José Andrés has been the king of Spanish cuisine in America for nearly the last 30 years, and Jaleo was his original concept in Washington, D.C. The restaurant is now nationwide (and soon to be worldwide; the Dubai location opens later this year) and the Chicago outpost opened earlier this month.

The menu is filled with Spanish classics like pan con tomate, patatas bravas, and paella, just to name a few, but these dishes have been perfected over many, many years by Andrés and his culinary team. Their man in Chicago is chef Justin DePhillips, who has worked for Andrés for years at different restaurants, most recently at the Disney Springs Jaleo in Orlando.

DePhillips joined the Chicago team when construction started in late 2019 — and then, for obvious reasons, everything was put on hold. After a long break, construction and development re-started, and the River North location was completed earlier this year. DePhillips used the time to re-examine many of the classic Jaleo recipes — the brand has a culinary “bible” filled with thousands of recipes accumulated over the decades — and worked with the team to strip them down to their base ingredients and build them back up, better than ever. “The food we are putting on plates in Chicago has the rough edges refined, and we’ve brought them back to what they are supposed to be,” explains DePhillips.

One example of this refinement is the paella, which is unlike any other I’ve seen in Chicago. At most Spanish restaurants, paella is a huge dish served for a large party, and has to be ordered an hour in advance so it has time to cook. But at Jaleo, it looks very different — rather than a pan stuffed to the brim with rice and toppings, this version is thin, dark, and incredibly flavorful. “A paella is supposed to be two grains of rice thick. Americans love seeing a dish that’s full of stuff,” laughs DePhillips. “So it’s interesting to present this massive pan with a thin layer of rice on it; it seems absurd to an American market.” The dish, he’s proud to say, now can be made from start to finish in 18 minutes but retains all the intense richness of flavor.

One refreshing aspect of Jaleo (especially for a Spanish food geek like me) is that it’s not trying to put a tortured spin on already-awesome classics. “One of the missions of Jaleo is to bring authentic Spanish food to the American guest,” explains DePhillips. “It’s not that we shy away from innovation, it’s that the authentic dishes of Spain are what they are, and we’re not trying to change them or Americanize them, but bring them over in their truest form.” Patatas bravas are just what they are supposed to be — the potatoes aren’t different shapes or covered in chorizo foam. They’re perfectly crisp double-fried potatoes served with a spicy sauce and a light aioli. Meanwhile, an heirloom tomato salad combines perfectly fresh tomatoes with Spanish tuna for a light but filling combination that would make the ideal lunch. Most of the ingredients are imported from Spain (even down to the super-crispy bread), but there’s the occasional Chicago touch. DePhillips modified one of the Jaleo classics, a market fish with stewed vegetables, to feature Lake Michigan northern pike. “It eats like a combination of a branzino and cod. It has the fattiness of cod, but the rich butteriness of branzino,” says DePhillips. “I knew it was a risk, because it’s not a Spanish fish, but it’s one of those little tips of the hat to where we’re opening, that still maintains the soul of the dish without compromising what it’s supposed to be.”

Probably my favorite dish on the menu (and this is coming from a writer who generally skips dessert) is the tarta de queso vasca, a goat’s milk cheesecake that serves two. Perfecting the recipe took DePhillips months. Making a small cheesecake that has a perfectly smooth interior and a burnt exterior is a challenge, but by using parchment paper and a special pan (and a lot of trial and error), he got it right. “It’s only five ingredients, but how you treat those five is everything,” he says. “And if that doesn’t speak perfectly to Spanish cooking, I don’t know what does.”

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In a sense, it’s almost a cruel joke Illinois and Nebraska are playing on themselves by meeting Saturday for a “Week Zero” opener in Champaign: The loser of the very first game of the college football season won’t even wait until Week 1 to put a first “L” on the board.

Don’t the Illini, 10 years removed from their last winning season, and the Huskers, mired in a miserable four-season bowl-less streak, have enough stacked against them as it is?

But excuse me for lacing the punch bowl with negativity again. Old habits die hard.

It’ll be a beautiful day for the winner, and especially for the winning coach in either case.

