Grab a recycled bag, Green City Market (GCM) opens Wednesday. Local farmers from Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois flock to the south end of Lincoln Park between Clark Street and Stockton Drive to bring you fresh produce and specialty foods.
Starting May 14, every Wednesday and Saturday (7 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.) through October.
I always worry that I have too many pots and pans. I hear it all the time,"Where are we going to put that?" and "You can't buy that; you have nowhere to put that." Looking at these pictures I realize that I have many more pots to buy and when the cupboards fill up I can simply start stacking. All I need to do would be to find my old Lego people to live in the new skyscrapers.
For his exhibition at the Asian Art Museum, Wang has selected rocks from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, alluding to the nineteenth-century Chinese immigrant experience of mining gold during the California gold rush. Both the actual rocks and their stainless steel versions will be exhibited. The artist will also create a topographic San Francisco cityscape–one of his “urban landscape” series– using steel rocks, mirrored surfaces, silverware, and stainless steel pots and pans.
The city of San Fran was done by Beijing-based artist Zhan Wang. Read the article on Ethicurean.com
Wang's work is on display at the Asian Art Museum in San Fransisco. Here's a link to that site.
May 19th StarChefs will be hosting a party celebrating Chicago's rising star chefs. You can get tickets at StarChef's website.
The tasting gala has all dishes paired with wines. It's hosted by Frank Brunacci but I'm not sure if the event is in 16 or a separate Trump room. In either case it sounds like some seriously snazzy stuff, from the site:
"enjoy high-concept food from up-and-coming culinary stars from the top restaurants in town. All dishes are paired with ultra-premium wines selected by the Rising Star Sommelier."
I can do the "ultra-premium" thing. Tickets are $150 ($200 for the VIP thing) but with the talent participating and being recognized it should be worth the dough.
I don't know if the dishes will be the recipes listed on the site but all the better if they are. Pictured is Mike Sheerin's Wood-Grilled Sturgeon with Rye Gnocchi, English Peas, Oyster Mushrooms, Guanciale and Mustard Consommé. Here's the recipe.
For the past 6 years Gourmet magazine has been hosting this annual event to benefit the American Institute of Wine and Food. As they are dedicated to culinary education it should be a great night. Demos from Achatz, Moulton, Cantu and Paskewitz should be very interesting.
These "functions" (that's a misnomer) are a great opportunity to get a sampling of a wide variety of food and wine. For $100 it's a steal which is likely why it's sold out.
The field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
May 15th 6– 9pm
Events like this are always awesome. Check out the list of invited wine and spirits providers.
Wine Enthusiast is hosting Toast of the Town at the Field Museum. Their Atlanta and San Fransisco events have sold out so act fast. Over 500 wines and food from dozens of restaurants for $95 is a steal. There is an auction to benefit America's Second Harvest food bank but I'm not sure if the tickets are to benefit the charity.
Thursday • May 1, 2008
VIP Tasting* 6pm $185
Grand Tasting 7-10pm $95
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
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Japanese designer Nobuhiko Arikawa has made edible tableware... As seen at de zeen.
I think a tortilla and a couple of breadsticks can cover this as well but there is something to be said for the simple aesthetics of bread.
I'll admit, I am looking forward to it. Until the NHL playoffs start it will be my guilty pleasure. So I am looking forward to seeing how the three Chicagoans do. Yes, three.
Apparently the first contest will be to "spin" the Chicago-style pizza.
I don't know if having Chicago play host to Top Chef will be good or bad. It could be good. As is constantly mentioned the diversity of the local ethnic food is second only to the quality. We are home to not one or two but several of the nation's top destination restaurants. It's definitely a pissing-contest of sorts when you get into how cities stack up against each other food-wise.
Continue reading "Top Chef Chicago: Ahem, 3 Chicago Contestants?" »
As it gets mentioned here often, charity food events are a great way to compare dishes, restaurants, enjoy special dishes and ingredients and get a chance to taste dishes prepared by chefs from other cities and countries.
March 17th, from 6-9pm, Common Threads is hosting their 3rd annual World Festival at the MCA. Celebrity chefs include Tom Colicchio, Govind Armstrong - both California folks... Colicchio by way of television I suppose. Belvedere is providing a vodka bar to go with the caviar... and premium ticket holders are included in an after-party at the James where John Legend will give a performance.
