(Videography by Todd Rosenberg) A few weeks ago, I offered up my Top 5 French Fries in Chicago, and realized I had completely forgotten to mention one of the best in town. The problem is, like many of the culinary kiosks at the Chicago French Market in the West Loop, they tend to be … Continued
At first glance, it looks like a mound of something your 16 year-old cousin would throw together after a late-night run through a fast food drive-through lane. But poutine is revered with almost religious fervor in the Canadian province of Quebec. And while the Olympic team might not be training on it this week, … Continued
It’s one of my favorite times of the year, ingredient-wise, but strawberry season is, sadly, also too brief. I try to pack them into everything I can: shortcake, ice creams, jams, you name it. But sometimes I just want a simple sundae, adorned with a few macerated strawberries for seasonal oomph. That’s the case this … Continued
After yesterday’s post regarding Mindy Segal’s re-booted HotChocolate, I didn’t really think about running another sweet feature, but I’ve had this one in the works for about two weeks. After a casual dinner by my lonesome recently at the bar at Telegraph, in Logan Square, my eyes were drawn to one of their desserts: … Continued
It was a tough slog, but after eating 6 ducks in four days, I felt like I conquered my own personal Great Wall of Peking duck. Beijing is really the capital of this style of duck, and it shows: nearly every great restaurant I visited had their own procedure – be it air hose … Continued
Oh the humble tamale. Bastardized via one too many big city food cart; compromised in quality, the result of sitting too long in a steam bath as inebriated customers wait to fill their stomachs with little regard for its construction or contents. But behold the precious namesake at Tamales Garibay, a three-table storefront hugging … Continued
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a grilled sandwich, and the Cubans certainly know what they’re doing when it comes to applying heat to bread. A couple of years ago, you could barely find a properly made Cuban sandwich in Chicago, but today, you’ve got at least half a dozen excellent options. As … Continued
I was just reading through Gail Simmons’ new book, Talking With My Mouth Full, and came across a section about her love of Montreal bagels, which I too now share, after having seen the light a few weeks ago. There are two primary sources in Montreal – both of which are stellar. Although within the … Continued
While Chicago’s Italian community slowly recovers from a zeppole-laced St. Joseph’s Day yesterday, there could be cause for lament, now that the window for pastry cream-filled fried dough stuffed with amaro-soaked cherries has passed. But fear not, because there’s another cream-filled cake with fruit I have my eye on, and its inspiration is clearly … 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
Since we’re talking about love today, I should make a confession: I’ve always been in love with Alsatian food and wine. This tiny sliver of a region within France straddles Germany, so the culture encourages world-class wine production, consumption and hearty cooking influenced by Strasbourg, Lorraine and Germany. I’ve always been a fan of … Continued