We’re Obsessed With the Stuffed Plantain at Mahari By John Kessler The flavors, like many at the Hyde Park restaurant, represent the whole African diaspora yet are of a piece. Read more
The Case for Reviewing While High By John Kessler Chicago’s dining critic explains why cannabis makes him better at his job. Read more
A (Really) Great Giardiniera Retest By John Kessler Our critic sat down with the makers of Caruso Provisions giard — the lowest ranked one in our taste test — to talk history, process, and why those jars were off. Read more
Review: Cafe Yaya is Becoming Our New Standby By John Kessler Though still a bit uneven, Cafe Yaya, an all-day spot from the Galit team, keeps this critic coming back. Read more
Why Nine Garden Is Our Shanghai Spot By John Kessler The service may be slow, but the folks are friendly and the food is consistently solid to great. Read more
A ChatGPT-Perfected Restaurant By John Kessler With restaurants like Alinea and Esmé turning to AI, our critic uses the tool to create his ideal restaurant. Read more
The Great Giardiniera Taste Test By John Kessler What’s the best locally made jarred giard? Our dining critic did a blind ranking of seven top hot versions. The results might surprise you. Read more
Review: Thalaiva’s Spotlights the Southern Soul of India By John Kessler At the Park Ridge restaurant, flavors from the Kongu Nadu region take center stage. Read more
Indienne Is Precise and Articulated Fine Dining By John Kessler What our dining critic found less lovable? The $60 tasting menu at nearby Sifr. Read more
