Michael Austin – Page 10

Six wild Burgundian snails are the star of the wood-grilled escargot ($12) at Le Sud. The Roscoe Village restaurant's version of this dish is not hiding in a pool of garlic butter or served in a scalding hot dish. Presented on a skewer, the mollusks are brushed with olive oil infused with herbs de provence before they're grilled, absorbing a delicate smoky flavor that lingers in your mouth. Tender and buttery, the snails are served with a few generous pats of herb butter that melt, adding another layer of fragrance and lusciousness. A side of green salad dressed with olive oil, lemon and salt provides a bright contrast to the skewer and a hearty country bread serves as a foundation for assembling a makeshift toast point. The portion is small, so make your dining companions order their own. $12. 2301 W. Roscoe St., 773-857-1985, <a href="https://lesudchicago.com/">lesudchicago.com</a> — Grace Wong

3 regions in New York that produce the best wine

May 2, 2019 at 2:12 p.m.

As wine production goes, no one is going to catch up to California anytime soon (or even in the distant future), but one state — perhaps one that might surprise...

Ramen Takeya devotes an entire section of its menu to "otsumami" or drinking foods — nestled among them the Japanese street snack takoyaki. The ball-shaped snacks are made with a batter that crisps up into a golden shell while remaining creamy and soft inside. Hidden away are Chiclet-size pieces of octopus, tiny surprises in the center of each ball. Six balls are served in a red and white paper boats and drizzled with sweet and salty Japanese barbecue sauce, creamy mayo, aonori (dried seaweed) and fishy-but-in-a-good-way bonito flakes (cured fish shavings). Between the crispy-meets-creamy texture and the sweet-meets-salty flavors, it's easy to see how a refreshing beer (or soda, for non-drinkers) would pair nicely. $6. 819 W. Fulton Market, 312-666-7710, <a href="http://www.ramentakeya.com/">ramentakeya.com</a> — Grace Wong

Corn, bacon and wine, your new best friends

May 31, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

For a wine to be a worthy partner to succotash, it needs to be as complex as the dish itself. Here are three whites that meet that requirement: a chardonnay...

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

Why does wine on a plane taste blah? It’s about the atmosphere in that cabin.

June 2, 2018 at 2:20 p.m.

Years ago, I had a discussion with the wine consultant/buyer for a major airline, and he told me all about the challenges of his job. Before you start to resent...

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

In the mood for wine: Where and how you enjoy it affects what you think

July 2, 2019 at 3:59 p.m.

What if you had to name the best thing you've ever eaten? One favorite dish among all of the dishes you have enjoyed in your life. Think about it for...

A butter-enriched wine sauce coats fig- and cheese-stuffed chicken.

Wines bridge sweet-savory gap to accompany fig- and cheese-stuffed chicken

June 2, 2018 at 2:51 p.m.

Achieving a good balance of sweet and savory in any dish is challenging. This recipe meets the challenge, and here are three wines — from Greece, Italy and Spain —...

Crisp, dry sherry matches well with oysters and other shellfish.

Beginner’s guide to sherry

June 2, 2018 at 5:39 p.m.

Don't be afraid of sherry. Don't look down on it, either, because it is one of the world's great wine styles. Sherry comes from the area around the town of...

Pair this simple pasta with a deep, dark red wine.

Spicy pasta, red wine for a lovely late-summer dinner

June 2, 2018 at 6:11 p.m.

Tame the heat of this pasta dish with the deep, dark fruits of a Sicilian red blend or introduce some spice of your own with a zinfandel or red Rhone...

White, rosé or red — many wines match grilled salmon

July 2, 2019 at 3:59 p.m.

Coax out the dish's dill with the herbal and floral qualities of a soave, go more hearty with a complementing rosé, or opt for the bold fruit and brooding earthiness...

What you need to know about sangiovese, Italy’s biggest-selling grape

July 2, 2019 at 3:59 p.m.

Sangiovese is Italy's numero uno grape. Forget about across-the-board quality, or mystique, or any other subjective, debatable factor you can think of, and just focus on volume. No other grape...

If you think Australian wine is all shiraz, you’re missing lots of great riesling

July 2, 2019 at 3:59 p.m.

Seen any Wes movies lately? If you have, and maybe even if you haven't, you probably know that Wes movies offer quite a range of styles. No one is going...

All Stories