Touring Eataly

The scent of freshly baked bread hits my nose the moment I walk through the doors. A wooden cart of bright, colorful produce greets me at the entrance. After I shiver away the cold from outside, store my hat and gloves in my bag, the enormity of what's in front of me really sets in. This is Eataly.

For those of you who haven't heard of Eataly, it's basically heaven--squeezed into 63,000 square feet on two levels of a large structure in the River North neighborhood of Chicago. But before this Eataly graced out fair city, it first popped up in Italy (go figure) back in 2007, and the emporium has been spreading like wild fire ever since.

A little background. Eataly was founded by Oscar Farinetti, who opened the first location in Turin, Italy. His goal was to make high quality Italian food available to the masses in a welcoming environment where you can taste, learn, shop and dine--all at the same time! Now, there are 26 stores around the world, 10 in Italy, 13 in Japan, one in New York, one in Dubai, one in Turkey and one in Chicago.

The Chicago location opened recently in October 2013, and boasts 23 eateries on two floors, including customer favorite La Pizza & La Pasta and the ever popular Nutella Bar (yes, you heard me right, a bar dedicated to this glorious hazelnut spread). Locals and visitors are flocking here every day--especially on the weekends--and lines are stretching around corners and out the doors to get a taste of Eataly's delicious food. And after visiting today, I can see why.

I had the opportunity to take one of the public tours of the facility (available every Wed., $35). These tours last an hour and a half, and take you through nearly every culinary section, and even give you a glimpse of some of the action behind the scenes. It's incredibly informative and interesting, and really gives you a sense of what Eataly is all about: Good food and eating well.

We started at the information desk on the first floor where our guide gave us a little background on Eataly, and then took us through the fresh produce section. We spoke with the "vegetable butcher," whose main job is to chop the produce you want to purchase to your desired specifications. He'll even give you some tips on how to cook things and what to cook them with, so you can go home and create your own delectable dishes.

We then headed upstairs, where most of the eateries are located. Our first stop...beer. Yes, Eataly has an in-house brewing system, where they craft a couple of their own beers. Definitely wanted to try some, but it was only 10:30 in the morning, so I'll have to return for a taste at a later date.

Next, we hit the cheese counter. The glorious wheels of rich, sharp goodness were displayed proudly in front of us, and it was tough not to ask for a piece of every single one. We were given small samples of prosciutto and salami, along with a couple cheeses. Ask me what they were and I couldn't tell you, I was too preoccupied with eating.

Then, we wandered over to the fresh mozzarella station, where my new best friend Patrick was hand-making fresh, soft balls of cheese. There was a lovely plate of mozzarella drizzled in olive oil waiting for us, and we happily obliged. The flavor was still fresh on my tongue when we reached the meat section, where there was a display case of all kinds of responsibly raised cuts of beef, pork, chicken and veal, as well as Eataly's wide selection of handmade sausages. Unfortunately no samples here, and none at the Pesce (fish) counter, either. Although some lucky people were given slices of octopus--who doesn't love a rubbery tentacle? I'll pass.

It was then on to the pasta section, one of my all time favorite Italian foods. The pasta is made fresh everyday and is available for purchase, guaranteeing you the best dinner possible. We tried the agnolotti (house made meat-filled pasta with butter sauce)--amazing! I had to force myself to only have one. We made our way through the preservatives and canned goods section. (If you're looking for truffles in any form, you'll find it here, with the exception of truffle oil.)

We reached the most popular spot in Eataly: La Pizza. We watched as two trained rossopomodoro pizzaioli (pizza makers) created a fresh Neopolitan-style pizza right in front of us. We all salivated as the pizza was placed in front of us, and we happily took a slice each. I haven't had pizza like that since I was in Naples back in 2006. To. Die. For. (Seriously wishing I was eating that right now instead of my left over vegan thai food...this is just not cutting it.)

We moved on to the bakery section. I love bread, and the baguettes were just amazing. It was here that we got to go behind the bakery and see where the bread is baked, in a large wood-burning oven. The smell is enough to make you want to eat a whole loaf by yourself, but we sufficed with a small slice of their classic stuff.

From there we sampled olive oil from their extensive collection of fine Italian oils, and then made our way over to the wine section. Unfortunately the bar wasn't open, so we couldn't taste any of the Vino Libero (literally means free wine), which is meant to be wine that is free of preservatives and such. Definitely interested in trying some wines when I return.

We headed back downstairs to the pride of Eataly: The Nutella Bar. We munched on Eataly's homemade bread smothered in hazelnutty, chocolately Nutella. I was immediately transported back to my childhood days, slathering the sweet spread on a piece--or two--of toast and quickly gobbling it down. How not everyone had this sweet treat growing up, I'll never know, but it's great to see that it's getting some much deserved recognition now.

