Foodporn Fri May 17 2013

Friday Foodporn: Green City Market

Image by Renee Rendler-Kaplan from the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool.

FYI, the outdoor session of the Logan Square Farmers Market begins Sunday (10am-3pm, Logan and Milwaukee).

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (0)

Openings Thu May 16 2013

Lillie's Q Bucktown Scheduled to Reopen Mid-June

Lillie's Q Bucktown, the BBQ restaurant that became prey to a fire in March, is scheduled to reopen mid-June. When they do reopen, they may be reopening as champions -- McKenna and his team will compete in the whole pork shoulder category at the Memphis In May World Championship Barbeque Cooking Contest, the "Super Bowl" of BBQ competitions, this weekend. Until then, Lillie's Q fans can get a portion of their craving's satisfied at the Lillie's Q outpost inside the West Loop's Chicago French Market (131 North Clinton Street). Follower them on Twitter for updates.

PS. BBQ trivia - Lillie's Q is named after Chef Charlie McKenna's grandmother, Lillie.

— Brandy Gonsoulin / Comments (0)

Gardening Wed May 15 2013

Should You Grow Vegetables in Chicago Soil?

Recently I caught the green thumb. There is something so rewarding about growing your own plants. Germinating the seed, watching the fruition of life day-by-day, and then devouring the fruits of your labor. I decided to use the space in my new backyard to grow a humble vegetable garden. I ordered some organic seeds and began the process. As my babies grew and demanded a bigger space for their roots to spread out , I began to dig up my patch of dirt and check out the soil.

Uh-oh.

It looked like a family picnic was buried in my yard. I pulled out a small action figure, a broken plate, a tennis ball, piece of a Frisbee, shards of beer bottles, bricks and countless rocks. After talking to a gentleman with some knowledge on the subject at a local grow store and realizing my soil was battling the elements, I had some doubts if I wanted to even grow my plants in the ground.

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— Joey Delisi / Comments (2)

Beer Wed May 15 2013

Ready for Beer Bingo?

What with Chicago Craft Beer Week kicking off tomorrow and what looks to be our first string of three 70+ degree days, we didn't think you needed more excuses to find an adult beverage on the patio of your choice, until this popped up in our inbox.

Yep, you read that title correctly, a game of beer bingo is popping up in Lincoln Square starting today. All you need do is stop into one of the establishments listed below, pick up a card and play on.

• The Bad Apple, 4300 N. Lincoln Ave.
• The Grafton, 4530 N. Lincoln Ave.
• DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave.
• Fountainhead, 1970 W. Montrose Ave.
• Brew Camp, 4639 N. Damen Ave.
• Bottles and Cans, 4109 N. Lincoln Ave.

Five in a row vertically, horizontally or diagonally will win you a custom pint glass with original artwork by Sarah Morton, and bragging rights that you sloshed your way through all of 60625.

Bonus: they have a handful of other prizes should someone fill out the entire card -- a "blackout" as it were. As always, first come, first served.

Check out the bingo card and more details online and support one of Chicago's best beer-friendly neighborhoods.

— Joanna Kanakis / Comments (0)

Business Mon May 13 2013

Jeni's Ice Cream to Open Lakeview Store

Although pints of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams have been available in select shops in Chicago for a few years now, we can confirm the rumor that Jeni's is set to open a scoop shop at 3404 N. Southport Ave. in Lakeview. While you'll be able to pick up the same pints to go, you'll also be able to get a cup or cone, and sample all of the flavors in the case like gourmet ice cream lovers in the Columbus, Ohio area have been enjoying for years. Unfortuantely we can't confirm when you'll be able to satisfy your sweet tooth, but we'll likely give you the results of a taste test when it opens!

— Jen Bacher / Comments (0)

Wine Sun May 12 2013

Gapers Block's Top Picks From Wine Riot 2013

Over 24 booths set up shop at the Great Hall in Union Station last weekend for Wine Riot Chicago 2013, the "all access pass to hundreds of new wines," pouring one ounce portions of their best poison. Gapers Block "reluctantly" joined the crowd for an evening of sniffing, swirling and tasting.

Inevitably there was more tasting than swirling which somehow lent itself to a night that ended in late night salsa dancing with the "King of Mambo" and crashing college house parties. (What, didn't it say riot in the title?) Below are our top picks to add to your list. Most can be found or ordered at Binny's Lincoln Park (1720 N. Marcy Street).

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— Brandy Gonsoulin / Comments (0)

Interview Fri May 10 2013

Interview: The Reader's Beard Award-Winning Mike Sula

In the food industry, few accolades are as meaningful as a James Beard Award. It's the equivalent of an Academy Award or in this case, a Pulitzer Prize. This year's MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award went to The Reader's Mike Sula for his wonderful article Chicken of the Trees, our boy's "annual jihad" against urban varmints fucking with his rooftop garden, and his revenge not sweet but savory.

