I did get those donuts I mentioned last week, the ones earmarked for relieving the stress. The two chocolate glazed donuts that had my name on it were part of the dozen I brought home early Saturday morning to show my appreciation for the guys that showed up to spend the bulk of their day demolishing my flooded basement down to the studs.
Alas, the sugar was a temporary fix. It always is. Sometimes I think I should just fast forward the ingestion process and simply slather the confection all over my hips and derriere where it always ends up anyway. But I always come to my senses. Who in their right mind would want to skip the sweetest part of this deliciously artful combination of flour, eggs, yeast, milk, shortening and chocolate to go straight to the less-than-desirable repercussions? Duh!
It's truly a shame that two Dunkin Donut Chocolate Glazed Cake donuts equal 580 calories, 32 grams of fat and 66 grams of carbs. It's even more shameful that it takes one hour of regret and sweat on the elliptical to undo the damage!
As usual, there are never enough hours in the day to cover my caloric hopes and dreams; which is why I decided to blog about food today rather than consume more than my fair share of the buffet.
And talk about buffets! Oy vey! I had a tough time a month ago deciding what to have for lunch while standing in line at Manny’s, Chicago’s quintessential Jewish Deli in the South Loop’s Printer’s Row neighborhood.
This was my very first trip to this cultural icon. As an east coast transplant with more time served for good behavior raising a family in the Chicago suburbs (the last 25 years) than even I’d like to admit, I’m busy now making up for lost time.
The deli was an obvious favorite among politicians and policemen if the news clippings on the walls and the spattering of officers currently mingling with the common folk were any indication. President Clinton’s and Obama’s visits were documented and proudly displayed for those who might question the popularity of the plentiful and tasty fare at Manny’s.
The Bottom Line on Manny’s Deli
Verdict: If you’re looking to order a genuine Jewish nosh, this is the premier place to go in Chicago. The nostalgia alone makes the experience worth the visit, although this is a far cry from the food served in school cafeterias.
Insider Information: Check out Manny's website for daily specials that include Salisbury steak, stuffed cabbage, gefilte fish, and chicken pot pie. The same goes for the rotating soups. They even ship anywhere for those unable to make it to Chicago.
How to Get There: From Chicago’s Millennium Park area (Lakefront), head north on N. Michigan Avenue then turn right onto E. Congress Parkway. From Congress Parkway take a left onto S. State Street. Follow State Street to W. Roosevelt Road and turn right onto Roosevelt Road. Follow Roosevelt to S. Jefferson Street; make a right onto Jefferson. Manny’s will be on the right. You can't miss it. It's where all the cars are double parked while customers run in to pick up their take-out.