An upscale take on the American diner with great cocktails, matzo ball soup and yes, those cheeseburgers. During brunch (and after midnight) check out the chilaquiles, but be sure your friends are joining you, because the mound is enough to feed six. It seems like Brendan Sodikoff and the Hogsalt team thought of everything here … Continued
Stephanie Izard’s Little Goat Diner has been open for about a year, while the bakery next door, Little Goat Bread, has been the workhorse, pumping out all of the breads for her restaurants and serving Stumptown coffee first thing in the morning. They’ve also opened a second branch at The Chicago French Market, with a … Continued
Chicago has been swept up in the doughnut craze the past year or so, and Glazed & Infused seems poised to be taking control of market share. They’ve already established their beachhead on Fulton Market, but now are opening up satellite stores in various neighborhoods, even taking up some space in the back of owner … Continued
Don’t just think of Publican Quality Meats as a butcher shop. True, they have a beguiling assortment of aged meat, high-quality cheese and imported goods. But there are also several great sandwiches at PQM. I instantly fell in love with the tuna muffaletta, but like so many great things, they can be fleeting. The meatball … Continued
Had a chance to pop into The Dawson on Friday, and since it was the first official night, I’m not about to get critical, but it’s amazing what energy the place has already. Remember that old Orange breakfast joint, on Grand Avenue, near Halsted? The one just a few steps from the Blue Line stop? … Continued
There are only a handful of gelato producers in Chicago, and most of the time, they have brick-and-mortar stores set up from which they can sell their product. Sometimes, they start out just doing wholesale work, as Jesse Oloroso did with Black Dog Gelato after she left Stephanie Izard’s employ at Scylla. Other times, they … Continued
I’m definitely in a southern state of mind this week. In Chicago, finding some of those familiar flavors, such as pimento cheese, fried chicken livers or shrimp & grits, isn’t as easy as, say, a great som tum. I’m a fan of the Carriage House, where Mark Steuer recreates the familiar flavors from his native … Continued
What an incredibly delicious week in Chicago. Check out my latest videos for the inside look at Little Goat Bread and Diner, as well as fine-dining resurrected at Grace in the West Loop; also, some of the best Korean fried chicken in town at Dak Wings.
(Videography by Todd Rosenberg) There’s been a resurgence in demand for all things smoked, partly due to the amount of press places like Mile End in New York and Schwartz’s in Montreal receive (the latter doesn’t smoke their meat anymore, by the way. I’ve been inside their kitchen and seen the proof). But I’ve … Continued
(Videography by Todd Rosenberg) All month long we’re roaming around the Chicago French Market, sampling some of the best bites. So far, we’ve introduced you to the glories of gourmet take-out at Wisma, as well as the crispier-than-thou frites at Frietkoten. Today, we’re heading to Vietnam, sort of, for the traditional banh mi sandwich … Continued
Unlike the dark ages of the early ’00s, you can now find decent fish tacos around Chicago. One of the best Baja-style versions is at La Lagartija on the Near West Side, but for the real deal, you still have to drive out to Glen Ellyn to try Chicks ‘n Salsa. If you’d like … Continued