I spent the better part of a week driving from New Brunswick, Canada, down to Portland, Maine, going in search of the best lobster rolls. Tough work, I know. My story appeared in The Chicago Tribune’s Sunday Travel section. Click here to read it.
Click on the article below to read my review of the very first Virgin Hotel (in Chicago) for The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper.
With Chicago Craft Beer Week going on until May 24th, the folks at Lakeshore Beverage decided to crunch some numbers. They analyzed a year’s worth of sales data from thousands of bars, restaurants, liquor stores, grocery stores, and anywhere else that sells beer. First, they determined the averages for consumption of each style of beer throughout … Continued
Quebéc has its maple sugar pie. In British Columbia, the Nanaimo Bar rules. But in Ontario, there’s no denying the importance of the humble butter tart. You can debate the merits of raisins or no raisins (with or without pecans), but the simpler, the better, as I found out on a recent trip to Toronto, … Continued
The looks on their faces were undeniable. Whether it was a sponsor, an official from the Illinois Restaurant Association or an extremely tanned Mayor Emanuel, there was no hiding the obvious civic pride from hosting the first James Beard Awards outside of New York City. The city can rightly pat itself on its collective back … Continued
BY ERIKA SALISBURY Even though I understood the basic premise of The Plant before I got there – a sustainable vertical farm in a re-purposed industrial building – I’ll admit I was a little skeptical as I walked past a few box stores toward the hulking, industrial site on the South Side. Having grown up … Continued
The sheer number of stores on Devon Avenue can be daunting. Between the jewelry stops, sari vendors and restaurants, a stroll through “Little India” presents a riot of color, aroma and sound (especially on a weekend). My friends are always puzzled when it comes to choosing a place to eat. Wanting to avoid the cliché … Continued
I know what I’ll be doing the last Monday of each month. Arami – which has always been in the upper tier for local sushi and ramen – has been doing a Noodle Night the past few months, always the last Monday of the month, featuring a couple of drink specials and a trio of … Continued
Does your heart beat a little faster at the thought of artisan breads, cheeses, charcuterie, and wine? Then Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread and Wine’s 5th Annual Artisan Producer Festival is definitely for you. This free tasting and meet-the-producer event will take place at the Chicago French Market this Saturday, April 25th, from 11 a.m. – … Continued
Since the softening of relations between Cuba and the U.S. has been in the news the past few months, we figured it was time to go before the floodgates opened. Unlike previous tours I’ve organized, this one is going to encompass much more than just eating. We’ll visit farmers, eat in paladars (people’s private homes, … Continued
You’ve got to hand it to our mayor. When the guy wants something – at least foodwise – he gets it. A little more than two weeks before the James Beard Awards is set to be held in Chicago (the first time ever outside of New York), the city announced yesterday that the Awards will … Continued