It was a banner weekend for Chicago area gastronomy. Amy and I ran out to Geneva Saturday morning at around 11:30 a.m. I'd been told to check out Bien Truchas, a little Mexican restaurant right on State Street. There is some kind of Rick Bayless connection there, but I'm not sure what it is. Not unlike Bayless' places, though, there was a line waiting outside the door when they opened at noon, though. I don't have time to wax on about what made the place awesome. It just was. The guac was amazing. We had pork tacos and chicken tacos and ceviche and the best limonada of my life. It was like discovering Rick Bayless had opened a place just a few miles from where I live. Will go back repeatedly. Wow.

That evening, Amy's cousin and her husband took us to North Pond , a gorgeous little restaurant located on the grounds of Lincoln Park. Just approaching the place was great, because (kind of like Tavern on the Green), you have to approach the place on foot through the park. The food was indescribable. We did a tasting and had quail eggs, squab, scallops, the best beef of my life, creatively prepared root vegetables--it just went on and on. Truly blown away and grateful for the experience. Just amazing. We are so lucky to 1) know expert foodies and 2) live where it's worth your time to be a foodie.