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Joseph Hernandez

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The Spanish coffee cocktail is made table side at Baptiste & Bottle.

Spanish coffee at Baptiste & Bottle

"It's an eye-opener or a nightcap," says Michael Fawthrop, as a pull of Bacardi 151 catches fire, the first step in making Baptiste & Bottle's Spanish coffee. It's one of...
Tack on some pasta just so it can soak in the buttery, briny leftover broth of Maple & Ash's seafood tower.

Secret pasta back at Maple & Ash

The Gold Coast's most irreverent steakhouse, Maple & Ash, is full of surprises. Take the seafood tower, that monolith of steakhouse culture. Chef Danny Grant turns the classic tower on...
Oromo Cafe's housemade nut milks are featured in, from left, a pistachio-milk latte, the cafe's signature Golden Mylk (almond milk with turmeric and cinnamon) and hazelnut-milk horchata.

House-made nut milks at Oromo Cafe

At Oromo Cafe, house-made nut milks start with either pistachios, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts. Chef Corey Joseph soaks the nuts in filtered water overnight, pulverizes them in a high-power blender,...
The Seoul bowl at Budacki's Drive In in Ravenswood offers a rice bowl that's perfect in its simplicity.

Seoul bowl at Budacki’s Drive In

A hot dog stand is the last place you'd expect a heaping helping of Korean comfort food, but that's what you'll find at Budacki's Drive In. Owned by the folks...
19th-century Viennese chef Franz Sacher would be pleased, I think, by the version of his eponymous chocolate cake served at Café Selmarie in Lincoln Square. First, the top of each slice of Sacher torte is decorated with his name, elegantly written in chocolate script. Second, the cake is a real looker: Layers of chocolate cake are mortared with raspberry preserve and chocolate buttercream; the whole thing is then frosted with more buttercream and wrapped in a smooth sheet of bittersweet chocolate — firm enough to be eaten on its own, if you like, with a fork. Third, every bite is delicious. The devil's food cake is firm and pleasant, while the raspberry offers a deep berry counterpoint to all the chocolate. $4.20. 4729 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-989-5595, <a href="http://cafeselmarie.com/" target="_blank">www.cafeselmarie.com</a>. — Bill Daley

5 things to eat, drink, do this weekend

1) Make a brunch date at Ema Start your weekend on the right foot with a hearty-yet-healthy spread from Ema chef CJ Jacobson. The River North spot's new weekend brunch...
Kusanya Cafe is the kind of place where you can get a cup of coffee, check out the community board, print a school paper or simply jump on the internet. You'll see people huddled together over papers strewn across the wood tables or someone walking in simply to say hello to the small staff. Because the nonprofit cafe roasts its own coffee on-site in small batches, don't hesitate to order that lavender iced latte ($3.49) or a plain cup of coffee. The breakfast and lunch menu is lush with references to famous musicians, like the Lupe Tabasco breakfast sandwich ($2.29). It features a thin egg patty, with melted cheese and Sriracha on ciabatta, and you can add sausage, spinach and tomato for an extra charge. The cozy and brightly lit environment is exactly where you want to catch up on some work or meet up with friends. 825 W. 69th St., 773-675-4758, <a href="http://www.kusanyacafe.org/">kusanyacafe.org</a> — Grace Wong

17 rosé wines to drink this summer, most under $20

The old adage says happy people see life through rose-colored glasses, but I'd rather be looking through the bottom of a rosé-filled glass. I advocate drinking rosé year-round — why...
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5 things to eat, drink, do this weekend

1) Try a new brunch Mix up your weekend brunch routine with some activity — like, say, pingpong? River North restaurant and table tennis club Spin just launched brunch, offering...