Crushing Cocktails at Blackbird

The Prima Vera

Life has been more than a little hectic, so we were in serious need of a date night. We decided to try Avec where we had an amazingly scrumptious meal. While waiting for our table, we went next door to their sister restaurant Blackbird for a drink.

The atmosphere at Blackbird on a Saturday night reflects sophistication and an all around feeling that the people working there have a high propensity for creating a unique experience. I made a mental note to add this to my dinner list, but for this visit, we bellied up to the bar. The cocktail menu needs a bit of translation for a novice. I  naturally went for the Prima Vera because it contained egg whites and I love a good frothy cocktail! The Prima Vera is made up of North Shore #6, Bittermans Citron Sauvage, cucumber, basil, and of course egg white. Typically I'm not a huge fan of gin, but this drink was the perfect combination and the gin melts away.

The Lonely Heart

Brian chose the The Lonely Heart, made up of Buffalo Trace, muddled fruit, black pepper syrup, lime, and house-made sweet tea soda. Typically made with strawberry, renowned mixologist Lynn House put a twist on it this evening using muddled plums. Just watching Lynn do her thing and shake that shaker with her own special beat was something to see, and the extra care could be tasted in every sip.

While the vibe at Blackbird is definitely a bit more on the serious side, it's a perfect entre to the communal style, down to earth, anything goes environment at Avec. And, you can easily stroll next door, cocktail in hand, because they are all one big happy family. More on next door in a later post, but suffice it to say, I'll be making a dinner reservation at Blackbird in the very near future.

Donuts make me happy - and then sick

First, let me say that it has been quite some time since my last post. Have no fear, I've still been eating, but have not been diligent in blogging about it. I'll try to do better. Now, on to the food.

This week I was on my way to Moe's Cantina to meet a friend for drinks and dinner when I happened upon the Doughnut Vault. I made a mental note to myself to try it, and this morning we did just that. For those of you that do not know my husband, he could eat dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner so it didn't take much to persuade him. We headed to the vault after working up an appetite at Erie Park, our recently renovated neighborhood park that just reopened in time for Taste of River North, which is taking place as we speak. We'll be heading there post nap for some bacon wrapped dates from English. But, back to the donuts.

Let me just say, I had no idea the cult following of this place. We arrived shortly after 9 am to a line wrapping around the building that consisted of at least 75 people. What? Really??? OK, these donuts must be good. We made friends with people in line and quickly gathered the scoop. On Saturdays, they open at 9:30 and close when the donuts are gone, which doesn't take very long with the line snaking around the building. The line continued to grow long after our arrival, but we were up to give our order close to 10 am.

The menu is basic and written on the wall outside. The storefront is literally just big enough to hold 2 to 3 people, so plan your order outside. The excitement builds as you get closer and you can't help but tap your feet to their blaring tunes, which for us entailed Outkast's Sorry Miss Jackson. It was finally our turn and we decided to go with 2 old fashioned buttermilk, a chocolate glaze, a vanilla glaze and a jelly filled. We were a little overzealous in our selection. The vanilla glaze without a doubt took home the trophy, while the old fashioned took 2nd place.

They were good, would have been better warm, but we still managed to clean the box, which then made us nauseous. My final consensus is that while we had a great experience, and the donuts were good, I'm not sure I completely understand the hoopla. Would I do it again? Hmm, maybe, but I think I'll reserve my calorie expenditure for more savory fare.  Brian, on the other hand, gives it both thumbs up. If you decide to try it, bring your cash and get there early.  Oh, and try to eat just one so your tummy doesn't go into complete sugar shock!