Ok, so I think this might be my last Chicago post. Well, maybe. And it is a bit of a random one but it includes two things I simply can’t keep to myself. One of them is this cake, from the coolest hotel ever.
It came from one of the restaurants in Soho House, which I first heard about in the Times travel section a few weeks before we went to Chicago. As we are the way we are, we hadn’t yet booked a hotel and oh boy, did I want to book this one. It had a glowing write up, and sounded perfect. Sadly, it was full and I didn’t really think about it again…until after lunch at The Little Goat Diner (read that post here) when we crossed the road and stumbled across it.
Set in the Allis Building, formerly the Chicago Belting Company, the hotel has a number of restaurants and eateries and has a very cool laid back, friendly approach.
The lobby is not like a hotel lobby at all. In fact, it wasn’t until after we had coffee and cake in one of the bars, did we realise we were even in the hotel!
The place is just yummy and I totally loved the interiors. In my mind, whoever designed and styled this place should give themselves a pat on the back, and sit back and take it easy. They’ve done their bit.
It is the kind of place where you would like to just ‘be’ there. Reading a book in that velvet chair, having a massage in the spa, on the roof with a cocktail. I wish I had actually got to see a room, the roof, or even the gym but sadly I didn’t. However, this was enough to sell it to me.
I was already considering velvet for our living room at home, and now I definitely will.
Anyway, after stuffing ourselves with a burger across the road, we took a peek through the open doors just in time to see them bringing the cake down for afternoon tea and we simply couldn’t resist.
I met the new, young pastry chef who was proudly displaying her wares and despite her best efforts to get me to chose one of the more exciting cakes…
… I chose the classic Victoria sponge. Do you blame me? Just look at it.
We ordered coffee to wash it down, and settled in to stretch our stomachs some more.
As I said, there are a number of other restaurants there which we didn’t get the chance to go to (three days were just too little), including Pizza East which I had been recommended to visit by Amelia from The Chicago Life Blog. Next time, next time.
I could keep rambling on but I think you get the idea. I liked it here. One day I will come back, and it will be here that I stay!
If you are lucky enough to planning trip to Chicago, please consider this place. Here’s their website.
Later, as if we hadn’t eaten enough that day, we dragged our weary and over fed bodies for a light supper at Giordano’s within walking distance from the (very lovely) hotel we did stay in.
And when I mean light, I mean a three inch thick pizza, oozing with cheese. Well, when in Chicago you really must. Giordano’s is a big thing in the deep dish pizza scene in Chicago, and the pizzas certainly were big!
We went for a veggie option, and it arrived on it’s own stand bursting from its seams. The toppings - or should that be filling or stuffing? - were in a different order to what I am accustomed to. It went more like crust, cheese, veg, cheese, veg, cheese and then tomato sauce on top.
I disappointed myself and could only manage two slices. As did Mr B, but in our defence they’re were huge.
Giordano’s website can be found here. The table to our left had visited three nights in a row, and the table to our left twice in a row.
What do you think of the Soho House hotel? Do you ever fall in love with interiors like I do?
Do you stuff yourself silly on holiday (especially in America where the portions are just SO big)?
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
