Photos: Jason Little 1. Weekly pasta special at Reno ($5, Wednesday nights only), 2607 N. Milwaukee Ave., Logan Square 2. Two tripa tacos at La Chaparrita ($3.70), 2500 S. Whipple St., Little Village 3. Cheeseburger and fries at Redhot Ranch ($3.88), 3057 N. Ashland Ave., Lake View 4. Beef kebabs at Ghareeb Nawaz ($4.99), 2032 … Read more
Illustration: Hawk Krall Few entrées announce themselves quite like this Mad Men–chic steakhouse’s showstopper: Two servers approach your table with a dining cart, upon which rests a perfectly medium-rare 12-ounce filet mignon topped with mushrooms, spinach, and foie gras (because why not?) and swaddled in a jacket of burnished puff pastry. Then they expertly slice … Read more
A sampling of Chicago’s global feast proves that we’ve got the most authentic ethnic food.
A leader of Chicago’s culinary vanguard, Curtis Duffy, of the three-Michelin-star Grace, reveals the genius behind a new spring dish of parsnip, black olive, blood orange, and burgundy spinach.
Illustration: Hawk Krall If you’re the sort of writer I am, you tend to let the subconscious do the heavy lifting. I don’t formally “research” characters, but they inevitably come out of the mix of social interactions that I enjoy. I used to hang around bars a lot, and being a writer provides a great … Read more
Illustration: Hawk Krall
Photo: stuart_spivack/Flickr Mild sauce is the most overlooked condiment in the history of this entire galaxy. The mainstream media has really dropped the ball on this. I feel like people don’t talk about mild sauce enough. Or maybe people talk about mild sauce all the time and I’m just not around for those conversations. Maybe … Read more
Illustration: Hawk Krall
Don’t call it a relish; relishes mask flavor for the weak and unimaginative. Giardiniera—basically chopped peppers and vegetables marinated until they’re good and punitive—zaps everything with an oily sheen of danger. Whether it lands on Italian beef sandwiches, brats, pasta, or pizzas—hell, I’ve seen people douse their eggs with it—giardiniera turns ordinary food into something … Read more
Joaquin Soler quietly closed his Irving Park spot over the holidays to prep for the changeover.
