Where to Find Great Comfort Food in the Windy City By Bob & Sue In addition to three of our favorite fine dining restaurants in Chicago—Grace, Alinea and 16 at the Trump—we enjoyed several first time places for memorable comfort food: Credit: Huge Galdones Momotaro This large Japanese restaurant offers delicious sushi and high-quality small… Read More →
Central Asian Comfort Food in Chicago You’ve probably heard me say that you can understand the history of a country and its people by looking at its food. No where is this more true than the countries of Central Asia, where the Silk Road impacted all parts of culture. Dive into the meat-centric culinary traditions of… Read More →
Why Everyone Loves Au Cheval By Bob & Sue The best hamburger in Chicago? In the United States? That is what the Food Network claims. Three patties seared at 500 degrees with cheddar cheese, bacon belly, egg, kosher pickles and a dijonaise sauce. Millenials, hipsters and baby boomers all love this funky, fun place with… Read More →
The Future of Restaurant Reservations Chicago restaurateur Nick Kokonas co-owns Alinea, Next and The Aviary with chef Grant Achatz. After recognizing the downfalls of traditional restaurant reservations, Kokonas set out to transform the industry with his ticketing system Tock. Similar to buying tickets for a concert or sporting event, Tock creates a transparent and seamless booking… Read More →
A Trip Back in Time By Bob & Sue Founded in 1898 in downtown Chicago by a German-born brewmaster, the iconic Berghoff restaurant still serves traditional food in an old world setting. Free corned beef sandwiches were originally offered as a way of selling beer. The restaurat has evolved under fourth generation family ownership into… Read More →
Edward Kim on Where to Eat & Drink in Chicago After graduating from culinary school, chef Edward Kim worked in kitchens in Los Angeles, Seoul and New York City—most notably under Thomas Keller at Per Se—before returning to his native Chicago to open Ruxbin in Wicker Park. After the wild success of his globally-influenced 32-seat neighborhood BYOB,… Read More →
Congratulations JBF Award Winners! As always, I had a fantastic time at the annual James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious awards ceremony honoring professionals in the food and beverage biz. I’m so proud to be a part of this amazing organization that works hard on education, agriculture issues, food insecurity and hunger relief. You… Read More →
An Impressive Debut After working in some of Chicago’s most prestigious kitchens—Charlie Trotter’s, Alinea and Schwa—chef Jake Bickelhaupt started an underground supper club, or “guestaurant,” called Sous Rising. With his wife Alexa Welsh, Bickelhaupt hosted Michelin-quality meals with a casual, dinner party feel in their Chicago apartment for nearly two years. In early 2014, Bickelhaupt and Welsh opened… Read More →
From the culinary adventures of Bob & Sue By Bob & Sue We enjoyed three spectacular dinners and several memorable lunches from the best of Chicago: Grace Both the Fauna and Flora tasting menus included a number of dazzling presentations from a highly-trained kitchen staff. Among the highlights were Alaskan king crab in cucumber juice with… Read More →
The Second City Chicago’s food scene is dynamic. There is a willingness from chefs and diners alike to experiment with food, which means every time I visit something new and exciting is happening. From classic Chicago deep-dish pizza joints to once-in-a-lifetime culinary experiences, Chicago holds strong as one of America’s most diverse and fascinating food… Read More →
Reinvented Diner Food This gastropub in Chicago’s restaurant-centric West Loop draws crowds for their playful interpretations of classic dishes. Restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff (also behind the city’s Gilt Bar, Dillman’s and Maude’s Liquor Bar) daydreamed about opening a place with the feel of a greasy spoon. In 2012, he made that dream a reality with Au… Read More →
Perfect Peking Duck By Bob & Sue In between our memorable meals at Alinea and Grace, we enjoyed Sun Wah’s perfectly prepared Peking duck with soft buns. This informal north side neighborhood restaurant attracts large crowds of appreciative diners who also enjoy the delicious egg rolls, barbecued pork, and Singapore style rice noodles. Contact 5039 N Broadway Chicago, IL… Read More →
Duffy’s Understated Elegance As restaurants are trending towards casual menus and rustic decor, Curtis Duffy is running boldly in the other direction, reviving fine dining with his first solo project Grace. Duffy, who was chef de cuisine at Alinea before receiving 2 Michelin stars for his work at Avenues, uses seasonal ingredients and modern techniques… Read More →
Duffy’s Understated Elegance As restaurants are trending towards casual menus and rustic decor, Curtis Duffy is running boldly in the other direction, reviving fine dining with his first solo project Grace. Duffy, who was chef de cuisine at Alinea before receiving 2 Michelin stars for his work at Avenues, uses seasonal ingredients and modern techniques… Read More →
Consistently Creative American Fare This contemporary American bistro in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood has become a staple in the city’s booming restaurant scene. Chef Chris Pandel’s adventurous plates and relentless attention to detail packs the boisterous dining room with loyal fans every night (a focus on local ingredients, a knowledgable waitstaff and a serious cocktail program… Read More →