Illinois’ Bret Bielema is steering a ship for the first time since 2017, his fifth and final season of a 29-34 comeuppance at Arkansas. Last time Bielema was on a field as a head coach, he was fired before exiting the stadium.

As for Frost, a Huskers hero as a national title-winning quarterback in 1997? Warm and fuzzy have exited the equation. He’s on the hot seat — with a 12-20 record and a new, no-nonsense boss in athletic director Trev Alberts — and his program is under NCAA investigation.

This game was supposed to be played across the pond in Dublin, which has witnessed about as many must-see Illini and Huskers contests in recent years as the folks in Champaign and Lincoln. But maybe this situation is better for Bielema, whose nationally televised debut comes at noon on Fox-32 with fans — and recruits — in the Memorial Stadium stands for the first time since 2019.

After meeting the media Thursday on Zoom, Bielema followed up a game-week radio blitz with an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”

“The name of the game is recruiting, right?” he said. “That’s probably what drives my decisions to do media more than anything.”

The word “unsexy” — which Bielema used a lot during a successful run at Wisconsin that included three straight Rose Bowl appearances — still applies. As do “tough,” “smart” and “dependable,” three words he says these days on a loop. Old habits die hard, too, for a former defensive lineman who walked on at Iowa and became a team captain.

But Bielema is an image-conscious coach, so much so that he dove into what the Illini will wear Saturday. He says he “attacked” the team’s orange helmets, ordering stripes down the middle and white trim around the blue block “I.” He changed the facemasks to white because he remembered how white ones “popped” three decades ago when he played against the Illini. There will be white gloves, socks and shoes and a block “I” with trim on the pants — all new details.

None of which would seem to amount to a whole lot in the 60-minute swirl, but who’s to say?

” ‘I can do things to the uniform,’ ” he told his players, “but you guys have to take care of the uniform. I gave it to you. Now you have to represent it. Now you have to go out on the field and make everybody understand what that uniform represents.”

Late Wednesday night, after a long time at the office, Bielema steered his car to the edge of a parking lot. His mind on football, he almost got clipped by a van rolling down the street that turned out to be an Uber. The van was festooned with Illini flags and, across its back, orange and blue lights. Bielema turned and sped after it, catching up at a stoplight and lowering his window.

“I love the flags!” the big man on campus yelled.

But he went unrecognized.

“He had no idea who the hell I was,” Bielema said. “I was excited to see him giving a little bit of Uber love, displaying the flags on game week, but obviously I didn’t make an impression on him.”

There’s really only one way to win everybody over, and that’s by winning. And winning more than losing at Illinois hasn’t happened for any coach since John Mackovic, whose teams were 30-16-1 from 1988 to 1991.

The last Big Ten game Bielema coached was against the Huskers was in the 2012 league title game. Wisconsin hung 70 points on their humiliated foes, with the obscenely good running back trio of Montee Ball, James White and Melvin Gordon rushing for 539 yards.

An outing like that is beyond Illinois’ capability now. Maybe someday?

“We haven’t played a game yet, right?” Bielema said. “It’s easy to get excited about something you haven’t seen. But I would say this: I hope there’s equal excitement after we get done playing. …

“For people to support us, they have to believe in what we’re doing and they have to see hope. I’m not sure where we’re going to land Saturday, but I hope to instill a lot of hope in a lot of people that have been looking for it here in the Illinois program for the immediate future and for years to come.”

Zero in, everybody. A new Illini era is upon us.

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A sell-out crowd of 6,000 fans is expected at St. Rita on Friday. There will be cheerleaders, a band, student sections and all the familiar sights and sounds of high school football.

The schedule-makers (athletic directors) blessed the city with the perfect opening night matchup: The top-ranked Mustangs host archrival Mount Carmel. It’s the ideal return to full-throated high school football.

Kaleb Brown and his St. Rita teammates have been talked about thoroughly the past week, but what about the Caravan?

Mount Carmel begins the season ranked No. 11. That might be a bit of a stretch. The Caravan graduated 17 seniors, the heart of the team for the last several years.

