Next Saturday October 22 from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm, hundreds of Chicagoans will be on hand to enjoy the 2nd annual Fried Chicken & Champagne Fest. Proceeds from the event go towards financial assistance for hospitality and culinary arts students through the Kendall College Trust. A dozen award-winning Chicago chefs fry up their best recipes, and attendees munch those chicken renditions while sipping on a vast array of bubblies have been curated by Master Sommelier Serafin Alverado of headlining sponsor Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. And let’s just say, with the likes of Chef Lee Wolen from Michelin-starred Boka Restaurant participating, you are bound to exerience way beyond ordinary.
Category Archives: Chicago restaurants
October events at Chicago Lettuce Entertain You
-
M Burger special flavor milkshake, Have Dreams’ Shake—Strawberry Hot Fudge Swirl Surprise for the month of October (Skokie, Aurora and downtown) for $4.49; $1 of each sale is donated to Have Dreams. Learn more about their work with young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder at www.havedreams.org.
- M Burger has also created a quintessentially fall-tasting confection Caramel Apple Cider milkshake available all of October. Chef Tim Hockett and his team create thick milkshakes made with locally sourced cider, house made caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. The Caramel Apple Cider Shake is offered at six M Burger locations (listed below) for $4.49 plus tax.
At Osteria Via Stato, 620 N. State St., Chef David DiGregorio offers special menu items perfect for carbo-loading runners in the Chicago Marathon. Available Saturday, October 10 and all Marathon weekend: Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner, 3 to midnight at both Osteria Via Stato and Pizzeria Via Stato or carry out. Choose from:
- Whole Wheat Penne with Seasonal Vegetables ($15.95)
- Orecchiette with Crushed Tomatoes and Garlic ($15.95)
- Spaghetti & Meatballs ($16.95)
- Rigatoni with All-natural Chicken Ragu ($15.95).
Everest, 440 S. LaSalle St. celebrates Shakespeare 400 Chicago – Culinary Complete Works. October 13-23, 2016. Chef/proprietor J. Joho prepares dishes from the era of ancient Rome, inspired by Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” during The Joffrey Ballet’s run of “Romeo and Juliet” at the Auditorium Theatre. Reserve between 5 and 5:30 pm, enjoy the three-course Pre-Theater Menu (complimentary parking for the evening) and get to the performance on time. Call 312-663-8920 or visit www.everestrestaurant.com for more information. The Shakespeare Menu:
- Great Lakes Wild Whitefish – Braised in Guarome and Lovage
- Au Naturel Capon Fricassée, Roman Herb Seasoning, Chickpea Panisse, Sautéed Romaine
- Fromage Blanc Bamboloni “Roman Beignet”, Compote of Fall Fruit, Honey and Pistachio
Wow Bao – Pumpkin Bao available at all downtown locations ONLY, starting Friday, October 21. Traditional Pumpkin Bao in our signature dough, filled with a rich and smooth blend of pumpkin & spices. ($1.99, $2.09 at Water Tower).
PLUS Wow Bao is poised for its Fourth Annual Wow Bao Eating Contest with ABC-7 Chicago’s ‘Hungry Hound’ Steve Dolinsky.
- Preliminaries: Monday, October 17 – Friday, October 21 at 6 p.m. each night; Wow Bao – 1 W. Wacker (corner of State & Lake)
- Championship: Saturday, October 22 at 2 p.m.; Wow Bao – Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave., Level 2
For every bao eaten during the two-minute championship, each contestant will receive a $10 Lettuce Entertain You gift card. The Grand Prize Winner will also win a free six-pack of Wow Bao a day for a year. Don’t feel like filling your bellies with bao? Come help us create the hype at the championship and cheer on the finalists as they try to set a new record. To sign up visit www.wowbao.com.
Chicagoans can now subscribe to lunch and save
It’s not delivery convenient, but it’s a chance to get out and exercise without killing your whole lunch hour or having to rush through a restaurant meal.
MealPal launched its subscription lunch service in Chicago today with more than 50 restaurants on board. Choose menu options from local restaurants for less than $6 per meal – and skip those annoying lines.