Our last stop was the gelato bar, complete with traditional and Lait (light) Gelato, which is more like soft serve--something I've never seen before. We each got a small cup of a flavor of our choice. But since I'd just had a filling slice of Nutella bread, I opted for small tastes of a few--I recommend...well...all of them!

Needless to say, I will be back to Eataly. There's so much I didn't get to try, and I would love to take some extra time to shop around for some fresh ingredients--and pick up some items that I haven't had since I lived in Italy. And I will definitely bring some of my friends with me, as I know many of them would appreciate the glory that is Eataly. The pizza. The bread. The cheese. The wine. The Nutella. I mean, it's my dream come to life! And it's only a short train ride away!

What I Wouldn't do for a Margarita and a Connoli

Not a whole lot, it would seem.

This past weekend, I enjoyed a number of new experiences in Boston. Yes, this was my third trip to the city, but my best friend, Emily, made sure nothing overlapped with my last visits--or very little, at least.

What made the weekend even more exciting was that it fell in line with two holidays--Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby. Needless to say, there were many festivities going on around the city and we definitely joined in the fun.

Papagayo chips, guac and pomegranate margarita

Shortly after I got off the plane and met Emily at her office, we made our way to a Mexican restaurant, Papagayo in the Waterfront District, and got the party started early, ordering the special margarita of the day, along with some chips, freshly made guacamole and quesadillas. We spent most of the afternoon catching up on each other's lives, getting lost in long conversations about jobs, relationships, the future and random stories that only best friends can understand. Before the day got too nostalgic, Emily's coworkers met us out at the bar for some Corona's, sangria and more margaritas--and an over abundance of chips and salsa. Before the drinks could hit us too hard, we left Papagayo and headed over to Emily's apartment in the swanky Beacon Hill neighborhood.

We quickly dropped off bags, changed outfits and headed out for the evening to Harvard Square, the hipster-filled neighborhood right next to the Ivy League university. There we met up with Emily's friends at Border Cafe, a Mexican and Cajun-style restaurant. The place was packed with a variety of groups, from bubbly students to young businessmen to growing families. The restaurant was vibrant and bright, with banners, streamers, and sombreros hanging all over the colorful walls. It was a battle just to reach the bar, where I had to scream our drink order to the bartender. Luckily, he's used to the wild atmosphere, and delivered our margaritas in a flash, poured perfectly over ice and rimmed with salt. We had to wait for about half an hour before being seated, but we had our deliciously strong margs to keep up happy, so definitely not the worst wait I've ever had a restaurant.When we sat down, the waiter brought baskets of warm chips and scrumptious salsa. We all ordered more margaritas and beers, and then put in our dinner orders. I got chicken enchiladas, with a side of beans and rice...all for less than $7. So much great food for cheap, and in Boston (well, Cambridge), it was awesome! We finished off the evening at Cambridge Common, where I tasted a local brew called Narrangansett (I'm not clear on the exact pronunciation, so please don't ask).

I would have liked to spend more time in Harvard Square, it was super cute and eclectic, with so many different shops and eateries and attractions. The neighborhood has been around for over 100 years, so it holds a lot of history and culture, on top of a modern atmosphere. Emily has already put it back on the list for my next visit.

Paramount Kitchen

The next morning, Emily and I got up and went to brunch at a famous joint in Beacon Hill called The Paramount. This legendary spot has been around since 1937, serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner, cafeteria-style all week long. The line can stretch out the door, and when we got there, it was nearly there. But Emily told me it was worth the wait, so we stuck it out. I kept looking for a hostess to put our name in for a table, but I was quickly informed that is not the way it works here. You wait in line to order your food, and they will not seat you until you have your meal. This guarantees that food is served hot and fresh, made right in front of your face. You just have to hope that a table opens up by the time you reach the counter. At first, I wasn't sure this system would be efficient, but I was pleasantly surprised. Tables consistently turned over, and no one was ever left standing with plates in their hands waiting for an opening. I ordered a spinach, feta cheese and tomato omelette, and Emily got the broccoli and cheddar omelette, both served with toast and home fries--which are some of the best I've ever had. After breakfast, we had a girly afternoon filled with manicures, pedicures and shopping along Charles Street.


