Okay, so yeah I found out about this via DailyCandy (it’s still good, sometimes) and I think it’s a fabulous idea.

There are 230 restaurants participating this year. Of “my” 41, some I have already patronized, some have been on my bucket list for years, and some are recently opened and I’d like to check ‘em out:

• Aja
• Aria
• Bar Toma
• The Bedford
• Bistro Campagne
• bistronomic
• Blackbird
• Blue 13
• Boka
• Bristol
• Cafe Ba Ba Reeba
• Cafe Spiaggia
• Carnivale
• C-House
• David Burke’s
• Duchamp
• Epic
• Farmhouse
• Florentine
• Frontera
• Gage
• GT Fish & Oyster
• Hubbard Inn
• LM Restaurant
• Markethouse
• Mercat a la planxa
• Mon Ami Gabi
• n9ne
• Nacional 27
• Naha
• Nightwood
• NoMI
• Paris Club
• Perennial
• Province
• Sable
• Sepia
• Table 52
• Terzo Piano
• Topolobampo
• Vermillion

And from that I can probably only pick one. Maybe 2. Three if I budget myself carefully the rest of January.

Part of my ongoing quest to enjoy a plant-based diet means, duh, steering clear of meat and dairy. I have also stopped buying convenience foods: frozen meals (no more Lean Pockets for this gal), most processed foods (was never a big Velveeta fan anyways) and packaged soup (this tomato soup has become a mainstay). No big deal, it’s been easier than I could ever imagine (except when eating out, of course. Or when hungover). But that’s not to say it’s requires no effort. I have my pantry staples, I buy fresh veggies as needed but all this amounts to is eating a whole lot of the same thing (how much of my goddess bean salad can I really eat? A lot actually). This is when the glorious meal planning comes in. 

This week I figured I’d be eating four lunches and four dinners at home and two lunches at the brewery. I’m a fan of leftovers, lunch for dinner, breakfast anytime, etc., so this should be easy right? 

The usual suspects
tomato soup (awesome hot or cold)
buffalo “chicken” wraps
tofu-soyrizo scramble

Brewery favorites
chickpea cutlets
tofu-dill salad sandwiches

Something new
curried tempeh mango salad sandwiches
asparagus & sundried tomato frittata
chickpea salad wrap

I’m hungry just thinking about it.

Sign it.

And then go watch the Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network & drool over what we *could* have.

Thanks nattles for the linkage

From the Chicago Reader’s story “Foodies in Disguise.”

This is the local-press-blog-foodie-alcohol-intake equivalent of the drug passage in Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas.

(via karlwithak)

Karl’s post got me thinking…

I’ve been overstaying my welcome at BYOB joints since I was 21. I was just never clever enough (or fast enough or had enough time) to corner the food blogging market with my/our escapades.

In fact, last year when four of us showed up at a recently-opened “better” BYOB Mexican restaurant in Wicker Park and spent three hours enjoying 12 beers and four bottles of wine, the BYOB policy was changed. Holler at your girl.

No ill will, BYOBandits. You are fun and I like you but you are not entirely original.

(via karlwithak)

I love Madeleines. They make me feel fancy. (But make sure that sugar is raw!)

yummyvegan:

Vegan Madeleines

Ingredients

2 ½ tablespoon flax meal

¼ cup hot water

2 tablespoon plain vegan yogurt

150 g granulated sugar

125 g melted vegan butter

A few drops of yellow food dye

Zest of one lemon

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

160g unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons non dairy milk

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and generously flour the scalloped pan.

Mix hot water with flax meal and stir for 30 seconds. Let this mixture rest for 1 minute.

Strain the flax mixture to separate the grainy strong flavor flax seeds.

Stir in yogurt, sugar,butter,food dye,zest of lemon and vanilla extract.

Slowly add the flour and mix well.

Add milk and mix well. The batter should be fairly stiff.

Fill Madeleine pans ¾ ways up and bake at 350°F for 7 minutes. Reduce heat and cook at 250 F for another 8 minutes. Turn off the heat in the oven and leave Madeleines inside for 20 minutes. Cool and serve with espresso or tea.

(via veganexperience)

Metropolitan Brewing is heading to the Map Room tonight in Bucktown for a sweet pairing event. Checkout this lineup of Metro brews paired with Indonesian cuisine from the Rice Table:

— Iron Works Alt and Rendang Dagin (slow braised beef in a coconut red curry with lemon grass). SPICY
— Krankshaft Kölsch and Tahi Pedis (spicy stir fried tofu with red chiles, sliced onions and tamarind). VERY SPICY, VEGAN
— Flywheel Bright Lager and Ayam Djahe (succulent braised chicken in a sweet soy and ginger broth. MILD

Purchase one of the featured beers and get the Rice Table pairing for free! 7pm start time.

Here’s the Facebook event page. Spread the word!

Happy Easter! Enjoy eating baby animals and celebrating Zombie Jesus!

This weekend was awesome and filled with horrible decisions (not the kind you’re used to me alluding to). I ate like an 18-year-old college student over the past three days. Carbs, cheese, beer. Not like I’m complaining.

• Friday. Milwaukee. Classic Slice. Beer at Lakefront and Wolski’s. Margaritas and undercooked cheese curds at Miller Park.
• Saturday. Grilled cheese and copious amounts of coffee at New Wave. Backyard beers. Two flasks dumped in Diet Pepsi and a soft pretzel at UIC Pavilion for derby. Frites with aioli and cheap beer at Bottom Lounge. Two Hearted at Cobra Lounge. Village Pizza to end the night (as is Hannah-Jess tradition).
• Sunday. Leftover pizza. Coffee. Domino’s. A whole sixer of PBR tallboys. Wings, fries and onion rings at Estelle’s (split with Bobby). Holy hell.

Considering I’m 99% dairy- and meat-free these days, this weekend was the epitome of unhealthy vegetarianism. Oh wait. I had bacon on my pizza Friday and ate wings last night, I guess it wasn’t even a vegetarian weekend. Oops.

Time to make some soy-rizo and polenta!

I hate to link to HuffPo, but YUMMERS.

via brokevegetarian

Noted.

devinmichal:

Sunday April 10th 12pm-7pm

Logan Hardware

2410 W. Fullerton

(via bodywallet)