Most restaurants are happy to make it to five years. Ten years is a major accomplishment. In Chicago’s West Loop, Blackbird restaurant has always been considered a pioneer, celebrating its 19th anniversary this month. And even more impressive is that it still feels new.
The spirit of Ralphie, Flick and Old Man Parker is strong in the West Loop for the next few weeks. That’s because the folks at CH Distillery have partnered up with The Dogma Group (and World Champion Bartender Charles Joly), to recreate drinks and snacks inspired by the classic holiday film, “A Christmas Story,” through … Continued
The Chinese tradition of dim sum has been around for centuries. Typically, the small plates of fried, steamed and baked items are a great chance to share and sample a lot of different things at one meal. In Chicago, one of Chinatown’s most popular dim sum houses — MingHin Cuisine — is now making a trio … Continued
By Kristine Sherred With the holidays officially upon us, both home bakers and pros are perfecting their pie crusts and selecting their fillings, turning back to time-tested favorites or updating the classics with unexpected spices. In its fifth year, the South Side Pie Challenge affords those dexterous kneaders the opportunity to bake for a cause (and a … Continued
You’ve seen plenty of food courts downtown, but you’ve never seen anything quite like the Revival Food Hall. It’s a “greatest hits” from some of the city’s neighborhoods, having been curated by a restaurant group with deep roots in the city.
Food festivals tend toward plugging celebrities or gorging oneself with bite-sized portions of lavishly-topped treats while pounding two ounce pours of wine and beer or miniature cocktails. We can all indulge once in awhile. This weekend, however, offers a little something different. Taste Talks promotes an alternative to the gluttony of food festivals, championing critical … Continued
You might think River North restaurants fit into one or two categories: steakhouses or something by Lettuce Entertain You. Lately, that’s a pretty good guess. Lettuce’s latest effort – a Mediterranean-by-way-of-California restaurant, offers some unique flavors for the neighborhood.
If you liked the food at Lula Cafe or the late, lamented Nightwood, chances are you might like Giant. That’s because one of the former chefs from those beloved restaurants has struck out on his own, along with his two partners, hoping to create the same kind of seasonally-driven menu, only this time, via smaller … Continued
Chicago has dozens of bakeries, but most offer the same mix of croissants, muffins or cookies. The new bakery next door to Fat Rice in Logan Square offers the only sweets and savories of their kind, with a strong emphasis on ingredients from Southeast Asia, as well as Portugal.
By Kristine Sherred So often identified with the end of summer, Labor Day falls less than three weeks before the Autumnal Equinox — this year on September 22. What’s more painful to bear than the arrival of shorter days may be the departure of summer’s beloved harvest, and the tomato is one that takes many … Continued
When you think of Middle Eastern food, you might think falafel or sliced shawarma sandwiches – maybe some hummus on the side. But a Middle Eastern bakery in West Rogers Park also has pizza on the menu – although it’s probably unlike most of the pizza you’re used to seeing.