Bin36 - Drink Wine. Live Well. Have Fun.

Does knowing wine vintages really matter?

<p>Unless you’re amassing a wine collection (no, me, neither), you probably don’t pay a whole lot of attention to vintages, but, while their importance can be overstated, it can be useful to know what to expect. You’re no doubt aware that the southern hemisphere harvests six months ahead of Europe, so their 2023 vintages are already on the shelves. Is it too soon to buy them, though? Depends what you’re shopping for: it suits sauvignon blanc and bright breezy reds, but is less good for more complex wines.</p> <p>And what about those older vintages that you often find on sale at this time of year? Does older always mean better? Not necessarily, because they may already be dried out. A lot has to do with price. More recent releases are by and large better for cheaper whites and reds, but once you’re spending more than £12, say, an earlier vintage may offer the complexity you’re paying for. For instance, a 2021 such as the Sainsbury’s pouilly-fumé in my pick below, offers more than the typical 2022. And I see no point in spending £20-plus on a 2021 or 2022 châteauneuf-du-pape – you might as well just buy a decent côtes du Rhône instead.</p> <p>Also, does it depend on where in the world the wine is from? To an extent: if you’re in the market for a mature bordeaux, for example, 2016 and 2018 are both well-regarded, but then the 2018 vintage is pretty good right across Europe.<em> </em>And if you’re looking for a more recent vintage, 2020 is generally reliable, though in the case of beaujolais I prefer the fresher, more typical 2021s.</p> <p>It also depends on the type of wine. Some wines, such as rioja, are designed for ageing – winemakers there have to abide by a regulatory framework, so a reserva, for example, needs to be aged for three years before release, and one year of that has to be in oak barrels.</p> <p>It may also be a question of your own tastes, as well as how you intend to drink the wine. Is it worth paying the extra for vintage champagne, for instance? Not if you’re buying it for a party or simply prefer the fresher, crisper taste of a non-vintage.</p> <p>Even vintages that are generally regarded as poor (though rarely by the region in question) are not invariably so. Even in a year that’s considered disappointing, and barring unpredictable weather such as frost or hail, good producers can pull a rabbit out of a hat.</p> <p>Finally, it’s always worth checking that the vintage on the shelf or online is the one I’m recommending, which is usually based on a recent tasting. It’s not that an older vintage wouldn’t be fine, it’s just that I can’t vouch for it. Some retailers rotate stocks faster than others, after all.</p> <h2>Five vintages to look out for</h2> <p><strong><a href="https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/sainsburys-pouilly-fum%C3%A9-taste-the-difference-75cl">Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pouilly-Fumé 2021</a></strong> £13.50, 12.5%. Elegant, crisp Loire sauvignon that benefits from a year’s ageing. Significantly cheaper than Sancerre, too.</p> <p><strong>Welmoed Sauvignon Blanc 2023</strong> <a href="https://www.coop.co.uk/products/welmoed-sauvignon-blanc-862791">£7.65 Co-op</a> (£8 online), 13.5%. A super-fresh, zesty Stellenbosch sauvignon from this year’s vintage. Would be great with fish and chips.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/261787141">Tesco Finest Viña del Cura Rioja Reserva 2018</a></strong> £10, 13.5%. If you like an old-school, mellow rioja, this one is perfect. Especially with roast lamb.</p> <p><strong>Domaine Font de Courtedune Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2019</strong> <a href="https://www.hhandc.co.uk/all-wines/2019-chateauneuf-du-pape-domaine-font-de-courtedune/">£31.90 (or £28.35 by the case) Haynes Hanson & Clark</a>, 15%. Gloriously lush, four-year-old chateauneuf that’s worth paying extra for. An ideal roast turkey wine.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://adnams.co.uk/products/adnams-chardonnay-waitaki-north-otago-new-zealand">Adnams Chardonnay Waitaki, North Otago 2018</a></strong> £19.99, 13.5%. A mature New Zealand chardonnay from the excellent Forrest estate. Bears comparison with a top white burgundy (which would be a fair bit more expensive). Drink with scallops or a posh fish pie.</p> <ul> <li><p>For more by Fiona Beckett, go to <a href="https://fionabeckett.substack.com/">fionabeckett.substack.com</a></p></li> </ul>

Bonsai Plant Kitchen, Brighton: 'Definitely remarkable and unusual' – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

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Acclaimed Chef Erling Wu-Bower Is Opening a New Restaurant

<div><figure> <img alt="Two folks inside a brick building with windows." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XmiIrHcM5uZEFSQlb1w1KjW0nsE=/344x0:3695x2513/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72851929/maxwellstrading_eater.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Erling Wu-Bower (left) stands with Josh Tilden at their new restaurant, Maxwells Trading. | Underscore Hospitality</figcaption> </figure> <p>Maxwells Trading is the new project for the chef who earned acclaim at Pacific Standard Time and Nico Osteria</p> <p id="BBuK0e">If he’s being honest, Erling Wu-Bower says he worries if Chicago diners remember him. It’s been three years since he left <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/pacific-standard-time">Pacific Standard Time</a> in River North, and now he and business partner Josh Tilden are opening a new restaurant.</p> <p id="36oY2e"><a href="https://www.maxwellstrading.com/">Maxwells Trading</a> should open sometime this winter at 1516 W. Caroll Avenue in West Loop, west of Ogden Avenue near venues like <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/cobra-lounge">Cobra Lounge</a> and <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/district-brew-yards">District Brew Yards</a>. Reps are calling this area, which sports a different feel versus Randolph Restaurant Row, the Kinzie Industrial Corridor.</p> <p id="PWF415">Wu-Bower wowed critics with his work at <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/nico-osteria">Nico Osteria</a>, the seafood-focused Italian restaurant that <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/7/24/23805754/nico-osteria-closing-thompson-hotel-phil-stefani-tavern-on-rush">will soon close</a> inside Gold Coast’s Thompson Hotel. He’s a three-time James Beard Award finalist and his cooking takes creole and cajun influences from his father (Calvin Bower grew up in South Louisiana) and the Chinese roots from his mother, former dining critic and chef Olivia Wu. The chef describes his mentality as cooking “intimately personal cuisine.”</p> <p id="OnIsUx">“I’ve had all these other incredible gifts given to me, Italian charcuterie, seafood,” Wu-Bower says. “‘New American’...I think it’s a little bit limiting.”</p> <p id="jsbkcg">That’s why <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maxwellstrading/">Maxwells Trading</a> is challenging to describe. Wu-Bower wants to incorporate all his experiences. He grew up in Chicago’s suburbs but calls himself “a child of the city” and that means serving what he grew up eating. That includes Thai, Middle Eastern, and Italian. Rick Bayless’ Mexican restaurants also left an impression.</p> <p id="6T38B8">“I genuinely believe that your heritage gets added on to throughout your career, both professionally and personally,” says Wu-Bower.</p> <p id="jNw4kc">Pacific Standard Time, one of <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2018/7/25/17611560/pacific-standard-time-river-north-eater-2018-best-new-restaurant-chicago-underscore-one-off">Eater’s Best New Restaurants in 2018</a>, was the first project from Tilden and Wu-Bower’s Underscore Hospitality, hoping to bring a new energy to Chicago’s restaurant scene. PST was a collaboration with Wu-Bower’s mentors and former employers at One Off Hospitality. It opened to positive reviews, but the relationship soured during the pandemic. Wu-Bower didn’t provide too many details about the exit. He did say their philosophies in opening restaurants differed from One Off’s; they had different goals. He and Tilden left in 2020 and a year later, Kahan, Donnie Madia, and Terry Alexander <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2021/2/5/22268237/pacific-standard-time-closing-avec-river-north-one-off-hospitality">converted the space</a> into a second location of <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/avec-2">Avec</a>. </p> <p id="F7XYsR">Wu-Bower has been under the radar since, working at his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, and taking consultant gigs. Being away from the restaurant grind has left Wu-Bower with a bit of a lingering doubt. The restaurant world is volatile and trendy. Will diners care about his past successes? “I hope what we cook here and our service here will make will dispel any forgetfulness I guess,” he says. ”I hope that my work speaks for itself whether or not Chicago diners remember.”</p> <p id="1Bl51a">Still, he’s been preparing for his eventual return.</p> <p id="AfYywn">“I find myself working out at nine o’clock at night, just because I think my body’s used to an adrenaline rush at nine o’clock at night,” Wu-Bower says. “I think one of the cool things about opening a restaurant and the whole process is it really like reinvigorates the mind and then at the end of the process, kind of reinvigorates the body to doing everything I can to get back into fighting shape, but I’m sure there’s going to be a little bit of a learning curve. Luckily, there will be younger and more spry members of our team in the kitchen to support me.”</p> <p id="eetzib"><a href="https://www.maxwellstrading.com/"><em>Maxwells Trading</em></a><em>, 1516 W. Caroll Avenue, planned for a winter opening.</em></p> <aside id="Hu8Bbi"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"chicago-eater"}'></div></aside></div>

