The header says it all.

While I abhor Cosmopolitans, the one thing I do love about those ladies from “Sex and the City” is their camaraderie. I suspect their daily meetings, however, are nothing but TV mythology. There’s no way anyone with a real job and life has time to meet with their friends so often. Still, their gatherings duly represent my aspirations of whiling away endless afternoons over drinks, food and banter to celebrate life. And so I do. Since I moved to Chicago, my best friend Aamir and I have made it a pretty regular habit to decompress at various downtown establishments after work. More »

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away (a little place called Mexico), the world came to taste a soon-to-be classic meal. Otherwise translated as “stuffed peppers” to the English linguist, chile rellenos are a damn fine creation born and bred in Mexico. Spoken by the god of Mexican cookery himself in his book, Mexico One Plate at a Time, Rick Bayless exalts chile rellenos as the ultimate special occasion meal. More »

Enjoy your victory dude. I’ve got $100,000 dollars and international fame.

Stephanie Izard might be Top Chef America, but is she Top Chef Chicago?

On Sunday night, Executive Chef of The Drawing Room(937 N. Rush) Nick Lacasse edged out Stephanie Izard in a cooking throwdown battle. More »

This might be the funniest thing I read all week. Of course, I’m a Sox fan. Then again Kerry Wood, aka Kid 401K, who allegedly smashed Sosa’s boombox with a bat back in the day, would also probably enjoy this.

Somewhere between the Harry Truman Parkway and an arm of the intercoastal waterway in Savannah, Georgia, there’s a billboard on Victory Avenue that says “You didn’t come to Savannah to eat pond-raised shrimp from China.” Georgia, thanks for the reminder. I guess. Just past that stoplight, the Spanish moss-shaded mansions and gnarled boulevard trees on Victory take over, and I almost forgot about this odd but dryly charming message from the Georgia Wild Shrimp association. But in a place where shrimp is ever-present on local menus and the smell of the salt-marsh hangs heavy in the humid air, it’s a hard thought to completely dislodge. More »

Evian, the breakfast of champions.

1 - If this is Top Chef Chicago, why are there three New York chefs representing the final challenge? Typical coastal bias. Though all three of those chefs are dope.

2 - Dude, they totally hate Lisa, giving the chef with the most elimination wins the first choice of their partner chef.

3 - Scylla micromanages Le Bernadin. Nice.

4 - I doubt Richard’s right about the use of liquid nitrogen being that rare anymore.

5 - On the other hand, it blows my mind that Ripert et al are amazed by what he’s doing. You’d think that these top open minded smart chefs, even if they don’t cook that way, would be up on modern technique.

6 - Lisa says her food is going to represent her personality. Apparently it’s going to taste entirely like sour lemons.

7 - Richard says he’s the only artist/craftsman…not yet dude. You only become an artist as a chef when you redefine paradigms. Right now you’re stealing from Achatz, Adria, Wylie et al…

8 - Yep, so Ted Allen is the lone chicago representative on the judging panel. NYC bias.

9 - Why’s everything being served in Royal Doulton coffee cups?

10 - Steph looks like she’s winning.

11 - Dude, everything needs foie gras.

12 - Wow, nice. Richard is honest. Though they could be playing producer roulette to make you think he sucked.

13 - Stephanie wins! Chi-town represent. And Michigan. Go Blue!

Stage moms and precocious children everywhere rejoice as Top Chef has just announced “Top Chef Junior”, a cooking competition for teens. Apparently Go-Gurt and Lunchables advertising didn’t fit into the regular “Top Chef” product placement opportunities. First quickfire challenge: send a Twitter and text message your Fave 5 via a T-Mobil Sidekick while using your free-hand to make a chopped salad with a child-friendly plastic chef’s knife.

With his fierce tattoos, imposing frame and black lacquer glasses, chef Graham Elliot Bowles looks like the lovechild of Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo and a bouncer from a death-metal bar. However, the aggressive-looking “innocence” tattoo on his left forearm is more a reflection of the artist who also did ink for Pantera than of Bowles’ true personality. As Bowles says, “I look like I’m ready to hurt someone, when I really just want to cry on their shoulder.” More »

When Jesus and his apostles broke bread at their ceremonial “Last Supper,” I notice that there was one course blatantly missing: eggplant Parmesan. I’m admittedly not a food historian of ancient Israel, nor am I well-versed on the availability of produce in biblical times, but I do know that this cheesy, gooey, and fried casserole of Italian deliciousness is heavenly.

