It's Tamale Time
A childhood treat gets remade with adult eyes in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
A childhood treat gets remade with adult eyes in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Kuma's Corner's January special is particularly topical: the "#@(*&%^ Blagojevich" consists of a 10 oz. hamburger patty, thick sliced bologna and yellow mustard between two grilled cheese sandwiches (made with American cheese and wonder bread), and a large dollar sign written in mustard.
The participants for this year's Chicago Restaurant Week have been announced; start making your reservations for Feb. 20-27 now.
The Drive-Thru staff reflects on the highs and lows of their year of Chicago eating in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
The New York Times takes a look at seven airports to see what kind of food awaits travelers hoping for a bit in between flights. O'Hare ranks at the bottom of the list of airport cuisine: "particularly disappointing since Chicago is one of America's great restaurant cities." [via]
The Trib's investigation of food mislabeling and hidden allergens found 117 products that violate federal law. While seeking the correct ingredient listings, it also conducted more food laboratory tests than the USDA and FDA have done -- combined -- over the last several years. How many tests did the Trib do? Fifty.
A Chicagoan recounts her ongoing journey for the perfect potica recipe in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
A kolacky recipe won this year's Trib holiday cookie contest, but a badass recipe for rogaliki gave it a wedgie and shoved it in a locker afterwards in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
April Reed Cake Design is selling a gingerbread version of Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House. The original, located in Plano, Illinois, was sold to local preservationists in December 2003 for $7.5 million. This edible treat sells for $4,320 - 15% of proceeds pays for repairs to the real house. [via]
Chris Brunn takes on the task of making sambar in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Where does Obama eat in Chicago? Anywhere he wants. Actually, Sky Full of Bacon has a more precise list.
This Friday marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. 312 Dining Diva has a list of all the parties going on to celebrate.
It's Demon Dogs all over again: developers are planning on buying up the Showman's League of America Building at 300 W. Randolph for office building development. That building, as you may or may not know, houses Harry's Hot Dogs, which has been around for over 50 years yet (according to the Yelp reviews) still features the original Harry! Better get your hot dogs now before Harry's closes up...
Mandy Burrell Booth gives us the skinny on decadent turkey cooking in this week's Drive-Thru Feature.
You probably aren't familiar with the saga of the Giant Italian Truffle, which has failed to find a home here in the States... until it reached Chicago, that is.
Speaking of lunch in the Loop, the Tribune has a foodporn gallery of some of their favorites.
This week, diners at The Café at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago will be treated to "Thanksgiving Dinner in One Bite", an amuse-bouche that combines all the tastes of a traditional Thanksgiving meal into a single forkful.
The Reader has a mouth watering piece on Cafecito, a new Cuban sandwich spot in the South Loop. I haven't tried it but it sounds like the owner definitely did his homework, even researching my neighborhood's favorite whole in the wall, El Cubanito.
File under "Nom Nom Nom": Top Chef cupcakes are back at the Bleeding Heart Bakery.
Kaitlin Olson introduces us to the venerable Hot Dish in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
"Check Please!" host Alpana Singh has a blog.
Who knew that employees at Chicago-based Potbelly Sandwich Works were so into DIY and being green?
Wicker Park's Sweet Thang lost its lease and moved to Roscoe Village earlier this year. Now it's closed again -- embroiled in the same strange scandal that swirled around the closing of Sweet Occasions. Read more in Drive-Thru.
The owners of Italian Fiesta Pizzeria, one of Barack Obama's favorite restaurants, are being flown out to Washington for the Presidential Inauguration Expo, an event that will preview the food to be served come inauguration time.
Watch your pockets. A creepy guy in a mask might just stick something in them.
The weather is getting colder, the economy is getting weaker, and relief seems to be nowhere in sight...so why not cozy up to a meatball in this week's Drive-Thru feature?
The Reader's 2008 best restaurants list is out, along with some notable runners-up. (You might also want to check out places the chefs eat.)
The original Clybourn location of the Goose Island Beer Company will stay open, thanks to a renegotiated lease. "I could not be happier," said founder John Hall in a press release. "I felt terrible, like I was losing a part of my family. We would not have been able to reach an agreement with our landlord without the support of our loyal customers. I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support with e-mails, letters, and petitions."
Sure, there will be a few important Cabinet positions to fill in the coming months, but what we really want to know is who will be cooking up the cuisine at the White House? The Obamas may be bringing a bit of local flavor with them to D.C., though it sounds like they are still partial to Spiaggia for special occasions.
Meet Chicagoan Nate Silver, the U Chicago grad and statistics whiz behind fivethirtyeight.com, the election data analysis site that has "helped make sense of some of the things that didn't seem sensible."
