Nick welcomes Monica Eng back for her first visit of 2026, catching up as she prepares for a colonoscopy and somehow still manages to be the hungriest person in the room. The conversation moves through the latest local and national stories she’s been covering for Axios, along with a rundown of the ten best things she ate in 2025 and five Chicago-area restaurants she’s watching closely. There’s also a sober moment on how everyday costs keep creeping up for Chicagoans, even when the food is great.
Esmeralda Leon joins Nick later to unpack a federal class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s over the McRib and its lack of actual rib meat. That opens the floodgates to a fast food rabbit hole, with stories and laughs about some of the strangest menu items ever unleashed on the public. It’s a mix of sharp reporting, food obsession, and just enough legal absurdity to keep things moving. [Ep 419]
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