It's time for our weekly Chowdown Showdown competition! As we head into warmer weather, we are on the hunt for the best place to get the best ice cream in the Grayslake, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff and Libertyville areas. When you or your kids want creamy, melt-in-your-mouth ice cream, where do you go? You know the drill: Sign into our site and then comment below with your vote. Tell us why you love their ice cream. What makes it so good? You have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to let us know your favorite go-to place for a great ice cream. On Wednesday morning, we will post the top three finalists — …

Readers love their French fries. That was evident in this week's Chowdown Showdown, where there were about 50 comments posted to answer the all-important question: who has the best French fry in northern Lake County? Based on your votes on Patch, and on Facebook and Twitter, here are the top three contestants in Grayslake, Lake Bluff and Libertyville. Now it is time to select the Chowdown Showdown French Fry Champion. Please note a change (outlined in the PDF at right) to way winners will be named. A point system will be used to score the contenders, which will be judged based on votes as …

  We are on the hunt for the best place to get French fries in the Grayslake, Lake Forest and Libertyville areas. It's time for our weekly Reader's Choice Chowdown Showdown competition. You know the drill: All you need to do is sign into our site and then comment below with your vote. Feel free to elaborate on why this restaurant’s French fries are fabulous. You have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to let us know the best place for fries. On Wednesday morning, we will post the top three finalists in a poll — as determined by your votes in this article, on Facebook and on Twitter. Then it will be time to…

We are happy to introduce a new restaurant review column on Grayslake Patch, Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch and Libertyville Patch— effective now and centered around, and dependent upon, our readers. The Chowdown Showdown is meant to be a fun way for readers to vote on their favorite places to get certain entrees in Lake County. For example, this week, we are on a mission to find the best burger place in Lake County. Instead of sending a food review columnist out to give their sole opinion, we will be looking to you, the readers, to make that decision. We will post a column first thing every …