Here are some things my phone saw me eat lately:

Grilled cheese sandwich: pumpernickel bread with sunflower seeds, muenster cheese, a few slices of fresh apple. This may seem strange at first, but if you make it, you’ll change your mind real fast.

Bbq chicken slice from Pronto’s Pizza, a place in my neighborhood: a thick crust topped with juicy chicken, sweet barbecue sauce and ranch dressing. Pronto’s doesn’t do classic Italian or Chicago-style pizza – I don’t think it can be considered “authentically” anything, really – but it is just so good. Their crust is always chewy and crispy, and the toppings are always fresh.

Akamaru Modern ramen from Ippudo (previously blogged about here).  Their noodles are chewy and silky, and the pork-based broth is super flavorful. A steamy bowl of ramen is the best food to have on a cold winter night.

Pork buns at Ippudo – unfortunately, these don’t even compare to Momofuku’s.

Speaking of which, here is something new I had at Momofuku Noodle Bar on a recent trip there with my girlfriends, smoked chicken wings. I’ve never had anything like it before. The meat was so tender that it literally fell off of the bone and it tasted like… well, smoke. It’s amazing how they were able to transform something as run-of-the-mill as chicken wings into something surprising and unique.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen a photo from this series a while ago – it’s pork belly over egg fried rice. Pork belly is something that I’ve been looking forward to cooking for longer than I care to admit, but have been intimidated by.  For my first attempt, I braised the meat in soy sauce, garlic and a few other ingredients. Then I let it stand overnight in the fridge. Then I sliced it up, crisped it up in a skillet and tossed it in hoisin sauce. Although it was delicious and I ate it with great pride, it was not what I originally aimed for, so I will not share the recipe yet.

Lastly, birthday cupcakes that my friends got for me. Thank you, ladies!

Wow. Looking through these photos, I realize it is truly a miracle of God that I don’t weight 300 pounds…

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more deliciousness!