Category Archives: Restaurants

Chicago Dining, Part II: Michelin Two-Starred Ever

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A showcase of morels -- part of the tasting menu at Ever.
A showcase of morels — part of the tasting menu at Ever.

Chicago, IL — If ever there was a chef to rise from the lowest of the lows to the highest of highs, it is Curtis Duffy.

His impoverished upbringing was not only marked by constant upheaval, but with the worst of tragedies.

If you don’t know his compelling story yet, do yourself a favor and watch his documentary, “For Grace.” Or better yet, read his recent memoir, “Fireproof: Memoir of A Chef” (Dead Sky Publishing, 2025)

Either way, you will come away marveling at someone who faced down so many demons, and persevered to first open the Michelin three-starred Grace, then the Michelin two-starred Ever and its appropriately named bar-lounge next door, After, all in Chicago.

If you are a fan of “The Bear,” you will also immediately recognize Ever as the inspiration for the Michelin three-starred restaurant in the series where cousin Ritchie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) stages under the helm of Olivia Coleman’s Chef Andrea Terry.

The understated entrance.
The understated entrance.
The kitchen.
The kitchen.
The familiar-looking expediter station in the kitchen.
The familiar-looking expediter station in the kitchen.

Admiration, fandom, and of course, the pursuit of great dining all steered me to Ever when I was planning my trip to Chicago.

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Chicago Dining, Part I: Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres

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Caviar cones with horseradish creme fraiche at Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres.
Caviar cones with horseradish creme fraiche at Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres.

Chicago, IL — With about 40 acclaimed restaurants nationwide and in the Bahamas, plus awards galore including a Presidential Medal of Freedom for his global humanitarian work through his World Central Kitchen, Jose Andres cuts a large swath in life.

So, when you step inside one of his restaurants, you know you’re in for a big, bold time.

That’s definitely true at Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres. It’s operated by the Emmy-winning and multi-James Beard Award-garnering chef, and owned by the Chicago’s Gibsons Restaurant Group. It may be five years old now, but you’d never know it from the crowd on a recent Thursday night when I dined, which appeared to be a mix of tourists and business people alike.

Primo cuts aging.
Primo cuts aging.
Another refrigerator holding the goods.
Another refrigerator holding the goods.

Take the elevator up to the second floor of the Bank of America tower to get to the restaurant, where you’ll walk past glassed-in refrigerator cases of Japanese Wagyu beef and American prime, aged for a minimum of 28 days.

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Layers and Layers to Admire at Strata

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Rockfish crudo -- one of the courses on the $75 prix fixe at the new Strata.
Rockfish crudo — one of the courses on the $75 prix fixe at the new Strata.

In these economic times, bargain bliss is hard to come by.

But look to the new downtown San Jose restaurant Strata, set to open on Wednesday, and you will unexpectedly find it.

Relatively speaking.

After all, when’s the last time you enjoyed an upscale 5-course prix fixe dinner for $75? With a wine pairing for all of $40 for four different pours?

It’s not merely food plopped on a dish, either, but thoughtfully executed and plated with intention.

I had the opportunity to enjoy a sneak peek and taste over the weekend when I was invited in as a guest of the restaurant.

The bar-lounge.
The bar-lounge.
The wine bottle display in the lounge.
The wine bottle display in the lounge.

Strata, pronounced “Stray-tuh,” is a geological term that refers to the layers of rock or sediment that form over time. It’s meant to evoke the layers of cuisine, hospitality, and experience that make up the restaurant, says co-owner Dan Phan.

It could also refer to the multi-faceted establishments that Phan, along with co-owners George Lahlou and Johnny Wang, have successfully launched in downtown San Jose over the past few years. Their MO Hospitality is the driving force behind bars Paper Plane, MINIBOSS, Still O.G. and Alter Ego, and the restaurant Eos & Nyx.

Like Eos & Nyx, Strata offers an upscale experience, but in this case, a bifurcated one.

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Take A Seat At the Sensational Saison Wine Bar

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Caviar Parfait a la Mina at Saison Wine Bar.
Caviar Parfait a la Mina at Saison Wine Bar.

There are wine bars.

And then there is Saison Wine Bar.

Located in the South of Market neighborhood in San Francisco, it boasts not only exceptional wines by the glass, flight or bottle, but French fare that’s far more elegant and refined than you might expect.

But then again, it is from the same restaurant group that operates Michelin two-starred Saison and Michelin-starred Angler, both in San Francisco.

No wonder folks are willing to wait up to 3 hours to get in at times, according to its Wine Director Paul Carayas.

Saison co-founder Mark Bright obviously struck gold when he decided to open the wine bar in 2024, along with the Saison Wine Cellar, a members’-only space two doors down that provides private tastings and climate-controlled wine storage.

A helpful sign points the way.
A helpful sign points the way.
The entrance.
The entrance.

I had a chance to finally visit the wine bar last week with my husband. Even on a Tuesday, it was boisterous, with many patrons filling tables and bar seats for the Happy Hour wine and food specials, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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Family Is First and Foremost at George + Kin

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Fried chicken sandwich on house-made Japanese milk bread at George + Kin.
Fried chicken sandwich on house-made Japanese milk bread at George + Kin.

It’s easy to fall for a place where love of family is paramount in all that it does.

Such is the case at George + Kin, a new Japanese American-inflected diner in Napa.

When I found myself in the Napa Valley a few days after it opened, I knew I had to stop in. At 11:30 a.m. on a Friday, it was already humming with patrons.

Owner Ben Koenig named his restaurant in honor of his great aunt and uncle, Kinuko and George Sato, Japanese American farmers from Pocatello, Idaho, who helped raise his mother, Wendy, after she lost her own mother at a young age.

You order at the counter.
You order at the counter.
The dining room.
The dining room.

Although he partnered with hospitality professional Charles Whittaker and consulting chef Itamar Abramovitch to open the restaurant in the Bel Aire Plaza, Koenig is no stranger to opening businesses. He is already well known in the Napa Valley for his MOTHERS, Heritage Eats (now closed), Best Food Truck Ever, and Napa Valley Lobster Co.

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