Because we can't do it alone and our waistlines would not thank us if we did. Let me introduce to you some of our finest First Bites roving correspondents. Some have teeth and some don't. But they all have one thing in common...an opinion on all things food.
CHICAGO ROVING CRITIC, TABBY ALDERMAN:
ABOUT MY FAMILY
Hi, my name is Tabitha and my parents are called Ben and Liz. When I was only 8 weeks old, my parents wedged me, a four-legged furry creature, and all our possessions into their station wagon and drove from Brooklyn to our new home in Chicago. We’ve settled into a a place that feels a lot like Brooklyn, called Bucktown. My weekends are spent exploring the neighborhood with my parents, who like to take me to check out new restaurants and bars. Oops, Mom is telling me to say, "my parents like to take me to playgrounds and developmentally enriching activities on the weekends", so add that part in too.FUN FACTS
- My dad is English and my mom is American. They met each other while living and working in London.
- My mom introduced my good buddy Jenson’s parents to one another!
- I got my passport when I was five weeks old, and I went to the UK three times before my 1st birthday. Mom had to fly home solo with me on one of those trips and she will never, ever let Dad forget it.
- Mom and Dad are into something called “baby led weaning”, which means that I basically eat everything off their plates. It’s awesome and frequently, messy.
OUR FAVORITE FOODS
I know this makes me such a cliche, but I’m quite partial to deep dish pizza. Lou Malnati’s is the best in Chicago. Mom heated up a slice of ‘the Lou” for me a few weeks ago, and she had to check the floor because she couldn’t believe I ate as much of it as I did. Dad loves a good curry, but the delivery options in Chicago aren’t very good. Actually, they weren’t very good in Brooklyn, either, so I’ve basically listened to him whine about bad curries since I was born. I think mom eats food, but most of the time she’s holding a wine glass or a can of La Croix. Oh wait, she does love sushi, and I’m worried that her tastes aren’t totally compatible with this whole “saving for college” thing that my parents have mentioned.
BIGGEST RESTAURANT PET PEEVE
I keep things on a pretty even keel, but I do get seriously pissed off if Mom and Dad aren’t into sharing. Mom even fed me some spicy Indian chicken once because I was getting so irate. I gobbled it up through the spice-induced tears. I also hate it when my parents remember to move the knives and forks out of my reach. Dad gets the grumbles if his food comes out on a cold plate, and Mom gets very annoyed by the presence of bathroom attendants. Especially if they are holding the paper towels hostage in exchange for a tip. SHE CAN PUMP HER OWN SOAP, OKAY?OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT
I only got to go there once, but there is a tiny Italian restaurant in Brooklyn called Rucola that my parents apparently went to all the time. Sometimes Mom gets this faraway look in her eyes when she speaks of the perfect orecchiette with butternut squash and sage. They even went there for their “last supper” on the night before I was born. Whatever that means. If you ask me, the best restaurant is The Bristol, just around the corner from my apartment. My clip on chair fits perfectly on the tables, and they are always quick to bring out coffee cake or donuts to keep me happy.
