Food and Drink

I recently checked out Chef Art Smith's new Reunion at Navy Pier.

• Taking over the old Bubba Gump spot, the restaurant marks Smith's return to Chicago and spotlights his gift for Southern cooking.

The highlights: I loved Reunion's tender biscuits and juicy fried chicken, which I special-ordered atop a kale and Brussels sprouts salad ($19) to be healthy.

Our trip inspired a Wrigley-themed Food Fight, where we each tried to find the best bite in the park.

• Since the renovation, the concessions here have improved dramatically beyond the days of hot dogs and helmet nachos.

👋 Hey, it's Monica. Earlier this summer, I met up with chef José Andrés at his River North Jaleo restaurant before he hosted a Capital One cooking demonstration.

Why it matters: The Spanish-born chef and subject of Ron Howard's new "We Feed People" documentary is better known for bringing food to crisis zones with his World Central Kitchen than for having fun.

Our Food Fight last week was over the best outdoor patios in our area.

• Monica went with Mima's Taste of Cuba.
• Justin chose Bang Bang Pie's backyard.

👋 Hi, it's Justin! If you're a fan of desserts that are tasty and cute, head to Lake Street for dinner at Paul Virant's Gaijin.

• The Japanese restaurant specializes in okonomiyaki, an Osaka-style cabbage pancake cooked on a griddle.

Every quarter, Mariano's top bosses travel downtown from their suburban headquarters to listen to pitches from local businesses trying to get on their shelves.

Why it matters: Mariano's serves hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans and is a gateway for consumers to buy from neighborhood businesses.

👋 Hey, it's Monica. Hours after Klondike announced its discontinuation of the Choco Taco this week, I got a tip about something close — the Chaco Taco ($8) at Lonesome Rose in Logan Square.

What happened: Still in a haze over the death of my rabbit, I motored to the restaurant intent on ordering the taco to go. That is, until I realized it would be soup before I got home.

👋 Hey, it's Monica. An intriguing new dish has debuted in the cooler of a West Side Citgo station.

• Called jail dip, it's built like a seven-layer dip, but with ingredients commonly found in correctional facility commissaries.