CHICAGO CARLESS

(Photo: Food porn in convenient amaretto-cherry cookie size from Lido’s Caffé in Oak Park.)

Lately, my life has been a string of unexpected occurrences that have taken even this life-is-flux loving Buddhist by surprise. Some haven’t been so pleasant (two words: Fleet Week). Two of the happiest have been my rekindled friendship with pastry-chef Chris, and my discovery, through said fellow foodie, of Lido’s Caffé in Oak Park.

[Read more →]

(Photo: xxxxxxxxxx.)

Perhaps the biggest open secret in my life is my heritage. The Irish last name is a red herring. I’m actually one-hundred percent Hispanic. Mom was a first-generation American born to Spaniard parents. My father was Puerto Rican. Him I never knew, and mom brought up all of her children white-bread American. By other children, I’m referring to the brother and sister I rarely reference and haven’t known in years. There’s a deeply substantive-abusive reason for that on their part, but that’s a backstory for another time.

Though I never did learn to speak Spanish in childhood (and, boy, did it kill my mom to hear me coming home from college speaking French and Italian), I did learn a thing or two in the kitchen. My most cherished culinary memory from childhood will always be my mom’s Spanish rice. It’s been my go-to dish for years and will be again tonight as I bring a couple of vats of it to the Gapers Block potluck dinner meeting for the Drive-Thru food & drink staff.

[Read more →]

(Photo: “Local Chicago blogger Jasmine Davila has a vagina and is not afraid to use it.)

The first step to getting healthy is admitting you have a problem. There’s no getting around it, I am hopelessly addicted to Cincinnati chili. I and my waistline dream about the stuff. I find myself making excuses for being in Lincoln Square, eight miles from my downtown home, to accidentally drop in at Cinner’s, Chicago’s only authentic Queen City chili parlor. Just such an accidentally intentional trip is how I ended up discussing vaginas with fellow local blogger Jasmine Davila (a former Chicagoans Project subject on these pages).

[Read more →]

(Photo: Bet you never thought you’d see that picture on this website.)

When I told the Gapers Block editors last week that I wanted to take them up on their last-minute offer to interview Food Network celebrity chef Sandra Lee, creator of the Semi-Homemade television and cookbook empire, their response was instructive: “You’re not going to shred her, are you?”

[Read more →]

(Photo: Just okay has found a home and its name is Francesca’s Forno…)

The past couple of weeks have given me the chance to sample the best, worst, and most unexceptional Italian fare my adopted hometown has to offer. Personally, I could have stopped after that first part: terrific New York-style thin-crust pizza at Wicker Park stalwart pizzeria Santullo’s Eatery.

Why, oh why, did I have to gild that lilly with alleged New York-pizza at Highland Park’s mercilessly abysmal New York Slices? It wasn’t as if the only fair fare at Francesca’s Forno did me any palate-cleansing favors.

Today on Gapers Block, read my comparison of the two thin-crust pizzas in New York Pizza Slice Smackdown, and my attempt to like something–anything–of the merely Fair Fare at Francesca’s Forno. Note to Santullo’s: places like Francesca’s and New York Slices are why I love you so.

Just turn down the ceiling fans a notch so nobody gets hurt.

[Read more →]

(Photo: More butter, less begging, now at Orange on Harrison.)

Your mileage may vary, but my favorite Windy City grilled cheese just got extra buttery. It’s at my equally favorite neighborhood brunch joint, downtown Chicago’s Orange on Harrison. Read all about the sandwich of my dreams in my review of Orange on Harrsion today on Gapers Block.

[Read more →]

(Photo: Algerian crepes at Foster and Clark foster a spirit of sharing for Yours Truly.)

Last weekend, foodie partner-in-crime Jamie and I headed to Andersonville’s Icosium Kafe crepe joint to flee the downtown Air & Water Show crowds. These aren’t your French (or Québécois) grandfather’s crepes. Think Algerian veggie-heavy goodness. But as Jamie learned the hard way, don’t mimic my order in an eatery that I’m writing about–or how am I going to eat off of your plate? Head over to Gapers Block today to read my review of Icosium Kafe. And if you see me coming, be prepared to share.

[Read more →]