[SIZE=14pt]AU celebrated Gathering VII in the great city of Chicago, a city noted for its rough and tumble history filled with corrupt politicians, gangsters, and floundering baseball teams. More importantly, from our point of view, it is the hub of the railroad industry and wonderful ethnic restaurants!! Since the Gathering is AU’s annual premier event, the 2 Joes decided to up our game. Rather than go to our usual dives, greasy spoons and other haunts, we planned to visit some of the great restaurants in this proud city. Regretfully, steel wheels do not readily go to the ethnic neighborhoods in a timely manner and most of our time was spent riding the rails with other AU foamers, so we opted for some of the well known restaurants in the river north area that represent just a few of the regions of the world that have settled in Chicago. Three days just isn’t enough time to do justice to all representatives and we had to forgo the Irish, Polish, Greek, and German places we have tried and enjoyed in the past. But, we did venture to Italian, Mexican, the great American beef burger, deli food, and what is arguably the most widely celebrated food in Chicago-- the deep dish pizza.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The Gathering officially begins on Friday so we decide to go to Chicago on Thursday. I hop on the Pere Marquette in Grand Rapids and arrive at Union Station about 11 a.m. JoeG isn’t scheduled in for two hours so I go to the Metropolitan Lounge and “meet and greet” with several other AU members who are also arriving early. JoeG arrives on the Saluki out of Carbondale about 1 o’clock. We meet in the Metro Deli and lo and behold they are having a $9 pitcher sale on our favorite malted beverage! After clearing our throats from the “dusty trail”, we take a walk over to “Greektown” for a quick lunch. We stop in Philly’s Best Sandwich and Gyro shop on Jackson. We probably should have ordered something Greek like a gyro but temptation won out. I had a combo grinder and JoeG tried the original Philly steak with white cheese and special fries. This has replaced Al’s as our favorite beef sandwich shop.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]With lunch out of the way, we catch Metra’s only overhead catenary electric train from Millennium Station to our hotel at McCormick Place. The view from our rooms is fabulous--a north view from the top floor that overlooks Grant Park, Navy Pier, and the shoreline, as well as the always mesmerizing Michigan Ave skyline. As dinnertime approaches we catch a Metra then a Brown line CTA to get us into the River North neighborhood. For dinner this evening we have reservations at Gino and Georgetti’s Italian Steakhouse, one of Chicago’s fine restaurants from the heyday of the railroad stockyards. As we approach, we notice this to be a dark green, wooden two story building among all the skyscrapers, glass and steel. Inside the atmosphere is equally a throwback to the era of a good piece of beef and a simple pasta on the side. We are meeting for dinner, a current conductor on the Michigan trains and a retired engineer who worked Lincoln Service. We have a few minutes so we take a seat at the classic bar right inside the door. All of the wait staff is male, white shirt; black trousers, black tie and all are very friendly and helpful. When our friends arrive, we are escorted to the upstairs dining room (you need to be a “regular” or someone recognizable to snag a downstairs table. Apparently they didn’t recognize the “famous” Col Joe!)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I was tempted to order the Italian sausage ala Joe (hard not to go with a name like that!). We notice that the portions are exceptionally generous so the 2 Joes devise a plan. We order one Kansas City strip steak and one order of spaghetti with meat sauce. Apparently this is a common occurrence. The waiter brought us each a dinner plate with half of the spaghetti and then the steak on a separate plate between us. We carved away on this delicious steak until we could eat no more. Our engineer friend got the rest in a “doggie” bag. This was a very pleasant evening, talking and laughing about lots of Amtrak stories.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The Gathering officially begins Friday morning with some local CTA rides and the afternoon is an Amtrak roundtrip to Milwaukee with a stop on the return at Glenview for the “official” Gathering dinner. While the rest of the crew goes to Milwaukee, the 2 Joes hop off at Glenview on the northbound trip to “coordinate” issues at the dinner site. We are having dinner at Grandpa’s, a trackside diner in Glenview. Just our luck, the bar is open so we are able to coordinate smoothly and have everything under control (hic) when the rest of the AU folks arrive. We had not compared notes on our sandwich choices and as it turns out, we both ordered the Ruben. My two favorite things about this Ruben--1.The corned beef was “melt in your mouth” quality and 2. The sandwich was about 2 inches thick as opposed to the 4 inch thick New York City version but it cost 10 bucks as opposed to the New York price which usually runs double that. Given another choice, the tuna melt looked delicious. Oh well, after the first of the year we will need points runs out of Chicago and I’m sure this sandwich will still be on the menu. The dinner is supplemented with lots of laughs and train talk. The time comes to walk across the street and catch an Amtrak back to Union Station.