Gung hay fat choy! 8 Chicago Asian New Year celebrations

Get ready for the Year of the Dragon! With dragon parades and lion dances, clashing cymbals and banging drums, firecrackers and a plethora of traditional foods, the Asian Lunar New Year explodes into Chicago this week with a variety of events at restaurants and around town. 2012 also marks the 100th anniversary of Chicago’s Chinatown. [...]

Top 10 Chicago chefs’ recipes for 2011

Our top 10 recipes from Chicago chefs.

100 Chicago restaurants open Christmas Day 2011

You don’t have to cook Christmas dinner.

8 great holiday entertaining recipes from Chicago chefs

Holiday cooking and entertaining season has come upon us. If you’re looking for new ideas for your own holiday parties or dishes to take along to friends’, try these terrific recipes from Chicago chefs. Lillie’s Q, Wicker Park, pimento cheese, a Southern party spread. Shokran, Irving Park, zaalouk, Moroccan eggplant spread. Rhapsody, Loop, arancini, Italian [...]

Happy 40th anniversary, Lettuce Entertain You

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, perhaps the single most influential company in Chicago restaurant history, celebrates its 40th anniversary on Friday, June 10, at the place that started it all, R.J. Grunts in Lincoln Park. Burgers will be $1.50 in tribute to the original 1971 price, and a DJ will spin ’70s tunes all day and [...]

Eat this! Gefilte fish, the Jewish aphrodisiac

What it is: A traditional Jewish dish, gefilte fish are balls or cakes of seasoned minced fish simmered in fish stock and served chilled. The fish could be any kind that’s available. Historically, inexpensive carp was often used; Schafer Fisheries in Thomson, Ill., exports millions of pounds of Asian carp from the Mississippi to Israel [...]

12 ways to go green for Earth Day at Chicago restaurants

Every day should be Earth Day, but here are a few upcoming Chicago events. Uncommon Ground, Edgewater, Great Lakes Brewing Co. Earth Day Dinner,6 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, $55. The event begins with passed appetizers, followed by Chef Chris Spear’s four-course dinner including grilled asparagus, truffled deviled egg with ham praline and green goddess dressing [...]

14 places to celebrate Passover 2011 in Chicago

Passover, the Jewish commemoration of the Biblical Exodus, begins at sunset Monday, April 18. While most Jews will gather for ritual meals called seders at family homes, if you don’t have a seder to go to, a variety of local restaurants stand ready to provide you with traditional food, if not always services.

Happy Chinese New Year, Chicago!

Gung hay fat choy! The Asian Lunar New Year, 4709, The Year of the Rabbit, hops into Chicago this week with firecackers, parades, traditional dragon parades and lion dances. Local restaurants will offer symbolic dishes, including half-moon-shaped dumplings, long noodles, whole fish and glutinous rice cakes. Most often hailed as Chinese New Year in America, [...]

55 Chicago-area restaurants open Christmas Day 2010

You don’t have to cook on Christmas Day in Chicago. Scores of restaurants and bars will be open to serve you, many serving special holiday meals. Call ahead to check on hours and menus; reservations may be required. 33 Club, Old Town, American 676 Restaurant and Bar, Loop, American Allgauer’s Restaurant, Alsip, American Ann Sather, [...]