Chicago Gourmet Chicago Bites Podcast #120

Chicago Gourmet
Chicago Bites Podcast #120

Posted by Tammy at 3:00 pm

Sep 292008

A celebration of food and wine? Or a celebration of WINE and food?

Bridget and I spent the weekend covering Chicago Gourmet on behalf of MenuPages.

The event was a whirlwind tour that gave us access to chefs, food and wine from Chicago and beyond. But was Chicago Gourmet worth it? And what should happen to make this a true showcase for Chicago cuisine? We have some thoughts on the experience and what needs to improve.

(16.9 M)

Show Notes:
00:00 – 01:45 Intro
01:46 – 03:52 Opening night
03:53 – 05:40 Chicago Gourmet vs. the Taste of Chicago
05:41 – 07:33 Cooking demonstrations
07:34 – 09:05 East meets West
09:06 – 11:02 Seminars
11:03 – 12:43 Fangirl meets Gale Gand, price of access
12:44 – 14:40 Delivery on the goods, culinary students
14:41 – 15:54 Managing expectations, suggestions
15:55 – 17:31 International focus vs. local cheerleading
17:32 – 18:25 Wrap-up and sign-off

Dunkin' Donuts, one of the sponsors, served coffee drinks at the event. Were they gourmet? Uh, no.

Chicago Gourmet
Millennium Park
Chicago, IL

Bridget’s Rating: 5
Tammy’s Rating: 5

Price per person: $150/day; $400/weekend

Our online coverage of Chicago Gourmet for MenuPages:
A Taste Of The Kickoff
Searching for Food at Chicago Gourmet
How To Scare An Octopus At Chicago Gourmet
Tips From “Tasting the Masters’ Way”
Taste of Sonoma County
The Secret is in the Sauce: A Chat with Chef Jackie Shen
Chefs at Play

The fun of the event was meeting local food celebrities like Gale Gand.

Ethiopian Diamond and Demera
Chicago Bites Podcast #97

Posted by Bridget at 7:00 pm

Feb 252008

We tried our hand at Ethiopian Diamond. The food is served on one communal plate, and silverware is for wimps.

Tammy and I recently abandoned our silverware and relied on our hands to scoop up food at two of Chicago’s Ethiopian restaurants. After our first experience at Ethiopian Diamond, it was clear that neither one of us had the frame-of-reference needed to talk about the food. We could barely identify what we ordered, let alone pronounce it! So we made our way to Demera to learn a little more. Listen in as we compare the two places, discuss the dining experiences overall, and give you our take on the spicy tastes.

(21.3 M)

Show Notes:
00:00 – 01:36 Ethiopian Diamond vs. Demera, finger food galore
01:37 – 02:47 Side-by-side appetizer comparison
02:48 – 08:16 Combo plates and presentation, which place does it better?
08:17 – 09:02 Don’t count on dessert
09:03 – 10:50 A striking discovery and honey wine
10:51 – 13:30 Atmosphere, live music, and looks of fear
13:31 – 15:07 Sign-off

Overall Bridget likes Demera best of the two, and Tammy gives Ethiopian Diamond the edge. It’s a toss up!

Ethiopian Diamond
6120 N Broadway St.
Chicago, IL

Bridget’s Ethiopian Diamond Ratings:
Food Quality: 2/5
Value: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 2/5

Tammy’s Ethiopian Diamond Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 2/5

Average price per person: $25