Quick Bites

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Aug 14, 2009 5:40PM

Todd Appel (praying) and Kyle McHugh (drinking) prepare for the mixology competition at the Taste of the Nation afterparty last night.

Here are some links to check out in between Madden '10 sessions:

• Michael Ruhlman, arguably the best food writer working, visited Chicago last week. Here are his thoughts on the city. [Ruhlman.com]
• The Lyric Opera's two new restaurants are getting ready for their closeup. But in order to eat at Florian Opera Steakhouse and the Sarah and Peer Pedersen Room, you'll have to start patronizing the opera.
• Planet Green, the Discovery Channel's eco-focused offshoot, is planning a pilot featuring Bleeding Heart Bakery's Michelle Garcia and Natalie Slater of Bake and Destroy. [Grub Street Chi]
• Might sound a bit harsh here, but Teresa Puente's questioning of Rick Bayless's Mexican cuisine credentials when he isn't Mexican is an example of the adage comparing opinions to bungholes. [Chicanisma @ Chicago Now]
• While Puente hammered the "Bayless is white" argument, Phill Vettel eloquently argued Bayless's credentials, headline notwithstanding. [Tribune]
• A Chicago caterer and a cousin she met online while researching her family history are opening a Soul Food restaurant in Hyde Park next year. [Sun-Times]