Our Mhays made the front page of the Tribune "Schools resistant to change lunches."

Tribune wrote:On a frigid February day last year, Michele Hays filed into evanston Township High School with other concerned parents to talk with district administrators about school lunches."

Full Article

Today, there's a picture of her and Sparky on the Local page (it's also on Page 4 of the main section of the dead tree version), but it won't be there tomorrow, I'd guess.

The photo in the NW version (dead tree version that is...)
is better!

Thanks, guys - was going to toot my own horn, but here are my friends doing it for me!

I have to say, Monica Eng is my hero. How she managed to make sense out of that big mess, I'll never know. People keep asking me about the meetings, and all I manage to squeeze out is a somewhat-angry vocalization and smothered curse or two.

Well done. Keep fighting the good fight!

LTH,

The ever interesting Ronnie_Suburban penned a two part piece on Ethnic North Shore Restaurants for Ageless North Shore.

Ethnic North Shore: East Side

Ethnic North Shore Restaurants: West Side

The suburbs are lucky to have Ronnie_Suburban.

Enjoy,
Gary

There is a lengthy series of posts on Chicago food media framed as conversations between LTH members Mike Gebert and Michael Nagrant here. I suggest scrolling down to conversation 1, then work your way up.

Regards,

LTH,

Master Suburbanite Ronnie_Suburban has penned another interesting piece for Ageless North Shore titled Guilty Pleasures, a topic Mr. Suburban is eminently qualified to discuss.

Guilty Pleasures: Restaurants where calories don't count.

The suburbs are lucky to have Ronnie_Suburban.

Enjoy,
Gary

chicagostyledog's Hot Dog University got a real nice writeup in Crain's this week.

"Intrepid LTHer" nsxtasy gets a shout out on Grub Street Chicago for spotting the soon to open Pret a Manger.

G Wiv wrote:"Intrepid LTHer" nsxtasy gets a shout out on Grub Street Chicago for spotting the soon to open Pret a Manger.

And no one has yet mention that the most intrepid of LTHers GWiv is one of the experts featured in the latest issue of Chicago Magazine on where to shop. In his case, it's where to shop BBQ.

Steve Drucker is mentioned in an article by Calvin Trillin in the current New Yorker: "Where's Chang? The chef who can't shake his followers".

Link to abstract of article:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010 ... ct_trillin

LTH post by Steve on the Atlanta restaurant where chef Chang was, briefly:
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=10485

Vital Information wrote:And no one has yet mention that the most intrepid of LTHers GWiv is one of the experts featured in the latest issue of Chicago Magazine on where to shop. In his case, it's where to shop BBQ.

Honored to be the BBQ Expert in Chicago Magazine's "Ask the Experts." Being in the company of Nate Berkus and Art Smith made the wife, a serious Oprahophile, smile.

I'm more excited about this than if I was on Bourdain's show with Steve Plotnicki...

http://www.waffleizer.com/waffleizer/20 ... ffles.html

He says some nice things about the new video, too.

Mike G is featured on today's "Crain's Chicago Business Today" video, "Keys to Restaurant Survival."

Oh cool, thanks, didn't know it was up. I can't wait to see how I look in the hilariously thick sweater I had to put on because I arrived wearing a green shirt and nobody had mentioned that they were shooting green screen. Personally I'd have gone for the floating Cheshire Cat head effect, but...

Mike G wrote:Oh cool, thanks, didn't know it was up. I can't wait to see how I look in the hilariously thick sweater I had to put on because I arrived wearing a green shirt and nobody had mentioned that they were shooting green screen. Personally I'd have gone for the floating Cheshire Cat head effect, but...

Mike,

Nice job. I like the Jiminy Glick look of the sweater!

I guess that's slightly better than my initial feeling, which was something from David Lynch's version of Dune.

LTH forum mention (and a quote from GW) in the Saturday trib cover story on Yelp.
Just got to yesterday's paper....
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-yelp-online-reviews--20100319,0,6914786,full.story

mhill95149 wrote:LTH forum mention (and a quote from GW) in the Saturday trib cover story on Yelp.
Just got to yesterday's paper....
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-yelp-online-reviews--20100319,0,6914786,full.story

Though I've been advocating for such a policy, I do not believe what the Trib wrote is accurate as it pertains to LTHForum's stance on restaurant closure reports. Accurate for health code violations, but closure reports without documentation are rampant on the boards. Perhaps the faulty reporting will lead to a change for the better in the actual policy...