The best part is that it's to benefit Common Threads who's mission is to educate children on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being, and to foster an appreciation of cultural diversity through cooking.
On Saturday night, the Chicago Beer Society at Goose Island Brewery will present Night of the Living Ales IV. It's already sold out, but this is one of the rare moments to give beer lovers the chance to enjoy cask conditioned ale. Those who have spent time in England or Wales may rememberr the hand-pumped "warm beer" with low carbonation, low alcohol, and a taste unlike bottled or typical draft beer. Forty casks of real ale will be sampled in this event.
Continue reading "Night of the Living Ales IV: Goose Island" »
They've given away 500 Friday and are doing another 500 today.
I spoke with them at 11:15 Friday and there were 350 remaining.
They ran out at 12:45 on Friday. We're projecting availability to last until 1pm Saturday.
Portillo's - Chicago, Illinois
100 W. Ontario
Chicago IL 60610
312-587-8910
Continue reading "Free Hot Dogs at Portillo's - Saturday's Batch" »
Restaurants and Institutions Ivy Awards aren't as well known to Chicagoans as the James Beard Award is. Especially since it seems that at least Rick Bayless gets one every year. Now in addition to his past employers, Trotter's and The French Laundry, Grant Achatz seems to have taken the mantle. Congrats. Per Se also gets one as well as Bartolotta's Vegas restaurant. For a closer bite check out their Milwaukee restaurant, the Lake Park Bistro.
On Saturday, February 9th the For the Love of Chocolate Foundation hosted a black tie benefit to provide scholarships to pastry students for the French Pastry School for the City Colleges of Chicago. Many of the students in attendance appeared to appreciate the support to this event. Cooking school can be very expensive compared to other types of schools, so the money raised went to a very good cause. Needless to say, chocolate was everywhere.
Continue reading "For the Love of Chocolate Benefit: French Pastry School" »
Nice surprise to make it into Chicago Magazine's website issue. That Ronnie Suburban, what a geek. Looking through the magazine, in addition to Chicago Foodies, they mention seven other online food resources:
Lthforum.com
Skillet Doux
Hungry Magazine
Family Farmed
Gastronomic Bypass
Grub Hub
The Stew
Aussie chef Frank Brunacci will be manning the helm at the Trump Tower restaurant. Is he just wacked-out enough to fit in? With dishes like Lima Bean Cream with Duck Ham and Basil Oil soup and interesting ingredients like veal bacon he seems well equipped to create extravagant courses without going for wholesale whimsy.
Flattery will get you places he says, "Chicago has got the cosmopolitan aura of San Francisco but the sophistication and city life of New York..."
Continue reading "Look Who's Coming For Dinner: Frank Brunacci at the Trump" »
WTTW is airing a documentary Foods of Chicago – A Delicious History. The program airs Tuesday night (tonight) at 7:30pm.
A quick conversation with Dan Protess speaks volumes. He's a writer/producer for WTTW working on Foods Of Chicago with Geoffrey Baer. It's a 100 minute documentary covering the breadth of Chicago's history in food. The highlights include Al Capone's involvement in the popularization of potato chips, the multi-ethnic origins of the Chicago hot-dog and even the surprisingly brief history of Devon Avenue.
I couldn't agree more with Protess's assessment of Chicago:
"I wanted this show to be a celebration of Chicago's cultural diversity, because I think that's what makes this such a terrific place to live. And I really couldn't think of a better window into Chicago's diverse communities than food," says writer/producer Dan Protess. "Our timing for this show could not have been better – it's airing at a time when the rest of the world is finally coming to realize what we Chicagoans have known all along: that this is a great place to eat."
So to add to the litany of national press that Chicago has been getting the cover of the current issue of Saveur has a nice slice of pizza and the issue is dedicated to Chicago. Where GQ focused mostly on our destination restaurants, the Saveur issue covers a wider range of foodie opportunities.
To highlight the issue's theme, the Chopping Block will be hosting an event on Wednesday the 10th at the Merch featuring Bruce Sherman from North Pond, Tim Graham from Tru, Randy Zweiban from Nacional 27, Gary Baca from Joe's Seafood, Izola's Fried Chicken and to cap it all off a "Build your own hotdog" with Hot Doug!
St. Supery Vinyards and Goose Island will provide beverages. The even goes from 6:30-8:30.
Tickets are $60 per person and available online or by phone at 312-644-6360.