More Masala, Less Latte

<div><figure> <img alt="A glass of chai in between Hindu idols." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EXTLz_A9ODWZOaAA2vFCvPjcfcI=/0x117:4680x3627/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72851445/CHIYA_CHAI_536.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Masala chai from South Asia has a rich history and story is continuing in America. | <a class="ql-link" href="http://aliyaikhumen.com/" target="_blank">Aliya Ikhumen</a>/Eater Chicago</figcaption> </figure> <p>South Asia’s second-wave chai culture has steeped into America’s mainstream — and it’s breaking out of the boxes (and syrups and concentrates) you might recognize</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap" id="qgny6m"><strong>In 1999, Starbucks introduced the</strong> chai tea latte. The world is still recovering.</p> <p id="av6I1c">The chai tea latte, the first in a series of three tea lattes the chain would release, is four years older than Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte, a rep confirms. Starbucks’ chai tea latte is a frothy and sweet drink that’s been marketed with taglines like “It smells like Christmas.” As the most celebrated holiday India, Diwali, approaches, it’s notable that marketing chai around Christmas has resonated in America. Eight years ago, <a href="https://www.bakemag.com/articles/16724-taylor-swift-chai-cookie-recipe-goes-viral-ahead-of-album-release">Taylor Swift even posted a recipe</a> for chai sugar cookies with cinnamon eggnog frosting that went viral.</p> <p id="WAA60J">Starbucks has since spliced that “cozy blend of chai spices” to produce variants <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2023/new-starbucks-iced-gingerbread-oatmilk-chai-is-a-festive-twist-on-a-favorite-flavor/">using gingerbread</a> and other flavors. The chain, for better or worse, has served as a gateway to South Asian-style chai, introducing millions to its existence while simultaneously irritating those with memories of brewing tea spiked with ingredients like black pepper, cardamom, and ginger with their nanis.</p> <p id="i3ODSD">The practice of drinking tea in India is a holdover from British colonialism; colonists introduced tea as a crop in India to disrupt China’s tea market. While the British Empire outlawed slavery in 1843, colonists found a workaround by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36781368">using indentured servants</a> to establish tea estates in northeastern India.</p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A chaiwalla doing his thing." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CZuJEGaBFqIgDqk8a_b-qL_LVIk=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25055979/CHIYA_CHAI_484.jpg"> <cite>Aliya Ikhumen/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Chiya Chai owner Swadesh Shrestha pours steamed milk at his Logan Square cafe.</figcaption> </figure> <p id="kfR3sV">The word “chai” is Hindi for “tea,” but is derived from “cha,” a Mandarin word. The story goes that much of the tea was too bitter for Indian consumption and needed something to mask that flavor. And with plenty of spices, the kind the East India Company was already trading, the subcontinent had a homegrown remedy. The masala is what sets the tea apart.</p> <p id="cFHeVq">Each South Asian region and country has a different spin on chai. Mint is popular in Kashmir while Mumbai chai has more ginger. Indians may use buffalo milk for richer flavors; Pakistanis may flavor their tea with pistachio. There are even versions coming from countries in other parts of the world: A small cafe chain that started in Dearborn, Michigan, and with two Chicago-area locations — <a href="https://www.qahwahhouse.com/">Qahwah House</a> — brews strong cups of Yemeni-style chai to order. </p> <p id="NjYhOq">Brewing quality chai takes training and a steady supply of ingredients that most coffee houses lack. However, a selection is emerging, driven by the South Asian diaspora. Brands like Patel Brothers<strong> </strong>remain a go-to for folks like chef Zeeshan Shah of Logan Square’s Superkhana International, while Tasting India produces both spice mixes and <a href="https://shoptastingindia.com/shop/cutting-masala-chai/">masala chai</a> sourced from Assam in northeastern India. Mail-order companies such as <a href="https://kolkatachai.co/products/diy-masala-chai-kit">Kolkata Chai Co.</a> and <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516589&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.diasporaco.com%2F&referrer=eater.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fchicago.eater.com%2F2023%2F11%2F10%2F23945800%2Fmasala-chai-america-diwali-south-asia-tea-evolution-vendor-cardoz-spiderverse-taylor-swift-starbucks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Diaspora Co.</a> have also emerged to sate the thirst for better brews. (Notably, baker Valeria Socorro Velazquez Lindsten of <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/6/23/23768792/loba-pastry-coffee-indie-bakery-north-center-chicago-valeria-socorro-velazquez-lindsten-photos">Loba Pastry in North Center</a> has used Diaspora Co.’s turmeric in her Golden Snail, a flaky pastry that’s like a mature pain aux raisins <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cucfo-wrf4x/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">with a pleasant kick</a>.) </p> <p id="jRKUns">Misconceptions surrounding chai still peeve many within the community, and these frustrations have seeped into mainstream media. Nothing illustrates this better than your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. </p> <p id="alzStG">In 2023’s <a href="https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23742233/spider-man-across-spider-verse-review"><em>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</em></a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx6YYAs5xy8">viewers are introduced</a> to Pavitr Prabhakar, the Spider-Man of Mumbattan (an amalgamation of Mumbai and Manhattan). Prabhakar shares his ritual of drinking tea with Maya Auntie (an Indian version of Aunt May) with Miles Morales’s version of Spider-Man — a biracial hero who’s Black American and Puerto Rican; Morales enthusiastically responds, “I love chai tea” — a reply seemingly wounding Prabhakar worse than a Green Goblin pumpkin bomb.</p> <p id="tproxf">“What did you just say — ‘chai tea’?” Prabhakar scoffs at Morales. “‘Chai’ means ‘tea,’ bro. You’re saying ‘tea tea.’ Would I ask you for a ‘coffee coffee with room for cream cream’?”</p> <p id="vExGSn">The voice actor who plays Prabhakar, Karan Soni, says the conversation, inspired by the many Indian artists who worked on the film, was designed to trigger South Asians. “I think like any Indian or brown person in the audience is just gonna be cheering when that happens because it’s finally so liberating to be like, yes, now Spider-Man has said it, so please, it’s canon, do not change this,” Soni says in a movie featurette.</p> <div class="p-fullbleed-block"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="Spidey drinking tea with another Spidey in a multiversal caper." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lZObD1iMvvqeYXrcAHxL2K-hE6M=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25072353/SV2_mpp0422_comp_v139_4kdcp_vd16.1063.jpg"> <cite>Sony Pictures Animation</cite> <figcaption>Pavitr Prabhakar wants Miles Morales to be a Chai-Man, not a Chai-Tea Man.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <h3 id="tFYqQY">Chai and the Family Stone</h3> <p id="GOFy8A">Like Spidey and his Maya Auntie, many South Asians have some sort of family memory attached to chai.</p> <p id="0hOVbt">Barkha Cardoz has fond memories of spending weekends with her husband, the late celebrated chef Floyd Cardoz. The Cardozes’ New York restaurants raised the bar for Indian cuisine in America, fusing French techniques with Indian culinary traditions. “For Floyd, he wanted that strong cup of coffee which had to be like level 10 with like four drops of milk in it... For me — I love the smell of coffee, but I can’t handle it,” Barkha says, noting that when it came to chai, her husband would always ask for an abundance of fresh ginger.