On Wednesday, November 12 Noodles & Co. (2813 N. Broadway) will donate 25% of all sales toward the Weisman Park renovation project. Donations accrue on sales between 4 PM and 10 PM, and you must have this flyer to have your sale count.
Drive-Thru staffer Yu Kizawa stumbles upon every chef's fantasy--a deeply discounted Kitchen Aid mixer--and the results are life-transforming in this week's feature.
Many national chains are offering special free items if you vote (most, if not all, won't require you to show your "I Voted" sticker or slip as proof, either). Get in on some free coffee, donuts, chicken strips, or ice cream at participating businesses.
A change in administration...of the self in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
"The Squirrel," a blog by an anonymous Chicago restaurant worker, is one of the more entertaining reads I've come across in awhile.
GB Editor Andrew Huff sits down with Michael Nagrant to talk about his newest project, co-authoring the Alinea cookbook, in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Popular Wicker Park eatery Earwax Café, 1561 N. Milwaukee Ave., was ordered to close after Chicago Department of Public Health inspectors found rat feces in a basement storage area, holes in walls that allowed insects and rodents to come in and a poorly maintained outside garbage container, the Tribune reports.
UIC News recently profiled reference librarian Lynn Westney, author of the ever-popular article "Dew Drop Inn and Lettuce Entertain You: Onomastic Sobriquets in the Food and Beverage Industry."
This week's Drive-Thru feature covers this year's Great American Beer Festival, which was heavy with Chicagoland brewers vying for national recognition.
The Chicago Beer Society's e-mail listserv was buzzing over the weekend after Goose Island Brewing Company annouced they'd be closing their Clybourn Avenue brewpub on December 21.
The Drive-Thru staff talks about our latest cooking and party adventure in this week's feature.
Behold... the Playboy Wine Collection. The collectible bottles, each paired with a vintage magazine cover, are sold individually or as part of a subscription. [via]
If the Fuel question for today has gotten you thinking about your lunchtime eating options, consider that Potbelly has unveiled a new sandwich to complete with the piled-high-with-meat options at Quizno's and Subway.
A Chinese restaurant in Urbana, IL (if you know which one, let me know) has started using a wireless remote to let customers summon their waiter for food, water, the check, or just regular old attention. Makes me want to roadtrip for some ma po tofu.
We look at Chicago Gourmet through the eyes of a volunteer in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Mike Sula from the Reader goes to the launch party of the new Alinea cookbook (there's an Alinea cookbook? Yes!), held at Wired NextFest (NextFest is back? Yes!).
Showing faith in a White Sox win, the mayor has bet three Florida mayors that the White Sox will beat the Tampa Bay Rays. Apparently seeking intestinal vengeance, should he lose, Daley has wagered Vitner potato chips, Lemonheads from Ferrara Pan Candy, a "Pepsi for a Year" certificate, assorted peanuts, sunflower seeds, and trail mix from Fisher Nuts, and 100 Vienna Beef Polish sausages. Why, the headline just wrote itself, didn't it?
Competing in the next season of Bravo's "Top Chef" is Chicagoan Radhika Desai, executive chef of Between Boutique Café & Lounge. Let's hope she can bring home the title, just like Stephanie Izard did last spring.
Groupon, a Chicago startup, will offer daily coupons for local events, services, hotels, eateries and more. The twist? You only get the deal if enough people sign up for it. If not - well, you know.
Well, while Wrigleyville bar owners have agreed to stop alcohol sales after the seventh inning during the playoffs, Joe Fournier has an amusing take on Da Mayor's plan for good, clean fun in Lakeview.
A nude painting of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin (or is it Second City alum Tina Fey?) now graces the wall at the Old Town Ale House.
This week's Drive-Thru feature takes us on a trip to eat the foods of Denmark and India through a Chicagoan's eyes.
Eater Chicago may not be bowing until next month, but the love for "Chicago's darling" Grant Achatz has been simmering for a while. Get a taste of "The Daily Achatz".
Something called the U.S. Chocolate Academy, created by the Barry Callebaut company, is coming to Chicago. It's the first one in the US.; the other is in Russia. Sweet.
The City is asking Wrigleyville bars to stop serving after the 7th inning during Cubs playoff games to avoid mayhem in the streets. Share your opinion in Tailgate.
Turns out Vienna's "all beef" hot dogs haven't been quite 100 percent. Get in on the class action lawsuit.
This week's Drive-Thru feature explores some of the newest trends in delicious, memorable wedding reception eats.
The Sun-Times has an update on Trader Vic's return to Chicago. The restaurant is scheduled to return in late November at Newberry Plaza (1030 N. State). In anticipation of the grand re-opening, they've put out the giant tiki head that used to sit in front of the original Chicago location, so you can't miss the new restaurant.
Organic food may be all the rage these days, but according to the Chicago Reporter, the pesticide-free food is hard to come by in minority communities, for various reasons.
