“British food is a celebration of comfort eating. Our traditional savory recipes are all about warmth and sustenance, our puddings a roll call of sweet jollity, our cakes are deep and cozy. We appear to be a nation in need of a big, warm hug.”
— Nigel Slater, British food writer

After the annual long, long build-up, the holidays are finally over.

The seven-day celebration of Kwanzaa is held annually from December 26 through New Year’s Day. Its name is derived from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, which means “first fruits.” It was inspired by Zulu and Ashanti harvest celebrations.

As you have surely heard, it’s Christmastime! And like millions of happy celebrants all over the globe, you are likely making the rounds of holiday parties and indulging freely in a wide variety of rich foods and lavishly decorated sweets.

Hello! “Roister” means to enjoy oneself or celebrate in a noisy, boisterous way, and the restaurant by that name fits right into the bustling Fulton Market area of the trendy West Loop. Unpretentious, yet serious about standards of excellence, it was awarded a Michelin star in its first year and has retained it since. Chef Andrew Brochu has spent time in some of Chicago’s most illustrious kitchens, but Roister is where you see his creative culinary point of view flourish. I spoke to Andrew to learn about his influences and inspiration.

Hello! The suburban restaurant scene has sometimes gotten a bad rap for being stale, full of chains, or just unoriginal.

Hello all! This week we visit Simi’s in West Rogers Park, Mexique in Noble Square, and Cellar Door Provisions in Logan Square. I wanted to share some of the interesting things I learned while researching and visiting Simi’s. Enjoy! 

In honor of one of this week’s chosen restaurants, Simi’s in the West Rogers Park neighborhood, let’s take a closer look at this region and its unique and flavorful cuisines.

Hello all and welcome back! I hope you are as excited as I am about the new season of Check, Please! In the season premiere, we visit Forbidden Root in West Town, a brewpub that opened in 2016. While Chicago has seen an explosion of craft breweries in recent years, Forbidden Root defines itself not just as a brewery but as a botanical brewery. What does that mean? Read on to find out from the team at Forbidden Root as to what they are all about. 

“The problem with eating Italian food is that five or six days later, you’re hungry again.” – George Miller