For the past dozen years, chef Cristina Quackenbush has been making magic, cooking what she calls Filipino soul food under the Milkfish banner. With the opening of Tatlo Divine Cuisine & Absinthe House behind the Old Absinthe House in the French Quarter, she’s kicked that conjuring into overdrive.Tatlo is for the “bewitched and hex curious,” Quackenbush says, and it’s the next phase of culinary devotion for the dynamic chef.“I practice witchcraft,” she says. “It’s part of my personal journey that has helped me through a lot of challenges. I’ve dabbled all my life.”TatloWhere 240 Bourbon St.; tatlo.co When Dinner and…

Taste of Chicago returns for 44th year with music, food and Eli’s Cheesecake celebration This year’s food festival features more than 40 vendors and 17 food trucks. The event opened at 11 a.m. Friday and will continue through Sunday, showcasing the diverse food scene in the Windy City. The Brief  The Taste of Chicago runs from Friday to Sunday in Grant Park with over 40 vendors, 17 food trucks, and performances including CeeLo Green.Eli’s Cheesecake Company celebrates its 44th year at the festival with a 1,000-pound cheesecake cut on Saturday.Admission is free, and vendors will accept direct payment instead of…

A tiny town of about 600 residents, two miles inland off scenic Highway 1,  Pescadero is home to two destination food stops that people often drive over an hour south of San Francisco, or north from San Jose, to visit: a restaurant and a grocery store. I drive along a pristine stretch of Pacific Ocean coast in a rural corner of San Mateo County that will forever be protected from development, thanks to open-space advocates who fought to save it, 14 miles south of Half Moon Bay, then turn left at the “Historic Pescadero” sign, that notes the town was…

Bojangles, the Southern fast-food chain known for its crave-worthy chicken and biscuits, is aggressively expanding its presence in the Houston area with a new location slated to open near Baybrook Mall in Webster before year’s end. The site, previously occupied by Genghis Grill, is undergoing refurbishments to welcome the growing number of biscuit aficionados, the Houston Chronicle reports. David Higgens, a partner with HTX Chicken which heads the Bojangles franchise group in the southeast Houston region, shared that landing the spot near the bustling Baybrook Mall complex represents a strategic move based on convenience and a diversifying food scene in…

click to enlarge Google Maps Future home of the Friars’ Table. Brandon Chrostowski describes his new venture – a partnership with Cleveland Capuchin Ministries – as being more than just a restaurant. It’s intended as a beacon of hope for the city of Cleveland.Set to open in the Playhouse Square District this winter, The Friars’ Table will be a restaurant with a mission, one rooted in the values of “simplicity, dignity and community.”“The goal of the restaurant is to give the city not only a great restaurant, but hope,” Chrostowski explains. “We want to create a beautiful space where people…

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – In a first for the company, East Coast Warehouse & Distribution will make its South Carolina debut by establishing an operation in North Charleston.Described as a “leading temperature-controlled logistics provider,” East Coast Warehouse & Distribution will be operating services for the food and beverage industry in Charleston County and beyond starting in the summer of 2025.“This new facility – our first in the market – will allow us to expand our footprint, improve productivity, maximize flexibility and offer increased speed to customers in the greater Charleston area,” East Coast Warehouse & Distribution CEO Jamie Overley…

The beginning of the end, for me, was when a man laughed at my order in an Old Louisville dive bar of, wait for it, Wild Turkey 101 with ginger.  “You’re drinking that?” he asked, his incredulity making it clear this man does not know his bourbon — or how to order at dive bars; you get a liquor and a mixer, dude. Ready for a fight (this wasn’t my first pour of the evening), I fixed my gaze on his sneering face. “If it’s good enough for Jimmy Russell, it’s good enough for me,” I replied.  click to enlarge…

Are you proud of your college town? Maybe it was a charming little town that helped you launch your independence. And, according to Travel+Leisure, the best small college town for 2024 is in South Carolina. South Carolina Has The Best Small College Town Although I didn’t attend college in Clemson, South Carolina, I do have close friends who did and do. And, the latest ‘America’s Small Towns of 2024’ list from the travel publication named Clemson the best small college town. There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere swirling around Clemson, especially on game days in Fall. Tiger fans and alum…

As the crisp autumn air rolls into the New York City area, it’s a chance to venture out and enjoy the quintessential fall experience: apple picking. Whether you’re a seasoned orchard-goer or a first-time picker, these 10 orchards — all within a drive between 45 minutes and two hours without traffic — offer an escape from the city with a range of apple varieties, farm stands and picturesque landscapes. Dr. Davis Farm About an hour from Manhattan, Dr. Davis Farm offers daily apple picking. Weekends and holidays feature hayrides, and the Red Barn Cidery on-site serves a range of drinks,…

The story behind Korean fried chicken is salty, spicy, earthy and just a little sweet, the profile of the gochujang, the fermented red chili paste that’s key to these extra-crispy, double fried wings. Chi Chi’s is a Freret Street restaurant for Korean fried chicken and beer, including beer towers, in New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) The story behind the city’s new purveyor of them is a homecoming for a couple raised in the local restaurant business who are making their own start with some of the cravings they developed working far afield. Onigirazu are…