Last night, Jews around the world lit candles, spun dreidels and ate a boatload of potato pancakes, commemorating the miracle of oil that lasted eight days, after the destruction of their temple. Latkes, as they’re called, are one of my favorite memories as a child, because it was a time when my mom could … Continued
I had never heard of Roncesvalles, but apparently, it is to Toronto what Logan Square is to Chicago: a bohemian ‘hood on the verge of gentrification. My friends were planning to take me and Max with their kids to a relatively new barbecue joint there called Barque Smokehouse on Sunday night, which, appropriately enough, was … Continued
Not that long ago, Hannukah presents for my kids included Fisher Price games and Lego Star Wars. It’s funny how the older they get, the more elaborate the gifting becomes. But let’s be frank: Hannukah is not about the gifts, and never really was. It’s a Jewish guilt response to Christmas. Certainly, growing up in … Continued
Typically, the heat of a new place determines the “see and be seen” (SABS) factor. If it’s new, and they’re serving sushi on backlit tables, then chances are there’s going to be a wait to get in. But there are roadblocks aplenty to achieving successful SABS status.
For some reason, I keep hearing more and more about Montreal-style smoked meat lately, and thankfully, I keep running into it. Last month, in Brooklyn, I had lunch at Mile End, and along with the imported bagels and poutine, they also made a dynamite smoked meat/pastrami that took me right back to the legendary Schwartz’s … Continued
While The Twisted Spoke probably gets more attention for their Smut & Eggs promotions (porn after midnight!) and in-your-face ads, the food has always been several notches above the usual bar food crap that most places offer only to soak up the beer and booze. The Fatboys (burgers) and bloody marys are almost legendary, but the shrimp … Continued
There are some traditions in Chicago that need no explanation. The home openers at Wrigley and The Cell, the dyeing green of the Chicago River and the nearly annual parade of government officials being hauled off to jail. These events mark the passage of time and will endure for generations to come. But there’s another … Continued
I love a good holiday cocktail, but the truth is, eggnog has become a bit of a cliché, especially at holiday parties. A cousin to the brandy milk punch of New Orleans, this only-in-December concoction always seems to have too much cream and nutmeg, not enough structure or depth. So we turned to Eric … Continued
Before we go any further, let me just say that if you have never seen the movie Tampopo, do yourself a favor and rent it. But before you do, make sure one of the five places below are open, because you’re going to be jones-ing for a bowl of ramen immediately afterward. True, most of … Continued
Congratulations to Genie Bae, the winner of our “Omakase With Steve” contest. Last month, we had asked you to name three Japanese ingredients you’ve always wanted to try, and give us some reasons why. Genie (a.k.a @EBArchDesign on Twitter) chose three good ones: uni (sea urchin) because, as she called it, “it’s nature’s sublime … Continued
If you’ve been a semi-regular reader of this blog, you probably know by now that I’m a sucker for a good sandwich. You know how important it is to get that starch-to-ingredient ratio correct, right? While having a business lunch recently at La Madia, I realized not only was the sandwich good – served … Continued