We love you, Chicago! Since y'all are enjoying our food recommendation posts so much who better than our friend Kelly, a Chicago Pastry Chef, to let you in on her latest favorite spots around her neighborhood, Logan Square. Kelly is a Texan who recently worked pastry at Oxheart (another must try) in Houston before moving to Chicago. She's currently the Pastry Chef at Lula Cafe, so make sure to stop by and enjoy her amazing creations. Grab a drink at the bar while you wait or go early - this hip neighborhood crowd (and their pups) really enjoy spending weekends brunching here!

Since Kelly only has one day off a week, she doesn't get to eat out often, but these are her favorites when she does:

Cafe Con Leche - Breakfast / Cafe Con Leche serves "Latin comfort" food. I always get a cafe con leche and scrambled eggs with chorizo. Simple, but delicious.

Fat Rice - Dinner / Fat Rice is a 5 minute walk from my apartment. If there wasn't always a wait, I would probably go once a week. The first time I went, we wanted to try as much as possible, so we decided to skip the signature fat rice. Everything was amazing, but the next time we decided to go for the Fat Rice or Arroz Gordo. It was perfection. Chicken, duck, sausage, pork, prawns, and every other delicious thing you can think of are piled into a skillet with rice that has become crispy on the bottom. You cannot go wrong.

Big Star - Tex Mex / When I am feeling homesick for Houston, I love going to Big Star, a Tex Mex Taqueria by Paul Kahan. I always get a Lone Star, guacamole and at least 3 tacos. I usually go for lunch in the middle of the week and sit at the bar so it isn't too busy.

Smoque BBQ - BBQ / Smoque BBQ is another favorite when I need comfort food. The brisket is as good as any I've had in Houston.

Parachute - New American / One of my newest favorites is Parachute. Chefs Beverly Kim and John Clark opened the restaurant a few months ago and the menu is so creative and constantly changing. It is hard to order because everything sounds so good, and it never disappoints!

Sticky Rice - Thai / Sticky Rice is a new discovery. The soups and curries are so rich and complex. And the texture of the sticky rice is addicting.

Portillo's - Hot Dogs / Finally, I have to mention Portillo's. The BEST Chicago style hot dogs!

Thanks, Kelly!
XO / Sunchild