Every year I face the same dilemma with my annual road trip to Chicago. I visit one of the greatest dining destination in the US yet I always end up eating at chain restaurants. What a shame! When we arrived on Friday night, we had dinner at Chili’s. As for Saturday, Macaroni Grill. Did I just lost all my credibility as a food lover?
The truth is, my purpose for visiting Chicago is for a big inline speed skating race. Traveling with fellow skaters means seeking out good eats is far from top priority. Convenience plays a huge part because most people would rather head back to the hotel early to stay well-rested. Familiarity is also important. There are many unadventurous palates and even for those who would be enticed by interesting dining, we tend to choose feeding over dining. We fuel our bodies with familiar and healthy food to best prepare ourselves for racing. It is not the time to travel far for that hole in the wall with incredible exotic food. The athlete side of me knows that I am doing the right thing but it certainly doesn’t mean the food lover side is not cringing with embarrassment.
Another way to fuel myself with healthy food is to bring my own. That is the reason why I tend to pack bentos more often in summer when traveling to races is frequent. This weekend, for example, I packed a “clear the fridge” bento for the road trip to Chicago. The Wild Rice Smoked Salmon Salad already made its appearance once in another bento. This was the last remaining portion. I supplemented it with a simple spicy cucumber salad with dried shrimps and sesame oil. Some sweet corn, baby carrots, and yellow plums completed the meal. It’s not fancy nor coherent but it was something nourishing and wholesome to eat compared to highway rest stop fare.
The weekend of racing has been going alright so far but we are dealing with plenty of uncertain weather and rain. Hey, but at least I know I’ve been fuelling my body with healthy food.
