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 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 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 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 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 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 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 more