Event Wed Jun 30 2010

The Power of Love, Doughnuts

To commemorate tomorrow's five-year anniversary of the passing of weight-challenged (but still totally suave) R&B crooner Luther Vandross, Wiener and Still Champion (802 Dempster, Evanston) will be offering their rendition of his favorite treat, the Luther Burger--a bacon cheeseburger wrapped in a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Rumor has it that Vandross himself invented this delight after running out of hamburger buns.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (3)

Recipe Tue Jun 29 2010

Chorizo Burgers

With grilling season in full swing, the call of the backyard and charcoal beacons you to come out of doors and grill up some of your favorite encased meats and burgers. I've been hearing the call for some time now, and I finally broke down and got the old Weber out and started to experiment. Though I love a good old burger, recently I've had the urge for something a bit more interesting, so: Chorizo Burgers.

Continue reading this entry »

— Christian Scheuer / Comments (1)

Event Mon Jun 28 2010

The Birth of Popcorn Malt Liquor

Rock Bottom Brewery in Warrenville (28256 Diehl Road) will host the unveiling of a malt liquor made from popcorn on Saturday, July 10; they've provided a sneak peak of what's to come. Tickets are $15 and include a souvenir glass and tastings from Goose Island and Flossmoor.

— Robyn Nisi

Drink Sun Jun 27 2010

The Happy Margarita Summer Project 2010, Round 3: Cesar's

If you're going to emblazon "The Killer Margaritas" above your restaurant's entrance in hot pink and lime green fluorescent lights - and use Killermargaritas.com as your URL - then you better serve up some seriously damn good margaritas. In my experience, it's truth in advertising at Cesar's on Clark bear Belmont. The Killer Margaritas have capped off or kicked off several memorable events in my nine years in Chicago, including the afternoon my husband and I ran into then-Gov. Blagojevich - or Rod, as my husband greeted him - on our way from Cesar's to Wrigley Field. But that's a story for another day; today, we focus on the margaritas.

My co-conspirators met me at Cesar's at around 6 p.m., and I had a case of the Mondays, even though it was already Tuesday going on Wednesday. So we decided to divide and conquer: Claire ordered the standard margarita, lime on the rocks with salt, and I chose frozen guava, no salt. That way, we'd each only drink one (albeit one jumbo, which is Cesar's medium, a hefty puppy at 26 ounces for $10.) Per our standard rules, we both tasted the regular margarita first, then the flavored; Claire made an unorthodox but understandable request to stir the standard margarita and resample, after which we compared the following notes:

Continue reading this entry »

— Mandy Burrell Booth

Recipe Sat Jun 26 2010

Kimchi Cream Cheese Illustrated

I love coming across recipes randomly on line that sound delicious. But it is rare to come across recipes randomly online that are as graphically beautiful as this recipe for Kimchi Cream Cheese, created by Laura Park. And her suggestions on how to use it sound just as tasty as her illustration is beautiful.

— Cinnamon Cooper

Openings Fri Jun 25 2010

Black Dog Gelato Opens in Ukrainian Village

Black Dog Gelato was opening up shop in their first digs at 859 North Damen when I rode by this morning.Owner and pastry chef Jessica Oloroso has a lot of tasty ideas: her opening day menu includes goat cheese cashew caramel (my favorite three things) and avocado cinnamon, and a sorbet menu for those seeking lighter fare. Black Dog also will offer a few frozen novelties, among them a whiskey gelato bar that is dipped in milk chocolate and candied bacon. Yowza.

— Robyn Nisi

Feature Fri Jun 25 2010

The Dog Show Goes to Vienna Beef

Let's get straight to the facts: a Chicago hot dog isn't a Chicago hot dog without a Vienna Beef sausage in the middle. I've gone to quite a few hot dog places since moving to Chicago in 2005 and although there are those rare exceptions Vienna Beef hot dogs have been and will be my dog of choice. From that satisfying snap on the first bite to that rich beefy taste all the way through, it's hard to find a sausage that better compliments the condiments that go on a Chicago-style or Depression-style hot dog. But what makes Vienna Beef the quintessential hot dog for the majority of Chicago hot dog stands? Why has this company been a successful business since the heyday of Chicago's meat packing industry? And why does it continue to succeed amidst a dismal economy and dozens of cheap hot dog options? Lots of questions, and only one place to get the answers -- the Vienna Beef Factory on Damen and Fullerton.

