Terry Walters’ new book “Clean Start” is a Mitzvah

Reprinted with permission from Got Buzz

I think my life is about to change. At least, I hope so.

Lee and I have been talking about changing our diet for years. My chance meeting with Clean Start author Terry Walters today at the Chicago French Market may just been the ticket we needed to start anew.

For those of you who don’t know Terry, she authored the highly regarded Clean Food book last year and is currently on a book tour espousing the virtues of  “eating clean and living well.”

Her new 165 page book is inspirational. Terry makes cooking with seasonal, locally grown ingredients simple and satisfying. The two dishes that she sampled at the market today (Shallot Fig Spread; and Red Lentil Soup w/ Turnips & Parsley & Hot Spiced Coconut Milk) were simply delicious.

Clean Start

I was struck by how simple the “clean” book recipes are. I can’t wait to start cooking.

The preface of the book really struck home.

“Clean Start is about enjoying healthy, delicious, clean food everyday. It’s about having a relationship with food that’s not based on living up to somebody else’s ideal, or following a strict regime. It’s simply about making healthy choices, one at a time, and doing the best that you can do, empowered with knowledge and motivated by intention. It’s about maximizing nutritional value and taste, and minimizing waste and imbalance. It’s about true nourishment. The kind that makes you feel good about yourself.  The kind that you want to share with others.”

The Clean Start book is as much a guide as it is a cookbook. Whether you’re starting again or starting anew, eating clean is about being nourished by your food and by your journey,” she says.

If you missed the book signing. Terry’s enthusiasm and commitment is contagious.

START HERE. It doesn’t matter where you are starting. Eating clean is about what we can do now to make healthy choices.”

I love her advice from the get go:

Eat the colors of the rainbow.
Eat dark leafy greens every day.
Eat all five tastes.
Eat foods that are grown, not manufactured
Skip the package
Buy clean food and leave the rest behind.
Buy and try one new clean food each time you shop.
Know the source of your food.
Buy local and organic when you can.
Be nourished by your food and make peace with your choices.

The book is packed with information and 100 tasty, healthy recipes. I am so happy that I went to the book signing today. If you missed it, don’t miss out on buying Terry’s book Clean Start. I believe that it will be, perhaps, the most used book in your collection. It will certainly be the best $25 investment I’ve made this year.

To learn more about Terry, visit her website, follow her on Twitter @TerryWalters and subscribe to her blog.

Thanks Terry. What a mitzvah!

About DineWise

DineWise Chicago is written by Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie, the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. The DineWise column appears weekly in Streetwise magazine. Please visit their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com and check out all DineWise articles at www.dinewisechicago.com.

2011 James Beard Foundation Awards Restaurant + Chef Award Semifinalists from Chicago

James Beard Medal

It’s that time of year again—the countdown to May and the annual James Beard Foundation Awards. The James Beard Foundation announced the nominees on their blog today. The semifinalists for their Restaurant and Chef Awards include a number of Chicago-area chefs and restaurants.

Judges from across the country will take a look at the list and vote to narrow it down to a final list of nominees. The Foundation will be live tweeting the nominee announcement on March 21, but in the meantime you can check to see if your favorite Chicago chefs and restaurants are listed and visit the JBF Blog for the full list from around the country.

Here’s the Chicago roundup:

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Girl & the Goat

OUTSTANDING CHEF
Paul Kahan, Blackbird
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF
Patrick Fahy, Blackbird
Mindy Segal, Mindy’s HotChocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT
Spiaggia
Tru

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR
Scott Harris (Davanti Enoteca, DiSotto Enoteca,
Dough Boys, Fat Rosie’s, Francesca’s, Osteria Ottimo, Purple
Pig, and Salatino’s)
Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises,
(Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, Eiffel Tower, Everest, L2O, Mon
Ami Gabi, Shaw’s Crab House, Tru, Wow Bao, and others)

OUTSTANDING SERVICE
Les Nomades
Topolobampo

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE
Avenues at the Peninsula, Michael Muser

OUTSTANDING WINE AND
SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL
Charles Joly, The Drawing Room

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR
Anthony Martin, Tru

BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA
Michael Carlson, Schwa
Curtis Duffy, Avenues at the Peninsula
Dirk Flanigan, Henri
Dale Levitski, Sprout
Chris Nugent, Les Nomades
Paul Virant, Vie, Western Springs

About DineWise
DineWise Chicago is written by Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie, the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. The DineWise column appears weekly in Streetwise magazine. Please visit their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com and check out all DineWise articles at www.dinewisechicago.com.