When the time comes to toast my own last meal, you can be sure it won’t skimpy on the eggplant. A steaming bed of spaghetti, buttery garlic bread, a full shaker of grated Parmesan for extra sprinkling; this is the supporting cast for what makes up the greatest eggplant Parmesan dinner a kitchen can muster. If I at least go down with a full stomach and a satisfied palate, it will have been one fine last supper. More »

Grant Achatz took home Best Chef honors overall, while Carrie Nahabedian took home Best Chef Great Lakes honors. Congrats, guys.

My name is Brian Huston and I will be your purveyor of pork.

Here’s the new menu from Executive Chef Paul Kahan and Chef de Cuisine Brian Huston’s Beer and Pork focused gastropub at 845 W. Fulton Market (no opening date yet). They may not have a name for their new place, but who really cares. Whatever’s remaining in my bank account is now apportioned for the pork part of the menu.

Oysters

6/12/24 $12/$24/$48

Kumamoto
Puget Sound, Washington: rich, buttery, fruity, mineral

Hog Island
Tomales Bay, California: plump, salty, smoky and sweet

Paradise Cove
Desolation Sound, British Columbia: salty, sweet, watermelon

Strangers Bay
Baynes Sound, British Columbia: plump, sweet, fruity

Malpeque
Prince Edward Island, Canada: firm, bitter lettuce, clean

Rappahannock
Wake, Virginia: sweet, buttery, crisp, clean More »

Yo, Dale you forgot to wear your grillz.

Yes, that’s right, my hometown Detroit Red Wings just won the Stanley Cup and since I write about food, I’m being self-indulgent and celebrating on this blog. Now, on to Top Chef…

1 - I thought deep fry oil represents Puerto Rican food more than any other ingredient.

2 – Richard almost loses his faux hawk, which is clearly an OSHA violation, to a gas fire.

3 – In case you didn’t see it, Stephanie loves Tahoe boys.

4- - Lisa basically had a problem with everyone.

5 – I wonder if Spike is going to stuff Richard’s pig with frozen pork.

6 – Spike should offer Lisa a joint to take the edge off…not that I’m saying he smokes pot or anything.

7 – Yea, Stephanie makes a good decision and avoids mass Trichinosis. Dude if Spike had left Lisa’s pork belly out, she would have cut off his left nostril.

8 – Dude, I miss Hung going all hardcore. These contestants are too friendly to one another.

9 – Wow, Antonia’s daughter is willing to be an orphan unless her mom wins. Maybe she should be on Top Chef instead.

10 – How come Colicchio hasn’t visited the kitchen in his pristine blue chef’s coat?

11 – Did anyone tell Padma this wasn’t a Toga party?

12 – Are Colichhio and Wilo Benet brothers from different mothers?

13 – I’m starting to get the feeling that much like Sampson, Lisa’s strength was in her hair.

14 – Richard is really thinking, yo, when I win this I’ll be driving a Mercedes.

15 - Antonia, she gone.

Ave Maria Capitanini, the matriarch of Italian Village dies.

Raymond Sokolov was in town eating duck liver for the WSJ.

Chuck Sudo grills Stephanie Izard

The trademark Stetson has been shelved, the tattoos are fierce, the black lacquered mod glasses and the red Chuck Taylor Converse shoes are bared, and tonight Chef Graham Elliot Bowles comes out swinging with a BYOB opening (a few days ahead of the June 2 expected opening) of his namesake restaurant (217 W. Huron) which finally honors his true personality.

I stopped in today to check out the space, and everything from the informal tea towel linens to the hammered copper sinks in the ladies bathroom look shiny and ready to serve as the backdrop of one of Chicago’s more exciting openings. The room is warm, elegant and mod, and doesn’t entirely reject luxury, in fact it could go either way.

