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From 2 Sparrows to the Trump

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I checked out of The James in Chicago, but there was still more to taste in the city. Breakfast with my Cocktails and Joints Publisher Dale Winespeare was scheduled at 2 Sparrows and I couldn’t wait to check out this unusual spot. This is a breakfast and lunch only restaurant with the food driven by what’s local, fresh and in season. The owners, Gregory Ellis and Steven Fladung, grew up in Chicago and both bring in a host of restaurant experience that was mostly earned at the famed Charlie Trotters. In addition to the locally-driven food, 2 Sparrows has a great menu of cocktails, wine, beer and spirits – many of which are from small, regional developers, such as North Shore Distillery and Metropolitan Brewing. While the food and drink menu does change often, I can tell you we loved what we had. That included Buttermilk Pancakes with honey mascarpone, blueberry and fresh maple syrup; Maple & Bacon Doughnuts; and “Pop Tarts” filled with Nutella and topped with ra

New Finds and Old Favorites in Chicago

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I try to make it in to Chicago as often as possible, but no matter how often I do go there I always seem to find new things. In this case, it wasn’t only the restaurants that were new to me. I was meeting with my publisher, Dale Winespeare, at Cocktails and Joints for the first time. We checked into our rooms at The James Chicago , a hotel I always loved for its modern comfort. This time they gave me a two bedroom suite, which I settled quickly in before meeting Dale to go to Tavernita , a new restaurant with an exciting new cocktail program. Tavernita doesn’t just make unusual cocktails for individual customers, they make cocktails for kegs. They also make their own sangrias and sodas, and serve wine on tap. We were lucky enough to get to try a little bit of everything and I was quite impressed. I liked the Booty Collins, consisting of green tea-infused Absolut Vodka, passion fruit, lemon and cayenne. I also loved the nutty flavor of the Comandante Big Nose with hi