For those of you looking for something special to grill up this weekend, we have a few suggestions that may take your humble grilling game to the next level.
Head over to Butcher & Larder, 1026 N. Milwaukee Ave., at 10am tomorrow to get in line for their latest Kuma's Corner collaboration. This time around, the Mastodon is taking on its sausage form: BBQ sauce, cheddar, bacon and frizzled onions in a beef and pork blend. Their previous collaborations were big hits so be sure to get there early. Proceeds are going to a worthy cause.
Publican Quality Meats, 825 W. Fulton Market, is running a few specials, but plan ahead as they will be closed on Monday. "The patriot" will get you four burgers, four Toulous sauages for $20 and flat iron steak and flap steak are $13.50/lbs with PQM marinade. Check their facebook page for more specials.
Or if you're too lazy to stand over those hot coals, head over The Southern, 1840 W. North Ave., on Monday for a pig roast. A Swabian Hall pig from Rustic Rooster farms in Waterloo will come off the coals around 3pm, complete with tasty sides. Templeton Rye cocktails will be available for $6. Tickets in advance are recommended.
— Joanna Ericson /
Picture by Mel Hill Photography from the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool, which is is dusting off the grill and heading out for charcoal. Submit your summer eating pics!!!
— Robyn Nisi /
Popular Chinese and bubble tea chain Joy Yee is opening a new "Joy Yee To Go" at 1465 W. Irving Park Rd., right next to the just-opened City Farms Market & Grill. The manager of the new location has so far declined to comment about the new shop, saying he was waiting for permission from the head of the Joy Yee chain, but we'll fill you in as soon as we have more info.
— Andrew Huff /
The frosted glass front of 6430 N. Clark St. says, in huge letters, "CRUMB/CO-OP SAUCE," marking it as the new home of Co-op Sauce, the line of hot sauces developed and produced by Co-op Image, the nonprofit afterschool arts and culinary education program co-founded by Mike Bancroft, as well as Crumb, the organic bread bakery run by Anne Kostroski.
"Co-op Sauce has turned into its own beast," Bancroft says. "It's outgrown Co-op Image and it's definitely outgrown the garden."
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— Andrew Huff /
Ever find yourself daydreaming what a dinner consisting of Koren Grieveson's wrapped dates (avec), Stephanie Izard's signature pork and apple ragu (Girl and the Goat), and Mindy Segal's All American Chocolate Cake (Hot Chocolate) washed down with a 3 Floyds Beer might taste like?
Wait, you should have that moment. Done? OK.
Come June 5th you may not have to imagine anymore when these award winning chefs get together for food and charity at Inspiration Kitchen (3504 W. Lake St.) to prepare an ultimate three course culinary experience with beer tastings from 3 Floyds Beer. Inspiration Kitchens assists more than 3,000 people and families affected by homelessness and poverty each year by offering skill-specific job training and employment placement. One hundred percent of the $200 ticket price will go directly to Inspiration Corporation and its programs and each guest will also receive an etching donated by critically acclaimed artist Tony Fitzpatrick.
The program begins at 7pm. and seats can be reserved by calling Evan Cauble-Johnson at 773-878-0981 x 221 or emailing at ejohnson@inspirationcorp.org.
— Brandy Gonsoulin /
Photo by Gary Sibio
Quick Bite Carry Outs, the little hot dog stand at the corner of Western and Foster, is being inducted into the Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame today, and to celebrate it's selling Chicago-style hot dogs for just 99 cents.
Even on a normal day, Quick Bite is one of the best deals in town. The standing special a hot dog and fries for just $1.95 (raised earlier this year from $1.75); two dogs, fries and a drink will set you back just a fiver. The shop is open from 11am till 9pm Monday through Friday, 11am to 5pm Saturday. Quick Bite is at 5155 N. Western Ave.
— Andrew Huff /
Living in Lincoln Square, one hardly wants for formidable dining options within easy walking distance -- but in the last few years since I've moved to the neighborhood, Italian cuisine seems to be missing a truly worthy representative in the area. Trattoria Trullo and La Bocca Della Verita, both on Lincoln Avenue, are both flatly fine options -- nothing fancy, nothing taste-bud numbingly amazing, but nothing that tastes like its major components couldn't have come out of a freezer either. Just solidly mediocre. And while the area boasts some outstanding pizza (Spacca Napoli what up!), sometimes you just want a bowl of noodles and red sauce -- and have it not taste like something you (or Chef Boyardee) put together on your own stove.
Due Lire opened on Lincoln a year or so ago, offering a classic Italian mix of appertivo, small plates, pastas, and mains, and while it took me a while to finally visit, I will gladly return when the pasta-craving strikes from now on. While the staff wavers a bit between charming and aggressive, and both dining room and back patio are cozy but nothing to write home about, the food is gorgeous.
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— Andie Thomalla /
TV Mon May 21 2012
"Food Network Star" has two contestants from Chicago -- and both of them ended up in jeopardy at the end of the second episode.
This week's challenge involved a New York neighborhood food tour by bus. Each team explored the restaurants and markets of a different neighborhood, and used them as inspiration for dishes that they then presented on a moving bus to 20 tourists as well as the judges. Team Alton went to the Jewish Lower East Side, Team Bobby went to Harlem, and Team Giada went to Arthur Avenue, the original Little Italy.
