At long last, Chicago’s barbecue scene is changing. The word barbecue means such different things to different people that you can nearly provoke a fistfight when the subject comes up. Leathery Texas barbecued beef brisket, gamey Western Kentucky barbecued mutton and vinegary eastern North Carolina barbecued whole hogs all have their rabid adherents. But in Chicago, barbecue means pork ribs.

On the North Side, you most often see a cut from the center loin called baby back ribs. Spare ribs — larger bones with fattier meat from the sides and upper belly of the pig — are more common on the South and West sides, as well as rib tips — small cartilaginous pieces of the breastbone.

Chicago arrived on the national barbecue scene not because of its real ribs, but because of fictional ones: In 1974, the TV sitcom "M*A*S*H," set during the Korean War, depicted the heroic efforts — in the days before the Internet and FedEx — of the madcap doctors at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital to get a shipment of spare ribs from Chicago: "Ambrosia! The gods on Olympus, when they got tired of pizza, they sent out for these ribs.” These heavenly items came from Adam’s Ribs, supposedly located near the Dearborn Station at Dearborn and Polk streets.

But Adam’s Ribs never existed, and while a lot of people have speculated about places it might have been modeled on, nobody knows.

Real Chicago rib joints have tended to fall into two categories. On the North Side, you find ribs mainly at sit-down restaurants that serve a tender, falling-off-the-bone style. These include such veteran restaurants as Twin Anchors in Lincoln Park (dating to 1932), the Gale Street Inn in Jefferson Park (established in 1963) and the Fireplace Inn in Old Town (opened in 1969).

On the West and South sides, barbecue joints tend to be strictly take-out places, and the style is typically smokier and chewier. Stalwarts include Lem’s Bar-BQ House in Greater Grand Crossing (established in 1952), the Original Leon’s Bar-B-Q (with multiple locations; the first opened in the 1950s) and newcomer Uncle John’s in South Shore. North Siders looking for this style can find it at the acclaimed Honey 1 BBQ on the edge of Logan Square.

What both styles have in common is that usually they come heavily dowsed in barbecue sauce.

But when Smoque burst on the scene this year, they eschewed local styles. You’ll find neither slick, slide-off-the-bone ribs nor gristly rib tips. Nor is the meat drowned in sauce. Smoque proffers baby-back pork ribs, St. Louis-style spare ribs, pulled pork shoulder, chopped and sliced beef brisket and chicken, all slow smoked with apple and oak wood, and available in sandwiches, a la carte and in platters. Though the five owners — Barry Sorkin, Chris Hendrickson, Mike McDermott, Oscar Romero and Al Sherman — all come from the Midwest, the Smoque style hearkens to Missouri, Texas and the South without quite matching any specific region.

The ribs get a thorough coating with savory Memphis-style dry rub before going in the smoker, and a light, finishing baste of sauce that caramelizes into a crust. The baby backs smoke for three hours, which gives them a nicely smoky flavor and a toothsome texture, moist but still chewy. The closely trimmed St. Louis ribs (slightly meatier spare ribs with the tips removed) smoke for one more hour, resulting in a more tender consistency. A half-and-half platter lets you try both.

But now Chicago is just as well known as being a destination dining city as world class chefs and top-rated restaurants fill the downtown area and the many neighborhoods that make-up this wonderful city.

Pairing Beer with Food

You can introduce your guests to the concept of pairing food and beer by beginning your meal with a cheese flight and a variety of lagers or ales. When marrying beer and cheese or something like that, here are some easy tips to keep in mind:

1. Contrast – light beers contrast the richness of soft, bloomyrind cheeses such as a triple cream Brie.
2. Complement – full-flavored lagers complement more flavorful and complex cheeses like aged cheddar.
3. Balance – ales and darker lagers balance out big, smoky cheeses like a semi soft smoked Roquefort-style blue.

The Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder (2121 N Clark St., 773 248-2570) was way ahead of its time when it invented the “pizza pot pie” in 1972. And even though the old-timers still come here, it’s got a whole new legion of fans wrapping the line around the corner in the summertime. Unlike most pizza joints, this Lincoln Park legend doesn’t serve traditional pizza; only the pizza pot pie (a triple-raised Sicilian bread dough, homemade sauce, special blend of cheeses, sausage and fresh mushrooms) and oven grinders—sandwiches stuffed with meat, cheese and veggies then baked to perfection.

At West Town newcomer Coalfire (1321 W. Grand Ave., 312-226-2625), they’re cranking up the oven to 800 degrees to push out pies that are drawing in a faithful neighborhood crowd. And this BYOB is also putting an American spin on the classic Neapolitan-style pizza with offerings like the hard-to-resist Fiorentino (mozzarella topped with tomato sauce, and layered with hot calabrese salami and roasted red peppers) and specialty Margherita topped with tomato sauce, fresh basil, olive oil and grated Romano cheese.

