In Korean-heavy L.A., grill-it-yourself bulgogi or kalbi is as much a hometown food as tacos from a truck. So it might seem strange that when my mother, who is Korean and lives in Chicago, would visit me in L.A., she’d say, “Let’s get Korean food! But not barbecue.” Soups and stews are the things she […]

I’m not really into restaurants of the moment, although sometimes I hear about a place that shone bright and brief until something fell apart in the delicate balance supporting it, and I wish I’d gotten there before it snuffed. But usually it’ll take me a few months to try out something after I hear about […]

I never look for Chicago deep-dish pizza, or Chicago hot dogs, wherever I’m living because I know I can get some of the best whenever I visit my parents. The best in my original hometown? I’m still trying to figure it out. My mom likes Giordano’s, but it’s grown into a full-on chain restaurant, and […]