It's that time of year again, time for pretty much every everyone in the greater Chicago area to head downtown and experience the Taste of Chicago :) What is the Taste, you might ask. It is the world's largest food festival held every summer, in Grant Park. Millions of people come out to sample the cuisine from some of the most popular restaurants in town. This year there are more than 65 restaurants represented and also there is live music every day. And some pretty big namers too: Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan were there this past weekend.
Here is a general idea of what the crowds can be:
Good times good times :)In hopes of missing as much of the crush and heat as is possible, the YSA branch met up early on opening day and set out for a gustatory experience.
Some people, I've found, have tried and true, tasty victuals that they must have.
As for me, I've made it a point each year I attend to try something new and adventurous - something I would never commit to at a restaurant for fear it would be gross and ruin my dinner. But, here, it's just a taste! Even if it's not that good, there'll be something tastier to try at the next booth.
In previous years I've tasted Alligator (yum!)
and Turtle Soup (not so much)
This year the goal was to try Shark and some Ox Tail.
The Shark was actually quite tasty. Not too fishy, and the tomato stuff on top was really great.
However, the Ox Tail was just ugly; sooooo very ugly that I could hardly bring myself to try it. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but that ring of meat on a slice of bone was NOT it.
After that we decided it was time to cleanse the palate. Dessert time!
I had a tasty tasty Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream cone.... mmmmmmmmmm.
Here was another once-a-year highlight of the Taste: Monstrously sweet Funnel Cake! complete with ice cream and fudge syrup. Hooo-ah!
10 comments:
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Looks like you guys had a blast. Ox tail. I'm not so sure that I would go there. Way to be adventurous!
What's "gustatory?"
Gustatory: having to do with tasting :)
Ox tail... yeah, I'm not sure I would recommend going there.. hehehe. But I survived, so that's something!
Yep, that's something indeed!
Now that sounds like fun! When we lived in Denver we used to go to the Festival of Mountain and Plains - it was aimilar and they had lots of yummy food!
Oooo! Yummy! I wish Glenwood had something like that. It reminds me of the shark group in "Finding Nemo." "Fish are friends, not food!" Hehe!
This is ONE thing I miss about Chicago. I was bummed I missed this by a couple weeks! :( But, looks like you had a great time. I will forever remember you being brave at eating that alligator! :)
Wow. Ox tail. ...That looks positively wretched. And you didn't get a fever or anything?
Haha.. nope. No actual adverse side effects from eating the ox tail. Mostly just had to get over its most unfortunate appearance :)
Ox tail. The last part over the fence. Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm, yummy
Oh the Taste...Cajun Gator and Clam Raviolis...Goat and Cheesecake popsicles. So much yummy goodness!
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