Trib article wrote:The site ...doesn't allow posts on health code violations or closures unless it's substantiated with a link to a news story or official announcement.

Kennyz wrote:

mhill95149 wrote:I do not believe what the Trib wrote is accurate as it pertains to LTHForum's stance on restaurant closure reports. Accurate for health code violations, but closure reports without documentation are rampant on the boards. Perhaps the faulty reporting will lead to a change for the better in the actual policy...

Trib article wrote:The site ...doesn't allow posts on health code violations or closures unless it's substantiated with a link to a news story or official announcement.

I believe "health code" is meant to modify both "violations" and "closures" in that sentence, which is an accurate statement of the policy. LTH's policy extends to closures for licensing issues, as well.

Documentation hasn't been required for reports of restaurants going out of business. It would be very difficult to document restaurant closings of the "closed for remodeling sign outside," "phone seems to be disconnected" or "the windows are papered over" sort. Unless a restaurant is famous, news reports rarely cover closings, and few restaurants issue press releases on their demise.

Such drive-by closing reports are useful, and I've only noticed a few over the years that were mistaken, and they've usually been quickly corrected by other LTHers. Why do you see it as a problem?

LAZ - you're right, the benefits of closure reports outweigh the problems. I'm just a little bitter because at least one of those few occasions was a mistaken report about a favorite place of mine.

WBEZ's 848 got a James Beard award nomination. I'm assuming that's our David H. for the noises in the kitchen series?

The Reader got two, one for Cliff Doerksen (his mincemeat pie piece?) and one for Sula (not sure what-- the charcuterie guys who got closed down, maybe). All this was off Twitter so specifics are lacking as yet.

Beat me to the Hammond kudo.

Way to go Hat

Mike G wrote:... one for Sula (not sure what-- the charcuterie guys who got closed down, maybe). All this was off Twitter so specifics are lacking as yet.

Yes, it was for "Charcuterie Underground". Kevin Pang also got a nomination in the multimedia category for his cheeseburger show.

Hi,

Bill Daley at the Tribune has an article today on, Looking for real Chinese food in Chicago?. It features the Chopsticks Club adventurous dining club sponsored by Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute Inc.

There is a sidebar article on other Chicago Dining Clubs.

Of course, dining adventure is not a new concept for Chicagoans. Consider these groups:
LTHForum.com, an online community of food and wine lovers, often sponsors eating events.
"Eyeball tacos is almost a rite of passage for Maxwell Street attendees,'' said Catherine Lambrecht of Highland Park, a forum founder.
The forum has hosted "marathons" devoted to foods such as barbecue, Italian beef and fried chicken, eaten its way along Western and Devon avenues. To find out about dinners and other eating opportunities, follow the Events board on LTHForum.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Of course, dining adventure is not a new concept for Chicagoans.

Very nice C2, very nice indeed.

We almost got a more specific plug for the Hashalom dinner (BD emailed me last week about it) but due to HaShalom's early demise, we had to cancel and BD had to punt

From Time Out Chicago: Websites for influential culture geeks

LTHForum.com

Anybody can contribute to this local food and restaurant forum, but the bulk of its content comes from a small, core group of intensely passionate eaters-cum-food-writers. Topics range from travel to cooking but tend to linger on restaurants. Small ethnic joints are a favored focus, but the big guys (Alinea, graham elliot) get analyzed as well. If you’re a new restaurant and LTH receives you warmly, expect the traditional media to come calling within hours. And if you’re received coolly—maybe start looking for other work.

Regards,

In the wake of the Lombard shigella outbreak, Food Safety News resurrects a 2009 interview with elakin on restaurant workers who go to work while ill.

LTH,

Cathy2 is featured in a Sun Times article by Leah Zeldes in today's food section about lamb cakes. Nice writeup including a terrific picture of Cathy.

Enjoy,
Gary