Postcard from Bunny: Macy's Seven on State Edition

Greetings Dearies and happy 2012!  While Brandy was away at the International Clogging Convention, Bunny thought she would provide you all with a light bit of holiday entertainment.  As she spent Christmas this year in Mongolia, Bunny found herself longing for the traditional trappings and wrappings of a Western Christmas, especially one in Chicago. 

Like all of us Bunny has a long list of traditions that must be completed in order for things to feel appropriately Christmasy, and one of those things is spending a day at Macy's on State Street, wondering at the windows, browsing for winter wear, and such.  A long day of shopping can definitely give one an appetite, and luckily part of Bunny's tradition is a good hearty lunch at the very same store.  A lot of casual shoppers my not realize that there are some pretty tasty and unusual food choices to be found at this particular Macy's, some of which go back to the days of Marshall Fields.

The most famous and popular of these foodie favorites is probably The Walnut Room, a stunning rotunda sit down restaurant that serves American classics, like their century old recipe for Chicken Pot Pie.  For many Chicago families, a Christmas lunch at The Walnut Room is an absolute must, meaning long waits and over crowding, which is why Bunny opts for the often over looked Seven on State, a sort of upscale food court (for those looking for a simple snack, the more traditional food court can be found on the lower level).

Along with plane Jane choices such as soups, sandwiches, and salads, more adventurous eaters will find gourmet picks from some of the finest chefs of today, such as Frontera Fresco (Rick Bayless), Noodles (Takashi Yagiahashi), and Marc Burger (Marcus Samuelsson)

Noodles by Takashi offers an abbreviated version of one of Bunny and Brandy's favorite restaurants with crowd pleasing munchies like spring rolls as well as huge bowls of warm and filling ramen noodles.  Bunny's particular favorite is the Mushroom and Tofu, an earthy bowl of veggies and tender noodles that will give you the energy to keep on shopping without feeling heavy.  She also loves the pot stickers, a pork filled dumpling served beautifully crisp with a small salad of butter lettuce and pickled cabbage.  Getting these little bites is a wonderful idea if you're sharing with other hungry shoppers.

There's also Marc Burger, the perfect choice for someone looking for something both comforting and familiar, yet exotic.  Traditional burgers, fries, shakes, and other such fast food fair is given a nice little gourmet twist, such as the Grilled Chicken Sandwich with spicy avocado mayo, the Garlic Fries with cracked black pepper, or the ever popular Chocolate Shake with real whipped cream.

Just towards the end of her shopping excursion, Bunny always makes sure to stop by the downstairs candy counter; a sweet wonderland filled with everything from the penny candies of Bunny's youth to gourmet truffles.  The newest addition to this palace of sugar is the Fudge Counter; unique flavors of fresh fudge, made daily right at the store.  Huge blocks of the sweet stuff can be found in the case, or pre-cut and packaged little chunks can be purchased quickly for those who can't wait to try one of the exciting flavors.  Upon hearing of this newest bauble on Macy's candy tree, Bunny expressed a desire to sample the Cookies and Cream, Red Velvet, and Chocolate Raspberry flavors.

We hope that Bunny's insights into the food at Macy's on State Street will help many a weary shopper looking for after Christmas sales this year.  From all of us at Bunny and Brandy's Brunchtime Blog, we wish you the happiest of New Year's!  Next week, Brandy will resume her normal duties and take us all with her to the first fabulous brunch of 2012!