Chicago’s celebration as a world-class dining destination: Restaurant Week 2011


By Cindy Kurman and Lee Barrie
Originally published in Streetwise Magazine

For ten days beginning February 18 through February 27, Chicago celebrates Restaurant Week, with more than 200 restaurants offering special prix fixe menus at $22 for lunch and $33/$44 for dinner (beverage, tax and gratuity not included). This is a great opportunity to try new restaurants or old favorites and enjoy a great meal at a fabulous cost. Beverage, tax and gratuity are not included.

Having trouble deciding where to eat? Here’s our pick of must try restaurants who are participating.

Steak, American | Lunch Only (running special all month Feb. 1-Feb. 28!) $22 Menu
444 N. Wabash Ave. | Chicago IL 60611
City-N.Michigan | 312 626-2444
American | Lunch & Dinner Menus
619 W. Randolph St.  | Chicago  IL  60661
City-West Loop | 312 715-0708
Italian | Lunch & Dinner Menus
980 N. Michigan Ave. | Chicago IL 60611
City-N.Michigan | 312 280-2750
Seafood | Lunch & Dinner Menus
35 W. Wacker Dr. | Chicago IL 60601
City-Loop | 312 346-3500
Mexican | Lunch & Dinner Menus
814 W. Randolph St. | Chicago IL 60607
City-West Loop | 312 455-8114
East Bank Club / Maxwell’s at the Club
American | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
500 N. Kingsbury St. | Chicago il 60610
City-River North | 312 527-5800
American | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menu
111 W. Huron St. | Chicago IL 60654
City-Loop | 312 202-9900
Steak & Beef | Restaurant Week Deal: Dinner only Menu
25 E. Ohio St. | Chicago IL 60611
City-River North | 312 329-9463
Japanese | Restarant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
600 W. Chicago Ave. | Chicago IL 60654
City-River North | 312 822-9600
Seafood, Steak & Beef | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
60 E. Grand | Chicago IL 60611
City-N.Michigan | 312 379-5637
Italian | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
59 W. Grand Ave.  | Chicago  IL 60654
City-River North | 312 329-0400
Vietnamese | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
937 N. Rush St. | Chicago IL 60611
City-N.Michigan | 312 255-0088
Breakfast/brunch | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner
108 E. Superior | Chicago IL 60611
City-N.Michigan | 312 573-6695
French | Restaurant Week Deal: Dinner only Menu
Belden Stratford Hotel 2300 N. Lincoln Park W. | Chicago  IL  60614
City-Lincoln Park/Lakeview | 773 348-8886
Latin | Restaurant Week Deal: Dinner Menu
325 W. Huron St.  | Chicago  IL  60610
City-River North | 312 664-2727
American | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
500 N. Clark St. | Chicago IL 60654
City-River North | 312 321-6242
American | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner
11 N. Michigan Ave. | Chicago IL 60602
City-Loop | 312 521-7275
Italian | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
464 N. Halsted St. | Chicago IL 60642
City-River West | 312 421-0077
American | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch & Dinner Menus
215 N. Clinton St. | Chicago IL 60661
City-Near North | 312 382-8300
Italian | Restaurant Week Deal: Dinner Menu
2119 N. Clark St. | Chicago IL 60614
City-Lincoln Park/Lakeview | 773 549-0038
Fusion | Restaurant Week Deal: Dinner Menu
720 N. State St. | Chicago IL 60654
City-N.Michigan | 312 787-7599
Mexican | Restaurant Week Deal: Dinner Menu
1252 N. Wells St.  | Chicago  IL  60610
City-Near North | 312 988-7811
Mexican | Restaurant Week Deal: Lunch only Menu
445 N. Clark St.  | Chicago  IL  60610
City-River North | 312 661-1434
American | Restaurant Week Deal: Dinner only Menu
419 W. Superior St. | Chicago IL 60654
City-River North | 312 475-9112

Participating restaurants may offer Restaurant Week menus for lunch, dinner or both – at their discretion. Please view individual restaurant profiles for menu details. For a complete list of participating restaurants, go here.

About the authors
Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie are the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. Please visit their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com and check out all DineWise articles at www.dinewisechicago.com.

