The best part of growing up in Chicago is the food. Chicago-style hot dogs and Deep Dish Pizza are staples of my childhood. My family and I would venture throughout the city for authentic Soul food and Tex-Mex. However, as soon as learned how to drive I became a real food explorer. For me, my driver’s license in the city of Chicago was like a passport to the world. I loved to adventure all throughout the city and go to the ethnic restaurants of Chicago. In a week, I would travel to Albany Park for hummus, Edgewater for shiro, Pilsen for quesadillas and Lincoln Square for escargot. The ethnic restaurants of Chicago exposed me to great food, culture and people. These experiences also gave me the inspiration to eat hummus in Amman, Jordan, shiro in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, quesadillas in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and escargot in Paris, France.
That’s the reason why I founded Spice of Life Tours. I love to share my passion for travel, culture, and diversity in Chicago’s ethnic neighborhoods. Hope you join us sometime for Pani Puri on Devon Ave and try it again in Bombay, India!
Cheers,
Anita Fareeduddin
Contributor to Spice of Life Tours blogs, 2018.