Continue reading this entry »

— Amy Dittmeier / Comments (2)

Foodporn Fri Jun 25 2010

Friday Foodporn: CSA Delivery

Picture by photovox in the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool. Join! Smell you later.

— Robyn Nisi

News Wed Jun 23 2010

Guaranteed Green Restaurants

Yesterday morning, the Green Chicago Restaurant Co-Op's "Guaranteed Green" restaurant group was announced to the world: 20 restaurants that started working through the Co-Op's certification process last year and have come out living up to green standards. Specifically, the Green Seal and Green Restaurant Association standards, basically analogous to LEED standards for buildings and construction. The Green Seal standard covers not only sustainability in energy use and water management, but food sourcing, food innovation, composting, grease recycling and other industry-specific areas where sustainable practices can create long-term benefits.

Some group members are no-brainers as Uncommon Ground and the Bleeding Heart Bakery, but the list also includes a few establishments relatively new to the green bandwagon (at least in terms of PR), like Keefer's Steakhouse, Big Jones and local chain Roti Mediterranean Grill. The full list of Guaranteed Green restaurants is on the Co-Op's website.

The whole landscape of sustainable standards is still pretty boggy at this point. LEED-certification, while a top shelf achievement, is a messy thicket of suggestions, stages of sustainability and levels of commitment. Organic certification is a sinkhole of ambiguity, with competing standards from the USDA, the California Certified Organic Farmers (providing standards and certification far beyond Cali since the 1970s), and Organic Crop Improvement Association, to name but a few. So the Guaranteed Green group may not be the last word on sustainable food service practices, but it certainly seems like a step in the right direction.

— Andie Cavedo

Dessert Tue Jun 22 2010

Summer Treats

The first day of summer brought with it a scorching hot evening. It took about seven seconds before I was incredibly uncomfortable on my walk home from a delicious fallafel sandwich at Sultan's Market last night. As I was walking down Clark Street, I passed about four frozen yogurt places (I figure one per block) and while I was tempted, I had a specific destination in mind. Yogen Fruz is my go-to place when I need something sweet and refreshing.

As I rounded the corner onto Belmont at 10:30 I noticed people huddled outside the frozen yogurt shop and thought, that can't possibly be the line. It was and, yes, I waited.

As I was waiting in line I felt like everything was right with the world. It seemed perfect that on the first day of summer nearly every frozen yogurt place I passed was overflowing with sweaty, smiling Chicagoans. There was no complaining of the heat or the long line - everyone was simply enjoying the evening. I tried to take it all in because I know that as the weeks go on, we'll forget to appreciate nights like this.

Something about last night reminded me of the first day the ice cream man made his appearance each summer when I was a kid. Tonight, on my way to volleyball, there's a strong possibility I'll stop by Berry Chill, another favorite of mine. What's your favorite place for a summer treat?

Photo by Deb

— Kaitlin Olson / Comments (1)

Event Tue Jun 22 2010

Taste of...Lollapalooza

As the city gears up for its annual summer gut-bust at Taste of Chicago, the list of food vendors at this year's Lollapalooza has been revealed to up the ante on Taste. The lineup is being curated by master chef Graham Elliot Bowles, and with numerous local restaurants participating, it's a bit of a foodie's dream. Finally, one can chow down on a Kuma's burger while listening to Soundgarden dig into the back catalog for "Flower." Or nosh on some Trotter's to Go while being whisked away by Grizzly Bear.

In addition to the aforementioned Trotter's and Kuma's, expect goodies from the likes of Big Star, Graham Elliot, Franks 'n' Dawgs, Smoke Daddy, Bleeding Heart Bakery and many many others.

Check out the full list of LollaFoods on their Chow Town site.

— Ben Schulman

Dessert Mon Jun 21 2010

Imani's Original Bean Pies

One of the great treats about wandering the city is the unexpected finds that suddenly crop up and invite you in to engage with them. When the treats you find are literally treats, as in the form of a delicious pie - well hell, even better.

This past weekend's Takin' It to the Streets festival in Marquette Park was chock-full of speakers, bands and events that made the plodding trip down Kedzie Ave to 67th St. well-worth the journey. As with most festivals, the food vendors ranged from the overly priced and ramshackle to perfect, summer outdoor fare, this time brought to Marquette Park by the BBQ Seitan from the great folks at Soul Vegetarian. In the midst of all these food vendors though, one stood out amongst the others, and brought forth the question what else may be waiting to be discovered on the Southwest Side.

