Tree viewing, snuggles and enjoying a quiet lunch with myself.

I startled myself awake by stretching and knocking over a cup of water on the nightstand beside me. Luckily, I missed all of my electronics and all of Lonnie’s precious belongings. It was also snowing this morning so I convinced myself to stay in bed longer until it melted away. My body was a wreck from the bus ride. I have a tension headache. Wish I would’ve drank all that water instead of spilling it.

The doggies joined me in a warm snuggle this morning which made it even harder to start my day. My stomach was hinting that I needed to be fed so I did eventually roll out of bed. Nunie stretched and rolled her head over to see what I was up to. Then she instantly closed her eyes and continued sleeping. So cute.

I have a few hours to kill before the bestie gets of work so I decided to search for a nearby restaurant for a bite to eat and then I’d venture off to a coffee shop to get some work done. Before I can even start work I have to do some research. We’re planning on making dinner for ourselves tonight and possibly baking! YAY! My job is to look up some recipes. If you have any recommendations please share them with me!

Yesterday I spotted a nearby Japanese restaurant called ‘umai.’ I searched the place and there were lots of great reviews so I decided to give it a try.

I was instantly greeted at the entrance and I was delighted with the decor. This place had a warm inviting atmosphere.

I got myself a hot green tea to warm my body up from the cold. I freaking love this cup. I’d also like to say that my server was the beset. She would check up on me ever so often but was never too intrusive. She won me over with her sushi recommendations and refilling my tea to keep it hot.

I love a richly filled shu mai on cold days like these. Aren’t the little shrimps on top adorable? They’re so tiny! This was served with a side of soy vinegar sauce.

I couldn’t decide on a roll that I wanted so I asked my server what she’d recommend for specialty rolls. She pointed out some of the favorites amongst patrons and then added that the last five rolls could be split rolls, meaning that I could taste two different rolls without have to order too much. What a brilliant idea! It’s not often that I eat alone but when I do I always feel bummed about not being able to try more than one dish. This small detail in the menu was a game changer for me. I ordered half the Chicago roll ( which was recommended ) and half the surf & turf.

The surf & turf roll was filled with shrimp tempura, asparagus, apples and cream cheese wrapped with seared medium rare beef sirloin, drizzled with a parsley yuzu oil. I’d describe this as the perfect creamy bite. I love the combination of the chewy meat with the crunchy tempura.

The second half was the Chicago roll. Tuna, salmon, white fish, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo wrapped with black tobiko and topped with a tempura crunch. The honey miso sauce was to die for! It had a rich flavor without feeling too heavy like other sauces. It somehow elevated the flavors of the other ingredients as well. This has become one of my new favorite rolls and I’ll surely return to order it again! If you’re ever in Chicago then I recommend visiting umai off of South Clark Street.

I’m now hanging out at Intelligentsia, located near Millennium Park. let’s hope that I’ll be able to find some yummy dessert recipes and still have time to sketch before @lonniedi is done with work!

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Thanks for checking in on my travels!

Please, recommend some dessert recipes to me! 🦊