</p> <p id="wGhuZc">Before the chef’s <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2020/3/25/21193746/floyd-cardoz-chef-dies-covid-19">COVID-related death in 2020</a>, he’d planned to launch a line of spices. Barkha Cardoz made <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2020/10/2/21498831/floyd-cardoz-spice-line-launch-burlap-and-barrel">her husband’s vision come true</a> via a partnership with New York City spice company <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516589&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.burlapandbarrel.com%2F&referrer=eater.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fchicago.eater.com%2F2023%2F11%2F10%2F23945800%2Fmasala-chai-america-diwali-south-asia-tea-evolution-vendor-cardoz-spiderverse-taylor-swift-starbucks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Burlap & Barrel</a>. In November of this year, the <a href="https://cardozlegacy.com/">Cardoz Legacy Collection</a> launched loose-leaf masala chai through a partnership with LA’s <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516589&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.artoftea.com%2F&referrer=eater.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fchicago.eater.com%2F2023%2F11%2F10%2F23945800%2Fmasala-chai-america-diwali-south-asia-tea-evolution-vendor-cardoz-spiderverse-taylor-swift-starbucks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Art of Tea</a>.</p> <p id="IGeom0">Barkha grew up in India as part of a Sindhi community, a people who come from the Pakistani province of Sindh. That chai tradition doesn’t involve adding a lot of additional spices unless someone is ailing from a sore throat or other malady, Barkha says. Her grandmother took it upon herself to make chai for the family, a tradition that Barkha has continued with her grandchildren in the U.S.</p> <p id="At2byO">“It’s like you’re pouring your love into it to help them start the day well, whether it’s like going to school or during exams or just going out to work,” Barkha says. “It’s that process of ‘I see you, I love you, and this is how I’m going to send you out into the world with love.’”</p> <p id="RccFUC">The proportions of milk and water are also crucial, as is the black tea. In the U.S., South Asians often mix some ratio of water and milk with black tea leaves from brands like Lipton and Bigelow that are readily available at Jewel-Osco, or those offered at a slight discount at grocers along Devon. </p> <div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="“The Hundred-Foot Journey” New York Premiere" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fP8x21mSeZTsbelQbUWYAka9whE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25073386/453192220.jpg"> <cite>Photo by D Dipasupil/FilmMagic</cite> <figcaption>Floyd and Barkha Cardoz pose in 2014 at a New York red carpet event.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p id="8Enahv">Shah of Superkhana International is partial to Brooke Bond Red Label, a brand he’s been using since he was an 8-year-old making chai for his paternal grandmother. Her morning regimen involved tea and dry toast: “That’s all she wanted for breakfast,” he says.</p> <p id="4DlEHS">Shah admits resentment that he was stuck with making the tea, not understanding the cultural significance, but — eventually — he began drinking the chai with his grandmother. She didn’t speak English, only Urdu, and Shah didn’t understand the latter. Through arm gestures, Shah eventually understood his grandma preferred a 50-50 mix of water and milk in her chai. American whole milk irked Shah’s father, who prefers the creamier taste of tea made with buffalo milk in India.</p> <p id="uXnIZl">His father would take him to tea shops along Devon Avenue, a strip home to a cluster of Indian shops. Shah laments the closure of Kamdar Plaza grocery store and cafe and the original Annapurna (the vegetarian restaurant has expanded to a large location down the street from its original quaint quarters). Both were regular chai stops during Shah’s visits with his father where they could also procure some salty snacks.</p> <p id="XFfIyt">As he grew older, Shah made chai at parties and some of his friends would call him “Chai Guy.” Before opening Superkhana, he served the chai, an iteration of his family’s recipe, to business partner and co-chef Yoshi Yamada. Yamada had earned a Fulbright scholarship to visit India and learn about the country’s food. After tasting Shah’s chai, Yamada insisted they serve it at the restaurant. Superkhana has even made chai-infused ice cream, layering it between two Parle-G biscuits for dessert.</p> <p id="4tVsdo">Heena Patel, of <a href="https://sf.eater.com/2020/1/22/21077710/besharam-heena-patel-inside-menu-eater-awards-sf">San Francisco’s Besharam</a>, grew up in Mumbai and says she struggled finding proper chai in the Bay Area. She’s partial to tea leaves processed via the “crush, tear, curl” method” (CTC). </p> <p id="JUIHZR">“But it’s the ‘masala spice’ blend that makes chai what it is. It’s why it’s so hard to find a coffee shop that has a chai experience that emulates what I grew up with in India,” Patel says. “The intensity of the spices and ritual of how the chai is presented and served is also very different.”</p> <div class="p-fullbleed-block"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="Four glasses of chai." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oz5o8srVp4og4UI6iVbz0gFt-_o=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25056019/CHIYA_CHAI_509.jpg"> <cite>Aliya Ikhumen/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Masala chai varies by region with a unique mix of spices.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <h3 id="HMWADn">Classic concentrate</h3> <p id="JQaSsD">Shah says it takes him 45 minutes to brew a fresh pot of chai for his restaurant — enough time to get the tea brewed at the right temperature and the spices melded with the proper milk ratio. The process is integral: “I think the popularity of our chai is a pretty good tell that it’s working,” he says.</p> <p id="UJlSRf">When asked if he’d ever consider using a chai concentrate at his restaurant, Shah shoots a look of confusion and disgust, shaking his head. The chai made at most American coffee shops comes straight from cartons and doesn’t meet the chef’s standards. Chicago’s Intelligentsia Coffee (a part of the Peet’s Coffee global conglomerate) makes its own under the Kilogram Tea banner. Milwaukee-based Rishi Tea also has an offering.</p> <p id="4KzYt9">“It’s not really chai — it’s just black tea with a ton of cinnamon,” says Chicago chef Jasmine Sheth of gourmet ingredient shop Tasting India. “There are no layers or nuances of flavor, you can’t taste the ginger, cloves, or black pepper.”</p> <p id="6G6Mcv">Sheth wants to find more cafe clients to carry her teas, but it’s challenging as bigger brands have come to define the market with overly sweet and watered-down products. However, she’s found success by landing a trio of New York clients who carry Tasting India chai.</p> <p id="xk6C9S">Meanwhile, the concentrate that pops up the most on shelves in Chicago — from bakeries like Floriole Cafe, coffee shops like Passion House, pubs like Middle Brow Brewery, or stores like Dom’s Kitchen & Market — comes from Simone Freeman, founder of Freeman House Chai.</p> <div class="p-fullbleed-block"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A chai maker adding tea to water." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6Sm4doSwtlGk4TxFVAVTsqf7dX0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25055977/CHIYA_CHAI_450.jpg"> <cite>Aliya Ikhumen/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Tea was brought to India as a byproduct of British colonization.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p id="QUOKUb">Freeman owned Sol Cafe, a coffee shop that debuted in 2012 and closed earlier this year in Rogers Park. As demand for chai increased, Freeman needed a solution: “Outside of coffee, chai was the most important specialty beverage to have,” she says. “This was before matcha exploded, and it was really important to me that we have an awesome product.”</p> <p id="XnMFSo">The market offerings were lacking: “I think honestly, the biggest thing is that [it tasted] factory-made with preservatives,” Freeman says. “It didn’t have that house-made fresh chai feel, most of this was like concentrated liquid carton chai.”