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AnthonyMartorina, Chicago, IL (2026)

01/27/2026

Experience the vibrant, Middle Eastern-Mediterranean flavors of the acclaimed . & are heating up with their fire kissed dishes featuring bold flavors. They are also featured on the Bib Gourmand list.

I love wood fire cooking. The flame & smoke add an elevated level to the dishes. They also bake fresh pita in-house. These little touches lead to a truly unique experience.

Sifr offers a 4-course $60 menu during restaurant week ending Feb 8th. We enjoyed a classic hummus with charred green chickpea, zhoug, zaatar, & puffed lentil with warm pita for our first course. The hummus was magical.

The second course included a choice of lamb kebab, chicken kebob or maitake mushrooms with an upgrade option of scallops (+8) or beef kebab (+21). I highly recommend the scallops zeitoun with fermented pepper beurre blanc. Each bite featured rich buttery textures along with a savory funk from the peppers. I really loved the rich, aromatic & juicy charred angus beef kebob. It was super tender.

For course three, we enjoyed the delicious roasted butternut squash cous cous risotto with chives. I loved the comforting feeling of the dish with its autumnal flavors. The branzino chermoula was fantastic. The fish was delicate & flavorful plus the North African chimichurri added a herby punch. The lamb shank over Persian pilaf with sumac onions (+18) was a show stopper. The dish is deeply savory & rich with its slow roasted meat. There’s also a choice for a duck fesenjan with pomegranate glaze (+10).

For dessert, choose from mango sorbet or date pudding with caramelized hazelnut & salted caramel ice cream. Both are yummy.

I appreciated the creativity of the cocktails. I enjoyed the refreshing itnan cocktail with vodka, elderflower, bergamot & mango shrub. The khamsa cocktail with tequila, amaro, strawberry, citrus, labneh & soda had me dreaming of a tropical getaway.

We had a phenomenal CRW dining experience. I loved seeing a packed restaurant with a -37° wind chill outside. Freezing temps won’t stop us locals from eating a great meal. This is the place to get fired up!

01/24/2026

Get ready to taste the city one bite at a time! The is back! This foodie focused event signifies the start of . Thousands of food lovers gathered for an exciting evening of drinks & bites. This year’s event featured 74 restaurants & I had 3 hours to taste them all. Mission accepted!

Chicago’s Restaurant Week takes place now through Sun, Feb 8. Diners order from a prix-fixe menu from over 550 restaurants for brunch, lunch ($30) & dinner ($45/$60). Check out the link in my bio for all participants!

This year’s chef host was . He served up an incredible tteok-bokki puttanesca which is a Korean-Italian fusion dish featuring capers, anchovies, olives, garlic, herbs & parm breadcrumbs. It was the most satisfying bite of the evening.

I want to thank all the chefs for coming out & supporting this incredible evening. You helped raise funds for this year’s charitable beneficiaries, & .

We had some phenomenal bites. I wish I could mention every restaurant but my space is limited. Here are some of my favorites of the evening.

served an incredible wagyu bone marrow topped with beef tartare. (1st pic) Chef Alfredo Anaya mini arepa was a fabulous bite.

Chef served up two delicious bites, youvetsi with tender lamb over orzo from & the waygu bacon mac n cheese from . I’m still dreaming about the wagyu bacon.

Chef served the perfect yuzu tuna bite, plus I got to hang with . Always great seeing them. served the best prosciutto di San Daniele I’ve ever had. Plus it’s not an event without the incredible meatballs or some shrimp & grits from . We ended our night with warm tom kha g*i soup from before heading out into the freezing cold!

It was a beautiful evening. I failed my mission of eating everything, but we had a great time trying. Make sure to support all the incredible restaurants in our tasty city!

01/17/2026

Fast cars, Black Ties, Big Impact! Who’s ready to get dressed up and give back? First Look For Charity returns. This amazing charity event hosts a fabulous black tie event on Feb 6th that signifies the opening of . Attendees are able to preview all the new automobiles & ride the test tracks along with sampling some of the best bites from Chicago’s top restaurants. Cheers to this wonderful evening!

Dress Up & drive change! has raised over 65 million dollars, since their first event over 33 years ago. The funds raised are shared amongst 18 local charities. Every little bit helps, plus it’s great to give back, while keeping the funds local. Every year this is Chicago’s greatest one-day fundraiser, regularly generating more than $2 million.

The media preview was held . We were able to preview some of the sweet & savory bites plus drinks, while getting updates about the upcoming 2026 Chicago Auto Show.

There’s nothing better than a Chicago style hotdog & the crew from served up the perfect bite, which went well with the tasty fresh brews from . Thanks Todd!

Michelle was serving some of their fabulous ciders along with a tasty chorizo biscuits & gravy. always shares magical bites. They treated us to savory & sweet treats with fabulous empanadas & a tasty black currant cheesecake lollipop.

OVG hospitality made creative vegan bites of scallop crudo & sushi cones. had a comforting chicken jambalaya.

For dessert, treated me to a PB&J cream puff. shared their key lime pie. Springview Sweets had some great brownies. I even discovered an incredible new ice cream from . The salted vanilla honey stole my heart plus it’s not a without .chicago frozen custard . Their custard bar is always a hit at the charity event.

Attendees even have a chance to win one of two new cars. Make sure to purchase your tickets. Use the link in my profile or visit: www.firstlookforcharity.org

01/12/2026

Experience the vibrant soul of Latin American cuisine in Wicker Park. shares a world of flavor with every dish celebrating his diverse roots. I enjoyed the lively & vibrant vibe of the restaurant. It’s perfect for a fun date night or dinner with friends. I can tell the neighborhood truly loves this restaurant with the constant flow of diners. I highly recommend making a reservation.

