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If Chicago is a culinary mecca, why is the Taste of Chicago little more than a beer-and-brat fest? Some top Chicago chefs were asked just that.
According to the Sun-Times, Spiaggia’s Tony Mantuano says the Taste is missing “some other important aspects of the flavor or taste of Chicago.” And, Charlie Trotter plans to be on vacation because “it’s just obnoxious.”
Well, Chicagoist thinks the Taste is supposed to be obnoxious. We’re not looking for culinary excellence here. However, the Sun-Times decided to ask Alinea Chef Grant Achatz what restaurants he’d like to see represented at the Taste. His lineup included Charlie Trotter’s, Alinea (of course), Green Zebra and Potbelly.
Other than Potbelly, we think this list is pretty much ridiculous. Exactly how many tickets does edible paper from moto run?
Gale Gand of Tru and Graham Elliot Bowles of Avenues also weighed in. The chefs said the options should be “more ethnic, more obscure, less commercial and a pinch of upscale,” the Sun-Times reported.
Um, upscale? Have they seen who goes to the Taste? When there are men in tank tops gorging on enormous turkey legs wrapped in aluminum foil, upscale seems a million miles away.
Chicagoist thinks what the Taste does need more of is room to stand (or sit) and eat. Zephyr Café did it just right. The pink-striped ice cream stand was not only right by the ferris wheel (which we just had to ride), it also had several tables. We could eat our brownie sundae in comfort, which was perfect because we wanted to enjoy every gooey bite. The hot fudge was served warm, beneath a moist, rich brownie topped with a classic scoop of vanilla. When hot fudge is involved, sophistication need not apply.
So, we think Charlie Trotter can just keep his July vacation plans, and we’ll happily make our way through our corn on the cob, thank you very much.
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i think it's a bit classist to say the taste should be more 'upscale.' If the chefs want a Taste that features foie gras and kobe burgers, maybe they should open their own alternative taste, perhaps on Randolph. I visited the Taste yesterday just for the hell of it and thought there was some nice variety in the food -- there were the collard green eggrolls, fried catfish nuggets, buffalo burgers, dolmeh, wild boar and alligator, pierogi, etc. But there were way too many pizza stands. Why do we need more than say one pizza stand? and corn on the cob? hhuh? and stands selling french fries? It seemed there were some restaurants there whose greatest contributions were not to the variety of food offered at the Taste but the checks they send to the mayor, alderman, etc. (O'Brien's, anyone?). But overall it's a pretty good event because it brings together natives and out of towners, and for seven bucks you can get a few tastes of some food you wouldn't normally get to eat, whether it's because you're not always that adventuresome or the restaurants are far away from where you live. It's a great populist event -- it shouldn't go 'upscale.'
Well, the taste is awful. The food is overpriced and often vastly inferior to even what you'd get at the actual restaurant, let alone a better place serving the same cuisine.
Hanna seems to think that the clientele at the Taste is a permanent fixture. That if CT and Cantu and Achatz and such showed up, it'd still be the same people in t-shirts drinking high life. People who don't care about food go to the Taste because there's nothing worth eating. Maybe if that changed, the clientele would change.
And I guarantee you that every single one of the high-end restaurants mentioned can turn out a fantastic amuse bouche for $1, or an app for $3, or an entree for $7. Properly prepared in-season vegetables and fruits taste a hell of a lot better than a turkey leg.
I'm a little surprised that anyone who lives in chicago goes to the taste. Just like I'm a little surprised anyone who lives in Chicago goes to, say, the Olive Garden.
I guess I'm just optimistic.
Let's face it. If you actually live in Chicago, there's no point in going to the taste. The options are all overpriced and of poor quality even compared to eating from the same restaurant at the actual restaurant.
The Zephyr is one of the best dirt-ball late night spots in the city! We luv it!
I am amazed how every year, I have friends come in to visit... and I think, "We are not going to The Taste... it is so horrible and I hate it so much..." but then inexplicably we somehow wind up there. Every single year. It's erie.
The Taste brings money from outside the city into the city. I've got no problem with that. If it appeals to the lowest common denominator, that just means more money comes in. There's plenty of good food out there for native Chicagoans to go out and enjoy, so there's really no point in complaining about a food festival. I'm not above eating funnel cake; but I avoid the Taste because I get the fantods negotiating dense crowds.
The Taste: two weeks of sweaty, overweight suburbanites mingling with all the gangbangers.
The Taste is for out-of-towners and suburbanites. I have gone a few times when there has been a good concert but overall it's not worthit (foodwise). I have to laugh at the morons that trek all the way into the city, purchase the overpriced food tickets and then head straight to the McDonald's booth. What's the point in that?!
This post and its comments are some top notch classicism and quality bigotry. It's nice when it's not veiled behind strawman criticism.
This post and its comments are some top notch classism and quality bigotry. It's nice when it's not veiled behind strawman criticism.
there were what, a half-million people there on the third and fourth? they couldn't all be "suburbanites and gangbangers."
and it's not overpriced. you can get 'taste' portions for just $1.50 at every booth. and as far as it not being for chicagoans, i happened to discover a few restaurants there - how else would a north side white boy like myself find out about a great place at 87th and stony or some place around 6200 north on broadway unless i was really adventurous?