GQ's food critic, Alan Richman, who has previously deemed Chicago "the best restaurant city in America," recently attempted his own version of a hot dog crawl to see how our dogs compare to those in NYC. [via]
Thinking about going to Chicago Gourmet, the new high-end food and wine festival in Millennium Park next week? Use the code CG2008TEN when you buy your tickets and you'll get 10 percent off.
In 2007, Carol Blymire decided she would try cooking every recipe in the French Laundry Cookbook and blog the experience. The project proved wildly popular, and now she's set her sites* on Grant Achatz's forthcoming cookbook. (You can preorder Alinea from Amazon for just $31.50.) Chicago MenuPages Blog interviews Blymire about Alinea at Home. *Pun intended.
We catch up with Food Network celebrity and cookbook author Sandra Lee in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Chicago native Scott Johnson barbecues for a cause: to fight cancer. He donates his winnings in national competitions to a cancer research foundation. That's nice, but his reasons for getting into barbecuing might tick a few people off: he points to "the lack of quality barbecue cuisine in his native Chicago." Ahem...
If you're setting your Tivo for the weekend, don't neglect to catch the Chicago chef Michelle Garcia of Bleeding Heart Bakery compete in the Food Network Challenge: Tag Team Cakes on Sunday at 8pm. The chefs didn't know who they'd be paired with for the competition, but if this snapshot of the final product is any indicator, I say it was a productive (and likely, delicious) pairing.
You don't need to struggle to chow down the last of the season's produce. This week's Drive-Thru feature is all about what you can do to enjoy fresh vegetables and fruits far into winter...from a jar.
Michelle Obama will be a guest at "Paula's Party" on the Food Network. Besides sharing details about life on the campaign trail, Michelle will learn how to make host Paula Deen's Fried Shrimp and Creole French Fries. Put on your eating pants and tune in on Saturday, September 20 at 7:00 pm ET/CT.
Restaurant empire Lettuce Entertain You is branching out beyond food with a two-hour internet radio show featuring Mike North, who left WSCR in June. The show debuts Monday, Sept. 8, from 9 to 11am on WildfireRestaurant.com, and will be available as a podcast on iTunes and North's website later in the day.
Drunken Service Announcement: The Chicago Bar Project has had some trouble with their hosting company, and are now at ChiBarProject.com.
This week's Drive-Thru feature takes a train trip and has a dining experience that ought to be in pictures. And is.
Thinking of opening a restaurant? Unless you're able to luck out like Smoque, think again.
Can't stand politics? Then while the time away with the absolutely unfunny entertainment of "Taste Of Melrose Park" broadcasting on Channel 19's "Star Performers". (And in other news, the Taste Of Melrose Park is this weekend. Samples under $2, city's Web site is down, and LTHForum makes it sound awesome.)
Last call on Metra's bar cars comes this weekend.
A group called The Cancer Project is going to run ads in our neck of the woods in September critiquing hot dogs and school lunches. Among those who are mad are the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. Yes, there is a National Hot Dog & Sausage Council.
Olympian Michael Phelps can eat 12,000 calories' worth of pasta, pizza and fried egg sandwiches each day. Wouldn't he enjoy spending his mealtimes gorging on Chicago foods instead? Our Drive-Thru feature for this week investigates.
VegNews is currently accepting votes for the 2008 Veggie Awards, which feature the Chicago Diner, the Bleeding Heart Bakery and products from the Chicago Soydairy, among others.
Shaw's would like you to know the tapeworm did not come from them. Of course, the guy with the lawsuit doesn't see it that way.
In our continuing coverage of the arrival of Sonic burgers in the Chicago area (actually Aurora), the fast food chain with the omnipresent commercials finally opens today. And apparently not a moment too soon.
It's time for the Chicago Bar Olympics, a tournament of bar games being held at 15 bars across the city. If you're not up for the travel, maybe just the Beer Olympics at either Mahoney's or Cortland's Garage would suffice.
GB staffer Dana Currier recaps a weekend spent visiting three Madison-area breweries in this week's Drive-Thru feature. You may want to scrap your weekend plans and brave I-90 for the trip to Sconnie's capitol (only three hours away!).
Want to learn how to do latte art at home? Intelligentsia will teach you how. (Thanks, Shirley!)
If you were a mega-bazillionaire and the fast food joint you loved didn't exist in your home town, what would you do? Well, buy a franchise license and start picking spots of course. Get ready for Fatburger Chicagoans.
According to Forbes, we're the fifth hardest drinking town in the nation. We were outdrunk by, in descending order, Austin, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and... Providence, RI. Really?
