Chicago Day Trips - Vol I

On another cold and gray Chicago day...my youngest son and I decided to get out of the infrimary that our house had become - due to cold and flu season - and travel into Chicago in search of new horizons and good eating.

We zero'd in on the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute Museum. The museum is set on-campus and is composed of 8 permanent galleries depicting Mesopotamia (Present-Day Iraq), Khorsabad (Present-Day Iraq), Assyria (Present-Day Iraq), Anatolia (Present-Day Turkey and Syria), Megiddo (Present-Day Isreal), Egypt, Nubia (Present-Day Egypt and Sudan) and Persia (Present-Day Iran). Additionally, a special Exhibit was open featuring a look into the looting of Iraq antiquities after the fall of Baghdad.

The University of Chicago is beautiful neighborhood campus set in the Hyde park area of south Chicago. While most of the architecture is classical in style, some moden buildings have crept in.


...as you can see here.




The museum is housed in a beuatiful old building...


That enters into a gift shop. Admission is free and donations are gladly accepted.


Beautiful gates guard the entrance back into time...centuries back...


So many things to see and reflect...some small...


Some colorful...


Some big...


Most in strange languages...


A small corner...


The inscription was powerful...


The hours spent in translation fascinate me...


As well as the excavations...


Gotta have one or two of these...






Interactive video cubes are located throughout the museum...


This sad picture in the special Exhiblits section depicts a museum employee after discovering the looting in Iraq.




there's even a Most Wanted poster for missing antiquities...




Back outside, the side of our building...


a beautiful church...


Undergoing restoration...


And then the realization that we were across the street from the Robie House...


...which is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous and important works. In the final year of a decade long renovation, the house is only open on Saturday for the next 11 months as they work to complete the renovation in time for the 100th anniversary in 2010. Unfortunately for us, the tours were sold out for the day.
The Oriental Institute Museum
University of Chicago
1155 East 58th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
Tel: 773-702-9520

www.oi.uchicago.edu

After working up a little appetite, it was time for lunch...

With a 45 minute drice into the city and about 90 minutes in the museum, we were hungry and our next destination would fix that problem in a classical manner. We drove less than 10 minutes into Bridgeport - home of the Daley family, as in Mayor Daley and the White Sox. Our destination...the original since 1946 - Ricobene's.




Catering to locals as it sits at the end of a T intersection below the expressway...it really looked inviting.

The counter is dvided into three areas...pizza on the right...pick-up in the middle...everything else on the left.


Pizza by the slice...




Everything else on the left...


Very warm and comfortable inside...


Walls lined with photos and memories...


We got a little crazy with the ordering...I know, first time for that!


We started things off splitting a Chicago Style Hot Dog complete with fries...


Now i've enjoyed many a Chicago dog, but this was perfect! Bun, poppy seed and perfectly steamed, hot dog, good texture and flavor, condiments, loaded and easlity identifiable.


Cut in half, you can see the genorous toppings...


Next up, a slice of thin crust, this one individually heated and topped with spinach, onions, peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Well above average...


A short break for cheese fries. While not covered in Merkt's chedder as many of my favorite haunts...this one was solid due in art to the fresh, peel on potatoes.


The cheese was applied all through and was still in abundance at the bottom of the pile.


Next up, a regluar hamburger. Clearly the weakest of the group, a better than average bun had a below average meat pattie.


A lot of bun...very little beef.

While we would return for the dogs and pizza...it was time for the main event...


A drum roll please!


Yes...it was breaded steak sandwich time.


I couldn't control the camera...it was that good looking!


Ours came with sweet peppers, cheese and a really good red sauce...and this was the regular, and it seemed like it weighed a pound.


Here's a profile view...this was great, great sandwich.


Eventually, the hand method gave way to the knife and fork...


At some point, the knife and fork was the only way to go.


As the saying goes...Eat at Ricobene's...we sure did! Clean plate club here we come!
Ricobene's
252 West 26th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
Tel: 312-225-5555

www.ricobenesfamoussteaks.com

That looks amazing!!! Good to hear you guys had such a great day!

Nice report..great tour and interesting food. Thanks!

CTD

you have outdone yourself, I would absolutely LOVE that museum. (I love egyptian and that whole area archaeology.) I almost spent a semester in Jordan doing a dig at Petra. I now wish I would have done it.

The feast after the museum look great.

All I have to say is yum!

Where's the official neon green relish on the hot dog?

What a fun day! Nothing better than finding an activity to enjoy, and adding on a great breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack true to roadfood!

The Oriental Art institute and the Robie House were the things I remember about my first visit to Chicago in 1975. My first wife was an art history major and Willamette University's professor had gone to Northwestern so we were familiar with the works there. It is still an amazing place and I hope roadfooders will take time off from their roadfood pleasues to visit the University of Chicago campus. I look forward to my next visit to Chicago where my family can eat a lot of the Chicago delights we've read about here.

quote:

Originally posted by signman

Where's the official neon green relish on the hot dog?

Something about not paying their dues for the Neon Society...

They choose a more muted swamp tone of green....but of the sweet variety. The flavor was right on however lacking the color may have been.

mr chips - Lots of good examples of museums in and around the Chicagoland area. About three weeks before the Chicagoland Meet 'n Greet, 4 of us journeyed to Pilsen - our Mexican neighborhood, and visited the Mexican Museum which had it's Day of the Dead exhibit on display. Not only an interesting museum, but great neighborhood food choices.

