Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Meatloaf Bakery gets props in first week

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The lentil meatloaf cupcakes at Meatloaf Bakery. (Photo: Urban Daddy Chicago)


Yesterday we brought you short ribs and today it's meatloaf. We're all about comfort food these days, especially with the frightful weather outside.

But the latest fare find—uncovered by Urban Daddy late last week—is not your mama's meatloaf. At Lincoln Park's Meatloaf Bakery, you can get them resembling cupcakes, pies or cakes with savory "frosting."

The Stew already jumped at a "first bite" report (let's hope this one goes better than last time), with the writer pleasantly surprised at what he sampled:

"We ate our Wing and Prayer right there, and it was moister than any meatloaf we remember our parents making. Slice into it and the surprise is the creamy orb of blue cheese at the center—on top, a cap of blue cheese, salty and buttery and a bit over the top. (Hot sauce? Each order comes with a miniature bottle.) As for our next favorite, that would be the Mother Loaf, and being how this is the signature loaf, the most down-to-earth foot soldier in the gourmet cupcake/meatloaf revolution, we were pleasantly relieved. The veal came through surprisingly strong as did that long old meatloaf tradition of not knowing precisely what you’re eating but being physically incapable of stopping. The potatoes, however—harder than we would have liked, even when prepared and served by (owner Cynthia) Kallile herself."

Hub 51 tied with Vertigo in Nightlife Poll

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Hub 51 is battling Vertigo for the title of "best new bar of '08." (Photo: Hub 51)


The Who's on Top in '08?! poll is off to a great start, on its second day.

Frontrunners are Hub 51, the trendy bar/restaurant hybrid by brothers Jerrod and R.J. Melman, and Vertigo, the posh penthhouse-level lounge crowning the dana hotel.

To vote, just scroll to the bottom of the page!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Mmmmm, short ribs . . .

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Over at Chowhound, a foodie started a thread about finding the best short ribs in the city:

Check the list for the best recs from regular folks, including graham elliot, Sweets and Savories, Custom House, Osteria Via Stato, Manny's Coffee Shop & Deli , Bonsoiree and Chaise Lounge.

Can I get a yum yum?!

Why are they famous?!

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Will someone please remind 312DD again why Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag are famous?! They cannot spin, sing or sew, so why is it that this dude boasts that he gets a minimum of $100,000 just to show up to a bar?

I just pray that Manor, where they're making an appearance on Friday, didn't get suckered into paying anything near that amount!

This just makes me want to hurl a heel at somebody.

Who's on Top in '08?!

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Vertigo Sky Lounge, atop the dana hotel, was one of the hottest new bars to open in 2008. (Photo: Vertigo Sky Lounge)


We had fun this year. I mean a whole lotta fun.

We partied our asses off—as the whole world watched—at various hot spots when a new president was elected right here in our fair city.

We kicked it hard all summer in some of the best outdoor venues we've ever had, including C-View, Vertigo and Zed451.

We mocked the Eat & Drink Club, a vicious pack of freeloaders hitting every open bar in town they could sniff out.

And we saw several triumphant comebacks, particularly from Crescendo and Trader Vic's (opens Dec. 15!).

So, it's that time of year again; time for you to pick your favorite new venues in the second-annual nightlife/dining poll: Who's on Top in '08?!

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote (If you don't see your favorite, then feel free to post in the comments section)! And because we're here in the infamous Windy City, vote often!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Celebrated chef out at Old Town Brasserie

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Old Town Brasserie chef Roland Liccioni (left). (Photo: Le Français)


Dish breaks the news that Old Town Brasserie chef Roland Liccioni is out at the end of the year:

"Today’s big news: Roland Liccioni, who put Le Français back on the map in the nineties, is apparently leaving Old Town Brasserie (1209 N. Wells St.; 312-943-3000) just before Christmas. 'I’m going to France to visit my mother, take some time off,' Liccioni says. After that, he has no plans, but would like to stay in Chicago. Bob Djahanguiri, OTB’s owner, sees it differently. 'I told him, "You go to France and when you come back we will sit down. And if you agree with my agreement, we will work together." . . . Roland is a great chef but the restaurant is not just the food. Honestly, he wants to stay.'"

He may or may not return, but in his absence, Andy Motto, a Charlie Trotter’s veteran who has worked with Liccioni for 12 years, is handling the kitchen.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Way to take advantage of a sticky situation

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This wins for the most tasteless press release of the week:

"As Illinois politics is making front page news throughout the country, Chicagoans are up in arms that yet another governor has proven to be corrupt. One Chicago restaurant is voicing its disapproval in another way; by dedicating a drink to the situation.

Take a dirty martini, steal the olives but leave the pimentos and you have 'The Dirty Governor,' a drink currently being served at Wicker Park hotspot The Fifty/50.

What brand of vodka is used? Effen. Because Chicago’s (sic) are 'effen' mad."

Note to publicist:

Fail!

Rad's on fire!

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The Stew continues its coverage of our girl Radhika Desai of Between on "Top Chef":

"At judges' table, Radhika's team is on top, but Ariane gets the victory for cooking 'the most flavorful component of the evening,' (guest judge Dana) Cowin reveals. Now wait. Didn't Radhika's marinade and yogurt sauce contribute more to the flavor than Ariane's cooking? All she had to do was know when to take the lamb out of the oven, and she needed help from her teammates to get that right. Radhika should have stood up more for her cooking. At least she shows strongly by placing with the winning team. Now she needs to stand out on her own."