Why wouldn't you want to get cursed at and deal with sweaty contestants... all while overcooking wellingtons. DONKEY!
Maybe Wednesday is your lucky day... The Illinois Institute of Art Culinary Arts on Wabash will be where you queue. Remember they do take personality into account.
The Illinois Institute of Art Chicago
Culinary Arts Campus
180 N Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL
Date: August 29, 2007
Time: 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m
USA Dine Out is a new dining-charity series. Share Our Strength is again working closely with their partner restaurants in Chicago and arund the counrty to offer great value with their great charity. The list of all their Chicago partner restaurants follow the jump.
For a limited time, some of the finest restaurants in your area are offering a special three-course prix fixe gourmet menu for just $25 at lunch and $35 at dinner.1 You'll also receive a complimentary bottle of S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water or Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water to enjoy with your meal. And for each S.Pellegrino™ Dine OutSM meal served during that time, S.Pellegrino™ will donate $1 to Share Our Strength®,2 a national nonprofit organization that is committed to building the first hunger-free generation of children in America.
Robert Mondavi Private Selection's Crush in the City tour is coming to the 50th anniversary of the Gold Coast Art Fair, voted the number one art festival in the United States by Sunshine Artist Magazine.
Ted Allen will be on-hand conducting on-site cooking demonstrations helping visitors sharpen their wine knowledge and entertaining skills. There is the step-by-step “Grape to Glass” guide illustrating how wine is made. See how Robert Mondavi revolutionized the wine landscape and brought worldwide recognition to U.S. winemaking.
Of course there's a wine tasting bar with the Robert Mondavi Private Selection portfolio that will help consumers recognize differences between varietals. Vinetta, a new five-varietal Bordeaux style blend will also be featured.
Gold Coast Art Fair
676 N LaSalle Street,
Chicago, IL
Saturday and Sunday, August 4-5
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Top Chef tonight has a quick fire challenge pairing food with cocktails. I hope this is a new trend. I think an evening at Sola a year ago turned me on to good unique cocktails with food. The Share Our Strength event a few weeks ago reinforced this with 30 mixologists, a word that might as well get used since I can't see myself, drunk, pouring my heart out to these folks. Leading the pack was Tony Abou-Ganim (pictured). He's the guy who has been touting the mojito and seems like he's getting his wish. It certainly is a hot drink.
The 30 were charged with creating drinks to go alongside dishes made by everyone from Avenue's Graham Bowles to Boka's Giuseppe Tentori. If you're out at a fine restaurant ask the waiter for a cocktail with dinner. I'd be curious as to what they recommend woth the fish or the chicken.
I'm including a reference to the Taste this year as last year. This year I may even attend – though I have no specific reason. It seems like more of a music event than a food event.
This year's map indicates that it's largely the same food as last year. Short of going down the list, restaurant by restaurant, I only notice Vermilion and Deleece as new options. I would guess there are others but amidst the local downtown beefereys like Ricobene's, Billy Goat, Buona, etc. I haven't caught anything else. Below is the complete list from the city website of what's being served since for example Buona is serving canollis and not beef, etc.
Granted the street food element is paramount but why would so many restaurants that are blocks from the Taste be the mainstay year after year? Let's get rotating pavillions of food not performers. The Mexican FOOD pavillion, the Greek Town FOOD pavillion... short of sushi in the heat there could be really neat annual changes instead of the same old stuff.
It reminds me of Milwaukee's Summerfest – Kenny Loggins every freakin' year. We need a main stage with some serious food.
What else could I think of on a beautifully cool 73 degree summer day. As a kid I remember going to Dairy Queen for the Peanut Buster Parfait. I remember them having a top that you could remove and then snap on to the bottom and it would become the base of the parfait container. Pretty genteel for a 3rd grader. It's been a loooong time since then and since then I've become lactose intolerant and moved pretty far from any DQ so when I heard that my non-lactose intolerant roommate had never had a Peanut Buster Parfait I said well you have to have one. We threw the dog in the car and drove about a mile north to Howard to find out that the DQ was closed. Thus the quest had begun.
Well finally something regarding the Taste that makes me go hmmm....
This Friday , June 29th at 11 a.m. Bill Dugan from The Fish Guy Market will be kicking off the 2007 Taste of Chicago by giving a tutorial on lobster cleaning and prepping for the allmighty lobster roll. Considering how hot it's been his other demo on ceviches should be refreshing.
