My Obsession With Waffles Continues With Sushi Samba Rio's New Quinoa Waffles

Sushi Samba rio's quinoa waffles with kuromitsu and vanilla cinnamon butter. (Photo: Sushi Samba rio)

First there was Bel 50 with its sweet and savory waffle sandwiches stuffed with slow-roasted BBQ pulled pork or braised short rib.

Then Square One teamed up with Waffles in the South Loop to offer an all-you-can-eat waffle brunch.

Now comes Sushi Samba rio with its brunch offering for fall: quinoa waffles with kuromitsu (a Japanese sugar syrup) and vanilla cinnamon butter.

The Case of Tavernita's Missing Dog: SOLVED.

OK, so that wasn't Tavernita's missing dog in the Craigslist ad.

Just call me Detective 312DD because I've gotten to the bottom of this very inhumane crime. Apparently, Red Door general manager RJ Wall swiped Pinxto at a fund-raiser last week and has been toting him all over town, according to Tavernita chef/partner Ryan Poli.

"Ask him why they stole it," Poli said to 312DD. "He still has not given me an answer!"

Wall could not be reached for comment at press time, but here are some additional photos of his heinous crime:

An Industry Benefit For Three Aces Bartender Who Was Shot in Ukrainian Village in September

Raquel LeDuc of Three Aces.

Remember that terrible story in mid-September about two people getting shot minutes apart in Ukrainian Village?!

Well, one of the victims was Raquel LeDuc, a local burlesque performer and bartender at Three Aces in Little Italy. She was walking from her car to her home when she was attacked and shot in the abdomen.

I don't know the identity or condition of the guy, but LeDuc is apparently recovering nicely, however, her hospital bills were pretty high.

That's why Three Aces has decided to throw a bash in her honor to help. From what I can tell, the turnout will be pretty outstanding with many prominent folks in the industry pitching in to relieve her of some of those bills.

Charles Joly Unveils First 'In The Rocks' Cocktail Since The Aviary's Opening

Here's The Aviary's original "In The Rocks" cocktail, which paid homage to the Old Fashioned. (Photo via endlesssimmer.com)

It's been well over a year since Grant Achatz's The Aviary first introduced In The Rocks, the innovative sipper that set the standard for molecular gastronomic cocktails.

But it's time for a change, now that new head mixologist Charles Joly is in charge of the beverage program. The original paid homage to the classic Old Fashioned, and the guest shattered a spherical-shaped ice cube to release the liquid contents into a rocks glass. According to Esquire's David Wondrich, The Old Fashioned was conceived in 1806, so it made sense to launch the beverage program with such a classic offering.

Joly's rendition takes on a more modern elixir, the Vieux Carre, which was born in the 1930s in a New Orleans hotel.

Says Joly: