thought into the dishes he created.

When we walked in the atmosphere was relaxed yet modern for a gastro pub and it started to pick up pretty good (for a soft opening) as time progressed.

Now the food. The food was pretty awesome!

We ordered the Bacon wrapped dates, Twice cooked pork belly, Johnny's getting angry! Chicken Skewers , Johnny's chicken wings (I forget the actual name of the dish), drunken garlic Parmesan truffle fries, and the mango flan. If you love beers, they have a pretty nice selection of microbeers. Wayne really liked the 2 beers he tried.

The bacon wrapped dates were really good. The date provided a little bit of extra moisture and tenderness to the bacon. However, depending on the size of the date under the bacon, it can be hard to taste it. I like the taste of dates, so I would have liked a little more of the flavor to seep through my taste buds. But then again, some people may not like dates and just want to taste the bacon.

Johnny's getting angry! Chicken Skewers was good. I thought the Korean sauce tasted pretty good combined with the moist chicken and the bed of arugula on the bottom. If you are looking for something to eat that will add a little more sustenance to your stomach along with the Pork Belly, these are pretty good.

The Twice Cooked Pork Belly [on the left] was Wayne's favorite. There were four chunks of tender pork belly, with scallions, pickled red onion and a tiny bit of kimchi in the middle. The pork belly was savory and had the right amount of crispiness. And the kimchi added a little sour/spicy touch to the mix. Very good and should be ordered.

Johnny's Chicken Wings [on the right] These were fantastic and my favorite dish of the night! The wings were absolutely succulent. And the dish was so freaking good because it had the right amount of spice, juiciness with a hint of sweetness. I felt all the flavors were in sync with each other perfectly. Plus they were perfect to nibble on while watching football. (Literally I ordered 2 dishes of these wings). Also I told Johnny if he ever does carryout, I'd order a tub of these wings because I thought they were that good! Haha. Anyways, amazing dish and must be ordered!

The Drunken Garlic Parm Truffle Fries was also a really good one to munch on. The fries are sprinkled with shavings of Parmesan cheese (and blue cheese I think?) And served with a garlic aioli sauce. The fries were a thicker cut, (which I personally like) and the cheese added a tiny bit of sharpness in flavor to the fries. The aioli sauce was also pretty darn good. It had just enough garlic flavor to add a bit of creaminess to the fries. Really tasty. Just be careful these will be gone pretty fast if you enjoy munching!

Last but not least, the Mango Flan. Wow, this dessert is really really rich. Wayne and I made the mistake of ordering our own. If you're on a date or with a friend, make sure to share the flan! The flan was served with a mint leaf and a foamy Malibu cream on the side. I thought the bit of Malibu complimented the flan because it was so rich. Word of advice, eat slowly, remember sharing is caring and savor slowly. In short it is a pretty tasty dish to try with a friend.:)

The only downside I can see, is if you're looking for a big meal, it may be hard to get your fill. The dishes are like tapas with a bit of Korean cuisine-inspired flair. But if you're down to relax, eat a bit, drink beer, catch up with friends, and watch a football game it's a good place to be. Nonetheless, you really should go check it out if you're in the Rogers Park area.

Go try some interesting beers, eat some yummy Korean-tapa dishes and catch up on your football. :)

As always,
"The Couple that Grubs Together, Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Getting muddy and eating crepes

2012-08-26T18:38:00.004-05:00

Today we did the Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run in Detroit. After waking up at the most ungodly hour (aka 5:00am), Wayne and I got ready to run the 5K race at 8:15am. The mud race was held at Kensington Metropark in Milford, MI.

Before the race

Everyone started off in different heats. So, Wayne and I were in the 10 minute mile heat. I started off pretty fast and got ahead. I felt pretty in shape but there were a TON of hills so I had to be careful not to break an ankle by tripping over a rock or root. I pretty much either slowly jogged or walked up the hills. Honestly, I think the hills were the worst part since it's grueling running up hills. But I think that the obstacles were what made the race so much fun and unique. There were a number of obstacles we had to complete along with running on wooded trails and hills. There was a low wall, 6 foot wall, low crawl, tunnels, a slippery mountain, an inflatable climb, the water crossing and two mud pits!

Wayne focused and ready

Emma giving thumbs up

It was good that Wayne and I made sure to work out a lot over the summer. Although we're apart (Wayne being in Chicago while I'm in Michigan job searching) we still made an effort to try and become pretty fit for the race.

Wayne jumping over after climbing the high wall

Me on the slippery mountain pulling myself up

So, on the slippery mountain. They have an incline ramp that they spray with soap and water. You have to pull yourself up on the rope without using your feet. I think working out paid off. I'm able to do 18 regular push ups. So pulling my body weight on the ramp wasn't that bad. Wayne has a lot of upper body strength so the obstacles weren't that bad for him. His main focus was on the cardio. My cardio wasn't that bad, I just wanted to make sure I could lug my body around if I had to.

THE MUD!

Everyone pretty much slowed down when they got to the water crossing in the lake. The lake felt really good since we were all sweaty. And the mud! I think the mud was the best part! At the end of the race you have to crawl through a huge mud pit towards the finish line. The only downside to the mud was I got mud in my contact lenses! lols.

WE FINISHED! <3

After the race we cleaned up and decided to take a short walk around the park. It was a good thing we did, otherwise we wouldn't have seen the sand hill cranes! They're the largest bird in North America and for Jurassic Park they used them as inspiration for the Velociraptors in the movie. There were 3 baby sand hill cranes and their mother. I think that people must feed them because we were able to get really close to them. I thought it was really cool to see these graceful birds walking around in nature.

The mother crane

The three babies

Our dog tags and t-shirts

I'm really proud of Wayne doing this with me. What makes him amazing is that he's always up for trying something new and pushing himself to be the best. And what made this even better was that we had a total blast doing this together! Because that's what mattered the most to me. I just wanted to have fun, be healthy and do something together as a team. So, although we are utterly exhausted we're really happy since it was totally worth it in the end! :)

Wayne writing...What would a post be without a discussion on food!?

So I was visiting Emma this weekend and was promised some awesome crepes. And I was not disappointed one bit. The place was called What Crepe? and is located in the beautiful suburban neighborhood of Birmingham, MI. We got dinner yesterday night.

When I walked in, I thought I was in a Tim Burton and Johnny Depp movie with the dim lighting and mixture of Gothic and a medieval setting. The place definitely has that spook meets classic look to it that I find to be creative and risky. But they seem to pull it off.

Now my favorite part, THE FOOD! First came the dessert (that's how we roll), the "Nutty Monkey, which comprised of bananas, warm Nutella, vanilla bean ice cream, candied pecans, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. The moment my eyes landed on it, my mouth started to flood. Warm Nutella seems to go well with anything, but it especially stands out with vanilla bean ice cream and the candied pecans. We're BIG Nutella fans so we definitely enjoyed this dish.

I had "The Obvious" which is chicken, spinach, pecans, caramelized apples, and feta. Much of the flavor of the chicken came from the caramelized apples and its juices. It tasted somewhat Caribbean actually. Each bite though seemed different. One bite I could distinctly taste the pecans, but then the other the feta stood out. All delicious though.

Emma consumed the "Crepe? De Crevette" which features marinated shrimp, fire roasted peppers, asparagus, grape tomatoes, and homemade curried clam sauce. The curried clam sauce blended superbly with the texture of the shrimp and crispiness of the asparagus. It carried out a Mediterranean flavor with its combination of meats, spices, and grilled vegetables.

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Fancy Pants: Boka

2012-08-10T21:00:00.000-05:00

Today, Wayne and I went to Boka for dinner. I came for a weekend to visit him in Chicago.

It's been a little tough since we've been in a long distance relationship ever since I graduated college in June. But it was really nice to get out and do something a little special.

When we got to Boka, the ambiance was the first thing I noticed. It was sophisticated yet cozy and we were able to snag a secluded booth in the back corner. So it was nice being able to have an intimate conversation while also observing the busy restaurant.

To start we ordered the raw tasting and the braised pork belly appetizer.

I thought it was pretty cool how the waiters arrived at the same time with wooden bento boxes and synchronized the way they placed them on our table. So the attentiveness of the waiters made it feel like we were getting special treatment for dinning there. Which is always a plus for a fancy restaurant. I believe that having a superb waiting staff that is on their A game, is what differentiates most restaurants.

I cannot remember what was in our raw tasting but each portion was flavorful and tasty! As for the braised pork belly there were bay scallops, hearts of palm, BBQ eel, sea beans, black rice sauce and a crispy pig ear.

The Raw Tasting

Braised Pork Belly

Then for our entrees, I got the Sockeye salmon with yellow gazpacho, cantaloupe, roasted cherry tomatoes, chorizo, and focaccia croutons. Wayne ordered the Alaskan halibut with steamed mussels, sepia, grilled fennel, whole wheat gnudi, tomato sauce and saffron. I thought it was really cool that the chef catered our plates to sharing portions. So I got to taste Wayne's halibut and also have a portion of my salmon.

Our Entrees

I thought the salmon was okay. I honestly was expecting the salmon to be more flavorful and flaky. Yet I do believe the cantaloupe and yellow gazpacho added a unique flare to the dish. But the Alaskan halibut was wonderful. The fish was cooked perfectly and the dish had different elements that catered to the fish itself. Also, I think the Chef might have thought we were food critics or maybe just foodies, because he also sent out a pheasant dish with egg noodles and foie gras. This dish was really good too. Wayne said it reminded him of a Filipino dish called Adobo.

Adobo is a either pork or chicken that is marinated in a vinegar, garlic, soy sauce. I learned (from Wikipedia) that Filipino mountaineers and travelers usually packed it because it keeps well without refrigeration.

Pheasant dish

As for dessert, man it was simply phenomenal. We ordered the Aerated White Chocolate Raspberry Cake, granita and white chocolate ganache and the Rooibus Yogurt Sherbert, with almond crisp, basil and fresh plums. I thought it was really cool how they shaved the plums to look almost like flowers and the almond crisp was very good. The yogurt was a bit interesting because it was shaped in a log. As for the white chocolate raspberry cake it was amazing. The white chocolate ganache was what made the dish. It was right amount of white chocolate and had a mousse texture that almost melted in your mouth.

