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- Hearts all across Chicago were broken last January when Zephyr closed its doors. We walked past its former space a few days ago and wouldn't you know, construction workers were busy building what looked to be another restaurant. Alas, it won't be Zephyr 2.0 but rather an Irish-style bar and restaurant (pictured), opening in March 2008 (to their best estimate). The workers didn't know what it was going to be called.
- New York Times writer Alex Witchel waxes poetic about Gene and Georgetti, the estimable Chicago steakhouse. After recommending the garbage salad and fried meat ravioli, she contemplates her relationship with both the restaurant, and the city. "And that’s what Chicago is for me," she writes, "what Gene & Georgetti is, the grown-up realization of glamour mixed with the safety of childhood. My personal film noir in reassuring color."
- Yes, please! The Reader's Mike Sula discovers that Laristo's, a bar a few doors down from the New apartment Lounge, serves Crunk Punch. It is poured from gasoline containers kept behind the bar (pic). Sula reports, "[The bartender] tried to talk us out of one, but we couldn't be persuaded. What arrived was a painfully sweet concoction of pink lemonade and vodka, perfect for poisoning insects and rats (there was a blue version also)." Nothing we love more than a drink whose flavor is actually its color.
- Speaking of drinking, North Shore Distillery's Sonja Kassebaum mixes up a beverage that we'd like to try, the Harvest Mood. Her creation includes bourbon, Elderflower liqueur, orange juice, peach bitters and club soda.
- Finally, Sun-Times critic Pat Bruno goes truffle hunting in Italy (what a hard life, right?). Too bad he didn't stumble across this three-pound truffle—the largest ever found. It's worth a cool $9,000.
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March 2007? Don't you mean March 2008?
Hi Sparky. 2008 is what I meant. Post has been fixed.
Thanks very much for mentioning my drink - I'm very excited about presenting it next week in the final round!
-Sonja Kassebaum
North Shore Distillery
cuz if it's one thing chicago needs, it's more irish bars!
Tee-ti-tigh-ta-toe! And Shannon, you aren't Irish yourself, are you girl? I love you island girls, you know the ones from way over that pond. Let's get jiggy with it (Spook, I mean nothing racist by it, just the old Irish jig, partner!)
One glass of pink crunk punch please!
I don't like that Gene & Georgetti article, it seems condescending but not out of the ordinary for a New Yorker.
New York, Gene and Georgetti's is not. I spent time there, and GG's is exactly why I want to go back. It stinks of crooked politics, and the kind of backroom deals that seal this city's fate in yesterday. There is your noir Sheepcago!
Mainly, I don't like this line: "Chicago, God bless its retro heart, is the rough-and-tumble big city". It just makes it seem like Chicago tries to be retro. We just are. We just exist. We're not so self-aware that we try to be anything we're not or anything people want us to be. That article makes it sound like Chicago is stuck in the 50s or something.
we are stuck in the 50s. our food, health, lifestyles and drinking habits have not changed. it's sad and it's time we started shunning the italian sausages and binge drinking for fresh food and yoga.
also he doesn't really comment on the food. just the atmosphere - like he's in old guy heaven or something.
the steak and g&g's is good but is not the best in the city by far. then again g&g's is light years ahead of pete lugers.
I don't get all the love for Zephyr. I thought it was an ugly restaurant with average-to-mediocre food. Then it creeped me out to go there after the murders. I'm glad it's gone.
Shannon. Seriously. I was thinking the same thing: why does anyone think we need another Irish-themed ANYTHING in this town.
It's the only way to get a liquor license.
you mean an overserve license, ferdy.
ferdy's right ice cream overpriced and sucked bye bye maybe the amtrak namesake is next
Thank God for the smoking ban. Gene & Georgetti's can finally be enjoyed by those uninterested in the stench of cigars.
Matty are you crank'n dat grape drank again!
p.s Ward Zzup
I'm with the smoking ban, but it was the cigarette smokers that pissed all in the proverbial pool. An occasional cigar is class. I will miss smoking a choice Cigar in the spirit of Fidel in certain select bars but I will gladly give them up publicly as long as the scourge of cigarettes are driven out of public houses and restaurants!
The truffle sold at auction for $333,000 btw.