Yeah, the Italians invented pizza; but thanks to the name, everyone knows who’s responsible for the beloved plate-load of excess known as Chicago-style pizza. Similarly, while the Greeks gave the world fried cheese (usually haloumi), it took a Chicagoan—Chris Liakouras of The Parthenon restaurant in Greektown—to add a dash of brandy and a whoosh of theatricality, with a spurt of flame and a cry of “Opa!” More than half-a-century later, Chicago’s role in unleashing this flambéed favorite remains largely unknown, because no one thought to dub it Chicago-style saganaki. (Robert Rodi)
