• 15Apr

  Celebrate Earth Day at the Zoo!!

  Event, Food, Outdoor No Comments

  Interested in learning how to make your life more green? Would you like to learn more about recycling, energy efficiency and organic foods? You should go join ChicaGO Green at the Lincoln Park Zoo to celebrate Earth Day. Learn about solar energy, and participate in the park’s activities. Check out the Project Runway-style fashion of recyclables and dine with the organic foods and beverages from the concessions. For more information, call 312-245-1259.

  THIS FREE EVENT IS ONLY FOR TWO DAYS: APRIL 17th & APRIL 18th

  TIME: 10 :00 AM

  USE YOUR UPASS: From UIC’s Student Center East, arrive at the UIC Halsted blue line stop, take the blue line towards O’Hare departing at Clark & Lake, switch over to the brown line towards Kimball and depart on Sedgwick, walk north on N Sedgwick St toward W North Ave, turn left at N Lincoln Ave, sharp right at W Armitage Ave, and turn left at N Clark St. Directions found on  Google Maps.

• 04Mar

  Dinner and A Show

  Food, Music, Uncategorized No Comments

  Looking for a good meal along with friendly entertainment?

  Chicago’s Luxbar offers a delicious dinner held in a relaxed setting.  The exquisite restaurant offers a menu full of your favorite bar and grill foods. Then, after dinner you can attend the Luxbar’s “Chicago Dueling Pianos,” located upstairs, where two pianists will battle it out for your enjoyment. The Luxbar is open daily, Monday – Friday from 11am-12am and Saturday & Sunday from 8am-12am. The dueling pianists perform every thursday night from 9pm-12am.

  USE YOUR UPASS: From UIC’s Student Center East, arrive at the UIC Halsted blue line stop, take the blue line towards O’Hare departing at Monroe, switch over to the red line towards Howard and depart on Chicago, and walk north on State St. arriving to Bellevue. Directions found on  Google Maps.

• 10Nov

  Ethiopian Cuisine is truly Different

  Food No Comments

  While U-PASSPORT encourages everyone to visit Pilsen and Greektown and Chinatown, most students have probably already experienced those cuisines before college.  For a truly unique experience, everyone should have Ethiopian food at least once.

  Ethiopian food is served ‘family-style’ and generally eaten without silverware.  The platters (some are even vegetarian) are eaten with injera, a sort of bread/pancake/naan edible-utensil.  Most of the entrees are of the stew variety.

  U-PASSPORT has only been to one of the very few Ethiopian restaurants in the city, Ethiopian Diamond.  Interestingly, all of the options in Chicago appear to be on the far north side…Rogers Park, Edgewater, even Evanston. Metromix has a listing of all of your options.  Ethiopian Diamond was great, and we hear good things about Addis Abeba.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: Pick your spot and use Google Maps.  The Red Line is probably going to be your best friend on this trip.

• 17Sep

  Chicago’s Finest Culture: the Hot Dog

  Food No Comments
  

  This sign is your key to hot dog heaven.

  Most would say that there’s little special about a hot dog.  They eat hot dogs in Arizona and in Connecticut.  They eat hot dogs in Europe.  Despite the commonality of the hot dog, there’s nowhere that does it like Chicago does.

  In Chicago, the hot dog is a delicacy untarnished by ketchup and created meticulously.

  For a true Chicago experience, you want your hot dog to look exactly like the one pictured on the left.  Generally, any establishment with that Vienna Beef sign will do the trick.

  To experience some of the more famous (and more unique) Chicago hot dog spots, check out this article on the Passionate Eater, and use Google Maps for some U-PASS directions.

• 09Sep

  Farmer’s Market Time is Almost Over

  Food No Comments

  There’s two reasons why it’s sad that Farmer’s Market season is almost over in Chicago.  The first is obvious: you only have a little bit left before there’s no more fresh fruits and vegetables.  The second is a it sadder: before you know it, it’ll be 5 degrees outside.

  Before it all ends, though, Whole Foods South Loop is putting on two great events revolving around the Farmer’s Market.  On September 18th, you can meet the director of the 61st St Farmer’s Market, who’ll provide info on properly shopping your local market.

  Then, on Sunday the 20th, visit the corner of Roosevelt and Canal for a South Loop Farmers Market.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: This is an easy one for students living on South Campus, who should just take the Roosevelt bus.  For everyone else, there’s Google Maps.