Davanti Enoteca takes honest Italian wholesomeness to a new level with a big touch of Chicago creativity

Davanti Enoteca
1359 W. Taylor St., Chicago
(312) 226-5550
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Mon.-Thurs.; 11:30 a.m.-midnight, Fri.-Sat.; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun.
Entrée prices: $10-$14
By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in Streetwise magazine

This is a story about one of our personal best-kept dining secrets: Davanti Enoteca. We haven’t kept this secret very long—the restaurant has only been open for only four months. But we’ve dined here enough times to know that the place is always bustling and you usually have to wait for a table. Now, with our little secret revealed, the wait will be a bit longer. But don’t let that dissuade you: this place is worth the wait, because extraordinary flavors and textures are only a menu away. So enjoy a glass of wine while you people-watch and savor the anticipation.

This Italian restaurant and wine shop exudes soul and spirit. The atmosphere is very casual, homey and friendly, the kind of place you would absolutely want in your neighborhood. The room is woodsy and several walls are lined with cases of wine. Here you can buy a bottle of wine at retail, not restaurant, prices and after paying the modest $7 corkage fee (which is waived on Sundays), you can enjoy a quality selection from a predominantly Italian wine list.

Davanti Enoteca offers up unorthodox Italian comfort food that one could eat every day and not get tired of. Young rising star executive chef Jonathan Beatty (a chef to watch, we declare) pays homage to Italian tradition but raises the bar with modern ingredients and outstanding flavor and textural combinations. It’s sophisticated food, but it’s also honest, unpretentious and very reasonably priced. The dishes are perfect for sharing and  you can enjoy a tasting journey that is immensely satisfying. Once you’re full, you’ll wonder how such a delicious experience could have such a low price tag.

The extensive menu is intelligently divided into several sections. If you’d like to start by sharing some cheese and prepared meats, you’ll have a generous selection to choose from. Examples include the Burricotta, a creamy, burrata style ricotta cheese; the Grana Padano, an aged parmesan style cheese; Pantaleo, a Sardinian aged goat cheese. Mortadella di Bologna is a heat cured Italian salami; Capicolla Piccante is a cured spicy pork shoulder.

Along the same lines, you will enjoy the Vasi, mini-mason jars of delicious spreads served with Tuscan toast. The Olives Mediterranea are zesty; the Burrata Cheese with sea salt and olive oil is smooth and slightly tangy.
There are several appetizers handsomely served on wooden boards. You must, must, must order the Foccacia di Recco (Ligurian style baked foccacia filled with fresh soft cow cheese). One bite and you’ll know what heaven is like, trust us. Another delight is the Mascarpone Polenta, featuring the ragu of the day presented atop a cushion of polenta.

Antipasti selections continue the wow factor while being perfect for sharing. We love them all, so simply choose what you feel like; you won’t be disappointed. We think the Truffle Egg Toast with Fontina and asparagus is inspired, as are the Roasted Beets with walnut butter and crème candied walnuts.

There are five Salati (salad) selections. We absolutely adore the Roasted Squash with farro, whipped goat cheese, hazelnuts and watercress. Other tasty choices include Shaved Fresh Hearts of Palm with Lolla Rosa, lemon, chili oil and pink peppercorn and the Escarole and Gala Apple with celery and hazelnuts.

The menu offers an ample selection of crispy thin crusted pizzas. Among the interesting pizzas are Pizza Della Fattoria with farmed egg, pork belly, potato and scallions, and the Pizza con Salsiccia e Rapini with Italian mild sausage, broccoli rabe, garlic, chili oil, fresh mozzarella and tomato.

Pasta dishes are perfectly prepared: not overly sauced and perfectly al dente. We have become loyal to our to-die-for respective favorites: she loves the Cacio e Pepe, spaghetti with pecorino and black pepper, while he goes wild for the Riccio di Mare e Granchio, linguine with sea urchin and crab. Other tasty pasta choices include Paccheri con Salsiccia e Pomodori al forno, giant rigatoni with sausage, oven roasted tomato and parmigiano, and i Uovo in Raviolo ‘San Domenico’, giant raviolo with ricotta, egg and spinach.

The main course section offers a palette of well-conceived fish, meat and poultry dishes. One of our favorites is the Pollo ‘Sole Mio’, grilled half chicken with chili pepper paste, and we also love the Polpo con Rafano, seared octopus with warm fingerling potato salad, marcona almonds and fresh horseradish aioli. If you’re in a burger mood, you’ll enjoy the Davanti Burger, a custom blend of grilled ground beef served with bacon jam, roasted tomato, cheese curd, arugula, roasted garlic mayo, and served with seasoned shoestring fries.

Leaving enough room for dessert may be a challenge but, if you’ve paced yourself, you can enjoy such creative delights as the Cannoli Sundae with sweet ricotta, crushed cannoli, pistachios, candied oranges, chocolate sauce and whipped cream or the nicely textured Torta Bacio, chocolate‐hazelnut mousse with a crunchy bottom and cocoa nibs.

