While every other new restaurant in Chicago lately features either tacos, burgers or Neapolitan pizza, it’s refreshing (albeit, quite a bit more expensive) to see Henri trying to bring back the era of luxe dining, in a room where you can actually have a conversation with your dining companion(s). Chef Dirk Flanigan – who still oversees The Gage next … Continued
I have to be honest, I didn’t even know Slovenia had a wine industry, let alone one of the oldest in the world. I do know the folks at Lush Wine & Spirits are big on Slovenian wines right now (GM Rachel Driver just recommended one from the producer Movia for my ABC segment … Continued
Thanks to the fine folks at Vosges, and nearly every County Fair in the Midwest, chocolate-covered bacon is no longer seen as a bizarre love child of bittersweet and smoky. The combo is seen almost as frequently as brandade or arancini, and bridges the gap between sweet and savory, especially at the breakfast table. At Kanela Breakfast Club, in a … Continued
Most of us will have Monday off, and if the weather cooperates this weekend, I’m guessing a lot of you will be inspired to pack a picnic and hit the lush grass in some bucolic field or lakeside retreat. Get out there and enjoy what brief warmth we seem to be blessed/cursed with. Have a … Continued
Visiting the Hopleaf in Andersonville is an education (and appreciation) in the nuance and complexity of Belgian beer. With more than 100 by the glass, Michael Roper has assembled a list that can humbly be described as mind-bogglingly impressive. But don’t rule out the food. A few years ago, Roper installed a kitchen, with a … Continued
The arts community has always thrived in Pilsen, and finally, over the past few years, the chefs and mixologists have caught up to the artists. While stalwarts like Don Pedro have been around awhile, relative newcomers like Nightwood and Simone’s have injected new energy into the area; kind of like Longman & Eagle instantly put … Continued
A few weeks ago, I listed my Top 5 roasted chickens in Chicago. I think at the time, I was limiting my options to chickens that were actually roasted in ovens – sealed in their warm cocoons, juices dripping, skin crisping – and left off any rotisserie birds since they don’t really spend much … Continued
Some would say New York chef Marcus Samuelsson should get some credit for making Ethiopian sexy. I say tear me off a piece of spongy injera, scoop up a mildly spicy berbere-laced doro wat (stew) and pass the intense, earthy coffee, and you won’t need a celebrity chef to convince you this is seriously delicious (although the man did … Continued
I discovered the tiny Pastel! Cakes and More bakery along South Pulaski completely by accident. I was heading down there to have lunch at the wonderful Birria Zaragoza, and couldn’t help but poke my head inside. What a great little find – a woman from the neighborhood had recently graduated from the French Pastry School and moved … Continued
Today is Cinco de Mayo, a relatively minor holiday on the Mexican calendar (Independence Day, Sept. 15, ranks much higher), but it somehow has become an excuse to party. Kind of like Hallmark turned “Secretaries Day” into an unofficial holiday requiring lunches, gifts and of course, greeting cards. With today’s event, the fine folks at … Continued