The booth for Imani's Original Bean Pies was set up to offer these homemade Navy Bean pies either by the slice, personal pie or full pie. Unfortunately, they weren't offered in bulk. The pies have a soft silkiness and buttery crust that make for a perfect texture, and with a rush of nutmeg and a delicate sweetness that isn't too sweet, Imani's Bean Pies recall the best homemade desserts from one's childhood. Interestingly, these pies aren't commercially available, but instead are available online as fund-raising vehicles for Your Child Care, a child care service and school on the Southwest Side. Imani's Bean Pies allow one to not only indulge in pie, but also to do good deeds while doing so. Thank you Imani's Bean Pies.

— Ben Schulman / Comments (7)

Review Mon Jun 21 2010

Estilo D.F.

"I'm hungry. Let's get a taco." - Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Reservoir Dogs.

Growing up occasionally my sisters and I would get excited because it was "Taco Night!"

Mom would breakout the yellow Ortega box (replete with pre-fried shells, a packet of mildly spiced meat seasoning, and taco sauce), pan fry some ground beef, add the spice packet, stuff the mostly salty/slightly spicy beef into the shells, and top them with the taco sauce, some cheese, chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce. It was an exercise in removing all the ethnic influence (and flavor) from one of the greatest ethnic dishes ever created.

Scary, no?

Continue reading this entry »

— Cliff Etters / Comments (2)

News Fri Jun 18 2010

Tonight's Slow Food Chicago Potluck POSTPONED

If you were planning to attend this evening's Slow Food Chicago Summer Solstice Potluck, stay home and take cover from the approaching weather; the event has been rescheduled for this Sunday, June 20, from 4-7pm.

— Robyn Nisi

Feature Fri Jun 18 2010

From Hopelessness to Inspiration

[This story was submitted by freelance journalist Charlotte Eriksen.]

With some of his employees and students checking into a shelter after work each night, Café Too Executive Chef Sean Cunneen said he has to get them out by ten o'clock to ensure they have a bed.

A branch of Chicago's Inspiration Corporation employment services, Café Too is a 13-week job training program for those affected by employment obstacles such as homelessness and poverty. The program consists of four weeks of basic training at Inspiration Café (4554 N. Broadway) and a nine-week internship at the Café Too restaurant (4715 N. Sheridan).

Continue reading this entry »

— Drive-Thru / Comments (3)

Foodporn Fri Jun 18 2010

Friday Foodporn: Chess Pie

Picture by drowning in flame at the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool. Join! We're playing Slovenia this morning in the World Cup.

— Robyn Nisi

News Thu Jun 17 2010

Mmm, Midweek Links

• Metromix puts five summer punches to the test. The breathelyzer test.
• Chicago magazine's Jeff Ruby picks Chicagoland's 25 best pizzas. Quibble all you want, but Ruby knows his pizza.
• Kevin Pang checks out Club 81 Too in Hegewisch.
• Mike Sula and David Hammond goes the round-up route in the Reader this week, covering the new Ba Le, Chilapan and Fountainhead.
• The Local Beet provides tips on preserving early season produce.
• How does Dos Diablos measure up against Chili's?
• Surly Beer is pulling out of Chicago because they can't meet demand. New Glarus left Chicago in 2002 and still hasn't fully returned, so if you love Surly, start drinking up.
• Meanwhile, Chicagoist's drinkers debate the best places to have beer in Chicago.
• Stephanie Izard would like your goat tchotchkes.
• How had I not come across this before? Greasefreak's Grub vs. Grub.

— Andrew Huff

Review Thu Jun 17 2010

Who's Got the Beef?

Is there any other sandwich that typifies Chicago as much as the Italian beef? Are there any words more poetic than saying "Sweet Hot Dipped Combo" to your friendly sandwich-maker?

We're going to be on the prowl for the best Beef in the city, visiting as many joints as we possibly can to find that perfect mixture of giardiniera to bread texture to meat juices to... well, overflowing beef.

Recently, as the above photo attests to, we paid a visit to Fontano's Subs on Jackson in the Loop to begin our journey.There was a definite disconnect between the juiciness of the beef and the sogginess of the soft Italian bread, most likely interrupted by the mistakenly placed piece of mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the roll. Beefs should be free to stew in their juices, allowed to destroy the roll it sits on in the process. No cheese please! The beef itself seemed just a tad on the cold side, and could have used a little more kick or time to "cook in its own natural juices" as Fontano's menu states.

