Category Archives: Chicago restaurants

October events at Chicago Lettuce Entertain You

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
  • M Burger's Have Dreams milkshake
    M Burger’s Have Dreams milkshake

    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
Num! Spiced pumpkin bao
Num! Spiced pumpkin bao

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.

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Chicagoans can now subscribe to lunch and save

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
IMG_0150
IMG_0150 Generic lunches. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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.

Chicago and DC are the latest cities to join the crowd. In New York, San Francisco, Boston and Miami, weekday lunch crowds have now ordered over 500,000 meals from more than 1,000 restaurants. MealPal has also recently introduced Pal, a smart bot that uses artificial intelligence to personalize your choices.
  • 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.
 The service is simple to use. Visit the website or mobile app to browse the daily menu, filtering meals by cuisine and portion size. Reserve your meal by 9:30am, choosing a time to pick up your lunch. When you pick up your food, skip the line and be in and out of the restaurant in less than 30 seconds.
Six bucks for lunch? Not bad. And you don’t have to sign up to use it everyday. As of right now, it’s only available in the Loop but they expect to add more ‘hoods soon.
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Binge on ’em all week before Shaw’s Oyster Fest

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Indulge all week before Shaw's Oyster Fest 2016
Indulge all week before Shaw’s Oyster Fest 2016

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.

Sunday, September 25
William Fèvre Chablis Dinner at Shaw’s Crab House Chicago: This four-course dinner, plus reception, includes chablis selections and seafood pairings. Guests can enjoy glasses of Champagne Henriot and Bouchard Père & Fils courtesy of William Fèvre sister estates in Champagne and Burgundy. Priced at $75 per guest (tax and gratuity not included), the dinner will begin with a 6 p.m. reception and seated dinner at 6:30 p.m. Reserve at 312-527-2722. Event menu here.
Tuesday, September 27
Founders Beer Dinner at Shaw’s Crab House Chicago: Founders Brewing Co. has teamed up with Shaw’s as a sponsor of this year’s Oyster Fest, pouring delicious brews all festival-long. In celebration of the partnership, Founders is co-hosting a four course beer dinner with special guest and co-founder, Dave Engbers. The cost is $75 per guest (tax and gratuity not included), beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. and seated dinner at 6:30 p.m. Reserve at 312-527-2722. Event menu here.
Wednesday, September 28
Oysters, Oysters, and More Oysters at Shaw’s Crab House Chicago: Chicago Gourmets have teamed up with Shaw’s to welcome special guest and author Cynthia Nims for an oyster luncheon celebrating the recent publication of her book,Oysters: Recipes That Bring Home a Taste of the Sea. The luncheon features recipes from Cynthia’s book plus wine pairings and is priced at $75 per person (tax & gratuity not included) and will begin at noon. Reserve at chicagourmet.org.
Meet-and-greet the author who’ll sign books in the Oyster Bar from 4 to 6 p.m. where books will be available for purchase.
Happy Hour with Rowan Jacobsen at Oyster Bah: James Beard award-winning food writer Rowan Jacobsen will join us to promote his upcoming book, The Essential Oyster: A Salty Appreciation of Taste and Temptation (out on October 4th). From 4 to 6 p.m. Rowan will be posting up at the oyster bar as the guest shucker, but will also curate the day’s oyster list and introduce oyster pairings with his favorite William Fèvre chablis wines. Click here to stay tuned on wine features.
Thursday, September 29
Books, Oysters, and Cocktails with Rowan Jacobsen at Shaw’s Crab House Chicago: Rowan Jacobsen will also be hitting up Shaw’s Chicago to promote his book and from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Oyster Bar, guests receive a signed copy of Rowan’s new book, slurp down on Rowan’s favorite oysters (plus snacks) and enjoy some custom cocktails from our local bartender friends in Chicago’s cocktail scene. The event is priced at $75 per person and reservations are recommended. Call 312-527-2722 or visit the website here.
All week long: Oyster Bar Happy Hour: Starting Monday, September 26, Shaw’s Chicago will be featuring all day Happy Hour in the Oyster Bar! Enjoy one East coast and one West coast variety on special all week long at half-price ($18 per dozen).
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Summer wines from Donnafugata / Sicilia DOC

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
2015 is the first U.S. release of Donnafugata Sherazade
2015 is the first U.S. release of Donnafugata Sherazade

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.

