Japanese whiskey at Arami

Hello! This week on the show we take you to sample Japanese and Nepalese cuisine and even stop by one of POTUS’s favorite spots (Valois) when he’s in town! Our stops are Arami in West Town, Chicago Curry House in South Loop, and Valois in Hyde Park. I spoke with Ty Fujimura who is the owner of Arami, as well as a certified sake professional. He gives some guidance on how to have a fantastic dining experience at Arami, choose sake for you meal, and gives his advice on sake bombs. 

“A fair is a veritable schmorgasbord, orgasbord, orgasbord” – Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)

Check, Please! host Catherine De Orio welcomes guest reviewers Pooja Koongar, Joe JaQuay, and Suzanne Witt who weigh in on Chicago area eateries Pub Royale, Ampersand, and Thithi's.

Buttered chicken at Wicker Park's Pub Royale

Hello! I’m just back from London, and pub and Indian food are still fresh on my mind! So this week I spoke with chef Nate Tano and beverage director Michael McAvena of Pub Royale, the anglo-indian pub in Wicker Park that was named one of Bon Appetit’s 50 best new restaurants across the country.

When it comes to disparate cultures coming together, it’s safe to say that fusion in our country has probably been a thing ever since the first Thanksgiving dinner in Plymouth, when the Wampanoag Indians arrived at the Pilgrims’ inaugural autumn potluck with their regional contributions to the meal.