But a beef is still a beef. A "4" out of "10."

— Ben Schulman / Comments (2)

Event Wed Jun 16 2010

The Golden Ticket to Fine Dining

Mark your calendars for June 29: the Fulton River District and Blommer Chocolate Company will be holding an outdoor showing of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the superior Gene Wilder version) at dusk (~8:45pm) at Fulton River Park (601 West Kinzie). The exciting part? They will be giving out 1,000 chocolate bars beforehand, some of which will have Golden Tickets (wow! really!) for gift certificates at restaurants (among them Province, Alinea and Prairie Fire) and other fun prizes. Get there early.

UPDATE: Alinea will no longer be giving out gift certificates, however Carnivale and the Chicago French Market will be.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)

News Tue Jun 15 2010

5 Star Dining Opportunities

Grant Achatz tells GridSkipper where he likes to eat, and drink, in Chicago. There's a nice variety, and as he says, you just may find him dining at one of these locations on a Monday.

— Cinnamon Cooper

Event Tue Jun 15 2010

Veggie Bingo is the New Soup and Bread

Now that one game has ended, a new one emerges: bingo. The creators of the wonderful Soup and Bread series at the Hideout have gone on summer break, but in its place, Veggie Bingo begins tomorrow night. Event begins at 6pm at the Hideout, 1357 West Wabansia; cards are $1 each (or 6 for $5); proceeds benefit local community gardens. Look at these people playing bingo! Join them!

— Robyn Nisi

Random Tue Jun 15 2010

Twelve Ounces of Sausage for Five People?

One Texas Man will not be mourning the passing of Jimmy Dean, goddamit (NSFW).

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)

Chef Mon Jun 14 2010

Sunda Chef Is TLC's "Food Buddha"

Tonight was the premiere of "Food Buddha," a new TLC show featuring Chicago's own Rodelio Aglibot, head chef at Sunda. The premise of the show seems way over-the-top, but Aglibot's easy-going nature makes it work: In each episode, he visits a different city and hits up three different restaurants. At each restaurant, he orders one of everything.

Yes, you read that correctly: "OOE," as Aglibot says. One. Of. Everything.

By ordering OOE, Aglibot says he gets the restaurant's whole story. (It also prompts some very funny reactions from the chefs in the restaurants he visits, including eye-rolling, swearing and momentary panic.) At the end of the show, he selects the dish that most inspires him and brings the recipe home to Chicago, where he puts a twist on it to serve as a special at Sunda.

I watched the first episode of the show tonight, in which Chef visits New Orleans. One of the restaurant's he dines at is Squeal, a pig-focused joint that serves pork cakes -- kind of like crab cakes, but way worse for you because, uh, they're made out of pork. And filled with cream cheese. Oh, yeah, and they're also deep-fried. The Sunda version was still pork-a-licious, but it was considerably lighter, with braised pork belly, no cream cheese filling, and a pan fried, not deep fried crust.

Food TV addict that I am, I'll definitely tune into "Food Buddha" again. Aglibot is so good-natured, he actually makes it fun to watch a person eat his way through an entire menu. No small feat indeed.

— Mandy Burrell Booth / Comments (28)

News Sun Jun 13 2010

Mmm, Weekend Links

• RIP, Edna Stewart.
• Chef Mark Mendez is leaving Carnivale to open his own restaurant.
• Sky Full of Bacon coincidentally just posted a new video podcast featuring Mendez, talking about sustainable farming and the restaurant business.
• Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti won the first-ever Ribfest rib-eating contest this weekend.
• The most expensive dishes in Chicago.
• Vietnamese fans rejoice: Pasteur is reopening.
• A Hamburger Today looks at May Street Market's duck (and a little turkey) burger.
• ChicagoBites visited May Street Market this week, too.
• Got a pressure cooker? You could make chicken stock in under an hour.
• Black Book looks at our food truck fight.
• Mmm, kimchi tacos.
• Chuck Sudo goes for Goose Island's rotweizen.
• Need a bacon-filled vacation?

