The Chicago Traveler

March 30th, 2008

"Top Chef: Chicago" Hosts A Block Party

This season of the Bravo network’s Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
This week’s Quickfire challenge required each of the chefs to create a taco dish that was suitable for fine dining. Along with earning its […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

March 28th, 2008

Frontera Grill & Topolobampo

Anyone who’s interested in food knows about Rick Bayless, Chicago’s own celebrity chef. Specializing in Mexican cuisine, he is known for countless cookbooks, his PBS series Mexico: One Plate at a Time, and two great restaurants here in Chicago: Frontera Grill and Topolobampo.
The two restaurants share the same building and bar and have a hip, […]

By Matt B -- 1 comment

February 28th, 2008

Leap Weekend

• Sip on specially-priced $29 bottles of wine from past leap years (2000 and 2004) at the Leap Year Dinner at Café Matou. (Feb 29)
• Shane Salois of Cream Wine Company and sommelier Rashed Islam lead a tasting of more than 12 champagnes with appetizer pairings at the Leap Year Champagne Seminar at Viet Bistro. […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

December 31st, 2007

The Best of The Chicago Traveler 2007

It’s time to say good-bye to 2007. The year has treated me very well. I moved to a new apartment, did some traveling, and, best of all, began writing The Chicago Traveler! Many thanks to Mary Jo and everyone at b5media who has been so welcoming and helpful.
Even though The Chicago Traveler is only a […]

By Matt B -- 2 comments

December 27th, 2007

New Year’s Eve in Chicago, cont.

• Alinea: Chef Grant Achataz is the frontrunner of progressive cuisine. The word “unique” doesn’t even begin to describe his dishes… many of which don’t even come on a dish! He’ll be presenting his cuisine at two seatings. The first seating offers a ten-course meal; the second offers 15 courses and a champagne toast. Wine […]

By Matt B -- 0 comments

October 23rd, 2007

¡Salpicón!

¡Salpicón! in Old Town (a little more than a block south of Wildflowers) is decorated with bright yellow and blue walls and pink-and-white tablecloths, but customers are attracted to this high-end Mexican eatery for more than its colorful atmosphere. In fact, this small yet upscale restaurant is often filled to the brim with fans of […]

By Matt B -- 2 comments

May 19th, 2007

Evil Olive

The bar known as evilOlive looks great, both backward and forward. That’s because evilOlive is a palindrome, meaning it reads the same no matter which direction you read it. The name was inspired by the fact that the building’s street number (1551) is also a palindrome.

Less formal than other martini bars, patrons are relaxed and […]

By Matt B -- 3 comments