In Which I Fall Deeply in Love...

With the FOOD that is here in this city.

So far I have had a fantastic Valentine's weekend. It's Thanh's and my first Valentine's Day together, and we planned lovely things and did lovely things. But I think that this day - actually, I believe it started last night - was mostly defined by the food and the restaurants we ate at. So - a quick run-down of the fantastic finds in the over-looked corners of our adopted hometown.

Last night we went to see a play called "Beer", produced by The Neo-Futurists. "Beer" is about beer, or more specifically a musically-driven puppet show about the process of making craft beer. It was staged at The Ravenswood Brewery, a new brewery about five minutes from my apartment. We were able to sample a new lager while watching puppets sing about wort and fermentation, but the real "event" happened after wards at Gary and Bridget's apartment.

Gary and Bridget: a fantastic couple whose child I taught last year. Gary is a home brewer, so after the play we got a tour of his freezer and basement, we smelled fresh cascade hops, and then drank a fantastic glass of a lager that was nutty and caramelly and crisp, even though it has only been brewin' for about a month. A glass of home-brew, good conversation while sitting in a comfy red rocking chair, all after watching a play about beer - this is the very definition of a Friday night in Chicago.

Woke up this noon. 12 o'clock, a lovely sleep-in. Our friend Chad got us tickets to a matinee up in Skokie (northern 'burb), so Thanh and I grabbed our "Saturday-morning special" - breakfast at Mekato's Columbian Bakery. Again, five minutes from my house. At Mekato's we always order the same thing: four empenadas (two carne and two pollo), one lime-drenched chorizo, and for me, a cafe con leche and pan de coco (coconut bread). We sit in silence and watch Columbian music videos while we scarf down the food. Their pastries are perfect, not too sweet, not too dry - and their meat products are not too gamey. Their coffee is my favorite in city. And we pay the bill. $13.72.

The play at Northlight Theatre: "Po Boy Tango" - probably one of the most well-written plays I've seen in a few years, written by Taiwanese-American playwright Kenneth Lin. It's the story of a father who enlists the help of his old friend to re-create his mother's Great Banquet for his daughter's wedding. But really, it's about friendships, family, and the healing power of food. I rarely see a play these days that I completely lose myself in - I'm really critical and picky - but this one was a winner. I don't know how to say it - but when the writing is not self-conscious but universal, as well as intelligent and passionate and rooted in experience as opposed to heady flights of fancy - it's a great ride.

Afterwards we drove back into the city searching on the iPhone for oysters or Italian eateries but everything was booked up for Valentine's Day. So instead we opted for our favorite Japanese restaurant, The Sunshine Cafe. It's family-run - the decor is horrible, but grandma serves the free green tea and the seaweed salad is so so yummy. We were surrounded by locals, seasoned couples and families (two boys with medals around their necks came in with their proud parents). I had a full plate of Hamachi sashimi - supposedly an appetizer, but it was enough for an entree so I just ordered extra rice and pickled veggies on the side. Thanh had salted mackerel. My Hamachi in another restaurant would have cost 15 bucks, but at Sunshine it's just as fresh and only 9 dollars. It's very back-to-basics home-cooking at this restaurant, and I'm glad we went to one of our usual hangouts instead of trying to force the Valentine's Day stereotype with an over-priced and over-crowded bistro.

Afterwards Thanh and I walked up to Bon Bon - which is a small chocolaterie that serves samples of drinking chocolate so good I licked the styrofoam clean. I picked out four chocolates: a chocolate chili ganache, hazelnut cream, honey-saffron and some other spiced creation, and as I walked out of the store I turned to Thanh and said "Wow. You really do love me." After all, nothing says Valentine's Day like freshly-butchered yellowtail and chili-filled bonbons. I'm so filled with Omega-6's and anti-oxidants my head is spinning.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!