By all accounts, the talent is on hand for Mount Carmel to remain one of the top teams in the area. But there might be some growing pains. Expect the Caravan to be a threat come playoff time, but the beginning of the season might be difficult.

“We are young, but they have a lot of energy,” senior tight end Joey Thompson said. “There are a lot of things to fix, but we will be ready on [Friday].”

Thompson and senior linebacker Elliott Lewis are the leaders of the new-look Caravan. Lewis has been looking forward to Friday for weeks.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Lewis said. “The energy and emotion that Mount Carmel fans, the parents and kids and whole community bring, I love it. When I’m on that field, I just feel like I don’t ever want to leave. That’s how Mount Carmel fans make me feel.”

Coach Jordan Lynch says the Caravan’s strength will be the offensive line, led by senior Ryan Boersma. Senior running back Enzo De Rosa will be expected to carry a major load as the team breaks in a new quarterback.

Lynch had a three-player quarterback competition in practice, but based on last week’s scrimmage, it appears that junior Blainey Dowling has won the job. Senior Brandon Rogers, the expected starter, is out with an injury. Rogers has committed to Oklahoma for baseball, and it’s unknown if he will play football at all this season.

There’s a lot of excitement around the younger classes at Mount Carmel. One of the players to watch is sophomore running back/defensive back Darrion Dupree.

“He’s doing a good job for us on both sides of the ball,” Lynch said. “He’s one of the hardest workers on the team and a very good young talent that just needs to get tons of reps.”

The senior class is thin, consisting of just 12 players. But it’s a group that has experienced great success and has bought into the school’s culture.

“It doesn’t matter who the head coach is at Mount Carmel,” Lynch said. “From day one when you come here, the culture is set. You know exactly what you are getting yourself into. It is a player-driven team. My time of leading and doing all that is done. It is up to the kids, it is up to the seniors. [Thompson, Lewis and De Rosa] are carrying on that culture and bringing the young guys with them.”

Mount Carmel’s culture faces a massive test Friday. The Mustangs will be looking to make an opening night statement.

“That’s why you come to St. Rita, to play in the big games,” quarterback Tommy Ulatowski said. “You come to play in the big games, and there is nothing bigger than St. Rita vs. Mount Carmel, so I’m excited.”

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Some bands have listening parties for their new albums at a record store or the watering hole where they got their start. But Kanye West rented out Chicago’s Soldier Field, hired fabricators to build a to-scale model of his South Shore childhood home in the middle of the stadium, and invited 38,000 people to witness the “experience.”

Thursday night’s extravaganza created buzz from the minute its coming was announced just eight days ago, complete with relaxed COVID-19 safety restrictions requiring no proof of vaccination or negative COVID test results (1,500 does of the vaccine were available on-site for attendees seeking a convenient vax site).

Chicago’s “Donda Album Experience” followed two stadium listening events in Atlanta, and is presumed to be the final live preamble to the release of Kanye’s upcoming 10th studio album named, for his late mother.

A house (church?) was being constructed this week at Soldier Field for Kanye West’s “Donda” listening event on Thursday night. Recent social media posts showed a building resembling the blue South Shore house West was raised in by his late mother, Donda, who is the inspiration for the singer’s upcoming album.ABC7 Chicago

Anticipation over “Donda” has been swirling for more than a year and there were rumors that Kanye, or “Ye” as he officially may soon go by, was set to finally drop the album at midnight in conjunction with his massive homecoming event. That of course didn’t happen. (September 3 is allegedly the new date.)

By now we should be used to the fact that delays and surprises are just part of Kanye’s M.O. It was much the same at Soldier Field on Thursday night as the rapper kept the audience waiting nearly two hours past his advertised 9 p.m. start time with no opener nor a trace of background music to fill the air. This afforded the crowd two hours to just stare at the “house” in the center of the field, begging the questions: How did it have running electricity? What demise would it meet after the show? Was there maybe some kind of family dinner going on inside with Kanye’s kids and ex-wife Kim Kardashian in attendance?

