My most memorable experience at a restaurant was… impossible to pick. So here is a top 4, in no particular order.

There are few things in life that make me happier than a good burger and a beer. The Bad Apple in Lincoln Square has both of these in abundance. Their menu is fantastic, and they have something for everybody. I have gone there with the guys, both late night and at lunchtime. I have gone there with my wife and kids. I’ve gotten carryout for my co-workers, who now request it every time we have a meeting after 5:00. It’s high-quality food at reasonable prices in an atmosphere that is far from stuffy.

Some restaurants are so utterly addicting that they make me reconsider the notion of ever cooking again. These places simply put my cooking to shame. Why go through the trouble of cooking an unsatisfying meal and then cleaning all the subsequently soiled pots, pans, and plates 3 times a day for 7 days a week? There's no joy in that. Why not just pay others to do a much better job? This is the inevitable thought process that I have whenever I eat at Carmela's Taqueria.

The restaurant that keeps me coming back is Union Sushi in River North. The artfully crafted small bites, lunch Bento, and Japanese Barbeque prepared by Chef Chao and his team are unmatched when it comes to refined “Sushi + Barbeque”.

A warm, gooey, delicious Cinnamon Roll from Tre Kronor. What have you tried from there?

Have A Behind The Scenes Look With Executive Producer David Manilow! Experience a bit of Scandinavia, right here in humble Chicago.

Tre Kronor
3258 West Foster Avenue
Chicago, IL. 60625

The restaurant that keeps me coming back is the unassuming Revolution Brewing. No frills or thrills, I would consider this an upscale version of the workingman’s pub. It is a great place to relax and catch a game, while enjoying the company of a few friends and some fantastic hand crafted brews.

One Logan Square spot which keeps me coming back for more is Dunlays on the Square. I'm talking about one of the best brunch spots in Chicago people, and if you like brunch like I do, then you also know that a little hair of the dog is just what the doctor ordered on those days where you just haven't quite recovered from the night before.

Finally it was time for my birthday family meal, it is only over a week late! Well I will say things have been quite busy around the old family home lately. This is the first free day when we could all get together.

Merlo on Maple is my idea of the perfect restaurant dining experience. The restaurant is located in a beautifully restored, four story, 19^th century town home in the heart of the Gold Coast, just steps from the exciting Rush Street area of Chicago. During the Winter months, the cozy rooms invite you into the warmth of the restaurant with it’s understated elegance. Flicking candles in silver candlesticks are on every white linen table. You enter the gracious town home and immediately see the intimate bar.

My most memorable dining experience took place not at just one establishment, but four over the course of a few hours, thanks to local tour company Fork and the Road. Two summers ago I joined Fork's intrepid owners, Dimitria and Sharon, for a bicycle tour of some of Chicago's great Eastern European cuisine. During our 15-mile bike ride through the city's northwest neighborhoods on a lovely day, we most assuredly took in more calories eating than we burned biking, but it was still a fun and delicious way to explore the city.