Since the inspiration for this blog struck about a year ago, I’ve been to a LOT of new places. Some were local; some were across the country. I’ve eaten bisque cooked inside a coconut, tasted my first ghetta, and even had my first brussel sprouts in decades. However, through all that, I didn’t have this forum to talk about them.

Some of those adventures and others will be detailed in my “Past Feasts” series. I want to keep this series focused on new experiences. So I’m creating my first invitation to anyone who visits. I’m looking for suggestions for great places to check out. I live in Chicagoland, so most of my outings will be in the area, but I’d love to have a list of places around the country to keep in mind, should I venture out and about. Given my wife’s dietary restrictions, I’d especially love to hear about places with great gluten-free options.

Here’s the only catch. Only suggest a place if you’ve been there, and please tell me specifics about why it’s worthy of the trip. Dining is very subjective. Anyone can tell me a place is great, but until I find out for myself, I won’t really know for sure. So thanks in advance for helping me make your Past Feasts some of my Latest Eats. I can’t wait to share them with you. Enjoy!