I have never specifically determined what I should eat daily, because anything that looks attractive and satisfiable, of course, will make me happy. People says, a person’s mood can change, depending on what he eats.
This is the part when I have to accompany one of my friends to wait for a ride at a bus stop in daowntown Chicago, just before midnight, with a hungry stomach. At first, I thought there would be no fast food restaurants that have operational hours until midnight around the area, until when several options on the Google menu suggested we both should go to Portillo’s.
According to the map, we only needed to walk for about four minutes from where we were standing at the time. FYI, Megabus, has no proper station at all. We just stopped beside the sidewalk. Waiting for an hour before departure in the snow falling outside the room, is not a good idea for those of us who are used to tropical temperatures.
Still from information I gathered on Google, The Portillo Restaurant Group is the largest privately-owned restaurant company in the Midwest with more than 3,000 employees operating 41 units with 5 separate concepts, plus a catering division. This was all accomplished without franchising or investors. Interesting.
The building is quite large with a prominent signboard making the impression of inviting anyone to be able to come there. No need to dress up luxuriously or order in advance. Typical of a fast food restaurant. In the parking lot, I saw many cars that were still on both sides of the restaurant. Several cars were seen queuing in the drive thru section. there are also three men who are smoking near a large ashtray beside the restaurant, while occasionally looking inward, maybe a sign that he is a visitor in the same restaurant.
When we’re inside, the aroma and the warm atmosphere ambushed into both of our senses. I even hummed the songs they played. Those are 80s songs! It was like time machine and brought you into the era of Duran-Duran, Air Supply, to Jackson Five’s era.
The tables are also quite relaxed. Adjacent, but not crowded. Warm, but does not look pushy. Designed with red and white square, probably a standard unit for Portillo. Not too loud music makes visitors comfortable to talk, while there is still a loud laugh can be heard.
The menu choices on display are also simple. Strikingly colorful, but still with one theme. There are sections for burgers, salads, and beer that can be enjoyed by visitors. For operational reasons, only the first floor remains open until one o’clock in the morning. But that is not a problem, because the chair you want to occupy can be easily found. We chose a table near the window.
Mentioning the name of Portillo’s, it means you are like being ready to be in a room with a true Chicago treat. For people who are trying it for the first time like me, this is a sign that we will be faced with several menu choices that want to be tried immediately. Without thinking twice, we chose their ultimate menu, hot dogs.
While waiting for the order, I circled my eyes to the whole room. Many frames or memorabilia hung on the walls that were deliberately made without the use of coatings, there were only red bricks there. Neat.
The visitors who came were mostly 25-50ish, employees who had just returned from work, and old partners. This is not a place for small families, because there is no baby chair there. My guess is, if I arrive early, then I won’t get a place on this ground floor, because many people will fulfill it.
When the hot dog reached my hand, it was a plain hot dog, in a good way. There was no sauce, mustard, or mayonnaise between the piles of vegetables, pickles and soft bread that was still warm. The employees said the sauce and mustard would destroy the hot dog taste. A glass of coke is the perfect complement.
The smell of warmed bread can still be felt even though I have finished eating it. I want to try a combination of hot dogs, salads, and local beer that is sold there, with other friends, one day. Because of the bus arrival schedule, we finished the remaining food in hurry.
Finally, I asked permission to go to the lavatory to check -it was my habit to check the cleanliness of a restaurant- the hygiene, which was located on the second floor, and as you might guess, I had to use the elevator, which was quite annoying. But that feeling is then gone, because the state of the restroom is clean, and friendly to disabled visitors. Toilet paper uses two rolls, not just one. Hand sanitizers are also placed near the sink. Interestingly, there is no smell of urine or strong odor typical of fast food restaurants. I say thank you to the janitor.
My experience in Portillo is still cloudy due to time constraints. But I convinced myself to go back to exploring each menu, tasting every aroma of food served, and also the local beer that I had not had time to try. As an exchange student living in Illinois, at least I need to know a cool place to hang out, with friendly prices, open late into the night, and an easily accessible location when in downtown. Portillo’s answered all my wishes.
Portillo’s is like being made when you miss a gathering place with people you choose to share stories, when away from home