Hey there! A question I get all the time is what to bring to various BYO places so I enlisted the help of my friend and award-winning sommelier Liz Mendez, co-owner of Vera (not BYO) in the West Loop which serves up sophisticated Spanish cuisine by her husband and chef/co-owner Mark Mendez complemented by her well-curated wine list with an impressive sherry selection. Liz shares pairings with everything from Japanese to pizza as well as giving a wonderfully informative, yet succinct, guide to sherry. Here’s what she had to say.

Not long ago, Chicago was home to more citizens of Polish descent than Warsaw, attracted here beginning in the mid-19th century by the city’s booming industries and opportunities for independence and growth.

Check, Please! host Catherine De Orio welcomes guest reviewers Annie Law, Claudia Perry, and Jose Macias who weigh in on Chicago area eateries 5 Rabanitos, Boltwood, and The Elephant Thai.

Hi all! We’re nearing the end of the season and beginning to prepare for the next. If you’re interested in sitting at the table and sharing your favorite restaurant next season, here’s how you can apply! This week we take you to 5 Rabanitos in Pilsen; Boltwood in Evanston, and then we head to The Elephant Thai on Devon in Forest Glen. I spoke with Mexican restaurant 5 Rabanitos Chef/Owner Alfonso Sotelo with his translator Miguel Salgado about his first solo venture. Here’s what he had to say.

Are you a locavore? If you know what this term means without having to look it up (and consider yourself to be one), chances are you’re a fan of the “farm to table” movement. In honor of a Check, Please! featured eatery in this category, Evanston’s Boltwood, here’s a closer look at the what, when, and why.