Rachael Ray

While not dining on flavored foams and meats prepared sous-vide by some of the best chefs in the country at the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, I took it upon myself to drive around what some call paradise… and drive some more… and drive some more… and drive some more. Indeed, paradise is a pretty good description of the scenery you encounter at Pebble Beach. Upon arrival, my girlfriend and I sat for a quick lunch at Sticks Restaurant at Spanish Bay. The table of five chefs next to us all had the same thing in front of them: Fish Tacos. So how could I not?! I dove into beer-battered fish tacos on a corn tortilla with fresh avocado and [...]...

An Approachable Fish and Oyster House in River North I have known for quite some time that the crew behind the Boka Restaurant Group was getting their hands wet in a casual fish house. When chef Giuseppe Tentori was actually slapping his initials on the name, I knew they were serious. I have been waiting and waiting for this day to come and it was worth the wait. Personally, I’m a big fan of the chef and think he is one of the most talented chefs in Chicago and beyond, but that’s beside the point, kind of. I wandered over to GT Fish & Oyster with my father, an avid seafood fan, and dabbled in a handful of dishes. We started with [...]...

Dear San Antonio, I asked you to show me the Tex-Mex, and you did. And then some. I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first. I mean, I was down for some good ol’ Tex-Mex. Yet no two people there could point me in the same direction. I was nervous. Only time (and puffy tacos) was to tell. My first afternoon I headed over to Mi Tierra Restaurant, an over-decorated, tourist-loaded, ginormous restaurant of sorts. But wait… there were ALSO plenty of locals here. I was confused. I ordered two tacos, a Carnitas Michoacan and a Carne Asada. Tacos, Mi Tierra The Carne Asada was your typical grilled beef in a flour tortilla. The Carnitas Michoacan, on the other hand, was [...]...

If you head on over to Chicago’s West Town neighborhood these days, you’re bound to find some new, tasty and happening restaurants. I recently dined at a couple of them that are worthy of some praise. First was West Town Tavern. Don’t think of your typical local tavern when you’re dining here. Recently awarded a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin guide, their contemporary food is anything but ordinary. The duo in Chef Susan Goss and husband Drew have a sweet little gem of a spot in Chicago’s West Town. The space is rustic and comfortable and the menu is intriguing. We started with the Crispy Lobster and Crab Cake served with Green Goddess Dressing. Along with that we added the Tavern Potato [...]...

A missed flight, and flying standby, all for a Spicy Scallop Roll at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill at Vegas’ Cosmopolitan. The things I do for food. Back in the summer of 2010, I started hearing rumblings about what was to be the next hot hotel casino in Las Vegas. It was called The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and was planned to be home of some of the hottest restaurants on the strip, not to mention the country, with an exclusive handful of chefs from the New York City dining scene and beyond. With touches by interior architect David Rockwell, balconies on almost every hotel room, digital art installations, a three-story chandelier bar with over 2 million crystals and more, [...]...

If you’re not familiar with a Chicago-Style Italian Beef sandwich, you should be. Think of it as Chicago’s version of a Philly Cheesesteak, or a French Dip sandwich, but something that is our own. Simply put, it’s a large cut of beef that has been seasoned and roasted in the oven for a very long period of time. It is then chilled and thinly sliced on a slicer. The juices are collected from the meat after it has been roasted and this jus, or “Italian Beef Gravy,” as we Chicagoans like to call it, is used for the reheating process. Before you make an actual sandwich, a portion of the sliced and chilled meat is added to the hot gravy for [...]...

I started my career as a student volunteer for one of the most prestigious wine and food festivals in the country, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SBWFF), and was fortunate enough to be hired full-time to work on that event all year round when I graduated from Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (FIU). One of my primary responsibilities for the SBWFF was to help produce the celebrity chef culinary seminars, along with an amazing and talented group of other students, staff and alumni. It was there where I met Rachael Ray, kick-starting my career. I still go back and attend the SBWFF with Rachael, and lend a hand to the crew I [...]...

Old Friends, Great Flavors Grateful for a welcome yet too-short trip to L.A. for work, I whizzed around the city in my rental car seeking out the latest burger joint, the best fish taco and new chefs on the scene. I had one (mostly) free night before I headed back to the Midwest, so I decided to check out more than a few restaurants I’d heard about. I started at 10-year-old Lucques. I had worked with Chef Suzanne Goin in the past at various food and wine events and was eager to get a taste of one of her restaurants. She is also behind L.A.’s A.O.C. and Tavern. Lucques happens to be one of the most cozy and charming places that [...]...

RJ Grunts 2050 N. Lincoln Park West Chicago, IL 60614 773-929-5363 www.rjgruntschicago.com Back in 1971, before Rich Melman’s many, many, many restaurant empire had formed, RJ Grunts was born. Set back on a quiet street in Lincoln Park, this simple restaurant has darn good burgers. And as a matter of fact, they even claim to have had the first salad bar in history. Well, I had been to many of Melman’s Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, but I had NEVER been to Grunts. I walked in for lunch and it was jam-packed, how it is everyday. I wanted what Melman eats, and that is what I got: a burger with cheddar, plain, and a side of chips. He also gets a chocolate shake, but I skipped [...]...