Sula took home the much deserved award after having been nominated twice prior. His writing being at this extraordinary level at least two other times, as they say at the Oscars, "It's an honor just to be nominated." And it is -- but it's even better to win. Three, apparently in this case, is the charm.

I caught up with pal Sula to talk to him about emboldened squirrels and more.

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— Alan Lake / Comments (1)

Foodporn Fri May 10 2013

Friday Foodporn: Macarons

Image by vintage everything from the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (0)

Restaurant Wed May 08 2013

A Vegan Overthrow

The chefs at Next went on a ingredient heist at a few of their favorite restaurants for their upcoming vegan menu, which begins today and runs through late August.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (0)

Ingredient Tue May 07 2013

Indian Mangoes Return

Patel Brothers, 2610 W. Devon Ave., received its shipment of Kesar mangoes from India this past weekend. They're $24.99 per dozen, and there aren't many cases left. Be sure to have the case opened up and checked for bad fruit: they've traveled a long way, and these are very delicate mangoes. Their creamy, almost pudding-like flesh bruises easily, reducing the fruit to pulp. Delicious pulp, but still.

Indian mangoes were first imported into the US in 2007, thanks to some sharing of nuclear know-how. Prices have fluctuated over the years, bouncing between (typically) $25 and $35 depending on crop yield and import volume.

The grocer who helped me fill out an unblemished case of Kesars told me Alphonso mangoes will arrive this coming weekend. If you're only going to pick up one case -- and at these prices, I wouldn't blame you -- those are the ones to get. Alphonsos tend to be more floral than Kesars, and more of a clear example of how different Indian mangoes are from the New World varieties we most often see in stores.

— Andrew Huff / Comments (0)

News Mon May 06 2013

A Big Night for Izard and Kahan at the James Beard Awards

Tonight was big for several Chicago restaurants and chefs at the annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Paul Kahan (pictured) took home the Outstanding Chef award for his work at Blackbird, Stephanie Izard of GoatWorld (can I just call it that now?) was named the Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region, and The Aviary took home the Outstanding Bar Program award. Additionally, the Reader's Mike Sula received the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award for his "Chicken of the Trees" piece, and WBEZ's Nina Barrett won the Radio Show/Audio Webcast category for "Fear of Frying: Culinary Nightmares." Among the nominees this year were Jimmy Bannos, Jr. of the Purple Pig, Dave Beran of Next, Topolobampo, Spiaggia, and The Violet Hour.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (0)

Restaurant Mon May 06 2013

Hash It Out

Wicker Park's Hash has all of the ingredients for brunch success: an inventive menu centered around a breakfast favorite, comfy prices, and a lot of local flavor.

Their namesake offerings, a selection of six different hash brown-centric plates, come in two different sizes and draw inspiration from the neighborhood's eclectic population: the "Ukie" features pork sausage and kraut, while the "Humboldt" includes fried plantain and a choice of chorizo or meatless "soyrizo." This is the sort of thoughtfulness that I find inspiring and exciting in menu planning: while sometimes I eat out to escape my surroundings (e.g. sushi in the Midwest; I dig it frequently), I have a special place in my heart for restaurants that successfully embrace their location and its roots--especially in a city as densely diverse as Chicago.

The restaurant space itself is open and homey, full of retro patterns and natural light that encourage lingering over your cup of coffee (Dark Matter, one of my local favorites). The easily-customizable menu sprawls across the back wall in chalk script, and counter service is--in my experience--quick and friendly. Delivery is also available!

Hash
1357 N. Western Ave.
773-661-2964

— Danielle Snow / Comments (0)

Business Mon May 06 2013

Big Delicious Planet Gets 4-Star Green Restaurant Certification, Launches Kickstarter Campaign

Last month, Big Delicious Planet Catering and Canteen became the first caterer in the country to be awarded four star Certified Green Restaurant status by the Green Restaurant Association, and only the third restaurant in Chicago to achieve a four-star rating.

"We've been in business 19 years, and in 2011 we moved into a building with geothermal heating and cooling," explained Big Delicious Planet founder Heidi Moorman Coudal. "There is so much waste in the food industry, so when I learned about Green Restaurant certification, I looked at the requirements and started making changes." Those changes included such things as switching to a green pest control company, installing appliances with Energy Star ratings, and composting.

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— Andrew Huff / Comments (0)

Foodporn Fri May 03 2013

Friday Foodporn: Terrapin Sundae from Margie's Candies

Image by Lucy Rendler-Kaplan from the Drive-Thru Flickr Group.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)

Wine Wed May 01 2013

More Booze For Chicago: Wine Riot Returns

This could've been a story on why Chicago has a drinking problem, but I didn't want to add to the negativity that Rachel Shteir started. We don't need to add "alcoholic" to the list.

It was only last week that Chicago was indulging their whiskey side with Whiskey Fest that Wine Riot, the multi-city wine tasting event on steroids, returns to Union Station for more in all that is good and right in the world of fermented grapes.

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— Brandy Gonsoulin / Comments (0)