I’m definitely in a southern state of mind this week. In Chicago, finding some of those familiar flavors, such as pimento cheese, fried chicken livers or shrimp & grits, isn’t as easy as, say, a great som tum. I’m a fan of the Carriage House, where Mark Steuer recreates the familiar flavors from his native … Continued
As the weather gets cooler, the city’s charity circuit heats up in Chicago, and over the next few weeks, you’re going to be hearing a lot more about food-focused events for good causes. I normally focus on organizations like Meals on Wheels or Share Our Strength, but today I wanted to let you know about … Continued
After countless requests for assembling a food tour to New York City, I’ve finally decided to do something about it. This November 14 – 17, I’ll be leading a four-day trip there, with the help from the same team at AAA Travel that put together my tour of Thailand some 12 years ago. This will … Continued
The second annual Windy City BBQ Classic is set to host more than 30 Pit Masters and up to 3,000 attendees this upcoming Sunday, September 1, in what has become Chicago’s only true barbecue competition. Competitors are required to use only wood or charcoal to cook meat for an accredited judging panel. This year’s daylong competition moves to … Continued
As you can tell, I’ve been taking a little bit of a vacation. We’ll be back to the usual nonsense after Labor Day. At that point, I hope to have more detailed information about my first-ever Culinary Tour of New York City. It’s going to be a blast, packed with all sorts of quick stops … Continued
This week, we bring back a familiar name to Chicago food lovers of a certain age. It was the late 90s. A time when Trotter still ruled Chicago and investors were lining up to fund big, new, ambitious projects. Long before there was a guy named Achatz turning heads upside down at Trio in Evanston, … Continued
In the summertime, many of us crave a thirst-quenching beer, but not everyone wants (or is allowed to consume) alcohol. Enter Krombacher, a weizen beer from Germany that refreshes without knocking you on your ass. Just ask the Hopleaf’s Michael Roper. Cheers.
The Active Transportation Alliance is always trying to get people out on their bikes, and this year, they’re throwing a few edible enticements into their Four Star Bike & Chow event coming up on August 25th. Organizers hope that by setting up various routes throughout the North Side and Northern suburbs – including a few … Continued
Chances are your favorite chef, restaurateur or bartender isn’t going to be at work this Wednesday night. That’s because nearly 100 of the city’s top toques and mixologists will be with me at Share Our Strength’s annual “Taste of the Nation,” hoping to move a few small steps closer to eradicating childhood hunger in our … Continued
While a lot of my friends will be tearing in teriyaki and thick udon noodles this weekend at the 58th annual Ginza Festival in Lincoln Park, I’ll be sweating through more kimchi than I can possibly imagine, at the Chicago Korean Festival on the city’s far north side. Kimchi will be the highlight, of course, … Continued
“New American” is a term that’s been around awhile, but David Burke could probably lay claim to adopting that style before it became fashionable. The New York City-based chef has kept up a steady presence in Chicago with Primehouse, at the James Hotel (one of my favorite steak houses), and this week, I’m giving away … Continued