Eat. Regard. Tun. – Texas-meets-Middle East BBQ, Dublin trips, plus “Ted Lasso” Season 3
Have you chosen your green outfit yet? Hopefully so, we don’t want you to get pinched! With St. Patrick’s Day officially tomorrow, you might be ready to grab a corned beef sandwich. We’ve got a roundup of 26 of the best in Chicagoland to help you out. Or, if you’re planning a trip to the Emerald Isle, a solo travelogue of hikes near Dublin may inspire you to hike along the edge of a cliff.
Although the skies have been gray lately, brighter days are ahead. Some exciting summer lineups have just been announced, including Navy Pier’s Chi-Soul Fest and headlining the Ravinia Festival. In the meantime, we have reviews for Ted Lasso, now back for Season 3, generational drama Layalina, which hits the stage at the Goodman Theater this month, and more to enjoy indoors.
Enjoy the weekend, see you here next week.
— Lauryn Azu, deputy editor
Ravinia Festival 2023: Boyz II Men with Isley Brothers, Female Composers with the CSO
North Chicago’s biggest summer festival is back — featuring Boyz II Men and The Isley Brothers together for a concert, performances by John Legend, Santana and Lauryn Hill and a focus on women composers at the Ravinia Breaking Barriers Classical Music Festival. Read more here.
Column: Meat Moot Smoking crosses Turkish with Texas for an intriguing twist on grilling
Texas-style BBQ isn’t just gaining traction in the US, it’s even made it big in the Middle East. Meat Moot Smoking, a Turkish chain that recently opened its first US location in suburban Burbank, showcases the global influence of Texas grilling. The restaurant is Halal certified, the meat comes with a unique blend of spices and the chefs prepare the meat with the dramatic flair of Salt Bae, Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe. Read Tribune critic Nick Kindelsperger’s impression here.
“The Golden Gloves Story”: When she ventured into the boxing film business, the Tribune found that it wasn’t that easy
In the wake of the hype surrounding the blockbuster “Creed III,” Tribune critic Michael Phillips takes a look at the boxing movies of yesteryear, including a little-known and hard-to-get Tribune-produced film from 1950, “The Golden Gloves Story.” Read you here more.
Corned beef sandwiches are back at Steingold’s, plus 25 more of Chicagoland’s best
From Irish-American pubs to new-school delicacies to black-owned shops, Chicago is a city that takes its corned beef sandwich seriously. But the almost unimaginable happened when corned beef quietly disappeared from Wrigleyville’s Steingold’s for nearly a year. Tribune critic Louisa Chu interviewed Steingold’s owners about how they brought back the signature St. Paddy’s sandwich and lists 25 more of the area’s best.
Ted Lasso Review: Ted lost the spring in his crotch — as did Season 3 of this Apple TV+ comedy
The lovable Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso is back for its third season, and this time with longer episodes. But “the tempo meanders and the tonal security of the show feels off balance,” writes Tribune critic Nina Metz. Read more of her review for part of the new season here.
The owner of Lucy’s BBQ studied under Texas Pitmaster greats – and it shows
Lucy’s BBQ serves Texas-style barbecue at Brewfest, a bar in northwest Indiana. When you go, “every order should include those luscious slices of black pepper-crusted brisket that are so absurdly tender and juicy you can pull the meat apart with the gentlest flick of your fingers,” writes Tribune critic Nick Kindelsperger. Owner Nick Kleutsch, like many other Texan-style grillers in Chicagoland, was inspired by the pit masters he met in the Lone Star State. Read about his BBQ trip here.
Review: “Layalina” at the Goodman Theater is about the strength of family bonds, from Baghdad to Skokie
“Layalina” is an intergenerational immigrant family drama directed by Martin Yousif Zebari and is now available at the Goodman Theatre. The first act is set in Baghdad in March 2003, the second act is set in Church Street, Skokie in 2020. The show has “a rich sense of the tightest of extended families, be it in Baghdad or Skokie,” writes Tribune critic Chris Jones. But while the first half is strong, the second needs more structure and clarity in its narrative arc. Read his full review of the play here.
Rev. Wheeler Parker was in the bedroom when Emmett Till was kidnapped. His memoir chronicles the 70-year pursuit of federal lawsuits
Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. last saw his cousin Emmett Till on the night he was kidnapped. In his new memoir, A Few Days Full of Trouble: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin and Best Friend, Emmett Till, Parker explores the legacy of the crime that changed his life. Read his discussion with Tribune reporter Chris Borrelli here.
Taste of Chicago moves to September; Jazz Fest and summer season 2023 announced
Once the gray and cold weather sees its way, all the fun and excitement of summer in Chicago officially begins. The biggest change this year is that Taste of Chicago will host three preview events in Chicago boroughs over the summer, and then host Grant Park on September 8-10. Also on the schedule are the Chicago Blues Festival in Millennium Park in June, the Chicago Air and Water Show on August 19-20, and the Chicago Jazz Festival at the end of the summer. Read more here.
Wild and Free in Ireland: A solo trip to Dublin unleashes the primal liberation of pure, chaotic solitude
The sleepy Irish village of Howth, about half an hour from Dublin, is scenery so all-encompassing it can wash your worries away. Depending on the route you choose, a village cliff hike can take an hour or three, but you’ll find windy and chaotic relaxation along the way. Read how to get to Howth and what to do in the village here.