No Girl Scout Cookies For Me, Just Pizza and Steak

Remember the words to that old Girl Scout song? “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver the other gold?” I feel that way about restaurants, too! I’m excited about checking out newer spots I’ve never visited, but I’m happy to renew my friendship with an older spot, too.

One of my new friends is Stella Barra, the California-style pizzeria from Lettuce Entertain You in Lincoln Park, next door to LEYE’s trendy Summer House Santa Monica. Stella isn’t brand new, but I just met her last month when I stopped by with my friend Kate Koester Gaddi for smoked bacon and goat cheese pizza and my go to drink Prosecco with a dollop of St. Germain.

Photo Courtesy of stellabarra.com

The food is excellent – they have cured meats, veggies and salads, a variety of meatballs, a couple of pastas and of course red or white pizzas, including an extra thin version that they dubbed “thin sin.” LOL!

Photo Courtesy of tastesavant.com

Photo Courtesy of pizzaloverchicago.com

The environment is way fun too. The room is open and industrial, with charcoal walls and exposed ducts and pipes. When the weather is nice they crank open the windows or you can compete for one of the patio seats. All the bakery goods are made next door at Summer House, so don’t skip dessert. On the way out we grabbed molasses ginger cookies the size of my head!

As for revisiting an old friend, I took my son Matt to the 24-year-old Kinzie Chophouse a few days later following a bit of shopping at Nordstrom for business-guy shoes and belts.  It’s on the corner just outside the Merchandise Mart on Kinzie, so of course it’s a popular spot with designers. Kinzie is one of those friendly, neighborhood steakhouses that’s low-key and unpretentious, but don’t be fooled by its low profile. Owner Susan Frasca’s wine cellar has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 12 years running and the food is wonderful.

Photo Courtesy of kinziechophouse.com

Matt and I both ordered the 8-ounce Kinzie filet and shared some buttery mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts, which is my new veggie craze! Even though there are 210 seats the restaurant feels very cozy because the tables are divided among three dining rooms and a friendly-looking bar, which I’ve already checked out a few times after a long day at the Mart!

Photos Courtesy of kinziechophouse.com