Most New Yorkers won’t hesitate to tell you about how proud they are to be a New Yorker, and Nicki Minaj certainly isn’t shy. The Trinidadian rapper performed Wednesday, April 24 at the United Center. But before her concert, she acquainted herself with the locals with some eye-opening takes on Chicago cuisine.
Chicago witnessed a miracle Wednesday afternoon when a “proud New Yawka” complimented Chicago’s pizza scene. She writes on the social platform formerly known as Twitter, that although she hates complacency, Chicago’s pizza “might be” second to New York’s, even though she has traveled “around the world and even to Italy.” This last part will give some Neapolitan pizza makers a boost.
I never thought I would say that; and you know how much I hate “flattering”… but Chicago COULD… COULD… be runner-up… behind NEW YORK in *hides my face* in *whispers and runs away* in a pizza. I’ve been around the world. Even Italy
-Signed a proud new Yawka– Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) April 24, 2024
There are no public signs indicating where Minaj dined, so it’s unclear exactly what type of pizza she enjoyed or where. These are key points when discussing pizza. People need to know if she ate deep dish so they can come up with their canned response that “this isn’t real Chicago pizza” and “it’s only for tourists.” They need to know if Minaj ate tavern style pizza so they can come back with “no one calls it tavern style” and “why didn’t she go to the South Side?” Maybe the less fans know the better for surviving the pizza wars.
Trinidad and Tobago-born Minaj also shared some love for an often overlooked part of Chicago’s population by praising her Trini and Jamaican spots. She writes that Chicago offers “very good Caribbean cuisine”. Again, it’s unclear where she dined. There’s no doubt these restaurants would benefit, the same way Jay-Z helped Bronzeville Soul last summer and how Dimo’s Pizza gained attention in May 2023 thanks to a TikTok review from Lizzo.
The bear and Da Bears
It only took two seasons, but the national media finally made the connection between Chicago and The bear. Minutes after the Chicago Bears selected University of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, ESPN’s SportsCenter social channel released a meme who mixed the TV show and the football team. They used the text “The bears have a new leader”. Fortunately they reread it. I didn’t want Bears fans to think the team had acquired Patrick Mahomes.
Café Selmarie says its final goodbyes after 40 years in Lincoln Square
Café Selmarie, a four-decade mainstay of European-style dining and baking in Lincoln Square, has announced its closing date more than six months after founder Birgit Kobayashi announced her plans to retire. Its final seating will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27 at 4729 N. Lincoln Avenue, according to a representative. Kobayashi, who opened Selmarie in 1983 with his late business partner Jean Uzdawani, first shared the impending September 2023 closure, but did not specify a date.
Café Selmarie will be replaced by a new restaurant, Willow Cafe and Bistro, owned by Andrew Pillman of neighboring beer bar Lincoln Square Taproom. No opening date is yet available.