As a member of Team Alton, Judson Todd Allen ended up getting The Pickle Guys pickle store as his inspiration. He decided to do two types of cole slaw, one emphasizing the sweet pickle and the other evoking the shop's best-selling sour pickles. Unfortunately, he didn't really feel a connection with pickles, and ended up overselling his inspiration.
Later, on Team Bobby, Kara Sigle ended up with Melba's, a Harlem soul food joint. She went with egg nog waffles and fried chicken. She learned the history of chicken and waffles, and we learned that Sigle doesn't like chicken on the bone and prefers pancakes over waffles. In the cooking montage, she had some trouble finding the right balance of spices in the waffles. Her presentation was also rough -- she stumbled over calling Melba "black," then "African-American," and lost her composure, forgetting to tell the story of chicken and waffles.
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— Andrew Huff /
Chef Mon May 21 2012
Fresh off the line from making a lunch of kale salad, walleye and braised oxtail for Mrs. Obama and fellow first ladies yesterday at the Comer Youth Center, chef Paul Kahan (Blackbird, Avec, Big Star, Publican) will be putting down the serrated knife and picking up the Serato (see what I did there?) and DJing at Barcito (151 W Erie) tonight from 8-10pm as part of the restaurant's Amigos Pinxtos series.
— Robyn Nisi /
Beer Fri May 18 2012
Last night the Garfield Park Conservatory hosted Chicago Craft Beer Week's kickoff event, Beer Under Glass. Dozens of local breweries poured tastes both inside the greenhouses and outside in the crisp evening air, and a handful of local restaurants provided snacks. At the end of the evening, food trucks were lined up outside at the end of the event to top off stomachs.
Our favorite sips, in no particular order:
Virtue Cider's Red Streak - Greg Hall's new venture, it's a perfectly crisp and dry cider
Half Acre's Chocolate Camaro milk stout - like the Left Hand favorite, but local and chocolatey
Flossmoor Station's Wallonian Saison - we're a sucker for "brewed with ginger"
5 Rabbit's 5 Lizard - a witbier brewed with spices and passion fruit
Goose Island's Scarlett - a tart n'n sassy saison/farmhouse ale made with my favorite fruit, raspberries
Uncommon Brewers' Siamese Twin - a Belgian-style double seasoned with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves
A brief photo essay on the evening by David R Munson, after the jump.
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— Jen Bacher /
Picture by Laura Sant from the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool, which is stocking up on dry goods and bottled water in anticipation of this weekend's NATO. Submit your pictures! And stay inside.
— Robyn Nisi /
Event Thu May 17 2012
With NATO taking up every ounce of your newsfeed, I'm sure you were thinking as was I, where will all these leaders be eating? Granted, being that we are Chicago, someone's going to try to persuade one of them to forgo the fancy schmansy and get down and dirty with a Maxwell's hot dog or some deep dish pizza. Hopefully, a misguided leader won't end up on the corner of Ohio and Wabash (although it might be funny if Angela Merkel was found throwing back a Goose Island with a slice).
But not to fret, looks like Chicago is holding up its reputation for being a food mecca with its Chicago's Culinary Crossroads program which is like Restaurant Week all over again only NATO style without the prix fix menu. Earlier this month, acclaimed international chefs paired with local star chefs to kick off the festivities and collaborated on menus that reflected their nation's cuisines. Chef David Colcombe of Opus Restaurant in Birmingham, UK paired with Chef Dirk Flanigan of Henri/The Gage and Chef Jason Bangerter of LUMA in Toronto, Canada paired with Chef Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno to name a few. If you didn't get a chance to hit up this culinary pairing, check out the menus.
From now until May 25, 200 local restaurants are serving up tasty morsels and libations inspired by the NATO nations. Cleverly enough, diners can also collect "passport" codes at each participating restaurant they visit for a chance to win a VIP weekend for two to Chicago Gourmet in September. (You have to visit three restaurants to participate to win). If you're not busy protesting or avoiding the drama by escaping to Wisconsin or the Cubs vs. Sox games, get out there and eat something different and increase your chance for a gourmet September.
To learn more about the program visit the Chicago's Culinary Crossroads website.
— Brandy Gonsoulin /
Event Wed May 16 2012
Don't have enough farm to table meals in your life? On May 23, Uncommon Ground on Devon will host a Slow Food farm dinner. Executive Chef Matthew Holmes will prepare a multi-course (including dessert!) spring menu, not to mention passed appetizers at the rooftop farm reception. Each course will feature a seasonal cocktail prepared with Evanston based FEW Spirits small batch liquors. Proteins will be provided by Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm, along with organic ingredients supplied by Harvest Moon. Plus, not only will you enjoy a farm fresh meal, but the a portion of the dinner cost will act as a donation to Slow Food Chicago, which will be using the donation as a proceed to help send local farmers to Terra Madre in Torino, Italy.
To make your reservation, call Uncommon Ground Devon at (773) 465-9801. Reservations are $65 per person. Uncommon Ground Devon is located at 1401 W Devon Ave. Rooftop reception starts at 6pm with dinner served at 7pm.
— Katie Johnson /
Blog Wed May 16 2012
Grub Street's digging a brand-new video blog about Chicago mixologists.
— Sunny McDaniel /
Event Wed May 16 2012
Planning has begun for Chicago's inaugural Veggie Pride Parade.
— Sunny McDaniel /
