Favorite Lunches

I love to cook as you may already know and I love to make a delicious lunch when I have time.  However there is something  quite divine about going out for a delicious lunch in the city.  Recently my oldest daughter and I went down to Chicago.  We did this last year as well, so we decided to return to our favorite place for lunch, The Peninsula Hotel's Pierrot Gourmet.  It was a wonderful day and we could dine outside.  The restaurant sits directly on Rush St. with just enough of the city crazy yet you are still able to carry on a conversation quite easily.  The other thing I really enjoyed about this restaurant is the clientele.  People were happy to be alone reading (not on their phones), enjoying a glass of wine with lunch or just not rushing.  For lunch I had their Asian grilled salad with a peanut dressing, avocado and mangoes.  Of course to drink and Argentinean chardonnay.  Absolutely delightful
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The following week my husband and I dropped our eldest off at UW-Madison.  Madison is a great food city.  I'm really looking forward to eating there more often.  For our first of many Madison lunches we went to Graze.  The restaurant is right on the capitol and also has beautiful outdoor seating.  The menu is based on local seasonal ingredients -so how can you go wrong.  My lunch was a Bun salad, Chinese noodles, various raw vegetables sriracha dressing and a tofu roll.  It was just the right lunch after working all morning.  Of course I had to have the delightful glass of wine too, a California from Santa Barbara County.  

I hope you can take some time to enjoy a leisurely lunch somewhere nearby.  Take some time not to be on your phone, talk to someone, just be alone and of course enjoy your food and wine.

Bon Appétit!,

as always with love from the Midwest,

Beth