With all of the news recently that more breweries are on their way to Chicago – some homegrown, others, like Lagunitas, will be moving operations here – the annual Craft Beer Week couldn’t have come at a better time. The schedule is pretty extensive, and begins on May 17, running for 11 days. Plenty of people … Continued
The Great Carnac, I am not. There is no crystal ball in my pantry, and the only kind of tarot that’s been dealt to me has been fried and served during dim sum service. But there is just so much going on this weekend – the NRA Show, the Beard Awards – that I … Continued
If you really wanted to splurge on mom, you could obviously go to the Four Seasons or some all-you-can-eat extravaganza, but those kinds of meals are going to set you back at least $60 per person or more (plus tax & tip). I say let’s set a $40 ceiling, and spend the rest on some … Continued
That picture above looks pretty splendid, huh? It was taken two summers ago at the Dietzler Farm in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, part of the annual “Outstanding in the Field” tour. The tour bus (literally) snakes its way across the country all summer, pairing up local chefs with local farms, and usually hits the Illinois/Wisconsin/Michigan farms in … Continued
By virtue of my job, I eat out. A lot. So I’ve started to see patterns in how service staffs have been trained; in some cases, by corporate monoliths eager for profits and positive customer service surveys. I never really paid much attention, until I came back from Asia last week, where they present you … Continued
Not that I needed to go to China to get great Chinese food – I can certainly satisfy my dumpling and duck cravings in Chicago – but spending 10 days there last week really did change my life. On assignment for a couple of newspapers, a radio program and ABC, my priorities were duck in … Continued
I have a very good reason, (actually, reasons) for not posting my usual Top 5 list today. The main one is because as you read this, I’m already at O’Hare. But more important, the time and effort it takes to produce the list was just not high enough up on the priority list this week. … Continued
Just about every new restaurant (of note) opening in Chicago has an all-star cocktail list. Sometimes, they’ll employ a guy like Adam Seger or Paul McGee to create or consult; one thing is for sure, they stock names like Luxardo and St. Germain with regularity, make their own simple syrup, squeeze their own citrus and … Continued
Chicago has a history of underground, illicit activities. Remember prohibition? Just ask Geraldo Rivera about Al Capone’s vault. Apparently, Chicagoans enjoy a little under-the-radar dining as well, choosing to seek out “dinner clubs” that require sign-ups, secret agreements and a willingness to let someone cook whatever they want in someone’s apartment/loft/gallery. The key is … Continued
Just the other day, I caught a glimpse of a new wine list in town, from a restaurant located on the Chicago River. They had a few sauvignon blancs from New Zealand, including one from Cloudy Bay (no vintage) that went for about $84, more than a 300% markup. I know that’s typical in … Continued
I had the distinct pleasure of eating in Montréal last weekend, where the locals are still fuming about their hockey coach, who doesn’t speak French (frankly, I’d be more worried about the team, which looked absolutely lackluster against the Devils on Saturday). My original goal was to just visit Schwartz’s for “smoked” meat (more on … Continued