Late notice for a Share Our Strength benefit this Monday. 100% of the ticket price goes to charity. Lots of talent donating time food and services including Graham Bowles, over 30 chefs, and 20 bartenders (take public trans) in an opportunity to honor Charlie Trotter.
The live auction sounds interesting. As does the 2 levels of food:
Green Gallery: Organic Cuisine and Wine
Global Gallery: World Cuisine and Cocktails
Grape Gallery: Blind Taste Challenge and Local Artisan Cheeses
Share Our Strength’s Sundeck: Alfresco Dining and Cold Gourmet Lagers
Silent Auction: One-of-a-kind packages to take home tonight!
Feaured Art Gallery Walk: Art for Sale with a Bubbly Toast!
Galleries will donate 10% of art purchased directly to the cause...
June 25, 2007 at 5:30PM to 9:00PM
River East Art Center
435 E. Illinois St.
Chicago. Il
To buy tickets go to: http://www.tasteofthenation.org/chicago_tickets
This is Caribou Coffee's 3rd annual Coolerfest. All customers visiting a local Caribou Coffee shop between 2 and 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 21 will receive a free 12-oz. Northern Lite Cooler drink in a choice of chocolate, vanilla or caramel.
Thursday June 21st
between 2pm and 3pm
We all have some favorites that have closed their doors.
listed as comments...
'Tis the season people... don't miss out on another opportunity to sample some awesome food and wine. Restaurants include: Michael, May Street Cafe, Avenues, NoMi, Ambria, and others. The worthy cause is the fight against vision loss by supporting The Foundation Fighting Blindness.
The organization was founded in 1971 raising over $266M to fund
leading-edge research in promising areas such as genetics,
transplantation, and pharmaceutical/nutritional therapies. It was
named one of Worth magazines 100 Best Charities in 2001.
www.fightblindness.org
Friday June 22nd from 6:30 to 10pm
The Peninsula Hotel 108 E. Superior
Tickets are $150 and available at 847-680-0100.
Another chance to get in on one of this year's benefit dinners. They have all been great and this event at MK seems like it will stay the course. Having an opulent dinner on "National Hunger Awareness Day" seems wrong but it's for charity and if it makes you think it's doing what it should.
This Wednesday June 6th MK and Epicurious.com are co-hosting a benefit dinner to raise money for America's Second Harvest and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Blue Water Grill and Nine Steakhouse are also contributing.
Continue reading ""National Hunger Awareness Day" Dinner at MK" »
A notice about this year's At the Table benefit supporting interships and scholarships for women in the field of culinary arts and management.
Last year's event was very tasty. I remember the miso black cod from Sola's Carole Wallack.
This year's looks good too with Susan Maddox (Le Titi de Paris) and Michelle Garica (Bleeding Heart Bakery) just to name two.
It's a multi-course dinner and paired with a wine tasting
Friday May 18th
6-10pm
Union League Club
65 W. Jackson
Tickets are $150 or $1300 per table of 10.
Order online at www.womenchefs.org
or call 877-927-7787 to order by phone
Gourmet Magazine is hosting their 4th annual Wine Cellar event to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. It sounds like a fairly informative evening with emphasis put on cooking demos and seminar style discussions. Chefs include Gourmet’s Sara Moulton, Grant Achatz, Rick Bayless, Homaru Cantu, Jason Paskewitz and many others.
Thursday May 17th 6-9pm
River East Art Center
435 East Illinois Street
Chicago, IL 60611
TICKETS: $100 per person
Available for purchase online
or 1-800-679-0397
This Thursday, the 26th, is Dining Out for Life night. A portion of the bill for any meal out – breakfast, lunch or dinner – at the participating restaurants will go to AidsCare. AidsCare assists Chicagoans with advances HIV/AIDS with housing, care and support services. Visit www.diningoutforlife.com or www.aidscarechicago.org for more info.
I have a BFA in studio art and during my college days, rarely since, I enjoyed experimental and avant garde art. My school had a great music department but since then I haven't had the same exposure. Then again I haven't looked around Chicago for it either. A recent benefit snuck it in under the guise of a performance of the Four Seasons of Futurists Cuisine narrated by Mario Batali with dinner following at Blackbird courtesy of Mario and Paul Kahan.