</p> <p id="mObDBR">Having connections within Chicago’s culinary community, Freeman and her team pushed the product, which Freeman says has been tweaked over the years. They’ve also partnered with Oatly to keep the product dairy-free. </p> <p id="EXGyDW">Freeman, who is not South Asian, has steered clear of using any cultural stereotypes — chai and yoga are a combo treated like a mantra by the <em>Eat Pray Love </em>crowd. The product’s name has changed from Sol Chai to Freeman House Chai, a subtle nod to Chicago’s role in creating house music.</p> <div class="c-float-right c-float-hang"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A close up of beverages in a cooler." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TE3QT6x3d09a-_MSKswFOA0jgiY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25072379/IMG_9010.JPG"> <cite>Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Freeman House’s chais are stocked next to nonalcoholic drinks at Chicago’s All Together Now, a West Town wine shop and cafe.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p id="PBGkfd">Though Freeman’s name is on the front of the bottle, another partner is onboard: Sanchit Mulmuley, a friend from her days at the University of Wisconsin. Mulmuley, an entrepreneur with an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, may not have his name on the front of the bottle, but his signature, along with Freeman’s, appears on the back. He describes his career as being at the crossroads of agriculture, food and beverage, and technology, which made him an ideal partner to help Freeman scale her business. He says he’s helped with the supply chain, ensuring ingredients are more authentically sourced.</p> <p id="qnFARN">“My earliest association with chai is being on Indian railways and you know, the chaiwallahs that come by and give you something hot to drink at the station,” Mulmuley says.</p> <p id="fHSxOF">Mulmuley talks about how the U.S., as a nation of immigrants, has created a cuisine of fusion, and Freeman House Chai is a product of that fusion. He’s proud to see Indian products like chai find a mainstream audience. And he believes that Freeman House’s concentrate is well-positioned to grab market share. Americans are looking for simplicity, especially with a volatile labor outlook. Mulmuley mentions a visit to India where he was quickly served chai at a cafe in less than a minute. The cafe had a staff of seven, an embarrassment of riches compared to its American counterparts.</p> <p id="mnQMIG">“It’s a nonstop operation,” Mulmuley says of his Indian chai experience. “If you think about the labor realities in the U.S., that’s just not feasible.”</p> <p id="bRAFze">Concentrates are getting better and are here to stay. Even Barkha Cardoz admits that while raising young children and waking up at 5:30 a.m. regularly, if chai concentrates were available back then like they are right now, she’d be tempted to take the shortcut, much to her grandmother’s chagrin.</p> <h3 id="JkZEg0">The future</h3> <p id="BbOzW3">Chiya Chai, a cafe with three Chicago locations, has a regular presence at Daley Plaza during Chicago’s massive Christmas festival, Christkindlmarket. The company recently described chai as “the original mocktail.” Co-owner Rajee Aryal says the Christmas market felt chai would be a good alternative to alcohol. They source their tea from Nepal, which differs from Indian chai because India has more access to spices. There was some resistance at first, but now it’s in its fifth year at Christkindlmarket: “For people who were open-minded it was such a no-brainer, yeah of course — chai fits right in with the Christmas setting.”</p> <p id="Su6u5k">Aryal sees chai as an extension of hospitality, the first thing offered by hosts to visitors. But she’s seeing changes in chai culture. Beyond folks opting for non-dairy options, there’s worry in the South Asian community about diabetes, so sugar’s popularity is dropping.</p> <div class="p-fullbleed-block"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="Cocktails on a counter." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FBKqxv6iFyUCu62VZrsul0eZZwg=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25056033/CHIYA_CHAI_633.jpg"> <cite>Aliya Ikhumen/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Chiya Chai also offers chai-infused cocktails and non-alcoholic elixirs.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p id="4hHUiD">For Freeman House, places like All Together Now, a hip wine store in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, stocks the concentrate next to nonalcoholic beverages like hopped water and kombucha. The reverse is also happening. Chai cocktails are popular at Chiya Chai. The beer world is also taking notice. Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Co., owned by Budweiser’s parent company, is considering releasing a chai flavor of its Bourbon County Brand Stout.</p> <div class="p-fullbleed-block"><div class="c-image-grid__wrapper"> <div class="c-image-grid c-image-grid__odd c-image-grid__odd-first-wide"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Hf-Mc1XZF-xBEcx0h8KenyIHPTU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25029705/chalo_eaterchicago_kimkovacik_19_53283708210_o.jpg"> <cite>Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago</cite> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cniS4v0EdYiFzMPl5vuEhq88TmA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25029706/chalo_eaterchicago_kimkovacik_20_53283250016_o.jpg"> <cite>Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago</cite> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A woman making chai." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/17I7bU6biBbfBYw5Fcy5oUX1_Ls=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25029713/chalo_eaterchicago_kimkovacik_35_53283491413_o.jpg"> <cite>Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago</cite> </figure> </div> </div> <p class="caption">Ghania Chaudhry works hard to brew Pakistani-style masala chai at her pop-up series, Chalo!</p> </div></div> <p id="v4nyuf">Meanwhile, pop-ups have taken the once community-centered chai gathering among South Asians mainstream, with nocturnal events that welcome people of all ages, but give twentysomethings in particular an alternative to bars. That’s what the women behind <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wearechalo/">Chalo!</a> have been doing around Chicago: Armed with a pair of induction burners, Ghania Chaudhry, Ema Khan, and Khansa Noor make chai to order while guests play ludo, meet new people, and dance.</p> <div><div class="c-image-grid"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A hand handing a cup of masala chai to a man wearing a fedora." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JY583x8FZWoWv3Cybqbv4YPGcOo=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25056902/53283694260_d6619be743_h.jpg"> <cite>Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Masala chai at Chalo! is enjoyed by a wide variety of folks.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="Folks hanging out and playing games." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0Jkg78qHjSE4csoz-KUFR1mk5to=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25056901/53283694285_4722b2c90a_h.jpg"> <cite>Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Chalo! is a pop-up where young folks in the South Asian diaspora who don’t want alcohol can gather.</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div></div> <p class="c-end-para" id="yhOVZU">In October, they threw an event in Wicker Park at an art gallery overlooking Milwaukee Avenue. Yes, there were a few kinks — folks had to wait a little while for their orders — but to be sipping rich lavender or pistachio chai at 10:30 p.m. on a Saturday in an area known for PBR and Malört consumption could be a sign of the times. Dressed in South Asian garb, Western wear, and some in drag, folks had a place where they could fully express their identities and enjoy their tea without having to concentrate much. Imagine that.</p> <aside id="sH5eQ3"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"chicago-eater"}'></div></aside><p id="ShszVs"></p> <p id="Lgb2CC"></p> <p id="Jd1VnD"></p> <p id="17gzQF"></p> <p id="LVm0jX"></p> <p id="lLCrZL"></p> <p id="bFx9AC"></p> <p id="Novsqy"></p> <p id="fZ1W8v"></p> <p id="Rnk7qF"></p> <p id="JQaptz"></p> <p id="fcotzz"></p> <p id="o4ZyGM"></p> <p id="6HlV08"></p> <p id="s3Ey3y"></p> <p id="Rl3RrU"></p></div>

