Unsurprisingly, culinary travel has increased in popularity over the last few years. After all, I’ve been saying food is an excellent reason to travel. No matter the destination, I try to keep an eye out for unusual foods or drinks that genuinely speak to me.
Read MoreFood is one of the most delicious expressions of love, culture, and those who influence us. Dining brings those elements to the table showcasing the true beauty of food.
Read MoreAfter a year of canceled plans, multiple COVID tests, and restricted travel, I’m ready to get back to doing what I love, eating my way through the Windy City. The pandemic lockdown forced me to stay at home, get creative in my kitchen, and prepare my meals (gasp!). Let’s say there are only so many ways you can make that bagged salad from Trader Joe’s look appealing. If I’ve learned anything in the past year, it’s a newfound appreciation for travel and the fact that I will never take dining in a restaurant again.
Read MoreCocktail culture is something that not only intrigues me but is constantly evolving. Gone are the days of sipping on rum and cokes and pounding Jager-bombs, unless you still reside on a college campus or in your parent’s basement. In a world where craft cocktails are king, barflies are sipping on timeless classics like Martinis, Manhattans, and Margaritas.
Read MoreWe all have moments in our lives that can be considering defining or fundamentally changing, shaping us into the amazing humans we are today. Perhaps it’s getting your degree, persevering and finishing that first marathon, meeting the love of your life or taking your first trip abroad, each changes your perspective and outlook on life. The evening that I opened the door to Alinea was pivotal as my outlook on life and food was forever changed.
Read MoreWhy is it so hard to find a decent brunch place on a Friday? Is it because most of the general population is supposed to be working? Work schmerk. After all, a girl has gotta eat!
Read MoreFor those of you who have been following Blonde Voyage Nashville, you know that I have season tickets to Next Restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. It's probably the one thing that I get asked about the most as people have a difficult time ascertaining the whole "season tickets to a restaurant" concept. To be quite honest, it's been an experience for which I am incredibly grateful.
Read MoreWhen one of your favorite chefs gives you a restaurant recommendation, you not only make a quick note, but you also make reservations, ASAP.
Enjoying yet another amazing dinner at Bastion (last seen here) I started chatting with Chef Josh Habiger about upcoming travel. Well aware of the fact that he is incredibly knowledgeable about the food scene in Chicago (he did after all, work spend some time at Alinea) I thought it would be worth picking his brain for any new up and coming restaurants.
Read MoreWhen you hear Chicago what comes to mind? Da Bears? The Bean in Millennium Park? The terribly long line that forms at Garrett's Popcorn? Maybe it's the World Series Champions, the Chicago Cubbies.
Read MoreRhine Hall. It's a new name in the Nashville market but one that Chicagoans know very well. Nestled in the heart of West Fulton Market, Charlie and Jenny Solberg are keeping their family tradition alive producing some of the best eau de vie around. You might be scratching your head about now or pulling up a tab to google "eau de vie." Don't worry, I had to do the same thing.
Read MoreEvery year around November/December, I anxiously anticipate Next Restaurant's menus for the upcoming year. Chef Grant Achatz and Chef Jenner Tomaska are both imaginative and calculated with their menu iterations.
Read MoreWhile I was in the midst of my foodie reconnaissance for an upcoming trip to Chicago, I stumbled across a restaurant new to the Chicago dining scene, Entente. As I began to read through several articles, I became very excited and knew this was a must during my visit. At the helm of this new venture is Chef Brian Fisher, formerly of Michael Carlson's Schwa and Chef Mari Katsumura, formerly of Curtis Duffy's Grace. With that combination of culinary prowess, I knew I would be in for a treat.
Read MoreConfession: My name is Catherine Courtney and I eat for the insta. Let's be honest, everyone does it whether they admit it or not. It's an epidemic.
Read MoreEvery time I go to Chicago, I try to make it to a few new restaurants. Over the past eighteen months, it's been harder and harder to abbreviate my list as the Chicago dining scene is always evolving. When one place closes, three more open making it exhausting for this Nashville girl to keep up.
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