According to their website, Bike The Dog is "Chicago's Premier Gastronomic Cycling Challenge." They're inviting bikers of any skill level to join them on September 13th for an almost-eighteen-mile trek through the north and northwest sides, sampling the wares at nine quintessential Chicago hot dog locations. It's a pledge-based event, with raised funds benefiting the family of Stella Ackerman, a two-and-a-half-year-old living with a rare blood disorder. More info.
A visit to Wicker Park's new Dairy Queen/Orange Julius store is a sentimental trip down memory lane amidst a sea of stores that sell $200 t-shirts in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Today's the day that Hot Doug's unveils the winner in Time Out Chicago's recent hot dog recipe contest, The New Chicago. TOC will be at Hot Doug's today to celebrate; details in Slowdown.
Singer Chris Brown's hit single "Forever" is also a paid ad placement for Wrigley's Doublemint gum; Wrigley has two more song-commercials in the works.
Nance Klehm teaches people about the edible plants growing throughout the city.
To combat the oppressive heat, Lori Barrett is cooking up chilled soups in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Remember when Bell's vanished? It's back.
UEatCheap.com, now in alpha.
The Bennigan's across from the Art Institute was abruptly closed today, along with the rest of the nationwide chain. The Stew's Lara Weber pays tribute to the tourist favorite.
If you're in the restaurant or hospitality industry, check out FohBoh, a new social network.
The blood, sweat and bain maries of making crème brûlée at home is chronicled in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
I've seen a lot of Obama products in the last few months, but none of them compare to the Obama lollipop.
Speaking of hot dogs, the finalists have been chosen in Time Out's contest to create the next encased meat special for Hot Doug's. Go vote now!
The GB Drive-Thru staff reviews some of the city's best (and meh) hot dogs in this week's Feature story.
Crain's tells us which ones will vanish.
Obviously interested in Whole Foods' market segment, Jewel's going to open a new concept store called "Urban Fresh, by Jewel" in Lincoln Park in the fall.
The McDonalds across from Wrigley Field is displaying an unusual billboard right now. [via]
It's Free Slurpee Day today! Also, enter to win a designer t-shirt from Chicago magazine, or $10,000 for your own design sense.
This week's Drive-Thru feature takes a look at the glories (and widespread availability) of the mulberry.
For those of you of that have graduated from Miller Lite and Bud (and no, Icehouse doesn't count) Chicago Mag's events editor is keeping a great blog, Get to the Pint, on drinking good suds in the city.
Attention urban food snobs: according to an email alert that’s not yet available online, the Chicago Department of Public Health has ordered the Whole Foods on North Ave. closed “after CDPH inspectors found mouse feces throughout the premises, including more than 100 droppings in one walk-in cooler alone. Also found was a dead mouse on a glueboard trap.” Resisting urge to make sarcastic “organic” jab...
Intelligentsia Coffee is ditching the 20-ounce size of its coffee and espresso drinks -- out of respect for the coffee. The owner says: "Drinking our coffee is not like drinking jug wine."
GB Staffer Lori Barrett takes on the world of homemade molecular gastronomy in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Time Out Chicago have got a killer contest running right now: create your own Hot Doug's hot dog. Readers can submit their ideas for new encased meats or toppings, and Hot Doug himself will select finalists that readers will vote on. The winning entry will actually be made and featured at the restaurant for a week. Check out Hot Doug's menu to get some idea of their regular fare. You'd better think quickly, though, because entries are due in one week!
Does Chicago have a signature dish? Must it be deep dish pizza?
Professional curmudgeon and columnist Thomas Roeser absolutely trashes the Taste of Chicago experience as "a sad trampling of civility" and says that it reduces the dining experience to "ashes and banal barbarism." But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
The Sun-Times uncovers that Jimbo's Lounge's landlord wants the 22-year-old bar out so he can bring in an outpost of John Barleycorn.
GB staffer Mandy Burrell updates us on her culinary adventures while on a European honeymoon in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
One of the reasons I love Chicago. (vegetarians and vegans look away) [via]
Because one fat lady is never enough, the Lyric Opera has announced plans to open a restaurant and bar.
This week's Drive-Thru feature gives you some very tasty Japanese-influenced suggestions for your grilling endeavors.
Got family visiting from out of town? Centerstage suggests some alternatives to the standard tourist traps.
...you might want to make a note of one particular restaurant chain in Chicago, which has been pinpointed by the Chicago Department of Public Health as one of the major sources of the local tomato-based salmonella outbreak.
The road to a tasty Cherry Limeade just got a little shorter: Sonic plans to open four new drive-ins near Chicago in the next year. Aurora, IL, here I come.
Get out of town with this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Chicago's own Chef Stephanie Izard is a finalist on "Top Chef," and she's going to be answering reader questions on the Tribune's website starting at 1pm tomorrow. Here's an interview with her to get your interrogation juices flowing.