CTD,

Nice food pictures. I like Ricobene's, but there use to be a plac called LaMilanese(on 31st & May).... they had the BEST steak sandwiches (by far). Unfortunaetly, the mom dies 2 years ago and they closed the doors. I still drive by hoping the son, Rocco will re-open one day. I suggest you drive by too, as if they ever re-open, LaMilanese's steak sandwich will make you a happy man!

I the meantime I eat at Ricobenes or head to 26th and Normal to Punkys.. their food is decent too.

Is thin crust pizza legal in Chicago?

quote:

Originally posted by cavandre

Is thin crust pizza legal in Chicago?

Barely...

Ricobene's serves thin, pan and deep-dish in an attempt to either be all things to all folks or cater to everyman's tastes!

quote:

Originally posted by cavandre

Is thin crust pizza legal in Chicago?

According to some, it is the real Chicago pizza and deep dish is for the tourists.

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4086

quote:

Originally posted by hatteras04

quote:

Originally posted by cavandre

Is thin crust pizza legal in Chicago?

According to some, it is the real Chicago pizza and deep dish is for the tourists.

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4086

Any day you learn something new is a good day.

Nice report. Was that your Mummy?

Chi Town,

Nothing goes more hand in hand than culture and roadfood on a brisque fall day.

I wish I had time to try the breaded steak sandwich when I was in Chicago a few months back.

Only more of a reason to head back.

quote:

Originally posted by hatteras04

quote:

Originally posted by cavandre

Is thin crust pizza legal in Chicago?

According to some, it is the real Chicago pizza and deep dish is for the tourists.

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4086

This is the answer I choose to believe!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by hatteras04

quote:

Originally posted by cavandre

Is thin crust pizza legal in Chicago?

According to some, it is the real Chicago pizza and deep dish is for the tourists.

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4086

Gee, it seems that just about anything that's deemed "regional" nowadays is labeled as only geared for tourists (although I hate to say it but NYC Delis and Maine Lobster Rolls ARE geered for tourists nowadays.

On an aside, if that's the case then I'm proud to be called a tourist

quote:

Originally posted by firecommander3565

CTD,

Nice food pictures. I like Ricobene's, but there use to be a plac called LaMilanese(on 31st & May).... they had the BEST steak sandwiches (by far). Unfortunaetly, the mom dies 2 years ago and they closed the doors. I still drive by hoping the son, Rocco will re-open one day. I suggest you drive by too, as if they ever re-open, LaMilanese's steak sandwich will make you a happy man!

I the meantime I eat at Ricobenes or head to 26th and Normal to Punkys.. their food is decent too.

commander - I'll keep an eye out in case that hapens. If it does, I'm sure you'll let us know. Might make a great gahtering spot.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

Chi Town,

Nothing goes more hand in hand than culture and roadfood on a brisque fall day.

I wish I had time to try the breaded steak sandwich when I was in Chicago a few months back.

Only more of a reason to head back.

WJ - Thanks...that was a nice combo...It's an interesting place with good, solid food in an interesting part of town. It has enough seating seating to keep it in mind for a meet 'n greet.

What better way for father and son to spend a day together?

CTD, it looks like we have more than just a keen interest in Roadfood as a common bond. Mrs. Roadhouse and myself are avid culture junkies, visiting many of the city's small museums and other less visited spots around town. Anytime you're venturing into the city for a Sunday field trip, feel free to give us a call. It's an easy task for us to join you with enough advance notice (say the day before...). Think of it this way; the more mouths to do the sampling, the more options to be sampled from the menu.

Besides, the way the Bears season seems to be heading, there's nothing to keep me at home on a fine Sunday afternoon.

You know how to reach me,

Buddy

P.S. Nice report too!

B.

Wow! Everything looked great. I am looking forward to trying the food on my next visit.

I'd have to have a knife and fork to eat that sandwich. Messy!

Why do you call the hot dog a Chicago STYLE dog?

Because the other cities don't do their dogs like Chicago does. Steamed poppy seed bun, mustard, onion, tomato slices, a pickle spear, neon green relish, celery salt & sport peppers. YUM. The combination of flavors is a winner.

CTD-
Very nice report! I am a little surprised that you were able to take photos inside the museum. Most similar places I have been to didn't allow photography.

It is great to see Ricobene's get some love here in the forums. I eaten at the original location twice to enjoy those breaded steak sandwiches and loved them both.

Glad to see you were able to spend some quality time with your son. Too bad you couldn't see the Robie house, too. There is so much to do in Chicago it would take months to see them all. Can't wait to see where you go next!

Hi CTD-
I ditto Buddy's sentiments above-
I've never been to that museum, and here I am a local!
one more thing to add to the list-
usually the guys have me dragging down to the MSI for the submarine etc...
and if we're there the Hubs always wants to hit Tufano's Vernon Park Tap...
But I'm always up for something different...
I love FLW, we went to Taliesin this summer and it was just gorgeous!
that steak sandwich looked great!
great time for a day out!

quote:

Originally posted by irisarbor

Hi CTD-
I ditto Buddy's sentiments above-
I've never been to that museum, and here I am a local!
one more thing to add to the list-
usually the guys have me dragging down to the MSI for the submarine etc...
and if we're there the Hubs always wants to hit Tufano's Vernon Park Tap...
But I'm always up for something different...
I love FLW, we went to Taliesin this summer and it was just gorgeous!
that steak sandwich looked great!
great time for a day out!

irisabor - Thanks - we had fun! Yesterday, I was up your way and stopped at the Deerfield Bakery for a quick snack...mighty nice!