— Andrew Huff

Review Sun Jun 13 2010

Seafood Customer Service: Riva v. Masu

I don't usually have a negative enough experience in a restaurant that I feel the need to immediately run home, fire up the computer and write about it. I also don't usually eat out at two locations in a single evening. So when my evening this past Friday started with one of the most appalling customer service experiences I've ever had, hitting another restaurant on the way back to complete my rage-filled write-up wasn't my first instinct. Thankfully, it saved my evening and restored a little of the faith I still stubbornly have in the institution of dining service. Riva v. Masu, after the fold.

Continue reading this entry »

— Andie Cavedo / Comments (3)

Random Sun Jun 13 2010

Have Your Own Alinea Kitchen at Home

It probably will not turn your city apartment into a temple of molecular gastronomy, but designer Patrick Short's futuristic Electrolux Alinea kitchen--unrelated to the Chicago culinary laboratory of Chef Grant Achatz--nevertheless begs the question of what modern food preparation might look like. The sleek concept kitchen made of silicon and plastics is designed for extreme space-saving. It can float in any environment--manifesting a sink, appliances and counter space as needed--and recharge by way of a ceiling dock.

Continue reading this entry »

— Sharon Bautista

Review Sat Jun 12 2010

Cumin Brings the Tastes of Nepal and India to Wicker Park

Wicker Park is a neighborhood dense with restaurants but short on cuisines from South Asia. It was therefore with much anticipation that I recently visited Cumin, which opened last month in the heart of Hipsterdom. With an open, rectangular space, elegant in the simplicity of its decor, this new eatery offers an extensive menu of traditional Nepalese and Indian fare.

We focused much of our meal on the Nepalese section of the menu given the relative rarity of this cuisine in Chicago. Had I eaten Cumin's Chicken Momo, or steamed dumplings, as they usually are--as inexpensive street food in Nepal or Tibet--I might have been perfectly satisfied. But as an appetizer at a white-tablecloth restaurant, the momo were plump but too heavy, enveloped in dough that was too thick and had a reheated, rubbery texture.

Continue reading this entry »

— Sharon Bautista

Drink Fri Jun 11 2010

A Festival of Fruity Beers

The name Beer Hoptacular conjures a carnival of beer -- an apt description of the two-day event that drew several thousand craft brew lovers to the Aragon Ballroom in Uptown last Friday and Saturday. Breweries included local legend Goose Island and new(er) kid on the block Half Acre, as well as Sam Adams, New Belgium, Bell's and 31 others sampling more than 100 beers. The mood was festive, but a crowd of beer-swilling frat boys this was not: As Flossmoor Station's head brewer Bryan Shimkos put it, the crowd was a nice blend of savvy beer drinkers and home brewers, and people who wanted to try more unusual beers "without having to pay $8 a bottle and then not like it."

I'm the kind of person who handles hard liquor better than beer, so I knew I'd need a strategy to guide my evening, one that didn't include sampling every beer. I decided to focus on fruit-forward beers, skipping roasty stouts and hoppy IPAs in favor of beers that hinted at summer's farmers market bounty.

Continue reading this entry »

— Mandy Burrell Booth

Feature Fri Jun 11 2010

Going Beyond Shiitake: a Guide to Japanese Mushrooms

I've noticed in the past few years that Japanese mushrooms are getting much more readily available in Chicago. I used to pick up shimeji and maitake mushrooms at Mitsuwa, realize that they are either moldy or soggy upon closer inspection, and put them back on the shelf in disappointment. Now, I see them in so many places, and often in much better conditions. (To their credit, Mitsuwa's mushroom offering has improved as well.) Quite a few varieties of Japanese mushrooms are available in Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese groceries, as well as gourmet-grocers like Whole Foods and Fox & Obel.

These mushrooming mushrooms (sorry!) are apparently a result of a few specialty mushroom growers that opened up recently. According to a story on LA Times, a mushroom grower from Japan opened their first California plant in 2006, producing a respectable range of tasty far-eastern fungi in collaboration with an American mushroom grower. Given this wider availability of Japanese mushrooms, I think a little "culinary field guide" might be due. Below is an attempt at just that -- a brief guide to Japanese mushrooms.

Continue reading this entry »

— Yu Kizawa / Comments (1)

Foodporn Fri Jun 11 2010

Friday Foodporn: Roast Pork Sandwich from Terzo Piano

Picture by food_in_mouth from the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool. Join! We won the Stanley Cup---of food photography.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)

Review Fri Jun 11 2010

Better Living Through Eating

Kim Severson's journey from slinging pizza at a Little Caesar's in Michigan to writing about food for the New York Times was full of the struggles that most successful people only speak of in private moments on a therapist's couch--an addiction to alcohol that started in her teenage years, difficulties with coming out as a lesbian, and finding her place in a profession dominated by legendaries--several of whom she befriends and is mentored by in her new memoir Spoon Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life (Riverhead, $25.95).