How could I not be chomping at the bit over this? Granted it is a food site but the music was terrific. It's hard to explain eighth blackbird as avant garde. They are pretty accessible and even thougth they're serious performers, they don't take themselves too seriously. You end up with a show that's fun to watch. They have a national following. I sat in the back of the trolley from the show to the restaurant and was surrounded by New Yorkers. That being said the band has a home in Evanston and they are scheduling a series in Millenium Park. Oh yeah and it's my first time at Blackbird.
Paul Kahan is one of the best chefs in Chicago and I've been waiting to check out Blackbird. I really like Avec but it's not quite the same thing. The funny thing is that I was at Babbo a few months ago and had a great meal. I sat down at 11pm and stayed until 2am. You can't do that in Chicago.
Continue reading "eighth blackbird and Mario Batali @ Blackbird" »
I'm interested in seeing the spectrum of everyone's favorite restaurants. No log in necessary, just leave a comment...
*I will preface this by saying that I'm not a huge beer guy so feel free to correct, amend and/or elaborate.
I was in Ireland a few years ago and really started to enjoy Smithwick's (pronounced Smithicks). Consumption of a few of those and a Guinness or several shouldn't be dependant on a holiday. I didn't see much Harp while over there either. Go figure.
Smithwick's is Ireland's oldest beer. It's a red ale that had been brewed in Kilkenny at a brewery owned by John Smithwick from 1710.
Word is that our email newsletter will be a go in the very near future. If you have already requested it - you're on the list (happily- it's a long list!). If you want in - now's your chance to get in right at the beginning.
Nationally-recognized Chicago music ensemble eighth blackbird is hosting a benefit Thursday March 8th with guest Mario Batali to raise money for a concert series at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park.
Mario will be narrating the performance of The Four Seasons of Futurist Cuisine and then serving up a 5 course meal inspired by the performance with Paul Kahan of (appropriately named) Blackbird. If the meal is anything like this group seems to be it should be a very special evening.
I found a brief excerpt of The Four Seasons of Futurist Cuisine to reference and it only makes me more curious. Tickets are $300 per person or $500 per couple. Considering the entertainment value of both dinner and a performance, the fact that it's a benefit is almost immaterial.
The March 8th performance starts at 5:30 at the FLATFILE galleries. Drinks and dinner follow at 6:30. A trolley from the gallery to Blackbird will be provided.
Tickets are available at the website or by email at kap@eighthblackbird.com
Call 847.421.5257 for more information.
These past two weeks have been a gastric-dream. It definitely would mark the end of my New Year's Resolution had it anything to do with diet. Between December and January I have indulged in enough meals to go toe-to-toe with the fromager at Cityzen in D.C. who apparently toured Chicago's acclaimed restaurants- from Alinea to Trotter's to Tru in about 3 days. What's funny is that some real special flavors, at least as far as I can tell in Chicago, live in the smaller out of the way places where, on that budget, you could eat for months instead of one night. That is where you want to be. That takes some work beyond reading Gourmet's top whatever lists...
But what makes any gourmet (Gourmet or otherwise) food tour interesting is that there becomes a context that's 90% of the time otherwise missing. That's why Alinea really bothered me and I wasn't sure why. It was out of context or I was out of context. It wasn't the price and it wasn't that I was full or not full. But after several wonderful meals out I think I am beginning to understand Alinea and what makes it so special.
On Saturday night, February 10th, The French Pastry School at City Colleges of Chicago presents the second annual For the Love of Chocolate benefit. The event will be held at Chicago’s historic South Shore Cultural Center to help inner city high school students with the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP),
"a national nonprofit which prepares at-risk public high school students for college and careers in the hospitality industry. Managing the largest independent culinary scholarship program in the United States, C-CAP has awarded 1,850 scholarships, valued at over $17.8 million, changing the way many underserved high school students see their future and making a difference between a job and a career for more than 100,000 students. All the proceeds raised from the event will enable C-CAP to continue offering scholarships and programs."
A worthy cause and a worthy excuse to blow those resolutions. Tickets are $125 at the door or $95 in advance. You can purchase tickets on the web here. Or through the fortheloveofchocolate.org website.
Morris and I were fortunate enough to watch the ball drop this year while being treated to a multi-course food and wine symphony conducted by Chef Grant. We even got a few special treats not on the menu.
Of course the service was impeccable and the attention to detail exceeded all expectations.
