Indian food will always be comfort food for me; I mean it’s the food I grew up with and was staple for at least 17 years of my life. But having grown up in India, I will admit to being a snob when it comes to Indian food in the U.S. I am not easily impressed and for good reason
Read moreI Got LUXy!
When the Gibsons Restaurant Group opened LUXBAR in 2005 in Chicago, they wanted it to be a place with great food and also visual appeal. And they were able to create just that. To give you an example, the restaurant boasts a bar that was designed and built in Vienna
Read more'Holt' Your Horses!
Highlight of this week was a little excursion to Park Ridge for a menu tasting at a restaurant named, Holt’s. Located in the heart of downtown, this year-old sidewalk café seems like the perfect, summer hot spot for its city residents. My guest and I went on a Wednesday and the bustling scene could have fooled you for a Friday night
Read moreFish, The Original Fast Food!
When owner Dirk Fucik invited me in to his store, Dirk’s Fish & Gourmet Shop, I was expecting to get a little tour, take a few pictures, maybe sample some shrimp cocktail and be on my way. I guess I did not have the slightest idea of what was in store for me, nor did I expect to spend several hours at this seafood haven
Read moreDon't Let This Slider Slide!
Who doesn’t love a family-run eatery featuring authentic food and genuine hospitality?! Izakaya Mita has been on my list for quite some time now and I finally ventured there for a tasting this week
Read moreWho Needs Meat When You Have Fishcuterie!
Last week I went with a friend to Kinmont for a menu tasting. A restaurant named after a salmon fly-fishing lure named Kinmont Willie, which was used by a group of 19th century environmentalists who partook in ethical fishing practices, Kinmont is one of the most sustainable seafood restaurants we have here in Chicago. Owned and conceptualized by the Element Collective group, the objective was to offer traditional concepts using modern approaches evident in the food I ate there. The décor although plain seems to work with the restaurant’s overall ethos, which is about the basics and not the glitz. Overall the atmosphere is warm and cozy and seemed and I welcomed it after a long week
Read moreGnocch Kidding!
What was a pescetarian like me doing at a restaurant named mEAT, you may ask. The answer is, I was relishing all the wonderful seafood they have to offer. You heard right; mEAT is a restaurant that also offers seafood and enough of it to satisfy a pescetarian’s needs
Read moreCheeky Business!
I had just returned from Greece and was heavily reminiscing all the amazing seafood there. Needless to say, a few days later I went for a seafood tasting at Cold Storage, and with high expectations. The restaurant far exceeded those expectations and was the perfect cure for my jet lag
Read moreSecrets Do Make Friends!
On Monday, I found myself back at Luke’s Lobster to sample some of their new menu items, and I couldn’t have been happier. I got to meet co-owner Ben Conniff, who has opened 19 locations and is personally involved in overseeing his restaurants. It was nice to have the company of my friend & Editor at Chicago Food Magazine, Lauren Knight, who fully understands the nuances of a food tasting.
Read moreNo 'Trout' About It!
This week I’m featuring a great new find called Haywood Tavern. An invitation to do a menu tasting brought me in to this European inspired corner eatery, and I am so glad it did! Located in the upcoming Humboldt Park neighborhood, this corner bar definitely promises to break the stereotype of bar food, by offering high quality yet affordable fare.
Read moreThat’s What I’m TACOing About!
My first encounter with BarBakoa was at The Chicago Gourmet festival this year. As I made my rounds through the Mexican Food Pavilion, at the event, I tasted some of their samplings and fell in love. It was nice to see Chef Dudley Nieto himself serving everyone with such gusto. He even took the time to have a quick conversation with me about BarBakoa & my blog, and extended an invitation to do a seafood tasting.
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