Pudding pie at Hub 51

An extra-long Sunday bike ride ending up at Hub 51 in River North gave us the green light to devour a number of surprisingly delicious items on the bustling restaurant’s menu (guacamole, chopped salad, ahi tuna burger, fabulous seasoned French fries) including dessert. With an ice cream bar of the day, carrot cake, fudge brownie and other homemade goodies, Hub has the kind of dessert menu where I want to take one of each. But the chocolate pudding pie with graham cracker crust won out, mostly because this was the signature dessert I made and loved as a kid (Jell-O chocolate pudding, Cool whip and bananas). Hub’s was luscious but not too rich, the pudding similar in flavor and texture to a creamy mousse. The fresh, homemade graham cracker crust reminded me the kind in a classic Key lime and was good enough to eat on its own. The soft sugary crust melted in our mouths, but didn’t crumble under our fork and paired perfectly with the smooth chocolate. Whipped cream garnished with thick dark chocolate shavings served as the proverbial icing on (well, next to) the pie. Hub 51, 51 W. Hubbard St., 312.828.0051