In truth, the re-creation was a breathtaking marvel and one of the most impressive props used in a concert in recent memory. If only Kanye had interacted with it a bit more rather than relegating himself to the front porch with some questionable guest company, it might have had more purpose. The setup also completely forgot about the fans in the “backyard” who basically watched the entire event on the stadium’s sideline screens that carried a video feed formatted like CNN Breaking News with a series of Bible verses acting as story headlines.

Once Kanye and his entourage did emerge — at 10:49 p.m. — it was a nonstop affair that began with a montage of black-and-white video featuring Donda West, her name repeated in monotone, and then quickly devolving into a chaotic mock crime scene that was hard to turn away from over the next 90 minutes.

Kanye, disguised most of the night in a full face mask as his arms gyrated to the beats of tracks like “I Know God Breathed On This,” looked like a villain lording over Gotham. In the setup, he and his cronies — a rather distasteful and controversial crew that included Marilyn Manson and DaBaby — were surrounded as a cavalry of dancers dressed in SWAT gear and a lineup of trucks worthy of a monster rally, continuously circling the perimeter of the house. It was rife with the chaos and controversy that Kanye likes to invoke, including a heavy play on the religious themes that have long been his muse.

Truth be told, the fabricated childhood home resembled a church, with a beaming cross on top and, early on, a crew of dark-cloaked “clergy” were seen lighting candles one by one on the lawn that burned out by the time the tardy Kanye got on stage. In this instance, the Jesus cult vibe of his Sunday Service gatherings was replaced with more sacrilegious fodder, with Kanye inviting the Antichrist Superstar himself. That may have been a cool look in 1996 when Marilyn Manson was the poster boy for Satanic panic. But in 2021, with Manson facing allegations that now include sexual assault and abuse against women, it was crass. Add in the case of DaBaby — recently dropped from a string of events including Lollapalooza amid homophobic remarks — it’s clear Kanye was going for the moral jugular.

Whether it was Kanye’s embedded commentary on cancel culture or perhaps just his own version of shock rock, clearly it all worked, as those guest appearances will likely make more headlines than the music. So did the incendiary final five minutes of the show when Kanye wrapped up the affair by being set on fire (safely) before recreating his nuptials with ex-wife Kardashian herself strutting down the field in a wedding dress to the evening’s final song, “No Child Left Behind.” It’s one of the more promising tracks from the upcoming album that Kanye continues to tinker with and reportedly will include guest stars The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Roddy Rich, and DaBaby who now looks to have taken Jay-Z’s guest spot on “Donda” track “Jail.”

Though the night offered traces of Kanye’s roots to Chicago and those more innocuous “College Dropout” days, the anticipated homecoming show seemed much more reliant on the excess that too often shrouds his creative prowess and has the airs of a forced marketing ploy.

If he was looking to up the ante and wow a crowd (and maybe make current rival Drake shudder a bit), Kanye for sure accomplished that in a night that was performance art on a scale we’ve never really seen before. But there’s also something to be said about creating meaningful replicas, reconnecting with family past and present, and bringing it home to the city he adores so much that he named one of his children after it, that suggests beneath the pomp there is sincere authenticity. If only Kanye could realize it doesn’t always need the next big stunt to make us pay attention.

Selena Fragassi is a local freelance writer.

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Who doesn’t want a home with an architectural pedigree? The best part of living in Chicagoland is the endless number of buildings designed by well-known architects, whether it’s someone from the Prairie School like George W. Maher or a distinguished midcentury modern architect like Edward Dart. There is a lot of choose from. But you don’t have to stay in the city of Chicago, or even Cook Country, to find unique residential architecture. Let’s cross the border into Lake County and take a look at what’s currently on the real estate market (even though a couple of these homes may have already found a potential buyer). Just remember when it comes to big names in architecture, it’s going to cost you!