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]On Saturday morning the gang gets together for an Amtrak ride to Joliet. There are group pictures to document our attendance. The afternoon is filled with Metra rides. Someone gears up a “popup” Amtrak ride to Mendota for the evening but the 2 Joes pass on this option. We have our plans set for a memorable dinner at one of, if not the only, Mexican restaurant in the country to rate a Michelin star -- The Frontera Grill. The owner and chef, Rick Bayless is noted for great attention to detail and using only the freshest and most authentic ingredients. This guy spins and grinds cocoa beans for three hours just to make hot chocolate-- that is dedication to your trade! I didn’t try the hot chocolate but I can vouch for a very tasty selection Mexican beers. The dinner choice was difficult but I finally decided on Tacos al Carbon-- wood grilled steak served with roasted pepper rajas (whatever that is!), salsa, frijoles charros, guacamole (fresh and awesome) and homemade tortillas. JoeG chose the pork shoulder with Yucatecan Recado Negro. That loosely translates to pork shoulder, smoked ham hocks and runner beans simmered traditional inky recado negro (fire roasted chilies, garlic, spices), sour cream, radishes and cilantro. Back at the farm house we would call this a bowl of ham hocks and beans but it was, by far, the most delicious bowl of beans JoeG has ever had![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Sunday morning the gang once more got together for a tour of the Chicago Amtrak engine shop. Regretfully, there were no engines being taken apart on this particular morning but it was interesting to get the inside look at some of the shops that we have all ridden by so many times just before we enter the underground Union Station even numbered platforms. This tour was informative and long--it consumed the whole morning and we really built up an appetite. So, we hop on the Red Line CTA and head downtown. Union Station is near the “loop”, a mostly office building area that practically shuts down on Sunday, so it is much better to get down in the Michigan Ave shopping district to find a good variety of open restaurants. We exit the Red Line at State and Grand and, what do you know, we are smack dab in front of the Webber Grill Restaurant. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]As the name implies, this place uses Webber Kettle grills--big ones--4 in a row--using charcoal--all in an open kitchen so the customers can enjoy the preparation. Not quite like firing up the grill in your back yard but quite the experience, nonetheless. They must have an exhaust system powered by a 747 engine to keep this place safe! The accommodations are very comfortable and the whole atmosphere is a throwback to the 50’s. With that in mind, we tried a cocktail from that era. I had the Smokey Joe Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives (with a name like that, how can you miss) and JoeG tried the Rocky Rye Manhattan. He guessed it was authentic-- he’d never had a Manhattan before. At least it tasted good. The menu was surprisingly large but the staples were steak and hamburgers. They were very proud of their steaks (even more pricy than the Gene and Georgetti offerings) so we both decided on hamburgers. There were quite a variety and I finally decided on The Farm Burger-- beef and lamb, topped with apple wood smoked bacon, goat cheese, and oven roasted tomatoes. JoeG had the French Onion Burger with Demit Swiss cheese, grilled onions, a red wine sauce and chives. Both burgers were nicely charred on the outside and rare and juicy in the middle. A very interesting place and very good food to boot!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]By the time we finished at the Webber Grill, it was too late to catch the Sunday afternoon trains home. Too bad...have to stay thru Monday and have a pizza before heading home! After a leisurely hotel breakfast on Monday morning, we check our bags at Union Station and catch the CTA to the river north area and make our way to Lou Malnati’s for an early afternoon deep dish. Without even getting into the argument about the best pizza in the city, the Malnati salad rates an all star rating. Be sure to order only one salad even if there are 3 or 4 in your party. It is a heaping bowl of romaine, tomato, black olives, mushrooms, Volpi salami bits, and a generous helping of gorgonzola cheese, and then dressed with a wonderful sweet vinaigrette and Romano cheese dressing. This salad is not only delicious but helps you fill the 40 or so minutes that it takes to cook your deep dish pizza. We selected the sausage pizza; again, don’t order anything larger than the pizza for two even if there are more in your party. Even the sausage is put in the pie raw, so the cooking time cannot be shortcut but the final product is worth the wait. JoeG’s first two comments are always, “how do they make this salad dressing” and “how do they keep this dough so perfect, especially with this much stuff in the pie!” This place is a “must try” if you want to get in on the best pie in town debate.