When Memorial Day rolls around, we always get out the grill for dinner even if the weather doesn’t cooperate. It just feels right to kick off the grilling season that day. But rather than the typical burgers or ribs this year I am going to make a lighter supper for our fish-loving family. Halibut season […]
Rarely when confronted with a breadbasket do we bother to stop and reflect on our surroundings. But it’s worth putting down the butter knife (just for a minute) to admire the dazzling and innovative design on display in Chicago’s many fine eating establishments. We toured some of the city’s (and the North Shore’s) most beautiful […]
Leeks are like onion and garlic’s shy sibling. All three are in the allium family, but the latter two produce stronger, more assertive flavors while leeks combine the toned-down essence of each. Despite their gentle character, leeks are both larger and dirtier than their familial counterparts. When it comes to choosing leeks though, larger isn’t […]
I think I can speak for Evanston in general when I say how nice it is to have Bangers & Lace take over the space once occupied by The Keg, which had a long and notorious history in our fair city. Gone are the days of sticky floors, underage drinking and the smell of old […]
The Mag Mile is a lot more colorful thanks to the new Dylan’s Candy Bar store, the newest outpost of Dylan Lauren’s (Ralph’s daughter!) über-popular NYC sweets superstore. Of course, there’s a wide variety of candy (think chocolates, gummies, popular nostalgic and novelty sweets and more found in fun, unique packaging), but you’ll also find […]
Cinco de Mayo celebrates the batalla de Puebla when the native Mexicans defeated Napoleon’s army on May 5, 1862. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holiday than to prepare and feast on traditional Mexican fare. My friend, Maria Concannon, owner of Don Juan’s Restaurant in Chicago, tells me there is a […]
Chef Shin Thompson is all about flavor at his new fast-casual concept, Furious Spoon. The ramen noodles are made fresh on site and they are tasty and toothsome. Choose from four terrific ramen soups (veggie, shoyu, miso or spicy “furious”), add toppings (poached egg and marinated mushrooms are musts, not to mention the pork belly), […]
Wicker Park favorite Bangers & Lace has opened a 4,200 square-foot outpost in Evanston on the site of the notorious Keg. It’s a big step up! Aside from a hip and fun remodel, they’ve got 32 craft beers on tap (including local favorite Temperance Beer) and inventive pub food from Chef Jesse Miller. We love […]
When Betsy Simson, long-time owner of Jerry’s/Corner Cooks in Winnetka, sought to sell the business in the fall of 2014, Chef Steve Leviton stepped in. Having spent the past few decades cooking in the kitchens of Kiki’s Bistro in Chicago and Highland Park’s Exmoor Country Club, as well as management stints for various catering outfits, […]
The James Beard Awards are the Oscars of the restaurant industry. Chefs and bartenders get to walk the red carpet as they step into the national spotlight for the hard work they do every day in the kitchens of the nation’s best restaurants. The award ceremony has traditionally been held in New York, but this […]