Aerated White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Rooibus Yogurt Sherbert

Plus at the end we got a sample of mini desserts after we paid. In short, it was a wonderful experience to eat a Boka. We look forward to seeing what they'll have next on their menu in the future.

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Comerica Park and Slow's Bar BQ

2012-07-25T21:09:00.001-05:00

So I'm a Chicago White Sox fan and my girlfriend is a Detroit Tigers fan. It's always good to have a little friendly competition between you and your spouse and boy do we let the other one hear it when our team wins.

We ventured off to Comerica Park in Detroit, MI to watch the Chicago White Sox go against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday July 21. I thought this would be an easy win with the White Sox's best pitcher, Chris Sale, going against Porcello who had been up and down this season. Unfortunately for me though, Porcello was up this day and the Tigers won convincingly over the White Sox 7-1.

Enough about baseball. You want to know about the food! Well before the game we went to the well known restaurant Slow's Bar BQ. We had "The Longhorn" and "The Reason" with Baked Beans and Sweet Potato Mash.

"The Longhorn" (above) is a tenderized beef brisket with special onion marmalade, smoked Gouda, and spicy sauce. The beef was cooked to perfect, but my favorite part was the onion marmalade that had a sweet flavor oozing out deliciousness.

"The Reason" (above) contains pork butt that is smoked slow and pulled, coleslaw, and dill pickle strips. We loved the coleslaw and the pork butt was moist of flavor. Sometimes pulled pork loses the juices but this one maintained it.

My favorite dish was the BEANS! They were mixed with some peppers that brought some zest to something as plain and boring as beans usually are. I wish I had some chips because I think these beans would mesh well something crispy like chips. As for the Sweet Potato Mash, it was definitely worth a tasting. Was not out of this world but definitely hit the spot on this hot sunny day.

As always,
"The Couple that Grubs Together, Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Hiking and Grubbing

2012-07-07T18:00:00.000-05:00

This 4th of July weekend, Wayne and I went to Wisconsin for a little vacation. We stayed in Portage, WI at one of the hotels nearby. It was kind of nice to get away and hangout with Wayne. I also was really excited because we were going to go hiking on Saturday at Devils Lake State Park. When I was a freshman, someone I knew had posted some really cool pictures hiking around the park. We left really early from the hotel to get to Devils Head.

Balanced Rock

Which was perfect because once we started hiking we were practically the only ones doing so. We also had researched where we wanted to go. We started on the south shore of the lake and took the Balanced Rock Trail. The trail was a nice place to kick off the hike. The trail is pretty steep and has a lot of steps. We were sweating pretty good halfway though. I could feel it in my legs since it was like we were climbing a staircase. It also sometimes didn't feel like we were actually on a trail because there are so many rocks on the side of the cliff.

Wayne Climbing Down

We also never really got to the actual balanced rock. All we could see was a view of it from where we were at. So it wasn't as spectacular we we had expected. We then went to Devils Doorway. It was pretty cool seeing it and also seeing the spectacular view of the Forrest and lake. We also ran into this couple from Indiana. They were very nice and said that they have been to Montana, Kentucky, Virginia, Utah and pretty much everywhere to go hiking. I told Wayne that it would be really cool to go out to Montana or Utah to hike. So, now it's on our list of places to travel to. :)

At Devils Doorway

We also saw some rock climbers. We were up pretty high and Ive done rock climbing before inside. I've always wanted to try it outdoors but there's no way I would rock climb at at height. We went down the CCC Trail. It had a lot of scenic views. The only downfall was that it wasn't marked as well it could have been. And we got to the East Bluff Trail which was really nice.

It had just reached around 10am and the sun was beating down pretty good. Luckily for us, the trail was pretty shaded and paved. We saw some people hiking, running or walking their dogs. There was one guy though who was walking his dog down Balanced Rock which was insane for the poor dog. It was hard enough to get up the trail, I can only imagine getting downwards was pretty difficult for the pooch. Then we got to the Potholes trail.

Wayne Climbing Down the Potholes Trail

It was a really steep trail that had a lot of cool scenic views. Plus the rocks were really pretty. We were breathing pretty hard by the end of it but we had a blast. I was really happy Wayne enjoyed the hiking. He thought it was really fun as exercise and a vacation from the city landscape. I've always wanted a log cabin house. I grew up going skiing and camping, so I've always liked the idea of having a cabin to stay at during the holidays. After our hiking escapade, we decided to grab lunch at this little hopping place called The Log Cabin (fitting I know right?)

Wayne's Mac N' Cheese

There were a lot of cars there and we figured it must be pretty popular among the tourists. Wayne ordered the Meatloaf with Mac n' cheese and pasta sides. While I ordered the Chicken Mushroom and Swiss with corn and green beans. I've always been a veggies kind of girl.

Chicken, Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese

The food was alright. We were really hungry after hiking so that might have played a factor. Wayne thought the meatloaf and mac n cheese was pretty solid. But the pasta side was kind of boring and unflavored. The green beans and corn tasted from the can but the Chicken and Mushroom dish was Al's pretty solid. I just wished it wasn't so buttery and that it had more Swiss cheese on it.

