Chicago

Located along the south end of Lincoln Park along Clark Avenue, Chicago’s Green City Market bustled with activity on Saturday morning. Young parents pulling wagons loaded with children eating an apple from one hand and a warm apple cider doughnut from the other, urban-dwelling dogs steered with leashes held by their health-conscious owners and shoppers of all ages seeking fresh, locally produced food grown by farmers who practice sustainable methods contributed to the buzz of activity.

The close to 2-mile walk from my hotel had worked up my appetite. I was in search of a late-morning breakfast. I could have chosen a paper-thin Green City Crepe stuffed with caramelized onions, Prarie Pure butterkase cheese and greens from Klug Farms.

But I didn’t.

I could have chosen a smoothie made with fresh fruit and apple cider and an apple cider doughnut. I didn’t do that, either.

I could have had a large, rose-tinged fresh Michigan peach, the last of the season, with a thick wedge of quiche from Floriole Bakery. Nope, not that, either.

So many choices. Overwhelming, really. After perusing the whole market, I decided on The Best Grilled Cheese Ever with a glass of fresh apple cider.

Standing outside the landmark Buick Building in Chicago’s historic Motor Row District, Curtis Tarver II and Quintin Cole have beer and business on their minds. They plan to open a brewpub, Vice District Brewing, this summer, bringing the growth of Chicago's explosive craft beer movement to the South Loop, a short walk from the city's central business district.

I met Tarver and Cole last fall at another local brewery, Haymarket, where we chatted about their plans. I jumped at the opportunity to discuss them in more detail last week, and to visit their space, where construction will soon begin.

Tarver is an attorney by profession, and worked in Mayor Daley’s office. Cole has spent 17 years as a physical therapist. Friends and Hyde Park neighbors, the owners have been homebrewing for years, and their wives are both supportive of their decision to take their hobby to the next level (and to free up some space in their basements).

It hardly seemed like Fall on the day my favorite exploring partner and I strolled the streets of the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Chicago just two weeks ago. From our hotel on West Surf Street, a leisurely five-minute stroll down Diversey took us to The Counter for an early lunch.

I hummed along with Macy Gray’s “Beauty in the World” playing in the background as I created a customized vegetarian burger from the list of fresh ingredients on the menu attached to a clipboard. My partner sitting across from me at our table along the front wall of wide open windows designed a loaded beef burger. We started filling our hungry tums with a “Fifty-Fifty” plate — half sweet potato fries and half crispy onion strings. I highly recommend that platter.

Filled with burgers, strings and fries, oh my — we continued our exploration by foot. We did have a destination in mind. About a mile and a half from The Counter, we knew we would find a luscious dessert at Floriole Cafe and Bakery.

Underground dinners. Do you know about them?  Probably. I'm new to this: paprika still confuses me.

I first heard of this scene when eating at Elizabeth --an up and coming Chicago "farm to table" restaurant -- and learning that Chef/Owner Iliana Regan got her start in the underground restaurant world.

Call me fascinated, because her food was so good (e.g. stop what you're doing and try the carrot tea) that I found her by the bathroom and told her that her meal was the best I'd ever eaten. So that happened.

Being the daughter of a scientist, I took a very methodical approach to this whole underground thing. New Years day I set a goal to eat a secret dinner in 2013. I researched. Mastered back alley handshakes with dish boys. Nodded slowly and maintained uncomfortably long eye contact with sommeliers. Folded response notes into my fortune cookies. Got on some e-mail lists. You get the picture.

Which brings us to Sous Rising. Chef Jake Bickelhaupt has worked in famous kitchens around Chicago -- Alinea, Charlie Trotter's, Schwa. Now on Friday and Saturday nights, he and his charming wife Alexa open up their home to 8-10 guests, where he works his magic.