A bike ride through the Chicago Fire set is the scene of "Where Dave Ate" -- which fed his rare craving for a cheeseburger. This episode also features a spirit-infused review of Chicago Gourmet, and Ally Marotti's deep dive on how COVID + inflation equal big changes in tipping. Plus, David visits with Chicago Magazine dining critic John Kessler. In 2018, Kessler had some rough things to say about Chicago's restaurant scene. So what's changed since then, and have our 'dining grades' changed? Listen and learn.
On a Divvy cruise for a cheeseburger, Dave stopped at Leavitt Street Inn. His next visit was Big Star in West Town, then up Ashland Avenue to Alegrias, all part of "Where Dave Ate" on this episode. David also made the rounds at Chicago Gourmet, including the Tacos & Tequilas event, hosted by Rick Bayless. This week's conversation with Chicago Magazine dining critic, John Kessler, led to raves for Kasama and Wazwan.