Yum pie

We then caved in and got pie for dessert. Wayne got the banana cream pie while I got the pecan pie. Wayne really liked the pie and said it was really delicious. I on the other hand, thought the pecan pie was a bit too heavy. I like there to be a little less sauce on the pecan topping. In short, the food really hit the spot after a great day of hiking. :)

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Double Date

2012-06-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last night, Wayne and I went on a double date with our friends Marissa and Bob. We went to Bop N Grill in Rogers Park since it is pretty close to Wayne and Marissa.

What was pretty cool was that Marissa didn't know that this place was so close to her apartment. I like it when people find great places to eat nearby. :)

Bob and Marissa

As for the food, Wayne ordered the Bbq chicken while I got the Bi Bim burger. The chicken was really good and tender, but I wasn't too impressed by the rice it came with. The rice was pretty mushy. But my Bi Bim burger was really good. It had a fried egg, cheese, gochujang (chili pepper paste), lettuce and some other ingredients. I pretty much inhaled my burger. I had been packing all day and was super hungry. What I liked a lot about the Bi Bim burger was that it had some regular bi bim bap ingredients.

BBQ Chicken

Bi Bim Burger

We also shared some kimchi fries with Marissa and Bob. On Yelp a lot of people didn't like the kimchi fries, but I thought they were pretty good. The kimchi was caramelized and the fries were topped with nacho cheese, bits of bacon and topped with chives. YUM bacon. Then again, if you put kimchi in front of me I'll devour it. Korean genes yo!

Kimchi Fries

We thought the food was pretty good. Some people may say that it's a little pricey but I think if you get one of their signature burgers, it's worth the price. In short, we had a fun time on our double date and look forward to dining again with Marissa and Bob!

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

One Year Anniversary Dinner

2012-06-02T14:02:00.000-05:00

Wayne is going to take me to MK Restaurant for our one year anniversary dinner. It's my favorite restaurant in Chicago. One reason is because the food is amazing. The last time I had went there I had gotten the salmon and it was perfect. The salmon flaked off almost immediately. I remember I had also gotten concord grape sorbet and dark chocolate creme brulee for dessert and it was absolutely delicious. I also remember the concord grape sorbet was very fruity yet tart and the creme brulee was absolutely smooth and flavorful. The second reason why I love this place is because the atmosphere is great. The last time I had gone, it was for my birthday. Many of the staff members wished me a happy birthday which made the experience more memorable and enjoyable. Plus the service was impeccable and everyone was friendly. So, I'm really excited to go and experience MK with Wayne.<3

To be continued... :)

**Update**

I'm going to let Wayne write on our experience at MK since it was his first time going there.

Wayne here. Going to talk about our experience at MK and OMG was it terrific! We told them in the reservation that we were celebrating our 1 year anniversary and it seemed like everyone from hostess to waiter to the manager knew of our special occasion. First there was the custom menu below greeting us. I love little things like this because it shows the staff cares about our experience. What I love about the menus are that they are seasonal including the drinks. They tasted sweet with blends of citrus fruits.

The menu when we arrived said happy anniversary!

Me looking pretty spiffy drinking my MK's 10 Year Anniversary cocktail

-hangar one buddha's hand citron, st. germain, grapefruit and mint-

Emma's cucumber martini

-effen cucumber vodka, coconut water, and lemon-

Emma looking pretty in her blue dress

Our first dish was this awesome tasting watermelon dish. Again they know how to take what's in season and do something special with it. All watermelons should taste as well seasoned as this. Now the scallops were perfectly cooked and the puree complemented it like Pippen did with Jordan. The fries rock. That's all I have to say about that.

Watermelon, pistachio and feta cheese

Scallops

Amazing gourmet fries

For the entrees, we had the duck and halibut. Both were wonderfully cooked as the texture for both made me think miracles happen. With the duck came some cous cous that made a good side with the duck, vegetables, and sauce. The halibut did not taste like fish, but instead like eating a juicy cloud. Both duck and halibut are often overcooked, so eating them nice and tender makes them worthy entree items. For dessert, we shared each other's beautifully blended pieces.

Duck

-Grilled la belle farms duck breast, ramps Italian cous cous, green garlic puree

Halibut

-Asparagus and other yummy ingredients that I can't remember-

They wrote happy anniversary on our dessert plates :)

You Put The Lime In The Coconut

Coconut panna cotta, young coconut gelee starfruit, lime, cashew passion fruit sorbet-

Two Bananas Walk Into a Bar

Banana souffle cake, marshmallow macadamia nut, dark chocolate malted banana ice cream-

Cheers! To One Year!

In conclusion, MK did a fantastic job taking multiple flavors and feelings to create something even better. What wonderful imagination this place is and having an impeccable and unpretentious staff is icing on the cake. And what made this dinner so special was the fact that we were able to share two great places we enjoy (Publican and MK) while creating new memories together. :)

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

We're back!

2012-06-02T13:52:00.003-05:00

Wayne and I are back after a hiatus. (We're still alive and still together lols) But as an update: It will be our One Year Anniversary on June 13th.