- Preferences. Pal will ask you a series of questions to understand which ingredients you like and don’t like. That way you see meal options that fit your tastes.
- Reminders and calendar integration. Pal will remind users to reserve lunch on any given day if you forget, and will add lunch reservations to your calendar.
- Longer booking window. Previously, you couldn’t start ordering until 7pm the day before to select your lunch for the following day – but now you can check out the next day’s menu starting at 5pm.
Binge on ’em all week before Shaw’s Oyster Fest
Oyster Fest Presented by Shaw’s Crab House returns to Chicago on Friday, September 30, 2016 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Chicago’s River North for its 28th year featuring great food and live music. Shaw’s Chicago and its sister restaurant, Oyster Bah, are great at creating fun food events all year, but check out the fun they’ve got planned for Oyster Fest week.
Summer wines from Donnafugata / Sicilia DOC
In our dreams, it’s always summer in Sicily. The vineyards and the olive groves are bursting with goodness, and the winemakers are all handsome, good-natured and very busy.
We interviewed Antonio Rallo last winter when he came to Chicago as the new president of Sicilia DOC. And recently we had an opportunity to taste a couple of summer wines from his Donnafugata vineyards. From their “fresh and fruity” collection comes the very first US release of Sherazade Nero d’Avola 2015, made from Sicily’s best known indigenous red grape. Light, pleasant and enchanting, with brilliant ruby and purple hues and aromas of strawberries and raspberries with hints of mild pepper. In other words: the red you don’t expect, ideal for the aperitif.
2015 Donnafugata SurSur Grillo Sicilia DOC (SRP $23) is a young, fresh and fruity Grillo that pairs beautifully with food and stands happily on its own. The name Sur Sur means cricket in Arabic (a language once also spoken in Sicily) and the label shows the scents and colors of spring. This single-variety wine is crisp and bright with notes of white peaches and grapefruits combined with hints of aromatic herbs.
These are modern wines made from native grapes, examples of authentic Sicilian flavors, ideal for the summer and perfect to share with friends in a relaxing moment of leisure.
Shaw’s Oyster Fest 2016 offers VIP access!
Oyster Fest Presented by Shaw’s Crab House returns to Chicago on Friday, September 30, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the corner of Hubbard St. and Rush St. in River North. More than 3,000 guests – got that? – are expected at this year’s Festival. Underline that number: 3000. This is your clue to think about going for the new VIP ticket (see below) so you can rise above the madding crowd.
Tickets
-
General admission ($20)- festival admission
-
VIP admission ($50)- festival admission, table & waiter service, access to full liquor cash bar, clear sightline/up close to the stage, and access to “luxury” running water trailer bathrooms – as opposed to port-a-potty units.
-
The Friends Band, the friendliest band in town with a fun dance style- 3 to 4 p.m.
-
Big Dog Mercer, the owner of one soulful voice and winner of the 2015 Kankakee Valley Music Awards Best Blues Band- 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
-
Breezy Rodio, an up-and-coming bluesman with impressive guitar skills and disciple of the famed Linsey Alexander –6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
-
And headliner, Bumpus, a nine-piece funk band that’s gotten great reviews from the Chicago Reader, Tribune, and Sun-Times and has opened for bands like The Roots and The Wailers- 8:15 to 9:30 p.m.
-
And don’t forget the night’s Oyster Slurp-Off Grand Finale where one competitor walks away the 2016 champ and the Oyster Hall of Fame Inductee celebration from 7:15 to 7:45 p.m.
Japanese shochu meets dinner at Izakaya Mita Aug. 22
Chicago has been welcoming a new phenomenon in drinking lately: the Japanese izakaya. A prime example is Izakaya Mita, a cool little spot at 1960 N. Damen at the corner of Armitage. They are proud of educating Chicagoans about Japanese cuisine and, particularly, about Japanese intoxicating beverages. Their latest offering, called SHOCHU 101 and taking place Monday, August 22, is a special izakaya-style dinner designed to introduce us to Japan’s distilled spirit, shochu.
