What better gift for the holidays than a trip to one of the new, hot-hot-hot restaurants that have opened just this fall? From the city to the North suburbs, there are options aplenty, and we’ve lined them up for you — alphabetically, of course. We hate to play favorites! Support local food banks and pantries: […]
Another year, another 3,458 cookbooks (approximately) published. While many books are just peachy on a tablet or e-reader, there’s something about the hands-on approach with cookbooks, and they’re a gift that everyone loves to get. Personally, I read ‘em like novels, and I particularly connect with the authors who really share a part of themselves; […]
In the not-too-distant past, to-go restaurants often meant fast food; a place you’d run into for sustenance in a hurry. Sure, you’d find the occasional truly fabulous hot dog or hamburger joint — looking at you, Hot Doug’s (sob! RIP) and Edzo’s — committed to responsible ingredients and outside-of-the-box flavors, but more likely, it would […]
It was a tough call in Chicago last night. Watch the Cubbies’ bats finally come alive against the Dodgers, or the mudslinging of the third (and all praise, final) Presidential debate? In other words, America’s favorite pastime, or a game with much bigger stakes? Happily, a third choice presented itself: I scored two press tickets […]
Sigh. School has started, and that means another nine months of stuffing lunch boxes — for you, that is … I’m an empty nester! (Don’t hate the player.) I read recently that the average (non-allergic) American will eat 3,000 PB&J sandwiches in their lifetime. Has it come to that? Can we not get more creative? […]
Your intentions are good. You’ve signed up for a make-at-home meal delivery service but that meeting/rehearsal/practice went late, and you don’t really have time to put it all together. You still want to eat a real meal but don’t want to resort to fast food or spend an hour at a restaurant. What to do? Enter […]
Chicago does many things very, very well. But you know where we really excel? Booze. Chicago is a city of big shoulders, sure. But apparently our livers are pretty sizeable as well, because we are one hell of a cocktail town, populated by mixologists working their alchemy to our advantage. Here are some must-visit places […]
As the summer winds down and we gear up for a huge fall season (many food-oriented events and restaurant openings in Chicago and the North Shore), my mind turns to the upcoming Michelin Guide announcement in November, when we find out which restaurants are on and off the list, and how many stars they’ve been […]
Time is tight. You and your spouse both work; the kids have after-school schedules that rival an Olympic athlete’s; the dog demands a walk. Yet, your family still needs to be fed, and the drive-thru isn’t a viable — or healthy — option, especially on a regular basis. As importantly, cooking and eating meals together […]
This summer has been all about eating (okay, to be honest, every season for me is about eating, but still!) and I’ve had some very memorable meals, from the North Suburbs to the South Side, from old stalwarts to brand-spanking-new hotspots. And these, hands down, are some of the most delicious things I’ve consumed in […]