However – for me – the highlight of the evening was a new / experimental dish being “test fired”… on us.
Champagne, at least to me, is the easiest of wines to grasp. I glaze over when I start to think of all the different reds and whites. Sparklers are easy to keep track of - especially restricting yourself to a single region. Here are a few choices for all tomorrow's parties.
First and foremost get a larger bottle before 2 or more bottles. Champagne in magnums or larger drink better. They sometimes even cost the same and that big-ass bottle is no joke.
Under $20 - It's fairly common to find and always worth the money, Joseph Perrier's yellow label is the $20 yardstick that you can measure against. They're priced just higher this year so if you're getting a couple, I'd combine it with the Bernard Massard or the Albrecht Lebrun. Those are both in the $15 range but they're not from the region. Trader Joe's has a Jean Maire that's $18.99 but I didn't enjoy it.
$20-$30 - Drappier has several different labels so ask your purveyor. They're all very good. I'm not a big fan of the Brice bottles. Mumm's Cordon Rouge is a solid bet and often available at the grocery store!
$30-$40 - Cliquot is the most drunk Champagne in the states. If you're looking to get some recognition this may be the best bet. Bollinger is not to be confused with Beringer. It's my favorite. Palliard's brut is great and very toasty. You get a few options for Rosés and Demi's at this price range but the Billecart Rosé is over $40 and their Brut is one of the best bottles you can find.
If I had more money I'd have a Champagne problem My friends tell me of the actor who played J.R. on Dallas and his Champagne problems. I think they're making fun of the fact that I actually really do love Champagne. I love the taste of a bottle of Bollinger - from the first glass to the last. It's a great wine that you can actually appreciate as you drink the whole bottle.
It's not New Year's that has me excited and thinking about bubbly. It's the Binny's Champagne tasting tomorrow night. If it's anything like I remember it I'm in for a real treat. A few years back the mob, and it IS a mob (it sells out every year), was congregating around the Cristals and the Doms leaving me a B-line for the Henri Giraud but that might have been at the Sam's tasting. But Giraud is my favorite Champagne of them all. Better than the R.D. Bollingers, better than any Salon or Krug.
Sabri was not only my favorite restaurant on Devon, it was one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It's one of the few places that I posted about more than once and used unfairly as a yardstick to compare other restaurants against. Their nehari was spectacular. Their chicken makhani would be my last meal on earth. Usmania is across the street and down a block or two but it's a different restaurant.
I came back from the holiday to the terrible news that Sabri burned down. A fire stretching from Campbell to Maplewood closed many businesses in addition to Sabri.
This Wednesday, tomorrow, Chris Kimball will be at Borders on Michigan Ave. Chris Kimball is the bow-tie-wearing founder and editor of Cook's Illustrated. If any magazine could lack pretention and ooze it simultaneously it would be Cook's Illustrated.
This reminds me to renew my subscription.
Wednesday October 4th 7pm
Border's Books and Music
830 N. Michigan Avenue
312-573-0564
This Saturday, at
Provenance Food & Wine, tast Australian wines and meet winemaker Sergio Carlei from Carlei Estates/Turner's Crossing Wines in a casual, open-house fashion. Talk with Sergio about his winemaking philosophy while tasting some wonderful Australian wines.
This event is free.
Provenance Food & Wine
2528 N. California Avenue
Local artist Eulalio Fabie de Sliva seemed to capture my late night taco/burrito jones in a picture. See more of his work at his online gallery.
Here's a link to the Trib's MAP OF TASTE.
Almost everyone in Chicago either watches,
has heard of, or has dined at one of the many restaurants featured on
the PBS program “Check, Please!” As a fan of the show, I jumped at the
chance to attend the annual “Check, Please!” fundraising benefit at the
WTTW studios. The benefit featured 30 different low to mid-end
restaurants located in the city and surrounding suburbs, as well as
local entertainment, raffle prizes (like a spot on the show) and silent
auction. The event was great and I thought a real treat that it was
held at the studio so that you could wine and dine within the sound
stages where “Check, Please!” and other PBS shows are filmed.
