Features The 2003 Dining Awards, by Dennis Ray Wheaton and Jeff Ruby The list you’ve been waiting for-Chicago’s 20 finest restaurants-includes some surprises: We pick a new number one, officially crown the new King of Chefs, and gape at a balloon of mozzarella injected with tomato-water foam. Govenor Sunshine, by Carol Felsenthal Things could not … Read more
A pair of new neighborhood restaurants with downtown expertise are quickly becoming destinations.
Everything’s beefy, as expected, at two testosterone-fueled spots owned by football legends.
Merló is a splendid place for navel grazing. Along with Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, and balsamic vinegar, tortellini, those little filled pasta nuggets, are a crown jewel of Emilia-Romagna cuisine. At Merló the handmade tortellini and tortelloni (same thing, larger scale) are divine, delicate packets filled with varying cheeses and meats. Among the five kinds … Read more
5 questions for Art Smith, cookbook author and Oprah’s chef, who opens Art Smith’s Table this summer on the Gold Coast
For some three years now, Chicagoans have been hooked on mini dishes for dinner. Time to look at the newcomers and give the original a fresh once-over. PLUS: On Wine
Boka’s Asparagus Milanese Salad
Budget Beat; Indian; New; Seafood
If the proliferation of pasta in this town is any indication, every restaurateur in Chicago thinks he can do Italian. Meet two smart newcomers who really can.
Former actors turned chefs Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, otherwise known as the Hearty Boys, have been dishing it out to Chicagoans for almost ten years. Now, in near-frantic performances on their Food Network show, they are bringing macaroni and cheese on a stick to the wider world
