18 | May | 2012 | cravingthis

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Last highlights of our trip:

Chicago-style pizza – We tried this delicious pizza three times during our visit. One word, “WOW.” The pizzas are made to order and take about 30 minutes in total. There are lineups during busy times so you can place your order as you come closer to your number. H as you know by now, thought we should order a medium or a large. The first time we ordered a pizza, our waiter suggested a small. LOL, he didn’t know H’s appetite. Thankfully we went with a small because I couldn’t eat a second slice. The crust is very complex; buttery, crispy and flaky, much like a biscuit.

When we came home, I tried several times to recreate this amazing pizza. Did you know there are forums devoted to Chicago-style pizza recipes, complete with trouble-shooting steps? I think I came close to the real creation by about 75%. I still need to experiment. Out of the 3 pizzerias we tried: Pizzeria Uno, Lou Malnati’s and Giordano’s, our absolute favorite was Giordano’s.

: Pizzeria Uno

: Pizzeria Uno slice

: Lou Malnati’s

: Giordano’s

Sears Tower Observation Deck (or Willis Tower) – The Skydeck is the highest observatory in Chicago and the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The views were simply stunning. We had a few days of extreme wind and rain, but there were clear skies during our visit. The sunset was breathtaking.

: Sear’s Tower

Weber Grill Restaurant – The restaurant was within walking distance of our hotel; very convenient. H loves BBQ in any shape or form. The restaurant had an open kitchen where you could watch chefs prepare your meal over an open flame on authentic Weber grills. The pretzel rolls they served instead of bread were scrumptious. They’re served with cheddar butter and I could have easily made a meal out of the rolls alone. I must try and find a similar recipe! We really loved the food, and wished we had time to try some other entrees.