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 moreGettin Low With Seafood!
For me, the week before Thanksgiving is perfect for a food tasting because I miraculously develop a big appetite at least 3 days before the holiday. So when I was invited in to Lowcountry for dinner that week, I gladly accepted
Read moreI Went In Blind!
I could not think of a better mid-week soiree than attending a Blind Wine Tasting at the very elegant Eno Wine Bar located in the InterContinental Hotel. While I certainly wouldn’t turn down any invitation that involves wine, I was surely surprised when I arrived at the restaurant to find such a friendly and comforting ambiance. I always assume these type of places to be very fancy and somewhat daunting. Instead, the décor at Eno presented warmth that will instantly help you unwind
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 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 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 moreThis Jellyfish Doesn't Sting!
I started out my week right with a fantastic tasting at Jellyfish. If you haven’t heard of it, it is an intimate pan-Asian restaurant & lounge located in the Gold Coast neighborhood. I got to bring a friend who is well versed in Japanese food so that was helpful. The owners graciously welcomed us, and from the very beginning the service was impeccable
Read moreBig Shrimpin!
I celebrated Hump Day this week by visiting Prime & Provisions, Chicago’s new favorite steakhouse in the Loop
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 morePardon My Escargot!
This week’s pick is Cochon Volant. I was invited to do a tasting at the restaurant and I’m glad I didn’t miss the opportunity to dine at this beautiful French brasserie led by renowned Chefs Roland Liccioni and Matt Ayala
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.
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