Delux (100 Chandler St., Boston)
Charlies Kitchen (10 Eliot St., Cambridge)
Green Street Grill (280 Green St., Cambridge)
Highland Kitchen (150 Highland Ave., Somerville)
Deep Ellum (477 Cambridge St., Allston)
Myers + Chang (1145 Washington St., Boston)
Shay’s (58 JFK St., Cambridge)
I’m no Frank Bruni, but I have something in common with the New York Times food critic — we’re both bidding farewell to our columns. As far as me and Boyz II Men are concerned, it’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday, and doubly so when yesterday is chock-full of bacon, manhattans, and Bloody Marys.
Yes, it’s true: IntoxiKATEd is departing Beantown for the Windy City and while I promise you I’ll never trade my love of thin crust pizza for doughy deep dish, I’m frothing at the bit for a slew of new culinary adventures. But before I sink my teeth into a Chicago dog and wash it down with a stein of something sudsy, I want to tip my cup to some prized places.
There’s no cooler place to rest your laurels than the ladies room at Delux, papered with pages from my childhood fave, Eloise. I mean, unless it’s the porch at Shay’s on an unseasonably warm January evening or a booth by the jukebox at Charlies armed with an ice-cold beer and a stack of dollar bills. Chicago better be real crafty to keep up with the cocktailing of Green Street Grill, Highland Kitchen or Deep Ellum. I might have to send a postcard to the menu of Myers + Chang that simply states: Wish you were here.
On the flipside, I hope that the “too cool for school” vibe permeating the Boston bar scene hasn’t made it Midwest yet. I’m looking at you, The Other Side. My cheeks are fiery with shame upon admitting I never made it to Hungry Mother (the wait!) or Craigie on Main (it haunts my dreams).
If this space inspired you to eat or drink outside of your comfort zone, even if you cursed me afterwards, I thank you. Cheers! (Not to be confused with the tourist trap bar of the same name).