Consistently Creative American Fare This contemporary American bistro in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood has become a staple in the city’s booming restaurant scene. Chef Chris Pandel’s adventurous plates and relentless attention to detail packs the boisterous dining room with loyal fans every night (a focus on local ingredients, a knowledgable waitstaff and a serious cocktail program… Read More →
She’s Got Your Goat Located in the heart of the West Loop restaurant corridor, Girl & the Goat is one of Chicago’s most popular eateries, and for good reason. Chef/owner Stephanie Izard, the energetic always-smiling winner of Top Chef season 4, is taking an iconic alternative protein and putting at the top of her menu, with… Read More →
She’s Got Your Goat Located in the heart of the West Loop restaurant corridor, Girl & the Goat is one of Chicago’s most popular eateries, and for good reason. Chef/owner Stephanie Izard, the energetic always-smiling winner of Top Chef season 4, is taking an iconic alternative protein and putting at the top of her menu, with… Read More →
Devoted to the Art of Preservation One of Chicago’s most celebrated chefs, Paul Virant has been pickling and preserving produce at his award-winning restaurant Vie since 2004, expanding the program to his second restaurant, Perennial Virant, when he took the reigns in 2011. In his new cookbook, The Preservation Kitchen, Paul shares his wisdom and… Read More →
Devoted to the Art of Preservation One of Chicago’s most celebrated chefs, Paul Virant has been pickling and preserving produce at his award-winning restaurant Vie since 2004, expanding the program to his second restaurant, Perennial Virant, when he took the reigns in 2011. In his new cookbook, The Preservation Kitchen, Paul shares his wisdom and… Read More →
Savoring the Seasons Located just outside of Chicago in Western Springs, chef Paul Virant’s celebrated Vie restaurant is a great choice for solid farm-to-table cooking. Virant, a preservation expert with an everything-made-in-house philosophy, is known for preserving and pickling produce at its peak and incorporating those bright seasonal flavors into almost every dish. The cuisine… Read More →
Savoring the Seasons Located just outside of Chicago in Western Springs, chef Paul Virant’s celebrated Vie restaurant is a great choice for solid farm-to-table cooking. Virant, a preservation expert with an everything-made-in-house philosophy, is known for preserving and pickling produce at its peak and incorporating those bright seasonal flavors into almost every dish. The cuisine… Read More →
Chicago’s Culinary Rockstar Paul Kahan was ahead of the farm-to-table curve when he opened Blackbird in the West Loop, he brought the city communal tables and small plates with Avec, a pig-lovin’ gastropub with the Publican, followed by Big Star taco bar in Wicker Park and now the artisanal butcher shop Publican Quality Meats. The serial restaurateur… Read More →
Chicago’s Culinary Rockstar Paul Kahan was ahead of the farm-to-table curve when he opened Blackbird in the West Loop, he brought the city communal tables and small plates with Avec, a pig-lovin’ gastropub with the Publican, followed by Big Star taco bar in Wicker Park and now the artisanal butcher shop Publican Quality Meats. The serial restaurateur… Read More →
Good Pairings Check out the new Appetite for Life Good Pairings! This is my fourth season hosting the original online series and this time I travel from the Twin Cities to the Windy City to the West Coast looking for the most innovative, food-forward cuisine I can find. I’m seeking out innovators, chefs and farms that… Read More →
Good Pairings Check out the new Appetite for Life Good Pairings! This is my fourth season hosting the original online series and this time I travel from the Twin Cities to the Windy City to the West Coast looking for the most innovative, food-forward cuisine I can find. I’m seeking out innovators, chefs and farms that… Read More →
Paying Tribute to Pork From modernist fine-dining to a beer-focused gastropub and a tequila-buzzed taqueria, chef Paul Kahan’s multifaceted restaurant empire is a driving force behind Chicago’s booming food scene. The Publican, Kahan’s more casual beer hall-style eatery, serves craveable farmhouse fare with a pig and seafood-studded menu that reads like a ode to American… Read More →
Paying Tribute to Pork From modernist fine-dining to a beer-focused gastropub and a tequila-buzzed taqueria, chef Paul Kahan’s multifaceted restaurant empire is a driving force behind Chicago’s booming food scene. The Publican, Kahan’s more casual beer hall-style eatery, serves craveable farmhouse fare with a pig and seafood-studded menu that reads like a ode to American… Read More →
A Modern Approach to Rusticity Located in an old print shop in Chicago’s restaurant-centric Fulton Market neighborhood, Sepia effortlessly blends vintage, rustic details with modern design. Michelin-starred and James Beard-nominated chef Andrew Zimmerman (not to be confused with yours truly) has developed a fantastic menu since he took over the kitchen in 2009, often breathing… Read More →
A Modern Approach to Rusticity Located in an old print shop in Chicago’s restaurant-centric Fulton Market neighborhood, Sepia effortlessly blends vintage, rustic details with modern design. Michelin-starred and James Beard-nominated chef Andrew Zimmerman (not to be confused with yours truly) has developed a fantastic menu since he took over the kitchen in 2009, often breathing… Read More →
