FOOD!

[Chinorlz]

Next tickets went on sale beginning today.

The race begins....

I'm not quite clear on what the deal is with the Aviary... if you have Next tickets, does that mean you're good for the Aviary as well? Also, what about the "exclusive" room at the Aviary?

[Fenix]

^i thought they were on sale a week ago? I've heard people are trying to sell tickets for between 1-3k.

Not sure how Aviary works either. Although, there is some drama already.

Review:

http://chicagoist.com/2011/04/11/review_next.php

Rant:

http://chicagoist.com/2011/04/12/hype_customer_service_and_what_food.php

Achatz responds:

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2011/04/13/grant-achatz-chicagoist-rant-tells-only-part-of-the-story.php

[theetruscan]

I don't have a clue, I just felt like those places have to be mentioned. Maybe tickets are already gone, maybe they are available for the time he will be there. I have absolutely no idea.

Given a limited time, and a limited tolerance for insane bullshit, I would probably try to do either Schwa or Trotters, and the Publican (with some drinks at one of the mixology places), skipping the new hotness until it calms down. When a place is that hyped, there's too much distraction from sitting down to a good meal for me.

[Fenix]

What about Rick Bayless' restaurants? I've never had the opportunity to eat at Topolobampo but hear it is amazing.

I still stop what I'm doing every time I catch a glimpse of Rick's old PBS show. You've got to love his passion.

[theetruscan]

What about Rick Bayless' restaurants? I've never had the opportunity to eat at Topolobampo but hear it is amazing.

Totally spaced it, Bayless's cooking is amazing. If you just have a moment the sandwich (XOCO?) place is easily worth it, if you have more time, his nicer restaurants will treat you well.

Oh god, now I want one of his sandwiches...

[jscl]

awesome, lots of choices! how about deep dish pizza?? uno's?

[munch]

burt's place - http://www.yelp.com/biz/burts-place-morton-grove

[Carpe Noctem]

A few you might want to add to the list:

Christopher Elbow
Recchiutti
Madacasse (I think)

The best chocolatier I've ever found is Jean-Charles Rochoux, I'm not sure if he makes bars.

Some of the serious, heavy-duty barrel aged beers will pair will with chocolate (and aren't much good with anything else). For instance, Lost Abbey Angel's Share goes brilliantly. Some of the richer Belgian trippels and quadruppels (I can't spell) should also go well.

A really good beer that pairs well with almost any chocolate is Three Philosophers made by Ommegang. It's made here in NY but it's a belgian style quadruppel. Really really good beer. Comparable to any of the trappists except maybe Rochefort and Westvleteren (though I've never tried the latter, just heard of it's grail status haha).

[sinbad]

My favorite food.

[jogu]

awesome, lots of choices! how about deep dish pizza?? uno's?

nahhhhhh mang dont eat that shet , i hate deep dish and tbh most everyone i know whos like from here doesnt like it either tho its mad popular with tourists . so much fuckin cheese in that shit no lie but when youre eatin it the cheese kinda just hangs in the back of your froat and causes gagging . nooooooo maam . BUT if you want to try it anyway go to giordanos or however the hale its spelled . theirs isnt bad

this is one a my fave restaurants in chicago :

http://www.cyranosbistrot.com/

idk if its on the menu rite now but they have a good ass beef wellington , like the pastry dough on it is perfect

been to alinea ... yawn . nah its ok but lots of the diners there were twatty . food was good tho lol

never been to frontera grill ( rick bayless place ) but most everyone i kno thats gone there has said some very good things bout it

[munch]

any of you watch marcel's quantum kitchen? I find it quite entertaining, he's quite a character I guess but I do like the weird techniques they use

[MoFiya]

hmm... made an awesome purchase

[BBSCCP]

^ hope we still can enjoy machas after the disaster in fukushima...

[syed]

I've actually been on the hunt for some decent matcha lately. There is a tiny place around Bond Street called Postcard Teas here in London that does loose leaf teas from really small single estates. My brother swears by an Oolong they sell. Thinking I may get some from there, because nowhere else seems to sell proper quality.

[MoFiya]

I am a brand fetishist in regards to Japanese tea.
I only drink Keiko. Organic, produced with care, great quality, price is fair.
Don't know if they have a supplier at the UK.
They also make that great ice-tee green tea.

But I must say these two (green tea + matcha) are the only products I consume by them. Have tried the green tea chocolate (not a fan of green tea sweets) and Sencha tea though.