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Our conclusion: the Gathering needs to be at least a week long to sample the great eateries in the great cities we visit for this event. Getting to meet new AUer’s and getting reacquainted with friends from past years makes the Gathering a very special event. We can’t wait to see all of you again on the west coast next year or at a thoroughbred race track near you between now and then. Oops, did I let the cat out of the bag for our next series of adventures? The racetrack with the best corned beef sandwich-- now that sounds like a challenge!!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The Gathering officially begins on Friday so we decide to go to Chicago on Thursday. I hop on the Pere Marquette in Grand Rapids and arrive at Union Station about 11 a.m. JoeG isn’t scheduled in for two hours so I go to the Metropolitan Lounge and “meet and greet” with several other AU members who are also arriving early. JoeG arrives on the Saluki out of Carbondale about 1 o’clock. We meet in the Metro Deli and lo and behold they are having a $9 pitcher sale on our favorite malted beverage! After clearing our throats from the “dusty trail”, we take a walk over to “Greektown” for a quick lunch. We stop in Philly’s Best Sandwich and Gyro shop on Jackson. We probably should have ordered something Greek like a gyro but temptation won out. I had a combo grinder and JoeG tried the original Philly steak with white cheese and special fries. This has replaced Al’s as our favorite beef sandwich shop.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]With lunch out of the way, we catch Metra’s only overhead catenary electric train from Millennium Station to our hotel at McCormick Place. The view from our rooms is fabulous--a north view from the top floor that overlooks Grant Park, Navy Pier, and the shoreline, as well as the always mesmerizing Michigan Ave skyline. As dinnertime approaches we catch a Metra then a Brown line CTA to get us into the River North neighborhood. For dinner this evening we have reservations at Gino and Georgetti’s Italian Steakhouse, one of Chicago’s fine restaurants from the heyday of the railroad stockyards. As we approach, we notice this to be a dark green, wooden two story building among all the skyscrapers, glass and steel. Inside the atmosphere is equally a throwback to the era of a good piece of beef and a simple pasta on the side. We are meeting for dinner, a current conductor on the Michigan trains and a retired engineer who worked Lincoln Service. We have a few minutes so we take a seat at the classic bar right inside the door. All of the wait staff is male, white shirt; black trousers, black tie and all are very friendly and helpful. When our friends arrive, we are escorted to the upstairs dining room (you need to be a “regular” or someone recognizable to snag a downstairs table. Apparently they didn’t recognize the “famous” Col Joe!)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I was tempted to order the Italian sausage ala Joe (hard not to go with a name like that!). We notice that the portions are exceptionally generous so the 2 Joes devise a plan. We order one Kansas City strip steak and one order of spaghetti with meat sauce. Apparently this is a common occurrence. The waiter brought us each a dinner plate with half of the spaghetti and then the steak on a separate plate between us. We carved away on this delicious steak until we could eat no more. Our engineer friend got the rest in a “doggie” bag. This was a very pleasant evening, talking and laughing about lots of Amtrak stories.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The Gathering officially begins Friday morning with some local CTA rides and the afternoon is an Amtrak roundtrip to Milwaukee with a stop on the return at Glenview for the “official” Gathering dinner. While the rest of the crew goes to Milwaukee, the 2 Joes hop off at Glenview on the northbound trip to “coordinate” issues at the dinner site. We are having dinner at Grandpa’s, a trackside diner in Glenview. Just our luck, the bar is open so we are able to coordinate smoothly and have everything under control (hic) when the rest of the AU folks arrive. We had not compared notes on our sandwich choices and as it turns out, we both ordered the Ruben. My two favorite things about this Ruben--1.The corned beef was “melt in your mouth” quality and 2. The sandwich was about 2 inches thick as opposed to the 4 inch thick New York City version but it cost 10 bucks as opposed to the New York price which usually runs double that. Given another choice, the tuna melt looked delicious. Oh well, after the first of the year we will need points runs out of Chicago and I’m sure this sandwich will still be on the menu. The dinner is supplemented with lots of laughs and train talk. The time comes to walk across the street and catch an Amtrak back to Union Station.