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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Flour & Stone pizzas lose something in the translation
The website of the Chicago pizza joint Flour & Stone features the phrase “made with love in the Windy City.” I’m pretty sure love doesn’t have a flavor, and even if it did, I’m guessing it would taste nothing like the experience at Flour & …Read More
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Side Dishes 04.26.13
Flour & Stone isn’t the only thin crust pizza game in town. Here are some other great Chicago thin crust pies: RENO, 2607 N. Milwaukee; (773) 697-4234; www.renochicago.com Vibe: Brick and rough woods, with tables built of knotty lumber and industrial black metal, this spot …Read More
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Mom’s cooking up a storm in the kitchen at Rickshaw Republic
One of the bigger restaurant myths is that the recipes are from Mom or that Mom’s in the kitchen. What the chef (usually) really means when they say the recipes were adapted from mom is, “Mom’s meatballs were desiccated golf balls. I went to culinary …Read More
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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 …Read More
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: …
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 …Read More
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 …
The Big Deals 04.05.13
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. Royal treat The Monarch, 1745 W. North. Food and drink items on Chef Andrew Brochu’s revamped brunch, available 10:30 a.m. to …
The Big Deals 03.29.13
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. Small change French Quarter New Orleans Kitchen, 44 Yorktown Center, Lombard. Half-priced select small plates, available 4-7 p.m. daily in the …Read More





