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
John Curtas knows Vegas. The dude’s blog, Eating Las Vegas, is a must-stop for visiting food lovers. Sometimes he ruffles feathers (Sushisamba), other times he becomes a cheerleader (Lotus of Siam, Twist) that only serve to promote the food and wine scene in his beloved desert city. On the way to the airport recently, … Continued
Giuseppe Tentori is a busy guy these days. The Trotter veteran continues to oversee his upscale Boka in Lincoln Park, as well as the more casual GT Fish & Oyster (in the former Tizi Melloul space) in River North. Tentori has a way with seafood, treating it with more reverence (and a tad more … Continued
Midway into the third course of my vegetarian tasting menu ($135) at Charlie Trotter’s eponymous restaurant, I had a sinking feeling. I was in the midst of catching up with a colleague from Toronto – a publisher of a local food magazine – who had struck out trying to get reservations at Alinea and Next … Continued
Before I had made my first dinner reservation in Stockholm a few months ago, I was already eagerly planning on meals laced with all manner of fish and vegetables that had been smoked, dried, preserved and pickled. I started doing some homework in Chicago at Tre Kronor, one of the city’s only Swedish restaurants that serves … Continued
I’m getting ready to go guest bartend at an event tonight (fundraiser for the kids’ school) and I was planning on bringing two drinks, already made in batches, so I wouldn’t have to be so meticulous about pouring out one ounce at a time. The Hemingway Daiquiri is my go-to, and I know that one … Continued
I wouldn’t say I’m a regular in Vegas, but when I do manage to go, I always make a habit of visiting at least one restaurant off of The Strip. It’s odd how locals think of The Strip (as a tourist-laden, overpriced, chef-worshipping mecca, mostly), and if you were to ask any of the local … Continued
Pat LaFrieda sure gets a lot of press on the East Coast. The celeb butcher has made the rounds on most of the food shows, and his name is used as a calling card of sorts among the country’s finer chefs. But visit any noteworthy restaurant in Chicago, and you’re likely to see the name … 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
Rarely have I steamed over $2.15. Two-friggin-fifteen! I was craving an iced coffee during a quick meeting at a Starbucks recently, and when I saw a 12-oz. cup listed for $1.95 (plus tax), I cringed. But that wasn’t nearly as bad as the answer I got when I asked if it was cold-brewed. “Nope,” the … Continued
I always thought taro root was something used in steamed or fried dishes at dim sum parlors. That is, until my colleague Kevin Pang, from the Chicago Tribune, took me to Joy Yee’s in Chinatown and showed me how good taro can be in a frozen smoothie. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but … Continued