The James Beard award-winning pair of Paul Kahan and Donnie Madia is a formidable one; their One Off Hospitality Group has managed to crack the code on exactly what makes a restaurant great—and what makes it sizzle. Their newest effort, Nico Osteria at the Thompson Hotel, follows that blueprint. Compelling design? Yes. Well-curated menu filled […]
March 19 is National Poultry Day. No, seriously! I’m taking this to heart. Maybe it’s because I’m a crazy chicken lady—I own more than 150 poultry-themed items, from sculpture to stationery—but this is one important holiday in my book. So in honor of the humble bird, we’ve compiled some of our most popular chicken recipes […]
When you’ve had a great experience somewhere, whether at the salon, a resort, the neighborhood hardware store, or that sweet little bistro, don’t you want to share it with friends and save the info on your phone for your next outing? And wouldn’t you love to have your friends’ list of recommendations in your pocket? […]
I’ll admit it—I’m a huge Sondheim fan. But even so, I never saw his “Road Show” (music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman) in any of its previous iterations, and there have been a few. The first workshop production in New York was titled “Gold!” and later “Wise Guys;” it opened in […]
The winter chill hasn’t slowed us down! There’s a lot happening this month around town, and here’s what you need to know: Opening Doors Lake Bluff has two new openings to crow about: The Side Door (28 E. Center Ave., 847-295-1020), fromJohn des Rosiers of Inovasi fame, and Twenty East Café & Bar (20 E. […]
When we were in Hungary this past October, we made a pilgrimage to Szeged, land of paprika. It was glorious—bright red peppers drying as far as the eye could see. We toured the paprika facility and the paprika museum (yes, it’s a thing) before tucking in to a wonderful fish paprikash at a local restaurant. […]
On February 25, Mariano’s Northfield opened its doors, and the North Shore breathed a sigh of relief…and welcome. And while this store, installed in the shell of the old Dominick’s #62, differs from the standard Mariano’s in some ways, the Mariano’s crew was determined to get the store open to serve the Northfield, Winnetka and […]
Often referred to as one of the great American musicals, “Gypsy” is brought to new life onstage in celebrated director Gary Griffin’s current production at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. With music by Jules Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents, the musical grabs you from the gorgeous Overture—filled with snippets of one […]
Welcome to the New Year! Lots of foodie news to share, despite the crazy Polar Vortex, the rain, the snow, the sleet, the black ice, and all the other weather-related impediments to leaving the house. Another Opening, Another Restaurant I’ve shared previously that Lulu’s Dim Sum is closingafter 21 years in Evanston, and that a […]
We’re trying something new this year. Yes, we know there’s already a highly successfulChicago Restaurant Week in late January/early February, and that February is North Shore Restaurant Month. Those are great events that offer guests special pricing for special menus, and they’re a big hit. But we wanted to put our own spin on it. […]
