What do you do when you want gourmet sushi at a decent price? You head over to Lawrence Fish Market in Albany Park! A counter-serve, cash-only eatery that’s more about the thrills and less about the frills
Read moreAugust, It's A Wrap!
Another summer month that started out with a fun, food adventure . Have you guys heard of Chuy’s Tex Mex? It’s a restaurant chain based in Austin that Illinois now has the privilege of hosting. A new location recently opened up in Warrenville and I got to visit for a tasting
Read moreJuly, It's A Wrap!
I’ll be honest that I didn’t ever expect to be invited to an Irish bar and restaurant for a tasting, or expect to have gourmet food while there. Both happened recently at Kitty O’Sheas when I went in to try their new summer menu
Read moreJune, It's A Wrap!
I just had a good feeling about June and knew this month was going to be a fun one. I mean summer is almost upon us and it’s the season of patios
Read moreMay, It's A Wrap!
My first Friday in May started with a very fun tasting at Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp with owner Dan Griffin. While I know that one of the perks of being a food blogger is discovering new and hidden gems, this discovery really should’ve happened a long time ago, especially given that it’s in my neighborhood. Better late than never I say, and better that I did it this way and got to try all the yummy offerings this menu has
Read moreApril, It's A Wrap!
While the weather was still cold in April, the food scene was definitely heating up in Chicago. The month started with a tasting of the newly launched Dosa-Frankie Brunch at Vermilion. Vermilion is a fun restaurant located in River North offering an amalgamation of both Latin and Indian cuisines, both of which are very dear to my heart
Read moreMarch, It's A Wrap!
I attended a menu tasting at Oyster House the evening of the day I had returned from Hawaii. Having just had such amazing seafood there, you can understand why the bar was set so high, when I arrived at tasting. I was also jet lagged and partly wondering if this was a good idea. But I knew that it would take very delicious food to have my attention and would be a good test anyways. To paraphrase, I was so charged up for this meal, that I was ready to go clubbing afterwards
Read moreFebruary, It's A Wrap!
February was a busy month of travel but I still managed to squeeze in some fun food experiences
Read moreJanuary, It's A Wrap!
Seafood brunch is a phenomena which in my opinion hasn’t been explored fully. And I don’t just say that as an ardent pescetarian, but because of the sheer potential of fish incorporated in a brunch meal. And to prove my point, I want to talk about a recent tasting of the new brunch menu at Oyster Bah I tried recently. INCREDIBLE
Read moreDecember, It's A Wrap!
My very first event in the last month of the year was the VIP launch party for Eden, the newest restaurant addition to the West Loop. At this grand opening, guests got the full flavor of the restaurant’s American and Mediterranean themed menu and exquisite bar program
Read moreNovember, It's A Wrap!
At the beginning of November, I went to the newly opened Seafood City for a tasting. Seafood City is a premier Filipino supermarket chain in North America that has now graced our city with its presence. This place is an all-stop shop for seafood lovers; a grocery store and restaurant combined
Read moreOctober, It's A Wrap!
October was a very special month for me, because it marks the anniversary of the launch of my blog, it is my birthday month, and most importantly, it is National Seafood Month
Read moreSeptember, It's A Wrap!
September was so exciting, because it started with a fun trip to Cuba, and I got to explore their very interesting food scene. A detailed blog on that, here
Read moreAugust, It's A Wrap!
August was HOT! Both for the weather and the food scene in Chicago
Read moreJuly, It's A Wrap!
July has been another busy month full of fun foodie events
Read moreSummer Lovin And Eatin!
The summer has started out fun as I’ve had the opportunity to try so many different things and places in the city
Read moreMay, It's A Wrap!
May brought its own set of fun food events. At the start of the month, I was able to partake in a delicious beer and pizza tasting guided by Brewmaster Kevin McMahon at Gino’s Brewing Co. I think you’ll agree that not much can go wrong with the classic beer and pizza combo, although a lot can go right if done well. And I learned that you don’t have to be a beer connoisseur to recognize that. I brought a friend along with me to the tasting and we were seated at a table with several other fun foodies, which added even more flavor to the evening
Read moreApril, It's A Wrap!
April started out fun with the New Gino’s East opening in Pilsen. The restaurant showcased special menu items specifically created in Mexico City as the restaurant at this location strives to combine flavor profiles of Mexican and Italian cultures
Read moreMarch, It's A Wrap!
March was such a fun month for this foodie and it started out with the grand opening for Imperial Lamian, which I got to attend. Located in River North, the restaurant offers modern Chinese cuisine crafted by three renowned Chefs, Chef Lam, Chef Tiong and Chef Hongjun. The décor itself is extravagant and rustic, and immediately reminded me of Indonesia, where I’ve lived many moons ago. Only to find out that the restaurant is a U.S. debut of a Jakarta-based chain, which got me even more excited. We were welcomed with champagne, and the place was humming with energy when I walked in. Food and drinks were flowing, as I got my hands on some namesake Lamian (a specific type of Chinese noodle) after watching a fun demo of its preparation. The Crispy Prawn with wasabi aioli and the Vegetable Spring Rolls were my favorite
Read moreAnother Churascaria in Illinois!
Welcome to Naperville, Fogo De Chao! I was recently invited to an exclusive grand opening dinner at the new location of this wonderful Southern Brazilian Steakhouse. Immediately upon arrival, my guest and I were greeted with their signature Caipirinha, which tasted better than I remembered. This drink was made with top shelf Cachaca (a raw sugarcane spirit), crushed ice, sugar and lime and is known as the Brazilian ‘national cocktail!’ Now I’m rooting for the U.S. to come up with something similar! We could use a fun national cocktail like this, couldn’t we?
Like their fellow restaurants, this location also offers a continuous meat service (which I couldn’t take advantage of given my pescetarian limitations); but guests around me looked fully pleased with the endless array of roasted meat!
Once I saw the extensive salad bar, I wasn’t worried about leaving hungry. In my opinion, the salad bar at Fogo De Chao, is one of the best in the city. It offers every imaginable seasonal vegetable, various soups and their famous Feijoada (a bean stew served with rice and yucca). I also got my hands on some fresh smoked salmon and would’ve been content at this point, however the very gracious staff also brought out their delicious Sea Bass for me. Seafood with a South American spin - this Mango Chilean Sea Bass was the highlight of my night. A mildly crispy yet tender fillet with home made mango relish, topped with a malagueta pepper sauce and served with sautéed asparagus spears on the side. I was one happy camper!
We also had an uninterrupted supply of their yummy Pao De Queijo (baked, mini cheese-flavored rolls) that were light as air, and easy to lose count of. If you love carbs, you’re in trouble with this one!
As usual, I also couldn’t pass up the desserts, not with Tres Leches Cake on the menu! So I ordered one. Out came a perfectly sweet and sufficiently moist piece of cake soaked in three different kinds of milk. The Crème Brulee, which my guest ordered, was also one of the best-glazed custards I’ve had, and worth a mention.
Throughout the night, we also had various staff members stop by our table for feedback and to tell us about their favorites. The restaurant was bustling yet there seemed to be a smooth flow with each table well attended to. My guest and I definitely felt special and cared for. A nicely done event and with a location such as the Freedom Commons, it will have Naperville residents crowding the restaurant in no time!