Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 12:00 PM

Although Eric Larson has left the building, the spirit is still there behind the cheese counter, at the registers and in the café. I'm sorry to see him go, but I'm very glad that the market and café looks like it will be around a while.

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 12:00 PM

Every year for the past five years or so, I've gone to the National Restaurant Association show at McCormick Place. I enjoy it for a lot of reasons.

Monday, May 14th, 2012 12:00 PM

At restaurants all over Chicagoland, you can buy Caesar Salads, pot pies and, at Winberie's, a Shrimp DeJonghe that, for better or worse, are not quite in line with classical requirements.

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 12:00 PM

Traveling by cruise ship reminds me a lot of the experiences described by Thomas Mann in Magic Mountain; passengers on that ship and the patients in Mann's hospital share the experience of passing the days in expectation of eating. One day, we discovered the Zaandam's menu listed five "international" breakfasts. They all sounded interesting, so Carolyn and I and another friend decided to have all five.

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 8:00 AM

It may seem like a small thing, but purse hooks are a huge customer service win.  Poor Phils just installed purse hooks making it that much easier to hang out at the bar.

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 12:00 PM

Recently, at Hotel Guaycura in Todos Santos, a small town in Baja California, about 90 minutes north of the more famous Cabo St. Lucas, I had what was called on the menu a "burrito."  This burrito was a small plug of eggs, with onions, tomato sauce and …machaca.

Monday, May 7th, 2012 12:00 PM

Delia's, owned by a Romanian couple, is maybe missing a major opportunity by not serving more Romanian food.

Monday, May 7th, 2012 9:55 AM

Judson Todd Allen isn't just a celebrity chef wannabe. He has used his culinary talents to craft recipes that are both healthy and delicious, changing his own lifestyle to lose 115 pounds. And now he's shooting to become the next "Food Network Star."

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 12:00 PM

I had, somewhat arrogantly, written off Mexican cheese. So I was taken aback, mildly shocked really, to have a platter of excellent cheeses set before me at the Guaycura Hotel in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 3:15 PM

According to the April 19 Chicago Reader, there actually are some restaurants worth leaving the city for. Luckily for foodies in our coverage area, a few are not far away.