dining
Michael Nagrant biography
I never met an organ meat I didn’t like. Well, that’s not entirely true. The goat eyeball taco at the Maxwell Street Market was a …
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La Sirena Clandestina takes South American cuisine in Chicago to the next level
During the day, blood runs through these streets. At night, it’s whiskey that flows. Despite the fact that some of Chicago’s most refined, hot restaurants — Next, Moto and the Publican — have claimed their place in the Fulton Market district, it is still very …Read More
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L’ Patron lacks spice, vision
Like a Quentin Tarantino movie, my visit to the new Logan Square taqueria L’ Patron started out charming, unfamiliar and quirky. But, unfortunately, also like a Tarantino movie, it ends in chaotic disaster. There were high expectations. Owner/cook Ernesto Gonzales, who is cooking with his …Read More
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Fat Rice blends Portuguese, Macau flavors into delicious mix
On a dark corner in a scrappy part of town, located across from a gas station and an old Mexican supermarket, a bright light shines. This bit of illumination is Fat Rice, a new noodle, dumpling and rice shack from the proprietors of the former …Read More
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Newly Michelin-starred Mexique needs to up the ante
“Your father must have been a thief, because somebody stole the stars and put them in your eyes.” —Unknown I didn’t always pay attention in high school Spanish. But when we got to piropos, a k a the Spanish equivalent of cheesy American pick-up lines, …
The Big Deals 01.18.13
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Canned goods Timothy O’Toole’s Pub, 622 N. Fairbanks. Salute National Beer Can Day, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Jan. 24 with …
The Big Deals 01.11.13
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Pizza delivery Frasca Pizzeria & Wine Bar, 3358 N. Paulina. Specials during National Pizza Week, Jan. 14-20, include a “Pizza Giveaway …Read More
Nuova Italia ‘the real deal’ for Italian food
A lot of so-called authentic Italian restaurants around here talk a good game but play loosey-goosey with the truth. Judging by what they put on the plate — from limp pasta to marinara sauce that tastes like it just came out of a can — …
Pair your holiday downtown shopping with some new dining options
You go for the giant trimmed tree. You stay for Mrs. Hering’s 1890 recipe chicken pot pie. And that’s fine, but, it’s an $11 pot pie, and your ankles hurt from standing in line for hours just to get a seat. Hopefully you didn’t order …
The Big Deals 01.04.13
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. ‘Elvis’ treat Little Goat, 820 W. Randolph. Stephanie Izard’s newest establishment features a specialty item Elvis fans can appreciate: “Fat Elvis …
Staff of Senza in Lake View gets creative in finding tasty ways to keep it gluten-free
They say a one-eyed man is king in the land of the blind. But do you consider a thing in the context of its limitation? Or do you ignore the limitation and judge absolutely? It’s a legitimate question. But for Senza, a new gluten-free gourmet …Read More
The Big Deals 12.28.12
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Crafty lot Troquet, 1834 W. Montrose. The “Menu de Grignotage,” designed to complement the bar’s crafted cocktails, includes phyllo-wrapped brie with …
Evanston’s Creperie Saint Germain serves up the classics
Though crepes form a culinary backbone in Brittany, by no means does the French region have an exclusive claim on these versatile savory and sweet pancakes. A case in point is Creperie Saint Germain in Evanston, which has elevated this fare to an art form …
The Big Deals 12.21.12
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. That’s a wrap Falafill, participating locations. The “December Chefs for Charity Wrap!,” is Heather Terhune of Sable Kitchen & Bar’s (Falafill’s …
The Big Deals 12.14.12
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Seasonal drinks Allium, at the Four Seasons, 120 E. Delaware. Holiday cocktails include the Jack Frost (Stoli Vanil vodka, Godiva White …
Sake & Samba — A traditional steakhouse with a modern feel
The Brazilian-style churrasco, or steakhouse, is no stranger here. Dedicated carnivores have long had their pick from a number of these meat emporiums, both in Chicago and suburbs. Sake & Samba, which opened in mid-2011 in Vernon Hills, has broadened the concept of all-you-can-eat flame-roasted …
The Big Deals 12.07.12
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Ten days, ten deals deca Restaurant + Bar in the Ritz-Carlton, 160 E. Pearson. “Ten Days of Christmas” specials, Dec. 10-14 …
Shedd’s Penguin Hops ale on tap at area bars
There’s something fishy about a new beer in town. Starting Dec. 7, nine local taps will be pouring Penguin Hops, a limited release from Revolution Brewing created with hops grown in the Shedd Aquarium’s organic gardens. The Shedd, which consistently tops the list of Chicago’s …
