Chicago has several pockets of Italian culture: the original Little Italy on Taylor Street, along with the area of West 24th Street and Oakley Avenue as well as part of North Harlem Avenue.
NBC 5’s Food Guy Steve Dolinsky says there was also once a vibrant corridor along Grand Avenue in West Town. More recently, that area has been making a slow comeback.
For decades, the area around Grand Avenue, about a mile west of downtown, had Italian groceries, bakeries and restaurants. There are still some holdovers, as well as some new blood, pumping energy into a field that had seemingly lost many of its pioneers.
At Tempesta Market, a great Italian deli owned by the family behind the best nduja in town, the deli case is the centerpiece, according to Dolinsky. The spicy, spreadable Calabrian sausage joins other meats on a menu full of subs and sandwiches.
Down the block, the legendary D’Amato’s sells bread from its coal-fired oven, while Bari also has sandwiches and grocery items. Across the street is the brand new Gemma foods – a pandemic project that became a full time job.
“I started cooking for friends, I offered, he said ‘hey, I’m going to make some pasta, are you interested? It will be kind of a restaurant-level experience in your house,’ and suddenly it became a thing,” said Tony Quartaro, owner of Gemma Foods.
Pasta here is treated with respect.
The Food Guy
Quartaro lives deep in flour and eggs, making some with a fancy extruder, others entirely by hand. Read also : Singapore imports more than 90% of its food. Here’s how it handles rising food inflation. The detail on the ravioli is stunning; filled with ricotta, sealed and cut, few restaurants can compete with this level of skill.
“We have three classics on our menu: our canestri alla vodka, and then we also do paccheri with Sunday gravy, bucatini cacio e pepe,” he said.
You can pick up the pasta, have it delivered or shipped, and then buy sauces separately, to assemble at home.
“You add some of your pasta water to thin out the sauce a little and then bring it all together in a pan,” says Quartaro.
If you’d rather have someone else cook your pasta, there’s Elina’s, a cozy new restaurant on Grand Avenue just west of Racine Avenue. The vodka rigatoni alla is a house favourite, as is the chicken parmesan, thinly pressed. Most of the pastas are made in-house. The small dining room fills up quickly, so no shame in eating at the bar.
A few blocks off Grand, the new Paulo Gelato is partially hidden behind the CTA entrance, but it’s worth the effort. Everything is handmade, including the pistachio paste.
“The pistachio is something I decided to start doing because I wanted to do really well, and it takes a lot of time,” said Pawel Petrykoski, the owner.
“You have to roast a pistachio first, then there is a grinder machine that makes small pieces of pistachios.”
Also, the Trio – which includes dulce de leche, chocolate and hazelnut, or magical chocolate mint. The store is the culmination of a dream that started in Poland, but has now been fully realized here.
“This is the part I like to do which is to create something new,” he said.
Here are establishments you can visit in the neighbourhood:
This is Steve Dolinsky, and for the past 17 years he has covered the restaurant scene on ABC 7. But today he announced that he is quitting his job. Its final segment will air on February 20.
What channel is Steve Dolinsky on?
Steve Dolinsky (born 1968) is an American television, radio, print and podcast food and travel reporter. He has reported as “Hungry Hound” on ABC 7 (Chicago) between 2003 and 2021 and as “The Food Guy” on NBC 5 (Chicago) from 2021 to the present.
What channel is the food man on? The Food Guy – NBC Chicago. See the article : Food Truck Friday returns to Duluth.
Where is Steve Dolinsky?
Published October 15, 2021 • Updated on October 15, 2021 at 5:36 pm. Steve Dolinsky has won 13 James Beard Awards for his television, radio and podcast work. This may interest you : Cockroaches, mold, inedible food: prison food is straight out of a nightmare. He is the Food Correspondent at NBC 5 (Chicago), where his “Food Guy” reports on air every Thursday at 10 p.m.
Why did Dolinsky leave Channel 7?
Earlier this year, Steve Dolinsky left ABC 7 after covering the local food scene for 17 years. At the time, the award-winning food reporter said he was looking forward to getting “serious about my own business”, which he said would include a mix of freelance food-related projects. But when NBC Chicago (WMAQ-Ch.
Where can I watch Guy Fieri?
The Food Network’s Guy Fieri will host a special edition of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Takeout, premiering Friday, March 24, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers can watch it on Food Network, fuboTV (free 7-day trial) or Hulu + Live.
Where can I watch Guy Fieri new? franchise to run.
- How to Watch Guy of Luck from Lifetime Premiere Today.
- Date: January 2, 2022.
- Time: 9:00 p.m. ET.
- Television: Food Network.
- Live Stream: You can stream Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime Premiere on fuboTV: Get started with a free 7-day trial!
Is Triple D on Netflix?
Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Fresh, Fried And Crispy’ On Netflix, Where Daym Drops Travels The US For The Best Fried Dishes.
Where can I watch all seasons of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
You can currently watch Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Discovery, Hulu Plus, and fuboTV. You can stream Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives by renting or buying on Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, Google Play, and iTunes.
What network is Guy Fieri on?
In 2006 Guy Fieri premiered his first show, Guy’s Big Bite, on Food Network. Today, this “culinary rock star” also hosts the top-rated show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Guy’s Grocery Games, and guest judges on Food Network Star.
Where is Steve Dolinsky?
Published October 15, 2021 • Updated on October 15, 2021 at 5:36 pm. Steve Dolinsky has won 13 James Beard Awards for his television, radio and podcast work. He is the Food Correspondent at NBC 5 (Chicago), where his “Food Guy” reports on air every Thursday at 10 p.m.
Why did Steve Dolinsky leave abc7? Earlier this year, Steve Dolinsky left ABC 7 after covering the local food world for 17 years. At the time, the award-winning food reporter said he was looking forward to getting “serious about my own business,” which he said would include a mix of freelance food-related projects. But when NBC Chicago (WMAQ-Ch.