Taste the spring in Donnafugata's SurSur Grillo 2015
Taste the spring in Donnafugata’s SurSur Grillo 2015

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.

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Shaw’s Oyster Fest 2016 offers VIP access!

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Get some at Shaw's Oyster Fest 2016
Get some at Shaw’s Oyster Fest 2016

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.

                              
The Food and Drinks                                                       
Besides the music, four local blues bands including headliner, Bumpus, you’ll get to pick your favorite fresh seafood from Shaw’s Crab House. Look for six varieties of  premium-quality oysters, both East Coast and West Coast, on the half shell as well as other Festival favorites like King Crab Bites, Lobster Rolls, Clam Chowder, Fish Tacos, and more.
                              
Wash ’em all down with your favorite cocktails, wine and/or beer, including this year’s hugely aromatic selections like All Day IPA and KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) from Founder’s Brewing Co.,  based in Grand Rapids, MI.

Tickets
Tickets go on-sale today at oysterfestchicago.com and will be sold in the following two tiers:
  1. General admission ($20)- festival admission
  2. 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 Music
Steeped in Chicago blues tradition, Shaw’s Crab House has invited an exciting lineup of blues bands– regulars at The House of Blues, Kingston Mines, Buddy Guy’s and Shaw’s Oyster Bar– to provide continuous music throughout the evening. Emceed by 93XRT’s Lin Brehmer, the day’s bands include:
  • 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.
Kids 12 and under are free and, as always, all food and beverage are additional and can be purchased by buying Oyster Bucks at the festival. Following the fest, Shaw’s Chicago will host an Oyster Fest after party with live music until 1 a.m.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, please visit oysterfestchicago.com and be sure to follow all the action with #OysterFestChi.
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Japanese shochu meets dinner at Izakaya Mita Aug. 22

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Try out a new Japanese liquor, shochu
Try out a new Japanese liquor, shochu

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.

Izakaya-Style Dinner Set – $16
Sake Nanbanzuke – salmon served nanbanzuke style; deep-fried and pickled with onions and a sweet soy vinaigrette, served chilled.
Nasu Dengaku – seared eggplant with white and black miso glaze.
Menchi Katsu – panko-breaded and deep-fried ground beef croquette, served with tonkatsu and ketchup.
Shochu Flight 1 : Fundamentals of Flavor  $13
This shochu flight is designed for guests to sample the differing flavors of four of the most popular styles of shochu: sweet potato (satsuma), rice (kuma), barley (iki), and brown sugar (kokuto).

Isanishiki – Hakutake Shiro – Nadeshiko – Jougo

Shochu Flight 2 : Expressions of Technique  $18
This shochu flight is designed for guests to sample some of the unique techniques that are used in shochu production: Aging, Cask-Strength, Awamori, and Unfiltered.
Kakushigura – Kuradashi – Shimauta – Jakunbaku
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

New brand for National Lemonade Day August 20

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
This image shows a whole and a cut lemon.
Real lemons. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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…

Natalie's Natural Lemonade for #NationalLemonadeDay
Natalie’s Natural Lemonade for #NationalLemonadeDay

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

Blackberry
Blackberry (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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.

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Nando’s Peri-Peri cooking good and doing good

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Chicago Fire soccer stars will “take over” the grills at the new Nando’s in the SouthChicago Fire Player at Nandos 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.

 

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Osteria La Madia

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Update: As of March 25, 2017, Osteria La Madia is closed. The owners are now focused on building their Firecakes brand.
Osteria La Madia, 59 Grand Ave., sits in the heart of the red-hot River North section of downtown Chicago – a great place for drinks and unique appetizers. Or try their handmade, wood-fire-grilled pizzas or a full meal from among entrees that include fresh seafood to short ribs and housemade pastas with a variety of proteins. Several salads on offer range from a selection of greens with unique dressings to a full-meal version of Ahi Tuna Nicoise.
.
The bar and a small seating area form a cozy spot at the front of the divided space. Then a line of booths leads down a short path to the main two-level, large, airy dining area set with varying size tables and comfortable chairs. And the wood-fire grills are centered at the back of the space; it’s cool to watch the pizzas being made behind the protective glass shield. The overall effect is of a room that’s spacious with cozy areas. The decor is unobtrusively simple yet modern with a truly comfortable ambiance.
.
Osteria La Madia's fabulous Spinach cheese fondue
Osteria La Madia’s fabulous Spinach cheese fondue

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.

