We’re so overwhelmed by Time Out Chicago’s 2008 Eat Out Awards that we don’t have anything intelligent to say about it. The critics’ picks represent a nice range of high and low, new and old. Everything is consistent with what we’ve been reading in TOC over the past year. The little piece on the baker at Gibson’s Steakhouse responsible for those enormous cakes is nice, and does it bother us that they named Sixteen the “Best Room with a View”? Not really. Overall, a good assortment. The Readers’ Choice awards did not bring any major surprises, with the populace generally awarding the leader in each field. Although what makes you the leader if not for popular support! Confirmation of the zeitgeist is always useful. As for the editors’ wish list for 2008, who wouldn’t want a Grant Achatz taco stand or a $20k coffee machine. In our basement, please, kind of like Tommy Lee with his Starbucks bar and Jaegermeister tap. Except, wait a minute, we don’t have a basement! Sigh.
But wait, there’s so much more:
• Everyone knows that Juicy Wine Company serves brunch now. But were you aware that the dishes, each $5, are sourced from Establishment establishments like Charlie Trotter’s, Hot Chocolate and Harold’s? Amazing [TOC]
• Purgatory Pizza has a giant mural of Dante’s Inferno on one of its walls. Hottttt. TOC]
• The ramps are back! Ramps!!! [TOC]
And let us not forget about the Tribune:
• A Mexican restaurant in the ‘burbs that Phil Vettel seems to like [Tribune]
• April makes us think of German restaurants. Um. Really? [Tribune]
• And the highlight — should people feel free to sit at their table as long as they want, or should they clear out and make room for the next customers? You should have the right to the former, but the decency to do the latter. [Pro/Con]
[Photo: Ramps. They come from the ground! Courtesy of Donna-WV]
