I’ve had jerk chicken and pork from the source – Boston Beach, Jamaica – but I’ve rarely had jerk in Chicago that matched the flavor profile of those spicy, tongue-blistering, sweat-inducing memories. Thankfully, a former food truck has expanded to a full-time brick-and-mortar operation on the city’s Near North Side, now cranking out Jamaican food … Continued
The state of Illinois doesn’t have that many small cheese producers, but the most recent certified dairy isn’t way out in the country – it’s right downtown in a Gold Coast hotel.
Spanish food and drink are enjoying a resurgence in Chicago, and we’re not talking about tapas bars. That “small plates” concept is certainly still around, but we’ve now entered the next phase of Spanish dining in the city: food and drink from regions like the Basque country and Catalonia.
Who doesn’t love ice cream? One of Ohio’s oldest, and most beloved brands has been available in grocery stores here for a while, but now they’ve opened their first store in Illinois on the North Shore.
You’ve heard of salami, and maybe even prosciutto, but there’s another Italian sausage not quite as well known, making its way into local grocery stores and restaurants. The driving force behind it is a father-son team doing it all from west suburban Franklin Park.
The food of the Philippines isn’t that widely available in Chicago, but there’s a family-run restaurant in Pulaski Park where everything revolves around a famous chicken dish.
As the U.S. continues to thaw relations with Cuba, there is renewed interest in the island nation. Cubans love their plantains. And black beans, and of course, their beef. But no Cuban dining experience is complete without a bit of rum, and one of the city’s best rum selections happens to be located in the back … Continued
Mexican Independence Day is coming up next week, and while some restaurants will offer special menus, there’s a new restaurant in Albany Park that’s simply happy to be open. It’s run by a chef who worked at Frontera Grill and Topolobampo for 14 years, and despite that experience, he still has his mom work with … Continued
The impetus behind Cali Girl Cakes is pretty straightforward: a California native now living in the Midwest, who knows how to make specialty cakes for any occasion. But when you’re located in a town that doesn’t have a lot of bakeries, you’re going to have to come up with something besides cake to entice new … Continued
Thinking about brunch plans for Sunday? Forget about the standard pancakes and waffles, and instead, consider something with an Asian twist, like from Macau or Hong Kong.
There are many delicious culinary options available on the menus in Havana. Black beans, rice, plantains, picadillo (a dish made of ground beef, olives and raisins) — you can have them all in Cuba. But I made some of my more surprising food discoveries in paladares — restaurants in people’s homes. They started in the 1990s, when the … Continued