Friends from grade school, Gary Strauss (biggish) and Tony D’Alessandro (littleish) are giving fast food a good name at scrappy Big & Little’s, where, sure, you can get a hot dog ($2.50), but you can also get a made-to-order crab tostada ($4) enlivened with a spritz of lemon and a dash of cayenne. Or maybe … Read more
You may recognize the chef heading up the open kitchen in this new 158-seat “gastro lounge”: It’s Heather Terhune, the former pastry chef at 312 Chicago and longtime executive chef at Atwood Cafe. “I’m really excited to show Chicago the other side of me,” says Terhune, who spent her childhood in Vermont picking mushrooms and … Read more
Flexible tissue, flexible dish
Quick, what’s your favorite place to drink outside in Chicago? Why? What are your secrets for snagging a table? I never, ever tire of this discussion, so please leave your answers below.
Meanwhile, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I want to go to Big Star whenever I feel like it, be seated immediately and without clawing anyone’s eyes out, drink lots of…
Goodbye, Riyadh; Hello, Logan Square
Here’s how we came to know about Accanto (2171 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 773-227-2727). First, we got a tip that half of Lucky Vito’s Pizzeria(2171 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 773-292-0101) had been carved out for a higher-end Italian restaurant that opened two weeks ago. Then we looked at the menu and raised an eyebrow (or two) at the high prices for Logan Square—$12 to $20 for appetizers and $25 to $30 for main courses…
The Cubs aren’t the only ones who emerged victorious from Monday’s home opener against Milwaukee. Directly across Sheffield Avenue from Wrigley Field, the longtime haunt Sports Corner officially reopened to a full house following a ground-up overhaul. Now triple the size of…
The Lake View bar formerly known as Fearon’s Public House (3001 N. Ashland Ave.; 773-248-0990) reopened over the weekend with a red-washed facade and a renewed dedication to all things Irish—including its new name, an ode to the flagship pub of Dublin’s nightlife quarter. While the spot is owned by…
Seven Questions for Billy Lawless
Lawless, who co-owns The Gage (24 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-372-4243) with his wife, Catherine Gilmore-Lawless, gave us the scoop on his new place under construction next door.
D: So what’s it called?
Second Luxe
The 12th floor of the Ritz-Carlton, known in the past for The Dining Room, Café at Ritz, and an opulent fountain, will emerge from renovation in the first week of May to reveal Deca Restaurant + Bar (The Ritz-Carlton, 160 E. Pearson St.; 312-573-5160), with “brasserie-inspired cuisine” such as a croque-madame and a tuna niçoise salad with…
When spending an entire Sunday afternoon watching a marathon of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County, do you ever find yourself scrutinizing one of the show’s tanned-and-eerily-taut stars and thinking, ‘Gee, if only I could recreate that look…
