Welcome to Toqueville

Chicago has arrived as one of the premier dining cities on the planet, and we feature the men and women who have put it there.

Penny Pollack, Jeff Ruby, Jennifer Tanaka, and Dennis Ray Wheaton

Ready for His Close-up

Geoffrey Johnson

Five Days on the Line

After dinner at Alinea, the radically inventive restaurant that opened a year and a half ago, a Chicago magazine reporter signed on to work in the kitchen and check out the magic.

Jennifer Tanaka

What Do Women Want Now?

Men, for starters. In a Q&A, the polemical essayist Laura Kipnis talks about the anatomical roots of gender inequality and asks why women, even in this postfeminist age, are still complaining.

Gwenda Blair

Who's Next

A quick primer on the stars of tomorrow

Chicago's Best Chefs

Meet the city’s foremost kitchen legends, the aces, and the innovators.

Table Talk

Six of the biggest names in the restaurant world gather to chat about the state of Chicago’s dining scene.

Table of Contents

Marquee - November 2006

Propping an Icon PLUS: The Arts on War

A Run for the Money

So far, as of June 30th—the end of the last filing period before this issue went to press—Illinois candidates had raised about $95 million in this election cycle. But where does all the money...

Jeff Fleischer

Don't Wing It

Get to know the airports’ new ins and outs now before the Holidays, and you’ll navigate like a pro.

Jennifer Wehunt

How to: Kick a Field Goal (Robbie Gould Style)

Physicists can explain the mechanics of kicking a field goal, but back on the field, Bears kicker Robbie Gould has a simpler explanation.

Nora O’Donnell

Going, Going...

After a locally owned Picasso portrait of the artist’s mistress Dora Maar was sold at auction for $95.2 million, the deal raised profound questions about the loss of the work and the future of...

David Bernstein

This Way Out

If nooses and chains don’t give you the warm fuzzies, maybe you haven’t been to Exit, where the pierced and tattooed bar staff are surprisingly friendly.

Sarah Preston

Ms. Fixit

Sara Lee Corporation was once a star of the local business scene but has struggled in recent years. Can CEO Brenda Barnes restore the luster?

Judith Crown

Making (Air)Waves

Mancow wasn’t the only local radio icon knocked off the dial this year. Here’s a scorecard to keep up with who’s out—and who’s on.

Cara Jepsen

Writers on the Record with Victoria Lautman - Sena Jeter Naslund

Victoria Lautman explores Marie Antoinette’s surreal life with author Sena Jeter Naslund PLUS: Critical Mass

The Short List - November 2006

An “amazing race” visits downtown; drink recipes for Turkey Day; some good news for Woodlawn; and more for November

Loving the Lilpops

What happens when a stranger decides to make a movie about your family?

Magda Krance

The Missing Link

It’s election season. Where is David Wilhelm?

James L. Merriner

The Avant Guardians

Meet four rising jazz stars who are bellowing their way out of the local fringe and into the big time.

Mark Loehrke

Taste Makers

Somewhat to their amusement, Lindsey Boland and Andrew Zimmerman find themselves one of Chicago’s fashionable couples just three years after moving from the East Coast.

Heather Kenny

Black Gold

There’s a coffee shop on every corner. But who really pours the best cup o’ joe? We sent a dining critic with a mild coffee addiction to sample the regular daily brew from each of the city’s...

Miriam Gottfried

Straight Edge/ Talking Trash

This year, the punk band Rise Against took on J. Crew and sold a lot of albums. PLUS: Talking Trash: Ira Glass v. Beau O’Reilly!

Kevin McKeough

Lab Partners

Love and modern sustainable design bloom in Bridgeport.

Bradley Lincoln

Haute Chocolatiers/Sales Check

A small family with big taste creates Coco Rouge, a chocolate shop that is anything but sweet. PLUS: Sales Check

Rebecca Little

Style Sheet - November 2006

Inside this urbane gear for home and body beats a rock ’n’ roll heart.

Stacy Wallace-Albert

A Fine Mess

When magician and collector Jay Marshall died, he left behind a lair crammed full of his finds, from priceless Houdini posters to penny-a-pound junk.

Gabe Fajuri

Deal Estate - An Architect's Aerie

An architect’s aerie, a Victorian beauty, and the long good buy.

Dennis Rodkin

Deal Estate Condos - A Cloud's Silver Lining

New condos for Hyde Park, West Chicago, and a onetime Chess Records office

Dennis Rodkin

The Dish List

The roster of notable Chicago chefs runs deep—here are 16 more and a don’t-miss signature creation of each

Grant Kessler

Chefs on the Grill with Michael Nagrant - Maneet Chauhan

This month, Nagrant chats with Maneet Chauhan, a chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) whose unlikely Latino-Indian fare continues to defy the odds at Vermilion (10 W. Hubbard...

Michael Nagrant

Dining Tidbits - November 2006

Budget Beat, Bakery, Gourmet Corner, and New

Recipe File - November 2006

Erwin Drechsler’s Caramelized Onion Tart with Blue Cheese, Walnuts, and Sage