A Bar With an ‘80s Edge is Replacing Lost Lake in Logan Square

<div><figure> <img alt="Coming Attractions" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2SLqdRQOtNOOOQ2G32T0Zt4DwOk=/86x0:1414x996/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72849150/ComingAttractions_Bar1.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Common Decency is replacing Lost Lake In Logan Square. | Getty/Eater</figcaption> </figure> <p>Common Decency brings plenty of neons, pastels, and a bit of Miami vibes</p> <p id="jHNGwr">Before Mark Steuer opened Carriage House and Funkenhausen, he was a struggling recent college grad who just moved to Chicago. He was making $10 an hour at some of his first restaurant gigs in the city when he was hit by a car while cycling on the street. </p> <p id="TSyq21">“I could always find ways to survive on what I made monetarily,” Steuer says. “But occasionally, you get hit by a taxi on your bicycle. Then it’s like, ‘So now what?’”</p> <p id="OeBokV">Steuer is attempting to answer this question with his latest project, called <a href="https://www.havecommondecency.com/">Common Decency</a>, which will fill the former Lost Lake space in Logan Square with a planned New Year’s Eve opening.</p> <p id="DBrHXd">The bar itself is slated to be a vibey, <em>Miami Vice-</em>inspired space complete with a DJ booth and a disco ball. The menu is also specially designed to be all-inclusive, with elevated bar bites that’ll be accommodating for most every diet including rice paper chicharron, yuca fries, ham and cheese croquettes, along with a smattering of southern food right in Steuer’s wheelhouse like cornbread, barbecue ribs, and shrimp and grits.</p> <div id="5r5erg"> <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzMCiKDr4hz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzMCiKDr4hz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewbox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div> </div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzMCiKDr4hz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Common Decency (@commondecency_chicago)</a></p> </div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> </div> <p id="Vz73Lq">Steuer has assembled a team of industry veterans including partners Kelsey Kasper, Jason Turley, and Felipe Hernandez. He says Common Decency will support its workers, harkening back to his two decades in the restaurant industry plagued by low wages to lack of insurance, the conditions in which many have to work are inequitable and downright unhealthy. Steuer wants to build a bar that puts its workers first with a robust offering of progressive benefits including health insurance, vested profit sharing, and an emphasis on work-life balance.</p> <p id="2mlYQp">“We have the ability to offer opportunities that we haven’t before,” Steuer says. “We’re just trying to make sure everyone feels like they’re taken care of and we’re making things right.”</p> <p id="rL9sFy">“It’s reflective of our personal experience,” Hernandez says. “Having to put in 60 to 70 hours a week for years at a time and not seeing much back. A handshake just doesn’t really do it for me anymore. Let’s move from intangible to concrete. Let’s actually show people what we mean and what we’re talking about. I mean, it’s easy to say thank you. It’s harder to show it.”</p> <p id="d2LYdR">The cocktail menu, for example, is organized by alcohol content, with non- and low-alcohol cocktails like a zero-proof negroni on top, followed by higher proof offerings with eyebrow-raising names like “Brazilian Butt Lift” and “Key Lime Pie Milk Punch.” This choice is intentional — and reflects the growing trend of <a href="https://seattle.eater.com/2023/2/24/23613711/absence-of-proof-sober-nightlife-event-launches-seattle">sober curiosity</a> in the bar scene that acknowledges not everyone is out to get drunk and wasted. Sometimes you just need to be able to hang out with good friends at a good spot to have a good time. </p> <p id="e49CWB">Common Decency aims to be a place where you can stop by, grab a few low-ABV cocktails (or something stronger if you feel like it), and dance under the shimmering lights of a disco ball with your friends all night. While you do, you can do so knowing that everyone from your bartender to the waiter who just served you is being paid well and taken care of — just like you are too.</p> <p id="cKbfH7">“We’re doing what we think is the right thing and we wish people would have done it for us a long time ago,” Steuer says. “We can build a team where everyone is making enough money but also get things that you don’t usually get in this business: a sense of ownership, health insurance, and opportunity.”</p> <p id="R9epYP">Common Decency replaces Lost Lake, one of Chicago’s most popular bars, one that served tiki drinks, which would become a polarizing topic. The owners then softened after critiques about appropriation. They embraced a more generalized tropical drink genre. However, the owners at Land & Sea Dept. <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2022/1/7/22872354/lost-lake-tiki-tropical-cocktail-bar-logan-square-chicago-closed-covid-19-pandemic">closed Lost Lake in January 2022</a>. In March, Steuer teased he had projects in the works <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/3/8/23631331/funkenhausen-west-town-german-southern-restaurant-closing">after he announced the closing</a> of Funkenhausen, something that was referenced during an episode of Season 2 of <em>The Bear</em>. </p> <p id="Vyzb28"><a href="https://www.havecommondecency.com/"><em>Common Decency</em></a><em>, 3154 W. Diversey Avenue, scheduled for December 31 opening.</em></p> <aside id="2mG6MS"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"chicago-eater"}'></div></aside></div>

A Fine Dining Chef Dives Into Latin American Cuisine in Uptown

Norman Fenton’s Cariño will feature a tasting menu and a late-night taco omakase Norman Fenton isn’t the first chef to say his restaurant will represent a unique personal expression, where everything from the dishes to the art to the ingredients were picked due to some sort of a deep connection. But the way Fenton talks about Cariño, his upcoming 20-seat Uptown restaurant, it comes off different, that this isn’t just some hackneyed narrative and that all these converging elements — including a p

