By now you should know that Roper is a big fan of the small, family-owned brewery. That’s not to say he doesn’t respect and enjoy a good beer from a large company, but more often than not, he gravitates to the mom-and-pop operation. This week is no different. He’s tipping his cap to Robinson’s Brewery, … Continued
I doubt The Twisted Baker in Old Town is going to be sending any holiday cards to La Fournette. The latter opened up two doors away from the former, and the (relatively) new kid on the block is doing hardcore French pastry, baguette, croissant and one of my favorite macaron (not macaroons) in the city. … 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
This Saturday, Chef Emma Hearst and Sarah Krathen, co-owners of the northern Italian-inspired New York City restaurant Sorella, will host a cooking demo and signing of their debut cookbook: Sorella: Recipes, Cocktails & True Stories from our New York Restaurant. The demo and signing takes place at Williams-Sonoma Lincoln Park (1550 N. Fremont St.) at 4 p.m. The … Continued
I love pumpkin pie, and the occasional soup or roasted pumpkin side dish is a welcome addition to my table. But beer? Maybe not so much. The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper says these seasonal brews are picking up steam, and while many are just artificially flavored or overwhelmed with spice, there are a couple that are … Continued
If you hate lines, best to avoid The Swedish Bakery on weekends, when “take a number” is the sad, but inevitable reality. A lot of Swedes make the trip in the from ‘burbs to get their rye bread or pick up a Princess Torte, but I’m guessing most of the regulars are there to also … Continued
On the Lower East Side you live, where you’ve been since 1914, you’ve seen the city through highs and lows, from behind a façade shaded white & green. Unpretentious, never boastful, just a neon-lit fixture along Houston Street, Let the tourists go to Katz’s, when I’m in town, I know where to eat. I get … Continued
This is a story I wrote on noraebang (song rooms) in Seoul. Click here to read it.
Having been a huge fan of Thai food for at least the past 15 years, I’ve been keenly aware of Andy Ricker’s influence here in America. His Portland restaurant – Pok Pok – is legendary (I’ve had those chicken wings) and his more recent addition in Brooklyn is trying to bring the same salty, sweet, … Continued
When Jamie Oliver first burst onto the U.S. food scene, most food writers thought the whole “naked” thing (“it’s food, stripped down to its essence”) was just a dumb marketing gimmick. But I could see right away, after having worked with him on a segment from the Chicago Tribune’s test kitchen, that the lad knew … Continued
You’d think this week’s pick would hail from Canada, but this autumnal red ale actually comes courtesy of San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing. It’s a wonderfully hoppy beer that has just a touch of California maple syrup to balance it out. It’s only available for a few more weeks, so get it now, and go rake … Continued