School has been keeping me busy as I'll be graduating from school on June 10th and Wayne has been pretty busy with work. So we haven't had a chance to update our blog frequently. We'll be posting probably once or twice a month since I'll be in Michigan for the summer.

So in celebration of our one year, I bought Wayne baseball tickets to see the Chicago White Sox yesterday and we went to the game against the Seattle Mariners.

We got the baseball experience as we scarfed down hot dogs, fries and a funnel cake for dessert. It was a really good game. I got pretty good seats that were close to the bull pen and plus the White Sox won 7 to 4. The only downside was that I didn't dress that warm and I got kind of cold.

But we had a really fun time together as we always do. :)

Wayne decided to take me out to brunch and dinner for our one year celebration. So we went to The Publican for brunch today. We got there before it opened and were looking at the reviews on Yelp. A lot of reviews had said the red wine poached eggs were good and the Publican bacon too.

Wayne was a little disappointed that the red wine poached eggs weren't on the brunch menu, but once we saw the menu we quickly forgot about the poached eggs. Man the coffee was really good! I looked at the menu and it said it was a Pqm blend coffee from Intelligentisa. I think my mom would actually like this coffee. It was really rich in flavor but also very smooth. I had like two cups of coffee, I was tempted to have more but held back.

The BEST coffee ever (seriously tastes amazing)

As for brunch, I got the ricotta & orange buttermilk cake with strawberries, saba and mint and Wayne got the Pork schnitzel and waffle with an apricot rhubarb mostarda. The cake reminded me of pound cake except it had bits of little orange zest and the orange flavor was very faint. The strawberries were so tiny so there wasn't a lot of flavor. But the ricotta was great with cake it provided it a bit more moisture. But I personally think the mint was what made the dish. It provided a fresh crisp taste to the cake and it brought out the creaminess from the ricotta. I pretty much devoured the dish.

Ricotta & Orange Buttermilk Cake with Strawberries, Saba and Mint

Pork Schnitzel and Waffles

Oysters

Publican Bacon

We also got two oysters from Massachusetts. I absolutely love oysters and the one I had was pretty good. We then split the Burton's maple syrup braised publican bacon. Wayne said it reminded him of Lechon except much sweeter. I liked it except there was a lot of fat on it. Overall, it was a fantastic and lovely (yet pretty pricey) place to grab brunch.

Wayne laughing :)

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

A taste of French

2012-05-16T13:18:00.000-05:00

Wayne had gotten a $50 certificate for the Paris Club. I've been pretty stressed out lately from school. Wayne wanted to treat me out to dinner.

The food was pretty good. Wayne got three little dishes while I got the Pacific Salmon entree. I've never had foie gras mousse before. It was pretty funny because Wayne didn't know what was in it, he just liked the dish. I kept telling him that it tasted like liver. So we Googled it and found out that it is duck or goose liver. It was really good and flavorful. I just found it kind of weird that there was a weird jelly substance on top...(Sorry about the bad quality of photos, my camera was being weird!)

But one thing I found interesting about foie gras was that the technique of gavage dates back to the ancient Egyptians in which they began to keep birds and fattened them through forced feeding. I also never knew how controversial gavage-based foie gras production is in Europe.

Foie gras mousse

Lobster Costini- Truffled scrambled egg

Lamb meatballs with a Harissa tomato sauce

Wayne really liked the lobster costini and the lamb meatballs. I liked the lamb meatballs because the tomato sauce complimented them really well. But I wasn't too impressed by the salmon.

Pacific king salmon with ratatouille, pistou

When my plate first came out the salmon was not cooked all the way. So I had to ask the waitress if they could take the plate back to cook it a little more even though I really hate sending food back. I think part of me is disturbed after seeing the movie Waiting... If you've seen the movie, then you're probably aware of why I never like sending food back to cooks. But despite my fear of sending food back to the cooks, I know it's worth it to send back to the kitchen if the fish is totally raw. So, when they came back with my plate, the fish was cooked perfectly through and tasted pretty good. As for the ratatouille, I didn't really like it that much. Personally think my mom's is better. I like that she makes it as more of a stew and I feel like the vegetables taste better together when she makes it.

Raspberry Chocolate Almond tart

As for dessert we got the raspberry chocolate almond tart. I just love dark chocolate and the crust was amazing. Overall, it was a pretty good meal but what made it amazing was the fact that Wayne wanted to take me out to dinner.

He's such a sweetheart. These past couple of weeks haven't been easy for me because of all the stress and anxiety I've been having lately. But even though sometimes it seems sometimes that the walls are closing in on me, it helps knowing that I have an amazing support system. It's great knowing that my family, friends and most of all, Wayne are there to help me get through the rough patches in life. I'm so lucky he's in my life for he makes my life sweeter. :)

As always,

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Kimchee! A Trip To Niles.

2012-04-01T17:36:00.000-05:00

안녕하세요! or in other words hello in Korean! Today, Emma and I went to H-Mart in Niles, IL to grab some Korean food. Technically, this blog post doesn't count since it's not really a new restaurant and we just ate at the cafe. But at the same time we tried some yummy stuff so we thought we'd share.