Black Restaurant Owners Worry About The Impact of Chicago’s Paid Leave Ordinance

<div><figure> <img alt="US-NEWS-CHICAGO-MIGRANTS-MAYOR-TB" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Eni4H4gZWSe6sCi1pnbumkMCPdY=/72x0:3000x2196/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72847704/1760543704.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Mayor Brandon Johnson and progressives are backing an ordinance that would expand paid-time off. | Trent Sprague/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p>The City Council is expected to vote on the measure on Thursday</p> <p id="seSJj3"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/10/30/23939155/chicago-restaurants-paid-leave-payouts-city-council">A proposed ordinance that</a> would increase restaurant workers paid-time off was revised last week after objections from restaurant owners. In the middle of a chaotic week for the Chicago City Council in which Mayor Brandon Johnson’s floor leader, 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2023/11/7/23950950/ramirez-risa-censure-vote-chicago-city-council-emma-mitts-nicole-lee-floor-leader-resignation">resigned from his post as floor leader</a>, alderpeople are expected to vote on the measure during Thursday’s meeting. </p> <p id="0jK3YE"><a href="https://www.thedailyline.com/city-council-vote-expanded-paid-leave-thursday?utm_campaign=tdl_free_review_11_09_23&utm_medium=email&utm_source=thedailyline">According to the Daily Line</a>, the tweaked proposal would now allow for workers to roll over 10 days of sick time each year and two days of paid-time off. The proposal has the support of unions and groups like Arise Chicago and One Fair Wage which last month pushed through the elimination of minimum tipped wage.</p> <p id="SsD4Y7">Three issues have come up with the measure. The first was the number of paid-time off days. That number has slowly been reduced. Another issue is a mandate to require employers to pay out unused time off after workers leave their jobs. The third, which made a compromise crumble last week, involved exceptions for smaller restaurants and how to define a smaller business. </p> <p id="XK8aX0">Since that deal fell apart, the revised ordinance carves out an exception for restaurants with fewer than 51 workers. They won’t be required to pay out accrued time off to workers who leave their jobs. Restaurants with 51 to 100 workers will get a year before the mandate begins. The ordinance would go into effect in January 2025.</p> <p id="LIVUIN">While the Illinois Restaurant Association, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association have already voiced their objections, another unofficial group has come forward. Much of the opposition is coming from a group of Black restaurant owners. These owners tell Eater Chicago that the council has ignored their needs, treating them the same way as other restaurant owners with better resources open for business in North Side neighborhoods. These Black owners say they face bigger challenges compared to their colleagues and cannot absorb rising costs as well. They include <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/brown-sugar-bakery">Brown Sugar Bakery</a> owner Stephanie Hart, BJ’s Market and Bakery’s John Meyer, and <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/lexington-betty-smokehouse">Lexington Betty Smokehouse</a> owner Dominque Leach.</p> <p id="fMQbcq">“I’m about fair terms for everybody, and everybody getting paid what they deserve with the incentives they deserve, obviously,” Leach says. “It’s been hard on us as a small-casual dining concept to even make a profit, especially with craft barbecue.”</p> <p id="e7R23e">Leach says she struggles convincing locals in Pullman that the price of her ribs and smoked meats is worth their prices, explaining the labor it takes to make her food. What hangs in the balance are improvements to her space. She’s forced to make choices, all while trying to lure top talent in the competitive market at a restaurant 16 miles south from Downtown Chicago.</p> <p id="vwcOQS">She wonders how she can compete with restaurants at Downtown Chicago Hotels, backed by multinational companies: “It’s not fair at all — we feel that we were attacked so much in the last few years,” Leach says.</p> <p id="0qbl7e">She adds: “We’re always talking about Chicago, how it’s made of a bunch of small neighborhoods, but without these small mom-and-pops, where would be without that?”</p> <p id="jOneZi">Last week, in a release, the mayor stated that his allies vowed to listen.</p> <p id="duIum0">“My administration pledged to bring everyone to the table to hear concerns from large employers, small businesses, and worker advocates,” Johnson said. “We worked collaboratively to find a compromise, and we ended up with the most progressive Paid Leave policy in the country that will help businesses retain workers and help workers live full lives with dignity.” </p> <p id="2XxkBe">Meanwhile, Ramirez-Rosa’s departure will impact the mayor’s progressive agenda. One Fair Wage’s Saru Jayaraman <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/9/19/23881229/chicago-tipped-minimum-wage-ordinance-one-fair-wage-victory-restaurant-association-saru-jayaraman">told Eater Chicago in September</a> that the alderman’s stature was key in abolishing the tipped minimum wage.</p> <aside id="nPaSgC"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"chicago-eater"}'></div></aside></div>

Leaving Tunbridge Wells

<div><p>I’m moving, to the Isle of Dogs in London’s Docklands, after a three year stay in the Kent town of Tunbridge Wells. You get to know a place quite well in three years, and it’s always poignant when you move on, but then again I now have the chance to discover a new place. Besides, nothing is for ever, you can’t freeze time, and change is something to be embraced. </p> <p>I moved to Tunbridge Wells in November 2020, in the second UK national lockdown. It was a strange time, but it meant I got a lovely flat at a reasonable rent (the new renters are paying quite a bit more than I did). Close to the famous Pantiles, in the nice end of town, the flat had windows all along one side with views over Bedford Terrace. A short walk from the station, it was a great location. The first few months were a little strange because of the lockdown. My salvation was long walks through the surrounding countryside, often starting and ending on the famous common with its distinctive sandstone rocks. </p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tunbridgewells1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-24646" srcset="https://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tunbridgewells1.jpg 1000w, https://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tunbridgewells1-500x500.jpg 500w, https://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tunbridgewells1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tunbridgewells1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tunbridgewells1-600x600.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px"></figure> <p>This is a hilly area, and all walks involve a lot of up and down, but with this comes some lovely scenery. But the lockdown did mean that it was hard to make new friends and connections in the area, and a lot of quiet evenings were spent alone in the flat. Remember Clubhouse? Remember bi-weekly Zoom lives? </p> <p>But things did return to normal and I began to get to know the town better. I began playing football, but this didn’t last too long (torn calf: a signal that maybe there’s a reason that 55 year olds aren’t usually still playing with 25 year olds). I also began going to church again after a five-year break – and in Christchurch on the high street I found an excellent community of people. Tunbridge Wells is also where I returned to playing guitar often, on a daily basis when I wasn’t travelling, which was a wonderful outlet for creativity and stopped my life being totally focused on my work. </p> <p>The only problem with Tunbridge Wells is that it’s a bit of a pain to get to any of London’s airports, something which I have to do pretty frequently. And being this far out of London without a car restricts travel a little: the train line gets you to Hastings pretty quickly, but locations like Brighton are out of the question. It’s also out of Uber range. </p> <p>But a lovely three years. I’ve enjoyed it. And now back in central London, there are different charms and different opportunities. </p> <p><em>Reminder: this blog is irregularly updated, but there are daily updates on the <a href="https://wineanorak.com/">main wineanorak site</a>.</em></p></div>