Severson has a self-deprecating charm that cleverly frames her retellings of traipsing around New York's Greenmarket with Alice Waters, who comes to Severson's Brooklyn home to make lunch and to her hostess' horror, the famous chef and advocate is greeted by the smell of chicken nuggets and french fries cooking in the toaster oven. Severson endlessly compares herself with Ruth Reichl, and finds that even the glamorous, storied editor of the departed Gourmet magazine, who once famously gave LeCirque a controversial three-star review for their snobby service, has her own personal demons. Severson also tells the heartwarming story of the late chef and author Edna Lewis, whose legendary cooking deemed her "the Julia Child of the South," and Scott Peacock, a fellow chef who at 47 years her junior was a loving caretaker who boiled her coffee each morning and put her to bed each night in her final days.

Continue reading this entry »

— Robyn Nisi

Restaurant Thu Jun 10 2010

"4 1/2 out of 5 bottles of ketchup"

That's the rating that a student of 826 Chicago gave to Hot Doug's on a recent review visit. Several students had to wait in line, in the rain, choose an encased meat product with duck fat fries and write a review about it. And these reviews are quite possibly some of the best and most entertaining food reviews you've read all year. Overall, the reviewers loved Hot Doug's and they loved The Doug Factor.

— Cinnamon Cooper / Comments (3)

Event Thu Jun 10 2010

First US Foie Gras "Museum" to Debut During Chicago Foie Gras Week

Regardless which side of the "Foie Gras Wars" you find yourself on, there's no denying its foodie appeal. And after all the controversy a little fatty duck liver caused here in the Windy City, what better place for the first American Foie Gras Museum to make its debut?

Starting tomorrow, June 11, the Foie Gras Museum will open at Cyrano's Bistrot & Wine Bar as a part of Chicago Foie Gras week, which continues through June 19.

In addition to the museum display and a variety of available foie gras dishes ($12), the Foie-Fest will play host to guest chefs throughout the week, and to Mark Caro, author of The Foie Gras Wars, on June 15, beginning at 6pm.

To reserve a spot, call 312-467-0546 or email chefdidierdurand@yahoo.com.

— Marissa Flaxbart

Event Thu Jun 10 2010

WAIT! Before You Go to Lunch

Jimmy John's is celebrating its Customer Appreciation Day with $1 subs. I personally don't understand how JJs can sell cold sandwiches with such shamelessness, but at least the smells are free.

— Robyn Nisi

Drink Tue Jun 08 2010

The Happy Margarita Summer Project 2010, Round 2: Big Star

If you still haven't made it to Big Star -- Paul Kahan's tacos-and-whiskey joint in the revamped Pontiac Cafe space on Damen near Wicker Park (the park) in Wicker Park (the neighborhood) -- the vast, sun-drenched outdoor patio is beckoning you this summer.

People-watching here is guaranteed to put you in a good mood, thanks to the wonderfully eclectic mix of adorable hipster families, sexy singles on the prowl, and puppy-toting dudes just happening by. Chef Kahan's tacos look like modest portions but the rich fillings will get ya, so go easy -- if for no other reason than to save plenty of room for the guacamole, which is arguably the best dish on the menu.

Now, I didn't come for tacos or whiskey. My friend Claire and I gathered some girlfriends together last Friday for one reason: Round Two of the Happy Margarita Summer Project.

Continue reading this entry »

— Mandy Burrell Booth / Comments (4)

Openings Mon Jun 07 2010

Gaztro-Wagon Debuts Tuesday, Sans Wagon

Food truck hopeful Chef Matt Maroni opens the storefront version of Gaztro-Wagon at 11am tomorrow, June 8, at 5973 N. Clark St. There's usually plenty of parking along this relatively desolate stretch of Clark, just north of Ridge, though you may have to hunt for space as all the city's food writers descend in advance of the planned proposal of revised food truck ordinances in City Council on Wednesday.

Time Out Chicago has the full opening menu.

UPDATE: Maroni didn't receive his permits, so he opted not to risk opening today. Keep your eye on Twitter for news.

