Amelia's adds another Mexican jewel to city eateries

I am stating for the record that Chicago is leaps and bounds ahead of any other city when it comes to Mexican food -- from basic storefront taco and burrito joints to the high-end hoopla of places like Salpicon and Topolobampo.

Viand a great deal to be had on Boul Mich

There are a few things about Viand that make sense, especially this time of year.

Change is good on creative Inovasi menu

Innovation is definitely the name of the game at Inovasi, the finely tuned restaurant specializing in contemporary American food that chef John des Rosiers opened last May in Lake Bluff.

PatPourri

After close to 90 years (the original opened in the Loop on Wabash in 1920), the Blackhawk name, as it pertains to dining, that is, will be no more. Don Roth's Blackhawk in Wheeling (61 N. Milwaukee), which opened in 1969, will be serving dinner to its last customers on New Year's Eve. For the remainder of November, you can enjoy a prime rib dinner for $19.69. Regular lunch and dinner hours will continue through December. Call (847) 537-5800; www.donroths.com.

Party hearty on 'Black Wednesday'

There's no place like home for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving, right?

Trattoria Trullo pays homage to Italy's Puglia region

Anote on the front page of the menu at Trattoria Trullo in Lincoln Square on Chicago's North Side reads, "From Alberobello, Italy, to the heart of Lincoln Square." Alberobello is a small town and commune in the province of Bari in Puglia, Italy, and it is known for its small, conical limestone houses called trulli (a facade re-creation of those trulli are in evidence in the dining room of the restaurant). It is reasonably safe to assume that owner Giovanni DeNigris hails from Alberobello, and that along with the restaurant's name and some of the dishes, pays homage to his roots.

Hot stuff: Cold-weather soups and sips in the city
As the temperatures drop, Chicagoans complain that despite piling on layer after layer of clothing, staying warm is an almost impossible affair. But there's a silver lining to the seasonal slump: Restaurants and bars have begun serving warming soups, stews and beverages that'll make you feel cozy inside and out.

Readers sound off on XOXO

Queries, comments and criticism from foodies, friends and dining fans.

Patpourri

Regarding the wine list at Trattoria Trullo. One side of the wine menu lists Puglian wines from the land of the "trullo," and it offers some very interesting choices (notwithstanding that the by-the-glass prices are at a sensible $7 up and down the list). Gravina Botromagno is a traditional Puglian white and goes for a reasonable $26 a bottle. Pair it up with the grigliata mista appetizer and on through the orecchiette with rapini and you will be in good company.

You want fries with that rap?
Late last month four teens were cited for disorderly conduct in American Fork, Utah, after repeatedly (and, some would argue, hilariously) rapping their order at a McDonald's drive-through. "There've been quite a few media outlets that have tried to make it about the rapping," says American Fork police Sgt. Gregg Ludlow, "but that's not the case. It was the fact that they pulled in, they interrupted the business, they were swearing at the employees ... and just causing public annoyance or alarm," he alleges.

Chicago's best restaurants
Chicago has more "Five Diamond"-rated restaurants than any other city -- seven -- in AAA's new ratings. These are the top restaurants. The city also boats two Five Diamond hotels: The Four Seasons and the Peninsula.

Pelago Ristorante a fresh addition to Italian dining
Pat Bruno: There’s a new Italian in town, and it goes by the name of Pelago Ristorante. Appended to the Raffaello Hotel on East Delaware Place, this restaurant offers much to love. If you are of a mind to try new restaurants, I would highly recommend that you snag a reservation as soon as possible.

Pelago Ristorante's fresh new fare
Restaurant critic Pat Bruno gives 3½ stars to the new Pelago Ristorante. Here's a look at some of the tasty dishes:

Hook, line and sinker: Seafood the lure at Catch 35

I had not been to Catch 35 in quite some time, and when a friend mentioned he had eaten there recently and enjoyed it a lot, I figured it was time to take another look.

Get your fill of Peruvian cuisine at Rosa De Lima

You have to love the culinary diversity of our fair city. On North Western Avenue, just off Armitage, Rosa De Lima is serving Peruvian food. The restaurant is kind of quiet at lunch, but it picks up steam in the evening and gets rolling pretty good on the weekend.

Nozumi Japanese not a wish come true yet

With a name whose literal translation means "a wish fulfilled," Nozumi Japanese Cuisine has its work cut out. But so far, this recently opened upscale restaurant in the Arboretum of South Barrington shopping complex seems headed in the right direction.

Patpourri

The wine list at Catch 35, considering that the restaurant is mostly about seafood, leans too heavily into reds. In fact, there are as many red wine choices as there are white wines.

Critic looks at 25 years of eating out in Chicago
Pat Bruno: I am not sure I can lay claim to being the longest-running (and still standing) restaurant critic in this country, but 25 years on the culinary front without being felled by a stray oyster is quite a feat, I say. No way did I anticipate doing this job for so long, but my passionate connection with food just kept on being passionate.

Saluting Chicago's culinary A-Team

There are many hands that took part in laying the foundation on which Chicago's fine restaurants stand. Foodies will recognize many of the names that follow. The names that you won't see are those who work behind the scenes -- sous chefs, chefs de cuisine, line cooks, pastry chefs, prep cooks -- men and women we never hear about until they emerge from the shadow of their mentors and strike out on their own.

Readers, too, have had their say for years

Bruno, we love ya. Bruno are you nuts? Over the years, thousands of letters and e-mails -- many complimenting me on my good taste, others suggesting I have the tastebuds of an ant-eater -- have appeared in this space. I managed to digest them all with relish (and a little ketchup on the side). Here are a few of my all-time favorites:

545 North has a number of good things going on

Without question, Libertyville is a restaurant town. Milwaukee Avenue, its main drag, is endowed with both neighborhood haunts and destination restaurants, some a cross between the two.