Here Are Chicago’s Michelin Star and Bib Gourmand Winners for 2023

<div><figure> <img alt="The kitchen at the Smyth" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PrDZ99NR1--n3q9jN7OgH8MODMI=/292x0:1600x981/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72841642/29181123126_7086c97adf_h.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Chef John Shields now works at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant. | Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago</figcaption> </figure> <p>Smyth is now Chicago’s second three-Michelin-starred restaurant while Indienne becomes the city’s only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap" id="mMk3EN">For years, Michelin inspectors have made chefs John and Karen Urie Shields wait. Their daring tasting menu restaurant — <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/smyth">Smyth</a> — sat on the precipice of greatness with two Michelin Stars, one star short of perfection.</p> <p id="iVGG3h">The Fulton Market tasting-menu restaurant is rich with unique produce grown by some of the best farms in the Midwest and it’s one of the toughest reservations — and most expensive — in the city. It opened in 2016 and quickly earned one star. The rating doubled to two in 2017 and that’s where it’s remained. Smyth enjoyed success, along with casual basement bar sibling, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/the-loyalist">The Loyalist</a>. In recent years, observers wondered if Smyth had what it takes to be elevated to a full three-star rating. </p> <p id="lNPaqA">There were 139 three-star restaurants in the world with 13 restaurants in America with three stars and the only one in <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/chicago">Chicago</a> is chef Grant Achatz’s <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/alinea">Alinea</a>.</p> <p id="QISdw6">That all changed on Tuesday night <a href="https://michelinmedia.com/c0/new-look-michelin-guide-ceremony-heralds-new-three-star-restaurant-chicago/">as Michelin announced</a> its latest ratings for restaurants in Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. Smyth finally broke its two-star ceiling. </p> <aside id="F6fTQU"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"chicago-eater"}'></div></aside><p id="5lmt29">“It’s crazy, I have no words at all,” a stunned John Shields said while accepting the three-star accolade in New York. “I can’t even fucking believe this, I can’t. I’m humbled to even be here, standing here. I feel like I don’t deserve it. And now I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure that you guys believe in what we’re doing, so thank you very much.”</p> <p id="FMdDwS">Smyth’s win was the finale for Michelin’s experiment in flying in chefs from Chicago, New York, and D.C for an awards show. The hype included a time-elapsed video showing an artist finishing off a portrait of Smyth’s two chefs to tease the three-star announcement.</p> <p id="rNOVIi">“Their cooking is bold and often pushes boundaries, all the while impressing,” Michelin inspectors wrote in a release. “Sheer creativity is applied to seasonal produce, some of which comes from their garden.”</p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A colorfully sauced fish dish." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/u0ongd2HEpImQH8NoyRM0WZiPi0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24473358/11.jpg"> <cite>Aliya Ikhumen/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Atelier has impressed.</figcaption> </figure> <p id="72olO1">Michelin awarded 21 Chicago restaurants with stars at a Tuesday night event in New York hosted by Adam Richman who immediately attempted a bad Chicago accent in his opening monologue. That includes two newcomers. Atelier, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/3/3/23622139/atelier-fine-dining-lincoln-square-christian-hunter">which opened in February</a> in the Lincoln Square space where Iliana Regan’s <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/elizabeth-2">Elizabeth</a> stood, scored a one-star rating. Chef Christian Hunter and his team impressed inspectors by “working quietly and seamlessly, the kitchen delivers a carefully calibrated tasting menu supported by nearby farms and packed with flavor and originality.”</p> <p id="9rWnXS">Hunter, who moved to <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/2/9/23593220/atelier-lincoln-square-fine-dining-tasting-menu-christian-hunter-chef-beard-award">Chicago earlier this year</a> after earning a James Beard nomination for his work at <a href="https://www.communitytablect.com/">Community Table</a> in Litchfield County Connecticut, becomes the only Black chef in Chicago to preside over a Michelin-starred restaurant.</p> <p id="AwwdZ2">Chicago also now has a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, just in time for Diwali. Despite a local story <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/6/28/23777588/sifr-modern-middle-eastern-river-north-indienne-open-rooftop">that questioned his credibility</a>, chef Sujan Sarkar walks home a winner. <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/indienne">Indienne</a>, which playfully blends contemporary plating and Indian flavors, brings home a star: “His food may look like pieces of art but taste like familiar favorites pulled from across his vibrant homeland,” inspectors writes of Sarkar and Indienne. “At times showcasing a hint of French sensibility, pani puris, chats, and curries arrive deftly spiced and elegantly presented.”</p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A lamb chop with a bottle of opened wine and some red wine in a glass." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yntltIBIXUNeMCprEvcH308EOKs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24056007/lamb_burrah_tasting_menu_52381346891_o.jpg"> <cite>Chris Peters/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Indienne is now Chicago’s only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant. </figcaption> </figure> <p id="uDVxTz">Michelin has also established an award for environmentally friendly restaurants called the Green Star. <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/daisies">Daisies</a>, a selection on Michelin’s value-minded Bib Gourmand list, earned that prize after moving to a larger location in Logan Square. The Midwest-Italian restaurant “has a fermentation program to preserve produce and limit waste, as well as a compost program to fertilize the farm’s soil and feed its chickens,” inspectors write. </p> <p id="Wi24NT">Daisies is now one of 28 restaurants in the North America with Green Stars. Daisies chef Joe Frillman accepted the award in New York and greeted Michelin mascot Bibendum with a handshake and a salutation that could become a meme: “What’s up, brother?”</p> <p id="Taj29X">At 21 restaurants, Chicago’s star tally is down two from last year. A pair of restaurants from last year’s list, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2022/11/29/23484010/elizabeth-closing-iliana-regan-atelier-tim-lacey#:~:text=Elizabeth%2C%20the%20Michelin-Starred%20Restaurant,Years%20in%20Chicago%20-%20Eater%20Chicago">Elizabeth</a> and <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/6/7/23752678/claudia-chicago-fine-dining-closed-bucktown-tasting-menu-trevor-teich">Claudia</a>, were removed due to closures. Meanwhile, Lincoln Park’s scenic farm-to-table pioneer <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/north-pond-2">North Pond</a> lost its star, and so did Lincoln Square’s <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/goosefoot">Goosefoot</a>.</p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A large dining room with a lot of wood tables and black chairs." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kJbCp-vmO6Yixdpsa-EO1SipcmI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24543611/52771516579_9aa90676fb_o.jpg"> <cite>Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Daisies in Logan Square was recognized for its sustainability efforts.</figcaption> </figure> <p id="ct0TTl">As for the Bib Gourmands, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/11/1/23912696/michelin-2023-chicago-bib-gourmand-additions-new-restaurants">five new additions were announced last week</a> (Boonie’s, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/cellar-door-provisions">Cellar Door Provisions</a>, Pompette, Union, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/yao-yao-chicago">Yao Yao</a>). These are restaurants where diners could order two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for about $50 without tax and gratuity, according to a Michelin spokesperson.