.
Our other appetizer, the mussels in a tomato onion broth was simply scrumptious. The mussels perfectly cooked, the broth deeply flavored with stock and tomato and just a hint of spice. I couldn’t resist mixing some of the dark, rich, red broth with some of the spinach fondue. It turned out to be a fabulous flavor combination, although mixing the colors green and red results in a not-too-attractive shade of grayish brown. I didn’t care; it tasted SO good.
.

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.

Housemade ricotta-stuffed tortellacci with summer vegetables and truffle shavings
Housemade ricotta-stuffed tortellacci with summer vegetables and truffle shavings

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.

.
And by the way, the same folks who operate La Madia also operate the top-rated Firecakes bakeries. If you like donuts, do not fail to visit one of their locations. Hint: We highly recommend the coconut cream-topped cake donut. And La Madia recently started offering brunch on Saturdays and Sundays (10 – 3pm) and guess what? You can feast on Firecakes donuts there in addition to either their prix fixe brunch or lots of variety priced a la carte.
.
The restaurant provided a meal to facilitate this review. All opinions are strictly those of the writer.
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Steadfast, From The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, Opens Today

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Steadfast, From The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, Opens Today

WHO: Steadfast…
WHAT: … the highly-anticipated new concept from Chicago’s Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, opens its doors today welcoming guests to experience the chef-driven concept inside The Kimpton Gray Hotel (opening soon).  Presenting a dining room reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour and beautifully composed food and beverage programs, a new dining adventure now awaits, all with The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group’s special touches.

Steadfast showcases food done by no one else in the city at this price point, with elegant, vibrant salads, small plates, and entrées at a value.  Executive Chef Christopher Daviesand Executive Pastry Chef Christopher Teixeira showcase seasonality and creativity through collaborated New American cuisine, incorporating Mediterranean and Portuguese influences.  Fried Chicken Skins, Chocolate Covered Foie Gras, Smoked Oxtail Croquette, and other playful bites begin meals.  Sharable items and larger plates showcase Smoked Sweetbreads, Carrot Salad Pave, Chicken Ballontine, and Cioppino, and for the table, Whole Roasted Duck, Butter Poached Maine Lobster, and Cote en Boeuf.  From the pastry kitchen, diners find a selection of house-made breads and indulgent desserts like crème brûlée with yuzu gelée, and elevated s’mores with coconut cream.  An exhibition kitchen invites guests from every seat in the house to personally connect with the culinary team, and a charcuterie room with windows allows guests to peek in.

Behind the bar, Beverage Director Benjamin Schiller and Bar Manager Tomasz Sasset the tone of Steadfast’s progressive cocktail menu incorporating the regional flavors of the cuisine throughout. Highlights of the spirits program feature progressive drinks incorporating big and bright flavors and remarkable presentations, one of Chicago’s largest antique whiskey collections, tableside drink options, and more. Shannon Hill-Sancheztakes the role of Sommelier, establishing a global wine program.

The intimate restaurant showcases a bold design reflecting the historical building’s classic revival style architecture.  Integrating original elements with custom-built components, the opulent space includes separated dining areas each boasting its own vibe.  The 100-seat dining room includes a series of chef’s tables, bar seating, a 14-seat, pre-ticketed tasting room, and a 16-seat patio.  Bespoke furniture with dark, plush accents and sleek marble, rich woods and lacquers, gold accents, and a zinc bar tie together the gracefully styled space.

Steadfast is open for lunch and dinner, with breakfast launching later this summer. More information and reservations may be found by calling (312) 801-8899.

WHERE: 120 W Monroe St.
Chicago, IL 60603
WHEN: Steadfast is open seven days a week, Monday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail