Food & Drink
If you’re hungry for new dining spots or itching to try a new beer, then belly up to the Gozamos Food & Drink section. Read what our expert reviewers have to say about Chicago’s best restaurants, recipes, bars and diners. Find reviews of Latin, Italian, Hawaiian, Mexican, American and other cuisines.
Fat & Happy: Homemade Wheat Thin Whole Wheat Crackers
By Monique Costello on May 20, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Homemade bread gets much more attention than homemade crackers…until now. Welcome to Homemade Cracker Thunderdome. Get ready to drool…
Take Your Date Here: Vera
By Nicole Cipri on May 18, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Advice to the lonely-hearted: if you’re lucky enough to snag a date, take them to Vera, a Spanish restaurant on the Near West Side.
What Food Means To Me
By Rebecca Bretana on May 11, 2012 | Leave a comment!
This writer likens her time on the yoga mat to her time in the kitchen. Can food fulfill the thirst for a mind-body connection or will it lead to unhealthy obsession?
Fat & Happy: Egg Spinach Salad with Blackberry Dressing
By Monique Costello on May 6, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Boring salads are dead to me. We’ve all seen the same salads topped with the same dressing for decades. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good balsamic vinaigrette on field greens; but why stop there?
Interview: Rick Bayless, A Taste of Mexico
By Jerry Nunn on May 5, 2012 | Leave a comment!
The Chicago Academy for the Arts celebrates 30 years at Millennium Park with a huge event that includes Rick Bayless and his Mexican cuisine.
An Ale of Transcendental Nature
By Patrick Plovanich on May 4, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Unibroue Éphémère as filtered through the mind of a judgmental bastard.
Beer of the Month: Dubhe Imperial Black IPA
By Jay Barzyk on April 28, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Dark, delicious and brewed with hemp – for those reasons alone, it’s worthy of a try!
Cheesemonger: True Story
By Jen López on April 26, 2012 | Leave a comment!
How does one become a cheesemonger? A cheesemonger reflects on her circuitous journey to a career in cheese.
Fat & Happy: Grilled Turkey and Fennel Slaw Sandwich
By Monique Costello on April 22, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Monique’s back from Argentina! Here’s here’s the first of many inspired dishes!
Fat & Happy: Gluten-Free Pasta
By Monique Costello on April 15, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Rolling by hand rather than on a pasta machine, cooking in simmering water rather than boiling- gluten free pasta requires a delicate touch and a light hand, but it really is worth it. It eats the same – absolutely wonderful tossed with simple butter, fresh herbs, black pepper and cheese.
Fat & Happy: Mock Spinach Empanada
By Monique Costello on April 8, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Light, airy and crunchy pockets of dough stuffed with sauteed garlicky spinach and melted rich white cheddar cheese…. whether you call it an empanada or a spinach pie, it’s filling, tasty and flat-out outstanding. Eat these while hot or at room temperature with a fresh side salad.
Fat & Happy: The Sandwich Cake
By Monique Costello on April 1, 2012 | Leave a comment!
The whole thing becomes an adult play on the PB & J. The cake is dense with a tender crumb while the pistachio filling gives it richness that gets a kick from the sour cherry jam. It’s a very different cake; a fantastic break from traditional cake flavors.
Fat & Happy: Smoked Fish on a Chip!
By Monique Costello on March 25, 2012 | 1 Comment
Smoked fish nestled in an herbed mayo with salty capers get a touch of sweetness from golden raisins while a paper-thin jalapeno slice finishes the whole crunchy bite with a sliver of heat.
Fat & Happy: Juicy, Tender Filet Mignon for Steak and BJ Day
By Monique Costello on March 11, 2012 | Leave a comment!
There was a time when February 14th wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair to women. It wasn’t fair to women because there was so much emphasis on them, they didn’t get the chance to give back. Not properly. The flowers, the candy, the romance; none of this is for the man. Cue: Steak and BJ Day!
Beer of the Month: Left Hand Milk Stout
By Jay Barzyk on March 10, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Get a taste of draft beer at home.
Fat & Happy: Corned Beef Raviolis
By Monique Costello on March 4, 2012 | Leave a comment!
There is nothing better than thick slices of rye bread piled high with paper thin slices of corned beef dripping with sauerkraut. If you get it at the right deli, it’s the size of a brontosaurus – a total Flintstones sandwich! This week, all this is stuffed into a pasta, St. Patrick’s Day treats come early!
The Return of the Flowing Bowl
By Paul Sauter on March 4, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Sweet, sugary and non-alcoholic: punch is now something we associate with children and Hi-C drink boxes. But it didn’t always used to be that way…
Fat & Happy: Red Wine Braised Pork and Lentils With Swiss Chard Over Brown Rice
By Monique Costello on February 26, 2012 | Leave a comment!
A spoonful of sugar? A bottle of red wine? This week’s Fat & Happy is all about lentils and yum…
Fat & Happy: King Cake Cocktail
By Monique Costello on February 19, 2012 | Leave a comment!
What does king cake taste like? Think warm, gooey coffee cake meets cinnamon roll, pastry-like cake covered in sweet icing and topped off with green, purple and yellow colored sugar. The important question is Why did I want to turn the king cake into drink?
Kallari: The Best Chocolate in the World
By Corey Nuffer on February 17, 2012 | 1 Comment
Mahogany, caramel and jasmine—all typical and naturally occurring in this chocolate made from heirloom cacao. It’s called Kallari chocolate, and you have never tasted anything like it. Ever.
Fat & Happy: Brown Bread with Honey Butter
By Monique Costello on February 12, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Say what you will about the addictive qualities of chocolate, the allure of homemade bread, curls of steam easing up into your nostrils, butter slipping into a melt before that first bite… This week’s Fat & Happy might prove to be a better Valentine’s Day gift than the usual.
A Feminist Culinary Lesson
By Caroline Gonzalez on February 11, 2012 | Leave a comment!
There is a vast different between obligation and choice. Choosing to cook is an act of feminist rebellion and a reaffirmation of feminist beliefs.
Fat & Happy: Chorizo Meatball Pozole
By Monique Costello on February 5, 2012 | Leave a comment!
My love for pozole has been rekindled thanks to a recent trip to the land of tequila and flip flops. It’s not that I stopped liking it but rather that I stopped coming across it. After chats with both top chef and native cook, I’ve created the Fat & Happy version of Pazole worth your time and taste buds.
Fat and Happy: Smoked Salt and Caramel Rice Krispy Treats
By Monique Costello on January 29, 2012 | Leave a comment!
Using a caramel marshmallow base was pure genius (yup, patting myself on the back for this one) – the treats stayed soft for a week! Adding the smoked salt really put it over the top. It’s almost like a salted caramel with crunch, but really more like a caramel-y rice krispy.