</p> <p id="eq40Kx">A total of 47 made Chicago’s list, a decrease from last year’s 55 restaurants. Six were removed after their closures (<a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/dos-urban-cantina">Dos Urban Cantina</a>, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/flat-point">Flat & Point</a>, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/funkenhausen">Funkenhausen</a>, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/gt-fish">GT Fish & Oyster</a>, Joe’s Imports, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/pizzeria-bebu-2">Pizzeria Bebu</a>). A trio of restaurants were also removed from the list — <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/decolores">DeColores</a> (a Mexican restaurant in Garfield Ridge), <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/herb">Herb</a> (a Thai fine dining restaurant in Edgewater), and <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/marisol">Marisol</a> (the restaurant from the <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/lula-cafe">Lula Cafe</a> team inside the Museum of Contemporary Art). </p> <p id="W3EGL8">Separately, four Chicago restaurant professionals received honors. Elske’s Monica Casillas-Rios received the Exceptional Cocktails Award; Sepia’s Alex Ring earned the Sommelier Award; Giant’s Josh Perlman won the Outstanding Service Award; Atelier’s Hunter took home the Young Chef Award. </p> <div class="p-fullbleed-block"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A chef posing near a shelf with glasses." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yLjTeegTa2ma-gsEVrjisdhlc1g=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24473366/23.jpg"> <cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://www.aliyaikhumen.com/" target="_blank">Aliya Ikhumen</a>/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Atelier chef Christian Hunter was honored twice, once as individually and again for his team’s effort.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p id="F9o6tC">Michelin delayed the customary spring release of their awards as the company deciphers the evolving digital news landscape, atmoizing its content with several announcements. The joint party in New York was supposed to introduce an element of drama, with chefs finding out about their rankings in real time. </p> <p id="qyEHHi">Check out the two list of Chicago’s winners below.</p> <h1 id="4oOmHi"></h1> <h1 id="qWrHPN"><strong>Chicago’s 2023 Michelin Stars</strong></h1> <p id="X2e3aD"><small><em>*Denotes new for 2023</em></small></p> <p id="4FMBKk"></p> <h3 id="0ENV1G">Three Stars</h3> <p id="J6S8j7">Alinea</p> <p id="EPC6GU">*Smyth (elevated from two stars)</p> <p id="PFNCYo"></p> <h3 id="Hpq6Bw">Two Stars</h3> <p id="DToNB6"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/ever">Ever</a></p> <p id="KIZoJW"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/moody-tongue">Moody Tongue</a></p> <p id="mJh7i8"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/oriole">Oriole</a></p> <p id="h2dQL4"></p> <h3 id="NWHRsY">One Star</h3> <p id="9gEQsQ">*Atelier</p> <p id="ob6qOn"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/boka">Boka</a></p> <p id="nlWrA2">EL Ideas</p> <p id="GEDMGf"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/elske">Elske</a></p> <p id="FE1cYf"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/esme">Esme</a> </p> <p id="K4uoNm"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/galit">Galit</a> </p> <p id="qoSdnn">*Indienne</p> <p id="VDwmR7"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/kasama">Kasama</a> </p> <p id="31szhG"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/mako">Mako</a></p> <p id="NqY6vv"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/next">Next</a></p> <p id="LFKrk9">Omakase Yume</p> <p id="1jGEOV"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/porto">Porto</a> </p> <p id="I5Yw90">Schwa</p> <p id="kSeHKB"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/sepia">Sepia</a></p> <p id="badJZt"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/temporis">Temporis</a></p> <p id="pGfH3S"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/topolobampo">Topolobampo</a></p> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="lEQvsC"> <h1 id="OHP5Nq"><strong>Chicago’s 2023 Michelin Bib Gourmands</strong></h1> <p id="PnjXFx"><small><em>*Denotes new for 2023</em></small></p> <p id="lyIs2D"></p> <p id="fncESo"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/apolonia">Apolonia</a></p> <p id="E8VrVj"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/avec-2">Avec</a></p> <p id="QOHLmY"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/birrieria-zaragoza">Birrieria Zaragoza</a></p> <p id="hiTMQQ"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/bloom-plant-based-kitchen">Bloom Plant Based Kitchen</a></p> <p id="c7FXds">*Boonie’s</p> <p id="OYztRR"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/cabra">Cabra</a></p> <p id="JYtblW">*Cellar Door Provisions</p> <p id="v32XSv">Chef’s Special Cocktail bar</p> <p id="6zLLlZ"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/chilam-balam">Chilam Balam</a></p> <p id="CR5s0A"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/ciccio-mio">Ciccio Mio</a></p> <p id="lecfw5"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/cira">Cira</a></p> <p id="RK83wo">Daisies</p> <p id="9lNqy6"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/dear-margaret">Dear Margaret</a></p> <p id="OcZpH7">Duck Inn</p> <p id="wiCKht">Etta</p> <p id="4TOLDf">Frontera</p> <p id="aYXQaJ">Ghin Khao</p> <p id="e3AJYS"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/giant">Giant</a></p> <p id="8kRRUP"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/gilt-bar">Gilt Bar</a></p> <p id="CZVafF"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/girl-the-goat">Girl & The Goat</a></p> <p id="T2ainq"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/haisous">HaiSous</a></p> <p id="zWNQFm"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/ina-mae">Ina Mae</a></p> <p id="WRJngr"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/kie-gol-lanee">Kie-Gol-Lanee</a></p> <p id="K96mph"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/la-josie">La Josie</a></p> <p id="Gsn8ux"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/lardon">Lardon</a></p> <p id="LHBDZ8"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/longman-and-eagle">Longman & Eagle</a></p> <p id="bRqWlM">Lula Cafe</p> <p id="0afyj7"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/mama-delia">Mama Delia</a></p> <p id="RKVhak"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/mango-pickle">Mango Pickle</a></p> <p id="Rhcsfb">mfk</p> <p id="CYvEda">Mi Tocaya</p> <p id="f89bRN"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/mott-street">Mott St</a></p> <p id="axvKwh">Munno Pizzeria</p> <p id="6KPX2b">Nella</p> <p id="47eTRz">Perilla</p> <p id="XqDMn2"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/pleasant-house-pub">Pleasant House Pub</a></p> <p id="nMNB6L">*Pompette</p> <p id="tYxNmp"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/proxi">Proxi</a></p> <p id="kFK6mT">Purple Pig</p> <p id="FTkwJJ">Sochi</p> <p id="vSKBzH"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/sol-de-mexico">Sol de Mexico</a></p> <p id="kuwMLD"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/superkhana-international-2">Superkhana International</a></p> <p id="RPyDfN">Table, Donkey, and Stick</p> <p id="Io68sQ"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/tortello">Tortello</a></p> <p id="3NICXl">*Union</p> <p id="AswdnM"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/virtue">Virtue</a></p> <p id="pqA47P">*Yao Yao</p></div>

Joaquim SA_with somm snippets

"Sommeliers are passionate wine experts, armed with incredible knowledge, refined palates, and an insatiable quest for learning. They craft unforgettable wine moments through their dedication to the art of wine selection and enjoyment. Amorim drew inspiration to create 1-minute videos featuring top sommeliers, aiming to bring the South African world of wine closer to enthusiasts worldwide. Through these videos, we aim to convey their passion, expertise, and the stories behind each bottle, diverse wines, regions, and pairings. Our goal is to make wine appreciation more engaging and accessible to a broader audience. At Amorim, we embody these principles. With our humble cork, a silent guardian of quality and tradition in every bottle of wine, a natural wonder that plays a vital role in preservation. Cheers to the joy of uncorking the secrets of the vine!" - Joaquim Sá, MD of Amorim Cork South Africa

I hope he also has a toilet, lol, you know, to go.with all that wine.

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