List Price: $7.5 million The Property: Every exterior wall of this 9,000-square-foot house in Lake Forest is covered in pebble mosaics, all the way to the top of its three-story tower. The mosaics-some that date from the house’s origins in 1882, and others from latter-day additions-depict hummingbirds, vines, family members’ names, and cabbage roses. At … Read more
New York’s Loss . . . Dish has learned that the chef at Brasserie Ruhlmann, the offshoot of a classic NYC brasserie/raw bar opening opposite Japonais (600 W. Chicago Ave.; 312-822-9600) in early October, will be Christian Delouvrier. A native of Gascony, Delouvrier is a veteran of New York standouts such as Alain Ducasse at … Read more
In Chicago and New York, the top steak houses serve prime aged meat. How different can they be? You’d be surprised.
SustainedAs the name suggests, Sidebar Grille (221 N. LaSalle St.), the latest venture from the Four Corners Tavern Group (Brownstone, Schoolyard, and Gaslight taverns), attracts a clientele heavily populated by the legal crowd. “A lot of our Lincoln Park patrons work in the Loop,” says Marc Epstein, the downtown spot’s 38-year-old general manager. Four Corners … Read more
According to a recent study on human sexual behavior by two University of Texas profs, there are 237 reasons why humans—specifically, college-aged humans—have sex (No. 21: “It feels good”). OK, so now we know the factors driving us into the bedroom…
The Trump Card Everyone has been speculating about what high-octane chef would anchor the restaurant coming to the 16th floor of the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago (401 N. Wabash Ave.) when it opens in December. Trotter? Robuchon? Ducasse? Nope. The answer is . . . Frank Brunacci. Who? A native of Melbourne, Brunacci, … Read more
In our exacting annual issue dedicated to ferreting out all good things worth knowing about, we present a guide to Chicago’s tastiest food; outstanding places to shop for clothing and the home; top-notch service providers; great neighborhood attractions; and, of course, sure-fire ways to have fun.
I think I’m dating someone. Yes, wait, I know I am… at least, I’m pretty sure. But I don’t know what that means exactly. Here’s where the confusion comes into play. I’ve “dated” guys and then I’ve really dated guys. I’ve hung out, hooked up, had breakfast, talked on the phone, texted, IM’d, met for drinks, had dinner even—but these weren’t guys I’d consider boyfriends. I knew that the nights they weren’t with me, they were probably with someone else, or would be if the opportunity presented itself…
5 Questions for Elizabeth Dahl, the new pastry chef at Boka (1729 N. Halsted St.; 312-337-6070) D: You’ve been the pastry chef at Naha for a while now. Why did you leave? ED: I heard that Giuseppe [Tentori] was hiring. I had dinner with my husband one Sunday night at Boka and we loved his … Read more
Hotel bars really haven’t taken off as drinking destinations in this city—which I’ve never quite understood—but my hunch is that Crimson Lounge may start to change that. The new bar in the luxurious Hotel Sax Chicago is not your typical lobby lounge; it doesn’t even resemble the Kaz Bar that held court back when this was the House of Blues Hotel—you know, before the $17 million renovation.
Crimson Lounge is total opulence. Red-tinted mirrors line the back bar; red-hued furniture contrasts with the walnut floors; and a spicy scent, created especially for the place, wafts throughout…
