Food, Music, Hockey, and More Food....

Lucky us on a Friday Night! @topolochicago

Topolobambo – 449 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL

Usually when we get home on Friday night and neither of us wants to cook, Sara and I are browsing through the Friday night scraps of reservations on Open Table and usually end up with slim pickings….last night, however, there popped open an evening restaurant at a spot that’s been on our list for quite some time- Rick Bayless’s Topolobambo, which just…

RPM Steak – 66 W Kinzie

When I first heard about RPM Italian’s opening a few years ago, a joint venture between the Melmans and the Rancics, I was dubious to say the least.  I expected the scene to attract a certain type of crowd and scene that’s not really my cup of tea, but I also didn’t expect the food to deliver either.  Surprisingly, though, RPM Italian has become one of our favorite go-to…

Chef Ping – 1755 Algonquin Road – Rolling Meadows, IL

If there’s a restaurant I remember going to on a regular basis from my earliest childhood memories – it’s Yu’s Mandarin in Schaumburg, a solid Chinese restaurant that my family has been frequenting since I was about 6 or 7 years old.  I don’t think I’ve had any dish more often than the rainbow fried rice and the kung pao shrimp there.  Alas,…

Chengdu Impression – 2545 N Halsted Street, Chicago, IL

Outside of Chinatown, it’s tough to find really good, authentic Chinese food.  Shanghai Terrace does a pretty solid job, but given that it’s in the Peninsula, it’s quite overpriced.  Sun Wah is another classic, but much further north.   Other than those two, the Chinese selections around the city tend to be of the standard takeout variety –…

Solid Rustic Italian @balenachicago

Balena – 1633 N Halsted Street, Chicago

So, I’m trying desperately to catch up on my backlog of restaurants to write about.  Since May, most of free time has been spent wedding planning and in May and June we went out to eat *a lot* because of the wedding planning and finishing up our kitchen remodel.  Thankfully, since we’ve returned, Sara and I have been a bit better about staying in and…

Two Month Anniversary celebration at #katsuchicago

Katsu – 2651 Peterson Avenue – Chicago, IL

So Sara and I made it to 2 months!   And we’re still in love, after celebrating our real 2 month anniversary by cooking a wonderful meal of jja jjang myun and sous vide duck breast at home (yes, kind of all over the place), we decided to really kick it up and head up north to Katsu for some sushi.

Katsu may not be on your radar, and it’s sometimes hard…

The week of small plates Japanese @SUMIrobata

Bone-in Lamb Chop!

Sumi Robata Bar – 702 N Wells Street, Chicago, IL

Sara and I had been to Sumi Robata almost a year ago around when it opened.  I had always been a fan of the food at Japonais and was impressed with Sumi when it opened, but for it took us awhile to get back there.  And I’m glad we did – it’s a solid meal, albeit a bit overpriced based on portion sizes.

As you walk in, you’re…

Mott Street – 1401 N Ashland St.

If there’s a place that’s becoming our spot for go to Asian comfort food, it’s Mott Street.  (see my original review at  (http://chohschow.com/2014/02/06/mottstreet) It’s a completely unique spot – nowhere like it in Chicago, and really probably in the midwest.   And I think you’d probably have to search to find something like it even in NYC, LA, or SF.  Edward…