Chicago Foodies

La Cucina Di Donatella

I first heard about La Cucina Di Donatella on NPR.  I kept it in the back of my mind for some time before actually finding an occasion to go, and I was sorry that I had waited so long.  The unassuming restaurant is small, about 10 tables or less, in a very crisp and airy white decor.  You can see the kitchen, and Donatella herself, cooking from any seat in the house.

The wait staff is very personable, it feels like you're at someones house for dinner because you also have to bring your own wine, which makes it a reasonable night out.  With such an extensive menu of pastas, meat and fish (the nightly specials menu is just as long, if not longer than the regular dinner menu) it's really hard to decide what to try so this particual evening we went with our waiter's recommendations. 

Moody's Pub

If you haven't yet been, I'm guessing that you've at least heard of Moody's Pub, known for it's expansive beer garden.  I'm fortunate that Moody's is in my neighborhood, just a couple of blocks away. But, you say,  "a lot of bars have beer gardens."  So what makes Moody's so special?

First off, its huge.  You never (or at least I've never) had to wait for a table.  It has atmosphere - dark with red flickering candles and waterfalls or fountains that are somewhat cheesey but they help create the mood.  Lots of trees and flowers make it truely a garden of sorts.  Most importantly, the price is right - pitchers of beer are 6 bucks and pitchers of Sangria are 9. 

Taste Of Chicago

One of the best things about Chicago is the diversity of foods. For a city that get's labelled "a big small town" I would say Chicago gives any city a run for their money when it comes to authentic ethnic. From Korean to Peruvian a true Taste of Chicago would need to embrace these qualities. Instead we get a Six Flaggs style Taste of Chicago.

Like it or not it is a chance to see ex-Chicago Bears and eat mall-food out in the heat with the midwest's best and sweatiest. If you work downtown a late lunch is the least painful way to walk through "Taste". 

And you might as well get the fried foods. It's best suited to the type of venue and you are likely to find a variety... and besides how many Italian Beef sammies and slices of pizza can you eat?

Here's a link to a good map of layout and restaurants represented.

and if you aren't into the fried food...

Arun's for Dinner: $10

Dinner for 10 bucks is a good deal anywhere but when its a couple of entrees from Arun's it's a sweeter (and spicier) deal.

After work I get a call, "There's a thai thing going on at Daley Plaza... Arun's has a booth..." Even if I wasn't 2 blocks away I'd have made the effort.

Considering my annual intake of Thai food it's shocking that I have yet to eat at Arun's. They are annually included as one of the top restaurants in Chicago, my friends love it and it's on the north side. I have no excuse.

Flower Pot Ceramic Smoker

"Good Eats" is a great show. Alton Brown is kind of wacko but that's what we need. A reason to try silly ideas at home (this guy... he did this on the t.v...). At least it was my excuse.

Ceramic smokers are neat ideas. They are pretty costly too... see Big Green Egg. But they are way better than the old flower-pot. They are insulated and regulated and can blast high heat. I would worry about the flower pot over 300º.

The idea is that instead of radiating heat out, (like metal smokers) requiring way more fuel and drying out your food, the ceramic pot is insulated and has barely any airflow locking in heat and moisture. The only downside is the lack of huge plumes of neighbor-attracting smoke. But since this will be on a condominium deck and the neighbors would likely be pissed, in my case, this is another advantage.

Molé is Malé

Trader Joe's has posted a notice recalling their kick-ass molé sauce for a "lack of quality." I wonder what that really means...

Here's the Official Word...

Melon Sorbet

Lucky for me I have scored big bowls of fruit from the office. But since I don't load up on fruit the way I should I had to do something with it and quickly. Enter the blender...

I divvied up the honeydew and cantaloupe (musk), and ended up with relatively equal amounts of about 4 cups each. The honeydew went in first with 1/4 cup of sugar and a generous splash of triple sec. Liquify and pour into a couple of tupperware containers... I'm waiting to see whether they freeze up properly without a churn.  I followed the same procedure with the musk melon adding a touch less sugar as they were sweeter than the blandish honeydew...

Canadian Dieticians Online

Leave it to Canada to recognize and deliver what people want regarding health and human services.
It seems the "ounce of prevention" expression is understood north of the border...
from the Canadian NewsWire

Silhouetteandme.ca is the first Canadian website that provides direct 
    access to 'live' health professionals 

    MONTREAL, June 7 /CNW/ - Making healthy choices isn't always easy. With
fast and convenient too often driving our eating habits, maintaining a healthy
lifestyle has become a considerable challenge. Help is now here.
    

Brasserie Jo

I've been to at least a half dozen different Lettuce Entertain You restaurants and I must say, I've never had a bad meal, execpt for Maggiano's, which isn't necessarily bad but extremely glutonus and in my opinion a "chain" restuarant, which I don't do.  No matter which one it is, the atmosphere is always enjoyable, the service always helpful and the meal, always good.  Not great.  I'd never say great, but then again I haven't been to Tru or Everest. 

Ralph Lauren for Lunch... Preppies Unite!

Chicago isn't New York.  I'm only bringing it up because I have some delusions, harkening back to the 30s or the 50s where I picture long martini lunches, where the 75 year old man in the corner isn't whiling away his social security and instead is taking his sweet time because he owns wherever it is he works. Where Chicago is the place they set those half-assed New Yorkers straight.

My reality was Ditka's, where the fantastic Crab bisque has little to do with the quantity-oriented tendencies of the wise-guy Chicagoan. I miss those smaller upper west side restaurants where taking lunch or dinner in the bar is an all day event or those big mid-town and downtown spots where it's more of the same.

RL is compensating for this... please disregard the plaid pants...   
                ....and madras.

Sushi Luxe

In Andersonville (the ANDER in Andersonwater Park) there are tons of restaurants that seem to open and close with such regularity that it's hard to keep track.

Sushi Luxe wants to be and probably is the local trendy sushi place and where that doesn't immediately bother me the beat centric techno in a dining room with only 3 tables seated does. A metronomic thump in an otherwise quiet environment is quite annoying.