One of the hurdles with all of those visiting family and friends over the holidays is the traffic. Unless you want to really be aggressive, stopping by all of your favorite places can be daunting, to say the least. But yesterday, I had Bang Bang Pie biscuits and a slice of maple bourbon pecan pie … Continued
Do you love music, good company, and great wine? Tonight, City Winery brings you all three, as Master Sommelier Serafin Alvarado hosts a special music, wine and champagne pairing concert. The Rack & The Riddler, a rock band made up of adult beverage professionals, will be covering rock hits from the 60’s to the 2000’s. … Continued
You can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and while the recipe will change slightly (with or without collards in the middle, delicata or butternut squash) the basic dish is pretty much intact: steamed sweet corn tamal, sour cream-infused scrambled eggs, sofrito of tomato, onions and banana peppers. Sound good? Trust me, it’s Something … Continued
It’s all about China for Show #10. First, Rick travels there – as part of a U.S. Diplomatic mission – and tracks down some of the traditional dishes, discovering hot pots, donkey meat and Sichuan peppercorns, before meeting his doppelgänger, a chef bringing Mexican food back to his homeland. Then Chicago’s Chinese food ambassador – … Continued
It’s not like I’m choosing sides in a NYC bagel war, or somehow claiming to know which joint in L.A.’s Thai Town makes the best khao soi, but when you start ranking fried chicken, I know the haters are waiting in the wings, so to speak, ready to pounce. Although I’m not sure I’m going … Continued
From the Boka Restaurant Group (Boka, Girl & the Goat, GT Fish, etc.) the company’s first Japanese concept is a stunner. Up until I went, there were only a handful of sushi restaurants in Chicago I would even recommend (Katsu, Mirai, Juno), but add Momotaro to this list. Not only is the fish sliced expertly, … Continued
Sometimes, curiosity gets the best of me. It’s one of the hazards of my job, driving around the city, rubber-necked, looking at interesting awnings and neon signs that beckon from beyond the sidewalk. What is it that makes someone pull over, pay the meter and walk into an unfamiliar space? Unless you’re going based on … Continued
I rarely bother writing about opening days of restaurants, since whatever a publicist promises, in terms of actual dates, usually gets pushed back due to forces beyond their control. So take this with a few bags of Maldon. But the reason I’m letting you know about White Oak Tavern & Inn is not because of … Continued
As much as I love eating at Lula Cafe, one of the reasons things never get old there is the restaurant’s commitment to showing the rotating works of local artists. Owners Jason Hammel and Amalea Tschilds began their careers as artists, and while they may have morphed their job descriptions into cooks, they still have tons of friends in … Continued
Twenty five years ago, when Goose Island Brewing was still hustling to get sales going, Shaw’s Crab House became its first corporate account. Now Goose Island is helping Shaw’s celebrate the restaurant’s 30th anniversary, with a limited edition beer crafted to pair perfectly with Shaw’s seafood menu, namely its oysters. The unique brew is called Pearl: … Continued
Are you the only person in your group of friends who knows how to pronounce Islay? Do you fantasize about peat, moss and the cold, wind-barren shores of Scotland? If so, you might want to swing by The Fountainhead on Tuesday, December 9th at 7 p.m. The Ravenswood bar is hosting a unique Holiday Scotch Tasting featuring eight … Continued