Much of the food media’s gaze tends to focus on what’s new or hot. But I wanted to show some appreciation for the classics. So all month long, I’m going to be visiting some local legends, who’ve been quietly keeping the city’s culinary flame alive; in some cases, paving the way for other entrepreneurs.
As immigrants from India and Pakistan arrived in Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s, they typically made their way to West Rogers Park, along Devon Avenue. But over the years, more and more South Asians have re-settled in Schaumburg and Naperville, and that means great restaurants have followed.
There are quite a few new restaurants opening in the city as of late, but I’m particularly fond of a new one in West Town. It’s run by a couple of industry veterans who’ve created the kind of restaurant they’ve always wanted to visit themselves.
With Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday behind us, the season of Lent is underway. Catholics traditionally abstain from meat on Fridays until Easter, and that means more demand for seafood. I visited a seafood specialist in Portage Park this week, approaching 80 years in business.
The owners of Georgio’s Chicago Pizzeria & Pub in Crystal Lake and S. Barrington say they owe their success to Alice Mae Redmond. Redmond, who worked at Uno’s, Due’s and Gino’s East, helped Brian Coli’s father create Old World Pizza in Elmwood Park in 1990. She shared her expertise and her recipe with the Coli … Continued
Black History Month begins today, and I wanted to dig into a restaurant with Deep Southern roots, located in a South Side neighborhood with its own storied past. The menu traces its recipes to both Mississippi and Louisiana… partly a result of the Great Migration, and a granddaughter’s commitment to carrying on her family’s traditions. … Continued
The last two years have seen a bumper crop of new pizzerias in Chicago with styles ranging from deep-dish and tavern style to Detroit and Sicilian. At a new spot on the Northwest Side, the staff started off with one style, then added a second after popular demand. The Chef behind Giant – one of … Continued
This taqueria, along busy Western Ave., hand-stacks their tacos al pastor with pork, but they also make a delicious vegetarian version with celery root and portobello mushrooms in butter confit. The melding of French and Mexican techniques is consistent, since each of the two chef-partners hails from different backgrounds. Taqueria Chingón 2234 N. Western … Continued
Shawarma stands selling falafel, kabobs and other Middle Eastern dishes are all over the region. But a locally-owned concept – with locations in Skokie and the West Loop – differentiates itself, by hand-stacking their shawarma each day into giant cones that are cooked slowly. Crave Kabob 1521 W. Madison St. 312-600-6800 http://www.cravekabob.com 7240 Niles Center … Continued
There were no ball drops last night at midnight, but Friday is the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Ox would typically usher in parades and family feasts in Chinatown, but with COVID-19, it’s obviously a different story. I visited a pair of restaurants this weekend. One specializes in Hunan cuisine and the other focuses … Continued
As we kick off Black History this month, I’ve been searching out some of the oldest Black-owned businesses in the area. I talked to the family behind a pioneer: Harold’s Chicken Shack, which just celebrated its 70th year in business. Harold’s Chicken 45 locations (26 in Illinois) http://www.haroldschickenscorp.com/locations/