The evening started off in the VIP lounge where 10 restaurants tempted guests with signature cocktails and Jazz vocals by Kurt Elling. Some of the more unique concoctions worth mentioning all fall within the martini category and include an organic lemon and ginger infused martini by uncommon ground, the “Spring Fling” Absolute Kurant, lemon-grass green tea and cranberry juice martini by the Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club. And then my favorite, presented by The Dining Room at Kendall College, an Asian inspired martini with cucumber puree and Yuzu syrup and soy Vodka with an Edemame and pickled ginger garnish.
Check, Please is holding it's annual fundraiser. All proceeds go to the program. I'm not sure if that means tickets are a write-off or not but the event should be great and public television deserves the support.
Taste of Check, Please! celebrates its 3rd annual event on Friday, May 19, 2006. Join Master Sommelier Alpana Singh and 30 diverse restaurants all in one location. Come sample new restaurants, enjoy great music performed by Grammy nominee Angel Melendez y Su Orquestra and Tracy Ross from the Kit Kat Lounge, win prizes, and much more!
•VIP tickets are sold out but there are event tickets $175/$150 still available at WTTW.com
Restaurants included and directions:
Continue reading "Taste of Check, Please! Tonight... Friday May 19th" »
So a big thing in the UK is fish and chips... that means breaded and fried cod, haddock or plaice or if you're branching out fish could include salmon, skate, halibut... chips means fries. They come with lemon, malt vinegar and you can order pickled items or mushy peas.
We had good, OK and downright ugly fish and chips in and around London. In Covent Garden is a good spot, Rock and Sole Plaice. It held up as the best of the lot. The fish, haddock, was crisply fried, the skin flavorful and the fillet thoroughly boneless. The dill tartar sauce was creamy and went well with both the fish and the traditional wedge-cut chips. The mushy peas were bland and the beer was Turkish if I recall... go figure. It's one of the few legit take-away fish and chip spots and the best of the lot, not to mention that Covent Garden seemed to be the most conducive neighborhood to wandering around.
The new book, All the Tea in Chicago, is a handy directory for local tea lovers. It seems to be pretty thorough and if you're big on tea author Susan Blumberg has done a considerable amount of research to find the spots to hit for a spot of tea. I'll have a cup in the UK for you this weekend.
Susan Blumberg will be signing copies at Argo Tea at 16 West Randolph, from 3-5 p.m.
on Sunday the 30th
All the Tea in Chicago is on sale for $9.99.
or order it at the website for $12.99 (shipping included)
Pastry Chicago is dedicated to invigorating interest and thought about, what else, pastry. This weekend at Robert Morris is a Wedding Cake competition. If only I was in town I would be there with a camera. There's definitely going to be some prettty stuff.
If you know anyone getting married it could have practical purposes as well.
Student Wedding Cake Competition
Saturday, April 29, 2006, 10am - 3pm
Robert Morris College
http://www.robertmorris.edu/chicago/directions/index.html
401 S. State Street, 8th Floor
Chicago, IL 60605
I am about to hightail it to the UK for a brief vacation or as they say across the pond... holiday. It makes me wish that I was more keen on pursuing one of my goals for Chicagofoodies.com... A particular issue I take with food critics is that while I appreciate the investigation and eloquence I wouldn't assume that one palate fits all. The original concept of Chicago Foodies was (and still is) to create a variety of opinion, impression and taste.
As you can tell I gravitate to northside restaurants and tend to save a buck. I also make no bones about mentioning/focusing on the Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park areas - see Andersonwater Park in the margin-menu.
Here's the bottom line. I wasn't shopping it around until now. Chicago Foodies is looking for 4 guest writers. All it means is one posting a month minimum. Nothing more than one "I have this awesome restaurant" or "I had this awesome experience" or "I would really like to eat more" or "?"
The site for better or worse is attracting lots of visitors and that means community. There are other great sites out there like eatchicago.net and lthforum.com and chowhound.com, etc. but they're all a bit different.
If you feel you have something to say on a regular basis, that's more than a passing comment, or you think there is attention needed somewhere specific (like the south side?!) click here (or on the contribute link in the margin) and let me know that you're good to go. I can set you up ASAP.
I can't eat everything, even though I want to.
Thanks for reading.
A reminder for what promises to be a fabulous 5-course dinner with wine pairings from an all-star national team of women chefs and sommeliers... $150 goes to scholarships and internships.
On Thursday April 6th is "At the Table Chicago: Toasting Women Chefs & Restaurateurs."