The one element that sets architect Edward Dart’s buildings from others was his use of Chicago common brick, whether it was at St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle or here at this 7,000 sq ft modern masterpiece in Lake Forest. Originally built for the Florsheim family in 1963-64, you can see Dart’s love of brick in the the simple interior’s walls and floors. Original details include custom built-in cabinetry and furniture, kitchen and bathrooms, a custom-designed arched wooden front door, a Dart-designed chandelier in the dining room, and a full wet-bar. But this property will cost you! At almost $4 million, the 17-arce compound includes a pool, pool house, studio, caretaker’s cottage, barn, paddocks, pond, and woods right next to a 100+ acre forest preserve. On the market for the first time, one can hope this property finds the right owner who will preserve Dart’s legacy, unlike a Dart-designed home in Glencoe that was torn down in 2018. 

A contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Prairie School, architect George W. Maher was known for creating homes like Oak Park’s Pleasant Home. As he designer, Maher developed what he called Motif-Rhythm theory, in which he repeated a decorative element, usually something from nature, throughout the building and its interior. That is evident here at the 1907 Emil Rudolph residence, also called the “Tulip House,” where the simplified, yet harmonious space is filled with original art glass windows and doors, handcrafted staircase, quarter-sawn oak cabinetry and built-ins, and a beautiful mosaic over the main fireplace. If the stunning architectural design wasn’t enough for you, the home is located on nearly an acre at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac just a block from Lake Michigan. What’s not to love?

One of Chicago’s most influential modernist architects, I.W. “Ike” Colburn created noteworthy designs for wealthy clients, mainly in Lake Forest, including his own that locals called the “Swiss Cheese House.” On nearly five acres, a Japanese-inspired home in Riverwoods built for John Kittermaster in 1963 is available for the first time in forty years (although the sale is now pending). Colburn sited the home on a raised terrace to take advantage of the natural surroundings. Entering the home through a walkway, you will find walls of glass along with pickled pine wood ceilings, helping connect the interior with the outdoors.There is an expansive Merrimac terrace with built-in seat railings as well as a deck and patio where you’ll notice an interesting architectural detail. Colburn’s trademark was to mix formal symmetry within a modernist design, which you can see here with the floating copper cylinders that wrap around the structural supports of the home. Other cool features include the original sliding shoji screens, a three-season sun room, and a large indoor pool. Who wouldn’t love the combination of a unique piece of architecture and a peaceful oasis right near the Des Plaines River?

It’s hard to escape Frank Lloyd Wright’s name in Chicagoland. Yet a lot people don’t know two of his sons were architects, probably due to the fact that most of their work is found outside of Illinois. In Grayslake of all places is a star-shaped, hilltop home on over 30 acres purportedly designed by his oldest son, Lloyd Wright Jr., in 1952. Secluded and private with lake views, this modern design has everything you’d expect in what Wright referred to as organic architecture with its floor-ceiling windows helping bring the outside in and the use of natural stone materials. Did I mention there are both outdoor *and* indoor waterfalls? Now that’s really taking “the outside in” to the extreme. Well, Wright himself did it at Fallingwater so no surprise his son would do the same. On and off the market for the last five years, this nearly $2 million home is now under contingency.

Best known for the original Playboy mansion in Chicago’s Gold Coast, James Gamble Rogers was also the architect behind a number of Gothic Revival academic buildings, including Northwestern’s own Deering Library. So it’s no surprise this English manor home, built in 1926, looks like it would fit right in with any historic college campus. Except it’s located on two acres (on what was originally a much larger estate owned by the Peters family) overlooking a ravine east of Sheridan Road in Lake Forest. The gothic influence is apparent with the home’s stone and brick exterior and slate roof, while the inside features beautiful millwork, a grand stone fireplace, and leaded glass windows and doors. Did I mention the lower level has a cozy area with stone fireplace as well as an all-brick wine cellar? Sounds like my kind of place!

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Two men were killed and another was seriously injured in a shooting sparked by “internal gang conflict” outside the Kankakee County Courthouse Thursday, according to police.

Relatives Miguel Andrade, 23, and Victor Andrade, 26 were leaving a hearing at the courthouse about 9:15 a.m. when they were approached in the parking lot by a man with several weapons, Police Chief Robin Passwater said at an evening news conference.

The armed man, Antonio Hernandez, 24, fatally shot Victor Andrade and injured another man standing on a sidewalk nearby, Passwater said.