The Reader will be launching a new nightlife site this week: drinks.chicagoreader.com. The site isn't live yet, but it's mentioned in the official flickr group.
Wednesday night marks the end of a very special season of Top Chef; Drive-Thru will be covering the spectacle, play by play. The show starts locally at 9pm, allowing you plenty of time for So You Think You Can Dance. I watch a lot of television.
The NY Times has a story and interactive map (written by a native Chicagoan) detailing the culinary hits (ha ha) and misses at some of the nation's ballparks. Wrigley Field ranked a good dog and a bad dog, and the Cell, well, has a lot of room for improvement.
In a less popularized form of urban foraging, Nance Klehm seeks food and medicine from plants along railroad tracks and other urban oases.
Congratulations to Grant Achatz of Alinea, who was named Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation.
Reunitings, separations, and new encounters with restaurants in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Time Out focuses on cheap eats this week, following seven chefs, from Rick Bayless to Le Lan's Bill Kim, to their ethnic food faves.
After a dizzying display of plantain usage in Puerto Rico, the finalists are chosen in this week's Top Chef recap over in Drive-Thru.
Looking for a unique activity for an upcoming summer weekend? How 'bout a tour of Michigan wineries?
It looks as though the rumors are true: Starbucks will be making its wifi "free" tomorrow. Of course, there's a catch on that free part: you have to have a Starbucks card, and you only get two hours a day.
Is Chicago's dining scene becoming "vegasized?" David Tamarkin thinks so.
The cheftestants throw on the chainmail to get their carve on, Padma shows off her high, high waist (eat your heart out, Rushdie) and the contest prepares to leave Chicago in this week's Top Chef recap over in Drive-Thru.
Speaking of opinions on food, Chi-Town Daily News' two Italian interns take stock of Chicago's pizza, and declare Pizza D.O.C. the best.
On Chowhound, they're talking about who has the best fries in Chicagoland. [via] Name your own faves in Fuel.
Buy a cupcake from the Bleeding Heart Bakery during the month of June, and they'll donate $1 to Girls Rock! Chicago. Plus you'll get to eat a cupcake -- or, give it to me.
The Onion's A.V. Club spend some time at the All Candy Expo at McCormick Place and give us the details on all the strange products they tried.
The food of wedding receptions is both fondly and not fondly remembered in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Now that the permafrost has broken, head out into the hinterlands for some delicious produce.
The celebchefs shop at Pier One and sniff around Lou Mitchell's, and a rising star goes sous vide in this week's Top Chef recap over in Drive-Thru.
Going to Chicago Gourmet, a new high end culinary festival planned for late September, will cost you a pretty penny. Details in Drive-Thru.
If you're trying to get to work today via the I-80, you're already well aware that a semi carrying 10 tons of Oreo cookies crashed near Morris, IL early this morning. Although crews had successfully brushed the last of the crumbs to the side of the road by 6 am, the morning commute for those going eastbound is still totally dunked.
Greek Orthodox Easter has passed, but that's hardly a reason to not read this week's Drive-Thru feature about the eats of this holiday.
...and my fantasy boyfriend Sam Talbot returns to the kitchen in this week's Top Chef recap over in Drive Thru.
Looks like the magic behind Superdawg will be coming to Wheeling soon when they take their drive-in with the best hot dogs in the universe to Restaurant Row. Favorite quote: "The 12-foot hot dog statues on top of the building -- representing Maurie and Flaurie -- will be 14 feet in Wheeling."
Details are still murky, but the Illinois Restaurant Association and the city are planning a gourmet version of the Taste.
Chris Brunn, our resident guru of all things vegan, hits up Austin's eateries in this week's Drive Thru feature.
A group of students in South Holland, IL deploy 1,000 snack cakes to Iraq.
The New Yorker tells the story of Grant Achatz's battle with cancer in the context of the rise of his career. (There's a nice photo set, too.)
Now that the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company will no longer be locally owned, who's Chicago's biggest name in candy? Tootsie Roll Industries, that's who.
In this week's Drive-Thru feature, Gemma makes a beer run--to Indiana.
In this week's Top Chef episode recap over at Drive-Thru: corporate rice product placements, cute child labor in the kitchen, and a Hobbit gets schooled.
The makers of Red Bull have won a six-figure settlement in a lawsuit against the local nightclub Wet for passing off a generic energy drink as their more famous product in their cocktails. The nightclub's website is strangely unavailable.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey, of "Hell's Kitchen" fame, is set to open a restaurant here in Chicago. Will it have yelling and non-yelling sections?
What a different creature Taste of Chicago would be if Rick Bayless, Shawn McClain, Art Smith and other top chefs had booths here and not just in DC.
This week's Drive-Thru feature is about local business Fig Catering, which makes the kind of inventive food you'd expect in a good restaurant.
