This week, I got to visit Chicago’s oldest crab house with a guest, called, The King Crab House. This 36 year old Lincoln Park eatery is everything seafood; from a lengthy menu, a raw bar, to a full liquor bar
Read moreCin Cin!
If you’ve been reading my blogs, you know by now that I don’t write about brunch much. That’s because I’ve never really been a brunch person so unless I’m blown away, I won’t talk about it. My brunch tasting at Coda Di Volpe recently, may just have converted me into a brunch lover, and I can’t wait to see the dismay on my friends’ faces when I ask them on a brunch date next
Read moreMon Ami Gabi = Mon Favorite!
This week’s highlight was a tasting at the classic French bistro Mon Ami Gabi, located in the beautiful Belden Stratford in Lincoln Park. I’m generally impressed by most LEYE restaurants, but especially for French food lovers, Mon Ami Gabi should be your first pick
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 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 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 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 moreGallup To The Scallops!
So excited to report back on my recent visit to White Oak Tavern, a chef-driven eatery located in the heart of Lincoln Park. If you’re looking for comfort foods served up in creative, sustainable ways, then head over to this restaurant. Led by Executive Chef Tom Van Lente (of the Big Star fame) who is back at his culinary genius, which we got to experience first hand at the menu tasting last week
Read moreCrab BeneADDICT!
I’m so excited to report back on my most recent tasting at Lakeview’s new brunch hotspot, Mortar & Pestle. Conceptualized by partners & chefs Stephen Ross and Stephen Paul, the idea was to offer a fancy dining experience in a casual atmosphere and at an affordable price. Their most expensive item is $17 dollars! Currently, the restaurant only operates for breakfast and lunch, but is in the process of expanding its hours and also acquiring a liquor license. In the mean time, the food and décor more than make up for it. Beautiful benches, stained glass and a cold industrial vibe to enhance the experience as you eat your breakfast. The level of involvement and attention to detail is apparent in the beautiful tables personally constructed of salvaged wood and glazed by Chef Paul
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 more“Tuna In” To These Tostadas!
This month, I had the most incredible tasting at the new Earl’s Kitchen & Bar, which opened in Lincoln Park. It is always nice when I can bring a guest along to partake in the tasting experience. It also turned out that my guest shares the same middle name as the restaurant owner, which is Earl. So the stars were aligned right from the start
Read more