It's part of a national event series to raise money in support of the education and advancement of women in culinary fields. Gale Gand of Tru will serve as honorary chair for the event, which will showcase the culinary talents of nationally and locally renowned women chefs and restaurateurs as a one-of-a-kind five course dining experience for Chicago-area food lovers.
The event will be held Thursday, April 6, 2006 at Union League
Club of Chicago.
Tickets can be purchased online for $150 per or $1000
per table at www.womenchefs.org
This St. Patrick's day order a "Half and Half."
Do yourself a favor this year on St. Patrick's Day. If you're wearing a "Kiss me..." shirt, well... O.K. but when you go to order your half Guinness and half lager/ale call it what it is... a "half and half," not a "Black and Tan." Then do everyone else a favor and explain why...
I was at a Guinness tasting last night and was surprised at their hyping the Black and Tan. I was in Ireland a couple of years ago and was repremanded repeatedly by Irish gents telling me emphatically, and in earnest, that a Black and Tan is "a dirty word" or "never order a black and tan from an Irishman." I asked the Guinness-shirt-wearing-folk the deal and got a big "I dunno..." The promoter eventually explained that the Black and Tans were British prisoners who were pressed into fighting against the Irish... which is not exactly true. With some digging I got the scoop...
Continue reading ""Never Order a 'Black and Tan' from an Irishman."" »
Congrats to the Chicago nominees for the 2006 James Beard awards. Check out the James Beard Foundation website for general info. It's like the Oscars for the food industry except the industry actually cares.
OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT:
Everest & Spiaggia
That's 2 restaurants in Chicago!
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Alinea
RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR
Graham Elliot Bowles, Avenues
OUTSTANDING SERVICE
Tru
BEST CHEF MIDWEST
Carie Nahabedian, Naha & Shawn McClain, Spring
BOOK AWARD: FOOD OF THE AMERICAS
Mexican Everyday, Rick and Deann Groen Bayless
TELEVISION SHOW, NATIONAL
The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter
RADIO SHOW
The Hidden Kitchens Project, WBEZ Chicago Davia Nelson, Nikki Silva, Jay Allison
After a really neat small theatre production called Baker & Huff performed in a bar (8pm at the Town Hall Pub 3340 N. Halsted running through April 8th- $10 well spent - Box Office 773-345-0726). We headed north on Halsted to X/O (3441 N. Halsted) hoping for a good bite. I'll admit 11:30pm rolls around and Taco Bell gets more and more appealing.
X/O has an abbreviated menu after 11pm. In the interest of keeping it simple we ordered two dishes and following up beers at the pub, we were sticking with water. The place is pretty trendy and the crowd was dressed for Saturday night in Boys Town.
We were seated right away and our waiter was very helpful making suggestions. We ordered the braised oxtail and the scallops. They arrived and were pretty and very tasty.
OK... I have been on a quest for langostino. It's come up several times in the past few weeks. A tv show about Iceland had a bit about them as a local delicacy (though not sure exactly what they were). The proprietor/chef at the Richmond Inn likes to use them and I had a plate of them a few weeks back at Las Islas Marias on Clark north of Devon. So I did some looking around.
It turns out last week that a restaurant, Rubios, in California which was serving langostino instead of lobster in their "lobster burrito" has been allowed to – the courts said it was OK to call it that since it tastes the same...?! Needless to say spellcheck doesn't recognize it either.
And funny how my guilty pleasure - Long John Silver's just started serving lobster bites with Langostino. Red Lobster uses it in their lobster bisque... See what happens when you start digging? It's like the Truman Show. My life revolves around a crustacean of some sort. Even though it's not shrimp, and not lobster either... at least not really.
I started calling fish markets, super markets, and eventually got several "Yeah we have that" answers prices varying from $32/lb to 2lbs for $15. So my escapade for seafood oddity began.
At the suggestion of Marcia, a reader, this is a post of recollections and restaurant nostalgia. If you had that great date place or daily cafe that's long gone then click on comments and let everyone know.
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Right across the street from Ghiradelli's is now The Hershey's Store. I didn't know what to expect when I took a look inside but boy was I disappointed.
I don't have kids though the promise of chocolate is an obsessive diversion for most people. A little girl was the center of attention in the small store as she was urged to shout "I love chocolate!" Upon doing so she was rewarded with a loud rumbling and several fistfulls of candies were sent spinning down an apparatus and into a bucket which was sealed and sold to the little girl's mom.
