They’re baaack. Big-bowl batches of the good stuff have made a resurgence just in time for the holidays, promising to give your mother’s sherbet fizz a serious run for its money. Sorry, Ma. It’s Entertaining 101: Be ready for the onslaught of guests and good cheer by prepping in advance as much as humanly possible. […]
One thing I’ve learned after many years of entertaining at home: Everyone loves dessert. So my advice to you is, don’t skimp. Go big AND stay home. Chicago is filled with fabulous bakeries producing Instagram-worthy, delectable goodies, and they’re more than happy to help you end your party — be it an intimate dinner gathering, […]
Chefs and restaurateurs, by their very nature, are hospitable creatures. They are naturally programmed to receive and tend to others, to entertain strangers. It’s just what they do. So it should come as no surprise that when there’s a natural disaster or a man-made tragedy, the hospitality industry dives right in to provide aid. Sadly, […]
Bars were once mostly places you’d roll into and order a drink that would usually come from a bottle or a tap. Your drinks would be served by a guy who, though he was personable and willing to wipe off the counter for you, probably didn’t know how to make more than a handful of […]
Oct. 28 is National Chocolate Day, as if we needed another excuse to indulge. Here are our favorite places in town to get a dark chocolate antioxidant fix (and boost your brain power in the process!). Cocoa + Co Kim Hack‘s beautifully curated selection of artisan chocolate bars, bonbons and confections are sourced from the top chocolate […]
“Ethnic food” is a phrase usually reserved for cuisines from foreign countries other than those in Western Europe. We don’t apply the term “ethnic food” to French or German food, but we readily apply it to Mexican or Thai food. The restaurants on the following list might be termed “ethnic,” but whatever category we place […]
So you’ve lucked into Chicago Bulls or Blackhawks tickets, or maybe you’re on your way to see Katy Perry, Jay Z or Arcade Fire weave their particular brand of musical magic. Either way, you’re headed to the Madhouse on Madison. The big quandary, of course, is where to eat beforehand? The United Center is awesome for many […]
Envision the ultimate wine vacation and you probably think of Burgundy’s chateaus, Tuscany’s rolling hills, or perhaps Bordeaux’s new La Cité du Vin. Closer to home, there are the big name wineries in Napa and Sonoma along with plenty of smaller boutique favorites to discover. However, great wine is now being produced in so many more […]
The turn of the seasons always brings a flurry of frantic restaurant activity to Chicago, and this year is certainly no different. A whole new slew of restaurants has appeared — from rustic to gourmet, counter service to 4-star hospitality — and the real question is, where do we eat first? Open for Business: Beatnik […]
Most of us start the morning out all wrong — a quick cup of Greek yogurt, a furtive granola bar from your child’s backpack, or (shudder!) a Frappuccino concoction — and ignore the oft-proven fact that, yes, breakfast is definitely a meal that deserves more attention than you’re giving it. You’ve just fasted for eight […]
