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July 2007 - Posts
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La Pomme Rouge Beautifully composed, medium-sized entrees join caviar and cheeses, house-cured charcuterie and handmade pasta on the midpriced New American menu at La Pomme Rouge , a respite from reality in River North; a naughty, voluptuous vibe permeates Read More...
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Loungey sushi – and a massive midpriced menu of raw and cooked Japanese fare – swims into Evanston’s Hotel Orrington in the form of Blu Restaurant & Sushi Lounge , located in the former Narra space; minor remodeling has tweaked the chic, ultramodern space Read More...
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They make you walk around with a horse stick and blow a whistle. That'll teach you to tell someone it's your birthday. Read More...
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Tru's gin-sake martini Move over, Cosmo. Nowadays, specialty cocktail lists are showcasing unique libations made from seasonal, fresh fruit and herbs. Tru 's summer drink menu highlights refreshers such as a gin-sake martini made with fresh lime juice Read More...
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By Jacqueline Wasilczyk Former 'Top Chef' contestant Lee Anne Wong chats with Zagat Buzz about cooking with 'No Reservations' No Reservations courtesy of Warner Bros. Top chefs are making their move to the big screen, and while they've yet to land leading Read More...
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Grant Achatz, the creative culinary whiz behind Lincoln Park's top-rated Alinea , was diagnosed with cancer this week. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune , "The cancer, which doctors believe has spread to Achatz's lymph nodes, is life-threatening. Read More...
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Otom photo: Steven Johnson Moto reverses gears – and its name – with Otom , a haute New American spin-off specializing in midpriced comfort food (andouille-anise mac 'n' cheese, braised carrot agnolotti); orange furnishings and bold stripes of bright Read More...
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Celeb chef/author/TV personality Art Smith’s long-awaited comfort-food spot, TABLE fifty-two , is set to open on July 31st in the former Albert’s Café & Patisserie space on the Gold Coast. Look for a cozy cottage atmosphere, a temporary BYO policy and Read More...
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Chicago-based mixologist Bridget Albert won the festival's Bar Chef competition. photo: Carla Spartos The fifth annual Tales of the Cocktail wrapped up in New Orleans yesterday. For those who couldn't make it to the five-day gathering of cocktail enthusiasts, Read More...
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By Jacqueline Wasilczyk Hung Huynh swears he's a humble guy. Humble Hung? photo: Virginia Sherwood, Bravo Just as properly beaten egg whites are critical to the success of a soufflé, a “cheftestant” who can be counted on to inject a little drama into Read More...
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As anyone who's ordered a $15 pom-chai-lychee-tini at a splashy, big-production restaurant knows, cocktails are a key feature of the modern dining experience, with drink lists designed by celebrity mixologists like Dale DeGroff becoming more and more Read More...
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Dale DeGroff, left, confers with judge Ted Allen of Top Chef at the fest's Bar Chef competition. photo: Carla Spartos Perhaps no one has had a greater influence on the American cocktail renaissance than mixologist Dale DeGroff. Walk into any restaurant Read More...
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Ted Breaux serving his Lucid absinthe at Tales of the Cocktail. photo: Carla Spartos Seemingly everywhere you turn here at Tales of the Cocktail , someone’s pushing absinthe, the bitter, anise-flavored spirit distilled from wormwood made famous by Belle Read More...
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Audrey Saunders at Commander's Palace. photo: Carla Spartos On a recent episode of Top Chef , one of the contestants, Hung, complained that cocktails are not appropriate for pairing with the "refined, beautiful, elegant food I cook." He was chafing at Read More...
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A morning seminar kicks off with a Smoker's Delight cocktail. photo: Carla Spartos The genius of Tales of the Cocktail is that while most conferences are packed with presentations, roundtables and meetings, all seemingly a pretense for the marathon drink-a-thons Read More...
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Celeb chef/author/TV personality Art Smith’s long-awaited Traditional and New American comfort food spot, TABLE fifty-two , is set to open in the Gold Coast on or around July 24th in the former Albert’s Café & Patisserie space. Look for a cozy cottage Read More...
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As suspected, the nascent partnership of Lettuce Entertain You with Laurent Gras (ex San Fran’s Fifth Floor ) will indeed place him in the hallowed kitchen of the former Ambria to open a high-end seafood restaurant by year’s end (2300 N. Lincoln Park Read More...
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Carlos and Debbie Nieto, the renowned owners of Carlos' , are hosting hands-on cooking classes in their Antioch, IL, home (30 minutes north of the Highland Park restaurant) on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. The eight-person classes spend an Read More...
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The fifth-annual Tales of the Cocktail , a five-day gathering of cocktail geeks, bar chefs, booze marketers, journos and assorted other "connoisseurs" gets underway tomorrow, July 18th, in New Orleans, and Zagat Buzz will be on hand to bring you the highlights. Read More...
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Bluprint photo: Steven Johnson The team behind Rhapsody brings Bluprint , a moderately priced New American, to River North, along with The Merchandise Mart’s first full-service bar (featuring ‘mart’inis and chichi nibbles); highly composed presentations Read More...
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Otom (pronounced “autumn”) opens today two doors down from its sibling, Moto , serving moderately priced, highbrow New American comfort food (e.g. andouille-anise mac 'n' cheese). The stark, modern setting, similar to Moto's, is rendered a bit warmer Read More...
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The garden at Room 21 South Loop's Room 21 has started serving Sunday brunch in its vast landscaped garden and fashionable dining room. Menu items range from brioche French toast to a stack of mini-burgers, complemented by specialty drinks like a lychee Read More...
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The food may be bad, but at least the service is slow. Read More...
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West Town Tavern Wednesdays have been Barbecue Sparerib Night at the West Town Tavern for a few weeks now, but Wednesday, July 18th, marks the official kickoff of the weekly special. That night, guests opting for the BBQ menu ($18.75 per person) will Read More...
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Trattoria Trullo's new digs in Lincoln Square photo: Steven Johnson Tomorrow, globe-trotting chef Emmanuel Nony (ex NoMI ) will launch Sepia, a Market District New American in a turn-of-last-century printing warehouse (123 N. Jefferson St.; 312-441-1920). Read More...
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Toast liberté, égalité and fraternité at Pops for Champagne. Marché will throw a Bastille Day Garden Party on its patio Friday, July 13th, with champagne, martinis, an appetizer buffet and servers dressed as can-can dancers and French maids (6–8 PM; $45 Read More...
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It seems that the owner, the chef and I have lost interest. Read More...
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Brasserie Jo's menu will follow the cyclists' course. photo: www.letour.fr Saturday, July 7th, through Sunday, July 29th, Brasserie Jo takes you on the Tour de France – by offering à la carte menu specials that change with the racers’ terrain. For instance, Read More...
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Checking out the fireworks in Grant Park is a no-brainer; just remember it's on July 3rd, not the 4th. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will begin playing at 7:30 PM at the Petrillo Music Shell and the fireworks start at 9:30 PM; get to the park early to Read More...
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With its recently expanded space and a new Edgewater location on the way, Uncommon Ground , Wrigleyville’s beloved, eco-conscious coffee shop/Eclectic eatery, is thriving. The new spot, due in September at 1401 West Devon Avenue, will include a rooftop Read More...
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Salseria Grill & Cantina photo: Steven Johnson On the second floor of the Loop’s Sears Tower, Salseria Grill & Cantina feels like an instant vacation with its party music, margaritas and salsa selection; those who need more than apps will be thankful Read More...
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