2019 Autumn Road Trip - Day 11
Monday 10.07.19 - Traveling to Traverse City, Michigan
We skipped the free breakfast at our hotel in order to leave by 9:30am & drive 1.5 hours to make our lunch reservations at The Publican in Chicago, Illinois.
We almost skipped this stop due to not being able to find parking. We kept circling the block until we found a "bat cave" like garage that cost us $14. Once inside, we started our lunch with a plate of thin shaved delicious ham.
Followed by some fried to order HUGE pork rinds.
For our entrees, we both selected a bunless burger. The regular menu shows that they charge extra for a fried egg, but this day's lunch had it included. The only thing that could have made this awesome burger better, would be a few slices of avocado.
I had our jubilant server, Jose bring me all the typical burger toppings. Then I made a few lettuce wraps.
After that excellent lunch, we refuel the car & settle in for a long drive. We entertain ourselves with another episode of The Fat Guy Forum.
It is almost a five hour drive (we lose an hour traveling East)
to get to our 7:30pm dinner reservations at Trattoria Stella
During this fantastic meal, we had the pleasure of having Kyle help us navigate the menu to select the most delightful items. As we typically do, we decided to share a bunch of various things...
The first thing we fell in love with was the ooey gooey & delicious burrata pugliese. This fresh cheese was served over a terrific tomato sauce with a side of salami.
Next was my wife’s favorite all time dish, beef bone marrow! The marrow was like jelly and so luscious, sans bread.
We overheard the table next to us talking about how good the veal brain was so we decided to put on a brave face & try it as well. We were pleasantly pleased! The brain was soft and drowning in butter. The texture reminded us of soft scrambled eggs.
My wife loves sweetbreads and was excited that they do not flour these, but instead do a hard sear. We love how crispy these veal sweetbreads turned out.
Exhausted from the road, we took full advantage of the bed in room 257.
Tomorrow we plan to spend the whole day exploring more of Traverse City & the surrounding area.
We skipped the free breakfast at our hotel in order to leave by 9:30am & drive 1.5 hours to make our lunch reservations at The Publican in Chicago, Illinois.
We almost skipped this stop due to not being able to find parking. We kept circling the block until we found a "bat cave" like garage that cost us $14. Once inside, we started our lunch with a plate of thin shaved delicious ham.
 |
| selection of hams edwards county, la quercia, fermin serrano & goat butter |
Followed by some fried to order HUGE pork rinds.
 |
| spicy pork rinds Slagel Family Farm, Fairbury Illinois |
 |
| spicy pork rinds Slagel Family Farm, Fairbury Illinois |
For our entrees, we both selected a bunless burger. The regular menu shows that they charge extra for a fried egg, but this day's lunch had it included. The only thing that could have made this awesome burger better, would be a few slices of avocado.
 |
| pub burger ----Slagel Family Farm, Fairbury Illinois raclette, dijon, cornichon aioli & sunnyside egg |
I had our jubilant server, Jose bring me all the typical burger toppings. Then I made a few lettuce wraps.
 |
| pub burger ----Slagel Family Farm, Fairbury Illinois raclette, dijon, cornichon aioli & sunnyside egg |
After that excellent lunch, we refuel the car & settle in for a long drive. We entertain ourselves with another episode of The Fat Guy Forum.
to get to our 7:30pm dinner reservations at Trattoria Stella
During this fantastic meal, we had the pleasure of having Kyle help us navigate the menu to select the most delightful items. As we typically do, we decided to share a bunch of various things...
The first thing we fell in love with was the ooey gooey & delicious burrata pugliese. This fresh cheese was served over a terrific tomato sauce with a side of salami.
 |
| BURRATA PUGLIESE housemade, shaved Toscano salami, charred tomato, vinaigrette |
 |
| BEEF BONE MARROW oven-roasted, tigelle “muffin”, parsley & red onion relish |
 |
| VEAL BRAIN butter-poached “in cartoccio”, marjoram, grissini |
My wife loves sweetbreads and was excited that they do not flour these, but instead do a hard sear. We love how crispy these veal sweetbreads turned out.
 |
| VEAL SWEETBREADS hard-seared sauce piccata |
All of the cheese options sounded so good that we got one of each! I mean, it’s cheese, how can you go wrong?
As our "entree" we split the incredible daily special of wild boar. This was a good chunk steak like piece, cooked to perfection.
We thoroughly enjoyed all the different animal organs & different meat you do not easily find in most restaurants.
After that spectacular dinner, it was time to find our hotel.
Almost as soon as we arrived at the West Bay Beach (A Delamar Resort), we started on a load of laundry & I began writing the day 6 recap.
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| ROBIOLA LA TUR D.O.P. LANGHE | soft | goat & cow & ewe | fresh, milky, delicate SOTTOCENERE DI TARTUFO VENETO | semi-soft | cow | black truffle laced UBRIACONE DOP VENETO | semi-firm | cow | grape must CASTELROSSO DOP PIEMONTE | semi-firm | cow | buttery PECORINO MONREALE SARDEGNA | firm | ewe | sweet, delicate BLU DI BUFALA LOMBARDIA | semi-firm | buffalo | full body |
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| ROBIOLA LA TUR D.O.P. LANGHE | soft | goat & cow & ewe | fresh, milky, delicate SOTTOCENERE DI TARTUFO VENETO | semi-soft | cow | black truffle laced UBRIACONE DOP VENETO | semi-firm | cow | grape must CASTELROSSO DOP PIEMONTE | semi-firm | cow | buttery PECORINO MONREALE SARDEGNA | firm | ewe | sweet, delicate BLU DI BUFALA LOMBARDIA | semi-firm | buffalo | full body |
As our "entree" we split the incredible daily special of wild boar. This was a good chunk steak like piece, cooked to perfection.
 |
| CHEF’S CUT - today’s selection from our whole animal butchery: wild boar, green beans, roasted tomato sauce & marsala wine sauce |
We thoroughly enjoyed all the different animal organs & different meat you do not easily find in most restaurants.
Almost as soon as we arrived at the West Bay Beach (A Delamar Resort), we started on a load of laundry & I began writing the day 6 recap.
Exhausted from the road, we took full advantage of the bed in room 257.
Tomorrow we plan to spend the whole day exploring more of Traverse City & the surrounding area.
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