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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Basil’s Kitchen reliable fare worth a try

Growing up in the shadow of O’Hare International Airport has shaped the tiny but shrewd neighboring village of Rosemont. Over the years the suburb has put out the welcome mat for national hotel chains that have greeted countless business travelers and vacationers to the Midwest. …

The Big Deals 05.03.13

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. New menu items Cafe Marbella Tapas, 5527 N. Milwaukee. Chef/owner Virgilio Trujillo’s new bites include lobster confit ($13.95), bouillabaisse ($5.95) and …

  • Plenty for the palate to discover at Found

    Found Kitchen and Social House, a big hit on Evanston’s central dining-out scene since its opening in November, offers strong testimony to the power of a creative contemporary American menu and eco-friendly farm-to-table operating philosophy. Its seasonally changing, mostly regionally sourced organic fare is the …Read More

    • The Big Deals 04.26.13

    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. ‘Big Fish’ bytes Magnolia Bakery, 108 N. State. Applause for the bakery’s “Big Fish (vanilla or chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream …

  • SIDE DISHes

    Rickshaw Republic specializes in Indonesian street food. Here are some other great street food dishes served in Chicago restaurants: THE PARTHENON, 314 S. Halsted; (312) 726-2407; www.theparthenon.com Vibe: Bryll-creamed, Greek-god like waiters scream Opa over platters of fried cheese amid lots of rich wainscoting. Flavor: …Read More

    • Ahjoomah’s Apron long on hospitality, top-notch eats

    Trying Korean cuisine for the first time is like reading Kafka as a middle-school student — disorienting and unfamiliar. Usually sandwiched in strip malls, often next to karaoke bars with signs written in what look like hieroglyphics, Korean restaurants often feel like secret clubs. And …

    Side Dishes 04.12.13

    After a visit or two to Ahjoomah’s Apron, you’ll be a Korean expert, ready to forge into the wider Korean offerings of Chicago. Here’s where you should go: HAE WOON DAE, 6240 N. California; (773) 764-8018 Vibe: Features private shoji screen-divided grill rooms, and “Brady …

    The Big Deals 04.19.13

    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. South of the border Burger Boss, 7512 W. North. Elmwood Park. The Cuban Boss burger (smoked ham, Angus beef and Swiss …

    Bub City, Melmans’ lastest eatery, a so-so entry in city’s hot BBQ scene

    If I were concierge in the Loop advising tourists where to find a faux-country setpiece with franchise-level fried grub and fantastic cocktails within a short walk, Bub City, the new restaurant from Rich Melman scions Molly, RJ and Jerrod Melman (Hub 51, Paris Club, RPM …

    Out-of-the-way restaurant is a good find

    NEAR Restaurant, tucked in Barrington Commons, is a little hard to find, but find it you must to experience chef-owner Gaetano Nardulli’s creative take on Italian cooking. The 42-seat restaurant, open since August 2011, offers food lovers a memorable dining experience. Nardulli trained in the …

    The Big Deals 04.12.13

    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. Wine time Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, 2024 N. Halsted. A Bodega spring wine tasting, featuring more than 25 samples and passed tapas that …

    SIDE DISHES 03.22.13

    Bub City serves up some pretty cool cocktail fare. Here are three other restaurants serving drinks that are worthy of your sipping time: BILLY SUNDAY, 3143 W. Logan; (773) 661-2485;  www.billy-sunday.com Vibe: Named after the brimstone-slinging prohibitionist preacher, this spot outfitted with old photographs, spindle-back …

    Rosemont’s Hofbrauhaus is like a German theme park with good food

    The original Hofbrauhaus beer hall founded in Munich in 1589 was a hangout for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Vladimir Lenin. The new Hofbrauhaus in Rosemont, sister restaurant to the original, feels more like a German theme park with good food. At times, the Hofbrauhaus also …

    Unpretentious Asahi has some surprises in store

    Sushi has had a following in Asia for some 1,800 years, even though Americans first “discovered” it during the 1970s when Japanese restaurants specializing in the cuisine started to take root in this country. Though the concept of eating raw fish wasn’t part of our …

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