Food – Living My Best Life

L’ours Bakery + Eatlay Chicago- Biata

March 6, 2019August 7, 2020by nattysbestlife1 Comment

I was off on Valentine’s Day this year and had the perfect day! It started with a coffee at L’OURS BAKERY COFFEE. Definitely a cute coffee shop centrally located in Little Italy. It was pretty large, great work space for those who want to study or work from home.

Later that night I finally got to go to a popup restaurant at Eatlay Chicago called Biata. The restaurant concept was the Italian Alps: MELTED CHEESES AND WARM WINES! I was pretty much in heaven during dinner!

The decor and ambiance was beautiful, super cozy and warm, literally felt like we were in a cabin.

The warm wine was yummy! I didn’t think I would be a fan of warm wine, but I was quiet pleased with it. The cheese/ food was absolutely amazing. It was very rich and CHEESY but that’s my favorite, so I wasn’t complaining.

Desert wasn’t an option after a meal like that, I was way to full to have anything else! Definitely a great experience!

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Chicago Food Crawl

etta

March 4, 2019August 7, 2020by nattysbestlifeLeave a Comment

While my cousin was in town from Seattle we all decided to have family dinner at etta. I had been wanting to try this place for a while now so I was super excited to go! The restaurant is located in Bucktown, so it’s a further trip for us, but well worth it!

The minute we walked in, we loved it. It was very aesthetically pleasing. We had 9:45pm reservations, but it was packed when we walked in so had to wait. However they were nice enough to give us complimentary champagne while waiting for our table.

We started with the fire-baked focaccia served with ricotta honey & truffle, and the spicy meatballs and ricotta pillows (2 orders) which I would highly recommend! Then we followed up with 3 pastas, 2 pizzas and 2 proteins for the 6 of us. The menu is intended to be family style, so it’s a great place to go with a larger group! I think it was safe to say we ordered too much food.

Everything came out as it was ready, and it was fresh and tasted amazing. They timed it well in the kitchen, we had exactly enough time to enjoy each plate before the next one came out. I think that this may be a summer date night spot in the near future.

Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert but the dessert menu looked very good.

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Chicago Food Crawl

Aba

January 30, 2019August 7, 2020by nattysbestlifeLeave a Comment

Mediterranean food is probably one of my favorite cuisines and I was so excited to find this spot over the summer. Aba is a hidden gem, you have to take a random elevator up to the restaurant and you don’t know what to expect until you get to the top. Walking in, it was absolutely beautiful. Even though it was summer it was chilly in the evening and we wanted to sit inside. The rooftop was even nicer then the inside. The restaurant was aesthetically pleasing so I loved it the minute we walked in!

We had gone out prior to dinner for some drinks, but the drinks here were very good. They were fresh and unique. I definitely want to go back just for the drinks one day.

The food was amazing to say the least. We actually over ordered and ended up taking the kabobs home. I can’t wait to come back and try the rest of the menu.

PSA: they have heated domes on their rooftop during the winter!

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Chicago Food Crawl

Brunch @ Beatnik

June 25, 2018August 7, 2020by nattysbestlifeLeave a Comment

We picked Beatnik for an anniversary brunch and I was very excited because I had heard about how cool the inside of the restaurant was. The interior was inspired by Bohemian lifestyle and aesthetic sensibility of the 1950s in America and Europe. It truly felt like a Mediterranean farmhouse. We sat in the front half of the restaurant, and there was a lot of natural light. The foods were a fusion between Eastern Mediterranean, Asia and Latin America. We ordered some amazing cocktails and of course we got a burger! We also got a Muffaletta Sandwich which was served on a Arepa Style Bun– which was essentially a masa bun.

After brunch we decided to continue the celebration on the other side of the restaurant at the bar. This side had a completely different vibe. It was beautiful with a lot of greenery. We got another round of cocktails followed by the famous chai cinnamon roll– this was probably one of the best things we have ever tired! It was extremely sweet and rich but worth every bite!

Can’t wait to come back and try the dinner menu! I also want to see the decor at night, must be a completely different vibe.

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Chicago Food Crawl

Au Cheval Almighty

June 23, 2018August 7, 2020by nattysbestlifeLeave a Comment

I can’t believe that I tried my first Au Cheval burger less then a year ago, but now I know what all the hype was about. I truly was missing out, until I finally went last fall, I was told that it was “the best burger ever”. There are some tricks on how to get a table at Au Cheval.

Go with a small group ≤ 4 people
Go on off peak hours, like after 11:30 pm
Go prepared to wait, and be ready to have a drink while waiting– doesn’t make the wait as bad!

I have been fortunate to usually go to Au Cheval with seasoned veterans, and I don’t think I have ever waited over 20 minutes for a table.

I keep it pretty simple at Au Cheval, always ordering the same exact thing. A single burger + the juicy thick cut bacon and an Old Fashioned. This last time, I went outside of the normal order and got fries, which came with a side of mouth watering garlic aïoli sauce– best add on ever!

There was a little hiccup in the burger last winter…they changed their bun and it was very disappointing. Fortunately the OG bun is back and the burger is better then ever!

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Chicago Food Crawl

Brunch @ The Allis

June 18, 2018August 7, 2020by nattysbestlifeLeave a Comment

I think brunch is honestly the best meal to enjoy in the city of Chicago, especially when the weather is nice because there are so many places that you can go! Me and one of my girlfriends went to The Allis and absolutely loved it. I had never been but a friend had referred to it as “very Instagrammable”. It felt like we were having an adult tea party. The decor and ambiance were absolutely amazing, and so was the food. The best part was the baked deserts! If you are looking for a cute brunch spot, the Allis is definitely the place to go. The best part about this place is you can go when the weather isn’t beautiful and still have a wonderful time.

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