Guests can choose from two different shochu flights, Fundamentals of Flavor and Expressions of Technique, to enjoy with Chef Toshi Motegi’s unique dinner set prepared to compliment your explorations o fthis native distilled beverage. While you’re imbibing and eating, Tona Palomino of Tenzing Wine and Spirits will guide you on your journey through one of Japan’s most interesting beverages. Reservations required. Call 773.799.8677 or online at www.izakayamita.com.
The menu for the evening, which is available all night, includes the following dinner set with either or both shochu flights, as well as a complimentary welcome shochu-based cocktail called a chuhai.
Isanishiki – Hakutake Shiro – Nadeshiko – Jougo
Related articles
New brand for National Lemonade Day August 20
Wouldn’t it be fun to drink real lemonade – just juice from real lemons, sugar and water – without going to all the trouble of cutting, squeezing, measuring and stirring to make it? And then standing out in the hot sun waiting for some poor motorist to take pity on you and buy a glass? Oh, wait, that was when we were 5…
A lot of packaged/bottled lemonades on the market today have preservatives, additives, fake sweeteners, HFCS or GMO ingredients. Now – though not exactly low-sugar (27 grams) or low-carb (29 grams) – there is a brand that comes in a bottle with only those 3 natural ingredients – and includes 20% natural lemon juice (as opposed to a typical 2-4%). It’s from Natalie’s Orchid Island Juices (see below for where to get them in this area), and here are two fruity – one lightly spirited and one non-alchoholic – recipes you can make with the lemonade. Get thee hence and sip on #NationalLemonadeDay.
Lemonade Sparkler Recipe by Cafe Johnsonia
32 oz Natalie’s Natural Lemonade
8 oz St. Germaine (elderflower liqueur)
1 qt sparkling water or club soda
1 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
2 large lemons, thinly sliced
Crushed ice
In a large pitcher, stir together the Natural Lemonade and St. Germaine. Add 1 cup blackberries, 1 sliced lemon and a few cups of ice. Add enough sparkling water to fill pitcher to the top. Fill glasses or jars with ice, add a few blackberries and lemon slices to each glass. Fill with lemonade, and serve immediately.
Frozen Blackberry Lemonade by Trendy Mom Reviews
8 oz Natalie’s Natural Lemonade
4 oz fresh blackberries
8 oz ice
Pour Natalie’s Natural Lemonade into a blender Add the frozen blackberries. Add ice. Blend at high speed until well blended. Serve promptly.
Where to buy Natalie’s Orchid Island Juices in and around Chicago:
- Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets (Chicago)
- County Fair (Chicago)
- Eataly (Chicago)
- Fresh Thyme (Joliet, Fairview Heights, Crystal Lake, Deerfield, Mt. Prospect, Naperville, Downers Grove, Chicago)
- Peapod (Online) (Chicago)
- Restaurant Depot (Chicago)
P.S. This is a woman-owned company, and they make a bunch of interesting juices like beet-orange, grapefruit, honey tangerine, tomato and more. Check ’em out.
Nando’s Peri-Peri cooking good and doing good
Chicago Fire soccer stars will “take over” the grills at the new Nando’s in the South Loop on Saturday July 30, delivering succulent PERi-PERi chicken to hungry fans. Nando’s will pay it forward by donating 100 percent of sales to the Chicago Fire Foundation, which improves the lives of disadvantaged youth in and around Chicago.
Nando’s PERi-PERi, the South African-Portuguese restaurant known worldwide for its spicy flame-grilled chicken, has just hatched its seventh Chicago-area restaurant. The newest Nando’s is located at 1005 South Delano Court, in the Roosevelt Collection in the South Loop.
“Nando’s is thrilled to partner again with the Fire to warm up Chicago,” said Burton Heiss, CEO of Nando’s PERi-PERi USA. Since opening in Chicago in spring 2015, Nando’s has raised more than $100,000 for local non-profits.