Emma got Yukgaejang (육개장) and I got Bulgogi (불고기). Yuk gae jang is a spicy beef and vegetable soup. It could have used a bit more spice but hey Emma got full from it. The rice in the broth was my personal favorite part while eating kimchee with it. My Bulgogi was something to cherish. I love my marinated meats

Yukgaejang

Bulgogi

Someone did an awesome park job next to us in the parking lot.

We also bought some yummy snacks. I decided to try Ojingeo & Ttangkong (오징어 땅콩). I found out that it is dried roasted squid with roasted peanuts but I still really like it. It's really nutty and crunchy. It sort of reminds me of Captain Crunch. We did some research and found out that it's a popular snack in Korea to pair with alcoholic drinks.

We also got a snack called Cereal Choco (쌔리얼 초코). Emma really likes them. She told me that it's like an oat kind of cereal with chocolate inside.

Emma also got Sweet Potato snack. They're really crunchy yet light (airy). We found that the sweet potato flavor is not over powering plus they have black sesame seeds.

We also got Chilsung Cider. Chilsung Cider is kind of like Seven-Up but not as fizzy and a little sweeter.

Then at whim, we also got this random Japanese snack that basically is a Starburst with a gummy inside. Emma decided to get it because the front of the bag looked so happy. The candy settles in your mouth and gets the juices flowing with some a fruity burst. Then when you begin to chew it you notice the gummy inside. Really it is my dentist's worst nightmare.

H-Mart (aka "Asian Whole Foods") is more than a place to get good food. It is a place where Korean immigrants can come and share some of the food they had growing up with their own children. As Emma was eating her food, I could not help but notice the smile on her face as she was eating food that reminded her of when she was Korea. Later for dinner we made some stir-fry from PF Chang's and Emma made Apricot Gotgamssam (곶감쌈) which is walnuts wrapped in dried apricots. It's usually made with dried Korean persimmons but we decided to try apricots instead. Persimmons are a sweet and a little tangy fruit that is commonly used in South Korea but also in many other countries. The recipe Emma used is from this website.

The stir-fry, which was frozen, actually turned out pretty well for a frozen dish. There were enough peppers to spice up the dish and provide a substantial amount of flavor. Definitely better than other frozen Asian dishes. For dessert we had the Gotgamssam and tea. The Gotgamssam wasn't heavy and the dry apricot mixed with the walnut was a great blend to cap off this fun-filled day. Stay tuned as we'll be going to Lincoln Square next!

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Vacation!

2012-03-24T23:08:00.001-05:00

Wayne and I went on a little vacation this weekend. Wayne had purchased a LivingSocial deal for Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I was really excited to relax and also get away from the busy city. During our drive, we discussed how to survive a zombie apocalypse. It was fun trying to create a game plan if the apocalypse occurred while we were in Wisconsin.

For example, we discussed how we would need to utilize several stores and find a gas station. We had passed a Home Depot, Walmart and a magnificent mansion. So we would have weapons to kill the zombies, food/supplies, and a place for shelter. We probably would have a greater chance of survival in a rural area anyway because cities are more populated a.k.a more zombies.

Anyways, we really wanted to go hiking and enjoy the fresh air. So, we went to the Kettle Moraine State Forest and found the Ice Age Trail.

Going hiking was absolutely amazing. But the greatest part of it was how lucky we were. It had been raining a lot during our drive to Wisconsin. But once we started hiking the rain ceased. The rain made it a perfect day for hiking (we were the only people out on the trail and the rain made the forest smell remarkably fresh)

Another cool thing about our little hiking adventure was the fact Wayne got in touch with his childhood. He had gone to Camp Joy as a child and remembered some of the sites. I personally think that camping or going to a camp is one of the best things you can do as a child. It creates a human connection and also an appreciation to nature. The best thing about hiking or camping is enjoying nature. I think people too often get sucked into technology and forget the small things in nature.

After hiking we had some time to kill before checking into the Harbor Shores hotel. What better place to get some cheese? I mean we ARE in Wisconsin. We drove to a little shop in Lake Geneva called Cheese Box.

We were in the mood for something a bit smokier so we got the Smoky Cheddar and Swiss cheese and man, we loved it! It was absolutely delicious and totally worth it! The staff was super friendly and sampled different types of cheese. On Yelp we had noticed that some of the reviews say that the Cheese Box is too expensive. We felt although the prices can be pretty steep (if you’re buying a lot or a gift basket) the quality is definitely worth it. I’ve never had better cheese in my life.

After we checked in, we got some goodies from our LivingSocial deal. We got popcorn, a coupon to Gino’s East pizza and two movie rentals. I thought it was great because I was feeling a bit sleepy from taking Benadryl. Some kind of stupid beetle bit me. So, we had to take a trip to Walmart to grab some Benadryl and Bactine. After I relaxed a bit and watched a movie, I felt ready to go.

We then grabbed dinner at the beautiful Baker House.

The house is absolutely magnificent, the restaurant ambiance was amazing and the lakefront view was gorgeous. As for the food, I was a little let down that it wasn’t a culinary experience to compliment the fantastic atmosphere.

