On one of the last days of Automate, it was P and I left in Chicago from our team, and we had no choice but to finish off the trip with steak. Out of convenience, we stepped into Shula's, right at the entrance of the Sheraton Grand, where we were staying: 

This time, I had the 8oz filet mignon, and added a side of sauteed spinach (you can see the plate of greens, right next to the glass of red wine in the photo above).



Honestly, this place didn't really stand out, neither good nor bad. The server did not go over how many days their beef is aged, so just with this tiny detail, it was clear that this place was not as high end as the previous two steakhouses. The prices were still exorbitantly high, being that it's part of the Sheraton. I don't usually expect too much from hotel restaurants, although there was one place in Burlington that was a good find (maybe I'll write more about this in the future)... Hotels are a place for sleeping, not really for eating!

Bonus for the stiff drinks that they serve here though.

Final note to close off this series of Chicago steakhouse posts is to remember to eat vegetables, because health is wealth. Many reminders of this have popped up throughout this month, with a few trips to the hospital (not for me), and a few stiff knees/leg cramps post standing for long periods of time. I was also very tired of digesting all the red meat during this week, and came back to Vancouver craving a fresh smoothie. Anybody care for a walk to Whole Foods with me?

Chicago Steakhouse Tour 2019:
1. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab
2. Chicago Cut Steakhouse
3. Shula's

Credit to a Toyota billboard, seen along the highway to O'Hare airport, for today's post title, and because in real life, this filet mignon with shrimp from Chicago Cut Steakhouse was much tastier than I can make it look or sound on this blog:

Also, I almost forgot to take a photo of it, and it's already half gone...

This was by far the best steak I had while in Chicago this week. The server was very enthusiastic about how well the meat was aged, and I'm pretty sure they said 30 days... Or was it 28?



Regardless of how long the meat's been aged or treated, it was very juicy. They somehow trapped all of that juice in the meat, while cooking it to a perfect medium rare, the way I prefer it. I mean, look how dry that plate in the photo above looks.

My favourite part about this dish was that even though the menu said 8oz filet mignon with shrimp, the server agreed to get me a 6oz instead, seeing as I didn't want to waste any of it. Not that I would've been able to tell whether it'a 6 or 8, because if it was more than 6, I still would've eaten it all. It was all in the way the order was taken, and how the service made the meal a completely different experience.

We had a few sides to share, and they kindly plated it for us - brussel sprouts, mac and cheese,  and I think it was scalloped potatoes. I don't think I would've remembered to try the sides, if they did not put it on a side plate for me, because we were all busy chatting and catching up.

Finally, dessert to really make it difficult for us to fit into our trade show pants the next day. Key lime pie was on the menu again, and unlike the one from the night before at Joe's, this one was just the right firmness! You'll also catch a glimpse of the mint gelato in the background, which N ordered, and we all stole a bite. The server slipped us a piece of the carrot cake as well, because he really wanted us to try their house special carrot cake. No complaints.

Hands down, best steakhouse in my life so far. Don't be intimidated by the side entrance, which might be a bit secluded and difficult to get to right now; for whatever reason, they have some strange fences that surround the entry way.

Chicago Steakhouse Tour 2019:
1. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab
2. Chicago Cut Steakhouse
3. Shula's

This week will probably be the longest of 2019. I'll try to remember only the happy moments, which on this trip in Chicago revolved around steakhouses. Starting with the first night at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab:

I had the 8z filet mignon, medium rare, as I usually like. For sides, we had the sauteed spinach, broccolini, and the Lyonnaise potatoes (seen above the steak in the photo to the top). For dessert, we had to order the key lime pie, in honor of D, who could not make it for his own legitimate reasons:

Everything was just good enough, but not spectacular. The server came by and was very good at introducing the menu, told us about how their beef is prepared, and I should note the number of days that the meat is aged next time, but if my memory is correct, I believe she mentioned that it was between 30 and 40 days.  My medium rare steak was closer to medium rare plus, which is a term that I was reminded of on this trip, referring to steak that is just slightly more cooked than medium rare, but just below medium (it's all in the temperature control). 

Not only that, it was a tad dry and chewy, but hey, I was still able to eat the whole chunk of meat.

The sides were fair. Being the first time that I tried Lyonnaise potatoes, I didn't really know what to expect, but basically, they were large pieces of hashbrown with onions and gravy on top. Not sure if I'd order this again for dinner, because hashbrowns are a breakfast food in my mind.

The key lime pie was not too impressive, based on the ones that I've had before. I prefer a firmer texture and this one was already melting on the plate.

Walking around the windy city reminded me of how fortunate I am to be here, living in a 1st world country and doing the job that I have. Although it was a difficult week, we're blessed with an abundance of food and drink, and I'm grateful for the opportunities around me. I hope to be able to hire a robot to do everything that I don't want to do, like putting together trade show demos.

Chicago Steakhouse Tour 2019:
1. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab
2. Chicago Cut Steakhouse
3. Shula's

We had a team building event this week at CAVU, taking a bit of time to make sure we properly celebrate a fantastic end to the first quarter of the year and a strong start to 2019. Speaking of starting strong, the starter plates that we ordered (cauliflower, onion rings/deep fried zucchini, and calimari in behind) were excellent:

I can't say the same about the Northern Star burger (fancy name for a bison burger topped with swiss cheese and mushrooms): 

I chose the tomato soup to go with it, instead of fries, because we already had all the greasy appetizers at the beginning, and I was expecting a big juicy burger to fill me up. Instead, the burger was slightly bland, and the meat tasted like something from the Costco frozen aisle (ie, rubbery, not much flavour, dry from freezer burn). Soup was OK. .


Service was OK too, as they came by a few times to refill our waters, and did not kick us out even though we were hanging out for a while. We had a nice private corner to ourselves, and could see the other guests coming and going. There weren't that many other diners there, so it could be a good option for a last minute meal, but I wouldn't go again anytime soon. At least not for the burgers!

Extra points for their pretty plates.

This week, I also had a chance to attend The Art Of Leadership for Women, where I hope I picked up a few tips and tricks. Start time was 8:30AM, and I'm sorry to say that we ended up beginning closer to 9AM instead, because of security measures to ensure Malala's  safety. I guess 21 year old Nobel peace price winners, who have been shot by the Taliban and survived, deserve some hype and protection. She was the key speaker of the day, and her message of more education and choice for girls around the world was pretty impressive. To be honest though, the other speakers made a stronger impact on me (Tiffani Bova, Emily Chang, Dr. Tasha Eurich). Their lives seemed more relatable, and I could connect with what they were saying about being in the tech and business world.

I'm pretty happy right now, where I am, but I'll try not to get too comfortable here.