If you haven't tried Robata-style food yet, it's time. "Eating true robata is like having sex for the first time; you can't tell someone about it," explains Sushi Samba rio chef Dan Tucker. After watching him and tasting it for ourselves, we'll certainly try to tell, but the best option is for you to go yourself. Even better, there's a special lunch deal that lets you try this unique food at a notably low price. more ›

Everyone loves lists, right? And with the departure of the revered Steve Dolinsky from WBEZ, someone has to fill the void. Chicagoist's food department is stepping up to the plate. But we don't care about best burgers or best fries - let's focus on more useful information. Today, we bring you Chicago's best (or strangest) restaurant bathrooms. more ›

Savor summer and enjoy cocktails and sweets in an urban cabana atop Sushi Samba Rio in River North. While better known for their Latin fusion sushi rolls, the restaurant recently rolled out a new cocktails and desserts menu with sweets and sips to fit any summer mood. more ›

As Japan deals with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and hopes to avoid nuclear disaster, one Chicago restaurant is chipping in some financial support. more ›

A few weeks back in the Friday Buffet, Laura posted a notice about a special that SushiSamba Rio was running for brunch. We’d been there a couple of years ago, but that was for a sushi and booze-laden lunch. A touch skeptical about their brunching abilities, we braved the blizzard and ventured north this past Sunday. more ›

Mmm, hot soup sounds good. Especially since we expected 18 inches of snow and ice this morning. Whatevs, weatherman! So, we're back to the Friday Buffet. This is because we kept thinkin' it was due up on Fridays and kept missing Thursday. D'oh! more ›

Every last Friday of the month, the bartenders and servers at Kuma's Corner donate their night's tips to a worthy cause. Tonight, it's all going to Windy City Roller Tahira "Tequila Mockingbird" Johnson, who's still recovering from her injury over the summer. If you find yourself gorging on the "Hatebeak" or "Goblin Cock" this evening, please tip better than you usually do. Just in time for Hanukkah, local food writer Leah Zeldes will give a... more ›

While the fish-taco revolution is swimming across the area, there are plenty of other events happening this week. Before we list them, however, we should let you know that the cockroaches are taking over our downtown restaurants. This week's victim of the ultimate survivor, Bice. Cockroaches were the least of their problems, however. A Health Department inspection also found no hot running water in a kitchen sink and fruit flies in the bar. If you... more ›

Have you been to SushiSamba Rio on a Wednesday for “Favela Night?” Then again, have you even been there lately? The downtown Japanese/Brazilian/Peruvian hotspot has been open for some time now, but the weekday dinners definitely haven’t lost any hype. Chicagoist tried out the new fall menu, and boy, oh boy, if you haven’t been to Samba, now might be a good time to go.... more ›

"One Mint Julep" seems to be a fitting theme for this week, in both photo and song (Last.fm doesn't lie). Let's move on, shall we? Today is "Charlie Trotter Day" in Chicago, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the opening of his eponymous restaurant. The Sun-Times had a couple of nice pieces this week in conjunction. We linked to Janet Fuller's story of Trotter's first two employees, who are still with him today, in... more ›

This week's theme: soul food, y'all. We ate enough of it last week to pine for the days of Ms. Biscuit on South Chicago Avenue (located next door to Mr. Biscuit's Hand Car Wash and Auto Detail). Here we go. City Mouse: Chef Gilbert Langlois (Rushmore, SushiSamba Rio) describes his new North Center-based concept Chalkboard as "new American cuisine," drawing inspiration from French country, classic Southern, and the less spicy elements of Creole for his... more ›

Last week, we went to Chalkboard, the new restaurant in North Center owned by former SushiSamba Rio chef Gilbert Langlois (we'll have a recap of the experience in "Your Friday Food Buffet" later this week). Now, Langlois and his staff have compiled a pretty impressive wine list, but on the day of our visit it was so warm. We wanted a beer that complemented the weather as well as the food. This wasn't a problem... more ›