Chicago – Trev's Bistro

The 13 Bites That Defined 2013

What a year for eating. My first bites of the year were in a New Years Day early morning daze at Blue Star Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon (Valrhona Chocolate Crunch was the best amidst stiff competition. These were hands down the best doughnuts of a pretty doughnut-free year). If that’s how a year starts, thenContinue reading “The 13 Bites That Defined 2013”

Greetings from…Chicago! Part II

Continuing back to the Windy City, we continue with a beverage to commence our concluding Part II from Chicago. Cocktail of Chicago: The Office: Rum, Ginger, Bonito, Wasabi, Sesame, and Mint Don’t make me choose between The Aviary and The Violet Hour, Chicago’s pre-eminent craft cocktail bars that are deservedly on every “ten best cocktailContinue reading “Greetings from…Chicago! Part II”

Greetings From…Chicago! Part I

Let’s all agree to begin: Chicago is no second city when it comes to eating and drinking. It’s first tier all the way. With all due respect, we’re talking Michael Jordan here, not Scottie Pippin. Is Chicago better than a San Francisco or a New York or a Tokyo dining scene? Yes? Maybe. No? Maybe.Continue reading “Greetings From…Chicago! Part I”

Restaurants: Blackbird, Chicago

Aged meat and dishes merging surf and turf are two of the most challenging concepts for a kitchen to pull off without a hitch. Something almost always seems to go off the deep end for both. That precious half year aged chateaubriand might taste more of provocative black garlic than sensuous, relentless meat. Raise yourContinue reading “Restaurants: Blackbird, Chicago”

What’s in a Name? That Which We Call a Restaurant?

Shakespeare and restaurants? Wherefore art thou going for dinner Romeo? Usually when we consider Shakespeare and dining, we think of going to the corner pub for a pint of bitter hard cider, or Falstaffian feasts, as in, “To finish a dish at Montreal’s Au Pied de Cochon, you must have a Falstaffian appetite.” I’m noContinue reading “What’s in a Name? That Which We Call a Restaurant?”

The New Café: Where Biking and Jogging Meets Coffee

Not long ago, a coffeehouse was, well, just a coffeehouse. Think “Central Perk” from “Friends.” Think about the coffeehouses that dot university towns, with stressed out students sprawled out on couches and fliers covering every inch of the walls. A coffeehouse was a meeting place and a place for reading. As time went by withContinue reading “The New Café: Where Biking and Jogging Meets Coffee”

Plat du Jour: Tuesday, April 10, 2012

We’re back from Kauai, always a challenge to realize that every day this week won’t be filled with mai tais, pineapples, beaches, and golf. It’s now time to reflect on the lessons learned from Kauai’s emerging food community and restaurant scene. This week we’ll have a review of what I consider the four main restaurantsContinue reading “Plat du Jour: Tuesday, April 10, 2012”