  Whole Foods Calendar of Events

• 26Aug

  Get more Greek than 2 AM Gyros

  Culture, Event, Food, Music, Outdoor 2 Comments

  Even brand new freshman have probably taken their first trip into Greektown for a gyros at some bizarre hour of the night.  If you didn’t know, there’s more to Greek food and culture than just pitas and sliced lamb.  While this activity’s a little close to campus to use your U-PASS, U-PASSPORT doesn’t want to discriminate just because something’s a couple blocks from campus.

  This weekend is the annual Taste of Greece festival in Greektown.  It features live music, belly dancers, acrobats, and food from all the restaurants in the area.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: You really should just walk, but if you’re coming from somewhere other than the East Side of campus, you could use Google Maps to get there.

  Taste of Greece

• 14Jul

  Authentic Mexican in Chicago: Pilsen

  Culture, Food 2 Comments

  Chicago has some of the best Mexican restaurants in the country.  While there’s the fancier variety like Frontera & Adobo Grill, and the off shoots like Mixteco & Dorado, there’s only one neighborhood to go for authentic Mexican food and culture: Pilsen.

  

  The famous Nuevo Leon Restuarant is just down the street.

  Pilsen is one of the very closest neighborhoods to campus, and while much of it is residential, it has its share of gems, especially in the food arena. The most famous restaurant in the area is Nuevo Leon.  It opened over 40 years ago and continues to be a destination for folks from all over the city.

  For a great experience, take an afternoon trip to 18th street and just sample some of the street food you’ll find in the neighborhood.  Having a Spanish-speaker with you wouldn’t hurt your cause in finding the very best options.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: There’s a Pink Line stop at 18th near Ashland and about a million buses you can take.  This is what Google thinks.

  Pilsen Restaurants

• 23Jun

  Rick Bayless @ Green City Market

  Event, Food No Comments

  If you love Rick Bayless’ PBS show or his restaurants in Chicago, you may be interested in a live cooking demonstration tomorrow at the Green City Market.

  The Green City Market is Chicago’s premier farmer’s market for sustainably grown/organic produce and more.  It occurs most Wednesdays and Saturdays in Lincoln Park.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: This trip is either a bus ride or a few block walk from the Brown Line Sedgewick stop.  The Clark bus will get you close, as well as a few others.  You may just want to use the Google directions on this one.

  Green City Market

• 02Jun

  Small Plate Choices Galore

  Food 1 Comment

  The food of Spain is one of the more varied cuisines in Europe, if not the world.  There are dishes that resemble Latin food in many ways, various paellas, dishes comprised of a majority of seafood, and various soups and stews.  The most famous food, at least in Chicago, however, is probably Tapas.  Tapas isn’t necessarily a type of food, but more about the manner in which it’s served.  It’s basically a whole bunch of appetizers.

  A tapas meal is perfect for a medium-sized group who’s ready to share.  Patrons order a mixture of hot and cold plates that are shared with all.  In most cases, the portions are so small that everyone gets 1 or 2 tastes before trying something else.  Commons dishes are a aceitunas (olives, cold), gambas (prawns, hot), and albondigas (meatballs, hot).  Although tapas is technically a Spanish concept, the offerings at local tapas restaurants are usually varied enough to offer something for everyone.

  Below are a few great options for tapas in Chicago, as well as a link to directions.

  Cafe Ba Ba Reeba – Google Map

  Cafe Iberico - Google Map

  Azucar! - Google Map

  Emilio’s Tapas - Google Map

• 28May

  Some Korean BBQ Options

  Food No Comments

  Korean BBQ is both a meal and an event.  It’s a culinary experience that absolutely must be shared with a large group ready to try new things and experience food like nothing they’ve probably had before.  It’s probably not the best option for the vegetarian in your life, but pork, chicken and beef lovers will rejoice.  So will those of you who enjoy marinades.

  One of the most popular choices in the city is San Soo Gab San.  While it’s generally filled to capacity on Friday and Saturday nights, a line forms and customers get in fairly quickly.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: I’d just stick with Google on this one.  There’s a few ways to get there.

  The foodie folks over at LTH Forum also have a number of other options for quality Korean BBQ in our fine city.

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