— Andrew Huff

News Sun Jun 06 2010

Mmm, Weekend Links

• Rick Tramonto is leaving TRU and Lettuce Entertain You, putting the restaurant in Anthony Martin's hands. David Tamarkin has a theory on what his next move is.
• Phil Vettel adds his voice to the call for food trucks in Chicago; Monica Eng finds out what chefs would do with one.
• It's the Reader's turn to go alfresco.
• quite a few Chicago chefs were among those assembled to kick off Michelle Obama's Chefs Move Into Schools campaign.
• Kevin Pang grazes at Whole Foods.
• Competitive eater Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti maxes out SugarToad's all-you-can-eat prix fixe.
• Serious Eats tells you how to recreate (Chicago-invented) Greek-American style gyros at home.
• Sola is moving downtown, while Zapatista is moving uptown.
• L2O makes the smallest Parker House rolls ever.
• Bake and Destroy reviews silicone cupcake molds.
• Paninis in your waffle iron!
• Rye whiskey's revival might not be as strong as it seems.

— Andrew Huff

Feature Fri Jun 04 2010

Farmville in Real Life

At Green Youth Farm, a crop of Illinois high school students spend their summer afield.

Turn off Green Bay Road and enter the Greenbelt Forest Preserve, and the first thing you'll likely notice is all the green. The Preserve is a haven amid urban environs, featuring prairie, wetlands, and woodlands dominated by oak. Follow the road around a few bends, and you'll come to an organic farm--the North Chicago site of Green Youth Farm (GYF), a youth leadership program of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Located in the heart of Greenbelt and spanning an acre, it's a haven inside a haven.

If you're like me, you're the sort of city dweller who refers to almost any kind of abundant nature in/around Chicagoland as a refuge or a rarity. The farm is both. What it isn't, though, is rural (despite a certain city-dweller tendency to describe it that way). Heidi Joynt, Coordinator of the North Chicago farm, is familiar with this tendency. "Sometimes students from North Lawndale or Washington Park [the two other GYF sites, both within city limits] will get up to North Chicago and be like, 'Dude, we're out in the sticks!'" she says. "But it's not really that rural; we're just in a forest preserve! There are trees around, and it's really quiet."

Continue reading this entry »

— Laura Pearson

Foodporn Fri Jun 04 2010

Friday Foodporn: Brunch @ Karyn's Cooked

Picture by maomau at the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool. Join us! We never lied about our military service (although to be fair, our bank failed).

— Robyn Nisi

Event Thu Jun 03 2010

Whiskey for Lunch

If you are one of the lucky few who won't be chained to a work desk tomorrow afternoon, you might want to consider heading to Logan Square. Longman & Eagle began lunch service this week and they are celebrating on Friday, June 4 with free shots of whiskey and beers from 11 am to 3 pm.

Longman & Eagle
2657 North Kedzie Avenue
(773) 276-7110

— Gemma Petrie

Bar Thu Jun 03 2010

Bacon and Beer Tasting @ Paddy Long's

Right now, I am sitting at Paddy Long's, eating curry chips and watching the Blackhawks game (they just tied the game up, 2-2). I found myself here because it's close to my apartment, they serve Kilkenny (hello, memories from Dublin 2008) and they have TVs. What I didn't expect, however, was the great food and the big sign telling me that on Saturdays (6 p.m.) and Sundays (2 p.m.) they have beer and bacon tastings.

It looks like you have to reserve your spot, so stop in or call if you're planning on coming. I know I'll be spending a Sunday afternoon here soon.

Paddy Long's claims to be the "home of beer and bacon." They've sold me on the beer, I'll let you know about the bacon.

— Kaitlin Olson / Comments (1)

Bar Wed Jun 02 2010

Cocktails on the River

Japonais now has a lounge tasting menu offered from 5-8pm Sunday thru Wednesday. Cocktails and selected appetizers are $7, which is fantastic if you want to take in the view from the open-air lounge without committing to an entire dinner. My favorite summer pairing is the Cucumber Passion, which has a nice amount of acid and a sweet after taste, with the Ebi Yoto Maki, which are charred prawns with a buttery, garlic-infused sauce.

— Stef Piermattei / Comments (2)

Video Tue Jun 01 2010

24 Hours at Alinea

...in three minutes. As Grant Achatz tweeted, "Back door rarely locks. By time the cleaner is done the prep team is arriving."

— Andrew Huff