We had the good fortune to attend a cocktail mixing event at La Madia last week led by their mixologist, Jennifer Contraveos. Jennifer is a Chicago cocktail-ing star, winning regional and national competitions and being named one of the top mixers in the city by Metromix. Formerly the head mixer at Graze, she’s taken over the helm at La Madia. more ›

Naming the best bartender in Chicago is like trying to find an identical pair of snowflakes. Everybody has a favorite bartender and ours, a gruff, lovable fellow who told stories of Old Town's grittier days and always had a dram of bourbon at the ready when we walked through the door of our local watering hole, was recently fired from his job for refusing to serve Jaeger bombs to a group of Captain Awesomes who... more ›

Another Friday, another edition of "Your Friday Food Buffet." This week, we'll try to avoid outright mentioning St. Patrick's Day. We will talk about corn (dogs) and green (as in sustainability). So let's cut the crap and hook up right now. "Eighty? You Don't Look a Day Over 72.": Italian Village turns 80 this year, and the Sun-Times ran an article Monday trying to uncover the secrets behind the Loop mainstay's longevity. It also suggests... more ›