Thanks to the fine folks at Vosges, and nearly every County Fair in the Midwest, chocolate-covered bacon is no longer seen as a bizarre love child of bittersweet and smoky. The combo is seen almost as frequently as brandade or arancini, and bridges the gap between sweet and savory, especially at the breakfast table. At Kanela Breakfast Club, in a … Continued
Sam Kass is as busy as ever these days. The former Avec cook is still working as the Assistant Chef in the White House, but he’s also a senior policy advisor on healthy food initiatives. Part of that means he’s actively involved in the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign, getting kids to think more … Continued
Every year, the third week of May brings with it some predictable events in Chicago. There’s Craft Beer Week, of course, but there’s also the scrum to try to get a restaurant reservation in this city when there’s an extra 100,000 or so food lovers in town for the National Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. But this year, there … Continued
Visiting the Hopleaf in Andersonville is an education (and appreciation) in the nuance and complexity of Belgian beer. With more than 100 by the glass, Michael Roper has assembled a list that can humbly be described as mind-bogglingly impressive. But don’t rule out the food. A few years ago, Roper installed a kitchen, with a … Continued
I think the slingshot threw me for a loop. When the Old Fashioned was placed on our table at theAviary – Grant Achatz’s and Nick Kokonos’ new cocktail lounge/lab in Fulton Market – it looked like a giant ice egg, filled with brown liquid. But when our server summarily placed her hand over the glass … Continued
My dinner last night at Next was a beautiful progression of Escoffier era dining: from the magical hors d’oeuvres served on an elegant silver tray, all the way through the 9th course – a luscious bombe ceylan filled with coffee and vanilla rum ice cream encased in chocolate. But one of the most dramatic (and … Continued
A few weeks ago, I listed my Top 5 roasted chickens in Chicago. I think at the time, I was limiting my options to chickens that were actually roasted in ovens – sealed in their warm cocoons, juices dripping, skin crisping – and left off any rotisserie birds since they don’t really spend much … Continued
I discovered the tiny Pastel! Cakes and More bakery along South Pulaski completely by accident. I was heading down there to have lunch at the wonderful Birria Zaragoza, and couldn’t help but poke my head inside. What a great little find – a woman from the neighborhood had recently graduated from the French Pastry School and moved … 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