Bowl licking, a trip to Second City, and asparagus doesn't keep it up in this week's Top Chef recap over at Drive-Thru.
This week marks the beginning of the annual 2nd Story Festival, wherein writer/performers regale you with tales, accompanied by a DJ. Organizers predict that over the course of the festival, they'll serve 5,000 glasses of wine. Place bets now on how many will be yours.
The last neighborhood tavern in Wrigleyville is on the verge of closure. Farewell to the Nisei Lounge.
Did your wallet take a hit this past Tuesday? Soothe your post-Tax Day woes with recipes from this week's Drive-Thru feature, where we eat well at little expense.
Tasty tailgate parties, cooking with beer, and cocky losers in this week's Top Chef recap over in Drive-Thru.
Goose Island's Clybourn Brew Pub, which it has occupied since 1988, will close by the end of the year.
Revolution Brewing, a new brewpub that is working on opening in Logan Square, has a neat description of how to move a brewpub from Michigan to Chicago in three days or less.
This week's Drive-Thru feature updates us on what the Neighbors Project is doing to promote healthy eating at the many corner stores in the city.
Legendary Southern California-based food franchise Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles has, um, persuaded the Bronzeville-based Rosscoe's Chicken and Waffles (note the extra "s") to change their name after a court battle.
Visits from Ming Tsai, earthy carpaccio and free trips to Italy courtesy of bacon in this week's Drive-Thru recap of "Top Chef."
The 15th Annual Dining Out for Life fundraising event is April 24.
Schlitz is coming back to Chicago next week. Can't bear the wait? Kill time with these classic ads.
Reviews of new contenders in the ice cream, yogurt, custard and everything like it business in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
The theme for Chicago's newest swanky-sounding cocktail lounge: Cincinnati, Ohio. I'm officially inspired to open a Buffalo, New York-themed martini bar. [via]
Maybe we should be eating out more often, but not at Greek Islands.
Movies, intact digits and tapioca caviar...all in this week's Top Chef recap in Drive-Thru.
Spatulatta, an award-winning webcast by Channel 2 reporter Vince Gerasole's daughters, features a couple April Fools recipes in case you want to have fun with dinner tonight. How about cake for dinner, with grilled cheese for dessert?
This week's Drive-Thru feature interviews a coffee importer in Chicago that is making meaningful connections with Ugandan farmers.
Want to learn how to cook? Check out the CHIC Podcast with Chef Tom Beckman, one of the instructors at the Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago.
Missed tonight's "Top Chef" episode? We have your recap ready in Drive-Thru.
On the local beverage front, Business Week profiles North Shore Distillery, an area company making high-end vodka and gin (they were previously featured in Drive-Thru), while Intelligentsia's Michael Phillips just captured the Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition behind his speciality drink, an espresso version of a Mai Tai.
Just in time for Earth Day and Arbor Day, local sustainability company Live It Green, LLC has gotten Gerber Bars to offer the Treetini -- a martini for the environmentally conscious -- during the month of April at Whiskey Blue, Whiskey Sky bars and Mexx Kitchen at the Whiskey. Every Treetini sold results in a tree planted in India.
Starting on April 22, Earth Day, one will be able to purchase organic Frango mints at 70 Macy's locations, as well as online. Bonus: the Trib apparently believes the news to be so big it printed the last paragraph twice.
Padma Lakshmi, host of everyone's favorite reality television chef competition, apparently has a dangerous job. Also, "out of principle," she won't say "pack your knives and go" to people on the street. So, um, don't ask her to say that when you see her walking around town.
Good news for you fans of Sonic drive-in restaurants; there are plans afoot to open the first Chicago area location in Aurora.
Easter memories and Polish traditions are remembered in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Tonight's Top Chef: a visit to the Green City Market (which reopens May 14!), animal diets, and flower centerpieces. Read the full recap at Drive-Thru.
So, as soon as I grew anxious about beloved Burt's Place being closed due to illness (turns out Burt was undergoing triple bypass surgery!), the word is out at LTH Forum that the pizza destination in Morton Grove will re-open to the public on April 2 (with a special LTH Forum/Roadfood.com RSVP-only night on April 1). (Thanks, Dan!)
Those ubiquitous Sonic hamburger commericals may finally have some relevance to the Chicago area when the company opens their first regional outlet in Aurora. All of which mean the two guys in the commercials, Chicago improv giants TJ Jagodowski and Peter Grosz, may finally be able to purchase some of the food they've been shilling.
Driving up to Chicagoland pizza favorite Burt's Place last night, my heart nearly stopped when I noticed that the lights were out. Turns out that Burt is getting a "routine medical procedure" and has locked up the place until he's feeling better, probably for a few more weeks. LTH Forum has the skinny, and I'm lighting a candle for Burt.
How well do you know Chicago's top chefs? Thrillist has put together an excellent quiz, and the prizes aren't half bad either.
