If you want to start an argument in Chicago, just start naming who you think makes the best Italian beef. The only way this beef crawl was going to attain legitimacy was if I hit them all. So over the past few weeks, I checked off 31 beef stands.
For years, you had to venture into the basement of the Palmer House to get those fun rum drinks and crab Rangoon with a side of bamboo, but a pair of expertly curated tiki bars call Chicago home: one in trendy River North, the other in laid-back Logan Square.
KO KO as it’s known in Ravenswood, has decided to marry the spicy, funky and fermented flavors from Korea (along with its expertly marinated and grilled meats) with the creamy, spicy and crunchy flavors from Mexico, namely, nachos and tacos.
The co-owners and founders of Bang Bang Pie have moved to Lincoln Square, where they still make a few pies each day, but spend the bulk of their time milling their own grits, wheat and oats, to make astonishingly good bread and sweets.
All good gumbos begin with a roux – that is, equal part flour and fat (either oil or butter). This week, Steve visited a pair of restaurants whipping up gallons of gumbo; one of them brand new, the other, a 40 year legend on the far South Side in Blue Island.
You’ve probably driven by Pakeeza a few dozen times, but never realized that behind the tattered awning, in a space filled with the city’s cabdrivers, is a kitchen churning out home-cooked food from India.
Say hello to Chicago’s best new sushi destination. As any purist knows, it’s all about the rice.
Do you have three-and-a-half minutes? Here’s all you need to know:
I’ve twice been a guest judge on the highly-acclaimed cult classic, “Iron Chef America” on the Food Network. Click on the video to see some of the highlights.
I’ve been a frequent contributor on the “Unique Eats” show on The Cooking Channel; this one featured wine bars, including one of my favorite places to eat in Chicago: The Purple Pig. Wine Bars
This is a three-minute sample from the 30 minute show “The Entrepreneurs,” which aired on CNBC in April, 2009. I was asked to discuss the Frontera Foods brand.