Chicago was never really ground zero for seafood lovers. I remember a few years ago, struggling to come up with a suggestion or two – beyond the obvious choice, Shaw’s – for a friend who was looking for something other than Catch 35. Yet over the past two years, the city has seen more new … Continued
I’ve always told parents of young children to head to Chinatown, because nearly every restaurant welcomes children and most offer smaller portions of easy-to-digest dishes (except for Lao Szechuan, which might be for more advanced tweens). My daughter was a regular at Phoenix when she was six weeks old, and her favorite food to … Continued
As my post on Monday indicated, my colleague and I were highly annoyed last week, after we sat through a three-hour-plus tasting menu (five savory, three sweet; plus a bottle and a glass of wine, water, tax and tip) at Charlie Trotter’s. The bigger shock – in comparison to the experience – was the … Continued
Happy 5772! I was up all night, what with the ball drop and the champagne and all… Actually, Rosh Hashana is a time for reflection and celebration, leading up to Yom Kippur next week, the day of repentance and forgiveness. But every dinner table is set with honey this time of year. It’s meant to … Continued
Warm weather always results in the same sort of lunch, during the week at least. I guess that’s why everyone in L.A. is so thin. It’s the salads! (Easy on the dressing, of course.) In Chicago, there’s nothing better than a thick, tender hunk of shortrib over a mound of polenta in December, but come … Continued
In a neighborhood that once had the largest Swedish presence in Chicago (long live Wikstrom’s!), and could alternatively be called “girlstown,” the area around Clark and Foster continues to emerge as one of the best places in Chicago to eat and drink. In the winter, a glass of glögg at Simon’s is de rigueur, while … Continued
This time of year is just murder on people with special requests, allergies and gluten-intolerance. There are backyard barbecues, graduation lunches and wedding showers, not to mention menus full of pasta, starch and flour. Whenever I do stories on ABC about GF-friendly places in town, we get a huge response, and this post from the … Continued
Most of us will have Monday off, and if the weather cooperates this weekend, I’m guessing a lot of you will be inspired to pack a picnic and hit the lush grass in some bucolic field or lakeside retreat. Get out there and enjoy what brief warmth we seem to be blessed/cursed with. Have a … Continued
The arts community has always thrived in Pilsen, and finally, over the past few years, the chefs and mixologists have caught up to the artists. While stalwarts like Don Pedro have been around awhile, relative newcomers like Nightwood and Simone’s have injected new energy into the area; kind of like Longman & Eagle instantly put … Continued
Some would say New York chef Marcus Samuelsson should get some credit for making Ethiopian sexy. I say tear me off a piece of spongy injera, scoop up a mildly spicy berbere-laced doro wat (stew) and pass the intense, earthy coffee, and you won’t need a celebrity chef to convince you this is seriously delicious (although the man did … Continued
Today is Cinco de Mayo, a relatively minor holiday on the Mexican calendar (Independence Day, Sept. 15, ranks much higher), but it somehow has become an excuse to party. Kind of like Hallmark turned “Secretaries Day” into an unofficial holiday requiring lunches, gifts and of course, greeting cards. With today’s event, the fine folks at … Continued