Chicago has a history of underground, illicit activities. Remember prohibition? Just ask Geraldo Rivera about Al Capone’s vault. Apparently, Chicagoans enjoy a little under-the-radar dining as well, choosing to seek out “dinner clubs” that require sign-ups, secret agreements and a willingness to let someone cook whatever they want in someone’s apartment/loft/gallery. The key is … Continued
MINNEAPOLIS – Beyond those images of Mary Tyler Moore flinging her chapeau into the sky, and a sweaty Prince belting out “Purple Rain” on stage at First Avenue, Minneapolis has, traditionally, been a repository for more Swedish jokes than I care to remember (including the one about how Aquavit couldn’t make it here, despite … Continued
Johnny Costello is in a gin mood lately. The self-described “Bar Man” at GT Fish & Oyster is talking about Nolet, a gin I had never heard of until we shot this video. The fact that he combines it with blackberry syrup and some of the best ginger ale I’ve ever had (spicy!) really turns … Continued
Celebrate the return of Mad Men this March with a drink-mixing class by Femme du Coupe. Each Thursday this month, Femme du Coupe is offering a course on making three different cocktails, all of which celebrate the television show’s bygone drinking culture. The classes include materials and interactive lessons on creating the perfect drink. The … Continued
Just the other day, I caught a glimpse of a new wine list in town, from a restaurant located on the Chicago River. They had a few sauvignon blancs from New Zealand, including one from Cloudy Bay (no vintage) that went for about $84, more than a 300% markup. I know that’s typical in … Continued
This week, The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper looks to Belgium, for a unique, sparkling blond ale that’s only been on the market for a couple of years. No, it has nothing to do with Moto science geek chef Omar Cantu, but rather, Omer. It’s a top fermented beer that gets a secondary fermentation in the … Continued
While the nose-to-tail ethos tends to flourish at neighborhood places like The Bristol and The Publican, you wouldn’t think a tourist destination like the Omni Hotel would be a source for bold, in-house curing and aging. But no one was more surprised than myself, when I got a tip that the chef at 676 … Continued
MIAMI – For the third time in less than an hour, I’m reaching for my SPF 30 sunscreen, feeling like one of the ubiquitous retirees or black hat-clad hasidic men who’s been in the sun too long. It’s a near-record day of heat in Miami, with the mercury pushing 84, and it’s still February. … Continued
I have to admit, I’ve never been a big gin fan. I can definitely trace it to too many years of ordering gin & tonics at parties in my 20s, and always leaving with a headache. But the presence of brands like St. George, Hendricks and Bols Genever has been changing my mind over … Continued
I had the distinct pleasure of eating in Montréal last weekend, where the locals are still fuming about their hockey coach, who doesn’t speak French (frankly, I’d be more worried about the team, which looked absolutely lackluster against the Devils on Saturday). My original goal was to just visit Schwartz’s for “smoked” meat (more on … Continued
Like a lot of my fellow UW-Madison graduates, I occasionally pine for a little reminder of my carefree days among the cheese curds, fish frys and cheap beer. Thankfully, L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge is bringing the taste of Wisconsin’s north woods supper clubs to the Chicago area each week beginning this Friday. Midwest … Continued