If you’ve ever had Jamaican food, you know how important Jerk is. It’s both a marinade and a method for cooking – but as I discovered at a brand new spot in Southwest suburban Burbank, there are two key ingredients for a proper jerk chicken – Scotch Bonnet peppers and allspice. Jerk was started by a … Continued
The Promontory in Hyde Park has a temporary restaurant, El Oso, with a focus on Mexican cooking. Chef Jonathan Zaragoza, a family member of the Southwest Side Birrieria Zaragoza Mexican joint, has given new purpose to a music venue and restaurant that has been prospering since spring. El Oso (at the Promontory) 5311 S. Lake Park … Continued
There’s quite a bit more to Indian food than just tikka masala or tandoori chicken. The tradition of chaat – or street snacks – is integral to every region of India. A new cookbook highlights the subject, and so I went in search of some local versions, while also discovering they can easily be made at … Continued
Despite the fact that significant numbers of Norwegian immigrants could be found on the Northwest Side 100 years ago, Norwegian food is not too common in Chicago. Humboldt Park’s first micro-brewery, Ørkenoy, has opened in the Kimball Arts Center where the menu is influenced mainly by Norway. Orkenoy 1757 N. Kimball Ave. 312-929-4024 https://www.orkenoy.com
There are dozens, if not hundreds of taquerias in our region, but what makes one stand out from the other? Homemade tortillas for one; but also a kitchen that takes the time to prepare its fillings from scratch, in some cases, slow-cooking to achieve perfection. At the Blue Star Taqueria & Margarita Bar in southwest suburban … Continued
Chicagoans have been eating mainly three styles of pizza over the past century: tavern-style, deep-dish and stuffed. But it seems the pandemic has unleashed a new wave of pizzerias in the city, with many finding inspiration from the East Coast and giving pizza lovers a chance to try some new slices. Pizza Friendly Pizza (Sicilian) 1039 … Continued
There are few restaurants in Chicago dedicated exclusively to vegans. The problem, up until recently, has been a lack of imagination on menus. You can only eat so many salads and black bean burgers. But a restaurant on the North Shore – open only since January – has put together a creative menu with several … Continued
Baked dough and melted cheese are pretty elemental, and in Chicago, we typically see them in pizza. But they can also form the basis of a classic dish with roots in Turkey and Georgia, near the Black Sea. The dish – khachapuri – is made from scratch every day inside an Andersonville restaurant, where the … Continued
In the Clearing neighborhood – just West of Midway Airport – two best friends have been combining their own recipes, creating a dish so popular in El Salvador, they named their café after it. Pupuseria 6533 W. 63rd St. 773-498-3676
Two Chicago restaurants are serving up a taste of Colombia with their hearty breakfasts and some of the best rotisserie chicken in the city, not to mention arepas that are made from corn that’s ground in-house. El Fogón de Elena 3149 W. Lawrence Ave. 773-267-6893 www.elfogondeelena.com El Asadero Colombiano 4800 N. Central Ave. 773-283-8323
Homemade tamales can be found all over Chicago, sometimes from storefronts, other times from street carts. And with Hispanic Heritage Month beginning soon, I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks taking a closer look at a few of my favorite dishes from Spanish-speaking countries, beginning with Mexico. There’s a husband-and-wife company producing thousands of … Continued