This week's Drive-Thru feature gives the critical eye to dining experiences from Chicago Restaurant Week.
Word on the street is that Rosscoe's Chicken and Waffles is finally open in Bronzeville. (Note the spelling: it's an imitator, not another branch of the famous LA site.)
Just last night, I was wishing for someone to run to the store for me, and now, conveniently enough, there might just be a new addition to my speed dial. If it's late, and you've got a case of the lazies, or maybe you're just in no condition to travel, try NightOwl Deliveries. They'll deliver, for a small fee, from their growing list of participating restaurants and convenience stores. [via Daily Candy]
Drive-Thru Lori Barrett explores the art of cooking for large groups in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Ball State University alumni magazine reports that Scotty's Brewhouse will be opening in Lincoln Park this summer. Thanks, Nicola!
The Chicagoist reports (by way of Every Block) that Trader Vic's is reportedly making a return to Chicago. I'm off to buy stock in tiny cocktail umbrellas and tiki lights...
Chris Brunn tackles the art of eating while vacationing in Tahoe in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Calories, schmalories. Oak Brook-based McDonald's is dishing out free McSkillet burritos this Thursday and Friday morning (The catch: You have to buy a drink.). Yeah, it has 610 calories and 36 grams of fat, but...what the heck, it's free!
Tonight is the start of the first-ever Restaurant Week Chicago. Time Out has a list of prix-fixe menus for your perusal; make your reservations now.
Trotter talks business with Crain's.
Found on Songza: The Theme from Hot Doug's by bee.
When you head to Devon Avenue to partake in their delicious eats, take Cinnamon Cooper's wonderful guide to understanding Indian cuisine with you; it's this week's Drive-Thru feature.
If you like beer, especially ales that have aged in wood, then you might want to buy your tickets now for the Chicago Beer Society's "Night Of The Living Ales IV." Forty casks of the stuff will be on hand, as well as lots of things to eat.
This week's feature in our Drive-Thru section takes a look at the weird holidays designated for eating random foods, and how to get your celebrations going using the city's restaurants and bakeries.
Got a craving for something specific, but not sure where to find it? Check out FoodieBytes, which allows you to search for particular dishes, like deep fried pickles or spam, not just styles of food.
Like I said, they're popping up all over. Boorah.com now covers Chicago.
Time Out Chicago's annual Eat Out Awards come out in about a month, and the Readers' Choice nominees are now up. Vote early and... well, you know.
Decidedly far-from-the-center Forest Park won the "best dining neighborhood" contest in the Tribune today, beating out endlessly Yelped-about neighborhoods that need no further ink.
It's Friday! We've got our weekly feature up over on Drive Thru! This week: Chris Brunn writes about a very special birthday dinner for his lady friend at May Street Market. With Valentine's Day coming up, this one's well worth a read. A lesson in romance, indeed.
If you're in New York and looking for a taste of home, head to the Upper East Side and look for a bar called Wicker Park. Its seasonal draught beer this winter is Goose Island's Honker's Ale. The waitress tonight didn't seem to find that as amusing as I did.
Auntie Anne's is offering free original and cinnamon sugar pretzels on Feb. 2, from 10am to 4pm. Come for the free pretzel, stay for the somewhat obscene pretzel dog.
Business POV interviewed "Check Please!" executive producer David Manilow about CheckPlease.tv and his hopes for investment to bring the site to a national audience.
There's a whopping array of things to do this Valentine's Day, making a decision difficult. If you're a food addict who needs your fix, however, you're in luck. Dinotto's Italian Ristorante is once again serving ravioli d'amore -- dark chocolate ravioli stuffed with sweet ricotta and Nutella, from February 14-17.
This week's Drive-Thru feature opens the culinary time capsule that is the Chicago Daily News cookbook for your reading pleasure. Published in 1930, the book offers many surprising (as in surprisingly edible) recipes and other advice. And finally, a good recipe for Mock Possum for those times that you don't have a real possum to cook.
Get ready to loosen that belt a few more notches. Not only will Chicago get its first official Restaurant Week, (as noted in Gapers Block's Drive Thru section) but it may even get another, courtesy of a group of local restaurants known as Chicago Originals. Three-course meals will be priced as low as $20.08 (2008, get it?).
Ending the recent struggles over the Co-op lease, the U of C has announced Treasure Island will fill the Co-op's current home.
What does it take to become a versatile eater in Chicago? Take a look at our newest Drive-Thru feature for answers.
Fiery food fans will be flocking to Jake Melnick's Corner Tap to take on their new hot wings tossed in Red Savina pepper sauce, the second hottest pepper in the world.
Chris Brunn takes on the task of finding vegan eats in Utah in this week's Drive-Thru feature, and is not disappointed with the results. Click here to read his tale.
