There are technically only two weeks left of spring, but since winter was so brutal, a lot of crops are going to be late this year. That means you’ll still be able to find plenty of ramps, favas, spring peas and asparagus, and if you missed seeing green on your plates, there’s one restaurant in … Continued
Memorial Day weekend means picnics of course, and for some, barbecue to go. I’ve been sampling some of the city’s best recently, including Texas-style brisket, which is smoked to perfection at two local restaurants. Yesterday I checked out the fantastic rib tips and hot links at Uncle John’s in Homewood, but today, it’s all about the … Continued
The Bay of Biscay hugs the northern edge of Spain, but also the western side of France. Recently, a restaurant with the same name opened in Chicago’s West Town. There are influences from both the Basque country, as well as Bordeaux, and the vibe couldn’t be more relaxed. Bar Biscay 1450 W. Chicago Ave. 312-455-8900
Pilsen continues to see signs of new development. From the stately Thalia Hall, to restaurants reaching beyond the neighborhood’s tradition of Mexican and Czech immigration. One of those new restaurants is serving food with a more global approach, at a level as high as anything downtown, but at a fraction of the cost. S.K.Y. 1239 W. … Continued
Sushi bars are nothing new in Chicago, but Anaba in Wicker Park offers something different. It shares an address with the veggie-friendly Mana Food Bar at 1742 W. Division St., and like its sibling, it’s laser-focused on just one thing: handrolls.
Many Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago are on Argyle Street in the Uptown neighborhood, but Cà Phê Dá in Pilsen offers Vietnamese food served at a slightly higher level. The owners of Haisous on 18th Street opened the tiny coffee shop next door, where the pastries and sandwiches are truly remarkable.
There are, of course, restaurants in the Chicago area that specialize in Southern food, but most of them tend to stick to the same script: fried catfish or chicken, biscuits and a plate of shrimp and grits. However, there’s a new restaurant in Wicker Park, The Delta, where they’re focusing in on the food from the … Continued
40 year-old Gabriele Bonci looks like he could wrestle a crocodile. As wide as a linebacker, he sports a few colorful tattoos beneath his short-sleeved chef’s coat and speaks in rapid-fire Italian to his young cooks. They all race around the narrow West Loop kitchen, filling orders and answering questions from customers. I witnessed this … Continued
Most of Chicago’s top-tier restaurants work with a series of local farmers, but a new restaurant in Chicago’s West Loop is cooking at a four-star level, relying primarily on just one farm near Bourbonnais.
A month ago, the James Beard Foundation – at its annual awards gala – named Topolobampo the best restaurant in the country. Rick Bayless’ more upscale Mexican restaurant opened nearly 30 years ago, but the menu keeps changing and adapting – pushing the boundaries of what many of us consider “modern” Mexican.
Good Szechuan-style cooking can easily be found in Chinatown, but an even better option is at a family-run restaurant on Chicago’s Northwest Side where the grandfather is in the kitchen, all by himself.