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 moreI Tasted The Madness!
My tasting at the recently opened Mad Boiler was undoubtedly one of the ‘funnest.’ And it once again proved to me that you don’t need to be at fancy places to have fun or experience good food
Read moreWhat I Ate At Chicago Gourmet!
For the ninth year in a row, Chicago Gourmet put on a remarkable event of exquisite food. Seriously, this event is foodie haven. The crème de la crème of restaurants, wineries and breweries all gathered to give attendees the best food experience they could hope for
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 moreI Got My Fill-ini!
I had a wonderful menu tasting experience at Filini recently. Filini is a contemporary Italian restaurant and bar at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel downtown, headed by recently appointed Executive Chef Rick Starr who oversees their culinary program. The restaurant is multi-level, with the bar area on the first floor and a magnificent dining room on the second floor with a glass wine wall
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 moreHalibut...HaliGOOD!
I’m still speechless from the magical menu tasting I had at The Florentine this week. And possibly still full from all the food I ate while I was there
Read moreGood Things Come To Those Who Wait!
Last week’s tasting at Naoki was an all around discovery for me. Not just of a Lincoln Park hidden gem, but also an unveiling of the true genius of Lettuce Entertain You’s long time sushi chef, Naoki Nakashima
Read moreMagiamo!
Even as a food blogger, Italian food for me has always been synonymous with pizza and pasta. Unlike a recent trip to Greece, which changed my perception and understanding of authentic Greek cuisine, I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Italy yet. So when my good friend, Chef and Owner Bruno Abate invited me in to his restaurant Tocco to taste the “real deal” as he put it, I was indeed excited. Tocco is a stylish Italian restaurant nestled in the heart of Wicker Park, with a chic dining room, a lavish lounge and an extensive bar
Read moreLiving Life Like A King!
You know what’s impressive? A place that can keep me indoors on a Saturday night, on a beautiful summer evening. And that place is Kings Bowl in Lincoln Park’s New City. There is absolutely nothing lacking in this 24,000 square foot entertainment complex, featuring 16 ten-pin bowling lanes, a social gaming area, an upscale lounge and a restaurant. The Lincoln Park spot is their eighth venue nationwide. Why am I just discovering this place
Read moreOcean To Table!
Last week, I got to do something very cool. I was invited to a Seafood Themed Community Dinner organized by Paul Sippil. The dinner was a part of the farm-to-table themed club Sippil started last year, in an effort to connect people through responsibly sourced meals
Read moreI'm Turning Japanese....I Really Think So!
My first tasting this month was at a restaurant I’ve heard a lot about and been wanting to visit for a long time. Who wouldn’t be curious about an authentic, latin-inspired, Japanese eatery featuring both tacos and sushi! Along with their PR Manager, I finally ventured to put my curiosity to rest
Read moreFast Food At Home!
As a Professional Organizer by trade, I value any service or product that can maximize time and efficiency. And as a seafood blogger, I prefer if it somehow involves fish
Read moreRoll With It!
This week I attended Arami’s D-I-Y sushi class which they host every month. I got to roll maki alongside Chef De Cuisine Nelson Vinansaca and some other food bloggers, which was a lot of fun. I can’t believe however that as a sushi lover this was my first time at a restaurant that’s been listed as one of the 21 best spots for sushi in America. I was excited to be there nevertheless
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 moreWhat's All The OctoFuss About?
I finally made it to Sink|Swim, the first restaurant offering by the Scofflaw Group, that celebrated its first birthday earlier this month. Sink | Swim is a seafood driven eatery with a fun nautical décor, headed by Executive Chef Matt Danko, who’s carved out a well thought out menu offering coastal eats, predominantly in a small plates format. The restaurant aims to provide you with a solid, pescetarian dining experience, although there are many items on the menu that are non-seafood related. With that, the restaurant also offers a carefully crafted beverage program comprising of cocktails such as the Santa Cruz Hurricane, which I tried. A delicious blend of Letherbee Gin, Lucky Falernum, Peychaud’s Bitters, passionfruit, lime and East India Sherry. Having just returned from a vacation in Portugal and being on a port wine kick, I was ecstatic to have its close substitute (sherry) included in my drink
Read moreMore Power To The Tower!
I so enjoyed my first visit to the sprawling Tavern on Rush in the Gold Coast last Friday. I was invited in for a seafood tasting and was able to bring a guest, which is always a plus. Most tastings are typically scheduled during the week so this was a welcome change to be able to catch the restaurant in its weekend atmosphere. The restaurant was pulsating with energy when we arrived, and instantly livened our mood
Read morePlenty of Fish In This Seafood Salad!
It has been a fabulous week! My friend Carrie and I got to enjoy a midweek meet up for a lunch tasting at Joe’s Seafood, and we haven’t stopped talking about it since
Read moreFor The Love Of Tapas!
It was a happy Monday indeed as I got to try the new Latinicity’s Pata Negra restaurant at Block 37, located downtown. Latinicity is a full service tapas restaurant and is fairly new to Chicago. Since I had missed out on their grand opening, I was thrilled about visiting and finally trying all their creative, Latin-inspired dishes I had heard about
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
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