If you liked the food at Lula Cafe or the late, lamented Nightwood, chances are you might like Giant. That’s because one of the former chefs from those beloved restaurants has struck out on his own, along with his two partners, hoping to create the same kind of seasonally-driven menu, only this time, via smaller … Continued
Chicago has dozens of bakeries, but most offer the same mix of croissants, muffins or cookies. The new bakery next door to Fat Rice in Logan Square offers the only sweets and savories of their kind, with a strong emphasis on ingredients from Southeast Asia, as well as Portugal.
When you think of Middle Eastern food, you might think falafel or sliced shawarma sandwiches – maybe some hummus on the side. But a Middle Eastern bakery in West Rogers Park also has pizza on the menu – although it’s probably unlike most of the pizza you’re used to seeing.
Chicago has dozens of ethnic bakeries, usually tucked away in neighborhoods. However, a fantastic Serbian bakery called Jagodinka is hiding in plain sight in the 5800-block of North Lincoln Avenue, where one might be expecting to find something Korean.
(photo: Todd Rosenberg) While a wave of fried chicken joints has washed over Chicago in the past year or so, only a handful specialize in “Nashville hot.” The most recent – a tiny operation in Lakeview – has big expansion plans already, thanks to the overwhelming success after just a month or two in business. They’ve … Continued
(photos and video by Kristine Sherred) The annual Autumn Moon Festival is coming in Chinatown, but rather than purchase pre-made mooncakes from a local bakery on Wentworth Ave. or in the Chinatown Square Mall, the chefs at Shanghai Terrace, inside The Peninsula Hotel, have decided they’ll start making their own. Granted, the filling isn’t traditional … Continued
Food trucks are a fleeting business in Chicago, and depend on good weather (when was the last time you saw a truck on Wacker Dr. in December?) We’ve had a streak of great days, however, and I had a chance to visit the Happy Lobster Truck recently, making its usual stop in The Loop, during … Continued
The team behind fine-dining gems Alinea and Next have finally opened a restaurant a little more on the casual side. It’s quite a bit louder than its siblings, but the format is a lot more conducive to sharing.
I’ve always been a fan of Bill Kim’s soft serve at Belly Shack: the coconut water-infused vanilla, the unique flavors (Vietnamese caramel, huckleberry), but at his newest Urban Belly outpost in Wicker Park, he builds on that momentum, creating two new flavors that blew me away (and have me coming back for more). This is … Continued
Pizza is practically religion in Chicago, and there’s a lot more than just deep dish or tavern-style. Robert’s Pizza Company is a new pizza place in the city that has been years in the making by a man with a simple goal: to create the perfect slice.
With the Fourth of July weekend upon us, you might be in the mood for some ice cream. A husband-and-wife team have recreated a classic soda fountain near Humboldt Park, where they not only serve shakes and floats, but some interesting pie as well.