If you think you’ve had good fish in your life, wait till you go to Oceanique. Because a recent visit for a tasting there changed entirely my ‘pescetarian’ life
Read moreI Went To 'Seafood' Heaven And Back!
One of the highlights of this month already has been a wonderful tasting I had at Maple & Ash this week. A modern-authentic steakhouse and restaurant, which is located in the Gold Coast neighborhood, certainly aims to please
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 moreAlaskan Crab Is King!
For some people it’s Monday Night Football, but for me it was a Monday night seafood tasting that gave my week an amazing start! I had a fantastic dining experience at Hugo’s Frog Bar recently. It was my first visit there after living in this city for seven years, but I’m glad I visited as a food blogger to experience the full potential of this restaurant.
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.
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