dining
Michael Nagrant biography
I never met an organ meat I didn’t like. Well, that’s not entirely true. The goat eyeball taco at the Maxwell Street Market was a …
Read More-
With bellyQ, Bill Kim’s restaurants hit the spot third time around
My honesty came down hard the last two times Bill Kim opened restaurants (Urban Belly and Belly Shack). I thought the flavors were muted and the food was expensive at the former, and I thought the questionable decor at the latter was a bad parody …Read More
-
At Wicker Park’s Carriage House, the great resurrection is food itself
Maybe the only cuisine cliche bigger than pork right now is all things Southern. There are food porn spreads of country hams in every major food magazine. Bourbon is now on equal footing with Miller Lite in Wrigleyville. Chicago, which once counted Popeye’s as the …Read More
-
Andy’s Thai Kitchen makes the case as one of Chicago’s best
There’s a long letter posted on the door at Andy’s Thai Kitchen, a new restaurant in Lake View. There’s stuff about an old restaurant no longer being the restaurant it once was, things about a new chef, preserving Thai grandparents’ ancient recipes, and authenticity. As …Read More
Search recent columns
More Columns
The Big Deals 10.26.12
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Reel smart Zest Bistro and Lemon Tree Grocer, 935 W. Burlington, Downers Grove. Present a same-day movie ticket stub from a …
Sol de Mexico burns brightly on dining scene
Restaurant critic Michael Nagrant continues his series of reviews on the “mom and pops” of Chicago’s vibrant dining scene. The restaurant Sol de Mexico (“Sun of Mexico”) should really be renamed Sol de Chicago, for this Oaxacan-skewing Mexican joint in Chicago’s northwest Belmont Cragin neighborhood …
Shokran delivers Moroccan fare with plenty of flair, authenticity
Like many, all I really know about Morocco I’ve gleaned from Epcot Center, James Bond and Indiana Jones films. I thought maybe I’d gotten some information from The Clash, too, but it turns out a casbah is Algerian, not Moroccan. I’m sure there’s some truth …
The Big Deals 10.19.12
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Orange line cocktail The Gage, 24 S. Michigan. Thomas Mooneyham’s new fall drinks include the Orange Line (Bacardi Oakheart rum, Clement …
The Big Deals 10.12.12
From upscale to low-cal, the Sun-Times’ “Big Deals” column brings readers the dish on food and drink specials that will not break the bank. Da coach’s day Timothy O’Toole’s, 622 N. Fairbanks. Salute Mike Ditka’s 73rd birthday, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Oct. 18, with …
Isla serving some of the best Filipino fare in the city
One of the great demands of reviewing restaurants is the overarching need to cover the new and the hip. In doing so, the places that have been executing something really good for so long often get overlooked. So for the next month or so, I’m …
Pub grub revolution — Firkin doesn’t yield to stereotypes
Let’s be honest: pub food doesn’t enjoy a sterling reputation. What people like about their favorite watering hole varies, but most will agree on the importance of a well-stocked bar, attentive service and congenial atmosphere. They generally don’t come to their neighborhood bar and grill …
Homegrown spirits: Distillery tours let adults sample the hard stuff
Often using local ingredients, Chicago distillers pride themselves on creating spirits a world apart from the mass-produced varieties.
Head to Del Toro in Pilsen for spot-on tacos
In Chicago, there have always been “guys” you go to when you needed to get something done in the neighborhood. Sometimes it’s legendary aldermen, or the unofficial “mayors” of this town or that street. In Pilsen, there’s a lesser-known family that’s been making things happen …
Gaetano’s one of the best Italian restaurants in the Chicago area
Never trust an Italian restaurant with an autographed Frank Sinatra photo on the wall. Exhibit A: west suburban Forest Park’s Gaetano’s, a Sinatra-less, glossy picture-free dining room, and one of the best Italian restaurants at which I’ve ever eaten. I’m sure there’s a fairly good …
Sweet Spot — City Tavern’s desserts are the stars of the menu
I don’t know if man can subsist on cocktails and dessert alone. But were I to test that hypothesis I can think of no better place to try than the City Tavern, the new, rustic American spot in the South Loop. In these times of …
Moderno a four-star addition to Highland Park dining scene
Moderno, the hot contemporary Italian restaurant in Highland Park opened this past April by chef-owner John des Rosiers, already is firing on all cylinders. An inventive menu, sleek decor and impeccable service are making a big splash. Des Rosiers established his credentials as a trendsetting …
Fine Wining — Enjoy Italian fare, Mediterranean splendor at Maple Park’s Acquaviva
To track down the restaurant at Acquaviva Winery, diners must plan on straying from the beaten path. The place, which opened for lunch and dinner in the spring of 2010, is nestled in tiny Maple Park, a 17-mile hike west of St. Charles. It’s directly …Read More
Acquaviva Winery young but earning praise
Though Acquaviva Winery in west suburban Maple Park is a relative newcomer, local oenophiles have discovered it, and its wines already have scored a shelf full of medals. The vineyard first took root in 2001 on a half-acre plot that has since expanded to a …
