I can’t go to Chicago without hitting up some of my favorite restaurants and finding my favorite Chicago food.   This time, I didn’t go to my favorite pizza place.  I didn’t even have a SINGLE ONE of these:

Vienna Beef Hot Dog

I don’t know why I didn’t.  I just didn’t.  Instead, I went back to a place I went before…which is rare for me.  But I loved it so much that I just had to check it out again to see if it was as good as I thought the first time.  That restaurant is the Hearty Boys in the ‘boys town’ area of Chicago.  I went there back in April 2012 and had one of the best meals of my life.

They do change the menu up a few times a year – so things were different….and I’m happy to report that I still loved it so very much.

We had another amazing waiter who knew the menu inside-and-out and was very helpful.  Even when my friend, Lawrence, had to ask 20 questions about his meal.  Seriously, this conversation lasted like 10 minutes.  It was very funny to watch.

Lawrence ordering dinner.

It was super easy for me to pick what I wanted to eat….Bacon Ravioli.  I mean….really.

Bacon Ravioli from the Hearty Boys.

They were amazing.  The house made bacon pasta included a dunbarton blue cheddar and bacon sausage filling, caramelized onion and smoked ham veloute.  At first I was sad there were only four – but they were so filling that I wouldn’t have been able to eat any more!

For me though, dessert is where it’s at.  And let me just say, there could have been no better dessert for me to try….

I present….”The Naughty Girl Scout.”

This dessert featured Moonshine fudge and Bourbon syrup with homemade thin mint ice cream!  It was amazing.  Simply perfect in every way.  I love that the fudge had little chunks of cookie in it.  I want more…now!

So – again, can’t rave enough about this amazing Chicago restaurant.  If you get a chance, check it out because it won’t disappoint.

I also had some other top notch food while in Chicago.

Chicken & Waffles

Some great Chicken & Waffles from the Acre Restaurant.

I also had something there called a “Beermosa” made with Allagash white beer and fresh orange juice.

The Beermosa. Think of a really orangey “Shocktop”

What are some of your favorite vacation foods?  I still can’t believe I didn’t eat pizza or hot dogs on this trip.  Next time I’ll have to change that.