Tanta isn’t the only Peruvian restaurant in Chicago—Macchu Picchu and Taste of Peru are two that come quickly to mind—but it is certainly the most high profile, and in my mind, the tastiest and most interesting. Chef Gaston Acurio, arguably Peru’s most famous restaurateur and its foremost food ambassador, has partnered with the VBD Group […]
After a many years happily spent thinking and writing about food, Chicago-based author and documentarianPeggy Wolff had an epiphany. Of the hundreds of compilations of contemporary food writing, none have centered on the Midwest, the region that gave America everything from Quaker Oats to Kraft, Kellogg’s cereals to Good Humor bars. And, it turns out, Midwestern […]
Gusto Italiano, a long-time Italian favorite on the Glenview scene, has moved to new digs and the change seems to have inspired the kitchen. Maybe it’s having more room to breathe, or the appealing redo of the old Orange space, but the restaurant was packed on a recent snowy weeknight. A beautiful dark wood bar […]
Let me just put it out there: This is damn good pie. In fact, anything that involves a crust at Hoosier Mama is pretty much guaranteed to be a home run, whether it’s the melt-in-your-mouth Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche ($6/slice; $8.50 with side salad), the adorable and addictive savory hand pies ($3 each; $10 for […]
Last Deep Dish of 2013! Looking forward to reporting all the openings, closings and food and restaurant news in 2014. But for now, here’s what you need to know today: The Micro-Distillery Trend Continues… Rhine Hall Distillery (2010 W. Fulton St., Chicago, 312-243-4313), owned by Jennifer Solberg and her father, Winnetka native Charlie Solberg, is making […]
It’s Deep Dish time once again, and just in time for the holidays! Not that you won’t already be busy with a plethora of parties, but news is still happening, and Chicago (and its suburbs) are hopping this month. Openings and Closings We say goodbye to Big Black Dog Tavern in Wilmette, which closed in […]
December: It’s the time when all thoughts turn to Christmas dinner, at least if you have your priorities straight. And naturally, if you’re Jewish, you’re thinking Chinese food on December 25. But people, it’s time to branch out. There’s a whole world of Asian food out there, including Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean and more. So […]
It’s not a holiday show, per se, but the spirit of the season pervades Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s (CST) take on Wiliam Shakespeare’s great comedy,“The Merry Wives of Windsor.” It’s a farcical romp, but ultimately, it is also a story of forgiveness and understanding, set against a winter backdrop. Directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines, […]
How’s this for impressive credentials: a 2008 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, an Honorary OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) and numerous Joseph Jefferson awards. But when Barbara Gaines first started the Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) in 1986, she had no idea that she would be sitting firmly atop the theater world nearly […]
Evanston has had a glut of new restaurants this fall, so you can be forgiven if you didn’t notice the opening of La Macchina Cafe on Orrington. But now that you know it’s there, you’ll want to visit soon. Chris Casas, an Evanstonian who once owned the Italian Coffee Bar on Sherman and currently owns […]
