Like pork belly anything or beet salads embedded with goat cheese, a dish of tuna tartar with fresh avocado seems to be de rigueur these days. Bistronomic serves one in a glass jar; it’s one of the most popular dishes at BLT Steak in New York, and of course, every sushi bar in the country offers this combo embedded within a … Continued
It may seem like a tired trend, but while many new Mexican restaurants attempt to duplicate it, you have to hand it to Adobo Grill for being one of the first in town to make tableside guac a staple part of the experience, as much as a shaken-and-strained margarita. For Cinco de Mayo this … Continued
In the pantheon of cuisines that usually get thrown out as options when deciding where to go for dinner, Turkish food is usually not one of them. Mexican? Thai? Italian? Yes, we all have take out menus stuffed into that “misc./tool” drawer in our kitchens. But I’m guessing there aren’t many of you craving a … Continued
As you may know by now, I was in London earlier this week attending the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” awards ceremony. While I was there, I tried to make the most of my extremely short trip. I had lunch at an amazing regional Indian restaurant – Veeraswamy (no relation to Veerasway in Chicago) – the oldest … Continued
Some like buffets. Others prefer their Easter brunches a la carte. If you’re still trying to figure out where to go this weekend, here are five excellent choices, ranging from casual to partial mortgage payments. 1. The Four Seasons If you work for JP Morgan or Goldman Sachs, go ahead, blow some of your bonus money … Continued
I was in London for 48 hours earlier this week, attending the San Pellegrino “World’s 50 Best” Awards held Monday night. As one of the 27 Regional Academy Chairs (I oversee Canada/Mid-USA), I’m charged with finding 30 judges each year, which must be broken up equally among journalists, chefs/restaurateurs and gastronauts/world travelers. Another rule is … Continued
I’ve seen it spelled a number of different ways: baba gannoush/ganoush/ganouj, etc., but no matter how you spell it, the dish is pretty much always the same – roasted, chopped eggplant, combined with garlic, tahini and spices, whipped or finely-chopped into a spread that is ripe for wedges of warm pita bread. ‚ The … Continued
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today named Alinea number six- making it the highest ranked restaurant in North America. I was in London for the announcement and spoke with Alinea chef Grant Achatz about what it takes to produce at this level, how it feels to surpass his mentor Thomas Keller and what the secret … Continued
The best roast chicken I ever had was at Zuni Café, on Market Street in San Francisco. I’m not sure what Judy Rodgers does to it – they’re most likely brined to retain moisture well ahead of time, and the heat, well, I’m positive it comes from a lot of hardwood. Chicago isn’t exactly a roast … Continued
Everyone has been talking about the Korean-style tacos served up at Del Seoul in Lincoln Park. I do happen to love the well-marinated kalbi that’s finely chopped, buried beneath a mound of Napa cabbage and Asian greens dressed with gojujang (Korean red chili paste) and topped with sesame seeds; not as much of a fan of the store-bought tortillas, … Continued