A food critic’s perfect day in Chinatown – Chicago Tribune

Good morning, Chicago.

Mayoral hopefuls took the gloves off during the first televised debate Thursday night, with candidates hitting each other with everything from accusations of plagiarism to lying about crime statistics.

The televised debate marked the first opportunity for all nine candidates to explain their positions to Chicago voters and draw contrasts with one another. Lightfoot, who is facing public concerns about crime, dissatisfaction with her leadership style and anger over some broken promises, often took the brunt of attacks as she sought to defend her record.

But candidates also focused their fire on U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson in an attempt to boost their own campaigns over the perceived frontrunners.

Read the full story from the Tribune’s Alice Yin, A.D. Quig and Gregory Pratt.

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Panic and fury has taken hold of Philip Rega, the father of a young man wounded in a hail of gunfire in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood.

The 21-year-old son remains in critical condition but is “responding pretty well” a day after being shot in the head and shoulder, his dad said Thursday, a day after the father and son were shot at while waiting for the school bus. Rega’s 15-year-old son was also there, but was not physically harmed in the attack. “It’s heartbreaking and tragic,” said Rega.

Two of the candidates trying to unseat Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot decried her combative style and said they would lift the city out of crisis by being collaborative, listening to those they disagree with and redirecting public resources to improve public safety and neighborhood investment.

Hours before they were due to participate in the first televised debate of the election, activist Ja’Mal Green and Ald. Sophia King met with the editorial board, which operates separately from the newsroom, and offered several ideas to take the city in what they said would be a better direction.

Art buffs are spoiled for choice in our city: Museums big and small boast galleries so ever-cycling it would be nearly impossible to catch all the openings in a single season. History museums and cultural institutions, perhaps unsurprisingly, tend to work on longer time frames.

Lucky us, then, that the next three months will see an impressive array of exhibition openings, right in time for the dreary weather.

Halfway around the world, the Chicago Bulls finally delivered a win with a quality that had been missing all season — domination.

This Bulls season has been filled with up-and-down insanity — squandered leads, intense comebacks, razor-thin margins that force buzzer-beaters. That was not the case on the international stage against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday in the NBA Paris Game.

The list includes a Second City sketch comedy revue that critic Chris Jones gave four stars.

As with our previous lists for comedy in Chicago, we sweat not over what we’re including, but what we didn’t. So be it. Around the Chicago area from now through early spring, here are comedy offerings for early 2023.

As Lunar New Year approaches Sunday, Louisa Chu revisited Chinatown with intention.

You’ll find this food critic’s perfect day and night in Chinatown deeply rooted in food memories. It’s a guided insider’s itinerary on what to eat, drink and do around the neighborhood.