Emily with the Upper Crust boxes

That evening, we hopped on the T and made our way to Central, another neighborhood across the Charles River in Cambridge. We went over to one of Emily's friend's apartments where we watched the running of the Kentucky Derby. (We put a friendly wager down, and I ended up picking the winning horse, I'll Have Another!) We had a couple drinks there and then went to grab a quick bite before meeting a few more friends out at Miracle of Science Bar, which fosters a peculiar--yet awesome--fascination for chemistry, making it the epitome of geek-chic. It's menu is hand written on the wall in the form of the table of the elements, and the crowd is varied between hipster artists and adorable nerds.  After one or two beers there, our crew made our way over to The Field, a divey, Irish pub that was oddly welcoming despite being somewhat dark and dingy. The crowd is laid back, friendly and fun, and there are plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained, including pool tables and darts, which our group gladly played until closing time.

Sunday, Emily and I woke up late, and slightly hungover, but nevertheless eager to jump into the day. Emily planned for us to go to the Red Sox game at 1:30, so we rallied ourselves and got ready. After a minor mishap with trying to print the tickets (I think my next gift to Emily will be a printer) we headed down Charles Street to grab a quick bite before heading to the stadium. We stopped at Upper Crust, another local favorite serving up large slices of thin crust pizza. I would have liked to try one of the featured pizzas, like the Beacon Hill (sun-dried tomato and breaded eggplant) or the Uncommon (bacon, pineapple and jalapeno pepper) or the Swellesley (Arrabbiata, with parmigiano-reggiano, chorizo, crushed red pepper, garlic, olive oil and basil). However, they only sell single pieces of cheese, pepperoni or the slice of the day. Lucky for me, the slice of the day was broccoli and feta, so we got one of each kind and split them.



We jumped on the green line and made our way to Fenway, where the true Boston sports fans live and breathe for their beloved Red Sox. The area around the park is smorgasborg of pubs and bars, souvenir shops and food stands. The vibe is inescapable, and you cannot help but be pulled into the excitement, even if you aren't a Sox fan--and I'm really not. Still, I found myself cheering for them as they went up against the Baltimore Orioles. We were a little nervous about the weather, so we put on a couple extra layers in case it was too cold. But once we found our spots in the bleachers, we found we didn't need them at all. The sun was beating down so intensely, I peeled off everything until I was just in a tank top. I even got a sunburn! The Red Sox fell behind early, but managed to fight their way back with a grand slam from rookie Will Middlebrooks. At the end of the ninth, it was tied 6-6. Emily and I figured someone would score in the next inning or two, but we were wrong. The game turned into an epic battle, spanning 17 innings and nearly six hours. We left after the 12th, so we didn't see the end, but it was not a good day for the Sox.


Emily and I had a pleasant stroll along Commonwealth Avenue, a beautiful street lined with old brick townhouses. We walked through the Public Gardens and Boston Common before strolling back into the hilly, tree-lined streets of Beacon Hill. Since I was in Boston, it was necessary to have some seafood, so we grabbed some sushi rolls from a place called Fin's right around the corner from her apartment. We brought it back to her place and enjoyed the delectable spicy tuna roll, Boston Roll and Rainbow roll, along with a lovely glass of Malbec.

We were thoroughly enthralled with the season finale of Amazing Race as we ate our dinner, but we also had the thought of one of Boston's best desserts on our mind. (No, not Boston Cream Pie, though it is sinfully good.) The treat I am referring to can be found on Boston's North End, also known as Little Italy, in one of two famous pastry shops: Mike's or Modern. The dessert: Cannolis. There is a debate as to which one serves the best, and I was determined to try at least one from either spot. But Emily couldn't record the show, and the pastry shops closed at 10. What were we to do? We made an executive decision. Since it was a two-hour finale, and it would take us 40 minutes to get there and back, we opted to miss most of the first hour and run over to the North End, hopefully making it back in time to see the last crucial hour of the show.

And so the race began. We walked--at a quickened pace--up to Faneuil Hall, through the Market and over to the North End. Again, I would have loved to spend more time in this area, with its Italian restaurants and cute boutiques. However, we were on a mission. Since we reached Modern first, that's where we went--and Emily insists it's actually better than Mike's. The second I walked in, I was in heaven. The treats lining the shelves transported me back to my days in Rome, and the desserts in the glass case made my mouth fill with saliva. Even though I was still somewhat full from the sushi, I knew I could make room for this. I ordered the chocolate-dipped shell with the classic ricotta filling, which they sprinkled lightly with powdered sugar. We practically sprinted back to Emily's apartment, with one or two close encounters with cars and cobble-stoned streets. Once there, we dove right into our cannolis, and much to my elation, it was phenomenal. I mean, there really are no words. It was all I could do not to scarf it all down in bite. I made sure to savor each moment.

The perfect ending to a fantastic weekend in Boston.