Bongo Room (1152 S. Wabash Ave., 312-291-0100/1470 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-489-0690). For years, this Bucktown/Wicker Park staple is where everyone in the ‘hood flocked every Saturday and Sunday morning. And if you got there after 11:00 a.m., you knew you were in for a serious wait. They’ve added another location in the South Loop, and while it’s not as busy as the original, customers still go nuts over the flapjacks and French toast. How can you choose with options like White Chocolate & Mixed Berry Cheesecake graham cracker crusted flapjacks; Strawberry-Mango French Toast; Oreo Banana Pancakes; and Lemon-Buttermilk Hotcakes? If it’s too early in the morning for something so sweet, Bongo Room’s also famous for its omelets, where you can get just about any filling. $4-$10.

Feast (1616 N. Damen Ave., 773-772-7100). Another Bucktown/Wicker Park favorite, this restaurant offers a more comfort-food vibe and family-friendly atmosphere. Try to nab a seat near the fireplace in the winter and in the summer you must sit on the patio or on the sidewalk café. About the food: Go for the Garbage Omelet (with bacon, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes, cheddar and Pepper Jack cheeses with feast potatoes; NO substitutions!), Steak Benedict or their most popular no-brainer, the Feast Grand Slam, with two eggs with bacon, sausage links, Feast potatoes and toast. $6.50-$11.50.

Tipping is not an accepted practice in all countries. Therefore, those visiting or new to the United States, especially during the holidays, might be confused by our custom. For us, tipping is a part of doing business and showing appreciation. The holidays are a favorite time (or serve as a reminder) to show appreciation or make someone feel special. Visitors and newcomers to the United States should be aware of this practice.

People from other countries do not necessarily tip taxi drivers; however, it is an indispensable practice to get good service here in the United States.

A taxi driver is typically tipped 15 to 20 percent to the nearest dollar. Never give change to a taxi driver! For example, if your fare comes to $24.35, a 15-percent tip equals $3.95 for a total fare of $28.30. You would pay the driver $29.00.

Monetary tipping at the holiday season is based on the relationship; however, a well-selected gift is always appropriate. Since you probably must also stay within your own holiday budget, budget your tips accordingly. Where you live (metropolitan or rural) and your lifestyle are also considerations.

Who to Tip Tip those people whose services are used or provided on a regular basis. For example, you would not tip someone at the holidays whom you only encounter occasionally or a couple times a year.)

Which to Select — Money versus Gift The selection of money or gift is based on the relationship and the manner in which you can afford to tip. A present that is carefully selected will be kept and remembered for a longer period of time. A monetary gift is appreciated by those who have financial challenges. It is up to you to decide how you want to be remembered. When in doubt, the cost of one service or a double tip at the time of receiving your holiday service will suffice.

Just a few blocks from The Chicago Theatre and The Randolph Street Theatres lies the high-energy ambiance of China Grill. Dishing up “world cuisine,” it’s the perfect place to bring your kin for some family style dining. The large portions are inspired by the journey of explorer Marco Polo, who returned to his native land with unique food from the empire of Kublai Khan. China Grill is located at 230 North Michigan Avenue. For more information, visit http://www.chicagorestaurant.com/and click to the China Grill.

Playing Petterino’s

The ultimate dinner spot when visiting Broadway in Chicago, Petterino’s is located in the Goodman Theatre building and in between the Cadillac Palace Theatre and the Ford Center for Performing Arts. The walls are filled with caricature renderings of the famous Broadway stars that have dined there in days past – and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a cast member from a current show. Savor select cut prime steaks and fresh seafood, along with one of their classic specialties. They also presents pre-theater specials – and don’t worry if this is an impromptu trip, theatre show times and information are inserted into their menus. Petterino’s is located at 150 North Dearborn.

Perfect Ten

The Great Awakening

Twenty years ago or so Americans first discovered the joys of imported French and Italian cheeses such as brie and parmeggiano. At that time, it seemed difficult to find American-made cheeses that rivaled European counterparts. Since those days, a mushrooming bevy of craft cheese producing artisans have sprung up around the country from unlikely spots such as Louisiana and Indiana to more predictable states such as Vermont and Wisconsin. And the cheeses these Old World craftsman are creating are not just good for American cheeses, but have become considered damn good by international standards.

In the past decade or so our country’s consumption of specialty cheeses has soared. If ever there was a day when a Kraft Single ruled the land, those days are decidedly over.

So what brought Americans—and Chicago area residents, in particular—to this point?

Perhaps one explanation has been the popularity of wine. An excellent match for many cheeses, wine is as good a companion to cheese as chicken is to rosemary, pretzels to mustard and vanilla ice cream to hot fudge sauce. And given that the United States is now the second largest consumer of wine (after France), it only makes sense that we would go from nibblers of cheese to gobblers. Locally speaking, our metropolitan area is the second largest market for wine in the country, so perhaps it’s not surprising that premium cheeses are also to be found in great quantity. Finally, as we shun mass produced food oftentimes marked by inferior quality and unhealthful additives and often linked to environmental degradation, it’s only natural that we would seek something tastier and with more integrity when it comes to cheese.

Midwest is Best?