However, I thought the best part of dinner was the hats. The Baker House has all these old fashioned hats to help their guests in the mood of the restaurant. You can wear different hats during dinner too. I also thought it was really cute that Wayne picked out a hat that matched my dress. He is a wonderful gentleman. J Another thing that was awesome was the live piano player and the eccentric birthday crew. I think there must have been six or seven people with a March birthday in the restaurant. It was really neat how the birthday crew was so into pleasing the guests.

For our meal we ordered the Signature Crab cakes, the Venetian Chicken and the Cajun Shrimp Sautee.

Now, the crab cakes were really tasty. Sometimes crab cakes lack the strong seafood flavor. These crab cakes had the right amount of flavor and texture. As for the entrees, I felt that they could have been better. The Venetian Chicken had amazing sundried tomato and cheese tortellini. Wayne and I both agreed that the pasta had the perfect amount of cheese. However, the chicken wasn’t that great. I expected it to be juicy and flavorful when it was really kind of plain. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. As for the Cajun Shrimp Sautee, Wayne really liked it. But I found that the Cajun seasoning was too powerful for the dish loosing a lot of the other flavors of the dish. Then for dessert we ordered the Signature Chocolate Fondue with dark chocolate and milk chocolate. It was pretty tasty but again not jaw dropping. In short, if you’re looking for a unique, fun and magical experience in Wisconsin, the Baker House is a must see if you don’t mind sacrificing the food quality.

The next day after we drove back to Chicago, we went to watch The Hunger Games. I was SO excited to see the movie!!! I even bought a Hunger Games necklace. (Nerdy I know, but I don’t care)

I thought the movie was pretty good! Plus Wayne even liked it. I thought the movie and the characters were portrayed fairly well. But I wish that the books were tailored to adults instead of young adults. I personally feel that there was a lot of potential in the concept of The Hunger Games. I would have liked it if there was more depth the the concept. The Hunger Games reminded us of Battle Royale, a Japanese manga and controversial Japanese film. I know there are some people who will argue that the concepts are the same but I think they bring out different issues with the idea of government and power. However, I am glad that I was able to read all three novels before the movie came out. I like imagining the characters myself. That way it allows me to utilize my imagination. I think when people become older they forget what it was like to be a little kid and have the world at your tips with their imagination.

Anyways, we had an absolutely amazing weekend in Wisconsin! Stay tuned! We will be exploring a restaurant in Lincoln Square soon.

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

P.S.

We have deer pictures!

Okay, not really but our deer faces are pretty funny!

Good O'l Baileys

2012-03-17T18:10:00.003-05:00

**Update**

If you're ever looking for a juicy, savory gourmet burger around Lincoln Park, you should head over to Etno Village Grill! Burgers are a lil pricey as they are around $10 not including fries it is worth it if you're craving burgers! We ordered the Etno Burger and the Cason Burger and it was yummy!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

We started the day to our St. Patty's day going with some good o'l Starbucks and Baileys. Then we went (along with everyone else in the city of Chicago) to see the greening of the Chicago river. We've both never seen the greening of the river before. So we figured it'd be a good thing to do once in your lifetime if you're living in Chicago.

Green river!

Emma and Jason

After meeting up with some of our friends, we walked around Millennium Park and enjoyed the spectacular spring weather. Afterwards we then grabbed some sushi at Hot Woks Cool Sushi.

Bob and Marissa

Marissa and her friend Yu

Everyone shared the Goyza or Japanese dumplings. They were good just tasted like a regular dumpling. We ordered the Caterpillar roll and the Fukudome roll. We found that the sushi to be pretty okay. We've been to a lot of sushi places, so it takes a lot to wow us. It was interesting since Marissa's friend, Yu, is from Japan and it was his first time trying American sushi. In the end, not bad of a place to grab sushi if you're either hungry and nearby.

*NOM*

Hope you have a fun St. Patricks Day!!!!

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Green with Envy!!!

2012-03-16T21:46:00.000-05:00

So St. Patty's Day weekend is upon us and we wanted some authentic Irish cuisine (or as authentic as we can get). We heard about Halsted Harp in Lincoln Park, which is owned by a man from Ireland and has a 4.5 star Yelp rating, and thought that would be a great place for good 'ole Shepherds Pie. Unfortunately, we got there late and it was super crowded. Bummer.

Our next step was trying to find somewhere in walking distance in Lincoln Park. Using the Yelp app for the Android, Wayne looked up nearby places and decided to go to John Barleycorn. Wayne used to be a sales rep for a restaurant technology company so he knows the owners and thought "Why not? It's a big space so we should find room despite it being March Madness season and St. Patty's weekend."

Upon arrival, we noticed we were dead wrong. It was flooded with Michigan St. patrons and there was no table available, so we chose to eat at the bar standing up. Not ideal but we are hungry after all that walking.

We ordered Fish and Chips and a Pulled Pork Sandwich with Green Line Pale Ale from Goose Island. Ironically, it wasn't green but went down well with the Fish and Chips. The chips, a.k.a standard bar fries, need a splash of ketchup but the fried fish with tartar sauce mixed well with the beer of choice. Emma liked the Pulled Pork Sandwich, but then again she was starving after not eating all day due to final exams. Wayne tried it and thought it was "Aight, had better".

