chicagowench

And their lamb is unfreakingbelievably good. They have stalls at both City Market and Brookside; for the folks going to City Market during the Heartland gathering I encourage you to seek them out.

I am still full, and have made two friends burst into tears of jealousy with my recitation of the menu. OMG so good. (Not to rub it in or anything, Colby)

Well that just turned a crappy morning around!

Rub in garlic and rosemary, little bit of oil, let sit for an hour. Or rub in Penzey's chicago steak seasoning. Throw in oven at 250 until about 105 degrees, amp up heat to 450 to brown. Not bad! Not too chewy, good flavor, not overcooked. Adapted from the slow heat method in The Complete Meat Cookbook, your time will vary based on the size of the roast naturally. Would that I could get one cheap, the kid's in a growth spurt.

Just a note for anyone planning on doing a cassoulet over the second part of the holidays- Whole Foods elected not to stock the D'artignan duck fat this year, but McGongigle's has it and lowered their prices $2 from last year, so they're no longer holy moley expensive.

And why, I ask myself, haven't I gone yet? ← Because you fear my corner of Joco?

Yes, they are, and they've only gotten better. Be sure to ask if they do have fatty tuna in. Kaiyo's gotten busier, but not so busy your friend will have a hard time getting a table, most likely.

Duck fat - I think McGonigal's has it. (wench - weren't you ISO back in the colder days for duck fat for a flageolet?). Let me know if you/where you find veal bones. ← Yes. McGonigle's has it- Whole Foods does as well and was cheaper than McG! McG can get veal bones if you make arrangements ahead of time.

Their lemongrass is outstanding, too. And cheap. Megacheap.

Avenues. (Um, ue will not be surprised by my vote!)

And may John be feeling better this morning, too! Daaaaaang that was a transcendent way to end a meal. My shredded wheat and soymilk is not looking so appealing this morning. Mamagotcha! where are you and your photos!

All good thoughts and wishes for a fast and full recovery, ChefG. If you should need it, I can help with information on cancer patient resources in Chicago, as well as medline research. Best to you and yours.

Congrats to clan Garrelts!

Hilarious- I was about to start a topic asking for lunch recommendations w/in a 10 min cab ride from McCormick Place. (despite the username, I have not lived in Chicago for a few years. Sob.) I'd appreciate any recommendations on that score! Thanks.

And yet the biology grad students ate there religiously!

Aaron, we did exactly the same thing. mamagotcha, Kathy from KCUF said Bear Creek would be there next week.

Harold's, Ribs and Bibs, whatever Cedar's of Lebanon is now renamed (it's in Harper Court now). If you're at U of C, the coffeeshop in the basement of the Divinity School is fabulous, and has carry out from a variety of local eats such as Snail (Thai) and Nile (middle eastern). There's an abundance of Thai places- a number of them along 53rd. Pizza Capri up on 53rd is also muy tasty. And god bless Jimmy's, the Woodlawn Tap. Sniff. Also as a U of Cer, you can be a member of the Pub in the basement of Ida Noyes. $5 for an annual membership. 21 beers on tap, 2 ciders, 100+ kinds in the bottle, full menu. Wednesdays are dollar shake days in the student union, btw. Edited to add- there was, when I lived there, a delightful bakery (Bon Jour) in the Hyde Park Co-op shopping center on 55th.

OP and Brookside start this weekend, UE!

Moosnsqrl, I can vouch for one place which did not receive a 4 star approaching the review honestly and with sincerity and humility. I had a great conversation with some of the staff there about some very specific points in the KC Mag review, and their long-term plans to address them. It was the sort of thing which affirmed for me that those are the kinds of places that I want to frequent- with a good regard for the customers, respect for the people and the food. The response of Mr. Silvio certainly bolsters my opinion that he's not the kind of businessman I want to give my hard-earned cash to, moreso than the review itself did. Which I suspect was not his intention!

There's an issue here which we haven't gotten into- and it's a tough one, because criticism is by nature subjective. We've got a whole thread here dedicated to the KC Star's critic and the quality of her reviews (or, more to the point, how they're lacking). The KC Mag reviewer is pretty much her polar opposite, in terms of calling restaurants on the carpet and not just handing away 3 stars. Perhaps Piropos' GM gotten complacent after being handed non-challenging reviews for so long. Don't we, as consumers, deserve good restaurant criticism? What message does it send to not only critics but also consumers if restauranteurs shop around for a bully pulpit to shut down critics? (Edited for pesky pronouns)

Rock on! Congrats to GEB, Colby, and Celina Tio (as well as the rest of the midwest nominees). I'm still betting they find a way to give the midwest awards to New Yorkers.

I'm here I'm here, sorry sorry. My foodie senses were tingling when I was trapped in a heinous black tie gala dinner; I thought it was my horror at the overcooked filet, no no, it was me being called to duty here. Kaiyo, in a word, rules. Their fish is astonishingly fresh (particularly for, well. The middle of the country), and their more creative rolls are flavorful and clean- not a muddled mix of flavors like so many wind up being. I'm not of the uni persuasion, but my best friend is, and she adores theirs. Service is brisk and friendly, and the ambiance is relatively quiet and convivial. So far we've concentrated on sushi and a few appetizers (as well as the Kushi Age, which is light, crispy, and just plain great), but once we explore more of the menu I'll report back.

Their about section pretty much describes Fogo, so my guess is yes.

Woo! Congrats! It's one heck of a week for you, GEB.

Hocks I can possibly do- fresh or smoked? Smoked is no problem around here (despite the name, I am not in Chicago. The helpful butchers have not been so helpful on this)