I enjoyed the creativity of the menu from Chef Cuadros who’s a 2022 award nominee for best chef. His flavors are bold & I’m inspired by his unique dishes. We started with some small plates which are great to share. The crispy yuca frita with a mojo verde sauce was delicious. I thought the rock shrimp chicharron with chile morica & aji dulce was incredibly flavorful. It reminded me of an elevated potatas bravas.

The tender Guatemalan smoked pork ribs topped with a vibrant green tomatillo salsa are a must. The meat literally falls off the bone plus the salsa adds some nice depth.

The ahi ceviche with aji amarillo lecuhe de tigre, green apple, cucumber & blueberry-garlic preserve was fabulous. It arrived like a deconstructed ceviche where the diner explores the flavors. I need to throw a shoutout to the delicious white beans & kale under the Spanish octopus. I was also impressed with the crawfish & lobster empanadas with burnt garlic aioli, mojo verde & morita sauce.

One of my favorite dishes of the evening was the delicious shredded Cuban oxtail topped with malanga goat cheese agnolotti pasta. It was definitely a fusion of Italian & Latin techniques. The succulent grilled filet steak over a miso sweet potato pure with cicrus chimichurri & broccolini was fabulous. The braised pork shoulder over navy beans & rice topped with chicharron was the perfect comfort food.

The rum cocktails took me on vacation without being overly sweet. I got fired up with the holywater cocktail featuring house-infused spiced rum, orgeat syrup & lemon juice. For dessert, order the chocolate tres leches for the win.

We had an amazing evening exploring the incredible flavors at Amaru. Let the adventure begin!

01/04/2026

Beyond the expected! offers an intimate, chef driven omakase experience unlike any other you may have encountered. This carefully handcrafted tasting journey features 25 courses that include ingredients sourced directly from Japan, as well as local producers. This hidden oasis is located on 5th Avenue in Naples & comes from the incredible team behind & . Guests are treated to exceptional hospitality, while dining at Omasava. Reservations can be made with seatings at 5:30p & 8p. It’s truly incredible & should not be missed.

It’s all in the details. Diners are greeted immediately & whisked into a luxurious room. At the center, you’ll find a bar that seats 16. The bar is made from a 1900 BC oak tree, which was submerged in the Sava River bed since 1000 BC. It was naturally air dried since the late 1980’s. It’s amazing to dine at a bar knowing the age of the wood is 4,025+ years old. It truly sets the tone of the meal.

Once seated, the wall at the entrance moves to enclose the room. Diners will feel like they are seated in an oak barrel. In fact, the room is a giant wine rack with bottles literally stored in the ceiling & walls. The exquisite feel doesn’t stop there. Guests are seated in a comfy Bentley residential chair. This level of class is unheard of being used in any restaurant. I was also impressed with the vintage bacarat glasses, the cut crystal plates & hand painted Japanese plates. The feeling at Omasava is pure luxury.

The stunning room sets the tone for an incredible omakase experience by blending Japanese traditions along with modern artistry. The executive sushi chef leads diners through a journey featuring some of the most incredible sushi bites ever. I loved the relax feel of each course & being able to watch chef hand craft each bite with precision. The flavors are extraordinary. They use the finest ingredients that include truffles, wild caviar, wagyu & foie gras along with fresh fish from the Japanese market. It’s a combination that leads to pure perfection. It’s the best omakase I’ve ever experienced!

01/01/2026

Best of 2025 ➡️

Best Japanese

Enjoy creative traditional dishes like the scallop yuzu.

Best Creative Cocktail Bar

Casa Chi delivers cocktails with flair. I loved the Chi-Old Fashioned with bourbon & mezcal.

Best Brunch

Experience the luxury an unforgettable brunch. The cheese soufflé is fabulous.

Best Steak Omakase chicago
Chicago’s first steak-centric omakase experience.

Best Bite

The snow crab claw with pepperoni chili crunch is out of this world.

Best Lamb Chops

Get fired up with the perfect wood grilled chops!

Best Fusion westloop chef
Enjoy modern Indian fusion with bold flavors like the lamb keema ragu with lasagnette noodles & masala peanut crunch.

Best Tamales

The best homemade tamales wrapped in banana leaves.

Best New Restaurant

Words cannot describe this gem.

Best Farm to Table

Fresh ingredients rule here. We loved the wood-grilled steak with mixed-berry & umeboshi marinade.

Best Ceviche
v
The ceviche tasting delivers the flavors & culture of Peru.

Best Deviled Eggchicago

Pickled cucumber & Osteria Caviar elevate this egg.

Best Exclusive Dish
Hamachi Collar

Hamachi collar is coveted by most chefs. I feel honored eating this.

Best Dan Dan Noodles

Dan Dan in a savory & spicy sesame sauce for the win.

Best Old School Italian

Spaghetti Loquercio for the win!

Best Steak

The beef ribeye is life changing.

Best Tasting Menu

nm
Class Act takes guests on a gastronomical journey.

Best Taco Tuesday

$2 tacos deliver the party!

Best Burger

The Company burger is simple but delicious.

Best Team

Cheers to a New Year of Bites!

AnthonyMartorina

01/27/2026

01/24/2026

01/17/2026

01/12/2026

01/04/2026

01/01/2026

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