Tribune Dining: If On A Winter’s Eve A Traveler

Before we dive into the content here, a quick bit of Tribune Dining inside baseball: According to his twitter, Kevin Pang is going along for the ride on tonight’s Vettel review-dinner. Do we smell the inevitable progress of generational handover? Is Kevin Pang going to be promoted from Cheeseburger Bureau Chief to the Editor-in-Chief of all Handheld Meats? We can’t help but wildly speculate…

• Speaking of Vettel’s reviews, this week he takes on Eve, and hands the Gold Coast newcomer three shiny, shiny stars. He raves about a menu marked by tensions — between sweet and savory, hot and cold — is at its best in the appetizers, but entrees and desserts hold their own. The worst Vettel has to say about the place is that it’s loud, but even that’s attributed to the guests rather than the space. Wowzers.

• On the Cheap Eats beat, Renee Enna brings her forks to Penang (1720 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights, 847 222 1888 — not to be confused with the Penang on Wentworth). She finds bright, vivid flavors and impeccably helpful service, and some serious chili pepper heat.

• In honor of Black History Month, Phil Vettel profiles John Meyer, proprietor of BJ’s Market — he’s trained in classical continental cuisine, and brings that sensibility to bear at his collection of (truly kickass) traditional soul food restaurants.

[Image via BJ’s Market/Official Site]

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Tribune Dining: If On A Winter’s Eve A Traveler