Miguel Andrade went to grab a gun from his car and began shooting at Hernandez in a “running gun battle” in the parking lot and lawn of the courthouse, Passwater said. Police found Miguel Andrade with a gun standing over a fatally wounded Hernandez, Passwater said.

Miguel Andrade was taken into custody. Hernandez and Victor Andrade were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Miguel Andrade, Victor Andrade and Hernandez are all members of the Latin Kings and were engaged in an internal gang conflict, according to Passwater. Hernandez is believed to be from Waukegan, he said.

The other person wounded was not connected to the gang, Passwater said.

A second person was arrested by sheriff’s deputies while leaving the scene of the shooting. But Passwater said that person was not connected to the shooting and was in custody on an unrelated charge.

“Multiple firearms” were recovered from the scene, including an assault-style rifle, Passwater said.

Passwater said the “brazen” attack happened during a busy time of the day when many people were entering and exiting the courthouse, which was closed for the rest of the day.

City of Kankakee Mayor Christopher Curtis told reporters he was thankful there were no more victims. “It could have been a lot worse,” Curtis said.

Buildings near the shooting were on lockdown as a precaution, the city said, but authorities later reported that the area was secure.

Several law enforcement agencies were offering support in the investigation, including Illinois State Police, the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, he said.

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No. 23 Hersey at Lincoln-Way West

7 p.m. Friday: One of the things we missed in the abbreviated spring season was a playoff-quality matchup like this between upper-level teams from different parts of the area. Hersey has one of the most exciting players around in senior running back Ben Clawson, who averaged 11.7 yards per touch and scored 19 touchdowns in six spring games. Senior running back Justin Harris is one of 12 returning starters for Southwest Suburban Red favorite Lincoln-Way West.

No. 25 Morgan Park vs. No. 17 Fenwick

7:30 p.m. Friday at Triton: The preseason Prep Bowl was discontinued a few years ago, but this feels like a revival. Morgan Park was one of the spring’s breakout teams, despite graduating most of its starters from 2019. Receiver Tysean Griffin, whose offers include Tennessee and Illinois, headlines a talented sophomore class and is a favorite target for 6-4 quarterback Aaron Warren. Fenwick’s 19 returning starters include quarterback Kaden Cobb (Ball State), receivers Eian Pugh (Illinois) and Max Reese (Eastern Michigan) and offensive lineman Jimmy Liston — yet another Power Five prospect.

Phillips at No. 16 Batavia

7:30 p.m. Friday: With two-time state champion coach Troy McAllister leaving for Sandburg, Phillips opens the Joe Winslow era with as tough of a two-game start as anyone in the state: at Batavia and at Mount Carmel. Winslow, the Wildcats’ longtime offensive coordinator, has one of the Public League’s top quarterbacks in Tyler Turner. Batavia graduated five Division I players but returns 10 starters. Among them are strong safety/running back Jason Buckley, Indiana State-bound defensive back/receiver Anthony Roberts and linebacker Tyler Jansey.

Simeon vs. No. 7 Joliet Catholic

7 p.m. at Joliet Memorial Stadium: With no postseason in the mix last spring, Simeon got a head start on prepping for this year’s playoffs by getting experience for some promising youngsters. The best of the bunch is junior wide receiver Malik Elzy, a four-star prospect whose 12 Power Fiver offers include Notre Dame, Tennessee, Illinois and Michigan. Joliet Catholic, No. 1 in the Associated Press Class 4A rankings, is led by a pair of Illinois recruits: running back Jordan Anderson and linebacker Malachi Hood.

No. 2 Warren at No. 20 Barrington

7:30 p.m. Friday: Warren has emerged as a Class 8A power under coach Bryan McNulty by relying on a relentless defense and a potent ground game. Expect more of the same with 18 starters back, including Vanderbilt-bound running back Maurice Edwards and Central Michigan-bound linebacker Jalen Handford. Dual-threat quarterback Aidan Lucero adds another dimension to the Blue Devils’ offense. Barrington, coming off a 6-0 spring, will build around a veteran offensive line.

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