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Panera Cares
After getting my hair done at the Aveda Institute, I went to the Panera on Diversity and had a pleasant surprise. It’s now a Panera Cares. Huh? Panera now has four Panera Cares outlets. They offer the...
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Water Banquet
Water Banquet restaurant In Luoyang in Henan, one night my friend Kristyn and I went to a restaurant known for its water banquet, a local culinary tradition. The water banquet is a 24 course banquet...
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Thanksgiving in Jinan
Yes. I’ve just returned, completely sated, from Thanksgiving at the new Hyatt in downtown Jinan. The food was plentiful and so scrumptious. Probably a hundred dishes easily. I don’t want to tell you...
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Restaurant Week: Tesori
In Chicago it’s Restaurant Week from Feb. 1 – 10. Participating restaurants, some of which are very pricey like Ruth Chris and the Peninsula Hotel, offer a three course lunch for $22 and a three...
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Review: Club Lucky
Club Lucky has a retro 1950s look and feel. It’s an Italian restaurant in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. On Friday and Saturday it’s crowded and reservations are a must. We went on Sunday and...
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Inspiration Kitchens
I had a great brunch on Saturday at Inspirations Kitchens’ 3504 W. Lake St, near Garfield Park. It’s a restaurant where homeless people are trained for careers in restaurants. The atmosphere was...
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Jinan’s Irish Pub
Very Irish decor Friday some of us celebrated St. Patrick’s Day early by going to the Irish pub here in Jinan, in the mall across from the old stadium. I was surprised to see a children’s birthday...
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C Rating
There’s a newer restaurant in the neighborhood that we call “Fahad’s Restaurant” because it’s the only one he’ll eat in. It’s got a rather up scale decor for this part of town with lots of red and...
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Harbin, Russian Tea Room
Russian Tea Room, Harbin Eating at the Russian Tea Room in Harbin is like eating in a Russian grandmother’s house. The decor is homey, full of antiques from former Russians who lived in Harbin in the...
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Breakfast at the Mercure
This morning some of us met a friend who was staying at the Mercure Hotel and had breakfast there. I think I like breakfast better than the brunch. Pancakes, French toast, sausages, bacon, as well as...
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Why I’m Not the Least Bit Hungry
For Thanksgiving a number of us went to the Hyatt Hotel in Jinan where we feasted on: turkey, cranberry, rabbit, beef, ham, beef stew, carrots, Brussels sprouts cooked with bacon, corn, fish, prawns,...
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New Restaurant
Perhaps you remember that one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants, The Red Door Restaurant, was demolished a year ago. It was sad to watch it get knocked down day by day. I’d hoped that they’d...
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Restaurant Review
Dianne, her student Emma and I went to Daming Lake on Tuesday for what’s become a weekly evening walk. Before the moon came out, we found a new, intriguing restaurant in a refurbished old shop by the...
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Guild Hall Dining, #1
While on a walking tour of Beijing’s Tienanmen Square and environs, I learned that from way back when each province of China has had guild halls where envoys from the provinces would stay. These halls...
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Recently to celebrate a friends’ birthday, four friends and I went to eat at Bon Appetit, an Italian restaurant which used to be run by an Italian American married to a woman from Jinan. About a year...
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The Who Café
I’d seen 3D latte art in Taipei on Instagram so when I visited I asked my hotel to suggest where I could find a café that offers it and they came up with The Who Café which is a couple blocks from the...
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Vie Restaurant
Salmon Amuse-Bouche In October I visited the award winning Vie Restaurant twice – once for my aunt’s 80th birthday party and last night after attending a wake for my father’s best friend. The food at...
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Shake Shack
Since I’d seen the 60 Minutes feature on Shake Shack, it seemed high time that I visit this high caloric eatery. Ordering was efficient and the man who took our orders was polite. Even though I soon...
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Floriole
On Webster Street near DePaul, Floriole offers a beautiful setting for its coffee, bakery goods and food. The decor is warm and modern. I was prepared to love this spot, which was new to me. However,...
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Brunch at Pinstripes
I’ve been to Pinstripes for lunch and dinner numerous times and have always been pleased with the food and service. When my sister suggested we go to brunch this weekend, I said I thought Pinstripes...
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