I didn’t grow up in the deep South, and I never had a mama who whipped up biscuits and cornbread just for the hell of it. That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a superb fried chicken.‚ There are few contrasts as tasty as a crisp, fatty shield of chicken skin, yielding to an impossibly … Continued
Readers of this blog will know that I show little mercy for Italian restaurants claiming on one hand to be “authentic,” while serving dried pasta from a box. Thankfully, there are more than a handful of local chefs now rolling and cutting their own pasta, many times the result of their own taste memories … Continued
Several years ago while on a trip to San Francisco, I managed to devour a luscious bread pudding from the legendary Tartine Bakery on a Sunday morning. Then about two years ago, I felt as if I had experienced it all over again, except this time it was in Andersonville, at M. Henry during … Continued
Attention vegetarians: you can still find peace with your meat-eating brethren. ‚ Just head to any Korean BBQ restaurant, and have your bovine-eating friends snag the grilled short ribs, because you’re in store for a serious veggie attack. Banchan is the series of tiny vegetable side dishes that traditionally accompany a meal of stone … Continued
Most people come for the coffee, but I always think of a visit to Julius Meinl as a double-feature. That is, I can’t have the Viennese-style coffee all by itself; I need to pair it with their luscious almond croissant as well. As good as the flaky pastry is, it is significantly enhanced by … Continued
I’ve really had a thing for Swedish food lately (yesterday’s post made that pretty obvious), and it can’t be because I’m working my way through the Stieg Larsson trilogy (just saw the preview for the English language version of “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” the other night, starring Daniel Craig – if you haven’t … Continued
Colonization has led to some amazing culinary stepchildren. Granted, foreign occupations rarely come to an end peacefully, but just look at some of the results: you can find world-class Indian food in London, authentic Portuguese bread in Goa, along India’s West coast and in Vietnam, there is always that reminder of French colonization: the … Continued
I can respect a barkeep who squeezes his/her own fresh lime and grapefruit juice. I can also appreciate the judicious use of bourbon or rye, Campari and Peychaud’s bitters; a well-shaken egg white is a wonderful way to add froth without compromising flavor. Bradley Bolt has brought all of these seemingly disparate ingredients together, … Continued
I usually just go for the pizza, or maybe a sandwich; I’ve even come to love the powdered sugar-dusted coffeecake. But for some reason, the gelato at Labriola Bakery and Cafe in the Oak Brook Promenade is also worth noting. On a recent visit, they had a few tempting flavors. You know, the usual stracciatella (chocolate chip) or nocciola (hazelnut), … Continued
While every other new restaurant in Chicago lately features either tacos, burgers or Neapolitan pizza, it’s refreshing (albeit, quite a bit more expensive) to see Henri trying to bring back the era of luxe dining, in a room where you can actually have a conversation with your dining companion(s). Chef Dirk Flanigan – who still oversees The Gage next … Continued
Thanks to the fine folks at Vosges, and nearly every County Fair in the Midwest, chocolate-covered bacon is no longer seen as a bizarre love child of bittersweet and smoky. The combo is seen almost as frequently as brandade or arancini, and bridges the gap between sweet and savory, especially at the breakfast table. At Kanela Breakfast Club, in a … Continued