Joe Gray

Finally unleashed to cook his food his way, Hung Huynh wowed the judges on Bravo's "Top Chef" on Wednesday night, winning a season that many watchers had him pegged to...

Did you know? These golf-ball size beauties hold up well in cooking without going completely soft, like regular eggplant. Like all eggplants, though, they are prized for their ability to...

First impressions: Tuan Nguyen, who co-owned the now-shuttered Pasteur, has opened an oasis amid the Lincoln Avenue bar scene. He called the place Simply It to emphasize, he said, the...

Did you know? Figs have the highest sugar content of any fruit, according to "Fig Heaven," by Marie Simmons, which goes a long way toward explaining their allure. And yet...

Did you know? Originally known as the tree tomato (or tomate de arbol in its native Peru), this fruit was renamed by savvy growers in New Zealand happy with the...

First bite: Il Fiasco Il Fiasco opened Friday -- Friday the 13th -- but there was no disaster. Much has been made of the restaurant's name in pre-opening publicity --...

Did you know? These boldly striped yellow and red beauties are heirlooms originally from Armenia, said Aaron Whaley of Seed Savers Exchange, and presumably named after the big jungle cats...

First impressions: An unassuming spot jammed into the corner of a mini strip mall, Carthage Cafe opens into an attractive room with ocher walls with deep, arched niches displaying curvy...

Tablehopping is back -- with First Bites (short critiques of new restaurants) and Worth Noting (updates on others) among the offerings. Go to chicagotribune.com/stew for more dining news. First bite:...

Did you know? Chives "have been around so long that their origin is unknown," according to "Field Guide to Herbs & Spices," by Aliza Green. They are known by many...