Some of you may have heard about Kings Bowl Lincoln Park, which has some unique features—such as a semi-private bowling room and a bar that measures a total of more than 200 feet.
However, connected to Kings is Max & Leo's Artisan Pizza ( 1500 N. Clybourn Ave.; KingsBowlAmerica.com/lincoln-park/max-and-leos ), which twin brothers Max and Leo Candidus started in 2011 in Boston.
Max & Leo's specialized in coal-fired pizzas ( offered in personal and larger sizes ) tossed in 900-degree ovens for two minutes. The results are masterful: The L'Umina is my favorite—an olive oil-based pizza with sliced roasted pears, caramelized onions, basil and ricotta cheese topped with prosciutto and a drizzle of organic wildflower honey. The ingredients may not sound like they work but, boy, they certainly do.
Other tasty options include The Brooksy ( olive oil, grilled chicken, caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, mascarpone and mozzarella cheese ) and L'Enza ( tomato sauce, Italian sausage, wild mushrooms and mozzarella cheese ), among others. And that's not all that's coal-fired: Other options include wings, ribs and nachos. I'm waiting for a coal-fired salad.
WingFest 2017
What is probably the sauciest of Chicago's many food fests ( literally ) took place March 3, when Chicago WingFest was held at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave.
Dozens of vendors—including Howells & Hood, Estrella Negra, Q's Tips & Wings and Timothy O'Toole's Pub—offered items such as habanero, PB&J and goat cheese-and-chive wings for hundreds of hungry attendees. In addition, WGN sportscaster Pat Tomasulo hosted the event, while the band Cadillac Dave provided music.
Restaurant winners were declared in various categories ( include mild, BBQ and rookie of the year ), and there were also competitive-eating contests for men and women.
Note: Restaurant profiles/events are based on invitations arranged from restaurants and/or firms.