There is a daily selection of specials, a large number of wines by the glass and valet parking across the street. By the way, Davanti Enoteca is brought to you by Scott Harris and the folks at Francesca’s Restaurants. We thought we’d save this detail for last. They rock!
About the Authors
Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie are the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. Please visit their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com and check out all DineWise articles at www.dinewisechicago.com.

The new Bistro One West in St. Charles: "B.O.W. WOW!”

Bistro One West
1 W. Illinois Street, St. Charles, IL
(630) 444-0600; www.bistro1west.com

Hours:
Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Tues.-Sat.
Dinner: 5-9 p.m., Tues.-Thurs.; 5-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat.
Closed on Sun. and Mon.
Price average:
Lunch: $8-12; Dinner: $16-20

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Photos by Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in Streetwise magazine

No, this isn’t about dogs, hot dogs or Asian steamed buns, for that matter. But if the new Bistro One West (B.O.W.) in beautiful downtown St. Charles was a Westminster contestant, it would have a good shot of winning Best in Show.
Bistro One West has the pedigree to be taken seriously by food lovers. The owner is George Guggeis, who made a name for himself as the owner of the beloved Chicago restaurant, Mango, among others. The executive chef is the versatile and consummate Doug D’Avico, who put Trattoria No. 10 on Chicago’s Italian go-to list for many years.
These two friendly, down-to-earth guys have joined forces to create a Modern American bistro which will do much to make the tri-cities area (St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia) an even more attractive place to enjoy a weekend getaway from Chicago. The restaurant sits on the west bank of the Fox River, and its spacious outdoor deck will no doubt be the place to go once the warm weather kicks in this spring.
But for now, while we are still in the midst of winter, suffice it to say that the interior immediately speaks “warm and comfortable gathering place.” Combining rustic exposed brick walls with colorful artwork, warm artistic lighting, earth-toned tile floors, dark woods and comfortable seating, the space has been created with the confident eye of designer Vicki Tesmer.
In the front of the restaurant there is a bustling bar area that’s perfect for the upscale locals who, in Bistro One West, have found a perfect hangout with a sophisticated wine and cocktail program.

The L-shaped dining room features leather booths with a window view of the river as well as tables that are nicely spaced. The atmosphere is good for both social and business dining and there is a semi-private dining room for special events.

The top draw is the food, however, and D’Avico delivers on his promise to offer fresh, locally sourced seasonal food that is predominately American but also takes advantage of his prodigious Italian skills. The presentations are handsome and the ingredients are first-rate. Note that there is a separate lunch menu that only slightly overlaps the dinner menu.
At dinnertime, the appetizers get everything off to a roaring good start. We loved the Burrata, a fresh mozzarella-type cheese with a creamy center, served with delicious roasted tomatoes.
We were joyfully surprised by the Deviled Eggs filled with Maine Lobster—it’s a classic brought to a whole new level. Other good choices include the White Polenta with Crispy Pork Belly, served with red mole and heirloom radishes and the Jumbo Prawns with garlic, chili threads, shallots and grilled Ciabatta. A nice vegetarian choice is the Ancient Sweet Pepper with Dunbarton bleu cheese and applewood smoked bacon.

Salad lovers can choose between the tasty Shaved Roasted Beets with Nopales Salad, served with pickled Jalapeno and feta cheese, and the Bibb Leaf Salad with roasted tomatoes, herb dressing and fried parsnips.

The main courses are particularly interesting, well chosen and comforting. There is something for everyone and the choices are diverse enough to keep it interesting for those who are inclined to frequent the restaurant often.

Meat lovers will enjoy the
Berkshire Pork Cutlets with spicy snap peas and roasted corn pudding—a quite original dish, and the tender Grilled Waygu Steak, served with avocado butter and fingerling home fries. The Braised Veal Short Ribs, with caramelized onion relish and natural reductions, are as tender as can be. The robust pasta specialty is a perfectly prepared Pappardelle with Berkshire Pork, tomatoes and Pecorino Romano cheese.

On the lighter side, fish fans can go for the delightful Organic Irish Salmon with roasted cauliflower, applewood smoked bacon and mint or the Lake Superior Walleye with radicchio cole slaw, Shitake, green onion butter sauce. The poultry dish is Herb Roasted Amish Chicken with roasted carrots, lemon, cinnamon and pearl onions and, for vegetarians, there is a flavorful Roasted Poblano Pepper, spicy lentils, red shallots, spinach, feta and tomato.