Yeah, there were busloads of suburbanites there [gasp! horrors! suburbanites roaming free in OUR city! how dare they!] and there were some immense people chewing on massive turkey legs, but it brings bunches of money into the city and it's great PR for chicago as well. so if you don't like it, just quit bitchin' and stay at your stinky hipster bars.
as much as i disagree that the Taste is a 'beer and brat' fest, i don't want to be anywhere near the hanna bashers, so she's welcome to join me for a couple of collard green egg rolls in the waning days of le taste.
i think people of all socio-economic classes can agree -- a potbelly's sandwich would be well worth a truckload of tickets... ;)
What Chicagoist fails to mention is that the Taste actually used to be more upscale. With good food. Cheap. It's the nature of the beast for it to be what it is nowadays, but it's not ridiculous to think that nicer food doesn't belong there.
I just might take you up on that offer, James!
And, um brent? - agreed! :-)
for fuck's sake people, being snotty about tastes of chicago is so five years ago. after all, it's no fun being better than everyone else if you can't occassionally step out and show the unwashed masses exactly how much better than them you actually are!
and how about the subtle racist overtones of tastes being invaded by "gangbangers." is that a synonym for black people now? i don't know because i'm so lily white.
they got a few good bands this year. the taste portion means you can get out without blowing a massive wad of cash. for god's sake what more can you ask of a cheesy city sponsored event?
I checked out the free My Morning Jacket concert the other (quite beautiful) day and managed to cram down a tasty Robinson's rib sandwich in between the mass amounts of beer (which we brought in a cooler) I was imbibing. I had a fantastic daylong experience for under $20. No complaints here...
Who cares if you pay $5 for corn on the cob dipped in buttery goodness when you can see the Goo Goo Dolls, Wallflowers, Moby, MMJ, etc. for free? It all balances out my friends. XRT rocks.
Foul! Some Asshole, Foul I Say! to say that "m" is being racist for using the term gang banger is wrong. I'm sure m knows that while minorities might make up the largest populations of gang members in Chicago,( due by in large to poverty, the disparity of schools, etc, etc rooted in racism, and class) its 100 persent clear that gang bangers are a tiny representation of the minority community in Chicago. Of course to say all the gang bangers is clearly not accurate because many are selling drugs on the corner for wages less than minimum or locked up.
Now regarding sweaty overweight suburbanites, some might say thats out of bounds, but to put this debate to rest, I checked in with The National Organization for Research at the University of Chicago,(NORC) with offices on the University’s campus, in Chicago’s downtown Loop, and in Washington DC, as well as a nationwide field staff. NORC field staff members are conducting extensive research while, cleverly disguised in wool hybrid fruit suits passing out Cra-Zzzins- Cranberry Raisin malted treats- so as not to alarm the fest.
Todate the totals are: 55% sweaty, overweight suburbanites 45% gangbangers,
4% people from Indiana. 1% percent too drunk/ stoned to talk or identifying themselves from some other planets
They have noted the total harmony of the above groups and expect enough fodder for enough day time talk shows including Jerry Springer until the Roman Empire called America falls in about 20 years.
what I meant by saying ""Of course to say all the gang bangers is clearly not accurate" what I meant by "is" as in all gang bangers are at the taste.
The taste started out as more of an international sampling than an upscale sampling. It was a showcase for ethnic food in a city whose ethnic groups rarely left the 'hood, so to speak. Charlie and his ilk get all snooty every year about this time. Does anyone really think "amuse bouche" would ever be enough to eat for the guys in tank tops with turkey legs? Does anyone think people who dine at the high end places even want to attend an event where the weather is blistering hot with no place to sit and portolets as amenities? I think not. As so many have already stated, it's a great source of revenue. So stay away all you food snobs! Leave the poor suburbanites alone! They probably grew up here before the move to Naperville. Wehere do you think they got the idea for Ribfest?
nice of you to exclude the gang bangers from you neat wrap up, curmudgeon at least they( the gang bangers) still live in the city! but LOL on the Ribfest
Y'all relax and have a turkey leg or something.
Man charged in Shooting at Taste of Chicago
July 4, 2004
" ... Police detain several men on Balbo Drive in Grant Park after gunfire injured a teenager Saturday at Taste of Chicago ... Dominic Moore] also faces felony weapon and drug charges, [JoAnn Taylor] said. When he was taken into custody right after the incident, he was carrying a .45-caliber automatic handgun allegedly used in the shooting, 35 grams of marijuana and 1 gram of cocaine, Taylor said. The gun was reported stolen by the Decatur Police Department, Taylor said."
Gunfire kills one near site of Taste – Two Others Wounded, Dozens Run for Cover
June 26, 2005
"… A man from Michigan in his 20s was shot in the back and was in stable condition, said Pat Camden, a police spokesman. The third victim, a man in his 20s, was shot in the arm, but his wounds were not considered life-threatening, Camden said. The slain man also was in his 20s, Camden said."
Back ITD, Taste was actually somewhere a chicagoan would want to go. The portions were small enough that one could actually leave at teh end of the day having discovered a good dozen new restuarants. I haven't been in years, are they really doing smaller "taste" portions now? that's hilarious. Since portions got bigger and more drinking-friendly, there's been little point and people go for different reasons. Now it's just a big street fair.
Believe it or not I go every year, early on opening day just to remind me what it's like to be a tourist in Chicago. It's not a bad thing or a good thing...it just is. And I enjoy myself for about 45 minutes before the crowd really starts to freak me out. The Taste is what it is and there's no use bashing it.
Or including Charlie Trotter.