“It’s wonderful to see a company like Nando’s invested in this city to join with the Chicago Fire Foundation to give back to the community,” added Chicago Fire Foundation Executive Director Jessica Yavitz.
Playing With Fire
Chicago Fire personalities scheduled to appear at Nando’s include general manager Nelson Rodriguez, midfielders Matt Polster, Michael Stephens, Joey Calistri, Drew Conner and Alex Morrell, defender Patrick Doody and goalkeepers Matt Lampson and Patrick McLain. They will turn up the heat at Nando’s in South Loop with player appearances from 1:30pm to 7:00pm CT on July 30. The restaurant is opened from 11am to 9pm that day, with all sales throughout the day going to the Chicago Fire Foundation.
Seven Chicago Restaurants…and Counting
Nando’s moved to Chicago in spring 2015 and has quickly opened five restaurants in the city, plus locations in Naperville and Oak Park. The newest Nando’s is located at Roosevelt Collection between W. Roosevelt Rd. and W. Harrison St. at 1005 S. Delano Ct.
Nando’s has built an intensely loyal following, from London to the Loop, by providing fresh food in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly service. Nando’s is known worldwide for its succulent PERi-PERi chicken, marinated for 24 hours, flame-grilled to perfection, and basted to the customer’s preferred flavor and spice.
Every Nando’s is painstakingly designed and completely unique, with earthy textures and bright colors that reflect its sunny African-Portuguese heritage. The new Nando’s in the Roosevelt Collection is no exception and features a panoramic view of the Loop skyline. With thousands of pieces of original works of art that are a constant reminder of where the restaurant came from, Nando’s has become the largest collector of South African contemporary art in the world. In the United States alone, there are more than 600 pieces of original African art in Nando’s restaurants.
Osteria La Madia
Our server happily recommended favorites when we asked. She especially recommended the Spinach & Taleggio Fondue appetizer. Picturing something oozing with oily cheese, we hesitated but decided to trust her – she said it is the restaurant’s most popular appetizer. We were amazed when she brought out a platter with a huge slab of puffy, clearly-wood-fired, pita-type bread that dwarfed a small crock of beautifully smooth and creamy-looking green sauce drizzled with truffle oil. The proper approach, she explained, was to rip off a piece of the bread, place it on your individual plate and spoon some of the green stuff over top. Wow, it was really good. Would never believe it was spinach – rich with the velvety consistency of heavy cream without betraying the slightest hint of iron, as spinach can sometimes do, or greasiness, as melted cheeses often do. The truffle oil dribbled on top gave the fondue extra pizzaz. The Sardinian bread was made of the same dough they use for their pizzas, several of which we’d tried and enjoyed on an earlier visit. They offer a wide variety of unique pizza toppings and offer several of them at bargain prices during their bar-only happy hour (currently 4:30 to 6:30 M-F). Excellent way to slake your thirst and gratify your hunger after work.
The heirloom tomato salad was in season and just delightful. The bright range cherry tomatoes were super sweet and tasty. And the thick slice from a giant red tomato reminded us both of the tomatoes our fathers used to grow. Hard to get much better than that. The burrata was gooey and creamy and good.
Our entrees: scallops were nicely seared without being overdone, while the side dish of farro was a bit salty; the housemade ricotta-stuffed pasta and vegetables were all good individually without feeling quite melded in the overall dish. In any case we enjoyed both dishes, and they went perfectly with the fine, light red wine our server recommended from among the nicely rounded list of wines by the bottle and by the glass (priced as 4oz, 7oz and full bottle portions). A shared dish of strawberry gelato along with an after-dinner liqueur put a mellow ending on a nice evening. We’d gotten there early and by the time we finished, the place was hopping with diners, including several large families sharing a meal together.
The whole experience was lovely, with wonderful service in comfortable surroundings. We’d recommend visiting Osteria La Madia any time; check their hours of operation here. In case you don’t want to fight traffic or pay through the nose for parking, get to La Madia in a snap via the 156, 36 or 22 buses or the Red Line (Grand/State station). It’s a short walk from any of those lines. You’ll feel welcome while you’re there and leave feeling glad you came.