Wayne of course was more interested in the dismantling of his March Madness bracket with Duke and Missouri losing (had Missouri going to the Final Four). All in all was not a bad night out especially with the weather being so perfect. Things could have gone better, but the important thing is that we both spent it with someone we care for. And really, what more can you ask for?

"The couple that grubs together stays together"

-Grub Couple-

Baroque

2012-03-12T13:22:00.002-05:00

Today we ventured out to Hyde Park near University of Chicago because Emma had to conduct an interview for her final research paper.

But why is our blog titled Baroque?

Well, as we were walking around U of C, Wayne was looking at the different buildings and said one was during the "Boroca Period." I think since we were among other intellectuals, he thought their intelligence was rubbing off on him....When in reality, he was going off of the Mortal Kombat character, Baraka, and the Baroque Period from the 1600's.

Oh boy. Emma's dating a smart one here.

After Emma got done conducting an interview, we went to eat lunch at Rajun Cajun. It is a casual and small private restaurant that serves Indian cuisine.

We ordered the Butter Chicken and the Lamb Curry. It was under $20 with two drinks and two entrees. The spices were flavorful and the music creates a cool vibe. Plus we were stuffed afterwards.
In short, we definitely suggest this place if you're in the mood for being a little adventurous for your lunch or looking for a bang for your buck. Now for the best part...PICTURES! :)

Butter Chicken

Lamb Curry

Inside of the Restaurant

"The Couple that Grubs Together, Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-

Our Story

2012-03-11T19:21:00.000-05:00

About This Blog:

Many people have told us that we are "foodies" or a "foodie couple". Sure, that sounds great and all but is a foodie? According to Dictionary.com, a foodie is "someone who has an ardent or refined interest in food."As a couple we are searching to redefine this word by discovering how being a foodie fits us and pertains to our lifestyle. We love tasting new ingredients, trying new restaurants, learning more about the actual dishes, and having fun at the same time.

To let you know a little about us, we'll answer a few questions from a trending Couple Tag on YouTube.

The Questions:
1. How did you two meet?
Emma: We were both in DePaul University's Asian Cultural Exchange Club. But I didn't really pay attention to Wayne though! I kind of overlooked him and thought he was a player since he was always around other girls flirting!!!!

Wayne: I thought I was a player too! lol

Emma: We got to know each other better when we both started doing Grubwithus. (FYI
If you haven't heard of it you should definitely check it out! It's a great place to network and meet some awesome people!) But then Wayne didn't want to grub with me anymore, so I went on a huge grub spree (I think like 10 meals) and met a bunch of people. But we got back to hanging out and I finally told him I liked him.

Wayne: I wasn't ready at first for a relationship.

Emma: And I was ready to move on once I got rejected! lols. But Wayne fell for me when I wore a red shirt after that and asked me out on a date. I guess I can say red is my lucky color!

2. Where was your first date at?
W: I took Emma to Sola, which is a Hawaiian fusion restaurant. Little did she know I used Savored and saved 30% off my bill.

3. How long have you two been together?
E: One year and counting! :)

4. Where are you guys from?
E: I'm originally from Michigan and moved to Chicago for college.

W: Born and raised in Chicago.

5. How do you guys avoid arguing?
E: I wouldn't say we avoid arguing. I feel arguing is a part of every relationship be a friend, family member or partner. We usually just bicker and get annoyed with each other. We've never really gotten into a full fledged argument because we let each other cool down first and then talk it out. :)

6. How do you guys resolve problems?
W: One step at a time. There's always a solution.

7. What do you guys do for a living?
E: I'm a recent 2012 college graduate from DePaul University. I'm currently a Paralegal/Legal Assistant at Krohn & Moss, Ltd. In my spare time I enjoy working out, running, reading and cooking.

W: I'm a Social Media Coordinator for Rewards Network, a restaurant marketing company.

8. What key elements make a healthy and successful relationship?
W: Trust. Passion. Awareness of Other. Ability to Laugh.

9. Emma what do you love about Wayne?
E: I love how he's passionate and caring. Those are the main traits that drew me to him. He's really passionate about what he does and he's devoted to the ones he cares about.

10. Wayne what do you love about Emma?
W: She truly cares about those close to her. Although she hates to admit it she often cares for others more so than herself. When she laughs you can't help but do so too.

11. How did you know that this relationship was special?
E: I think it was when I realized he was sticking around! Wayne's always been my support through some of the rough patches I've faced. I think after a while, I realized that he would be there for me no matter what. Which makes our relationship real and also special.

W: After meeting her family I saw how loving she was to them. I could see a future with her no doubt.

12. Places you want to travel?
E: Oh gosh! Everywhere pretty much! I'd love to go back to South Korea, and explore China, Japan, Australia/New Zealand and Europe! I still haven't done the whole Euro-Trip yet! (Euro deprived!!!)

W: Anywhere there's good food.

13. What inspired you to blog about your adventures?
E: I think it's because we have a taste for trying new things and eating good food?

W: I have a terrible memory when it comes to things I eat. This helps me.

In a nutshell, we like maintaining a balanced lifestyle, having fun and sharing our adventures around Chicago/Michigan.

"The Couple that Grubs Together Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-