Most people think Chicago's meat producing days are over - that is, if they think about that sort of thing at all. The stockyards, The Jungle; these things have passed into history and legend. We don't do that sort of stuff here anymore. Now we have lofts and boutiques! Wrong. Allen Brothers is still cutting, aging and packing premium meat on the South Side, just like they've been doing since 1893. I went behind the scenes at their Chicago facility to see how real steakhouse steaks were created. more ›

The term "gaucho" for some brings to mind naive, romanticized notions of South American cowboys. For us it means sinking our teeth into a tender, juicy steak, sipping on some malbec and popping on some Steely Dan. Lush Wine & Spirits University Village location (1257 S. Halsted, 312-738-1900) won't have the Dan tomorrow, but they will have everything else as part of a humpday "gaucho party" they're throwing in their fenced-in garden seating. The steaks are going to be wood-grilled, loads of malbec will be available and, if we know the Lushies, they'll also have some tunage ready to drown out the annoying Rat Pack staples their neighbors at Franconello's will undoubtedly be spinning. more ›