Your buddies at Drive Thru reviewed several new and classic cookbooks just in time for last-minute holiday shopping recommendations.
Following up on the news that Alinea chef Grant Achatz was diagnosed with lymph cancer earlier in the year: Achatz has released a statement saying he has successfully completed his treatment. And according to Achatz, the doctors at the University of Chicago Medical Center were able to "achieve a full remission while ensuring that the use of invasive surgery on my tongue was not needed."
Via MenuPages: The Morton's Steak House site store offers copies of the restaurant's distinctive pewter pig lamps for sale. And just in time for Christmas! That'll do, Morton's. That'll do.
Looking for some ways to pay tribute to the Windy City when doing your holiday baking? Head over to Drive-Thru for some clever decorating tips in our newest Feature story, Sweet Home Chicago.
Grab a brewski, sit on Santa's lap and tell him what you REALLY want for Christmas at the Avenue Tavern's "Slam One Back With Santa" party tonight (Thursday), 8pm to midnight. You can even get your picture taken, if you think that's a wise idea.
The place has been going downhill for years. We were not surprised to hear officials have closed Daavat, one of the first great Indian-Pakistani cabbie restaurants in River North. There are still several good ones along Orleans, including a relatively new one at Chicago Avenue.
GB's Drive-Thru is participating in this year's Menu for Hope campaign to raise money for the UN World Food Fund. Check out our prize here, and the rest of the prizes at Chez Pim!
In Drive-Thru, the tale of the seven-layer cookie.
Of course, the first brownie must have been made at the Palmer House.
Today is Repeal Day, the anniversary of the repeal of the 18th amendment (the one that prohibited the sale and transportation of "intoxicating liquors"). Drive Thru encourages you to celebrate with a mid-week drink (or more).
Kraft's Cheese Singles now have a MySpace page. [via]
The recently relocated Ann Sather will serve free breakfast from 7am to 9am tomorrow.
Local restaurant Apart Pizza is devoting a chunk of the company's resources to supporting the arts in Chicago. Tonight the pizza company hosts a record release party at Schubas for musician/Chicago Trib writer Lou Carlozo, and in December, Apart will host a benefit for Cabrini Green Legal Aid by buying out tickets to a production of the House Theatre's Nutcracker. Bonus fun: Watch Apart make pizza, on YouTube.
MyOpenBar is hosting a Drambui party at the Hideout tonight from 7 to 10pm. Andrew Andrew, the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players and Gabriel Kahane play, all for free. RSVP here.
Got a hankering for an Egg McMuffin at 7pm? Forget about it. Oak Brook-based McDonald's is putting plans for serving breakfast all day on hold. Of course if you can't shake that craving, you can always try to make your own.
Tonight on Channel 11: Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History, a documentary on the culinary history of Chicago, from Tootsie Rolls to Chicken Vesuvio. The doc airs at 7:30, with an instant repeat at 9:50. (via Chicago Foodies)
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Bell's beer may finally be returning to Illinois.
Do they come for the sights of the city? Navy Pier? Sears Tower? The Mag Mile? Nope, it's Binny's...
A recent study has determined that women, on average, wait 20 seconds longer for their coffee than men. Yes, the study adjusts for the "frou frou" drinks that women tend to order.
Some night not far from now its 3am, you're feeling pekish and craving vindaloo for some reason and you thank your stars and garters the Reader has a guide on late night dining in Chicago.
With seven AAA Five Diamond restaurants, Chicago now leads the nation in the club's fine dining rankings.
While you won't be able to read the reviews online, in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler, critic Alan Richman picks 20 of the best dishes to eat in the country in a feature called The Great American Food Odyssey. Two Chicago dishes made the cut, including the ceviche fronterizo at Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill and the goat cheese, asparagus and balsamic vinegar terrine at Charlie Trotter's. There are beautiful pictures of both the ceviche and terrine in the slideshow feature on the site, but you'll have to buy (or peruse) the print edition to get all the details.
Chicago magazine lists its favorite 124 dishes in Chicagoland, from the common (tempura green beans) to the unusual (pineapple rum soup).
Wondering what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy? We've got some ideas for you in Drive-Thru.
Drive-Thru contributor Alan Lake posted an excellent interview with Mario DiPaolo, Jr., owner of Mario's Italian Lemonade, on LTH Forum.
Dress up like a Chipotle entrée tomorrow evening and get a free burrito.
Well, if nothing else, Macy's made good on one promise: to bring Frango back to Chicago. Cupid Candies will make the mints in its southwest side plant.
Sri Chinmoy -- spiritual leader, extreme weightlifting enthusiast and inspiration for Roscoe Village breakfast joint Victory's Banner -- died last Thursday. The restaurant will be closed for a week while his followers pay their respects in New York.