Dessert lovers can find plenty to choose from, but at some point you’ll simply have to try the Butter & Bread Pudding with poached berry compote. D’Avico has taken a small loaf of bread, sliced it thinly and then applied the appropriate magic to turn it into a to-die-for mini-French toast with a wonderfully sweet and tangy topping. Very unique and extremely good; bravo!
Other desserts include Caramelized Roasted Banana with baked cinnamon wonton and Nutella cream; Baked Pears with Marsala, cinnamon, lemon, sun-dried cherries, and a rich Chocolate Pot e Crème with roasted pumpkin seed brittle.

The final good news is that Bistro One West has kept the pricing reasonable so that regular visits can be enjoyed. The parking is free and the staff is very gracious and enthusiastic. It’s great news for this part of the Chicago area, and worth the drive for a unique, even if brief, escape from the city. Check out the website for a peek at the lunch and cocktail menus.

Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie are the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. Please visit their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com and check out all DineWise articles at www.dinewisechicago.blogspot.com. Photos by Cindy Kurman

Arami rises above the pack with beautifully rendered and delicious Japanese cuisine

Arami
1829 W Chicago Ave., Chicago
312-243-1535
www.aramichicago.com (website is still under construction)

Hours: 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 5-10:30 p.m. Sun.; closed Monday

Pricing: appetizers: $4-12; noodle dishes, $12-15; nigiri and maki, $2-10; special dishes, $8-$13. Chef’s choice combinations are also available at a premium price.

We are definitely sushi lovers and we have written about it many times in DineWise. As much as we don’t want to overdo the topic, we just had to tell you about Arami, a new Japanese restaurant in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood. We dined here last weekend with our good “foodie” friends and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Arami is a modestly sized, hip-casual restaurant with a bar/lounge area in front, a generously sized sushi bar in the middle and an exposed brick walls and wood floored dining room in the back. We’re told there will be a nice outdoor patio in the back this coming spring.

The crowd was on the younger side and the vibe was sophisticated but energetic. We were pleased with the ambiance, which includes handsome wooden tables, a modest but visually pleasing art collection on the walls and warm lighting throughout.

The menu is beautifully presented on a bamboo slab. It includes both sushi and many other Asian dishes, with an emphasis on Japanese food. The specialty of the house is the Geunkang Nigiri, which we will cover in a moment.

The menu begins with a generous selection of cold appetizers. For a quick amuse bouche, you might want to try the Toro Tartar Bite, fatty tuna, chives, caviar and house special soy sauce. But even better is the full app-sized Togarashi Seared Tuna, with seared tuna on top of a perfectly conceived seaweed salad, with kelp noodle, creamy Meyer lemon dressing. Another interesting beginning is the Spicy Tako Springroll, spicy octopus with cilantro and crisp mixed greens.

Hot appetizers include a wondrous Mushroom Salad, with citrus, sesame, warm mushrooms and micro shiso. Another good choice is the Seared Hotate, pan seared scallops, unagi, mushroom, shiro miso.

Noodle dish lovers (broth with noodles and other ingredients) have four good choices. The most popular, we’re told is the Veggie Udon, with soy braised daikon, mushrooms, eggplant, carrot, scallions and a poached egg floating on top. We gave it a try—the presentation was gorgeous and it was flavorful, with more than a touch of sweetness, which was different but very good.

As befitting a sushi restaurant, there is a large choice of typical nigiri and sashimi, as well as your basic maki and sushi choices. What shines here, however, are the special sashimi dishes, the special Geunkang nigiri and the special maki.

In the special sashimi category, the Secret Hamachi, yellow tail with mushrooms and truffle oil, and the Sake Garlic, salmon with garlic and vinegar, are two good choices. We asked what Geunkang nigiri is and we were explained in detail. In Japan, a clump of sushi rice is hand-formed and a strip of seaweed is wrapped around its perimeter to form a “container”, which is filled with fine chopped ingredients that requires confinement, such as roe, oysters, vegetables and so forth. At Arami, a strip of fish is used instead of the seaweed, making for an enhanced and very tasty rendition. We thoroughly enjoyed the Zuke Sake Hotate, spicy scallop wrapped with salmon.

Once we moved on to the special maki, we were enraptured. Our favorite dish of the evening was the beautiful Hamachi Maguro Ebi, yellow tail, tuna, scallion, jalapeno, shrimp, and spicy mayo. The freshness stood out and the flavor combinations were unique and perfectly complimentary.

Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie are the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. Please visit their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com and check out all DineWise articles at www.dinewisechicago.com. Photos by Cindy Kurman