Jim Dragatsis (Marigold), Howard Natinsky (Fat Cat), and Cary Michael (formerly of Rockit) are collaborating on Branch 27 (1371 W. Chicago Ave.), a 120-seat American bistro in the old 27th Ward library. “We are focusing on foods people are very familiar with—flat-iron steaks, great mussels, great seafood—classics done very well,” says Dragatsis. “The plates are not going to be loaded with garnishes and sauces.” The partners…
Here are the 20 best steak houses in the Chicago area. Call them manly. Call them indulgent. Call them politically out of step. Then call them for reservations.
New ’Cue
Main Street Smokehouse (536 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville), a promising 35-seat spot slated to open the first week of January, plans to put its own spins on barbecue styles around the country. “I’m pairing pork shoulder with my own apple cider ale barbecue sauce, and ribs with maple chipotle sauce, and brisket with a sweet Tennessee-style sauce,” says the owner, Eddie Moore, a culinary school graduate who has been working as a caterer in…
Picture this: It’s Friday night and your buddies have bailed. What to do when the weekend is upon you and you’ve got no plans? Our nightlife guru Sarah Preston recommends Tumans (2159 W. Chicago Ave.) in Ukrainian Village. Despite a facelift a few years back, this one-time grimiest of dives still offers dirt-cheap beer and a true Chicago icon, DJ Jesse De La Peña, on the turntables a couple of times each month. We visited the cozy corner tavern last Friday; check out photos…
December 2008: Short Rib Fried Rice
The Best of Today . . .
From a hole in Vegas to a microscopic bar in our very own backyard, Playboy.com has compiled a list of the top ten American dives. As Steve Dollar writes in the article, "Nothing satisfies man’s tortured soul and restless craving for misadventure quite like the dive bar." We couldn’t agree more.
A Measured Approach
“The logo is a carafe pouring wine into a goblet; then the sign in the window says it’s BYO,” says a sharp-eyed FOD who noticed Uptown’s new Fontana Grill (1329 W. Wilson Ave.; 773-561-0400). OK, to be fair, the Italian wine bar/restaurant doesn’t have its liquor license yet. But when it arrives, expect a unique concept: 24 bottles, changing monthly, each priced at either $22 or $44, and you will be charged by…
If you thought Twisted Spoke was wild, get a load of The Zoo (3369 N. Clark St.). Wrigleyville’s one-time biker bar (and, later, Brody’s on Clark) has been reborn as a nightspot that plays to the party animals. We spotted folks congregating at the watering hole on Saturday night. And you know what they say—“When in Wrigleyville”—so we ambled down the block to check out Red Ivy.
One of the perks of being a nightlife columnist is occasionally getting asked to help judge bartending competitions. This past Monday I sat on a panel for the Woodford Reserve Ultimate Manhattan Competition, hosted by Chicago Sport and Social Club at Angels & Kings. Along with four other judges—including Mike Miller of Delilah’s and Bottom Lounge, and last year’s winner, Paul Stern of Suite Lounge—I sampled eight different Manhattans made by eight local drink slingers and judged the results based on presentation, creativity, and taste…
Continuing Adventures of Pizza
Standing on the shoulders of Ravenswood’s Spacca Napoli and countless others—oh, and 119 years of history—Andersonville’s new Antica Pizzeria (5663 N. Clark St.; 773-944-1492) has joined the Neapolitan pizza uprising. Mario Rapisarda, the chef-partner (his partner is Faris Faycurry who also has a stake in Dylan’s Tavern and Grill), is a Sicily native and a veteran of Spiaggia, so we’re guessing he knows from Italian food. “It’s a very small, simple menu, because Mario is all about quality control,” said a manager. “Everything is made fresh daily, and they shop for…
