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BLISSFUL BANANA CAFÉ

15447 S. 94th Ave. ORLAND PARK, IL 708-349-9600

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This quaint breakfast and lunch spot has plenty of Vegan and vegetarian options as well as many traditional breakfast favorites. They top off your meal by giving you a sample of their blissful banana dessert which is made from fresh frozen bananas. It’s a healthy and delicious dessert. Open 8:00 am until 3:00 pm.

CHICAGO TACO AUTHORITY • 4219 W. Irving Park Rd. CHICAGO, IL • 773-282-8226. Veteran and Family Owned Local Business offering traditional and gourmet signature tacos. Once you eat here, you’ll keep coming back. The tacos are fantastic. I always order the Al Pastor taco which is pork and pineapple, and the Classic Steak taco. The meats are tender and so flavorful. I also add some of the red salsa to my tacos – it’s got some heat. Plus, I always get an order of guacamole and chips. It’s always so fresh.

CURRITO • 2720 Showplace Dr, Unit 5. Naperville, IL 630-857-3011. With multiple locations across several states, Currito offers grain bowls, salads, and real fruit smoothies made from scratch every day with whole ingredients and bold flavors. You can order pre-made offerings from the menu or customize it how you like. I ordered the Bangkok grain bowl with chicken for my protein. It consisted of asian cabbage, cilantro lime rice, cucumber, shredded carrots, slivered almonds, thai-style peanut sauce, spicy cashew vinaigrette and sesame seeds. It was healthy, delicious and filling.

HENG WING RESTAURANT • 121 W. Palatine Rd. PALATINE, IL 847-358-3061. This place has been around for a long time. They have a small bar area and a large dining room. The menu has a little of everything, beef, chicken, chow mein, chop suey, pork, shrimp and they have a lunch combination plate Tues- Sat. They offer you some tea to start off with. I tried an order of egg rolls which had a golden crust, an order of the chicken and broccoli, plus some chicken fried rice. The food was fresh and so good. The portions were very generous. After dinner they offered us some fortune and almond cookies.

MR BEEF & PIZZA • 123 Harlem Ave. FOREST PARK, IL 708-689-0640. They are known for their beef and pizza and the menu consists of all your fast food favorites too. I went though the drive-thru. I ordered some garlic bread that came topped with gooey cheese, some fried mushrooms, and order of fries. For my sandwich I tried an Italian Beef. It was so good. The meat and gravy were seasoned perfectly. The bread didn’t fall apart and I got it topped with hot peppers. They also have another location on Harlem Ave. too.

PETE’S FRESH MARKET • 259 Lake St. OAK PARK, IL 708-406-8700. This store is stunning! The aisles are well stocked. The produce selection is amazing, and the day I shopped, I found some really great pricing on the berries. They have a full service juice bar. Their meat and seafood departments are impressive. Their hot bar definitely stands out. It’s clean and there are so many choices. They offer Chef Driven Creations (made fresh daily) priced by the pound. They have heat and serve meal selections. The salad bar was filled to capacity. They have a Lotus Café coffee bar and some seating. Stop in, there is so much more to check out!

TACO JOHN’S • 10909 W. Higgins CHICAGO, IL. This place is behind the airport in the gas station next to 7-Eleven. There is seating if you would like to dine in and they have a drive-thru. I tried an order of the Super Nachos; chips, refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream and I added steak. Plus, the Combo – two crispy beef tacos with choice of side: I ordered the potato olés which are round crunch potatoes and a drink. Their food was fresh and tasty. They have numerous locations.

Chef Carlos Gaytán Introduces “Back to My Roots” at Tzuco

As he continues to champion the culture and cuisine of his homeland, Chef Carlos Gaytán and the team at River North’s esteemed Tzuco (720 N. State St.) are pleased to announce Back to My Roots – a year-long journey discovering culinary traditions of a new state in México each month. From Michoacán and Monterrey to Oaxaca and Yucatán, guests are invited to unearth the bounty contained within all nine regions of the country.

About Back to My Roots

Tzuco’s monthly Back to My Roots menu features specially created menu items inspired by the ingredients and gastronomy of each region. Menus are designed by an artist representing each territory, infusing visual impact and another layer of storytelling each month. In addition to the monthly menu selections, Chef Gaytán also invites leading chefs from México to join him in the Tzuco kitchen at points throughout the year for special evenings of adventure and collaboration.

The 2023 Journey

Chef Gaytán began the new year with focus on Baja California. In February, he turned his focus to Veracruz in the east, and in March Gaytán turned to his native state of Guerrero, located in Southwestern México.

For the remainder of the year, guests can look forward to exploring a myriad of territories, listed below.

April: Aguascalientes/Fería de San Marcos

May: Jalísco

June: Bajío

July: Oaxaca/Guelaguetza

August: Northern México (Durango, Coahuila, Monterrery, La Venimia)

September: Puebla

October: Yucatán Reservations are recommended and available at Resy.

About Tzuco

Led by Carlos Gaytán, the first Mexicanborn chef to earn a Michelin star, Tzuco transports diners to a place where work borne of the land and artisan craftsmanship are a way of life. A place where the climate is warm, and where spice is used unabashedly to bring others together over long meals filled with vibrant Mexican-French flavors, music, conversation and laughter.

Mashed Cauliflower Named Product of the Year

Bob Evans Farms, Inc., is pleased to announce that Bob Evans Mashed Cauliflower has been recognized as a winner of the USA Awards 2023 Product of the Year. Determined through a national study of 40,000 American shoppers in partnership with Kantar, a global leader in consumer research, Product of the Year is the largest consumer-voted awards program centered around product innovation. Bob Evans Mashed Cauliflower was awarded the highly acclaimed honor of the best product within the Meal Solution Category.