Though don’t kid yourself about the formality, as Bowles remarked that they were thinking of hiding a flat screen TV behind the bar to show old WWF Wrestlemania tapes for the late night crowd. Appetizers are running $9-15 with entrees from $27-37. The menu features Bowles’ handwriting and personal sketches of his dishes.

Tune in for more in next week’s Newcity.

There are a lot of terms used for what we’re seeing happen today—international village, globalization, shrinking world—but whatever the term, the result is we now have lots of stuff from somewhere else. That’s a wonderful thing. However, if some of that stuff happens to fall into the category of food preparation, it can become a confusing thing. More »

Per Rick Tramonto:

“The Top Chef producers stocked and paid for the product that went into our coolers. Unfortunately, due to editing and the whole reality tv way of filming, it was not conveyed that it was part of the challenge, nor is the conversation shown where Tom pointed out that they were not the restaurant’s product. None of my restaurants have ever used frozen scallops or any product that is not of the highest quality. Other than that, it was a pleasure being part of such an amazing production, and I loved the way that Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood looked on screen. It was a lot of fun to be part of.”

Wait, reality TV sets people up and then doesn’t show “reality”? This is too much for me to take. Seriously though, it is pretty despicable that the producers made it look like Tramonto was serving poor quality scallops in his kitchen. Frankly I love that he stood up to Spike and didn’t make any excuses. On the other hand, planting frozen scallops seems all fair to me, and if a chef makes that decision, as Spike did, he deserves to go.

Antonia, I will break you.

Spoke with Tramonto and Cenitare Group PR guru Jeffrey Ward tonight. He says of the rogue scallops that brought Spike down. “…that was Top Chef’s product, not ours, for sure… “

1 – What’s with the crotch pads for butchering steaks?

2 – I can’t believe all the meat in the Allen Brothers plant. Have you see the prices on their stuff? It’s literally as much as most finished prime dry aged finished dishes at good steakhouses around town. I can’t believe they sell that much product.

3 – This is the first Quickfire challenge that actually determines how good a chef you are.

4 – Unfortunately, this means Spike has chops.

5 – Why is everyone wearing a hoodie?

6 – Nice Glad trash bag commercial. Do all their bags come with big fat logos on them?

7- Why would you take “frozen” scallops? Spike doesn’t use his advantage well, ever.

8 – Stephanie just said sweetbreads are like “a chicken McNugget if they’re done right.” She’s so right…which is scary, but the reality is that, all snobbery aside, most high end chefs are seeking to surpass the satisfaction of a crunchy moist Chicken McNugget with their platings.

9 – Did she just say peanut butter whipped potatoes? No way. Lisa’s going home.

10 – Richard finally comes off as human.

11 – I think hearts of palm, fresh or canned are overrated. They’re like the upscale tofu of the haute cuisine world.

12 – I totally dig that Ilan is rocking the t-shirt. I wonder if he’ll require jackets at his tapas truck.

13 – I feel Ted Allen got shafted this season in favor of Gail Simmons….of course this may just be Chicago favoritism.

14 – Damn, Spike called out Tramonto for having frozen scallops in his walk-in. Of course, Tramonto called him “bro”, and big-footed him.

15 – Rick’s cookbooks are fabulous. It’s actually a great prize. Not to mention the GE kitchen.

16 – Spike. He gone…eventually immortalized in the Jackie-O museum of iconic hat wearers.

Lots of stuff on the new bill that restricts out of state wine purchases. Bill Daley of the Tribune notes it takes effect June 1 and there’s a good editorial on the subject.

Finally, I wrote the following column when the bill was moving through the legislature:

I love champagne like fat kids love cake. Of course I’m a fat kid and I love cake, too. But the state legislature isn’t banning the out-of-state retail sales of cake. On August 7, both houses of the Illinois legislature passed bill HB429, which is supposed to reconcile state law with a Supreme Court ruling that requires states to treat in-state and out-of-state wineries the same. More »

Chicago has long been a great town for exploring the cuisines of a wide range of cultures. However, the rate at which potential new food adventures are being added seems to be accelerating, and the culinary options are rapidly spreading into the suburbs, with Niles recently being identified in the Chicago papers as pretty much the ethnic food shopping mecca of the universe. But until recently, there have not been a lot of options for exploring Africa’s varied cuisines. More »