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]On Saturday morning the gang gets together for an Amtrak ride to Joliet. There are group pictures to document our attendance. The afternoon is filled with Metra rides. Someone gears up a “popup” Amtrak ride to Mendota for the evening but the 2 Joes pass on this option. We have our plans set for a memorable dinner at one of, if not the only, Mexican restaurant in the country to rate a Michelin star -- The Frontera Grill. The owner and chef, Rick Bayless is noted for great attention to detail and using only the freshest and most authentic ingredients. This guy spins and grinds cocoa beans for three hours just to make hot chocolate-- that is dedication to your trade! I didn’t try the hot chocolate but I can vouch for a very tasty selection Mexican beers. The dinner choice was difficult but I finally decided on Tacos al Carbon-- wood grilled steak served with roasted pepper rajas (whatever that is!), salsa, frijoles charros, guacamole (fresh and awesome) and homemade tortillas. JoeG chose the pork shoulder with Yucatecan Recado Negro. That loosely translates to pork shoulder, smoked ham hocks and runner beans simmered traditional inky recado negro (fire roasted chilies, garlic, spices), sour cream, radishes and cilantro. Back at the farm house we would call this a bowl of ham hocks and beans but it was, by far, the most delicious bowl of beans JoeG has ever had![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Sunday morning the gang once more got together for a tour of the Chicago Amtrak engine shop. Regretfully, there were no engines being taken apart on this particular morning but it was interesting to get the inside look at some of the shops that we have all ridden by so many times just before we enter the underground Union Station even numbered platforms. This tour was informative and long--it consumed the whole morning and we really built up an appetite. So, we hop on the Red Line CTA and head downtown. Union Station is near the “loop”, a mostly office building area that practically shuts down on Sunday, so it is much better to get down in the Michigan Ave shopping district to find a good variety of open restaurants. We exit the Red Line at State and Grand and, what do you know, we are smack dab in front of the Webber Grill Restaurant. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]As the name implies, this place uses Webber Kettle grills--big ones--4 in a row--using charcoal--all in an open kitchen so the customers can enjoy the preparation. Not quite like firing up the grill in your back yard but quite the experience, nonetheless. They must have an exhaust system powered by a 747 engine to keep this place safe! The accommodations are very comfortable and the whole atmosphere is a throwback to the 50’s. With that in mind, we tried a cocktail from that era. I had the Smokey Joe Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives (with a name like that, how can you miss) and JoeG tried the Rocky Rye Manhattan. He guessed it was authentic-- he’d never had a Manhattan before. At least it tasted good. The menu was surprisingly large but the staples were steak and hamburgers. They were very proud of their steaks (even more pricy than the Gene and Georgetti offerings) so we both decided on hamburgers. There were quite a variety and I finally decided on The Farm Burger-- beef and lamb, topped with apple wood smoked bacon, goat cheese, and oven roasted tomatoes. JoeG had the French Onion Burger with Demit Swiss cheese, grilled onions, a red wine sauce and chives. Both burgers were nicely charred on the outside and rare and juicy in the middle. A very interesting place and very good food to boot!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]By the time we finished at the Webber Grill, it was too late to catch the Sunday afternoon trains home. Too bad...have to stay thru Monday and have a pizza before heading home! After a leisurely hotel breakfast on Monday morning, we check our bags at Union Station and catch the CTA to the river north area and make our way to Lou Malnati’s for an early afternoon deep dish. Without even getting into the argument about the best pizza in the city, the Malnati salad rates an all star rating. Be sure to order only one salad even if there are 3 or 4 in your party. It is a heaping bowl of romaine, tomato, black olives, mushrooms, Volpi salami bits, and a generous helping of gorgonzola cheese, and then dressed with a wonderful sweet vinaigrette and Romano cheese dressing. This salad is not only delicious but helps you fill the 40 or so minutes that it takes to cook your deep dish pizza. We selected the sausage pizza; again, don’t order anything larger than the pizza for two even if there are more in your party. Even the sausage is put in the pie raw, so the cooking time cannot be shortcut but the final product is worth the wait. JoeG’s first two comments are always, “how do they make this salad dressing” and “how do they keep this dough so perfect, especially with this much stuff in the pie!” This place is a “must try” if you want to get in on the best pie in town debate.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Our conclusion: the Gathering needs to be at least a week long to sample the great eateries in the great cities we visit for this event. Getting to meet new AUer’s and getting reacquainted with friends from past years makes the Gathering a very special event. We can’t wait to see all of you again on the west coast next year or at a thoroughbred race track near you between now and then. Oops, did I let the cat out of the bag for our next series of adventures? The racetrack with the best corned beef sandwich-- now that sounds like a challenge!!![/SIZE]
Another Fun Episode of "As the Stomach Turns!" All those Joints sound Fantastic, especially the Mexican Place which is Mi Favorita!! Great to see the Chicago Experts Again in the Windy City and Thanks Again for Arranging the Gathering @ the Gathering @ Grandpas in Glenview! :hi: ^_^
